All characters except for Annabelle Causley, Frederick Randal Laskaris and Rosa Maria de la Luna and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.
AN: A new chapter so soon! The next chapter will be a continuance of this one...I just didn't want to put it all together because it would end up being the longest chapter in history.
Gaby -you're my ff best friend. You're the best!
Ses -so excited to see you back! Hope you enjoy all the chapters that have been anxiously awaiting you.
Cindy, Moani, Thanni and Lynn-thank you for your wonderful reviews. I look forward to seeing more.
Hilja -where are you darling? My heart cries for you.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Marcos took a deep breath, shrugging his shoulders as he shifted his bottom on the ground, the smell of pine trees all around him.
Opening one eye, he looked across to where Rick sat cross-legged, his eyes closed as he took slow deep breaths.
Closing his eye again, he tried to do the same, focusing on the deep breathing but thoughts kept buzzing through his mind.
Squirming again, he wondered what Vivi and Gabriel were doing…probably playing together…Gabriel had better not try to hold her hand.
"Marcos."
His eyes popped open to see Rick looking at him.
"You need to clear your mind," Rick gave him a one-sided smile, "Whatever is making you upset enough to make you growl needs to be set aside…that's something you can deal with at another time, when you're clear headed enough to think through your actions."
"Sorry," Marcos wiggled again as he closed his eyes, "I'll try harder."
"You don't have to try harder," Rick's voice was low and steady, "If you try too hard, you won't be able to focus. Just take a deep breath, feel it going into your lungs and filling them up…focus on the way your body is feeling, breathe out very slowly and let the things that are bothering you go with it."
Rick's voice was soothing in a strange way as Marcos did as he said, feeling his small lungs expand as he breathed in, noticing a slight twinge between his shoulder blades.
Shrugging as he straightened his back, he let the air out in a rush, opening his eyes to look over at Rick, "Shouldn't I be humming?"
Rick opened his eyes, smiling at the little boy as he leaned forward, moving out of the resting position he had been in, "Why do you ask that?"
"In the movies, when they do this, they always hum," Marcos wiggled on the ground, shrugging his shoulders as that itch continued.
Chuckling, Rick reached out to rub Marc's back, inadvertently making the itch go away.
Taking his small shoulders in his large hands, he helped him straighten up into the resting position, "If humming helps you concentrate, you can give it a try."
"Okay," he nodded as he watch Rick return to his own resting position, both of them closing their eyes, the breeze brushing through their hair as they took deep breaths.
Letting his out slowly like Rick told him, Marcos began a slow humming, feeling ridiculous the entire time.
As soon as he ran out of air, he took another deep breath; his little face scrunched up as he began to breathe out, humming again.
Rick's chuckle had him open his eyes, looking over at the blond man.
"Is it working," Rick arched an eyebrow as he cocked his head to the side, an indulgent smile on his face as he waited for an answer.
Marcos shook his head as he slumped his shoulders, "No…I feel stupid…I don't know if this will work Rick."
"It takes more than just a day," Rick reached out to tousle his dark hair, giving him an encouraging smile, "Today, all I need is just a few seconds of you clearing your mind of everything."
Marcos tightened his jaw before nodding, closing his eyes to try it again.
Several seconds later, he slumped again and looked over at Rick, "How will you know if I tell you the truth about it?"
Rick chuckled at his sullen little voice, breathing in deep as he let himself relax, the energy that came with connecting to nature humming through him.
Marcos watched him, wondering what he was thinking about –but if he was clearing his thoughts, then he wouldn't be thinking.
How can he stop thinking?
"Look to your left," Rick opened his eyes and focused them on Marcos, "What do you see?"
"Trees."
"And?"
"Dirt and rocks."
Rick smiled at the little boy, "What do you hear?"
Marcos tilted his head to the side, concentrating hard on the sounds around him, "Birds…"
"And?"
A few seconds passed before he let a sigh escape him, "That's all."
Rick's smile grew into a grin as he reached out to help Marcos straighten his shoulders, "Okay, close your eyes and breathe in deep…"
Marcos did as he was told; listening to the sounds around him, he let out the air he was holding, letting it come out slowly before taking another deep breath.
"Now, as you're taking in the next breath, simply listen to the sounds around you…feel the energy that comes with being connected to nature…"
Marcos let his mind sink into Rick's steady words, feeling the loose dirt under his hands, the breeze ruffling his dark hair across the back of his neck.
Letting his breath out slowly, he felt his body growing almost weightless as the bird squawks sharpened then grew faint, the sound of soft pads of a mountain lion as it stalked its pray suddenly coming to the forefront.
"I hear a mountain lion," Marcos' words were low and steady as he continued to breathe in deep, his mind completely focusing on the slow stalking steps of the big cat, "He's stalking something."
Rick smiled as he watched the boy's small face relax, the usual dark scowl he always sported melting away slowly, "What is he stalking?"
"I can't –" Marcos stopped what he had been about to say, taking in another deep breath as the delicate hoofed steps of a deer registered, "I hear a deer…she's near a pond…"
Smiling in satisfaction, Rick nodded, uncrossing his legs to draw his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he watched Marcos.
Taking another deep breath, he was able to hear as the deer lifted its head, sensing the stalking danger.
As it broke into a sprint, Marcos' stomach let out a grumble of hunger, the little boy's eyes popping open in surprise, "I'm hungry."
Rick chuckled as he pushed himself to his feet, "If you want to go find yourself something, feel free."
The little boy nodded as he too stood up, brushing the dirt off the back of his dark blue jeans, "I'm gonna go up to the mountains."
"Okay then," Rick tousled his dark hair in affection, "You did a good job Marc. How are you feeling?"
Marc cocked his head to the side, "You mean besides hungry? I'm feeling…calm…I mean, more than before."
Rick chuckled as he slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "That's a good start…let me ask you something…when you're hunting, is it hard for you to find something you can handle –size wise?"
Marcos stared up at Rick, his dark eyebrows lowering into a vee, "Yeah…I mostly stick with beavers and rabbits but I'm still hungry after…and the one goat…that was a little hard…and gross."
Rick chuckled, not showing the slight turn his stomach took at the idea of Marcos' eating style, "If you stick with this, learning how to focus yourself by pushing out everything else that creates distractions, you'll be able to find game more suitable to your needs."
Marc's eyebrows rose up in surprise, "I…didn't think about that. I thought you were helping me so I wouldn't fight with Gabriel anymore."
Rick stared down at the little boy for a few seconds before smiling, "That is one of the reasons, yes, but I think you'll still benefit…it'll help you be more…of a child…if you want that."
Marcos' lips twisted as he scuffed the toe of his sneaker against the forest ground, thinking of what to say but he couldn't figure it out…
Looking up, he saw that Rick had left without him hearing, not making him have to answer the unasked question.
To be a child…was it something he wanted?
Leaning against a tree, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans, staring off into the horizon as he thought it over.
Really, there was something about Gabriel –and the others –that made him wonder what it would be like…to be a kid, to not have to worry about life and death situations, about not needing to be a protector because he was being protected.
What would it be like?
Scuffing the dirt, he let out a long sigh before pushing himself away from the tree.
There was really no point to the agonizing what ifs that came with that question because, really, it didn't matter if he wanted to be a child or not.
His life, the little that he had lived, and the decisions he had made completely obliterated the ability to be a child –to be carefree and dependent on others.
No, he couldn't be a child –but he supposed he could learn to let the other ones continue being one…especially his sister.
It's what he got to live with after the decisions he had made –he didn't regret them, at least not the second one because the first one –than one he would regret until the day he died…as he should have from the beginning.
Opening the front door, Seth frowned at the silence that was in the house, surprised that the twins weren't in the living room watching television or discussing some book Marcos was reading.
It was always disconcerting, coming home from school, to find the twins discussing politics or global events –for goodness sake, when he was their age…well, he didn't talk but when he was the age they were pretending to be, his biggest topic of conversation was fishing with his dad and getting a bicycle like Jake's.
Walking into the kitchen, his book bag slung over his shoulder, he stopped at the sight before him, swallowing back a laugh, "What are you doing?"
Rose looked over her shoulder at him, an index card in one hand, the kitchen counter covered in bowls, spoons, measuring cups, flour, sugar, eggs, and several bottles of oil, vanilla and food coloring, "I'm trying to make a cake for the twin's birthday tomorrow but none of this makes sense."
She waved the card at him as he placed his book bag on a chair, walking over to where she was as she asked, "What is a tb? Or a ts? And I still can't figure out the cp."
Chuckling, he took the index card from her, recognizing his mother's handwriting, "That would be teaspoon, tablespoon and cup…you're making a chocolate-chocolate chip cake?"
Rose nodded as she looked at all the ingredients spread out on the counter, "I'm hoping that's what it'll end up being…both Marcos and Vivi like chocolate –so do I, to be honest. They're turning one tomorrow and I just thought it would be nice to have a little surprise party for them –I already asked your sister to come with Gabe and I called Kim and she said she'll bring by Monika…I was thinking of calling Emily to ask her if the twins would like to come but…"
"I understand that," Seth set the index card on the kitchen windowsill, "Why is Vivi not helping you?"
"Because it's a surprise," Rose looked up at him, her eyes bright with excitement, "I left Vivi at your sister's while Marc went out to the woods with Rick to do who knows what."
"I can see that being a smart idea," he smiled at her as he took the largest bowl, setting it aside along with the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and chocolate chips, "I'll help you with the cake."
"You know how to bake," Rose asked in surprise as she watched Seth measure the flour into the bowl.
"Oh, Rosie, honey," Seth gave her one of his all famous cocky smiles, "I can bake, I can cook, I can do anything I set my mind to."
"That's more than what I can say," Rose leaned against the counter, watching him continue measuring things, "I try cooking and I end up burning the food…like when we were in Suwannee –"
"Suwannee?"
"Florida," Rose watched him pour in the cocoa powder and the chocolate chips, "We were there for about a month before heading to South Carolina."
"Why did you leave Suwannee?"
Watching him stir all the dry ingredients, she handed him the carton of eggs when he pointed to them, "My art manager showed one of my exhibits at an art gallery in town…she ended up displaying this picture I took that I had told her not to put in the exhibit…I normally only do landscapes but when we were in Italy, I looked over at the twins and…they looked…I just had to capture the whole thing."
"Rivelazione di verità."
"What," she looked up at him, having been staring at the bowl as he stirred it until it became thick batter.
"The title given to your picture of the twins," Seth poured in another half a cup of chocolate chips into the batter, "The exhibit in Seattle had the plaque up, and they kept the description of the picture in the program –along with an insert stating it wasn't on display…I wish I had been able to see it –the description was well written, very detailed, it made me wish it were right in front of me."
"I can show it to you," she smiled up at him, tilting her head to the side, her hair sliding over the top of her shoulder and brushing the side of her neck, "I have the original in one of my portfolios."
"That would be great," Seth set the bowl aside, grabbing one of the baking pans before taking the can of non-stick baking spray, "We can put it up in the living room."
"Why?"
"Well," he kept his eyes on the pan as he evenly sprayed it, "It would be nice, you know, to have…family pictures up on the walls…this is your house and they're your family so…hey!"
Rose looked up guiltily, pulling her hand out of the bowl, a finger covered with chocolate batter, "I just…I just wanted to see if it was any good."
Seth laughed, grabbing her wrist before she was able to slip her finger into her mouth, "I don't think so…you have to wait until the cake's done."
"But Seth," Rose looked up at him with big begging eyes, "I already have some on my finger and there's no point in wasting it –oh!"
Seth laughed at the look of shock on her face as he stuck her finger into his mouth, licking the batter off before sucking it then slipping it out of his mouth, "There –you'll have to wait and we didn't waste the batter."
"That was gross, Seth," Rose laughed, looking over at the bag of flour, taking a small pinch of it and flinging it into Seth's face.
The look on his face made her giggle uncontrollably as she leaned back on a counter, holding on to her hurting stomach.
Taking a hand towel from one of the hooks where he kept them, he wiped the flour off his face before taking a pinch of it and flinging it onto Rose's face, the tears running down her cheeks making it stick.
"Oh!"
Before long, they were both throwing flour at each other, the kitchen filling up with the fine white clouds, their laughter a melody that was almost musical in its quality.
Rose let out a squeal as she slipped on a wet patch of flour, her arms pin wheeling as she fell backwards but she never touched the ground because Seth's arms stopped her.
Pulling her up, he smiled down at her, unable to keep it from spreading into a grin at the way she giggled when she looked up into his flour covered face.
"Oh my God," Rose giggled uncontrollably as she moved away from him, leaning back against the counter, "You look…you look like…you look like a gh-ghost!"
Seth laughed as he reached out to run his fingers through her flour covered hair, "You think you look any better?"
"Oh God," Rose couldn't hold herself up anymore, sliding down to sit on the flour covered kitchen floor, "This is a mess…your sister is going to be here with the twins soon, and I don't want them to see the cake until tomorrow and now –"
"Don't worry about it, Rosie," Seth reached down to help her up unto her feet, "Go get cleaned up, I'll put the cake in the oven and then get the kitchen cleaned."
"I'll help you," Rose reached up to scratch her scalp, "We both made the mess."
Seth laughed as he gently pushed her towards the hallway, "Go shower first then come on out and you can help me."
"Alright," Rose reached up with her other hand, her fingers digging into her hair, "Oh man, this flour itches like crazy!"
Seth laughed as she walked out of the kitchen, almost choking at the sight of her flour covered butt…dear God, the woman had an ass on her.
Turning back to the cake batter, he took a deep breath, recalling what it had felt like, having her finger in his mouth –he didn't know what the hell he had been thinking in doing that.
Pouring the batter into the baking pan, he tried to breathe his way through the burning desire in him.
The closer they got the more open she became yet…she was inadvertently driving him crazy every time she touched him or smiled at him…
Hell, even now –after hearing her laugh and that brief time of having her in his arms –not to mention her finger in his mouth (that was seriously a stupid, stupid move Seth) –he was going to need a cold shower just to be able to survive the rest of the day.
Oh, he was so screwed…
He just hoped it didn't last long.
Rose felt extremely pleased with herself as she looked down at the cake.
Yeah, she hadn't baked it but she'd begged Seth to let her frost it, using strawberry and chocolate frosting, the diagonal line a pretty wave that split the cake in half for the twins.
Seth was going to get back with them soon –he had taken the twins, along with Gabriel, to the park to give her the morning to put up the decorations.
Setting the cake in the middle of the table, she looked around in pleasure, moving over to the kitchen opening to straighten the streamers before turning to look at the whole set up.
The long table was covered in a colorful table cloth with party hats set at each table setting.
They had borrowed some chairs from Leah, as well as her squared kitchen table so now, half of their kitchen space was taken up but at least, all the kids were going to be able to eat in the kitchen.
Hopping happily from one foot to the other, she looked down at her watch, feeling excited about everything.
The twins were so going to enjoy this –now they'll know that she did love them.
Both of them.
Marcos stared out the car window as they headed back home, Vivi and Gabriel chattering away beside him.
He really wasn't paying attention to what they were saying because, to be honest, he didn't care.
Instead, he couldn't keep himself from thinking how much he hated this day.
It was his first birthday…a year since he was born…a year since he had killed his mother so he and his sister could live.
The universe was one screwed up place, now that he thought about it.
Not only did it allow for the undead to walk around and hurt other people, but it actually allowed hybrids like him to exist –that part, yeah that was the part that made the universe seriously twisted.
He shouldn't be here…he shouldn't exist…
He leaned his head against the side of his car chair, reaching out to touch the cold glass with a small hand as the scenery passed them by.
How he hated this day.
