Chapter 41: It has been always you.
(The epic chapter)
Kai lived in the manor that Voltaire has left for him before he expired few months back. Kai left Tyson's house only with this knowledge that he will have a place to take shelter in, comfortably.
Kai and Ray somehow together, and they were staying in the large mansion.
Kai felt no remorse for his Grandfather's death, rather he missed Ryu grandpa. Because Kai had rivalry with Tyson, others like Ryu were nowhere in his bad books ever. He loved and cared for Ryu heartily, and he has received that love as well. Leaving Grandpa this time was a challenge on him as well but he left hoping that Tyson was mature enough to handle Grandpa and his health. Little did he know that Grandpa was in coma at this time.
And much like Ryu, he loved Hilary and his love for her wasn't immature. He was egoistic and stupid to let go of her and he still regret it. Because he still, even today would want her back, but much like to his principles, he want to give her time and he want her to give him a chance to redeem his mistakes. He'd honestly keep her happy and love even today, only if she'd allow him to. Kai never envied Ryan, even though he was the biggest cause in some way to keep him and Hilary distanced. That's because Hilary loved him and so he'd never even think of thinking anything wrong, harmful or envious about Ryan. He respected everything that Hilary liked and thought. The only thing that he hated about her was- she- being the best friend of Tyson still when he had rivalry with him. Kai looked something in Ryan that he believed that Hilary was no where wrong to fall for him. There was no scar, no wrongness, no negativity.
He just wanted to keep a friendship with her after she admitted that she loves Ryan, but she just denied him of that and didn't forgive him. He thinks of her, so much, now that she's without Ryan. But it's not in a way of getting back her, it's just how she feels. Was she okay? Was she pretending and still crying out nights?
He's still not sure, even after all these years, if he still love her? Was that love, or just care? The doubts were fresh. He'd have done much more than what he did to get her back and he knows that he didn't. It's just a guilt that still sucks because she didn't made peace with him, didn't forgive him. All those feelings and things they shared many year back was a thing of past, they were teens, was that feeling still valid? 'That was immature love', he harshly concluded one day. There remains nothing when there remains no communication and only distance... Be it friendship or worsely love.
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"Yeah Julia, it was awesome! I'm so glad that I'd attempted this exam. This has to be one of the best exams, and I did it, though I frankly admit, it was whole lot complicated mess," Ashlene said joyously on the phone as she drove her car towards Ellie's school. On the phone,
"I'm so happy for you. I've ordered pizza for us, come soon, let's have fun," Julia was beaming on the other side,
"Julia, I'm so happy. I will get scholarship for PG, hopefully," Ashlene said in full enthusiasm her face smiling brightly.
"Yeah, you will. Come soon," Julia hung up.
Ashlene's face was full in delight and glee. She finally has done it and she was so much eager for the counseling right from now. She smiled again and peered out of the window and called out Ellie's name.
"Ellie!" Ashlene called,
The blue haired girl came running towards the car and got seated in.
"Hey momma," Ellie greeted, "You look so happy," Ellie smiled gently,
"Yeah, my exam was awesome. I just did it," Ashlene expressed,
"Wow," Ellie said with joy. She suddenly remembered something. "Mom, where are we going?" Raul's plan came in her mind.
"To the home, sweetheart," Ashlene said,
"Mom, I want to take you to one place. I've one surprise, can we go there?" Ellie said with sweet smile, trying to convince her mom,
"What surprise? You guys planned anything?" Ashlene asked, raising eyebrows in surprise.
"No, it's from my side. I will tell you, please!" Ellie implored with that shining eyes,
"Okay okay," Ashlene rolled her eyes, grinning.
"To the Big Burgers," Ellie yelled joyously, throwing her fists in air and Ashlene sped the car.
Ashlene obeyed and drove speedily towards the restaurant within few minutes,
"Mom, we can park the car here," Ellie said. Ashlene complied.
Ashlene locked her car and looked at her daughter, "Now where?" she glanced around.
"Well, its straight here." Ellie looked straight in the lane lined with houses. She spotted the seventh one. "Race with me, mom!" she yelled and began running.
"Hey wait up!" Ashlene laughed cheerfully at her daughter's little action, "What is it?"
"I will let you meet that person who saved me that day," Ellie said in gasped breaths racing up,
"Oh!" Ashlene breathed, "I will win this race, anyway," Ashlene panted. She was wearing jade black shirt, Aegean blue jeans and a white coat on which her ID card hung, printed with "Dr. Ashlene Reynolds," with other info. Her hair were tied in a neat pony tail.
Ellie stopped near Tyson's house. Ashlene still didn't recognize his house, it has been almost seven years since then, she was just asking her daughter what it was. Ellie held her mom's hand and dragged her inside in the dojo and then in the hall. Ashlene was patient and calm, still.
"Ellie, whose house is this," Ashlene looked around, still clueless. Ellie kept chuckling and Ashlene was almost doing the same, finding anything comical.
All her optimistic and barely puzzled mind was cleared up when her eyes met with the prominent maroon ones' figure standing in the hall, trying helplessly to vacuum up the floor.
…..
Tyson's eyes unmoved by her presence stared at her incredibly with a gasped mouth; he stared with widened, uncanny eyes. He stopped vacuuming though the flaring sound of vacuum continued. Ashlene herself was frozen in her place, stupefied, befuddled and unnerved. Her good mood was replaced with a beating heart and nostalgia.
"Mom, this is Tyson. I told you that someone saved me. It was him," Ellie said ushering her mom, "He himself got injured in the process, though," Ellie gave a sad smile. Ashlene noticed the bandages and his fractured leg and arm. Her eyes traveled through those fractures.
Ashlene glanced at her daughter. "I see, Ell," Ashlene faked a smile, "Go and sit in that room while I thank him," She calmly walked towards a room and opened it and told Ellie to get in and closed the door, and ambled back to her previous spot coldly.
Tyson stared at her sharply and his eyebrows rose occasionally, twitching with deep indignation. Ashlene stared at the ground- her eyes clearly in fury and her lips twisted in vexation. She was huffing in and out, keeping sure her heavy breaths were not audible to him. There was a meaningful, exasperated silence of few seconds. The silence was undeniably felt like an eternity and felt heavy with bled hearts...
She finally looked at him, and analyzed his injuries. Tyson was still glaring her with piqued expressions, his strong jawline flinching in anger,
"Thank you for saving my daughter from the car accident, Tyson. Thanks," she said strongly, her reluctant smile clearly forced up to its peak level.
"I didn't know that she was your daughter," Tyson shot back, his expressions didn't alter.
"Obviously, how'd you know," sarcasm dipped in her dangerously silent voice,
Tyson was clearly agitated. The fact that Ashlene had a daughter, a well five- six year old daughter hit him hard and she has the audacity to stand here after accusing him few years back that he was a cheater, still clueless that he was Ellie's dad.
"I'm sorry for your injuries," Ashlene snapped, her voice was harsh to its optimal level,
"Injuries?" Tyson said with amazement, shaking his head in sarcastic puzzlement, "Which injuries, Ash?" he asked innocently,
"Your wrapped left arm and leg," Ashlene said firmly and curtly, her head shivering in anger,
"Oh, that injuries. Those are fine. Those will heal one day, definitely," Tyson said with a nonchalant shrug,
"Hope so," Ashlene grunted lowly,
"Anyways, you shouldn't be spending more time here. Your husband might not take this well that you're at some stranger's place. I did no favor in saving an innocent kid," Tyson said with his expression pretty calmed, hopelessly, loose shoulders hunching down and turned, trying to pick the vacuum pipe with efforts and attempting to continue his task,
Ashlene gulped in seeing him in pain as his slight hitching was audible to her. Her expressions harshened more as she felt sudden expiation and loss from any redemption.
"Why is this house empty? Where are others?" She asked in a calm tone,
"Others? Who?" Tyson dropped the vacuum pipe again and switched it off, "Who are others, Ash?" Tyson shook his head slightly,
"You don't remember?" Ashlene asked accurately,
"If you mean Kai, Max, Ray and others, they don't live here anymore," Tyson said somberly,
"Grandpa, where is he?" She asked jittery,
"Grandpa…" Tyson paused and thought, his expressions softening, "He isn't anymore," Tyson said painfully,
Ashlene veered in shock and looked appalled. She stomped towards him and asked him in clear anxiety, "What do you mean he isn't anymore!" Ashlene yelled,
"What do you anyways want from Grandpa! He is not your Grandpa, so why are you so fretted about it?" Tyson answered back,
"Why do you care! He's not your Grandpa anyway Ash!" Tyson yelled back,
"But I want to know about him!" Ashlene protested,
"No need," he chuckled venomously, "I'm a cheater and a traitor and I don't have a good family- we are all split and cheaters!" Tyson said evilly,
"Grandpa is different. He isn't like you, never." Ashlene said sternly with derision,
"Might be. Might be HE isn't a traitor and a good person, unlike me - whom you've dismissed as a traitor." Tyson said coolly, "But what do YOU want to tell him?" Tyson yelled in bitterness and took a step towards her, very close, "You want to revive your accusation on me in front of him that I cheated you. Or you want to let him meet your daughter and show your innocence that YOU didn't cheat me!" Tyson yelped in aggravation and took another step standing in close proximity with her. Her eyes screeched at his words.
I hate the way you let us go like it was all just nothing.
"I didn't cheat you, Tyson," Ashlene declared eyeing him sharply, taking an excruciating heavy breath in the cramped proximity.
"Really," Tyson said in surprise, "I don't think so that an angel came in and placed a baby in your lap," Tyson mocked,
"Does that hurt you that I've a daughter after what you did to me?" She asked in a low scornful tone, regretting this moment for ever being with him.
I had let myself fall deeper but I was prepared.
Tyson closed his eyes and controlled his anger. He tried keeping his cool. He shook his head hopelessly, calmly gulped in, and opened his eyes, "Ash, can you seriously do one favor to me?" Tyson said jaded, "Can you tell me what I exactly did?" Tyson asked,
"You still think I don't know... You were hooking with someone else while you pretended you love me," Ashlene said hurtfully for the first time, something seeming to stuck in her throat.
"Heavens forbid! I didn't hook up with anyone!" He exasperatedly clutched her shirt on shoulders. Her heart bet faster and she noted how he managed to have this effect on her even after these many years, "Can you tell me the name of the bitch whom you assumed I hooked up with!" Tyson tightened his hold. Ashlene shrugged violently, "Hilary!" Ashlene pushed him almost but harshly,
Tyson looked at her in aghast and gasped. He stared at her completely blanched.
"You think I didn't know..." Ashlene's voice shivered in angry tears fired up in eyes, "I saw you that night with Hilary and your tryst with her! I SAW it! How can you deny so blatantly?" She sniffled silently.
"So you saw us..." Tyson gave a bare laugh in derision, "You saw me and Hilary in that hotel room romancing. And why should I lie that you're wrong. You saw correctly." Tyson stated darkly remembering that night. He took a step and held her hand, "But Ash...I never cheated you," he smiled disappointingly and left her hand.
"What the fu-" Ashlene groaned. Tyson placed a commanding finger on her lips and looked at her sternly with dark eyes, "Don't swear, Ash. It never suited you." He stared at her deeply, convinced that he did effect her. He moved back a little and removed his finger, "You intended to swoon me in our tipsy-ness, you walked away purposely to have me follow you, remember?" He asked. She nodded with slight nostalgic fear.
"I came back for you but I saw Hilary walking in another room and right that moment I mistook her as you. You both did twinning, remember?" Tyson explained sedately looking softly at her,
Her breath hitched and though she subconsciously trusted him, she found it impossible to accept what happened, "And during your act, you couldn't differentiate between me and her?" She asked accusingly,
"I was so much lost sensually that I didn't gave a second once I saw her brown hair. I didn't even give her a chance when she attempted to get away from me. She herself was too petrified. I apologized her," Tyson paused and gave a jaded look to her, "Anyways, why am I telling you all this, you'd not even trust me right now," Tyson laughed mundanely and gave her an accusing look, "And I still forgive you, for you- actually cheated me," he rolled his eyes, trying to conceal his deep regrets and pain.
Ashlene looked devasted and lost. She looked in contrite, her face ruefully ashamed. She gasped and sobbed internally, keeping a hand on her mouth, tears streaming out.
"I never cheated you, you did. I never loved Hilary, but always you. I still waited to know what wrong I did," he said regretfully. He felt deeply crestfallen and broken. Ashlene convulsed in agony and broke out in throbbing sobs.
"I'm sorry-" she hiccuped miserably and looked at him with teary eyes,
"You didn't even let me know what I did, just accused me, just kept on yelling at me. Nobody ever called me bastard and whatever you cursed," Tyson said in a low tone in nostalgia. He didn't console her now when she was crying.
Ashlene held onto his shirt front and hung her face down. With those down-casted eyes, she stared at the ground, her vision blurring and her silent sniffling deranged. He was unmoved.
"Hilary never loved me, she always loved Ryan. And I never loved Hilary, it has been always you," Tyson said with shaky and pain filled voice, "But you've never been on my side after you left, Hilary was always there. She was my best friend. She stood by my side and tried her best to support before you came in my life and after you were gone. I supported her too. We demarcated the boundaries of love and friendship even through these years," he mortified.
Ashlene's hold tightened on his shirt, almost crippling it, her sniffling commencing in repentance again "Even though you are the one whom I've loved, Hilary was the one who have lived through my pains and all times," Tyson continued with crippled expression, "I'll never deny this,"
"I didn't cheat you, Tyson, I never did. I remained loyal," Ashlene moaned with her still hung face, voice low and scared, her hands still held onto his shirt almost about to get it,
"No Ash, wrong, you're wrong. Now it's too late. We can't be back. Ellie has a life too. She has her parents. I can never interfere. Ellie is really your sweet daughter," Tyson said softly the last part though his tone was cold, holding her shoulders softly. "You left me, you had chosen somebody else,"
Ashlene's face rose up and faced him, "I didn't choose anybody!" She yelled at him, and held his hands firmly, "Ellie is YOUR daughter! Not anyone else's! I didn't choose anybody after I left you. It has been always you," she squealed agonizingly and her head veered down in dismay. Tyson left her shoulders and looked appalled and thunderstruck. He took a step back shakily. His eyes spooked out for a longer second and time seemed to stop. Her words echoed in his mind.
"It was my fault Tyson! My fault! I didn't let you explain, I didn't tell you what you did, I'm really demented!" Ashlene wept bitterly, "I didn't let you know you'd a daughter!"
Tyson was numb to everything. He felt dead and dejected, as if a part of him was snatched permanently. He suddenly remembered Ellie's blue hair. Just like his own, and her blue eyes, just like her mom. He briefly remembered the last time he had unprotected intercourse with Ashlene. He couldn't have thought even in his dreams that Ashlene took his daughter from him, just because she wanted to punish him for cheating her, which he never did.
"You wrongly accused me, Ash. You separated me from my daughter for five years. You didn't even let her know that I was her dad. You didn't let me live through those joyous moments which I deserved," Tyson's voice was paralysingly numb, ultimately shocked.
"I punished you unfairly. I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry," Ashlene hugged him round his low swung arms but Tyson still didn't respond. He was quiet. He didn't say anything. He didn't move. His body negatively tensed and Ashlene took as the cue to leave him.
"Tyson, say something, please!" Ashlene implored with steamy tears, "Curse me, beat me, tell me, don't punish me!" She sobbed and held her own shoulder. It was getting cooler, the sun wasn't scorching and the breezes were friendly.
His left leg suddenly jolted him in pain and he cried and slipped. Ashlene held on to him trying to protect him but they slipped in unison.
"Shit! You're not well. Your bone hasn't been dressed proper," she hitched and tried hiding her sobs. Tears fell continually but she tried keeping quiet. She opened the large thick cloth and tightened the plaster. Her ever so strong built hands shook in the maelstrom of emotions but she firmly did his dressing. He didn't say anything. Just looked away, into the space, his face deeply disheartening and broken.
Tyson looked pale. He was well built up but liked drained off. She went in the kitchen. She checked the fridge and saw the chicken he'd bought. She immediately cooked and made hot soup for him within fifteen minutes. She could remember everything about this home. She really missed Grandpa and it was a big grief for her to accept his absence. She missed Hilary and their friendship which she broke in seconds for a silly misunderstanding. She continually cursed herself. Even Hilary forgave Tyson for what he did to her that night even though she loves Ryan. But I was really a bitch.
Ashlene brought the soup to him and frantically fed him with her hands. For some time, she had forgotten Ellie. Ashlene was relieved that he didn't objected her. He just drank the soup as she fed silently. Being two years older than him, she was little wiser in handling him at times.
After she was done, she sighed and sat beside him. She softly leaned against his right shoulder and cried. "I won't be able to forgive myself if you don't talk to me, Tyson,"
"I know you've suffered a lot. I don't know exactly how Grandpa died but I deeply regret. I wish I could have been there to see him once," Ashlene said silently in low tone, staring in space.
"Grandpa didn't die, Ash. He is in coma." Tyson said. Ashlene gasped, "But you said-"
"I lied," He said flatly.
"Tyson, you scared me shitless for some time," She said accusingly to him,
"Sorry," he smiled. That sad smile- that made her more remorseful. She leaned forward placing her forehead on his chest, breaking into deep whimpers. He caressed her back gently; and his touch caused her to veer back and look at him in hope if he was not angry with her. She swallowed the fears, and stared at him.
"I forgive you, Ash. I forgive you for everything that happened. I always missed you." He smiled at her hurtfully and stared at her deeply and cravingly, "Your absence has broken me, I've been breaking through the years." He gulped in his overflowing sadness and pulled her closer. She wrapped her hands round his back tightly and wept all the buried burdens of the years out, "It's like you finally came, my panacea, my peace, my ever needed someone came. I still love you, Ashlene." He closed his eyes and buried his head on her shoulder.
"Even if it was for few moments, I got a wonderful life with you even after everyone left me. I'd you. I'd Grandpa." He expressed his pain without bounds. He vent out the frustrations and loneliness of all the years, "I was never alone. I've never felt so broken throughout my life after everyone left me, after you did. I tried hating you but could never do so."
A/N: Tyson is Tyson after all ^_~. How couldn't he have not forgiven her? :D I hope you all loved this awaited chapter, huh? ;D He forgave Kai after he left the team and joined BEGA in series, he always forgave :D Aha, a question: Who remembers Tyson's and Ash's present ages? I had to edit and check this chapter so many times, because I wanted this chapter to be perfect, because this was really an awaited one.
I'm not sure but August always had something very good to bring around, around its arrival! Like this chapter? XD
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Reply to Guest11: Thanks so much for reviewing. :D Yeah, Ryan is worried because of some messages send by his mom and brother, but he's happy with Hils. :'D
Reply to Anabelle: Thanks so much for reviewing Julia's Date. I'm so glad you liked it :'D