A/N1:Yeah, dude. Lots of 'later' and blah blah. Riley annoys me. Self-righteous bitch. Chase is just…You gotta love him. Even if he does have DID and has a psycho part of his personality.
A/N2: Poor Riley, looks like that didn't work out for her eh?
Later that evening…
Riley sat at the back of the library, her laptop on the desk in front of her. She was doing some research, but not for educational purposes. More for the purposes of trying to come up with a solution to this current situation and to stop herself from going insane. She had about fifteen tabs on two different internet browsers; the first lot consisted of information from various sources about Dissociative Identity Disorder and the second lot comprised of a ton of information on Wiccan rituals. And on the table around her laptop, she had various books on mental disorders sprawled out in front of her, all opened on pages to do with DID. Underneath those was a secondary selection of open books, to do with magic and Wicca stuff. You couldn't just stick to one source with either of these kinds of things; you needed modern, old and new; all shit that could be found in a combination of internet and book research. She could've easily been doing this at her dorm, but didn't want to risk Katherine suddenly returning and ruining her life some more. That stupid cow was still persevering and was practically dating the youngest son now. She hated the idea of her sister getting her grubby mits on that innocent guy and corrupting him, then gradually stealing the powers of him and his friends. Him and his stupid friends. Stupid bastards who wouldn't trust her and had some major hate fest going towards her; despite the fact that she was totally legit and was actually trying to, in the long run, save their bloody lives. She just didn't get how they'd fallen for her sister's façade, how they'd allowed her to pollute their minds.
Then again…Why shouldn't they have fallen for it? Katherine was a brilliant actress; she could hit all the right notes with the false friendly smiles, the charm, the amicable attitude, the persona of the sweet, fun loving and somewhat shy girl. When in reality she was warped, twisted and was probably crazy. Still, at least she'd managed to get Chase on antipsychotics. That would help immensely. Via using those drugs, the original psycho part of him could be repressed. And she and him could work together to impede Katherine's plans and ultimately save the lives of the other sons. Even if they didn't trust her and had managed to royally piss her off, she wasn't just going to stand by and allow them to be de-powered and murdered. At least she had Chase on her side. At least he trusted her. So all in all, everything could have been far worse at this current moment. Katherine could've been here with her, and Chase could've been totally hating on her too. She had to try and look on the bright side of life (no matter how small or dim that was) or she'd probably just go insane. Little did she know though, that her sister was in the library, down an aisle not too far away from her but out of her line of sight. And for another thing? Chase was looking for her.
Riley started slightly as her phone briefly vibrated in her pocket. She slipped it out to see that she had a message, from Chase. Well, this could either be good or bad. With a slight shrug she opened the text, quickly reading it. It was a brief as ever and simply said : 'Where are you?' Well, that was certainly helpful. She personally hated texts, always found it very hard to be able to identify the tone and intentions behind it. She quickly sent one back, telling him she was in the library and then chucked her phone on the desk, returning to what she was doing. He was a fast mover. He'd be able to hightail his ass over here in under a minute depending on where he was, particularly if something was wrong.
Just as she expected, about two minutes later she spotted Chase strolling towards her down the centre of the library. As he drew nearer, she noticed that he had a face like thunder. Okay, apparently something was wrong. For a fleeting moment she begun to worry that psycho Chase had taken control again but then remembered that she'd given him antipsychotics and that he was unlikely to have not taken them. Well then, maybe something had happened with the sons, or Katherine? She stood up and hurried to meet him before he'd arrived at the table.
"What is it? What's happened?" she enquired grimly, praying to every bloody deity that Katherine hadn't already killed one of the others and taken their power.
"I can't believe I was stupid enough to trust you," Chase said, ignoring the fact that she'd spoken and sounding absolutely incensed as he gave the girl a look cold enough to freeze hell. Riley blinked in alarm, a confused expression slipping onto her face. What the hell was that supposed to mean? She just didn't understand why Chase seemed so riled up, or why he was saying shit like that. Oh, God, what was going on now?
"Chase, what the hell are you talking about?"
"Don't play games with me, Riley! You've done that long enough! I know what's going on now," Chase snarled, glaring at her and not seeming at all bothered that he was being pretty loud in a library. Riley ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head in confusion.
"Seriously, I don't have a clue what you're going on about," she told him impatiently. "Also, we're in a library and something tells me that whatever we're about to discuss isn't fit for mortals ears, so do something about it." The warlock paused, his eyes flashing back as he drew on the power, he waved a hand sending shockwaves of magic about the place before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. He opened them seconds later, to reveal his natural green orbs, power free.
"There!" he said; his voice hard and mocking. "Now only witches and warlocks can hear what we're saying. Only you and me, you satisfied now?"
"Um, no, actually. I still don't know what's going on. What is this? You been talking to Katherine? You allow her to manipulate you?" Riley retorted, her tone becoming more scathing with each word she uttered. "Really Chase, I thought you'd be more sensible that that." Chase shook his head in furious disbelief, running a hand through his hair. He couldn't believe this girl. He couldn't believe how she had the audacity to stand there, all self-righteous and throwing accusations her sister's way when she was the one who had been doing the web spinning and manipulating all a-bloody- long.
"No, Riley. Because let's face it everything you have told me is lie!" he yelled, suddenly losing any sense of cool that he previously had. He watched as the girl stared at him and opened her mouth to protest. He quickly cut across her, not wanting her to whatever level of crap she was about to spew.
"All you've done is deceive me! You told me that Katherine was evil, that she was scheming with my dark counterpart to try and take the powers of the other sons but I have seen no indication of this! All she's guilty of is trying to make friends and having a crush on Tyler! She's sweet, your sister. I believed you, but I was wrong to do. You're the bad one! You claimed she was the one working with my evil counterpart, but it's you isn't it? And I wouldn't even remember, so it was the perfect cover-up! You, playing the sweet, concerned girl whose trying to stop her evil sister. Well done, I commend you on your acting skills."
"Wh-" Riley cut herself off, taking a small step back and shaking her head. Okay, No. She had to be dreaming. This had to be bad Chase or…Katherine had to have spoken to him. Something. Anything. No way could he be saying all of this off his own back. She'd helped him when no one else had, because he had asked her to. She had given him drugs to keep him in control and repress the darker part of him, surely that was reason enough to trust her? Yesterday, he'd had faith in her, and her suggested treatment and in the fact that they could stop her sister. What the hell had changed? "You spoke to her didn't you? She caught in her web and wrapped you up tight. Don't lie to me," she said coldly, pretty much unable to grasp that concept that her sister had been successful in corrupting Chase. Yet…What other explanation was there?
"The only time that I have spoken to Katherine was yesterday, discussing her date with Tyler and she was quite possibly the sweetest girl I have ever met," Chase informed her coolly. "Unlike you. Your sister hasn't 'corrupted' me Riley. You were the one doing that, but you won't have the chance to any longer."
"Chase-" Riley broke off, sighing heavily. She shot him an appealing glance, shaking her head frantically. "I don't know where you've got this idea from but I promise you it is not true. I've been helping you, remember? You can trust me. We were going to work together to stop Katherine and to save the other four! Whatever this is, we can work through it. It's the DID, it's confusing you or-or-or- something!"
"Give it a bloody rest!" the eldest Son told her, laughing humourlessly as he shook his head. "You're delusional, Riley, you really are. I feel better than I have done in a long time but, you…You need help. What kind a freak pulls shit like this, only to blame it all on their sister, who is entirely innocent?"
"She isn't innocent!" Riley shouted, throwing her hands up in desperation. She exhaled sharply. She stepped towards him, hoping to placate him but he only glared at her, countering her advancement by taking a few steps away from her. "Chase, come on. This is madness. You know it is! Why? Why would I want to take the power of the boys? Have I given you any indication that I want to do that?"
"More than Katherine has. And you've given the others more indication too."
"So it's them!" the witch announced, her expression hardening as realisation struck her. Of course, she should have seen it. For some reason, Chase had talked to the boys and got given the low down. The boys and Chase traded stories of their respective sister, wherein the other sons would have revealed their distrust for her and their high regard for Katherine. Chase, being confused, susceptible and an apparent wanker, would have believed them. The odds were in Katherine's favour, after all. She'd integrated herself into the group, befriended all of the four younger Sons, whilst she, herself, had failed to do so. This was beyond bad. She couldn't stop Katherine on her on, particularly not if she had all five sons backing her. She shook her head and took a step towards Chase. "Chase…Please…Come on. Whatever they told you is utter bullshit. They've had the wrong impression of me from day on-"
"No," Chase interrupted harshly, cutting off her desperate pleas and protests. "No. I have. I was foolish enough to trust you, when if I'd really looked at the fact properly, I would've known not to. I trusted you and distrusted- Clearly something which I had the wrong way around."
"No, no, no!" Riley groaned, kicking the table hard and causing a couple of heavy, dusty books to crash to the floor with a dull thump. "You were right the first time! Don't fall for this! Please. Don't be like them. You know me."
"Do I?" Chase retorted, shaking his head in fury and contempt. "Or do I just 'know' the side of you that you wanted me to? You used me, Riley. You've been using me all along. You're sick and you are twisted!"
"You asked me to help you," the girl pointed out softly, bitter and hurt that he could lose trust in her so quickly, so easily. What happened to me being 'different'? Hmm?" Chase wrung his hands in anger, a small tremor of rage coursing through him. He wasn't one for hitting women, but right now he had to hold himself back from hurting this girl.
"Oh, cry me a fucking river, you psycho bitch!" he retorted dispassionately. Riley stepped back from him in an almost involuntary gesture. She opened her mouth but promptly closed, unable to find any words to say. What could she say, after all? There was literally nothing. She wouldn't be able to talk him round that much was clear. He had no trust or faith in her anymore. He most likely only felt hatred and anger. And maybe betrayal. Just like she did- betrayal. She thought that he'd believed in her, but apparently all it took was for someone to whisper a few words in his ear and that was that. She stared down at the rough, slightly discoloured, maroon carpet beneath her feet, feeling a sense of utter hopeless all of a sudden. Her only friend now thought she was an evil manipulative, psycho bitch. Neither he nor the other sons trusted her, but they all trusted Katherine. How was she supposed to save the rest of the Sons of Ipswich now? The task suddenly seemed so unimaginably large and more unreachable than ever. She mentally cursed herself for not having expected this, for not having foreseen it. How could she have been so stupid? She should've just worked alone from the beginning. She never should have bothered with Chase because he was bloody volatile and stupid and she never should have tried with the four other boys, because they were ignorant sons of bitches.
"We're done Riley," the eldest descendant told her, the name causing his lips to curl into a sneer. "You stop this right now, you filthy little snake, or I swear to God I will kill you myself." Riley said nothing, only turned away. She stepped away from him and sunk down heavily onto the wooden chair which she'd previously been sitting on. She shook her head despairingly, staring down at the floor. Chase scoffed and turned on his heel, walking away from her without another word. Once he was out of sight, she buried her face in her hands. Moments later, she found her eyes burning, and a slight sob trying to force its way out of her throat. She shook her head, swallowing heavily and taking a deep breath to compose herself. She didn't cry. It wasn't her style. She hadn't let herself cry in like two years. She certainly wasn't going to start it all up again because of her scheming sister and some idiot warlock boys. "Wankstains!" She seethed suddenly, leaping to her feet. She grabbed any books in reach and started chucking them off the table; sending them hurtling to the floor- each of them thumping softly as they hit the carpet. She tensed as she heard the sound of someone applauding sarcastically and footsteps coming from the near distance. She glanced around warily, eyes desperately trying to seek out the looming newcomer. Chase? No. Not his style. He was too angry anyway. One of the other four? Doubtful. So that left only one person…
"Katherine," she concluded scathingly, as the elder girl strolled into view. The fair haired girl laughed and jumped over a few books blocking the path between her and her sister.
"Hey there Riley!" She responded, leaning in and lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Gotta say that was quite a show you and Chase-y boy put on! Too bad that I'm a witch too and heard it all."
"You fucking bitch," the brunette hissed, her eyes flashing in anger as she took a threatening step towards her. The blond tutted and waggled her finger at her in mock admonishment.
"Now, now, Riley. That really isn't very nice," she teased, laughing at her sister's anger and distress. "I didn't do anything though, remember? I didn't have to. The other sons did it all for me. Like little slaves."
"You're not entirely blameless. You got them to trust you, and distrust me. They got Chase to do the same on both accounts," Riley pointed out, looking at her in disgust.
"Yeah well…You've either got it or you ain't and apparently…I've got it!" Katherine announced gleefully, shooting her a condescending look. Riley released a short cry of frustration, winding a hand into her hair and gripping the dark strands tightly.
"You're insane!" she groaned, pacing up and down by the table repeatedly for a few moments, emphasising her anger, disbelief and distress. She stopped, sinking down on the edge of the table and giving her sister the worst glare that she could currently muster.
"No…Apparently, you are," Katherine countered, flashing her a smirk. She moved to her sister's side, glancing around thoughtfully and dropping her voice to a goading whisper.
"I think the antipsychotic plan backfired a bit, don't you?"
