Updated as of 2-22-18
Amethyst rode on the back of Paul's back to the cave. She couldn't keep the grin off her face as they grew closer to the cliffs. The butterflies in her stomach became violent and her grip on Paul's jacket tightened as she breathed in the salt air from the waters below. When they arrived and got off their bikes Amethyst could barely keep from jumping with excitement. Paul took her hand and led her to where David and Dwayne were already walking. Marko walked backwards behind them and grinned at Amethyst.
They went down along the cliff-side to the entrance of the cave; Paul made sure he kept a grip on Amethyst in case she lost her footing. Marko jumped down into the cave and caught her as she followed.
"Ready?" he asked. Amethyst nodded. He led her down into the main cave. Her smile seemed to grow impossibly bigger as she took everything in.
"Better than I remember," she breathed out. As she walked by David's wheel chair her hand reached out to touch the back of it. Her fingers hovered over it as she walked over to a table. She noticed a bottle with jewels on it. "I remember this," she muttered as she picked it up, her eyebrows came together as she turned it in her hands.
Little four-year-old Amethyst woke up early one night before the boys and with no one to entertain her she was forced to make her own fun. She danced around on the fountain edge like Paul did sometimes but didn't have on the radio, the activity soon lost it's appeal. Amethyst huffed out a sigh and sat down on the edge.
The sun was still setting and the last bit of light that shined through an opening of the cave ceiling reflected off of something. The slight glitter of colour caught Amethyst's eye, she hoped off the fountain and walked over to the source. She crouched down and picked up a big bottle with gold and red jewels on it. As she had picked it up a dark red liquid sloshed inside. She walked back over to the fountain and sat down with the bottle in her lap. A smile came to her face as she ran her fingers over the shiny jewels. She heard the boys a moment later, they had come into the main cave without her hearing, and David was suddenly in front of her. He snatched the bottle from her hands which made he look up at him, startled. She found his cold eyes glaring down at her.
"Did you drink from this?" he growled.
"No," she answered quietly as she shook her head, she slouched her shoulders slightly.
"Don't ever touch this!" he hissed before he put it back where she had found it.
Amethyst was pulled from her memory when suddenly the bottle was once again snatched from her hands by an angry David.
"Don't touch this," he snapped and Amethyst felt a chill go down her spine. She bit her bottom lip and looked down. No one moved or spoke as she moved away and went over to the couch to sit down.
"I know what it is," she confessed. David looked at her, his eyes narrowed.
"What?"
"Max told me." David walked over to her as she continued. "I know what you guys are. I know you're vampires."
"Since when?" he demanded.
"Max told me when I was 14... but I've known since I was 10."
"Wait, how did you find out earlier?" Marko asked.
"I saw you." All the boys tensed. "Max also told me... you killed my birth mother," she said as she glance up at David for a moment. "He wanted me to hate you."
"And do you?" he asked.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You were always so cold to me..." She mumbled before she looked to the others. "Why did you never tell me?"
"We never wanted you to know," Marko admitted with a slight shrug as he avoided eye contact with her.
"I meant why did you never tell me that you guys were vampires?" she clarified.
"Well... you were like five at the time," Paul muttered.
"Wait, you don't care that I killed your mother?" David asked, his eyebrows visibly raised.
"I never knew her, why should I care? I know that probably sounds awful but she wasn't family... you guys are my family." Marko and Paul ran over and tackled her in a big hug.
"We love you too!" They shouted into her shoulders in unison. Amethyst felt her face grow warm but smiled and hugged them back. The two pulled away, and sat on either side of her, as she looked up at David again.
"Can I be a vampire?" He looked at her.
"Do you want to wait until you're 18? Your birthday's in two weeks." Amethyst felt her cheeks burn more as she realized that he'd remembered her birthday; which wasn't really her birthday but the day they 'found' her.
"You guys don't really know my birthday, I could be 18 already, but I'll wait."
"Then you'll be legal." Paul joked as he poked her side.
"As if we'd let any guys touch you," Marko scoffed.
"Aw come on, you guys gotta let me get some action." Amethyst looked between the two with a smirk.
"Ew no! I don't wanna think about my sister doing that!" Marko whined as he covered his eyes.
"You guys are just jealous cause you know I could get tons of guys," she said smugly.
"No," Paul hugged her again, putting his face against her neck. "Stay sweet, innocent, virgin Amethyst." He paused for a moment. "You are still a virgin right?" He looked at her like he didn't really want to know the answer.
"Yes I'm still a virgin." She laughed and he smiled.
"I love that laugh." He chuckled as she looked embarrassed.
"Marko, go get some food," David ordered before he sat down in his chair. Dwayne sat on the fountain, close to the couch. Marko got up and left the cave and only a few moments had passed before suddenly Paul started tickling Amethyst.
"Hey, cut it out!" She squeaked, trying to hold back her laughter.
"Nope! You used to love this as a kid," He countered with a huge grin.
"Yeah but-!" She squirmed and tried to move away; she ended up lying down on the couch and having Paul get on top of her to continue tickling. Amethyst tried to push his hands away and they locked hands for a few moments, each pushing against the other, before Paul overpowered her. David glared as he saw Paul straddling her waist, pinning both her hands above her head with one hand while the other tickled dangerously close to her breasts. Paul stopped and put his forehead against hers, laughing. She had her eyes closed but they opened the moment his skin touched hers and a blush spread across her face just as quickly. David got up and headed towards the entrance without a work.
"David?" Paul called after him. Amethyst frowned and felt like curing into a ball. Was she being an inconvenience again?
...
David walked outside and looked out at the let out a huff of breath before getting out his pack of cigarettes. As he started to smoke one he leaned against the wooden railing.
Two years after Amethyst was given to Max, David hadn't been able to get the child off his mind. He didn't know if he was worried about her with Max or the fact she wasn't with them anymore. Marko and Paul seemed better but still missed her. No one could tell how Dwayne was because he was always quiet but assumed he felt the same whenever he would look at one of her old drawings.
The boys had ridden to the boardwalk like any other normal night but David had a task he needed to complete to ease his mind. Once there he had left the boys and went off on his own.
"I'll be back later."
"Where are you going?" Paul asked.
"Somewhere that doesn't concern you."
"Touchy," Marko said but had shrugged it off. David walked away from them and towards Video Max.
He didn't get too close to the store but close enough to see inside clearly. He scanned the inside of the store his eyes landed on a young girl sitting on the counter. She looked sad as she swung her legs back and forth, bored. His eyes flew to her neck to see the amethyst stone. She hadn't changed too much, she'd gotten taller and her hair had gotten longer. David felt himself smiling slightly. Seeing her brought him comfort for an unknown reason. He wondered if she still remembered them. Did she want to come back? When could she come back? Max hadn't told them an exact age. He watched as Max walked over and offered her a lollypop. She looked at it with disinterest but took it anyway before she looked back out the window. She watched all the people walking by, she seemed to be scanning them, not just looking but searching for something. Could she be looking for him and the boys? David suddenly felt another feeling in his chest. A pain that made him have to turn and walk away; he couldn't look at her any longer.
Another six years later, another six years without seeing Amethyst. The others were back to normal. Although whenever they looked at something of Amethyst's, which David had insisted on keeping, they'd grow quiet.
Another night at the boardwalk David couldn't take it anymore. He had to see her. He left the boys like he'd done before and made his way to Video Max.
David leaned against a pole. She'd grown much taller, but her hair had been cut to her shoulders. She was 13. The stone was still around her neck. He watched from a distance as she leaned against the counter for a few moments before walking over to Max. They exchanged a few words and Max nodded. He watched as she smiled before running out of the store. David stood straight. She was allowed to leave the store now? He watched as she looked around and suddenly their eyes met. Both their eyes widened and he read her lips.
"David?" He panicked; he turned around and pushed his way through the crowd. Without looking back he knew she was following him. She remember him, after eight years, she missed them; she missed him. He felt something in his chest, this time something good. He finally lost her in the crowd and was relieved she hadn't caught up to him. But then worry washed over him as he though about her getting lost. He turned around and headed back to the store. When he got there he saw her sitting on the counter, deep in thought. Relief washed over him and he walked away before she could see him again. He leaned his head against the nearby pole and let out a sigh.
