It had been weeks since Paige had returned to the city in which she had grown up in, for her a lot had changed. She no longer felt like the scared girl she had once been who didn't know who she could trust or what was going on around her. She now felt as if she knew everything, had people she could trust around her, she had found where she was meant to be. Every day she was thankful for those around her as they were most likely the reason why Evolution never got what they wanted when they sent out the assassination order all those years ago. She knew for sure if Corey hadn't informed Finn of her whereabouts and the said Demon King hadn't saved her that day then one she wouldn't be alive at this moment and two she would never have found out the truth on everything that had been kept from her.
"What are you thinking about?" asked Seth, coming to sit next the woman he had the duty to protect as well as the one he had fallen for. To him she was everything he could ask for, she was beautiful, had her own style and personality, knew what she wanted, had a will to fight and she was loving to him just as he was to her. He silently thanked Dean every day for suggesting his crazy plan to move their business to Orlando, as it had brought him to the woman he now lived with, it had brought him to his happiness despite the other things going on around them. "Your dad again?" added Seth watching as she nodded, tears appearing in her eyes. Someone from Evolution had sent each of them a letter, telling them something they didn't know or something others shouldn't know. Seth and Dean's were both about Roman, something he had done and hope to keep hidden. Finn's was informing him of secret he had never told anyone, where as Corey's was the former location Zarah was kept at, Renee's had something to do with her family back home in Canada where as Paige's had been about her parents.
"Actually it was this" responded Paige, handing over the handwritten note from a member of Evolution while trying to keep her tears from falling. She hoped with everything what was written on the note wasn't true. "I've been trying to gain the confidence to phone and ask him about it, but every time go to, there just something stopping me. Something asking do I really want to know the truth, or what happens if it is true" added Paige confining in the man she had come to love on her state of mind over the note she had received from unknown member or members of Evolution. This was the last thing she was expecting to read on a note yet it was also the worst. If it was true then her entire childhood and belief in her father would be destroyed, everything she thought she knew about him would be gone just as any trust that was once there would disappear.
"How about we go and see him, there you can either show him the note or ask him about what it says. Either way you find out the answers and know the truth" spoke Seth giving the note back to her, and pulling her into a gentle hug, he knew if the words written turned out to be true then her whole world would be destroyed. No one deserved anything like that. "No matter the answer I'll be here Paige, until the end of the line" added Seth feeling as she wrapped her arms around his waist since the hug was more of a side one. He soon began to sooth her tears when they began to flow by stroking her raven locks, rubbing her arm, and shushing her with a few gentle kisses to the top of her head. Seth could tell just by the way she had broken down the note had affected her more than she had originally let on when she was around the others.
With Corey, he was currently at Princess Mansion. Since Zarah had been moved there a few days before, surprise swept over her when she realised where she was staying and what all the magazines were for. Paige had also explained to her why she was there in the first place, thrust confirming although she was with them, she wasn't going to be treated poorly, instead they had given her a comfortable place to stay with everything she would be needing, allowed her to decorate the place to her liking and have visitors over when she wished as long as she informed someone before hand so they could let the visitors in and out. The food would be delivered every week, just as she had been informed someone from the hospital would come to do her check ups with her. They were determined she wasn't going to feel like a prisoner, but more like she was being protected by them.
"How is everything? You settling in okay?" asked Corey upon seeing the mother to be, her baby bump beginning to show now, she had reached the fourth month or just past it. He knew Paige had made sure she had everything she could possible want, even allowing Roman to visit if she wanted him to. Something she was sure Zarah would due to them being the parents of the same unborn child, although it was clear Zarah was mad at him she didn't show any signs of stopping him being the father her child deserved. Corey showed his softer side when he helped her down the stairs, and leading her to the living room, noticing she had left the décor how it was, something that actually surprised him. He was expecting her to add her own twist by shaking up the colours and accessories in the rooms and completely remodel some of the rooms she had in the large mansion.
"Yeah, I've settled in fine. Paige came by the other day and gave me a map so I knew where everything is, she also helped with ordering the things for the baby's nursery. Renee came by as well to help with stocking the baby wardrobe. Paige even said I could have Roman over if I wanted as long as I tell someone in advanced" replied Zarah, a smile on her features at the kindness of everyone around her, they were treating her like she was some sort of goddess and making sure she had the least amount of stress as possible, they were at least making sure she had everything ready for her due date, complete with her own security team and driver should she need to go somewhere. Although she knew that was unlikely due to the mansion having everything she needed there including its own gym. "Everything is fine here, and I want to thank all of you. For not making me feel as if I'm a hostage. Instead you took into account I'm an expecting mother and made sure I experience the least amount of stress as possible, Paige even arranged for me to be moved here so I could be in the place I know and be with my friends again" finished Zarah at least thankful they had considered everything, she was allowed to do everything as long as she had someone with her.
"I will pass the message on to Paige for you. Since moving you here was her idea. Roman will be due in a few minutes along with Dr Galloway, he will set up in the medical room you have here, as for Roman when you want him to leave just call Sami or Kevin and I believe Harper will be patrolling the perimeter to make sure everything is okay" responded Corey at least thankful the mother to be was comfortable, she had everything she needed and today was her check up. Her normal security in Kevin and Sami were there just as Luke Harper had offered to patrol the outside while Roman was there to ensure the Samoan wouldn't try anything. For the time being Zarah was amongst their highest priority, the others being to keep watch on AJ and Punk, keep Renee safe and the normal of protecting the one they called Princess. Before either of them knew it there was a knock at the door, Corey bringing the security camera up to reveal Roman stood there with a small gift bag and a bunch of flowers, to which Zarah nodded giving her own mini order to allow the father of her child to enter her mansion.
Upon entering the mansion, Roman was met with Corey who stood there with an unreadable expression on his features, he soon stepped aside to reveal Zarah, a small smile appearing on her lips at being able to see, hear and touch him, as the only way they had been able to see and hear each other was through the live feed each had been given. Corey soon signalled he was going to join both Sami and Kevin in the security hub, to which the dark haired mother to be nodded to him with a small smile, knowing he would let the doctor in when he arrived and show him to the room he was to set up in. Zarah soon lead Roman to the living room, knowing there catch up was long over due, and he still had no idea she was be treated so well.
"Everything is fine with me Roman, When Paige come back to Orlando, she gave the order to move me here, made the arrangements so I would have everything I needed to feel comfortable and be where I wanted to when this little one comes" spoke Zarah when she sat on the sofa, patting the area next to her for Roman to take a seat, she could see the shock on Roman's features to see she had been taken care off, especially since he had failed his task and the woman in question had ultimately return to Orlando on her own terms and made sure the main Evolution players were where they no doubt belonged. He was also aware Zarah had been told of what task those who were close to the ones forced to run had given him to do. Her slight distance from him had given it away way either or that or she just didn't know how to act around him any more, they had been parted for so long. Zarah could only feel the awkward tension between them and smile to try and ease the feeling that was there.
"I'm sorry Zarah. I'm sorry you were the one who had to pay for my actions. If I hadn't joined Evolution then you wouldn't be in this situation now. We would still be together getting ready for our little one. If it wasn't for me selling out Dean and Seth, you would be free and happy right now instead your stuck here, probably thinking the worst about me" responded Roman apologising for his past actions, since losing Zarah and watching those in Evolution who helped him get arrested he was forced to under go a lot of thinking and come to the realisation if he hadn't done some of the things he had then things would be so much different. Dean would probably still be there for him as a friend, Seth would probably be angry at him rather than see him as an enemy, Zarah would be happy and comfortable in their own home, Finn and Corey wouldn't be trying to keep him as a far from Paige as possible, Renee wouldn't have seen him as a traitor and Paige herself would have probably come to see him as a friend. Instead the opposite of all that happened all because of the stupid decisions he had made in the past. "If I go back and change it, I would. Then maybe everything would be better" added Roman, feeling guilty over everything that happened.
"Zarah" called Sami, poking his head through the door with his normal bubbly smile on his lips. "Dr Galloway is here, he's in the medical office waiting for you and Roman" added Sami watching as she nodded and the surprised look crossed Roman's Samoan features, clearly he wasn't expecting to be allowed to be there when she had one of her check ups. Zarah smiled and stood taking hold of Roman's hand and leading him to the room where the kind doctor was. He had travelled from Orlando to her previous place since he was someone Finn trusted greatly when it come to medical issues. As normal Dr Galloway greeted the mother to be with a warm smile and instructed her to the bed so he could do the normal check ups.
"Had lots of relaxing times, since I last saw you?" asked Dr Galloway, measuring the bump to make sure the child she was carrying was growing at the correct rate and therefore she was having a healthy pregnancy. Zarah only nodded with a slight giggle when he hit a ticklish point, a smile staying on her lips as Dr Galloway went about his normal routine when it come to the check ups. "Nothing out of the ordinary happen, no serious dizzy spells, or intense morning sickness?" added the doctor making sure to ask everything so he could be sure the pregnancy was going as it should, he knew the mother to be was getting excited about welcoming her first child although like every expecting first time mum she was also rather nervous about the fast approaching event.
"Nothing, just the normal cravings, and slightly swollen ankles. Oh and the mood swings. Kevin mentioned I flew of the handle at him the other day when he asked if I was okay" responded Zarah revealing she had the normal symptoms of pregnancy, she was actually thankful for Kevin being one of her protectors due to him already being a father, he knew when she went through the sudden mood swings or bit his head off for no reason that she didn't mean anything she said. Instead he just nodded and lead her to the room she would be most comfortable in and able to relax, leaving her be with the necessary things to call for help with if she ever needed it. "When will we be able to find out what we're having?" asked Zarah, she actually couldn't wait to find out if they were having a boy or a girl, mainly so she could continue with the nursery and finish preparing for when the time come considering she had just hit the four month mark of the pregnancy.
"Next appointment. Which will be the same time next month. Everything looks good, pregnancy appears to be going in a healthy way, just as you are completely healthy. Keep on doing as you are and relax as much as possible. Like I say every time avoid stress as much as you can and do what's best for you and the baby" responded Dr Galloway informing her she would be able to find out the gender of her child the following month at their next appointment. As well as giving her the normal advice of avoiding anything that would cause her large amounts of stress and to stay as relax as much as she could, thrust ensuring she would continue having an easy and healthy pregnancy besides the normal symptoms she was experiencing.
Back with Paige and Seth, they were currently walking up the drive to the house she had grown up in, Seth having persuaded her to go and see her father, step mother and half sister. As well as to get the answers to the questions that he knew were no doubt bugging her. He knew if everything went good then Paige would leave the current property with a smile on her lips and content with everything she knew and knowing the note was a lie, but if it went the opposite then she would leave in tears, her childhood and trust in her father destroyed and knowing what the note said was indeed the truth. As well as the worst thing her father could have done. It would also no doubt blur the lines to her of who was good and who was the bad. They had of course rang ahead to inform the residents of the house she was coming, Kane also being there also with Crystal, Summer and Emma.
"Paige" called Summer upon seeing her cousin, she could always find it amusing how the two were the opposite in appearance. Paige having naturally raven hair and brown eyes where as Summer herself was blond with blue eyes, her sister in Emma being the same. "Its so good to see you again cousin. I've missed you so much. Its been so long since we have caught up" added Summer hugging Paige tightly and showing her love for her cousin, she smiled and waved to Seth, the two having met before for a few brief minutes, she knew he was protective of Paige just as his love for her was clear to see to those around them. "Michelle took Kaia out for the day, but she should be back later on" finished Summer leading the pair into the Calaway residence, there in the living room was Mark, Kane, Emma and Crystal. Three of them with the same soft smile on their features as Summer had upon seeing Paige the other just relieved to see she was okay. Seth gave the note Paige had received over to her father knowing if Paige herself did it then she would no doubt end up in tears again. She was already dreading the answer she was going to get, there was no point in making worse.
"I think its best we talk in the kitchen" spoke Mark, the look of horror passing over his features at reading what the note said and wondering how Evolution had found out about it, he was sure the only two people to know the truth behind that day were him and the person who had carried it out. It frightened him to know there were others out there who knew of his darkest secrets and held the tools to break the relationship between himself and his oldest daughter. He silently encouraged himself as he lead Paige to the kitchen, fearing the worst but hoping for the best with every step that he took towards one of the main rooms in any house hold. Upon entering the room he closed the door to make it more private, placing the note on the table and looking at it as if it was the most dangerous thing in the world. He knew now he had to come clean with her, he couldn't lie to her when she knew of it, especially since the last time he lied to her, he had driven her away instead of keeping her close as he had originally intended. Plus he knew it would only be worse if he lied now and she found out the truth some time in the future.
"Is it true?" asked Paige, tears beginning to appear in her brown eyes, making them appear glassy and crystal like, the sadness on her features mixing with the fear of what she was about to hear and the uncertainty of the unknown. "Did you hire someone to kill mum?" added Paige wanting to know if the words written on the piece of paper before them was indeed true and her father was indeed behind the death of her mother. The tears in her eyes only got worse as did the horror she felt as he nodded yes to the questions, his own guilt rising as it dawned on him because of his own stupid and rather reckless decision all those years ago he could lose everything he loved, including his oldest child.
"Yes" whispered Mark, feeling the guilt rise as he remember the woman he had loved all those years ago, as he remembered Saraya and how happy they once were. Just as he could remember that happiness turning to bitterness over their disagreements on how to raise their daughter and what they should and shouldn't tell her as she grows up. "It was the only way Paige, If I took you away she would have found you, you wouldn't have grown up the way you did. I admit I should have told you about Knight's Raven and who your mother was before but I couldn't tell you about them without remembering Saraya and what I did, and the guilt and regret of taking your mother away from you when you needed her the most" added Mark revealing he did indeed feel regret and guilt over what he had done all those year ago. When he looked to Paige he could see the tears in her eyes beginning to fall, the sadness in her eyes at hearing what her father had done. "You were the best thing to happen to both of us Paige, she loved you more than anything but the only way to protect you and make sure you had a normal childhood was to take you away, when you were born you inherited both our enemies. I had to make a choice you or Saraya. I chose you. I'm sorry I took her away from you, and took your chance to know her in person but it is for the best" finished Mark, seeing the anger start to appear in her eyes mixing with her tears.
"You lied to me all these years" spoke Paige, trying to stop herself from crying and keep her anger under control, she was succeeding with her anger, but failing miserably with her tears. "You never told me she was dead, you never even told me her name. Instead you hid the truth from me and put me in more danger than I would have been. The more I find out, the more I realise I don't know you, the more I realise you didn't hide any of this to protect me, but to protect yourself from the truth of what I would discover if I did know everything" added Paige, wiping her tears away her eyes turning red and puffy from the uncontrollable tears that was escaping from her. She really didn't know what to think. Everything she knew and believed about her father was all a lie, he wasn't the detective he had acted as, instead he was a killer, a liar. She didn't know who in her own family she could trust any more, her father wasn't who she thought and her childhood was nothing more than shattered memories now. "You killed her to erase that part of your life. Its time you finished what your started papa. I'm the last reminder you have of that life. Its time I go too" finished Paige before walking from the kitchen, Seth noticing her go past the living room quickly took hold of her things and followed, saying a quick goodbye as he went. He had spotted her tears, guessing the answer she had received wasn't what she had wanted to hear. It wasn't long before he caught up with her.
"Hey" spoke Seth upon reaching her, seeing her tears and generally broken appearance. The Paige before him wasn't the princess he had grown to love and care for. She wasn't the Paige he knew so well. The girl before him was one who had everything she knew shattered and destroyed, the one who had lost hope in everything she had previously believed in. "Come here" whispered Seth wrapping her in a loving embrace and holding her close as she cried, he didn't know what happened but he knew it had broken the girl he loved so much. He wanted to help her but he didn't know how, he quickly sent a message to Dean and Punk asking them to visit Princess Armoury II with AJ and Renee due to Paige being in need of their help now. He also did the same with the others mainly Corey and Finn so they knew Paige wouldn't be herself for a little while, but he also knew each of them would help her in anyway they could even if that was being someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on.
"I don't know who I am any more. Everything I knew was a lie. Everything I thought I was is just a story my dad to told to make himself feel better about what he did" whispered Paige, her head still resting on his shoulder. She felt safe when she was with him, like everything would be okay again eventually even if it didn't seems like anything would ever make any sense again. "What the note said is true, my dad did hire someone to kill her" added Paige, her tears once again taking over, to which Seth only nodded and kissed her cheek, whispering sweet nothings in her ear and opting to lead her back to the car so they could return to the place they both called home. He knew it was going to be difficult for a while, she now had one of the hardest decisions in front of her. Although he had a feeling she had already make that choice, especially if her tears were anything to go by. "I'm walking away, he killed her to erase that part of his life. Since I'm the last permanent reminder of it, Its about time I walked away so he can completely forget about it" added Paige revealing she was going to say goodbye to her father to allow him to move on with what he wanted, that also meaning she would be saying goodbye to both Michelle and Kaia since they were the family she concluded he had wanted when he made that decision. She had yet to decide whether or not to do the same with her cousins, aunt Crystal and Uncle Kane.
"I will be here Paige, through everything. You helped me when I went through a tough time which I know isn't much compared to all of this. My heart breaks seeing you like this, so if helping you find who you are again is what I have to do, then so be it. But your stuck with me until the end" responded Seth, giving her confidence in knowing someone would be there for her, to which she nodded as they both got into the car. Seth making sure it hadn't been tampered with before driving back to the mansion. If he was honest he hated seeing her so lost and broken as she was now, yet he knew he loved her, hence why he was willing to help her to find herself once again and to move on, she was the one who held his heart and ironically the one he couldn't imagine a future without, what started out as a simple protection detail had turned into him finding that special someone. Just like Dean had said would happen when he followed his heart.
Back at the Calaway residents, Kane entered the kitchen upon seeing Paige leaving the house without saying goodbye to anyone and in tears. He knew whatever had happened that caused his oldest niece to leave in tears the way she did would have likely affected his older brother as well. After all he had seen the horror in Mark's eyes when he had read the note Seth had given him, there was clearly something on there that had unsettled him, just as it was obvious he would have to face something he had hoped would be lost with time. When he entered the kitchen he was met with Mark sat at the table the note in hand, tears waiting to fall in his eyes as he starred aimlessly out the kitchen window, his phone showing a picture of Paige when she graduated high school several years before.
"Mark" spoke Kane, keeping his voice low but loud enough for his older brother to hear him, he also placed a hand on his shoulder, watching as his brother jumped slightly at being touched and turning to see who it was who had given him the fright. "What happened?" asked Kane sitting down at the table next to his brother, while his own two daughters and wife were in the living room no doubt talking about past memories and of happier times they had all shared together. After all Emma and Summer had grown up with their cousin, all going to the same school, only being a few years between each of them. Each of them had been so close as they went through their teenage years and tried to find who they were and went on the journey of self discovery.
"I've lost her, she's not going to come back. Because of my stupid decision when she was a toddler, I lost her" replied Mark sliding the note over the table to Kane, knowing his brother would have probably worked it out years ago, but didn't say anything. Kane could only nod at what was written there, he knew when he had found out what his brother had done that for a reason although he was yet to work out the reason. "I wanted to leave our old life behind in the illegal business, but I couldn't leave Paige, I hired a sniper to kill Saraya and hid everything from Paige. It was the only way I could think of to ensure she would be safe. Now Paige knows and she hates me for it, she thinks everything she believed is a lie. Just as she thinks if she is gone then I can finally erase the past with Saraya" explained Mark, revealing Paige wasn't likely to come home now she had lost all faith and trust in him, that being what hurt the most, not only had he lost his oldest daughter but he had forced Kaia to lose her older sister too. "What am I going to say to Kaia when she asks where her sister is? What am I going to tell Michelle when Paige doesn't visit or make contact?" finished Mark knowing he had destroyed his once strong relationship with his oldest daughter.
"She has to find who she is again Mark. She has literally just had her childhood reduced to nothing but shattered memories, everything she believed turned out to be a lie. All we can do now is hope one day she understands, until then you have to accept the choice she has made and understand why she made it. Hope that she stays safe and finds what she is looking for. Maybe one day she will come home again" replied Kane, knowing if he was in the place Paige now found herself in then he would want time and space to find who he was again, to find out who he could trust and find the things he was looking for. He knew she was likely just hurt and angry, with only time telling if her decision was what she truly wanted or if it was made out of the raw emotion she just happened to be feeling at the time she spoke the words.
"I hope you're right. I don't think I could handle losing her" responded Mark, wiping the tears from his eyes, he knew Michelle would ask how things went with Paige, since had made the mistake of telling her she was coming by. Now he had the daughting task of telling her things didn't go well and the likely hood of seeing the raven haired woman again was rather low. He also knew there was a chance he would have to tell her what had caused his oldest daughter to make the decision she had as Michelle would no doubt guess, Paige wouldn't have made such a choice without a good reason for doing so. He also knew there would be a lot of questions coming from both Michelle and no doubt his young daughter in Kaia about the now sore subject of his oldest daughter.
