Chapter Four

When we walk into the Benedict house hold it's already bustling with people. The first to notice me is one of Victor's brothers. He bounces over to me, "Hey Ava, welcome to the madhouse. Xav Benedict, at your service."

"Let her through the door, Xav." A girl, presumably his soulfinder, scolded. She smiled at me as we came into the room. "I'm Crystal."

"Come and sit down, Ava." Victor said, guiding me to a chair, no doubt feeling my unease.

The chatter continues around me as the others greet me and Vick. They are all asking questions and I feel myself growing more overwhelmed every second, desperate to get the answers right. I'm just about it coping until Victor's parents come in.

"Ava!" His mother said, beaming at me, "I've been looking forward to meeting you! Victor, you didn't tell me you were bringing your soulfinder!"

"Sorry, Mom, it was a last minute arrangement." Victor said, hugging his mother.

"I've been dying to meet you, Ava." She said, "Tell me all about yourself!"

The lights above me flicker a little as the attention turns to me, "Uhh...there's not a lot to tell."

"But I want to know all about my new daughter in law!" She said.

I can feel the panic rising. I am so not ready to be someone's daughter.

"Mom, we just met." Victor said.

"But you're soulfinders, you'll be together for the rest of your lives, we might as well get to know her!" She said, "Ava, welcome to the family."

The light above me shatters. I stand up as calmly as I can, "Excuse me, I need some air."

I walked out to the veranda and bent over the railing, breathing heavily as I felt a panic attack coming on. I concentrate on slowing my breathing and lowering my heart rate.

Someone stood next to me and I looked up to see a short girl with blonde hair, "I know they're a bit...full on."

"Tell me about it." I said, letting out a long breath and staring at the ground.

"I'm Sky." She told me.

"Ava." I said, even though she already knew.

"Everyone's just excited to meet you." Sky said, "They're a close family. Karla just wants to welcome you into it. She means well."

"I'm sure she does." I said, "I'm just not sure I'm cut out for the whole family thing. I don't have a lot of practice with functioning families."

"Neither did I." Another girl said, bounding over to us and jumping up onto the railing, sitting beside us, "I'm Phoenix. My 'family' was far from functioning."

"I had a pretty rough start before I got adopted." Sky said.

"You don't need to be good at playing families," Phoenix said, "The Benedict's will welcome you anyway. We'll all be there for you anyway, that's family."

I managed a smile, because maybe they were right. Maybe this was a second chance with a real family.

"Anyway, enough with the sappy pep talks." Sky said, grinning at me, "What's it like to be Victor Benedict's soulfinder?"

I shrugged, "We haven't spent all that much time together yet."

"I was terrified of him when I first met him." Sky said.

"I still am." Phoenix confessed and Sky laughed in agreement.

"Why?" I asked.

"I dunno...he's so serious and intense all the time." Sky said.

"Something about him just screams danger." Phoenix shivered, "Honestly Ava, he scares me."

I couldn't help laughing, because to me, nothing about Vick was scary, "No, he's really nice. I kinda hate him for throwing me in at the deep end with his family but...other than that..."

"He probably doesn't realise how intimidating it would be for you." Phoenix said, "He's so in control, he could probably cope with anything and I doubt he's ever intimidated."

"I hope that 'opposites attract' saying is true..." I mumbled.

"So your gift...controlling electricity, huh?" Sky asked.

I nodded and groaned, "It's not usually this out of control, I'm just stressed by meeting everyone."

"It's understandable." Phoenix said, "No one will blame you. Yves - that's my soulfinder - his gift is fire and when his emotions get out of control the results are not pretty."

"It's good to know I'm not the only health hazard around here." I said.

"Let's just say we're lucky Xav's power is healing." Sky said with a wink.

"Ready to go inside and face the lions?" Phoenix asked. I sighed, "We'll make sure they play nice."

Sky linked arms with me and the three of us walked back inside the house together. I'm still nervous, but if this is going to be my family, I'd be happy to have these girls as my sister's.

~o.O.o~

"I'm sorry," Victor said on the drive home, "About earlier. Sky talked to me."

I shot a look over to him, "It's fine."

"I didn't realise how much it would stress you out." He told me.

I look down at my lap, trying to think of a response. I hate that I've opened so much of myself to him, laid out my vulnerability in front of all his family when I've barely met them. I need to be strong, and I need to conceal.

"Honestly, I'm fine." I said, trying to weave a laugh into my words, "You know how my gift gets. Anything can set it off."

Victor shook his head, "You told me you didn't want to meet them and I forced you into it."

"Can we talk about something else?" I asked, rubbing my temples as I started to get a headache.

"You wanna get take out on the way home?" He asked, "I know a great Chinese near your apartment."

I flick my eyes over to him because liking Chinese food is so far our only similarity. I sighed a little, "Not tonight, Vick. I just wanna go home and sleep, I'm sorry."

"Ava you don't have to apologize." He said, "We'll do it another night."

He stops our side my apartment building and I kiss his cheek in goodbye, "See you soon, Victor."

"Goodnight, Ava." He returned.

I climbed the stairs to my apartment with a weird feeling in my heart. I shouldn't have turned Victor down, but I was annoyed. Not so much at him, but at myself. I needed to gather myself before I faced him again, this time making sure not to let my craziness show.

I unlock the door and chuck my keys into the bowl, trying to flick on the lights with my gift. Nothing happens. I try the switch but they still don't turn on. It can't be a power cut, because my gift would bring the electricity back. I use my gift to flick on the tv, which works. It's just the lights. I use my phone to light the way to the kitchen where I find a torch. Shining it up to the ceiling I can see why I'm surrounded by darkness. Every lightbulb in the apartment is shattered.

I spin around, searching the darkness with my torch. I can't see anyone, but it's so dark that the intruder could be hidden anywhere.

"Hello?" I called out.

From the darkness comes a loud smashing of glass.

I grab my keys from the bowl and leave, running down the stairwell without looking back. I burst out into the dark night, out of breath with my heart racing. Victor's already left, and I left my phone on the kitchen counter. I want to kick myself.

I could go to his apartment - I have the address after all. I shake myself. What had I just said about showing him my vulnerability?

Still, I don't want to be alone.

Halfway there, a brainwave hits and I pick up some Chinese food. He looks surprised when I open the door, but I explain myself by saying I felt bad for bailing, so brought the Chinese take out to him.

"You didn't have to do that, Ava." He said, letting me into the apartment. It's nice with modern furnishings, but the thing that strikes me most about the place is how tidy it is. For a guy living alone I'd expected something a bit messier, but every ornament is in perfect place, every cushion at the right angle. I raise an eyebrow at Victor but he doesn't seem to find anything strange. I make a mental note to tidy before he sees my own apartment.

"Hope you like chow mein." I said, unpacking the boxes.

"Of course I do." He said, grabbing forks, "Sit down."

I sit on the edge of his couch, not wanting to disturb anything. He brings the food over and sits beside me, pulling me back to lean against him. His warm arms around me instantly make me forget how scared I was earlier at my apartment and I relax.

"Be honest with me now, Ava." Victor said.

"Hmm?" I asked, shifting to look up at him.

"Why did you come?" He asked.

"I told you." I said, leaning forward and dishing chicken onto my plate.

"Ava." He said softly, "Come on."

I shrugged, "I really did feel bad. Not just about bailing on the take out but about how I acted at your parents. I wanted to make it up to you." He studied me for a moment. I rolled my eyes, "Its getting cold."

With that he seemed to accept my reasons and leans back into the sofa, "I'm glad you came."

I smiled, snuggling back into him, "Me too."


A/N: so I've decided to continue with the story! It's still kinda on probation but as long as I keep getting a positive response then I will carry on writing :)