Author's Note: I've had a slight bit of writers block recently, hence why I've been posting later than normal. But I think I'm over coming it, For the first time in closes to a month I actually managed to crank out a chapter. Which is good news for you all because updates will now return to being every three days oppose to four to five days.

loveroffanfics- you weren't the only person hoping I would bring back Markus. There were a few of you who wanted me to bring him back. I felt that this way was fitting.

LizzieLionheart- I hope that this is the beginning to one of your favorite parts of the story it is for me. Because with Keegan comes a lot of surprises. As for Cody you'll love his cell mate but you're going to have to wait a while before you find out who he is.

CHAPTER 22

KEEGAN: PART II

November 20, 2010

4:42pm

Blue Cove, Delaware

Russell Summer Home

"How old are you Key?" Alley asked the little boy as she helped him out of his stained tunic and pants. Alley met her brother's eyes, and could see the anger in them. Little Keegan's body was a mess of bruises. Most were yellow and fading. But there were others that were quite recent.

"Six... I think," Keegan answered, his British accent quite obvious. "What's that?" Keegan asked when he saw Will pour a pinkish liquid into the tub.

"Bubble bath," Will said, helping the boy into the tub.

"Not cold," Keegan stated as Alley genteelly scrubbed the layer of dirt and grim off of the boy.

"Bath's aren't meat to be cold Keegan. Only things that are meant to be cold are ice cream, and snow," Will told the boy.

"What is... ice cream and ... snow?" Keegan asked, testing the words.

"You'll find out what they are soon enough," Alley promised the boy. "Now lets wash this hair of yours. Later Will and I might go shopping for you. We don't need to get you much, there are plenty of things to fit you when we get home," Alley said as she lathered Keegan's hair.

"Home?"

"Yeah, Squirt you're coming home with us. We'll move you into the room with Jack and Jason if they don't mind. Hum that reminds me. We'll have to do a bit of furniture shopping as well," Will said

"Lucky you Keegan. Shopping means we get Daddy's credit card," Alley said rinsing the shampoo out of Keegan's hair.

Keegan let Will and Alley's words wash over him. Their words and voices were comforting. Nothing like Erik's cold ... No! Keegan wouldn't think about that. It was over now, Markus and Uncle Andrew promised him. Keegan would never have to go back to that bad place again.

"Keegan. Key," Alley said gently shaking the boy. Keegan looked up at her. "Hey where'd you go?" Alley asked the boy.

"Here," Keegan said softly as he tapped his temple.

"You know you're pretty powerful in there," Will said touching a finger briefly to Keegan's forehead. "Are you a telekinetic, or a telepath?" Will asked.

"Don't know what they are," Keegan admitted.

"Well a telekinetic can move things with their mind. A telepath can talk to people with their mind, or see inside a person's mind," Will explained.

"I'm both," Keegan said.

More

He heard his Uncle Andrew say.

"That explains why I couldn't see into your mind. You've constructed barriers around your mind so other people can't read you," Will said.

"Why'd you want look inside my head?" Keegan asked.

"I was trying to find out who you were," Will said lifting the boy out of the tub.

"Could of asked," Keegan stated.

"Yeah but you see Key, that would have been the smart thing to do. And if there is one thing Will doesn't do it's the smart thing," Alley said grinning at her brother. Will rolled his eyes and Keegan snickered.

"Oh you think that's funny do you?" Will asked has he dried Keegan off, careful not to apply too much pressure to Keegan's healing bruises. He and Alley then proceed to dress the boy in some of Jason and Jack's old clothes that had gotten left behind one summer when the family came to Blue Cove.

"Now let's see what we can do with that hair of yours," Alley said picking Keegan up and carried him past the living room -in which the rest of the family was gathered- and into the kitchen. Behind them came Will with a pair of scissors, a comb, and towel. Alley sat Keegan on one of the bar stools, she draped the towel across his shoulders, and began to cut Keegan's hair.

"Why are you cutting my hair," Keegan asked Alley.

"Because you have major split ends. Not to mention your hair is about four inches too long for my liking. I do like my boys with slightly long hair but your's is not only too long it's stringy. What they couldn't give a handsome boy like you a hair cut every now and then?" Alley asked mostly talking to herself. "Now sit still Key. We don't want for you to have a funny looking hair cut," Alley chided softly.

Keegan sat as still as he could, trying his best not to squirm. It was a hard task. All of those people in the other room were staring at him. Keegan didn't like to be looked at. He had spent the better part of his six years of life trying not to be noticed. Keegan had learned that as a project of the Centre it was a good thing to learn how to blend into the shadows. You couldn't get hit if you weren't seen. Keegan involuntarily shuddered, as memories tried to make themselves present.

"Keegan what's wrong?" Will asked, crouching down so that he could look Keegan in the eyes.

"Nothing, sir," Keegan whispered in his British accent.

"It's okay you can tell me. And you don't have to call me sir my name is Will. Kay?" Will told the boy. Keegan shifted his eyes to the ceramic tile floor. Will frowned, a minute ago Keegan had been fine. But in the kitchen the little boy reverted back to being shy.

Will turned around and saw that everyone in the living room was staring into the kitchen. Will finally realized what was wrong with Keegan.

"You know Keegan, when I was at the Centre. I didn't like to be looked at either," Keegan looked up at Will, with wide blue eyes.

"You were in the Centre?" Will asked his voice tinged with amazement.

"For the first twelve years of my life," Will answered. "And all those people in the other room grew up in the Centre as well. My Dad spent thirty years of his life there."

"That's forever," Keegan gasped. Will heard his younger brothers and sister snicker at Keegan's comment.

"Not quite. But it does make Dad pretty old," Alley grinned, as she took the towel from around Keegan's neck.

"Well, well Key, look at you. You clean up very nicely." Will told the boy.

"I've never seen myself," Keegan said looking down at his feet.

"Well why don't you take a look now?" Alley said holding out a hand mirror so that Keegan could see himself for the first time.

In the mirror he saw a paled face six year old, with dark slightly curly hair that fell just below his ears. His grey blue eyes sparkled with delight. Will found himself smiling at the little boy. Gone was the boy, with the dirt caked face. Gone was the shoulder length scraggly hair. Gone, were the stained, and ripped, grey tunic and pants. Keegan now wore a pair of dark blue jeans, a black long sleeve shirt that had flames running up the arms, and a pair of black boots.

Keegan looked like your everyday, normal boy.

November 20, 2010

5:23pm

Blue Cove, Delaware

Russell Summer Home

Lex walked over to Will, Alley, and Keegan. "Hello," Lex said crouching down to Keegan's eye level. Keegan hid his face in Will's side.

"Hey Key, there's no reason for you to be shy," Will said, gently prying Keegan off of him. "Keegan, this is my Uncle Lex."

"Hiya," Keegan said shyly. "Markus says hi too. And Uncle Andrew."

"They do, do they?" Lex said smiling sadly. Keegan nodded his head, and in the process a strand of hair fell across his eyes. Lex reached up and tucked the stray hair behind Keegan's ear. Keegan's blue eyes peered into Lex's hazel ones. Lex felt as though the boy was peering into his soul.

"Oracle," Keegan said pointing at Lex. Lex nodded his head. Oracle was Lex's project name when he was at the Centre. "Shadow," Keegan continued pointing at his chest, letting Lex know that, Shadow was Keegan's code name.

"I think it's time that you come out of those shadows," Lex told the boy.

"Safe in the shadows. They can't find you there," Keegan replied.

"You're right They can't find you in the shadows. But neither can your family."

"Family?" Keegan echoed.

"Yes. Your family. You've already met some of us. Would you like to meet your mother, brother and sister?" Lex asked.

"Can I meet my Daddy too?" Keegan whispered.

"You're talking to him," Lex said. Keegan's blue eyes sparkled, and a smile of pure joy spread across his face. The boy flung his arms around Lex's neck.

Julia, Mike, and Maddie, walked over to Lex, and Keegan. "We relinquish our duties to you two," Alley said to Mike and Maddie.

"Good luck on being a big brother and sister," Will told the younger set of twins. Will and Alley then walked into the living room leaving Keegan and his newfound family alone.

"So we have a new cousin, what do you think?" Will asked wrapping his arms around his baby sister.

"He's a cutie?" Alex replied. "Are we keeping him?"

"No, Alex we're gonna sell him to a tribe of gypsies," Will replied voice heavy with sarcasm.

"They won't take him," Aaron said.

"How do you know?" Alley asked.

"They didn't take Will," Andros replied.

"Ha ha little brother," Will replied dryly. "On a more serious note I think the eight of us should go into Gramma Catherine's study and talk about what happened. What do you say Pete? You up to it?" Will asked Pete.

"Sure," Pete said shrugging his should's. Jarod placed a hand on Pete's shoulder, and gave him a reassuring squeeze. Pete looked up at his father and smiled briefly, as the group made it's way in to the study.

Aaron, Andros, and Alex, sat down on the window seat. Will and Alley took the floor next to the triplets. Sam stood in the corner, Jarod and Morgan sat on the couch, Pete in between them. There was silence as Pete prepared himself to speak. The boy spoke for close to an hour telling his parents, Uncle, and siblings of what had occurred.

"He injected me with some memory wiping serum. I guess it didn't work 'cause of my inner sense. A week or so later he put me back with Jace, and Jack. Erik would come for them on and off. E-each time I'd fight them. And e-each time they would take the boys. I tried to stop the Momma, I swear," Pete said tears falling down his face.

"I know baby, I know," Morgan said pulling her son into her arms.

November 20, 2010

6:12pm

Blue Cove, Delaware

Russell Summer Home

Will and Alley sat in the back bedroom watching Jason and Jack sleep while the rest of the family were getting to know Keegan, with the exception of Sam. The former sweeper had returned to the old Parker Manor to inform the rest of the family, about Keegan, Pete, Jason, and Jack.

Not wanting for Jason, and Jack to be alone when they awoke from their slumber, Will and Alley had agreed to keep watch over the boys.

"Keegan will be good for them, and vise versa," Alley said watching the six year old twins sleep.

"I hope. The three of them have been through the same things. Hopefully because the three of them are the same age it will help them form a bond. And there is Chris, he and Keegan won't be alone anymore," Will said. "Except..."

"Except what?" Alley asked.

"Keegan doesn't know what he is. He knows that he is a part of Markus, but Keegan has interpreted that to mean that he and Markus are twins. Not that Keegan is Markus's clone," Will answered.

"These next few months are going to be pretty though," Alley sighed.

"Your tellin' me. Pete, Jace, and Jack are going to need so much therapy. And Key too. Especially if he learns the truth about himself," Will stated.

"What about Adam, any word on him?" Alley asked.

"I told him we rescued the boys. Or located them, we hadn't actually gotten the boys out by then. He said he'll be home eventually. He has unfinished business."

"That won't float with Uncle Ethan now that the boys are home," Alley told her brother.

"I know. I'm going to try to keep everyone off of Adam's back for as long as I can," Will said. He then noticed the twins beginning to stir. Jack sat up, confession and fear crossed his face as the observed his surroundings. Upon seeing Alley and Will, fear and confusion became relief. Jack got out of bed and climbed into Will's lap. Jack leaned against Will's chest, and popped his thumb into his mouth.

Jason -who had awaken when Jack climbed out of bed- followed in his twins steps, and climbed into Alley's lap. Like Jack had done with Will, Jason leaned into his eldest sister's chest, as he placed his thumb into his mouth.

"Hey there Jacky how you feelin'?" Will asked his baby brother. Jack mad no reply. Will and Alley exchanged worry glances over top the younger set of twins' heads.

"Jason sweetie, Will and I head a heard a bit of what happened. Pete says that they hurt you and Jack. Sweetie can I take a look?" Alley asked the boy in her lap. Like his twin Jason said nothing. Alley sighed, she knew that the twins needed to be looked over, but they both seemed too emotionally unstable to undergo such an event. Alley decided to chance it and began to lift up Jason's shirt. Jason started to whimper and squirm in Alley's lap.

"Hush baby it's okay," Alley said as she calmed Jason down. "It's okay Jace. I just wanted to take a look. Tell you what we'll wait till later okay. How about Will and I, take you and Jacky, to see Momma, Daddy and the others?"

Jason nodded his head.

"Hey guess what you two we have a new cousin. His name is Keegan. He's Uncle Lex's and Aunt Julia's little boy. He's your age too," Will said as he and Alley carried the boys into the livingroom where everyone else sat. "Why don't we introduce the two of you to him?"

Up next: Keegan helps Jason and Jack with their fears and is introduced to the wonders of ice cream as well

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