"Did you know anything about the curse?" Adam repeated, staring defiantly into his father's eyes. He needed to be sure that his and Cassie's theory from last night was the truth.
Ethan sighed in defeat at his son's insistent glare. "No. I didn't." He muttered. Ethan's eyes glazed over and Adam had enough sense not to speak for a few minutes. He was fully aware of when his dad had drifted off into one of his memories. This was one of those times.
Adam had never wanted a theory to turn out to be correct so much in his lifetime. He missed Cassie. He missed being close to her, loving her and most of all; the way he felt when he was with her. Just as he'd told Faye and Melissa a few days previously, he'd felt that in the few weeks Cassie and himself had given into their love for one another; he'd had a taste of heaven. He'd felt that for just one moment, his life might turn out differently to the man's he stared at now. Adam wanted nothing more than to be the opposite of his father, not because he didn't respect or admire him, but because he could never become what his dad had. He could never simply let Cassie go to another man, not when they belonged together.
Adam's thoughts had just drifted to Jake, when his dad spoke up once more.
"Adam. I knew Amelia. With such love came no secrets. If there was a curse, she would have told me about it. I don't believe it for one second." He exclaimed intensely.
Adam ignored the sudden erratic beating of his heart; he didn't want to get his hopes up.
"What if Amelia just didn't want to hurt you?" Adam asked reluctantly.
Fear flashed over Ethan's face for a moment. Fear of Amelia keeping something from him, Adam realised. He almost regretted asking the question, but he had to know.
"No." His father stated after some time, reassurance rising in his eyes. "Amelia was smart, Adam. She'd have known that by keeping something so huge from me, that she would be hurting me anyway. She may as well have just told me."
"But then why did she leave you for Blackwell?" Adam asked tactlessly.
Ethan raised a hand to his chest reflexively as if he'd been punched. Adam felt himself flush with guilt of his lack of tact. "I still don't know. All I know is that she regretted her decision, and we were going to leave together. Blackwell didn't like that; he assumed that because of us, the circle would be left defenceless." Ethan gazed over Adam's head in remembrance.
Adam nodded, pleased with his father's response. Jealousy and fear were exactly the kind of motives that could lead to Blackwell's destruction of the Conant/Blake destiny.
"Is it possible that Blackwell could have faked the curse, that he could have forced me and Cassie apart because of his jealousy?" Adam asked hopefully.
Ethan's eyebrows furrowed in concentration for a moment, before he met his son's eyes intently. "It's possible, but I don't think so."
Adam felt his stomach drop, felt his heart falter a little inside his chest. His dad had been his best bet, he knew Blackwell, and even he didn't think that he had faked the curse.
"I think" his father continued, reaching out a hand to grasp his son's shoulder, "that Blackwell faked the curse, but not out of jealousy. What reason would he have to be jealous of yours and Cassie's relationship?"
Adam opened his mouth to speak, to voice the fact that Blackwell seemed like just the sort of person to sabotage his and Cassie's relationship because of the past, but his father interrupted.
"The past may have had some motive in his plans, but it wouldn't have justified what he did. John Blackwell is not that petty. He is, however, proud and respectful of the circle. It's possible that he sabotaged yours and Cassie's relationship for exactly the same reason he was scared of mine and Amelia's." His father finished, allowing Adam to catch up mentally.
"For the fate of the circle…" Adam realised. Of course it was. Blackwell had been so intent on the circle remaining together, that it seemed like a perfectly sound reason to keep Adam and Cassie apart. Blackwell wasn't willing to risk the past repeating itself.
"For the fate of the circle." His father nodded in assent, hope visible in his eyes. He wanted more than anything for his son and Cassie to prevail through everything, even John Blackwell and his vengeful schemes. He wanted Adam to be everything he hadn't been; strong, brave and proud.
Adam exclaimed his thanks and rushed from the room, fingers already excitedly dialling Cassie's number, to tell her of this newfound information. Their theory was stronger than ever, now all they had to do was prove it.
The phone he clutched tightly in his hand rang three times before he heard Cassie's familiar voice flooding through the speaker.
"Adam." She acknowledged simply.
"Cassie! I've just spoken to my dad…" and with that, Adam delved into a recollection of his fathers and his conversation from a few moments before. He didn't pause to give Cassie the opportunity to reply, he needed to get everything he'd learned out in the air, before he forgot anything important. When he'd finished, he was met by dead silence on the other end of the phone.
"Cassie?" He spoke confusedly, "Did you hear that?"
Even in his excitement, Adam couldn't mistake the shrill sound of Cassie's scream from afar. A loud bang followed, possibly a door being slammed, he hoped.
"Cassie!" Adam shouted, already searching for the keys to his pick-up. He found them in record time, put his phone on speaker in case Cassie returned, and drove speedily North to her house.
Adam had never felt so helpless in his life, to not know what was happening and unable to do anything about it. He let these thoughts consume him and drive his anger as he approached the house he was looking for. He could drive there in his sleep.
He fled from the car, tripping over the hem of his torn jeans in his rush to aid Cassie. He could swear that he almost felt her presence inside the house for the first time since he'd drank the elixir. He could feel her tremendous fear, and he sped up.
As the heavy door swung open, Adam spotted Cassie sitting on the stairs. Something was wrong, she was as still as a statue; her eyes fixed upon a point ahead of her that Adam couldn't see. He strode over to her, taking her hand in his.
"Cassie?" He begged, shaking her. Her eyes remained unfocused from him. "Cassie! What is it? What's happened?"
Silently, Cassie raised her arm and pointed to the dining room behind him. Adam felt his heart speed up as he turned to what she was pointing at. John Blackwell lay on the dark wooden floor, unconscious. His arm was twisted in a stomach-curdling position, and Adam diverted his eyes. He knew what the loud bang he'd heard at the other end of the phone was, now. Subconsciously, he felt himself back away from Cassie ever so slightly.
"He's alive, just." Cassie stated calmly. She was still in the possession of her dark magic, Adam realised. He always knew when she'd just used it, as she spoke with a chilling tone, a tone that conveyed she had undeniably enjoyed using it.
Suddenly, Cassie gasped and reached for Adam. "I didn't mean to!" She yelled, as though trying to persuade herself, not Adam. "He came in as you were finishing your story, and I just… I went mad." She finished weakly.
"You heard my story?" Adam asked, needing her to share his hope.
"Yes." She nodded, "but when I saw him, my father, I just cracked. After what you'd told me, and hearing your voice… the thought that my father had put Jake's life at risk, had given us a potion to forget our love for each other just to keep us apart." Cassie shook with her rising anger.
Adam took her in his arms, cradling her. She still felt like a stranger he was encircling, but that made him only pull her closer to him. He whispered soothingly in her ear.
"It's okay Cassie, it will be okay." He rested his head against her forehead, feeling her warm breath on the side of his neck, enveloping him.
"I attacked him. I couldn't stop it, Adam." Cassie whimpered, and Adam felt cool tears against his cheeks where she'd begun to sob.
"He's okay. He's just unconscious." Adam muttered; that was the least John Blackwell deserved for what he had done to Cassie and Adam.
"If I can't control my emotions, I could hurt anyone!" Cassie exclaimed. "Even you, Adam." She struggled against his grasp, edging away from his touch.
Adam laughed scornfully; the idea was impossible to him. "I'm not afraid of you."
"Then you're the biggest fool of them all." Cassie murmured, but she moved closer to him once more, and Adam ignored her comment.
The two sat in those positions for some time, Adam comfortingly stroking Cassie's left shoulder until her breathing relaxed once more. She was calming down, but the tears still fell helplessly from her damp eyes. She pulled Adam closer to her still, and buried her head in his chest.
"I miss this." She whispered, almost inaudibly. "I love you, Adam."
Adam felt his breath catch in his throat. He was in torment. He remembered the way that he'd felt about Cassie; it was more than love. It was a necessity. Loving her felt like the air he breathed, as simple as exhaling. He remembered it, but he didn't feel it. He couldn't return her sentiment without lying to both Cassie and himself.
"I know you don't love me" Cassie muttered "but you will again."
Adam hoped she was right, but he remained silent. He kissed the top of her head comfortingly. It was the best he could do right now. He caught the familiar smell of strawberries in her hair and allowed himself to revel in its comfort.
A movement ahead caught Adam's eye. Blackwell's fingers were twitching ever so slightly. He was waking. Cassie seemed to notice the movement too, for Adam felt her tense readily. Adam looked down at her, reassurance in his features, only to find a hard resolve in her usually wide, childlike eyes.
"Let's see what daddy has to say."