Chapter 3 - Revelations

A.N. Okay I put a made up last name for Asha until I get the real one. J

"Joshua paints," Joshua said to Asha proudly and Asha sighed wistfully her head resting in the fluffy white pillow behind her.

"One day I'd like to see them, if I ever see again," she said darkly and Joshua grunted.

"You will," a voice informed her surely and Asha sat up and looked from side to side.

"Logan is that you?" she asked and Logan walked into the room to sit by Asha's bed.

"Yeah, I just got off the phone with Dr. Carr, he assures me you'll be able to see again," Logan told her excitedly and Asha squealed with delight and reached out her arms to hug Logan and he guided her so that they could share a hug. Alec stood watching and hated feeling the stab of jealousy run through him as Asha hugged Logan. She loved him. It was obvious to Alec, that she loved Logan, he'd known it from the first moment he had seen them together.

"That's great," Asha said happily then she looked around feeling that her happiness wasn't exactly complete as she asked guardedly, "Where's Alec?"

"I'm here," Alec replied quickly and Logan gave him a penetrating stare as he looked from Alec back to Asha who had looked in the direction of Alec's voice smiling gently and Alec said to her a little unnerved by the look he was getting from Logan, "you should be able to see soon so you can see Joshua's paintings, they are really good."

"Until then you stay with us," another voice interrupted the conversation and Asha knew who it was without having to ask.

"But Max.I have to get home," Asha protested trying to sit up and manoeuvre her way out of bed but Logan pushed her back down gently.

"I agree with Max on this one, you need to stay with us until your better," Alec spoke up before he could help himself. For some strange reason he didn't want her to leave. Probably because I'm worried about her, because she can't see anything, Alec told himself adamantly.

"Thanks for all the help Alec," Asha said sarcastically in his direction and she could practically see him smirk, she knew him that well that she could predict his actions. She had only met him a few times but she felt that she knew him, probably better than she knew anyone else, even herself.

"No problem, call on me anytime, and I mean anytime," Alec flirted with her shamelessly and Max rolled her eyes. Whenever Alec was uncomfortable he reverted to the one personality he felt safe with, the sleazy Alec, and Max suddenly smiled cheekily. Alec only reverted to the sleaze when something was unnerving him and Max knew it couldn't have been her or Logan or Joshua because they were around him all the time. That left Asha. Max licked her lips. She wasn't about to let Alec get away with flirting and not saying anything about it.

"Alec we're here to make her better not make her sick," Max commented slyly and Logan burst out laughing as did Max.

Asha let out a gurgle of laughter at Alec's expense. She could just imagine Alec looking all offended as he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Max for daring to try and damage his suave reputation.

"Not funny Maxie," Alec taunted her, knowing how much she despised the little pet name he had made for her and Max glowered at him.

Asha listened to their playful bantering for a second then realised Logan wasn't saying anything. She could almost hear what Logan was thinking and Asha reached up her hand knowing that Logan would grab it which he did.

"Logan it wasn't your fault, I made the choice to come down here, even if you had told me not to I still would have come," Asha said and Logan looked surprised that she had known what he was thinking about.

"I know but." Logan said his voiced heavy with sorrow and Asha squeezed his hand.

"No buts, you know me, I'm an impulsive brat, Asha Barlow-Sandeman that's me," Asha said wryly not paying attention to what she said and Max and Alec fell silent as Logan stared at Asha. Max took a step forward towards Asha but Alec pulled her back.

"What did you say your last name was?" Logan asked her in a voice Asha didn't recognise and Asha frowned licking her lips nervously. She shouldn't have said that, she knew what they were thinking. They knew about father, and she had just blabbed out vital information about him and her, she had to pretend she didn't know what they were talking about.

"Barlow-Sandeman, why?" Asha replied slowly trying to act like she didn't know what they were on to while inside she was panicking and Logan blinked slowly looking at Max and they both swallowed slowly.

"I thought your last name was Barlow," he said quickly and Asha shook her head.

"No that's my mothers maiden name my full name is BArlow-Sandeman," Asha corrected Logan bowing her head and Logan looked at Max who pushed Alec out of the way so that she could speak freely with Asha.

"Do you have a brother?" Max demanded and Asha nodded reluctantly.

"I had two, but one's dead and the other is out in the big wide world somewhere, my father and I lost contact with him," she said briefly and Max stiffened in disbelief. It couldn't be, it couldn't be, Max kept repeating in her head.

"What is your brothers name?" Alec asked sensing Max was at a loss for words and Asha smiled gently not wanting to lie about her brother's name. She didn't care if they knew who her brother was, but her father.she had to protect him.

"Ames," she said fondly and Max swayed on her feet causing Alec to reach over and steady her with his hand.

"Oh God," Max breathed as her and Logan locked eyes. Could this be it? Had they finally discovered Sandeman? That meant the cure was only a little while away. He would be able to touch Max!

"What?" Asha asked interrupting the moment and Logan squeezed on Asha's hand.

"Did you know your father created the transgenics?" Logan asked softly and Asha froze. Oh no, they know about my father, I can't let them know the rest they would never forgive me if they knew what I had done for my father, Asha panicked inside her head as she tried to think of a explanation. She should never have told them about her family. That had been her first rule, never talk about her family. It was in moments like these that she remembered why she had that rule.

"He created them? He only told me that he worked at Manticore," Asha said innocently but Alec sensed something shady about her words, however he decided to let it pass.

"Asha; Sandeman created Manticore, he created the first transgenics, Joshua, all of them, and then he moved onto transgenics like us," Max said stepping closer to Asha's bed. Max couldn't believe they were so close. Finally they would be able to find Sandeman and find the cure to the virus.

"All I knew was that he worked for Manticore, how can you be sure that my father created Manticore?" Asha asked defensively and no one spoke.

"Can you be sure he didn't?" Logan asked softly and Asha shrugged her shoulders figuring it would be easier if she didn't speak. She didn't want to make another mistake.

"You knew he was from Manticore," Max asked suddenly getting all suspicious.

"Yes, he told me a little while after I met Logan," Asha said truthfully. He had told her the truth after she had told him about Logan, and Asha had hated him for weeks afterwards.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Max demanded and Asha was glad she couldn't see Max or Logan's face. It made it so much easier to lie to them because she knew that she had to.

"Because.look I knew my father was a scientist involved in DNA genetics, I knew he worked for Manticore, I never knew he was Manticore, when Max returned I just figured it probably didn't matter because Manticore was gone," Asha covered up quickly and Max shook her head not quite believing what Asha was saying.

"Why didn't you tell us who your father was?" Max asked and Asha began to feel uncomfortable.

"What do you want with my father?" Asha asked defensively and Max knelt beside Asha's bed.

"He knows the cure to the virus," Max said excitedly and Asha shook her head.

"He hasn't told me anything about it, I asked him when we first found out about the virus," Asha confessed and Max looked over at Logan, disappointed.

"Well can we go ask him?" Logan asked quickly and Asha buried her head in her pillow.

"We can't," she said softly and Logan frowned at her.

"Why not?" he asked. He couldn't believe she was saying that they wouldn't be able to see him.

"I swore to him that I would never tell anyone where he lived, I would never do anything to risk his life, so many people want him dead, it's the only way to ensure that he is kept safe," Asha tried to explain and Max took a deep breath.

"But Asha, he could cure the virus, Logan and I." Max said looking over at Logan as her sentence faded away and Asha felt like she was being torn apart. She wanted so much to help her friends but she had sworn to her father, she could not betray her own family, her own flesh and blood.

"I'm sorry Max," Asha said and Max went through a rush of emotions before she exploded.

"You selfish bitch!" Max screamed at her and Asha winced at the hatred she heard in the words. She didn't blame Max for being so mad at her but it still hurt.

"Max, I." Asha tried to calm her down but Max had already stormed from the room, so furious that Alec thought she would kill the next person she came across or at least give them a good old fashioned beating.

"Asha, after all we've done you won't help us?" Logan asked, the devastation in his voice paining Asha to hear and Asha let out a deep breath.

"Logan I can't." Asha whispered apologetically reaching out for Logan but he had dropped her hand like a hot potato and Asha couldn't feel him beside her. After a few seconds she heard her door slam shut and Asha winced. Asha turned her head into her pillow and started to cry. She felt warm arms surround her and smelt the familiar smell of Alec's aftershave.

"They're gone aren't they?" she asked through her sobs and Alec stroked her hair gently.

"Yeah," he said softly and Asha pulled away from him slightly.

"Do you hate me too then?" Asha asked him and Alec pulled her back towards him so that she could continue crying on his broad chest. Her arms automatically clung to him and Alec held her tenderly in his arms, a hurricane of emotions flowing through him. He wanted to take her hurt away so badly that his chest was hurting, he hated seeing her cry.

"No, I couldn't hate you Asha," Alec whispered kissing the top of her head softly and Asha just continued to cry knowing she had lost the only true friend that she had ever had.

A.N. sorry it was short but it was an important part to add in just by itself.