Chapter 3:

Sephy:
'I got a job' Callum said with a smile the second he was through the door, a few hours after leaving.

I smiled back 'That's great Callum', there was a part of me that felt guilty for smiling and acting normal. No, it wasn't acting normal I was feeling guilty, it was feeling normal. I didn't feel an ounce of upset at hearing my Dad was dead. 'Where to?'

'At a garage' he replied, 'I saw Gordy, a guy I worked with before I was arrested and where he works was looking for someone. The name Callum McGregor didn't put them off' he was making a joke of it, but I could tell that he hated the association with his name.

'Callum' I said, I had to tell him about my Dad, but the other thing I had heard on the news was more important.

More important? I was starting to think Minerva was right. I was valuing what Callum needed to know over the fact that my Dad was dead. That couldn't be right? But didn't people say you should focus on the living? Jude was alive, Dad was dead, therefore, the news about Jude was more important.

'Jude's been arrested' I continued.

'What?' Callum ran a hand over his face and through his hair, looking like it was all he could do not to scream. 'Great, just great' he muttered. 'What for?'

'The assault of a Cross girl' I replied.

'Assault?' Callum repeated. 'Assault? No way. Jude isn't that stupid. Jude wouldn't let himself get arrested this easily. And assault? It doesn't sound like Jude'

'It's definitely Jude that's been arrested, Callum' I said. 'I'm not saying he did it, and I'm not saying he didn't do it, but it's definitely your brother who's been arrested. I'm not likely to forget what he looks like. It was on the news, it was Jude'

'No, I know' Callum said, 'It's just Jude is so careful he's practically paranoid, it's so hard to imagine him actually being caught. And being caught for something like assault, if Jude did assault someone he wouldn't leave evidence'

'Unless he didn't have time to make sure there was no evidence' I said. I was thinking aloud more than actually talking to Callum.

'Assault is so minor though, Jude usually wants to make a show, a point' I think Callum was also thinking aloud, rather than talking to me. 'You said some cross girl, did they say her name?'

'Cara…I can't remember what they said her surname was, but the first name was Cara' I told him.

'How did Jude know her though, that's the real important question? This is assuming he did know her…' Callum rambled. 'None of this make sense' Callum didn't say anything after that for a while, it was clear he was lost in thought about it.

I could understand Callum's confusion as well. It was uncharacteristic of Jude to only assault a Cross, and then to actually get caught for it. Either he was proving he was only human and made mistakes, or he was accused of a crime he didn't commit. Wouldn't that be ironic? Of all the crimes he had committed, Jude being arrested for one he didn't do. That's assuming he didn't do it though.

'I need to see him' Callum said eventually. 'He'll tell me the truth' I doubted this 'and even if he doesn't I'll know if he's lying'

'What are you two talking about?' my sister said, and I turned and saw her coming down the stairs.

'Jude' Callum replied simple.

Minerva stared between Callum and I in horror. When she spoke it was aimed at me. 'Our Dad is dead and you're talking about his bastard brother?'

'Don't call Jude that' Callum automatically defended, then he stopped and looked at me. He spoke softly 'Kamal's dead?'

I nodded.

'Not that either of you give a damn' Minerva added.

'How…?' Callum asked.

'He was attacked by his Halfter cellmate' replied Minerva.

The glare on Callum's face, directed at my sister was mirrored on my own. 'Don't you dare use that word' I snarled at her.

She just looked at us, not saying anything, before disappearing into the kitchen.

'I'm going to see Jude' Callum said, before storming out.

I sighed and rubbed my hands over my face in anguish. What hope was there for Callie being accepted in the world if her own family was going to use words like that? I knew Minerva didn't like Callum, I could almost accept that, she had made it clear for long enough, but she was not going to get away with anything that could hurt my daughter.

Minerva:
I lent on the sideboard, feeling like I could fall over at any moment. I felt so weak, it was as though my whole world had come crashing down. I may not have been as close to Dad as Sephy had been when we were younger, but I loved him and cared for him more than anyone else in this family has done for years. I was the only one who went to see him in prison. The thought that he was dead horrified me. He wasn't the easiest man to get along with, but I did get along with him. We were one and the same in many ways. He understood me and I understood him.

I was going to miss him like crazy and Persephone was being such a heartless cow about it. I couldn't help but be angry at her. I hadn't meant to use the word 'Halfer' I didn't mean anything against Callie Rose, she's a great kid. I was just so mad at the person who killed my Dad, I wanted to scream and shout and call him all the names under the sun. What gave him the right to take my Dad's life? What could possibly give him that right? I was so angry, I felt that if I saw him I would kill him without so much of a second thought. So angry that I don't think I would ever regret killing him. An eye for an eye.

It was a very slight comfort knowing that he would hang for it. The bastard deserved to die, I hope he rots in hell.


A/N: Don't be too harsh on Minerva, she's grieving! R&R?