Sibling Rivalry
Ash sat up in the field, they had decided to just stay here till morning. He blinked in the moonlight and got to his feet, the compulsion to go somewhere was very strong. He began to walk, feeling like he was following something. Maybe he was. I am under contract with a witch… he recalled. She could be doing this.
When he came to stand in front of a cave he realized that yes she was doing this. She stood inside with the wolves. She held a heavy walking stick in her hand. "Come here," she said to Ash. He stepped closer, eyes moving from blue to a purple color. "I need a favor from you, Redfern. Do this for me and I shall keep you and your loved ones alive. But if you refuse my favor I will kill all of you. Understand?"
Ash nodded, seeing his brother farther back into the cave.
"Come," Keli led him to his brother. "I want you to beat him with this," she said, holding the stick out to Ash.
"What?" Ash hissed. "You're crazy! I'm not doing—" Ash grimaced as pain stabbed at his stomach.
Robin cried out, clutching his own stomach as well. Through the soul mate threads, Ash could feel that Mary-Lynnette felt this pain too. "Please just do it, Ash!" Robin pleaded.
Ash went to his knees and gasped as the pain spiked higher. "Okay!" he cried. "I'll do it, I'll do it!" he and Robin both panted as the pain left them.
"Stand then, Ash," Keli muttered.
Ash did as he was told, taking the heavy stick, meeting his brother's eyes before he brought the stick high above his head. "I'm sorry…" he murmured before he brought it down upon Robin's exposed back.
Mary-Lynnette drove fast, following her gut to find Ash. Oh, he was so close. Maybe he was I that cave…someone definitely was. She stopped the van and stumbled out into the grass. Her legs were still noodles from the pain she had felt earlier.
Now she could hear agonized cries of pain. She peeked into the cave and gasped inwardly. Ash…he was…
Ash brought the stick down a last time and threw it into the fire before he collapsed beside Robin, comforting the sobbing boy immediately. He even had tears in his eyes.
"Very good, Redfern. Your contract has been torn up. Have a nice life, will you?" she chuckled before she turned to the wolves and they all disappeared deeper into the cave.
"Oh, Robin, I'm so sorry," Ash murmured.
"I'm…I'm okay." Robin coughed up a bit of blood.
"Ash!" Mary-Lynnette called from the entrance, rushing to their side.
"Mary-Lynnette, we have to get him home right away!" He picked his brother up and stood.
"Like you're genuinely worried?" she hissed, catching Ash by surprise.
"Huh?" he asked, eyes showing his hurt.
"You're the one who did this to him, Ash, you can't be too worried, right?" She began to walk out.
Ash felt Mary-Lynnette following him. He wasn't paying much attention to where he was going because before he knew it, he was being warned about the tree that had just decided to get in his way.
"Hey, Mare, you wanna carry him for awhile?" Ash teased.
"No, but how about we rest?" Mary-Lynnette didn't sound happy. Ash knew why and he really hoped that she didn't want to talk about it...
"Ash, why did you leave us?" she asked.
Ash laid Robin gently on the ground and sat criss-cross applesauce on the ground. "I think it was a spell" Ash replied quietly.
Mary-Lynnette sat as well. "And was beating Robin with a stick a spell too?"
Ash looked away with a sigh. "No..." he closed his eyes and hung his head. "That was all me. But not for the reason you think!" he added quickly.
"And what do I think, Ash?" Mary-Lynnette seemed genuinely pissed now.
"Well...you probably think it was because I was angry or just mean...but, Mary-Lynnette...I've changed. I really have."
"Then tell me why you were-"
"I did it to save your life, Kestrel's life, and Rowan and Jade's." Ash snapped. "I wasn't being foolish at all and he understands, Mary-Lynnette. You can ask him when he wakes up."
"I will." Mary-Lynnette said.
Ash nodded. Then it occurred to him..."you never told me if you wanted me to stay, Mare." he murmured. "I told you how I redeemed myself. Did I do well enough or do you want me to do more?"
"Ash, it's complicated. It really is." Mary-Lynnette said. "I forgive you but there are so many that you've hurt and some are dead."
"But I tried. At least I did that." Ash was confused now. Did she want him or not. "You can't fix everything, no one can. I can't, do you understand. I wasn't good at that in the beginning but I still can't fix every little-"
Mary-Lynnette put a finger to his lips. "Kiss me you ignorant fool." she whispered, kissing him with the most passion she could come up with at such a moment like this.
"Oh my Gosh!" Rowan said, when she saw Robin. "What happen?"
"It's hard to explain," Ash answered. "And I don't feel like explaining right now." he said, looking tired. "I carried him all the way here. And he's not exactly light weight."
"Robin!" Jade cried, running to her twin brother, who lay in the grass. She sat beside him and caressed his cheek. "What-"
"I'm not explaining until after I get some sleep!" Ash said, hoping into the van and getting comfortable in the passenger seat. He fell asleep and didn't wake up till Mary-Lynnette parked the van in front of the Burdock house.
Ash woke up on the couch in Mary-Lynnette's living room. He blinked a few times before he bolted up right. He got to his feet and ran up to her room. He tried the door but it was locked and the door was laced with oak wood.
"Mare?" Ash called.
"I'm here, Ash." she called back.
"Let me in."
"No, Ash, you stay out there."
Ash frowned, feeling a little hurt. "Is Robin in there?"
"Yeah, Rowan's-"
"Is he okay?" Ash demanded.
She didn't answer immediately. She hesitated a moment. "He's fine, Ash. He's just sleeping."
"Let me in!" Ash beat a hand against the door. He felt Mary-Lynnette flinch. "Please, Mary-Lynnette, I need to-" he sighed. "I have to see him."
"I can't, Ash, Jade and Rowan-"
"What about them?" Ash interrupted.
"They say you're too dangerous." Mary-Lynnette said.
Ash scowled. "That's ridiculous." he sneered. "C'mon, guys, are you being serious?"
"Yes, Ash." Jade said. "You hurt Robin bad and now Rowan's fixing him up."
"How bad is it?" Ash whispered, knowing they could hear.
"Not that bad but he went into shock and blacked out." Rowan answered.
Ash rested his forehead against the door with a faint involuntary moan. He knew Jade and Rowan probably heard it but Mary-Lynnette couldn't have. "If he wakes up-"
"When he wakes up." Jade corrected him.
"Right," Ash straightened. "When he wakes up, tell him that I said sorry and get well soon." he walked back downstairs to find Jasmine sitting in the recliner.
"Hello, Ash." she said flatly. Ash could sense the anger she was trying to hide.
"Hi." Ash said, sitting on the couch. He sighed and put his elbows on his knees and leant forward, resting his chin on his hands. "He'll make it, ya know?" he said.
"I wouldn't need to be worrying about him if it wasn't for you." Jasmine replied coldly.
Ash closed his eyes. "Yeah, I know..." he sat back, stretching out his long legs. "But, if I didn't do it she-Keli-would have-" he couldn't get the rest out. Something was keeping him from finishing. "Never mind, he'll be fine, okay?"
"Oh, I know that, Ash." Jasmine stood and walked over to him, her hands behind her back. "I have something for you." she said with a smile.
Ash's candy apple red eyes sparked with interest and he sat up. "Really? What is it?" he leaned to the right to see but Jasmine stepped back so he couldn't.
"Close your eyes." Jasmine said.
Ash scrutinized her for a moment then closed his eyes. Jasmine waved a hand over his eyes. "I'm not peeking." Ash promised.
"Okay," Jasmine revealed a stake carved from ash wood. She turned the point toward Ash and pounced forward, plunging the stake into his left shoulder. Ash cried out in pain and slumped down on the couch. He stared at Jasmine in surprise and disbelief.
Mark ran down stairs and his face went pale. "Mary-Lynnette!" he called, running back up. "Mary-Lynnette!"
Ash felt his lip tremble as he began to feel dizzy. He heard a moan escape his lips and he looked at Jasmine again. "Why?" he whispered, not sure if she'd hear.
She leaned forward. "I didn't catch that." she replied, in a gentle voice.
"Why?" Ash said again.
"Because this would be the second time I almost lost him. All because of you." Jasmine answered.
Ash nodded, swallowing. He looked at the stake lazily. Then he smiled. "How ironic. Ashwood." he mumbled. He began to drift after that. In and out of sleep until he stayed asleep.