Disclaimer: Do not own or profit from this writing. Only OC's and plot belong to me. And No, nor am I Nalini Singh or Kresley Cole, I just adore their writing : )
Chapter 23: Confrontations
"Why are we all here?" Tyler asked curiously as they all met at the Cave the day after Christmas.
"I just felt we needed to talk," Caleb said. Reid and Tyler shared looks. They knew Pogue and Caleb had, once again, decided something without them. "Abigail wants to know how you feel about working with Chase," Reid asked.
"Do we have a choice?" Pogue asked.
"I think that is the whole point of everything," Caleb said. "Choices. The choices our ancestors made, and the ones we make."
"Caleb, just say what the hell it is you brought us down here for," Tyler said. "You talked it over with Pogue already, stop dividing us up."
"What?"
"You always do that. We know were we all stand with you," Tyler said. After talking it over with Faith he was tired of always feeling like the baby. "What did you want to talk to us about?"
"It is more with Reid," Caleb said unsure. Tyler had surprised him.
"Why am I not surprised?" Reid groaned. "What did I do now? You can't yell at me for Using needlessly."
No, Caleb thought. Whatever Abigail had done had done wonders for his addiction. But he didn't want Reid's rash behavior to hurt Abigail. "I think you are moving too fast," he said.
"What?"
"With Abigail. This is the most serious I have ever seen you with a girl, and I don't want you to rush things with her."
Reid's eyes went coal black. "Are you more worried about me or her?"
"I don't want you to hurt her," he said.
"Why the hell do you care? I don't tell you how to run your relationship with Sarah," Reid said coolly.
"Sarah isn't related to anyone here," Caleb said his eyes flashing coal black as well.
"What the hell brought on this protective older brother routine?" Reid demanded.
"She is in my family, Reid. I don't want to have to watch you hurt her later on if you get restless or rash or do something idiotic. I don't want to see her hurt because of you being irresponsible."
"Why do you always assume I will do something idiotic, rash, or stupid? Damn it, Caleb. You know, for once it would be great if you could just say 'Great Job, Reid.' Hell, I'd settle for even a Thank You for something once in awhile. Just because you are the eldest and a Danvers doesn't make you the freaking master of ceremonies here."
"Reid, Europe? Have you gone insane? How do you even know what the two of you will be at the end of the school year?"
"I don't have to ask for YOUR permission, Caleb," Reid seethed. "You need to loosen up!"
"You need to get serious, Reid! You will get bored, decide to go do your own thing and leave me to clean up your messes again," Caleb seethed. "Only this time it will be Abby who gets hurt. Hell, I overheard you joking around with Tyler about who's going to be living where after college."
"For once, your concern is misplaced," Reid said and stormed up the stairs again. Tyler looked between him and Reid, and headed up after Reid.
"Wait up," he hollered. Reid turned around. Somehow, Tyler always chose to stick with him. "Reid, he is just concerned. He thinks of her as a sister, as all of them as cousins or something," Tyler said. "And hell, everyone says Pogue is overprotective, but Caleb has that in spades."
"Tyler, just don't," Reid said. "You don't have to explain Caleb to me. Hell, it's just that he doesn't have to worry about her."
"What's going on?" Tyler asked grabbing his arm to stop him. "Faith said something, and I know you have been hiding something. What is going on?"
"Not now, Tyler."
"No, you always confide in me. What the hell is going on?"
"Let's just say, I have personal stakes in this to. Why do you think I don't care about working with Chase?"
"I figured because he didn't try to kill you or your girlfriend. We all knew it would be hardest for Caleb and Sarah."
"Yeah, but haven't you noticed Sarah and Kate are okay with it? I have no idea how Caleb and Pogue feel. Maybe they'll talk to you," Reid said.
"I'll see you later," he headed back down to the cave once Reid was out of sight. "Something is off," he told Caleb and Pogue.
"What is it baby boy?" Pogue asked.
"You know, I hate that nickname," Tyler said. "Something he isn't telling me. I don't know, and Faith won't tell me. She said something about 'Garwin solidarity.'"
"Look, Tyler, its not that we didn't want to talk to you beforehand about it, but you and Reid are tight . . ." Caleb started.
"No, you and Pogue are a unit. We are supposed to be like family, Caleb, like brothers. And yeah, you have concerns about Reid, so talk to him about it. I don't think the ambush thing was a great idea, even though you don't want my opinion."
"Of course we want your opinion," Pogue said. "Damn it, we have issues."
Tyler laughed. "I think it is only going to get worse once Chase gets back. We need to be a unit before that happens. Faith is wondering how the two of you feel about working with Chase."
"I'd rather be run over by an 18 wheeler," Pogue said through gritted teeth. "But Kate wants to give it a try. Something about him being adorable when he was younger."
"A man shouldn't hear his woman gush about another guy, especially when he tried to kill them," Caleb grumbled. "Sarah must have seen the same thing. Something about being an adorable toe-headed boy."
"Well, I can tell Faith you're willing but not eager," Tyler said heading back out.
"Tyler, tell Reid we won't do the ambush thing again," Pogue said.
"Tell him yourself," Tyler yelled. He briefly wondered if the Daughters had their own issues as he got into his hummer.
He pulled into the long drive of the Coven Manor and parked behind Reid who had just arrived himself and was getting out of his car. They let themselves in and the first person they found was Hannah.
"Have you ever wanted to throttle any of your sisters?" Tyler asked.
"At least once a day," she said dancing around with Chase who was fussy with a new tooth coming in. "We are family, not saints. They are upstairs getting ready."
They headed upstairs and found Faith and Abigail in Faith's bedroom. "You look great in that one," Faith said looking at Abigail as she came out of the closet.
"I think it looks better on you," Abigail said.
"No, I like the green one on me. That rosy one looks gorgeous with your blonde hair and complexion," she walked into the closet and dug out some shoes. "These would be great with them."
"I think this would go great with yours," she said pointing to another pair. Tyler and Reid shared amused looks as they could hear their voices but only really see clothes flying around.
"Are we interrupting?" Reid asked leaning against the door jam.
Faith peered out from the closet and then disappeared back inside. She came out a second later fully clothed. "Just looking for something fun. Abigail and I decided to go out to dinner."
"Without inviting us?" Tyler teased
"Girls night out," Faith laughed kissing him. "Besides, we didn't know how long you guys would be. What did you guys do anyways?"
"They were at the Cave," Abigail said coming out.
"Lucky guess?" Reid asked
"You smell like mold," Abigail teased making Reid laugh. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Reid said quickly making her raise an eyebrow. "Nothing important," he qualified. "So, what does girls night out entail?"
"Seeing a movie we would never get you to sit through, treat ourselves to manicures and pedicures, a trip to the chocolate factory, the usual," she said with a bright, sunny smile that seemed to cheer Reid up.
On the train Abigail and Faith discussed Reid and Tyler. "What do you think is wrong? They both seemed upset, especially Reid," Abigail worried. "He didn't even try to come along."
"I don't know. Do you think it has something to do with what Caleb wanted to talk about?"
"Unless something else happened today, I would say yes."
"Boys," Faith said rolling her eyes as they got off to go to the movies. They picked a chick flick since it was just them and headed inside.
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"So what are your plans today?" Patience asked when Abigail and Faith finished lunch.
"I want to finish that book. Finally, I don't have a book to read for school," Faith said. "Kresley Cole and Nalini Singh are calling to me."
"I am going to go ice skating," she decided. "The weather is beautiful, the pond is frozen, it's perfect." They heard the door open and turned to see Reid had arrived.
"Just in time!" Abigail said happily. "I hope you brought your ice skates."
"Uh, no?" He saw Abigail's eyes flash and a pair of ice skates materialized in front of him. "Thanks."
They saw the hummer pull up in the driveway with Tyler, Pogue, Caleb, Sarah, and Kate. "So Tyler does actually get to drive his hummer," Abigail commented making Reid laugh. "Are you going to tell me?" she asked as she and Reid headed to pond behind the Coven manor.
"Let's just say Caleb and I don't see eye to eye on everything," Reid grumbled.
"What this time?"
"Let's not talk about it, okay? He thinks my—lets say approach to life—is going to end up hurting you."
She decided not to say it was sweet Caleb was concerned, so instead she bumped her shoulder against Reid. "So he doesn't think I can handle myself. I'm insulted," she sniffed.
Reid laughed as he laced up the skates. "I thought Hannah was the athletic one," Reid teased.
"Doesn't mean the rest of us are couch potatoes!" Abigail said throwing some snow at him. "Can you believe this winter? Crazy! December is never like this, but I love it."
She pulled Reid to his feet and glided out onto the ice. He watched her as she glided across and did some spins and jumps. She skated back to him. "What? Come on!"
"You are gorgeous, you know that?" he said wrapping his arms around her waist. He wanted to take every opportunity to tell her that, in case they didn't break the curse.
"You are pretty handsome yourself," she said laughing as he kissed her. They were interrupted when Caleb and Sarah arrived and she felt Reid tense up.
"What are you doing here?" Reid asked. He thought everyone else was back at the Covens manor and it would be just him and Abigail for a little while.
"I just came out to skate, teach Sarah a few moves," Caleb said with a grin.
"Why am I not surprised Caleb Danvers also enjoys ice skating?" Abigail said with a small grin. She turned to kiss Reid again while Caleb pulled his skates on, but couldn't get close enough. Since Reid was to busy glaring at Caleb she didn't bring it to his attention, but she felt the signature of someone with power and she knew it was Chase. "May I cut in?" she heard Caleb behind her. She made herself skate off with him while she tried to figure out why Chase was there, and why he was trying to keep her from Reid. He didn't do anything when they were alone . . . she couldn't make sense of it.
"You alright? Everything with Reid alright?" Caleb asked concerned. She was distracted.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"No reason," he said quickly. "You just . . . seem upset. If it was something I could help with."
"Including beating up Reid?" she laughed.
"Well, hey, what is family for?" he teased as they were heading back to Reid.
"Is that what this is all about?" she asked quietly. "Believe me, Reid has done nothing but good for me. I wish I could say the same," she said sadly making Caleb look at her with concern as she skated closer to Sarah leaving Caleb alone on the ice.
Suddenly a blast of concentrated Power hit Caleb straight on, sending him flying across the pond and landing where Reid was a few feet off. "Caleb!" Sarah yelled as she started to skate close.
"Sarah, don't," Reid ordered knowing Caleb would want to protect her at all cost. "Stay there." No sooner had he finished warning her than another blast of Power landed on Caleb and Reid who had skated closer to help Caleb, knocking them unconscious. Sarah let out a scream as the ice cracked and the two boys fell through. "No!" Sarah and Abigail yelled. Abigail rushed forward but noticed the ice was starting to freeze back over supernaturally fast. "Chase!" Abigail yelled. "How dare you! How dare you!" Sarah, not following Reid's order, skated as fast as she could to join Abigail and help Caleb. She was close enough to see the gold flash in Abigail's eyes as they went pure white. "Wait! Abby!" she yelled as Abigail dove right into the hole in the ice. "No!" Sarah yelled as the ice closed over Abigail and she lost sight of all of them. "No."
Abigail pulled her Power around her to keep her dry and give her some breathing space. Please don't die! she prayed. She thought she saw Reid's power envelope him when he fell in, and she hoped he did Use his Powers unconsciously. Of all the times to NOT use! she thought. Caleb she was worried about because he was always too disciplined and wouldn't be able to use unconsciously. Even with all of his Power. She knew she should probably go to him first, but she swam to Reid. The water was murky making it impossible to see anything except what her power illuminated around her, but she kept heading in the direction she sensed his power.
He finally emerged in her line of vision and she gave a relieved sigh. She quickly reached out and grabbed him, feeling his Power enveloped around him and giving him breathing room. She pulled him close and blinked backed tears as she pressed her forehead against his. She knew she was wasting precious seconds to get to Caleb, but she wanted to reassure herself he was fine.
Knowing the ice had frozen back over, she materialized him onto the surface of the ice and hoped Sarah would look after him. She started swimming back down again and began looking for Caleb.
"Reid!" Sarah yelled surprised and happy when he appeared out of nowhere. She quickly made her way over to him and made it known she was protecting Reid in case whoever it was that attacked them was still waiting. "Reid, everything's okay now," Sarah whispered, wishing Caleb and Abigail would appear soon.
It seemed to last forever until Caleb finally emerged in her line of vision. Please don't die! she thought as she saw his power didn't surround him and he just floated down deeper into the murky water. She Used to reach him as fast as she could. She reached out to grab his hand that was floating in the water. She could tell even before she touched him that he was dying. Don't die! She ordered as she grabbed his hand. She could feel her Power respond to her command and when she reached for Caleb's hand she felt it leave her body and jump into Caleb's dying one. Don't die, she repeated. She felt Caleb's heart start to beat again and felt him trying to gasp for air as the Power created an air pocket for him. She held on, willing her power to heal him, not caring how close to death he was or how much Power it was going to take. The cold of the water slammed into her as her protective bubble disappeared as her Power drained away and it took her breath away, chilling her to the bone and beyond. She used the last bit of Power she had before blacking out to materialize him above the ice. Her last thought before the darkness claimed her was that it wasn't meant to be this way.
She was supposed to burn.
"Caleb!" Sarah choked as he appeared right next to Reid. He was coughing and spitting up water and gasping for breath.
"Where's Abigail?" Reid demanded.
"Don't . . . know," he gasped out as Sarah threw her arms around him.
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Bit of a cliff hanger : )
Special thanks to Susangel (Good luck on your exams! I hope the chaos starts to simmer down for you. There is still more to come, though. As for Abby, she can't see her future . . . . . but maybe someone can see it for her? --hint, hint--) MischiefLover (Ah, Reid just has older-brother syndrome. He's just looking out for both of them, so he thinks) a.sam (Wow, after that review I feel bad about leaving a cliffhanger! Sorry now you have to wait again!) anangelwithnoname (Thanks! I hope you enjoyed) Anghel Ni Kamatayan (I hope I spelled that right! Chase's short presence but it does have an impact : ) heartbreakerginny (hopefully people won't get to upset with Caleb's overprotectivness!) EvilAngel (Well, after this I don't think he'll have trouble with it, well, until he finds out Reid's doomed to die! lol. Gotta love the drama, as my beta would say.)