Family Ties
Chapter 2: Excruciatingly Family
"Pelia, what happened?" Pogue asked as he inspected her hand. He took off his shirt, leaving him in his white tank top, as he wrapped it around her hand, trying to staunch the bleeding. He could feel his sister was visibly shaking, and pulled her into his arms.
"What happened, Pel, tell me?" he asked, his voice filled with concern, as he held his sister close.
"I, I don't really know, Po, all of sudden this guy was attacking me, saying he was sent here to kill me. What is that all about?" she said, her head not able to wrap around the situation that had just transpired. She felt Pogue go rigid, making her tense as well. She could feel the air move around her, and knew in an instant that her brother had used because Caleb, Reid and Tyler all came running out of the bar.
"Pel!" yelled Reid, as he came to stand beside her, placing his hand on her back, "what happened?"
"Tyler, can you bring your car around, I want to take Pelia home and get her hand looked at," Pogue said, in a commanding voice. Tyler made a move of protest, but Pogue glared at him.
"I will explain everything once I know my sister is taken care of," he said, not leaving any room for conversation. Tyler nodded his acquiescence and ran to bring his car to the front of Nicky's, as close as possible. Pogue pulled away from his sister, trying to assess the damage done to her.
"Pel, can you walk with me to Tyler's car, or did you want me to carry you," he asked, getting a glare from his sister. He shrugged in response; he thought it was a valid question.
"I hurt my hand, not my legs; I can walk just fine Po." She said with a point of finality as she walked ahead of her brother, only stumbling a few times by the time she reached the car. She could hear Caleb and Pogue talking in hushed tones behind her, but she was just too exhausted to deal with their covenant crap, she was almost killed tonight. She let the thought sink in, and to her surprise, she felt no tears spring to her eyes, but anger filled her being. How dare someone attack her! It made absolutely no sense. She had no idea what she was up against, but she had a sinking feeling that it wasn't just going to go away. If it weren't for Aaron…right, Aaron! Aaron had saved her. She had no idea why or how, but he had, and she had no idea what that meant. Was he going to talk to her again? Or would he just go back to normal, acting as if she didn't exist. Her head started to throb, but she refused to let the guys see her discomfort. The last thing she needed was them fawning all over her. She sighed as she let her head fall back, closing her eyes tight to the onslaught of pain. Who would want to have her killed? Yes, she was the sister of one of the members of the Covenant, but she was not a player in their game, she had no powers, did not possess any special abilities. In fact most of the time Pelia felt like a liability to her brothers. Pel sighed once more, opening her eyes to stare out the window, noticing they were almost at the Garwin mansion. Pel assumed they were going to Reid's because his mother was in Europe and it would be the only house that was completely empty. She felt movement beside her and noticed Reid was removing her brother's shirt from around her hand, and tying it tighter after inspecting the wound. Pel winced in pain as Reid wrapped the piece of the shirt around her wound.
"Keep pressure on that Pelia, to help stop the bleeding, and keep it elevated too" Reid said, his face red with what seemed like anger. Pelia gave Reid a worried expression, confused as to why Reid would be angry with her, but he broke their eye contact and refused to look at her the rest of the car ride. She sighed as Reid stared out the car window, his elbow leaning against the frame, and a far off look in his eyes.
As Tyler's hummer came to a stop, Pelia went to open the door, only to have it already opened for her by Pogue , who went to help her get out of the seat. Pelia merely pushed him away from her.
"Seriously, Po, I can get out of this monstrosity all on my own, just leave me," she said, exasperated. Pogue merely glared at her.
"Pel, you lost a lot of blood, and we almost lost you tonight, just let me help you out the damn truck," said Pogue. Pelia stared up at her older brother.
"Hey no need to get all pissy with me Po, I was the one that was attacked tonight not you," she said, as she leaned on his arm to get out of the SUV.
"An attack on you is an attack on all of us," said Caleb as he joined them. Pelia looked at Caleb incredulously, then noticed that the three others also nodded in acquiescence.
"Wow, okay, fine, whatever, I'm going inside if that's okay with all of you," she said, pissed right off. "And I'll have you know if this attack is an attack on the entire Covenant then there will be no leaving me in the dark, you hear me? There will be no going quiet when I walk into a room, I want to know everything that is going on, I want to know every little theory you guys have on this, you got me?" she stated as she turned around to her four brothers, her uninjured hand resting on her hip, her stance that of someone on the attack. She was not going to back down this time. These guys needed to know that she was a part of this, whether they liked it or not. She was involved now, and that's the way it was going to be from now on.
"No," said Pogue, without even a second thought. Pelia glared daggers at her brother.
"What the hell, Po! You have to realize that I need to know what is going on just as much as you four! How am I to protect myself if I have no idea what is going on?" she yelled, making her head spin dangerously. She did not want to pass out right now, not only would it make her look weak, but she needed Po to understand that she needed to be a part of this, that she was a part of this.
"She has a point Po," said Reid, earning him a satisfied smile from Pelia. Reid winked at her in response, giving Pel's heart a flutter. She knew he couldn't stay mad at her forever.
"She has us to protect her, she doesn't need to protect herself" stated Po as if it were the most obvious thing ever.
"What, like you did tonight?" Pel said without thinking. She didn't blame them for being attacked, she honestly didn't, but the words were said, they couldn't be taken back. Pelia's brother looked at her with so much hurt in his eyes, that it brought tears to hers.
"Someone get her inside, I need to go do something," he said, as he disappeared in to the night.
"Oh balls," Pelia said as she watched her brother go. She was going to have to do some major explaining when he came back, but her head was feeling very stuffy and she couldn't quite organize her thoughts. She placed her uninjured hand on her forehead and closed her eyes tight as a wave of nausea and dizziness overwhelmed her.
"Hey, hey," said Tyler as he grabbed her around the waist before she toppled over, "let's get you inside and look at that hand. That's enough excitement for one night." Pel merely nodded as she let Tyler lead her inside with Reid following behind. He stopped suddenly, turning to Caleb.
"Cal, you coming?" he asked, motioning for him to follow. Caleb looked to his friend with a worried expression.
"Pogue shouldn't be alone right now, especially if we don't know where this threat is coming from," he said by way of explanation, "I know you two can take care of Pel, I'm going after Po." He started walking in the same direction as Pogue had left not a minute before. Reid had to agree, and felt it best that Caleb went after him; he knew that Caleb would be able to talk Po down from whatever ledge his sister's comment had placed him on. Reid sighed as he made his way in to his house.
Pelia groaned as light shone brightly in her eyes, making her grimace in pain. She felt like she had spent the night drinking and had the worse hang over ever, but she assumed it was probably from the loss of blood. She tried to move her injured hand, but the skin felt tight as the wound was attempting to heal. The boys had used their powers to heal it faster than going to a hospital would be. Plus if they went to a hospital questions would have been asked, ones she wasn't comfortable answering. And honestly, it would take her hand forever to heal the normal way, and who knows if she would have regained full use of it seeing as how knife had gone straight through her hand.
Pelia opened her eyes, remembering for the first time that she was still at Reid's place. Po would have covered for her, saying something like she was staying with Kate at the dorms. Whatever, she could care less at this point. The only thing she cared about was that today was a Saturday, so no need to rush and get ready for school, she could just laze around the Garwin residence and not have to worry about a thing. Well that wasn't completely true. She knew that she would worry about what her brother was doing, and how he was feeling after she had said what she said about him not being there for her. And then there was the whole Aaron deal, and how he had saved her. Yep, she had that whole lot of crazy to over analyze, looks like her Saturday was all booked up. Pel sighed as she threw the covers off of her aching body and stepped down from the ridiculously high bed. She made her way downstairs and heard some of the guys in the kitchen and the clattering of cutlery on plates. Good, she had made it in time for breakfast.
"Hey Garwin, got any OJ?" she asked, as she went straight to the fridge, opening the door. The guys went completely silent when she walked in, and Pel tried not to let it piss her off. It was very difficult seeing as how she had just told them exactly how she felt about this exact situation.
"Oh, found it! Never mind," she said, as she pulled it out of the fridge and grabbed a glass from a cupboard. Reid was staring at her with a weird expression that she couldn't place, so she gave him a weird look back and sat down with them at the table. For the first time that morning she looked her brother in the eye, and he answered by looking away immediately.
"Pogue?" she questioned, and he looked up at her, guilt and hurt in his eyes, she sighed. "Look what I said yesterday was taken the wrong way. I 100% do not blame you for not saving me, cause for one, you don't always have to be my hero," she gestured at them all, "none of you do! I can take care of myself, and that was the point I wanted to get across. You all aren't always going to be there to save me, I need to be tough and learn how to be my own savior." She said, completely serious and hoping the guys would understand.
"But Pel, you needed saving last night, if Abbot hadn't been there, I don't - you could – " Pogue stated, unable to finish his sentence, but they all knew where he was going with that one. Pel sighed deeply.
"I get that, I really do, but I'm not an idiot, I know that I am an afterthought, no Reid, I am," she said raising her hand to stop Reid from fighting her point, as she saw his change in posture as if he were about to protest, "It's not your fault, guys, you just are so close and share something so special, I am not one of you, and you will go off and do your own thing together and I will be left behind. I get that, made peace with it, so I am choosing to not be left behind, I will go my own way when we finish school as I know you guys will too. Oh dear, I think I am getting off my point. I don't know how to explain it best. I just need to learn to take care of myself, because you guys won't always be here. Does any of this make any sense?" Pel asked, scrunching her eyebrows in a pleading way hoping someone would take pity on her and speak.
"Pelia, I can't believe you feel that way, I had no idea, and I am truly sorry," said Caleb. Pelia was shocked; she wasn't expecting that to be the first thing uttered after her little speech, especially from Caleb.
"It's nothing to be sorry about Caleb, I didn't say it to make you guys feel sorry for me or treat me any different. I just needed to get my point across that you guys can't always protect me," she said, hoping they would stop giving her those hurt expression.
"Geez, you're all acting as if I kicked your puppy or something," she said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Look, Pelia, this is not how we wanted to make you feel, especially me as I am your only blood relative here. But if that's the way you feel then maybe you shouldn't hang out with us anymore." He said, not able to look his sister in the eye. The room went completely silent; no one expecting Pogue to say such harsh words. Pelia felt tears fill her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She knew her brother, and she knew he would react this way. She should have been ready for this. She nodded silently, and pushed her chair away from the table. The scraping of the legs on the linoleum sounded so loud in comparison to the absolute silence that filled the room after Pogue had said what he had.
"I won't ask anything of you guys anymore, I know that I have already asked too much, just by always being around you four, and always wanting to be included in things since we were kids. Just know I will always love you guys, kay?" Pel stated, not able to look at any of them. She sighed once, then took off to the room that she inhabited the night before to grab what minimal things that she had with her. Pelia refused to let the tears fall, as she felt a piece of her was being carved from her body. She grabbed her purse and jacket, making her way to the door. It was only a 30 minute walk to her parent's house, so it shouldn't be that big of a deal walking by herself. As she reached for the door knob she could feel someone behind her. She refused to turn around, she knew it was Reid.
"Reid, I am leaving, and I am sorry it happened this way, but I have hurt my brother enough, I have to do what he asks," she said, her hand trembling as it grasped the door knob. She could hear Reid expel his breathe from behind her.
"I don't get it, not having any siblings myself, but will you at least let me drive you back?" Reid asked, as she felt his hand clasp her shoulder.
"No, Reid, It's fine, I don't mind the walk, seriously, just go back to them, I'm sure you guys have some secret stuff to talk about now that I am no longer in the way," Pel said, she had tried not to sound bitter, but she always felt more comfortable around Reid, and it just sort of slipped out. With that, she opened the door, and walked away from her brothers. It was harder then she thought it was going to be. Putting one foot in front of the other was such a simple concept, but for some reason her legs weren't cooperating with her, as if telling her this was a mistake, that her brothers needed her as much as she needed them. But of course, she knew that couldn't be true, she was a liability, and if she severed ties with them, then maybe just maybe they wouldn't put themselves in danger trying to protect her. It was like her own way of trying to keep them all safe and in one piece. Pel knew something was up, she knew something was threatening her brothers, and it all became obvious with that attack on her. Someone was targeting her loved ones, and if she took herself out of the equation, then maybe whoever was targeting the Covenant would have one less person to hold against it. Pel smiled to herself, thinking that maybe this would all work out; deluding herself into believing this was the best thing for everyone. She knew deep down she didn't want to be separated, and honestly she would be able to see them almost every day at school, at least she would know they were okay.
Pelia was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear a car pull up beside her until it proceeded to honk at her. Pelia assumed it was Reid, and just waved him off without turning around and continued to walk. She had to do this before she lost the courage. The car revved its engine, and pulled up along side of her.
"Pelia, what the hell are you doing out here all alone?" asked a gravelly voice from her right. Her head quickly turned to look at the person who was talking to her.
"Aaron?" she said, disbelief evident in her voice, "what are you doing here?" Pelia gave him a confused look at he placed his car in park. Aaron looked at her like she had gone crazy.
"I believe I asked you that first, and besides, my parents live around here" he said, by way of answer. "Now back to my question, what the hell are you doing out here alone? I figured the dream team would have you on around the clock escort." He said, sounding disappointed that it wasn't true. Pelia looked away from him, and down at her feet. She noted to herself that she needed to clean her shoes, they were getting way to dusty with this walk home.
"We have decided it is everyone's best interest if we all parted ways," she said, still looking at her dusty shoes.
"What?!" Aaron yelled incredulously, "Are you kidding me? Pelia, I knew your brother was a dolt, but come on, after what happened last night, I didn't think he would just tell you to get lost." Pelia became angry at Aaron's words. She didn't take kindly to Po being called a dolt, only she could do that. And who uses dolt as an insult anymore anyways?
"Look Aaron, thanks for saving me and all last night, but let's get real here, what do you care? You haven't talked to me since we were in middle school, don't know why, and I have stopped caring," she said, the latter not being quite the truth, but she was pissed, "I have no idea why you're stopping, and why you're lowering yourself to talk to me right now, but it's not needed, I can take care of myself." She said, as a point of finality, and started to walk once again. She heard him start his car once again, thinking he would drive right by her, only to have him keep pace with her.
"It's not my fault I stopped talking to you, and you do need my help, believe it or not, I still do care about you, and wouldn't have saved you last night if I didn't." he said, anger evident in his voice. Pelia didn't know how to react to that. All she kept hearing was that he still actually cared about her.
"If you care about me, why do you ignore me, why do you not talk to me, why did you stop being friends with me!" she yelled, her voice getting louder with each question, until she finally broke, tears coming to her eyes.
"Oh hell," he said, as he threw his car in park, and threw open his door. Pelia just kept walking tears streaming down her face. She damned Aaron for breaking her control. This was the last straw, this little fight with him, she had already been put through so much this morning with leaving her brothers and all, and she had done so well by not crying at that time.
"Damn you Aaron, damn you! I was doing fine before you started to talk to me again, I was still hurt, yes, but at least I knew where I stood with you, now I have no idea, and I – I" she stuttered, not sure where she was going with this little rant. She felt Aaron grab her arm roughly from behind, pulling her to a stop.
"Aaron, what-" she said, as he turned her to face him, her eyes still wet. Aaron looked angry and confused. They both stared at each other for what seemed like hours before Aaron finally spoke.
"Look, Pel, it's complicated why I cut myself from your life, and I really can't get in to it right now, but you need to know that despite everything I never stopped caring about you, no matter how angry I was at your family, I never stopped being your friend." He said, his eyes intense.
"I just don't understand. Whenever I would see you, you would ignore me or glare at me," Pel said, not able to fully comprehend what Aaron was saying.
"Because I was mad, mad at everything that happened, and too stubborn to make amends with you, to let you back in, it was just easier, safer. And by this time, I was already sworn enemies pretty much with your brother and his douchey little friends, so it seemed impossible."
"I don't understand, and that's probably because you're not giving me the whole story, Abbott" she said, placing her hands on her hips and displacing his hand from her arm. "I don't like being in the dark, with you or with my brothers, so if you can't tell me what's really going on, then I am out." She said, waiting for Aaron's response. Pelia realized that she wasn't going to get one, so she continued on her walk to her parent's place.
"Wait, Pelia, seriously, come on, you need me right now, I am the only one who can protect you if your brothers aren't going to," he yelled after her. Pelia stopped in her tracks.
"I can take care of myself, Abbott, don't concern yourself," she said, and with a twist of her hip she was on her way again, seeing red.
"Nope, that's not going to happen," Aaron said, as he grabbed her arm for the second time that day, and dragged her towards his car.
"What the hell do you think you are doing, get your hands off of me!" she yelled, trying to fight against him, but Aaron had become very strong since middle school, stronger then her brother, although he didn't look it.
"Aaron, please, stop!" she said, trying not to be scared. This was her childhood friend; he wouldn't actually hurt her, right? Aaron looked back at her, his face hard. Once he saw the expression of fear in Pelia's eyes he faltered, but did not let go of her arm.
"Please, just let me drive you home, at least," he said, his eyes downcast as they stood stationary at the side of the road, Pelia's hair blowing in her face.
"I don't know if that is such a good idea, I have tried really hard to forget you, Aaron, and you all of a sudden being nice to me is just confusing," she said, trying to be honest with Aaron and herself. She had no idea what this meant, and she knew she was probably reading too much in to the whole thing, but it dared her to hope.
"Jesus, Pel, it's just a ride home, nothing more. You were almost killed yesterday, I just want to get you home safely, that's it, no more than that. Think of it as a favour from an old friend, kay?" Aaron said, looking up at Pelia, his face gone back to the mask of ignorance, and slight disdain. Pelia sighed. She had been thinking too much of the situation, and merely nodded her acquiescence, letting Aaron lead her to his car. Aaron let go of her arm, as he got in to the driver's seat, and started up the car. Pelia sighed once more as she opened the passenger's side door, and slid onto the seat.
The entire ride to her parent's house was in complete silence, Pelia didn't dare even look at Aaron. For one, she had so many questions, but she didn't dare to ask even one. As Aaron parked his car in the long wrap around driveway of the Parry residence, Pelia looked down at her clasped hands. She was trying to find the courage to speak to Aaron. To say something. She didn't want this to be it, she wanted to be friends again with Aaron, she wanted nothing more than for him to forgive her for whatever she had done so long ago to make him hate her so much.
"Aaron, I-" she started.
"Don't," interrupted Aaron, "whatever you're going to say just don't. If you're going to thank me, no thanks is needed, keeping you safe is all I wished to accomplish today. And if you're going to ask some question about the past, then I can't answer it, so there isn't a point in asking it. Just get out of the car and go inside. I will wait here until you lock the door." He said, not once looking at Pelia. Somehow this hurt more than in middle school when he stopped talking to her all together. Her heart shuttered in her chest, as if breaking once more and she fought back the tears, as she grabbed her bag. Pelia opened the door and practically ran to the house. As she let the door close behind her, locking the dead bolt, she ran to the window to watch Aaron leave. She made sure she was hidden by the curtain as she watched her best friend leave her life for the second time. She wasn't sure, but she thought she saw a glimmer of regret in his face as he drove away. More than likely her over thinking things yet again. Pelia heavily made her way up the stairs to her room, chastising herself for letting her emotions get the better of her. As she closed the door to her room, she resisted the urge to run to her bed and throw herself upon it, wanting to maintain some sense of decorum after the tumultuously emotion day she had endured today. Pelia felt a nap was in order as she slowly sat on her bed, reached into her bedside table to take out her sleeping pills. Pelia took one without water, and laid back on her bed, letting sleep come to her, knowing thankfully no dreams would befall her.