Happy Halloween! Enjoy chapter 9 - TC

Chase pulled his car up to the gates and stopped. I could see him looking up at the house, the house that had a lot of lights on. "Someone's home." His voice was loud in the now quiet car.

He was right. The lights meant either my parents where at home or Pogue was. I couldn't decide who I would rather avoid. Both would be the ideal answer. Instead I shrugged, "Yea, probably my brother. My parents aren't big on the whole 'wait up for your kids thing.'" It was the more likely of the two unappealing options.

With a final look towards the house Chase slipped out of the car and moved around to my door. I looked up with a genuine smile as he opened it for me. I'd had doors opened for me before, but he seemed so gracious in the action that I couldn't help the smile. "Thank you." I said as I slipped out and stood facing him.

"Thank you for a great evening." He smiled and offered me his arm. I wanted to take it. I wanted to take him arm and let him escort me to the front door. I, also, wanted to avoid another issue with Pogue.

I resisted the urge to go to battle with a single call to action. Resting my hand one his arm I smiled regretfully. "Would you mind if we said goodnight here? I don't want to push Pogue further." I did want to push him, but at the same time I didn't want to watch the way Pogue treated Chase. Chase didn't deserve that.

He didn't drop his smile. "Of course, on one condition." He didn't miss a beat, but I tilted my head in question. "You let me take you out on a real date."

A real date. Sure, tourist sights around town and sandwiches by his car wasn't a date, but was I ready to date? I didn't even know if I was ready to be single, but apparently I wasn't been given many chances to refuse thing lately.

When I didn't answer right away Chase prompted. "This week, Friday? I'll pick you up here around seven, dinner?" His hand rested on top of my hand that sat on his forearm. Trapped...my mind whirled and I moved to step back.

….Held warmly in place. You want to be held...

I looked from our hands to his face and nodded. I did want to be held, didn't I? "Friday sounds great." I nodded with a smile.

Chase released my hand and headed back around to the drivers side of the car. I stepped quickly to the front door and heard the car start. It was pulling out of the drive as I closed the door.

The hall was lit by a ornate light fixture that reflected light down on to the tiled floor. From further back in the house, the kitchen, I could hear the tv. I could either delay my fate and head to my room and wait out Pogue or I could face it head on.

With a deep breath I took a quick step towards the kitchen.

The TV sound grew louder and the light brighter. I could smell pop corn, freshly popped, and the scent made my mouth water. As I stepped into the large room I took in the homely familiarity it gave me. Even empty the room was welcoming, but when filled with TV noise and the blonde haired figure of my brother it was positively cocooning in it's homely feel. The figure in question had his back to me at the opposite counter obviously making some snack, around him sat a few coke cans and empty chip packets.

"They all out of food at school?" I asked crossing to the ice box and grabbing a drink for myself. Closing the door I lent against it and looked over at him as he turned and lent on the counter top.

Pogue was taller then me and broader in the shoulders. Beyond that we shared the hair, eyes and features that marked us out as more then just siblings. He was dressed to stay home. PJ pants and a holey tshirt that had once displayed the school swim team crest, but was now more of a washed out fade. His hair lacked product and his feet were bare. This was my brother relaxed, but his shoulders were tense.

I popped open my can and waited for him to speak next.

"Figured I'd make sure you were OK." He said picking up his own drink. "You know after your visitor last night."

I nodded. Caleb told him about the Darkling, no doubt told the others too. "Should have guessed he'd tell you. Anyway, thanks for your concern, but I have a nightlight to keep away the bogey men." I smirked at him and twisted the ring pull on my drink.

"Yea Caleb told me, but you should have told me. I'm your brother, I shouldn't have to hear it second hand." He said not taking his eyes off me. "And I wanted to make sure you made it home ok."

And there it was; Chase. My evening with Chase was the real reason he was home. I stood up from the refrigerator and glared at him. "This has nothing to do with the Darkling, does it? You just don't like Chase, so I have to not like Chase." I stepped towards the island counter and set my drink down hard. "You know, you don't get to pick and choose my friends and you don't get to pick and choose when you play big brother. You gave up that right when you shut me out this summer."

My voice was louder then the TV and echoed off the marble counter tops. I didn't care. No doubt Pogue and I were the only ones home.

On the other side of the island Pogue set his drink down, but didn't move from his place against the counter. "No, I don't like him. There's something off about him. You're my sister and I want to protect you."

I rolled my eyes. He continued.

"I'm still your brother. I didn't shut you out." The first statement held the strength. The second statement held nothing and I knew he knew it.

I looked down at the marble counter top. "I called, texted, emailed. I can understand it from Reid and Tyler and even Caleb, but you...Pogue until this summer we'd never gone a day without talking to each other. This summer I went almost 5 weeks without hearing from you." I didn't look up. I could feel my heart pounding and threatening to break. Since stepping on the bus I had burnt with anger at all 4 of them, but facing Pogue now just burnt out that rage I'd been holding on to.

"I know how long it was." His voice was quiet. I didn't need to look up to know he was hurting too, I could hear it in his voice.

I had so many things I wanted to yell at him. I wanted to scream and fight, but only one question for him.

"Why, Pogue?" I looked up at him. He'd been looking at me and my eyes looked in to his. Eyes reflecting eyes.

The TV was playing an infomercial now. In the beats it took him to answer the peppy voice reiterated the amazing offer. The tap dripped. We looked at each other, then he looked away and I looked down.

I heard him take a breath. "Because," He sighed then stood up off the counter. I saw his reflection in the marble top as he moved towards the island. When I looked up he was a few feet from me, separated only by the corner of the island counter top. "Because I listened to them and the whole time it hurt like hell." His hand came up and ran through his hair. "And I'm a jerk." he said as his hair fell back in front of his face.

With a half laugh I nodded. "I'm not about to disagree, if that's what you're waiting for." I half smiled at him and he shrugged in return. "But I get it."

I did get it. My mother was a manipulative mastermind when she needed to be and my brother was her son, her baby. She knew how to work him almost better then I did. And he was hurt, probably as much as I was.

The infomercial droned on.

"So you're home to play happy families?" I asked picking up my drink.

With the tension in the air broken he reached back to snatch the popcorn and set it on the island before speaking again. "The Darkling was the main reason. Figured, it'd save Caleb the drive." He smirked at me as he shoved a handful popped kernels into his mouth.

I held up my hands. "In my defense; I was half asleep and calling him on speed dial was muscle memory not a desperate act of girlie fear." Half laughing I reached for my own handful of the snack.

"Well you want to talk about Caleb then you can hash that out with Kate for the girl talk or talk to Caleb himself. Darklings and creepy new guys is more my area." He cracked an un-popped kernel in his mouth and winked.

I rolled my eyes and chewed the buttery snack.

"I saw it, Caleb saw it and now you. Someone's sending them, someone powerful." He said pushing the bowl away. "There's a lot of power behind it, didn't you feel it?"

He was right and that thought stuck in my throat. I'd suddenly lost my appetite too. We all knew about Darklings and a lot of other kinds of curses that were all set down in the Book of Damnation. The book we all read, some more in depth then others, from the age of 14 when our powers first showed. Pogue was right, a Dakrling wasn't something to take lightly.

I stood up and pushed off the counter. "Well, it's not Chase. He's just a new kid in town. We had dinner and I showed him around town." It felt strange explaining myself to Pogue, usually anything I did he was right there with me.

He stood up and flicked off the TV set. "Well, you've done your good deed now he can find his way around town you can leave him to hang out with other people and -"

"- and I can what? Wait for Caleb to finish his good deeds with the new chick?" I interrupted him gruffly. "Sit around and play the brokenhearted ex girlfriend? Hang out with Tyler and Reid? Or better yet Arron? Do tell me what should I do, oh wise one?"

I wasn't about to do any of the things I suggested. Some far less then others.

Dropping his can into the recycling he rolled his eyes. "You're so dramatic."

Turning my back on him I headed to the door out of the kitchen. "That's me, Miss Dramatic Parry." I stepped into the hall as the kitchen lights went out behind me and Pogue's bare feet slapped the tiles as he followed. "I'm seeing Chase again and there is nothing you can say or do about it. So get over it." My foot rested on the step and I faced him over the bannister, defiant and challenging.

Pogue and I fought a lot growing up about toys, TV shows, blankets, anything that one had the other wanted. As we got older the fights lessened, but when we did fight Gamma said it was like two magnets repelling against each other, neither would give way to the other.

His eyes bore into mine. "He's bad news, Sam. You been with him is all wrong. I won't let you see him again."

I stepped up the steps heading to the top. I wasn't going to look at him or even listen. "You don't get a say, Pogue! I'm going out with him again."

I heard him take the steps two at a time as I turned the corner towards my room. "Sam! He shows up in town and Darklings start appearing. Its him." He shouted at my back.

I pushed open my door and looked over my shoulder at him. "No it isn't. He's not like us, not like you and them." I waved my hand in the general direction of the rest of Ipswich and took a step into my room.

My own hand was coming down to rest as my side as Pogue's shot up. I thought he moved to grabbed me, but then my bedroom door slammed shut at my back. "Them? Them who?" He took the steps between us and faced me down. The door rested at the back of my head as I tilted it back to meet his eyes.

"Them. Tyler, Reid, Caleb...you." I thanked my voice box for not shaking because ever other part of me was. Pogue was the angriest I'd ever seen him be with me. I couldn't remember him ever using the Power in a fight between us.

"Us." He said through clenched teeth. "You are part of us."

I took a shallow breath. "Only as far as the Covenant we keep, That I can't help but be a part of." I groped behind me for the handle. "I'm not a part of them and I wont be a part of you when you dictate to me and Use against me." My hand turned the handle.

Maybe he realized what he had done or maybe my words hurt him as much as they hurt me to say. It certainly seemed to be the night for hurting each other. As the latch in the door clicked Pogue stepped back and moved towards his own door. I stepped into my room without turning my back on the hallway. Once in my room I moved quickly to close the door, but before the door hit the door frame I heard Pogue's voice from his own doorway.

"I'm still your brother and I'm here if you need me."

I pushed the door into it's frame and lent my forehead against the glossed wood. Deep breath in, deep breath out. My hand dipped into my pocket and pulled out my cellphone. I opened my eyes as I brought it in front of my face and scrolled through my contacts. Hitting called I pressed the phone to my ear and closed my eyes and took a deep breath in. "Hey." I said when the phone was picked up at the other end.

So who is she calling? Any guesses?

I love reading your replies and thank you for each and everyone.

- TC