Hey! So in this chapter we're meeting a new character! That's right, I made an OC people. Her name is Megan Angeline Cross. Yup, Cross. As in Charlottle, Mara, and I think Croatoan. And part of this chapter will be on the angsty side of things. Enough suspense. Here you go.
At exactly 8:23 a.m. on Friday in the old field that Megan and Mara used to play in the worst happened.
The new barn crashed.
Megan Cross was sitting in the field, silently crying at her little sister's memory, when not a hundred yards to the left it came crashing down. Out of the sky, like it was dropped. But after this long Megan knew better. She knew that it came from the void, and that this was bad.
She quickly rushes over, cursing at her heels. Stupid buisness suit. She should've brought what she'd need for work in a bag.
When she got there she saw the worst. The barn was now rubble, and Vince and her father laid there, dying. Vince was already dead, but her dad was slightly breathing. She rushed over to him, removing the aether from her pockets. She only used it for good, and in dire emergencies. Like her father almost being dead. He held a hand up to stop her.
"Don't" he wheezed. She felt a tear slip, but dropped the vial. The one thing she'd never do was use aether to save someone against their wishes. It wasn't who she was. Because that was the same as hurting them in her book. And after what Mara did she would never hurt someone in any way.
"Daddy." She cried. Mara and William had offered to take her to him so many times. Every one she refused. It was breaking the rules, even if it was a stupid one. And now here he was, so close to death, and all she wanted was to go back and take those opportunities. Screw the rules, she and Mara had always been Daddy's little girls.
"Hey pumpkin." He managed. She was gripping his hand tightly, and his grip wasn't even near half as strong. She was so scared, and so tempted to save him anyway, then use the aether to make him forget her actions. If she was Mara she would, but her sister was always far more ballsy than she was. Right now Megan wanted so badly to have that quality.
Then she realized. Audrey was supposed to be in the barn. Her brand new reset version of her sweet little sister was supposed to be there, and she didn't see her. She prayed to god, or whoever the heck would listen that she's escaped, fallen back into Haven. At least that would be good for Nathan.
"Where's Audrey?" She asked, concern lining her voice. She'd already lost her sister once, and all the aether would leave the void on its own before she's let it happen again.
"We... we tossed her out when... we started to.. crash. She's.. in... Haven. Probably.. with Nathan by.. now." He almost chuckled. She returned. They both knew that for some reason no matter who she was Nathan was always with her at some point. Sarah, Lucy, and Audrey all knew him. The first and last on an intimate level. Lucy had only met him, hugged him once or twice. Sarah and Audrey got to know him, got to love him.
"Good. Listen Dad you're, you're gonna be okay." He shook his head, but Megan wouldn't have it.
"Now you listen to me. All those years you made me think positively when it seemed dumb. When our dog Lial got sick, he got better. Same with Mara, and same with you. But you can't give up or so help me god I will resurrect you and kill you myself!" She warned. He chuckled.
"You sound so much like your mother. Look just like her... too." He observed, brushing a lock of dark hair from her face. This made her tears flow faster.
"I'm gonna be with her you know." He said, relaxing with a laugh. "Suppose it's only fair."
"No. No no no no no. You're gonna hang on. You're gonna stay. You always promised that you'd always stay." She begged. She knew that promise had been long broken, but she had to try.
"Some promises are meant to be broken pumpkin." He replied. Megan belt his pulse slow slightly, and had to do it.
"I forgive you. For everything. For messing with aether, for letting Mara do as she pleased, for killing mom, all of it. I forgive you. I love you Dad." She whispered, her voice breaking.
"I love you. Go.. to...Haven. Audrey.. needs.. you." He wheezed, his breathing coming to a stop. She allowed herself a few minutes to sob, before forcing herself to pull it together.
"I will dad. I promise."
And it was one she'd keep. Come tomorrow night she would be in Haven. Because that promise was one that should, and would, be kept.
Nathan sat down at his desk with a groan. That night he had to do the paperwork to bring Audrey back to the station. As much as he wanted to have his partner back he had to admit, being chief sucked. Oh how he loathed paperwork. But for Audrey, he'd do anything.
That woman was both his biggest support system and his total weakness. When he'd tried to wriggle out of paperwork Audrey had kissed his jaw line to tease him, and told him if he wanted any more he had to do the paperwork. He grumbled something unintelligible as he hurried to the bronco, thankful that he could skip the cold shower he'd been sure was necessary, even though he wouldn't feel it.
"Chief?" He head Rafferty's voice and her soft tapping on the door. He looked up from the sea of papers and turned his attention to her.
"Hhm."
"Laverne hassled me in here. Something about making sure your strange behavior wasn't because of the Paige ordeal." She said, shutting the door. Nathan chuckled and shook his head. When did Laverne not worry? He was in the best mood in a long time, the only time he'd ever gone in this happy was after the first night he'd spent with Audrey. And even then he couldn't be obvious, so this was the happiest anyone had ever seen him at work. Besides when Audrey was there.
"Thanks Rebecca. Tell Laverne I'm fine. Just sorting out some paperwork. We have another detective joining the department." Nathan smiled. He was careful to tip-toe around the situation. He didn't say new detective because Parker was far from it. Rafferty just furrowed her eyebrows for a moment then nodded, walking out. A few minutes later he heard footsteps and looked up, annoyed. Wouldn't Laverne let him be?!
"Laverne didn't Rafferty tell you I'm fi-" He cut himself off and dropped the pen, seeing who it was. A woman with dark hair and brown eyes, who looked to be his age, was standing in his office. Her hair was in a ponytail and she had a briefcase. She looked suspiciously similar to Charlotte, and he didn't needs to feel to know his mouth had gone dry.
"Hello. Chief Wuornos is it? Hi, I'm Megan Cross." She said. Recognition sparked in his mind. Cross. Charlotte. Audrey. But, there was no way this woman had any connection to his girlfriend's family, right. He forced himself to sit up straighter. He could handle whoever she was.
"Yes. Nice to meet you Miss Cross. Now would you like to tell me what someone who looks suspiciously like a fed is doing in my town?" He asked with a snap. I sound just like my dad, he thought. But, he needed to hide all the skeletons in Haven's massive closet, as Audrey would say. Oh how much he'd prefer to be with her right now.
"I'm pretty sure a certain ex-fed has been here before. And began her stay here without that ex." She snapped back. Nathan could almost feel himself freeze. How in the world did she know about Audrey. He put a confused look on his face.
"Pardon?" He asked. Megan got this look on her face when she realized what she'd said. She cleared her throat to regain her composure.
"Sorry, rewind. I'm looking for a detective Audrey Parker. Do you know where I can find her?" She asked, closing the door. Nathan put all his focus on seeming legit. Whoever this woman was he wasn't about to tell her where Audrey was.
"I'm sorry, no. She moved to another department. I don't know where she is." He said nonchalantly, picking up his pen. It was so ironic that the woman who's whereabouts he just claimed he was unsure of was probably sitting in his living room, and he was doing paperwork so she could go back to work. And this woman was totally clueless.
"You're a horrible liar Nathan." She said calmly, looking at him with eyes that could cut through the best liar on the planet. Audrey had that same quality. Maybe they were sisters. But maybe they weren't.
"Excuse me?" He asked, looking at her. She pulled a pouch from her pocket and slipped out a ring, triggering a memory.
"Every member of our family has one." Charlotte explained.
"Now." She started, knowing he now knew who she was. "Tell me where my little sister is."
Dun Dun Dun! So that was chapter 4. I hope you enjoyed. Please, please, pretty please review. It encourages me to write. Thanks for reading!
Peace out!