Sorry for the long wait, but I had other things to do. But here it is and I've written chapters 13 and 14 and started chapter 15...I'll try and update soon I promiss!
The thunder rolled once more then stopped, everything going quiet. The only sound to be heard in the forest was the thumping of rushing footsteps and the yelling of someone's name as Caleb, Pogue, and Reid crashed through the undergrowth, frantically searching for their youngest brother.
They'd heard the fighting, and grew more worried. Then they heard silence, and panicked. When they saw the lightning crash down, they froze in horror as they realized what was happening. Tyler's screaming snapped them out of it and they ran once again, only to quicken their pace when the screaming stopped abruptly.
Now as they neared the place in question, they slowed, not quite sure what they'd find.
Reid was the first to break the unearthly silence. " Tyler?" His voice cracked. They saw the damaged trees and finally found the two boys.
They first saw Chase's corpse, pinned against the tree. Then their eyes rested on Tyler's body, lying on his side.
" Tyler!" They ran forward, Reid pulling ahead. He slid to his knees, alarmed when his knees slipped in blood. He shook Tyler and rolled him on his back. Tyler's face was streaked with dried blood and was slightly pale. He didn't seem to be breathing. " Tyler?" Reid lightly tapped Tyler's face, but got no reaction. " Shit! Shit shit shit shit!" he yelled, eyes wide, filled with distress.
Caleb and Pogue were beside him in seconds, looking at Tyler and trying to determine exactly what happened. " Did Chase…?" Pogue started to ask.
Caleb nodded. " Yeah."
" Why would he do that? He's always been about getting our Power; why would he will it away? And to Tyler?" Pogue didn't understand.
Caleb just shook his head. " I don't know. We'll figure it out late. We need to help Tyler right now."
Reid kept shaking the brunette. " Why's it doing this to him? Caleb when you got your dad's Power you were fine! Why's it different for Tyler?"
" I just got one dose of extra Power Reid. Tyler got Chase's and Chase's father's."
A moment of silence settled on them, lost in thought, when Tyler came to. He gasped, sucking in the air around him as if he'd been suffocating.
The boys jumped when this happened, then Reid lifted Tyler's head up a bit. " Ty? Baby Boy?"
Tyler opened his eyes a little. He moaned something that was incoherent.
" What? Tyler what did you say?" Pogue prompted the younger boy.
" Hurts…" His voice was barely a whisper.
Caleb touched his arm. " Don't worry Tyler. We'll get you to a hospital, get you stitched up and-"
" No…not m'arm…everywhere…" He weakly lifted a hand and placed it on his chest. " Here most…"
Caleb looked at Pogue and Reid, not knowing what to do. It was the Power that was hurting him. They couldn't go to the doctor.
" We can't take him to the hospital," Caleb told them, voicing his thoughts.
" Then where?" Pogue asked as Reid stared at Tyler, who'd passed out again.
" My house. My mom can fix him up. I'll call Gorman to come over. He'll know what to do."
They nodded, then Pogue and Reid gently picked Tyler up. Walking away from the scene, Pogue glanced at Chase's body. " What about him?"
Reid glared at the dead warlock and turned his blue eyes black. Chase then caught fire, him and the tree quickly burning, the flames licking the sky.
-
" You boys really got yourselves in a pickle this time," the old man commented, surveying the unconscious boy lying on the couch while Evelyn Danvers worked on sewing the cut on his arm.
Caleb ran his fingers through his hair. " I know Gorman. But what are we going to do?"
Gorman shrugged. " We won't know until Tyler wakes up." He coughed then left the room.
The boys sat in Caleb's living room, having rushed over with a barely breathing Tyler. When they came bursting through the door and explained to Evelyn what had happened she'd rushed about the house, coming back with a bowl of cold water, a washcloth, thread, and a needle.
She now sat on a chair beside the couch, finishing up on Tyler's arm. She'd washed away the blood on his face and arm. Sighing Evelyn cut the thread, tied a knot in it and dabbed the freshly sewed wound with cold water, attempting to soothe the inflamed area.
Caleb got up and his mother shot him a questioning look. " Caleb? Where are you going?"
" I'm calling Taylor. She should be here." He went into the kitchen and dialed Taylor's cell phone number.
" Caleb? What happened? Is Tyler okay?" she demanded.
" We're not sure."
" What do you mean?"
" Chase is dead."
" Did Tyler kill him? Is he hurt?"
" Taylor, we're not sure. Chase willed his Power to Tyler. He's here, but he's not awake. We really won't know how he is until he wakes up."
He heard her beginning to cry. " I'm coming over." She hung up.
Caleb sighed then hung up his phone. He walked back to the others. " She's coming."
" Well of course she is," Evelyn said. " They love each other." She resumed dabbing the cold cloth on his bare chest, which was also an angry red.
Twenty minutes later there was a knock on the door. Pogue answered it and Taylor walked in and burst into tears when she saw Tyler. Reid went over to her and hugged her, which, surprisingly, she returned. Then she ran over to Tyler and dropped to her knees, touching his face and gently stroking his curly brown hair. She looked at Evelyn, who smiled reassuringly and handed her the cloth. Taylor took it, sniffling, and pressed it gently to his chest, which was scarcely rising as he breathed. He moaned softly at her touch, then went still once again.
They all sat in silence, not knowing what to say nor really wanting to say anything at all. Eventually Evelyn stood up. " I'll go make us all some coffee." She left the room.
An hour later they had all finished their coffee, except for Taylor, who was still dabbing Tyler's chest, and were all now asleep; Caleb in his chair, Pogue leaning against the wall, his head resting against his chest, and Reid on the other couch, snoring softly. Taylor was still kneeling by the couch, her head and arms on it, one hand still placed on his chest. Evelyn started a fire and was now sitting in another chair, debating whether or not to have a drink.
-
All was quiet and dark when Tyler finally stirred, groaning and trying to open his eyes.
Taylor opened her eyes and smiled when she saw Tyler open his eyes. She caressed his face. " Hey baby. How are you feeling?"
Tyler moaned something, then, realizing that she hadn't heard, repeated it. " Hurt…"
Taylor frowned. She turned her head and called the other boys.
They all woke, rubbing their tired eyes. When they saw Tyler they all went over.
" Hey Baby Boy," Reid said. " How are you feeling?"
" Hurts…" he repeated.
" We know Ty. It's probably gonna hurt for a while." Pogue ruffled his hair.
Tyler grinned, then frowned. " Chase?"
" He's dead. He, umm," Caleb didn't know how to break it to him.
" I've got his Power haven't I?"
Caleb nodded.
Tyler sighed. " Will I be okay?"
They were hoping that he wouldn't ask since they didn't have an answer.
" I don't know Tyler. I mean, I was okay after I got my father's Power, but you got two doses of extra Power so…"
" So I might not be."
No one answered. They just didn't know.
Taylor took his hand. " It'll be okay Tyler."
He smiled. ' Are you okay?" he asked, blue eyes filled with worry.
She shrugged. " I'm not sure. You scared the shit out of me Tyler. Don't do that again"
" Don't worry, I won't."
Everyone relaxed; even though they weren't one hundred percent sure, they were confident that their baby brother would be fine after a while.
Tyler shifted uncomfortably. " I feel…weird. Like there's this weight on my chest."
" That'll be the extra Power," Caleb said. " Don't worry; that's normal. I felt the same way after I got my extra Power."
This seemed to reassure Tyler and he settled back into the soft couch, falling asleep.
-
The halls of the school the next morning were filled with students heading to their first classes of the day. Some students were busy taking their coats off; the first snow of November had fallen last night, coating the grounds of Spencer Academy in a blanket of white.
All four Sons walked to their class, joined by Taylor, Ian, and Erin. Tyler had insisted on coming to school, claiming that he felt better. When his brothers had given him a funny look, he admitted that he was still sore, but not as much as last night. Finding no way they could persuade him from not going, they gave in.
As they walked, Ian took the opportunity of them seven being alone to ask a question that had entered his mind that morning. " Hey Tyler, how did your arm heal that fast? You Use?"
Erin shot him a look. " Shut up Zip," she hissed, looking around, fearing that someone might have heard him.
Tyler blushed as he felt six pairs of eyes on him, four knowing the truth. He swallowed. " Yeah, so?" he answered, trying to make it sound like it was no big deal.
Ian nodded. " Sweet. Wish I could do that." He ran a hand through his black hair. " Listen guys I don't feel like going to class today. I'm out. Coming Pip?"
Erin nodded. " Yeah. Don't fancy listening to Mr. Bennett talking shit that I'll never need. See ya." She left with Ian.
Walking still Tyler didn't meet the guys' eyes, knowing that they weren't done with that topic. They entered their class and took their seats. Grace was still gone, so Taylor sat with Randy. Caleb and Pogue made their way to their seats and Reid turned to Tyler. " You know they're not going to drop it eh?"
Tyler nodded. " I know."
Reid eyed him. " Why'd you do it?"
He shrugged. " I don't know. I was mad. I was tired of it. That's why."
" Okay."
Tyler eyed him, giving him a funny look. " That's it? You're not going to harp at me about it?"
" Nope. I would've done the same."
He grinned. " Cool."
" Yepp."
The class progressed and ended, then the second class, then lunch. Before long Tyler and Taylor were on their way to his house. It was a quiet ride, though it was a comfortable silence. They held each other's hands, gazing at each other from time to time, but didn't speak.
" You up for Nicky's tonight?" Tyler asked once they were inside. When she didn't answer right away he took her hand. " You don't have to. We can stay here if you want."
She shook her head. " No, I'll go."
Tyler frowned. " You don't sound so sure," he observed, looking deep in her eyes. " Tell me the truth."
Taylor broke eye contact. " I…I don't really feel up to it I guess. But I don't want to keep you from having fun."
Tyler smiled. " Hey, we can have our own fun."
She looked at him again, a troubled look creeping onto her face, bottom lip trembling slightly.
Realizing what he'd said Tyler quickly retaliated. " Oh, oh no not that Tay. I meant…not that." He pulled her into a hug, cursing himself for not choosing his words more carefully. Taylor was still sensitive about that topic.
Taylor breathed in his smell, comforted by it.
Tyler sighed. " Okay. Let's go."
She blinked. " Where?"
" A walk." He grinned.
" Just a walk?"
" I could arrange for a carriage ride if you wanted."
She smiled. " No. A walk's perfect." At the word ' walk', Rex's ears perked up. Taylor laughed. " Are we taking Rex?"
Tyler smiled. " We have to now." He opened the door and clapped his hands. Rex jumped to his paws and bolted out the door. Laughing the couple followed, locking the door.
The snow crunched underfoot as they made their way to the backyard to the forest that nestled behind the house. Rex ran ahead, barking with joy while Tyler and Taylor took their time, his arm around her waist and fingers entwined with hers. Their breath came out in small clouds, but their jackets kept them warm; they also had each other.
Reaching the forest Taylor grinned mischievously and pulled away, running ahead into the woods, giggling. Tyler smiled and ran after her, both teens running through the trees, laughing, Rex always with them, a doggy smile on his black and white face.
Taylor ran on, feeling completely free. She was having the time of her life, and this time no thoughts of her nightmare entered her mind. She glanced back from time to time, seeing if Tyler was catching up. He wasn't, nor was he falling behind. She was positive that is it weren't winter he'd have caught her by now; but the snow was up to their ankles and was slowing him down. Taylor laughed when he tripped and fell and continued to run.
Tyler caught his breath as he lay on the snow, grinning. He said it a thousand times and he'll say it again; this girl was amazing. She went through every girl's nightmare, and yet here she was, playing tag with him like a couple of toddlers. Breathing in the cool air he stood up and continued his chase, knowing that he'd never catch her now.
Running through the snow was tiring, and Taylor began to slow as she looked behind. Tyler was nowhere to be seen; either she was faster then she thought or he was slower. Turning her head back to face ahead she was surprised when she bumped into someone. This someone grabbed her shoulders and she faced him, her face breaking into a large smile. Tyler grinned back, an eyebrow raised.
" You cheated!" she accused, laughing and lightly punching him in the arm.
" You never stated the rules." He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. " Boy you run fast for a girl."
" Now Tyler, that's a bit sexist don't you think?" she giggled, then pushed him down in the snow.
He went down, landing in the soft snow. Before she could get a chance to run away again, Tyler grabbed her ankle. With a small scream she fell beside him and he pulled her on top of him, their breaths mixing together as they gazed into each other's eyes, smiling; pure love was their expression. Taylor smiled tenderly, kissed his nose and rolled off of him onto her back. Tyler snuck his arm under her back and she snuggled closer, both of them gazing up at the stars. Rex found them and, panting, snuggled with them. They fell asleep under the stars, their warmth protecting them from the cold.
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