Secret in Hiding
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 13: Bound
Amelia and Jane sat at the kitchen table. It has been a few days since John Blackwell had really died and there was no luck in finding Diana and Cassie. The skull was being kept under lock and key with Royce until they could find the girls and try to get the younger generations Circle bound. "Where could they be? I mean they know nothing about this world. Where could they have gone?" Amelia asked her mother.
"They're lost," Jane said. "They're sad, depressed, feel like they've lost everything they had in this world when their father died. Where would you go if you felt like that?"
"I went where I felt safest," Amelia said causing Jane to look at her confused. "When Cassie was kidnaped. I was sad, depressed, and felt like I lost everything. I went to the place I felt safest. I came here. I went home."
"The girls aren't here," Jane said with a laugh. "If they were this would be easy."
Amelia stood up. "This isn't their home. That little house John Blackwell had them in their whole lives is." Amelia was already running to the door leaving Jane standing there. Amelia walked back in and looked at her. "You coming. I might need some witchcraft here." Amelia walked back out and Jane followed
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"I can't believe you lost those directions," Jane complained to Amelia for what must have been the hundred time. "This place was hard enough to find with directions."
"It's not like I thought I would ever be coming back here and we found it. Didn't we?" Amelia said and then pointed at something. "And correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that Jake's car?" Jane looked and Amelia was right. In front of the house in the middle of no where was Jake's car. "I told you they'd be here."
Jane made a face. For the entire car ride she had been saying they had no proof the girls would go back to the house they had been imprisoned in. "Lucky guess," Jane said, but she knew Amelia had been right all along. "Fine, let's go in."
The two went to the door and the first thing they noticed was that it was unlocked. As they walked in they looked around, but no one came. Amelia walked up the stairs and saw the door that lead to the girls room. It was slightly opened. Amelia walked slowly to it and pushed it opened with her hand. Laying on the bed was both Diana and Cassie.
"Girls," Amelia said walking up to the two, but there was no respond. "Girls." Jane walked into the room at that point and went to check on the two.
"Their fine," Jane said making Amelia a little less worried. The two really looked dead with the way they were laying, but now that Amelia knew they were okay she could see the rise and fall of their chest as they took breaths. Jane went to look at Cassie leg which caused the first reactions from the girls. The minute Jane touched it Cassie called out in pain and Diana jumped up. Jane was against the opposite wall in a minute.
"Don't hurt my sister,' Diana hissed getting in between Cassie and Jane. She looked like a mother bear protecting her young or something.
"I was trying to help her," Jane said standing up. She knew she took the wrong approach on this. Of course Diana would be super protective of Cassie. Cassie was all Diana had left. "I want to see if I can heal it." Diana gave Jane a look. "She's my granddaughter. I won't do anything to hurt her."
Diana got back on the bed and held Cassie. Jane knew right away they were talking using their link. Diana then nodded at Jane, but didn't leave Cassie's side. Jane sat on the bed and looked at Cassie's leg. "Someone healed this with magic, but didn't or couldn't heal it all the way."
"Father," Diana said. "He is not good with healing spells." Amelia laughed causing Diana to look at her. The older women decided to take a step back. The girl might be young, but she was a powerful witch and Amelia was powerless. It was better to let her mother deal with these two.
"Well he didn't do that bad of a job." Jane decided to ignore the little drama that went on between Diana and Amelia. "The leg isn't broken anymore. It's going to take a while to heal though and I can't do it with magic." Diana gave Jane a look. "You might not know a lot about healing spells, but I do. You can't heal the same injury with magic more then once. It would be a good idea to put ice on it."
"I'm fine," Cassie hissed and then looked at Diana.
"Yeah, leave," Diana ordered once again throwing Jane away from them.
"You okay mom?" Amelia said helping her mother up. Cassie had gotten closer to Diana and Diana was giving them a death glare.
"I'm fine," Jane said. "Girls, come back to the house with us. I'll be able to take better care of Cassie's leg there." The two girls didn't move. "Fine, you can stay here, but we're taking Jake's car. This place is completely isolated. You'd be stuck with no food or anything after a while." Diana looked at them and then stood up. She helped Cassie get up and the two followed Jane and Amelia out.
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Jane and Amelia watched Diana and Cassie sit in the living room. Cassie had her leg up and Jane had gotten a pack of ice to put on it. The two were playing chess. The doorbell rang and Jane and Amelia looked at each other. They didn't say it but both thought finally. Amelia opened the door and standing there was Dawn, Charles, the rest of the elders, and the kids.
"Any reason why you sent us an SOS?" Charles asked walking in. "We still have to look for Diana and Cassie."
"Their in the living room," Amelia and Jane said together and nearly laughed at everyones face. The two had sent a text to everyone saying to get over here, but hadn't explained why.
"Where did you find them?" Penny asked looking into the living room.
"Same place we found them last time. The place John Blackwell kept them." Amelia said. "They had gone home."
No one said anything for a while. It was Faye who finally broke the silents. "So will they bound the Circle?"
"We haven't asked," Jane said.
No one said anything for a while. "Here's a question," Melissa finally said out loud. "Kate is an elder and is Charles mother. If Charles isn't Diana's father how is she apart of our Circle."
"Elizabeth was my cousins daughter making her a Meade witch and Diana the only Meade witch that can be apart of your Circle," Kate explained and everyone looked at Charles. "Witch families marry within the family a lot. In fact with Circles there are a lot of inter related marriages. You all are distantly related to each other just not close enough that it would matter if you married or had kids."
"Good to know," Melissa said almost sorry she had asked. "So how did you get them to come here anyway?"
"We told them we would be taking Jake's car and then they would be stuck at that house with no food and no way to get it if they didn't," Jane said.
Dawn then thought of something. "Give me the skull." Royce gave Dawn a weird look. "Don't ask. I'm sure you'll understand soon. Just give me the skull." Royce opened up the bag he had been carrying and took out the skull which he had covered in a blanket. Dawn took the skull out of the blanket and walked right into the living room.
"Why does she always do this?" Charles complained as he watched he wife.
Dawn walked right up to the girls and threw the chess board which had been on the table onto the floor. "I was winning," Cassie complained.
"We need to talk girls," Dawn said putting the skull in the middle of the table right where the chess board used to be. Diana and Cassie looked at it and then looked away. Diana used her magic to pick up the chess board and the pieces.
"This was a present from our father. Please stop throwing it around," Diana hissed out at Dawn. Dawn kind of felt guilty about that then, but she had to continue with her plan.
"Don't you girls want this." Diana and Cassie didn't answer and they refused to look at the skull. "No, you don't. You never really wanted it. Your father wanted it and like good little girls you got it for him." Dawn took a deep breath and continued. "I wish I could hate you for what you did. You betrayed us. Took advantage of our trust and your connection to us. You stole the crystals using our own kids and tortured Melissa to get your way. I wish I can hate you for all that, but I can't." Diana and Cassie looked at Dawn surprised. "All I feel is sorry for you. You didn't choose this life. John Blackwell raised you two to be his daughters and you were good daughters. You weren't ours. We should have realized what you were doing. So what I'm saying here is I forgive you for everything."
"We don't want your forgiveness. Nothing has changed. We would do everything we did again" Diana told Dawn. "Leave us alone."
"I can't do that," Dawn said. "Like it or not things have changed. John Blackwell is dead for good this time. He didn't fake his death. He's not coming back." Dawn saw the tears form in Cassie's and Diana's eyes. She knew how much the girls loved their father. She also knew the two wouldn't let themselves cry here. They weren't going to show weakness. "You two are powerful and well trained witches. If your father was alive that would be all you would need. He would have taken care of you and you could have been daddy's little girls forever, but he's not alive and witchcraft is not going to help you survive completely in this world. You need money to make it in this world. To get money you need education and a job. This is something you don't have and can't get on your own."
Dawn paused letting her words sink into the two. "Claire and Dylan killed your father. I know you two will never speak to them again." Dawn paused as she heard the two literally hiss. Dawn hoped Claire and Dylan decided to stay away from these two because Dawn knew that they would really kill them if the two girls saw their younger siblings again. "Lucas and Ryder and you two hate each other. If it wasn't for that they could have taken care of you, but that's not an option." The girl bite their lips and looked at Dawn. Dawn knew she got their attention. "All you have left is us."
The two looked at each other and then back at Dawn. "We can get you educated. I will personally make sure you catch up with your studies. You could live here with Jane and Amelia and they would take care of you. Make sure you have food, clothes, and shelter. You could get a life in this world, but this time we're not giving it to you for free. You need to do something for us first."
Diana and Cassie looked at each other. "What?" Cassie asked.
Dawn put her hand on the skull. She felt the dark power of it and took her hand away. Dawn wanted magic back, but not that type of magic and she wasn't going to let any of it get into her. "We don't want this in the world. We want to split it back up into the six crystals, but to do that your Circle has to be bound."
"Bound? No one binds Circles anymore. It's out of date and witches don't like losing solo magic." Diana said.
"It's the only way to split this skull up. The other four are willing to do it. All we need is you two." Dawn paused for a minute. "It's not like you would lose your solo magic anyway. You have everything to gain from this deal and nothing to lose. Think it over, talk about it, and tell us your answer when your ready." Dawn got up and walked away back to the other.
Should we bind the Circle? Cassie asked her big sister. If Diana decided it was the best move Cassie would go along with it too.
We have everything to gain and nothing to lose. She's right. Besides if we ever want the Circle unbound for some reason we know how to do it. Only one member has to die. Diana thought back and Cassie nodded her agreement. Diana got up to go give their answer.
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"You really think that's going to work?" Amelia asked.
"It's the same reason why they left with you. They know they need help to survive and those girls are survivors," Dawn said. "I guarantee it will work."
"When do we do it?" They heard a voice and everyone turned around to find Diana had walked into the room. Melissa took a step back and Diana smiled at the reaction. She was glad she could still cause fear in them.
"Tonight if your ready," Dawn said and Diana nodded and walked back to her sister. "Told you so." Dawn said and knew it was a childish thing to say, but he was happy she was right.
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That night everyone was out on the beach as Royce explained. "Okay, you will all need to put your blood on the skull and say the name of the family you are representing. Then put the skull in the middle and start the fire around it. Then it's just a normal bounding ceremony." Royce held up the book of shadows open to the page with the spell on it. "Traditionally the strongest witch in the Circle has to preform the bounding ceremony and that would be Cassie."
"Seriously," Faye complained. "We're going to let them to this. Does she have to be the one?"
"Technically no, but it's just a tradition. The Blakes always bound our Circle and I feel this should go with tradition, especially since it's like a redo of the first bounding ceremony our families ever did together. To split the skull into the six crystals." All the other elders agreed and the kids decided to shut up about it. It's not like Cassie would do anything. She did need them right now.
Royce handed the book of shadows to Cassie and then the skull. "You have to wait until we're gone to start. None of us can be witnesses to this spell." Royce looked around. "Good luck." Everyone left the beach and soon the kids were alone. They stood in a circle and looked at each other.
"Let's get started," Cassie said and put the book of shadows on the sand for a while. "Hand me the knife." Cassie turned to Melissa who had the knife. Melissa was hesitant. "I need to cut my finger. To put blood on the skull." Melissa handed the knife to Cassie, but her hand was shaking. Cassie took it and then turned away. She looked at the book to get the exact wording she had to use. "Okay you all our going to have to say the same as me after you put the blood just changing the names around to fit yourself." Then Cassie added in her mind Diana we're going to have to use the names Meade and Blake not Blackwell. Diana nodded understanding.
Cassie cut her finger and put a drop of blood on the skull. "I am Cassie Blake, daughter of Amelia Blake and John Blackwell representing the Blake family." The blood disappeared into the skull and Cassie handed the knife and skull over to her sister. Diana did the same and it was passed around until the skull came back to Cassie.
Cassie looked at the book of shadows picking it up. She walked to the middle of the circle and placed the skull right in the center. "We come together today to connect our families magic to each other and to a crystal. To forever split the skull into six parts one for each of our six powerful families." Cassie walked back to her place in the circle and raised her hand. Right where the skull was a big fire started. Everyone could feel the heat coming off of it, but no one dared say anything for fear of ruining the spell.
Now it was time for the normal bounding ceremony Cassie looked at the book and started talking "Fire, Earth, Metal, Air, Water and Blood. By these elements, we bind the circle, and follow in the steps of our ancestors; who pledged themselves to fight against the forces of darkness. When evil assails us, when fear weakens us, when descent threatens us, in the circle we will find our power. We come to this place alone, but leave bound as one. With this oath, our journey begins together. Do you accept the circle?"
Everyone said "I do" at the same time. When that happened the fire grew bigger and there was a flash of power. Suddenly by each other their feet was a crystal. Everyone bent down to take the crystal in their hand and look at it.
"This time we're giving them to the elders," Faye said walking away. Cassie rolled her eyes and they all followed, Cassie limping behind everyone else.
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The elders had called everyone to the Blake house and everyone meant everyone besides Diana and Cassie. They had told the two girls to go outside and the two girls didn't complain. This time though both Patrick and Ethan, the only two members of the parents circles who hadn't known what was going on, were included. They quickly filled the two in on everything that had happened with Diana and Cassie and let it sink in. The elders then turned to the kids.
Jane was the one to speak. "You six are now bound. You four have lost all solo magic while Diana and Cassie get to keep theirs because of their dark magic." The four didn't really need to be told this again. They knew it completely. "Which is why we are going to give you your family crystals."
The four looked at each other. "What?" Faye finally asked.
"We've spent a lifetime protecting them and in recent events clearly haven't done a good job. We got lazy and now it's time for us to finally pass them down," Royce explained and took out his crystal. He handed it to Jake. Penny gave hers to Melissa and Jane handed both the Chamberlain and Conant crystal to Faye and Adam.
"What about Diana and Cassie?" Adam and Jake asked.
"The two agreed to bound the Circle because they needed us. They haven't changed. Until they do Kate and I will keep the Blake and Meade crystal safe." Jane said. "I know you two boys love them and from what Claire and Dylan said they might just love you back. They just don't understand it and who knows if they ever will. The way they grew up damaged them and I don't know if they can ever fully heal from that. Especially since they don't seem to want to. Those two are still dangerous. More so to you four then anyone else."
"Why?' Melissa asked getting scared. Diana and Cassie torturing her still on her mind.
"The Circle you six have entered into is designed to last," Kate said. "If a member dies the next witch in their family who counts as a member of their Circle will enter in, but as we've said before there is no one else for your Circle. It's just the six of you. If one of you die the Circle is broken. If Diana and Cassie ever decide they want to be unbound they will go to kill you. They have clearly shown they are willing to do it if they need to. Right now you are safe though. They have no plans, but who knows what could change in the future."
'Yes, you have to be careful," Penny continued. "The crystals we have given you will allow you to use magic by yourself, but it's not unlimited power. The crystals can die out and then you would be powerless. Don't use them unless you have to." The four nodded understanding.
"Good, now get out. We need to talk to your parents alone." Jane said and the four got up to leave.
The elders turned to five parents. "We made a mistake all those years ago. We should have never taken away your powers," Jane said.
"So are you going to return them?" Dawn asked.
"When we took them away they were destroyed. We can't return them," Kate explained and everyone faces fell. "We're going to give you our powers."
"What?" All five asked together.
"This Circle needs people, witches, watching over them. We're getting old, two of us have already died. You kids are young, can watch out for them longer then us, and can train them with our help of course." Royce said.
"We can't take your power,' Amelia said.
"The decision has already been made sweetie. We're giving you it," Jane said. "You get mine, Royce will give his to Ethan, Penny to Patrick, and Kate to both Charles and Dawn. Let us fix our mistake the only way we can." Not long after the elders started to transfer their power to the five. The five could feel the power going to them and when it was done they smiled feeling something they hadn't felt in a long time. Magic.
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When Faye, Melissa, Adam, and Jake walked outside the first thing they saw was Diana and Cassie sitting on the porch. The four didn't know why they were surprised. Cassie's leg was still hurt and it was hard for her to walk a long way. It made sense for the two to just sit on the porch. They all put the crystals in their pocket so they were out of sight and then Faye and Melissa walked around them without saying anything. Adam and Jake followed, but paused and turned around to look at the two girls. The thought that the two might just love them in their head. Faye and Melissa turned to look at the boys.
"Hey," Jake said making the two look at them. Until that point they had been looking at the ground. "I just wanted to say I forgive you.'
"Me too," Adam said.
"Me too," Melissa said. Faye didn't say anything and Melissa gave her a look.
"Fine, me too," Faye mumbled.
"Like we told Dawn we don't want your forgiveness. We would do it all again," Diana said getting a little annoyed at these people. "Including torturing Melissa." Diana looked at Melissa, but the girl didn't take a step back this time. It was time for her to stop being afraid of these two.
"Ms. Chamberlain was right. It's not your fault you did any of this. You were raised this way. This twisted logic was implanted into you. I can't hate you for what you did to me. I can't hate you for anything you did. I feel sorry for you two and Diana I am really sorry I let John Blackwell take you away when we were four. I know you don't care. I know you don't want our forgiveness, but you have it." Melissa said and then paused. "And I'm done being afraid of you."
Diana and Cassie didn't say anything. "Look, you're stuck here. You have no where to go and your bound to us whether you like it or not. Maybe you can just try to change. I know it would be hard and maybe you'll never to able to, but who knows." Adam said and then the four walked away.
Diana and Cassie watched them leave looking at Adam and Jake. There's that feeling again, Cassie thought to her sister. What is it?
Who knows, Diana thought back. Who really care? The two didn't talk for a while. Maybe one day we'll find out though.
THE END
AN: Okay I finally finished this one. How did you like the ending? Just to let you know the Secret in Hiding universe isn't over yet though. My friend and fellow writer for The Secret Circle Project Forcystus5 loved the story so much he's going to be writing a spinoff based on Elizabeth and Thomas Meade. I don't know the name of the spinoff yet or when it will be posted, but don't worry it will be posted under my pen name CharmedMilliE so if you're following me you'll know when it's posted. I'm also going to be activity helping him with it and looking it over too. You also never know. I loved this story a lot and might one day decide to write my own sequel to it. :)
Okay now on to something else. Everyone who has reviewed has been great. I've loved reading every review and a special thanks to Alecks454 who reviewed every chapter and was the only one who reviewed on my last chapter (ONE REVIEW PEOPLE. I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER THEN THAT). Also Alecks454 is also an active reader and reviewer of our season 2, so thank you for all the support you've given me and all our writer. Its clear me and you like different couples, but it's always nice hearing from you. Oh by the way you better review on this chapter after I wrote this nice and long big thing about you. LOL.
Okay onto other things. While I'm not rushing into writing my own sequel for this story me and another friend and writer for The Secret Circle Project, Flower Gettin' Lady, are planning on writing a Pretty Littler Liars/ Secret Circle crossover. Please look for that and if you want to read anything else I've written for Secret Circle go check out my other stories. I have several one shots up and two three shots. My favorite that I've written (besides this of course) is a story called Two Years Ago. So check that out and review.
The Secret Circle Project update. Episode 10 is up and next week is our mid season finale. We have big plans for this so make sure to read and always review. Also follow us on tumblr, twitter, and facebook for all our updates. Links are on my profile.
Now I'm going to stop this authors note before it gets any longer by saying REVIEW.