Family Ties
Chapter 3: Mistakenly Family
Pelia woke a few hours later, feeling groggy from the effects of the sleeping pills, but no more rested then when she had laid down. She reached for her phone to check what time it was as her stomach was grumbling. It was after 8 pm, no wonder she was so hungry. Pelia also couldn't help but notice that there were no missed calls, no text messages waiting to be read. She sighed to herself as she pushed herself out of bed.
As she made her way down the stairs of her dark home, she couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sadness take hold of her. What was she supposed to do tomorrow? She couldn't be with her brothers, and had no friends outside of that circle. She was alone, like when they were kids. At least then she had Aaron. Now she doesn't even have that. Pelia was glad that tomorrow was back to school, only for the reason that she get back to her dorm. At least while in her room, there was less space to feel lonely in. She had begged her parents to let her stay in the dorms, wanting nothing more than to be closer to her brothers. They had agreed, only if she stayed at home on the weekends. Pelia had agreed and the next day moved in to the dorm rooms. She was so excited to be living in the same building as her best friends. But now, she was close to them in proximity, but in other ways they couldn't be farther apart.
Pelia sighed as she opened the fridge, and pulled out some leftovers she could easily heat up. She almost wished that her parents were already home from their dinner engagement, but a little after eight was still too early for them. As her food heated in the microwave she grabbed a bottle of water, and turned around to face the kitchen window. As she went to take a drink, all the blood drained from her face as she locked eyes with her attacker from last night. She couldn't break eye contact with him as she felt her heart beat out of her chest. The guy smiled at her, his eyes dead, as he came closer to the window. Pelia had no idea what to do, so she grabbed a kitchen knife, thinking of protecting herself from the oncoming attack. Pelia didn't dare look away from the boy, the knife in one hand, as her other grabbed for her phone that was sitting on the counter beside her. She couldn't call her brothers, so she called the first number that popped in to her head.
"Please pick up, pick up!" she yelled in to the phone as it rang and rang. The boy's smirk grew larger as he was right up against the kitchen window now. What happened next Pelia will never forget. The boy threw his head back and smashed his forehead against her kitchen window. Not just once, but 3 times until it finally gave way under the onslaught. Blood was pouring down his face, and a piece of glass was sticking out of his cheek, but he didn't seem fazed as he made his way through the now broken window, his purpose clear. The number she had dialed still wasn't answering, as it kept going to voicemail. She tried it again, praying that someone would pick up the other end. She held the phone to her ear, and held the knife out before her waving it slightly at the intruder.
"Don't you dare come near me, stay away!" she yelled, as the boy just continued to smirk, the blood making him look all the more menacing. Pelia had never been more scared in her life, so much so that she didn't hear the rushed sounding voice from her phone.
"What's happening? Hello?" Aaron's voice made Pelia feel safe, and sigh slightly in relief. "Aaron, that guy is back! He broke my kitchen window, and is inside the house!" she yelled, as she looked around for the best exit. The boy was blocking the door to the foyer, so her only way of getting out was to attack then flee.
"Just hang tight, Pel, I will be right there, just get to a room where you can lock the door!" he yelled, and Pelia nodded even though she knew he couldn't see her, and dropped her phone as the intruder came ever closer to her, his steps methodic and precise.
"You know why I am here, why even try to stop me. I have a job to do, and I will fulfill it." He said, his voice had no hint of pain in it, even though he should have been in excruciating pain, or even dead from what he had just done. Pelia held the knife tighter, as she jumped forward sticking the knife in to his abdomen, thinking of nothing but trying to fight back. Hadn't she just told her brother's that she could take care of herself not so many hours ago? Pelia didn't even stop to see if that had stopped him at all as she took off for the door to the foyer, attempting to make it to the stairs, knowing that her room had a lock on it. She could hear heavy footsteps sound from behind her, knowing that the knife had not slowed him down, that it had perhaps just made him angry. As now he was running after her. Pelia listened to his footsteps as they echoed in the hallway. He was getting closer.
"Pelia, there is no use, you can't stop me with mortal weapons, I have a job to do and I will fulfill it," he said, same deep calm voice as before. She looked behind her as she made it to the stairs, only to see him running after her, the knife protruding from his abdomen and his shirt turned crimson from his blood. She felt a scream escape her throat as she stumbled up the stairs, but he was too fast for her, and she felt herself being lifted in the air, a bloodied hand holding her throat tightly.
"I told you Pelia Parry, you should have listened." He smirked. Pelia's eyes went wide as it became harder and harder for her to breathe. Pelia kicked her legs as hard as she could and grasped at the rock hard hands around her neck. Nothing seemed to loosen the constriction against her throat. Pelia felt her body being lifted higher until she was dangling over the side of the railing.
"Just let it happen, Pelia Parry, it is inevitable." He said no emotion evident in his voice. Just darkness. Pelia tried to scream, but no sound came out. Then the dizziness began, and the blackness encroached on her sight. Pelia forced her eyes to look up to her ceiling, not wanting the last thing that she ever saw to be her attacker's cold dead eyes. As the darkness almost took over, she felt her body go flying and crash against the stairs. Pelia immediately started to cough and heave. Her closeness to death ever apparent as spots filled her line of sight. Pelia couldn't see what was happening, but she heard that same growl from the other night, knowing it was Aaron. He had made it. Her heart banged against her rib cage, as she tried to catch her breath. Pelia tried to move towards the sounds of a struggle, but found it difficult to move, as her side burned in pain and her ankle protested under her weight.
"Pelia, just stay there!" came Aaron's distorted voice. For once in her life she actually listened, and didn't dare to move from her position on the stairs. A combination of lack of ability to actually move, and how commanding Aaron's voice was. The sounds of a fight ensued for what felt like hours, but were mere minutes. Pelia shivered as she heard her attacker state that he would be back, then a gust of wind sounded, and Aaron was wrapping his arms around her.
"Pelia, Pelia, are you okay?" he said, his voice hoarse with emotion, as he gently stroked her hair. Pelia looked up at Aaron, the outside of her vision still fuzzy, but at least she was able to breathe again, somewhat labouredly. Pelia felt sick, she could smell the tinny smell of blood all over the place. Thankfully none of it was hers this time, at least as far as she knew.
"I stabbed him, Aaron, I stabbed him in the stomach. He didn't flinch. He smashed the kitchen window with his head. His head, Aaron!" Pelia said, in shock, as her breath caught in her throat. She would never forget the way the knife slid in to that boy's abdomen. "That just isn't possible, i-it just isn't, right?" she asked, sheepishly looking up at Aaron. Aaron was looking all over her for wounds, not looking her straight in the face. Pelia self consciously rubbed at her neck, trying to get the blood off before it dried.
"No, Pelia it isn't normal. Now, give me your cell." He said his voice dangerously low. Aaron was angry. Pelia let the tear she had been fighting fall down her cheek.
"I am so sorry Aaron, I know I shouldn't have called you, you told me pretty much not to, and I did, I just didn't know what to do, I am so sorry, I know you're angry at me," Pelia said, her hand stilling on her neck. Aaron's eyes softened as he grabbed her face between his hands.
"Pelia, don't ever think that I am mad at you, and you can always call me, especially when there is a deranged killer in your kitchen," he said, chuckling softly. Pelia looked at him, confused as she pointed to where she had dropped her cell phone. Pelia hiccupped, and looked away from Aaron ashamed of her outburst.
"Sorry about that, I just thought, well, you sounded angry, and I-"
"Pelia, it is not you I am angry with, it is your so called brothers, how the hell could they leave you alone like this?" he said, anger seeping back in to his tone, as he left her side for a second, only to return with her phone. Pelia noted the splatters of blood that marred her once perfectly white case.
Aaron looked down at Pelia's phone, as his hand subconsciously held one side of her face, gently using the pad of his thumb to stroke her cheek. Pelia wasn't about to tell him he was doing it, enjoying the contact too much.
Aaron placed the cell to his ear, his mind seething as he thought how careless Pogue was being with his sister's life.
"Pelia, now isn't really a good time," said the voice on the other end. This made Aaron's anger go through the roof.
"Make time, Parry," he said, his voice dangerously low, every syllable dripping with disdain.
"Abbot, what the hell? What-"
"I don't really have time for the chit chat, but thought you should know due to your absolute carelessness and ineptitude of being any semblance of a brother, Pelia has been attacked, AGAIN!" he screamed, "You Sons of Dipshits left your sister alone, and vulnerable to be preyed upon by someone who is actually after you, way to go. Oh and don't worry too much, she didn't even try to call you, knew you wouldn't really care, she called me. And if you tell Pelia ever again that it just might be better not to be around each other again, remember this moment. Remember what you're feeling. Memorized, yet? Good, now I have to go, and tend to your sister's wounds, you can come over if you like, but I won't be leaving this time." And with that Aaron hung up the phone, not letting Pogue get a word in edgewise.
Pelia softly smiled. She didn't care if she was reading too much into it, but she knew now for real that Aaron still cared about her, or he wouldn't have gone off on Po like that. He also wouldn't have told him that he was staying. She watched as Aaron placed her phone beside them on the stairs softly, as if trying to buy time before he looked up at her again. He was feeling embarrassed by what he had said, Pelia could tell, and this made her smile even more. Aaron finally met her eyes.
"What are you smiling at?" he said, as he rolled his eyes, "you're brother deserved a good verbal lashing, don't think too much of it. Now let me have a look at you," he said, concern slipping in to his words as he used one hand to lift her chin to get a better look at her neck. There were some nasty bruises starting to form, and he knew it would hurt to talk and breathe for a while. But thanking any God that would listen that that maniac hadn't broken anything.
"Where do you hurt Pelia?" he asked.
"I think I cracked a rib or something as my side feels like it is on fire," she said, grimacing as she tried to reposition herself.
"No don't move, just lift your shirt," he said, and watched as the simple movement to grasp her shirt made her grimace in pain. He scoffed as he pushed her hands away, lifting the shirt himself. Aaron let a small gasp escape as he saw Pelia's rib poking out of her skin.
"Um, Yeah, that's broken," he said, grabbing off his t-shirt, and commenced ripping it up.
"That bad, huh?" she said, her head feeling slightly woozy. Aaron looked at Pelia, concerned.
"Just take a breath, Parry, nothing I can't fix, well not exactly fix, but bandage," he said, trying to make her smile. Pelia rewarded him with more of a grimace then a smile, but it was a start. Aaron nodded, signaling he was going to start. Aaron wrapped the shirt around her middle, putting pressure on all the wrong spots, making Pelia loose her breath, and bite her lip in pain.
"Pelia, I have to push it back in, and sew up the wound," he said. "Then why the hell did you just bandage it?" she asked, still in pain.
"Because, there are things I need to find, and I can't just leave you like this!" he said, "now where is your first aid kit, and a pillow that you don't mind getting some blood on, just a smaller one." Pelia's head swam. Where did they keep that kit? She couldn't for the life her remember where anything was in the house. Great, she really was losing it.
"I have no idea," she said, trying to think, "I think maybe the bathroom? And you can use any pillow, but can I ask why?" she said, at a loss.
"I have no way of knowing if a rib has punctured a lung or not, I need the pillow to place it between your arm and your side, and bind your arm to your side so as to support the injured area."
"Wow, didn't know you knew so much medical stuff," she said, actually impressed. Aaron rolled his eyes again.
"I had to learn, we tend to get lots of injuries in my family," "Oh," was all Pelia could think to say, not really understanding what that could mean.
"Pelia?! PELIA?!" yelled a frantic Reid, from within the kitchen.
"Reid?" she said, trying to get up, but Aaron pushed her gently back down.
"No moving, Parry," he said, admonishing her
"Reid, I'm on the stairs," she yelled. And suddenly Reid was behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
"Reid, what do you think you are doing, Aaron is here!" she yelled, eyeing Aaron, as Reid just used in front of him. For some unforeseen stroke of luck Aaron had been looking away. He didn't even seem curious as to why Reid was on the stairs.
"Abbot be damned, I needed to know you were okay!" he said, still holding on to her tight. Pelia smiled as she placed her arms on top of his.
"Reid, I am okay, Aaron fought him off, and I am not worse for the wear, just a few bruises, and a broken rib." She said, tapping his arm with her hand in a comforting fashion.
"When Po told me you were attacked, I didn't stop to listen to him, I just thought of you and wound up in your kitchen," Reid said, having the decency to look slightly ashamed for talking so openly in front of Aaron, lowering his voice so only Pelia could hear. "Then when I arrived to see your kitchen window smashed and blood all over the place, kind of went to the worse scenario possible,"
Pelia smiled, and looked at Reid from over her shoulder. "Don't worry, none of that blood was mine," Aaron cleared his throat, pulling Pelia and Reid from their current discussion.
"Well, I will leave you two kids alone, while I track down the first aid kit." Aaron said, obviously thinking something was going on between the two, as he pushed himself off of the stairs and made his way to the closest bathroom.
"Aaron, I-" Pelia started but had no idea what to say. It didn't matter as Aaron kept walking anyways.
"What the hell happened Pelia?" asked Reid, as she let go of her and went to sit beside her. He then noticed her bandage.
"And what is that?" he asked, pointing at it.
"Well, Aaron was looking for any damage on me, and found a broken rib, and from what he was saying it looks like it may have gone through the skin. I think I got it when I fell to the stairs when that maniac was holding me up by my neck," she said, her eyes lost in her thoughts as she subconsciously placed a hand around her neck, remembering.
"Holy shit Pel, this is heavy shit, you almost died, for the second time in so many nights, Po was wrong. You need us more than ever, I will talk to him about letting you in, letting you know everything." Reid said, determination set on his boy like features. Pelia smiled, knowing that could never fully be. She would never be on the inner circle. It just wasn't possible.
"In the mean time, let me use to heal your ribs," he said, lifting her shirt more to get a better vantage of the affected area. Pelia quickly grabbed Reid's hands in her own, an urgent expression on her face.
"Reid! No, you can't! Aaron is going to get some stuff to do it the mortal way, and if he comes back and I am miraculously healed, he will know something is up!" Pelia pleaded. Aaron came back at that moment, seeing Pelia holding Reid's hands.
"Oh, sorry, should I come back?" he said, pointing the way he came, holding a first aid kit in one hand. Pelia looked up at him startled.
"Oh, no, it's fine, I was just telling Reid what happened," she said, unable to look Aaron in the eye, not wanting to keep all these things from him. But really, what did it matter, it wasn't like they were friends again. She didn't have to feel guilty about not telling him about the Covenant anymore.
"Look Aaron, I have it covered here, if you wanna peace out," said Reid, wanting to use to heal Pelia, and not wanting any witnesses.
"Thanks, but I think I'm good right here, I can't trust you dumbasses to take care of Pelia, so I will." He said, pushing Reid out of the way, as he set up to doctor Pelia.
"Look, man, this really isn't your place, eh? You haven't spoken to Pelia in years, you really hurt her, and now you expect me to just hand her over to you? Are you outta your mind?!" he said, anger rising in his tone. Aaron scoffed.
"I know and you know why I stopped talking to Pelia, so don't go blaming that on me, but as you can see I am the one who has come when she has been in trouble, twice now, so I think you can trust me to bandage a broken rib, wouldn't you say?" Aaron said, his tone stating to not fuck with him.
"What the hell are you talking about? I have no idea what you are talking about, I didn't cause you to stop talking to Pel, don't start making shit up to make yourself look good." Reid said, his body pulsing with anger as he stood to his feet at the bottom of the stairs. Aaron looked to him, his eyes wide in rage, as he jumped the last 5 steps of the stairs to stand directly in front of Reid.
"The fuck you don't know, you're one of them, of course you would know, you're the cause of it all!" he yelled, getting in Reid's face.
"Reid, what is he talking about? Aaron? What do you mean they caused it?" Pelia stated, at a loss, unsure of what was being said. How did this get turned to that time when Aaron stopped talking to her.
"Pelia, stay out of this!"
"Pelia, stay out of this!" yelled both Reid and Aaron at the same time, never once looking away from each other.
"look, maybe you hit your head or something, but you need to re-examine your past, man, cause I and my friends had nothing to do with what happened between you and Pelia. Don't use us to clear your conscience."
"You're the delusional one, Reid, or is it because you just don't want Pelia to know,"
"Stop talking about me like I am not standing two feet from you!" yelled Pelia standing up for the first time since the attack, and feeling slightly wobbly on her feet.
Reid and Aaron turned to look at Pelia, as if they had forgotten she was there. Reid looked at her sheepishly.
"Sorry, Pel, I-" Reid started, Pelia put up her hand.
"Reid, don't, just don't." she said, and then looked to Aaron, "Aaron, I think you should go, I do thank you for saving me yet again. I appreciate it more than you know, I knew that I could always count on you when I am in trouble; I have known that since we were kids. But we aren't kids anymore, and we aren't friends anymore. And I want you two to stop fighting, so, please Aaron, just go home," she said, her eyes sad. She hadn't wanted to make that decision, for Aaron to go, but she believed it was best for everyone. This way she wouldn't get her hopes up, and Reid wouldn't start a fight with him, for she knew that was what was coming next.
"Are you serious? Fine!" Aaron yelled, "I'm out of here, and don't call on me when you need someone, you better hope your so called friends are actually going to turn up for once," he said, his eyes filled with hurt and anger as he slammed the front door behind him.
"It had to be done, Pelia, you know that, we can't let him too close so he find out what we really are, and he seemed pretty determined to stay put," Reid said, staring at the door Aaron had just exited. Pelia sighed as she wiped a solitary tear off of her cheek. She tried to walk down the stairs to stand beside Reid but let out a shriek of pain as her broken rib protested the movement. Reid's head snapped back to Pelia as he rushed to her side.
"Pelia, holy crap, sit down," he said, as he guided her to sit on the stair, "at least this way I can use to heal you," he smirked as he closed his eyes. When he opened them they were black as night, and Pelia felt this tingly sensation as Reid touched her side. It took all of a few minutes, but when he was done Reid looked exhausted.
"Reid, thank you," Pelia said, placing her hand on his arm, as he smiled weakly.
"Sorry, it just makes me tired now, this close to ascending." He said, and gestured to her side, "how does it feel now?" Pelia smiled as she tenderly twisted from side to side.
"Feels as good as new," she said, as she got up off the stair and stretched out her hand to help Reid up.
"Thanks," he said as the two made their way down the stairs to the foyer.
"Where's Po?" Pelia dared to ask as the two went to sit on the couch in the living room. Reid sat down with a sigh.
"Well, he said for me to go and check things out and update him," Reid said. "Oh shit, I should probably call, but you haven't really told me what happened yet," he said, looking to Pelia. Pelia sighed.
"Well, it all started in the kitchen-" she started the story there, telling Reid all about how he had smashed the kitchen window, was stabbed by Pelia, and had almost chocked her to death. Throughout the story Reid's face continued to get redder with anger.
"I have to call Po," he said, abruptly getting up off of the couch and going to the next room for privacy. Pelia looked after him in anger, pissed that he still felt he needed to keep everything secret from her.
It wasn't a few minutes later when Pogue, Caleb and Tyler all came through the front door with so much force the door bounced against the wall, startling Pelia so much her breath caught in her chest.
"What are you guys doing here?" she asked. Caleb and Tyler went right over to her, concern evident on their faces, while Pogue milled around the front foyer, seemingly unsure of himself.
"What do you think we're doing here?" asked Tyler, as he sat beside her on the couch. Caleb knelt in front of her and grabbed her chin in his hands, expecting her neck.
"Wow, Pelia, that doesn't look very good," he said, letting her chin go. Pelia smirked.
"Well, it doesn't feel very good either," she said, prompting a small smile from Caleb. No wonder the girls went mental for this tall drink of handsome, that soft smile could melt any heart, Pelia thought to herself. Of course, Caleb was too much of a brother to her for her to really think that he was boyfriend material, besides, he was no Aaron….and where was her mind heading? Maybe she was in too much shock, as she was having all these weird thoughts. At that moment Reid came back in to the room.
"What took you guys so long?" he asked, putting his phone back in to his pocket. Pelia laughed out loud, but then looked to Reid's face. He was completely serious.
"Uh, Reid, they got here in like minutes, relax," Pelia said, a ghost of a smile still on her face. Reid took his spot back beside her on the couch, and placed her arm in the crook of his, smiling at her.
"Not fast enough, look Pelia, I am really sorry we -weren't here for you, I should have never left you alone, knowing that something was going on around here," Reid said, all seriousness. Tyler nodded in agreement.
"Yah, Pelia, we really don't want anything to happen to you, I hope that you know that," Caleb said from his position in front of her. Pelia smiled at him.
"I would never think otherwise." She said, placing a hand on his shoulder in reassurance.
"Good, now that that is settled, Pelia can you go up to your room so we can all talk," said Pogue from his position in the corner. Pelia looked to him.
"Po, come on, really?" said Reid, glaring at his friend. Pogue merely glared back.
"No," was all Pelia said in response, as she stared her brother right in the eye. "If you want privacy, and to shroud yourself in secrecy, then that is up to you, but I am not leaving," she said, firmly planting her feet on the ground.
"You will leave, if I have to force you, as I am not leaving this house, and leaving you unprotected, and I will not have you be a part of the Covenant, that is that," Pogue said with a point of finality.
"Screw you, Pogue," she said, crossing her arms, "I am not moving,"
Pogue shrugged his shoulders. "Fine," Pelia smiled at that single word he said, thinking she had won, until he started to come towards her, and she knew he was going to force her to go upstairs. Pogue grabbed her around the middle and picked her up off the couch, and started to carry her to the stairs.
"Po, really?" she screamed, kicking her legs, "What is the big damn deal? Put me down, right now!" Pogue ignored her protests, and set her down on her bed.
"Now stay put," he said, as he turned to leave. Pelia guffawed as she threw herself off of her bed, and raced to the door.
"Crap!" she expelled when the door knob would not budge, as Pogue had used to lock her in, "Pogue Parry you get your butt back here and unlock this door!" she yelled as she banged her fist angrily against her own door. She knew he wouldn't be back, when he did something he committed to it all the way, but it helped her expel some of that anger she was feeling. Pelia felt like a child who always needed protecting, and was never allowed to make her own decisions. If Pogue thought that she was just going to sit here and take this, he had another thing coming.
~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~**~~*~*~*~!*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~
"Pogue, what the hell!" yelled Reid as Pogue came down the stairs. Reid went to meet him at the bottom and pushed him, "you can't just treat people like that! Especially your own sister!"
Pogue merely glared at Reid as he went to walk past him. Reid let him, but made sure they bumped shoulders harshly.
"Reid, it has nothing to do with you, so just shut it, we have other stuff to discuss." He said as he sat down next to Tyler, sitting in the spot Pelia had just been rudely vacated from.
"No, Pogue, she is my concern, she is all of our concern!" he said, gesturing wildly with his hands, "she is our sister, and my best friend; she deserves and needs to be let in on everything. She has been almost killed twice, and both times someone from outside of the Coven saved her, what does that tell you about us," Reid's face was going red with anger. Pogue just sat there stoic, not moving, not showing emotion.
"She is my sister, not yours, so please don't start with that crap. It is my job to look out for her, and this is the only way I know how, we have to keep her as far away from all this as possible," Pogue said. Reid rolled his eyes, "But this," he said, gesturing to all four of them with his hand, "is catching up with her, she is being attacked because of us, it doesn't really matter if she knows or not, she is in it. Deep in it. And I personally feel that she would be better equipped to handle all this if she knew more about what was happening to her. Why people were after us and the ones we love." He said.
"Well that is the most sense I have ever heard you say," agreed Tyler, who then looked to Pogue, "Don't you think that it's time that we shared all of our secret with her. She gets that we have powers, but she has no idea what they do to us, or the history. She doesn't even know that she is an anomaly. That she never should have been born, as a female has never been born to our lines in centuries. She should be able to make her own decisions about all this, and whether or not she wants to be a part of it. You making the decision for her will only alienate you from her, pushing her farther and farther away. The problem is all this shit will still follow her, wherever she goes."
"Stop! All of you! I get where you're going with this, but ultimately it is a Parry family decision, and my dad said long ago that Pelia was never truly know what goes on in the Coven, and that's that," said Pogue vehemently. Caleb looked up at this comment.
"But is that really a decision he alone can make?" he asked simply, his brown eyes filled with genuine concern and thoughtfulness. Pogue looked down at his clasped hands, unable to answer right away.
a/n Thanks all for checking out my story. Please review if you get the chance, I really want to know what you think of Aaron in this new line of thinking. Thanks! Rainy.