Author's note: Hello! It's been a while, hasn't it? No excuses really, other than being busy with college and then having no motivation to write. But I want to get back into it now so here I am. I hope you'll forgive me.

This isn't an exciting chapter, and it's probably not very good, but it's gonna take me a short while to get back into the hang of it and back into my character's minds. Please leave reviews so I know that people are still reading! :)

17th November 2013

"Xav, stop!"

"You can't just take her into the house-"

"She's a Hawk; we can't trust her-"

"Why didn't you tell us about her being your soulfinder?"

"I can't believe this bullshit-"

"Stop, Xavier-"

Xav didn't stop. His only thoughts were of Ireland, of what she'd said and how bad a state she was in. How could his family expect him to be thinking of something other than that?! It was absurd. He didn't care that they were following behind him as he rushed into the house, Ireland in his arms and cradled to his chest.

He shoved the front door open with his shoulder and went into the living room, laying Ireland down on the sofa. He stood beside her, looking down at her and breathing heavily.

Was what she said true? Had her father really locked her away for days? He was pretty sure something like that had happened based on how bad Ireland looked. Was it true that her father was forcing her to work for him and work against the Net when it wasn't what she really wanted to be doing with her life? Xav wasn't naïve enough to think straight away that she was telling the truth about her needing his help; he knew it could just be another one of her lies. It did sound too good to be true... But he couldn't stop himself from hoping that this was the start of his future with his soulfinder.

"Xav..." His family were around him, looking at both him and Ireland cautiously. It was obvious they had no clue what to do in this situation. "Xav, please talk to us." It was his mother who spoke first, breaking the tense silence. "Is it true? Is she really your soulfinder?"

It was only when he turned to his left to look at Karla and noticed she was blurry that he realised he was crying. "Yeah," he said in a shaky voice, "it's true. I've known since me and Uri were kidnapped. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I didn't want to because I didn't want it to be true. We've only met up once since then-"

"You met up with a Hawk without any backup? Are you fucking crazy?"

Xav continued as if Will hadn't interrupted him. "-And it didn't go so well. She's... Well, I don't know what she is expect for the fact there's something wrong with her mind. I don't know what but she was asking for my help. Will you all please stop looking at me like that?! I'm not going to turn evil just because of her! We don't even get along. At all. We hate each other. But she's still my soulfinder, I have to give her a chance!"

"Son, we're not saying that we don't want you to give your soulfinder a chance," Saul said calmly, pausing for a moment before he continued. "But this is Ireland Hawk. She's a murderer, a criminal just like her father. The Hawk's have been after our family for years because of what we did to the rest of them. It's just not a good idea at all to have her in our family home, we can't allow it. I'm sorry but we have to think of the safety of all of us, not just her."

"Dad, what are you saying?" Xav asked slowly, anger rushing through him. Clenching his fists, he glared at his father. He understood where Saul was coming from but still – it wasn't fair! All the other soulfinders were allowed into the house, were welcomed with open arms, but they weren't going to let Ireland in even when she was ill? "I don't know if we can trust her either but I really don't believe she'll hurt one of us-"

"There's no guarantee of that." Saul's voice was flat and strict, the tone he used when he was laying down the law and they were not to argue with him. "Heal her and give her some strength, and then I want her out of this house. Now."

Xav sighed and fell to his knees, defeated. Facing Ireland, he brushed a strand of her hair gently out of her face before calling on his power to heal her, to take away her dehydration and give her strength from the malnourishment. It was an easy job, although it took longer than he expected because she was worse than he thought. How could her father do this to her? How could anybody do this to her? Xav would never let anybody starve to death, even his most hated enemies.

Feeling exhausted, he lowered his hand from her face and glanced up at his dad. "I can't just kick her out. She came to me for help, dad. I might not like her very much but we're connected and I can't change that and I have to at least give her a chance. Maybe I could take her to Vick's or-"

Saul quickly shook his head. "You're an idiot if you think Victor will let her into their home after what Ireland and her dad did to Hazel; he'll be furious that she was even in this house with us. And Trace won't let her anywhere near Georgie and the kids."

"Then Uriel-"

"Uriel was kidnapped along with you! She tortured him, why would he let her anywhere near him again? Xav, your soulfinder is not a good person and there has to be consequences for her actions – these are her consequences, not having anywhere to go when she needs help."

"I feel so sorry for you," Karla said, so much sadness and bitterness in her voice. "You deserve to be happy, you deserve a perfect soulfinder. Yet you've ended up with her. Yes you're connected with her, but don't let yourself get anymore involved with her, Xav. Please. In the end she's just going to hurt you. And I can tell you now that there is no chance in hell that we will ever let her into this family. Get rid of her now and maybe over time you'll move on and be happy with somebody else.

"Ireland Hawk is no good for you Xav, and she never will be. Now please get her out of my house before I kill her for what she did to my family. She is not welcome here."

18th November 2013

When Ireland awoke, she was on a comfortable mattress, wrapped up in a thick, soft duvet. Already she felt a lot better, and she guessed that was due to Xav's work. Sitting up, she looked around and didn't recognise where she was. It looked like a sort of guest room, the walls white and everything clean without any personal possessions anywhere. She heard voices coming from the other side of the door and quietly climbed out of the bed, surprised to find herself dressed in a boy's t-shirt and shorts that were far too big on her.

Her first thought was that she desperately needed a shower. Her second thought was that she was so glad her plan had worked and that Xav had let her into the house, had decided to trust her. God, it was far too easy to manipulate him, she thought to herself with amusement. She ignored the other voice telling her that it was wrong to do this when Xav was being so nice to her.

She walked over to the door, pressing her head against it to try and hear the conversation occurring outside the room.

"-understand where they're coming from," Xav's familiar voice was the first that she heard. "Of course I do. So I know I can't hate them for it, even if I am a little bitter. I guess it's just because I wish things were different, that they would accept her. Really, I just wish I had a different soulfinder."

Ouch. That stung to hear. Ireland knew that she couldn't have a future with him – she didn't even want a future with him, as she kept reminding herself – but really, who actually liked to be rejected? Maybe getting close to the Benedict family wouldn't be as easy as she thought it would be, especially if even Xav felt such hatred towards her. Which she couldn't say surprised her considering their history and her actions against him, but still.

"Anyway," Xav spoke again. "Thanks for letting me bring her here, Uriel. I'm surprised you said yes, actually."

"Me too," the other person – Uriel, Xav's brother, the one Ireland remembered torturing – replied. "But then I just thought to myself what I would do if I were you, and I'd probably be doing the same thing. I get that you want to give Ireland a chance to prove that she wants to be on our side, not her dad's, but... Just be careful, Xav. People like that, a lot of them can't change. Ireland was brought up to be the way she is, remember that. She's been like this for her whole life, it might be too late for her to change."

Xav's response was so quiet that Ireland only just heard what he said: "I'm fully aware of that. I'm just hoping that I'll be enough for her, that she'll want to change for me. But I don't have my hopes up, don't worry."

Ireland had heard enough. She didn't think she could stand to listen to them talk about her for one second longer. She opened the door and walked into the living room connected, where both brothers went silent where they sat on the sofa.

"Um, hey," she said awkwardly, trying not to meet their eyes as she looked at them. She had to make the act convincing, after all.

"Hey." Xav stood up, looking awkward himself like he didn't know whether to move closer to her or what to even say to her. Eventually he settled with: "how are you feeling?"

"Better." She looked around at the living room, taking in the shades of blue and grey that decorated the room. No feminine touches to the room; a proper bachelor's pad.

Noticing her attention to the room, Xav cleared his throat and said, "I thought it'd be better if we weren't surrounded by my whole family, so Uriel said we could stay at his flat for a bit."

A small, sad smile appeared on Ireland's face as she finally met Xav's eyes. "Let me guess, your family wouldn't let me stay in the house because of who I am?"

Xav looked away, this time it being him not wanting to meet her eyes. "Er, well... Yeah," he admitted to his lie, giving her an apologizing look. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize," she shook her head. "I wouldn't expect them to want to play happy families with me. After everything I've done I'm surprised even you're talking to me. When I asked for your help to get away from my dad, I honestly didn't think you'd say yes. So thanks, I really appreciate it."

Xav shrugged, a soft smile on his face. "It's nothing." His reply surprised Ireland. Clearly he felt uncomfortable and unsure of the situation, otherwise he would be his usual cocky self and crack a joke. This quiet, nervous side of him was one that she hadn't seen yet and she wasn't sure whether or not she liked it. "But we have a lot to talk about, especially if you're going to stay with us."

"Definitely," she nodded. "Do you mind if I have a shower first though? I feel horrible."

"Sure, of course. There's a bathroom attached to the guest room you were in. Just put those clothes back on afterwards, yours are in the wash at the moment. I um, had to undress you while you were out cold, I hope you don't mind."

Actually, she did mind. She barely knew the guy, she didn't want his hands all over her body. She thought of Noel, the guy she occasionally slept with even though they had no relationship and nothing in common other than the fact they both worked for her father and realised it was a bit hypocritical for her to have a go at Xav just for changing her out of those horrible clothes that had been stuck to her body. So instead she shook her head and said, "it's fine. Thanks, I guess."

Ireland turned around and walked a few steps back towards the bedroom before stopping and turning to face the brothers again. "Listen, I know that this will probably mean nothing to either of you and I don't expect it to, but I have to say it. I... I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry for torturing you and letting my dad and his men torture you as well. I've done a lot of things that I regret, things that my dad forced me into doing but that I didn't fight with him about as much as I should have, and I wish I could take it all back. I know you can't forgive me for what I did, but I want you to know that I genuinely am sorry. Really."

The brothers didn't answer at first, both looking at her in shock. Clearly they hadn't expected an apology from a Hawk.

"You're right; I can't forgive you right now," Uriel answered, his tone suggesting that he was holding back some anger. "I don't know if I ever will. But I appreciate the apology."

Ireland nodded, looking over at Xav. Say something, she silently pleaded. Come on, Xav.

After what felt like a long thirty seconds, he shook his head. "I don't want your apology, I don't care about that. If you were forced into it I can't hold your actions against you and there's nothing to forgive you for... Go get a shower, we'll talk everything through afterwards, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed and went back into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

As she stepped into the en-suite bathroom, she smiled to herself smugly. Already Xav was starting to believe her and even though she wasn't in the Benedict house like she'd hoped to be, she was at least in the home of one of them. Getting on the good side of all the family was definitely not going to be an easy task but this was a start.

Her father would be proud of her when he found out, she just knew he would.

A hint about the next chapter: Ireland explains herself to Xav.