Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Chosen. Dallas Jenkins does and I am NOT making any money off of this. I only own my Original Characters. And none of the events with any of them happened in the Bible. Thank you and God Bless you.
TW: Eating Disorders, mild violence & miscarriage mentions
Three Hours Earlier
The four best friends had never been in fights before. Maya always held them together. She was the one who always told her friends to leave it alone and they listened. She didn't believe in violence. Her father had taught her that. But today it was Miriam whose buttons were pushed a little too far. And Maya's deepest secret revealed.
Amelia Pulcher was known as one of the most popular girls in school and she had a large following. Her father was a prominent CIA officer and everyone knew that he was the best in the business. He had been in town awhile investigating certain miracles and signs and Maya knew this as her father was the one doing all these signs and wonders.
But Amelia never gave up a chance to taunt the four girls on something that went on in their lives and today was no different.
"Oh look! It's the Holy Foursome!" Amelia exclaimed as Hanna slammed her locker and turned around to face the mean girl.
Maya quickly took her arm and held her back. "Don't let her get to you Hanna" she said now, gazing sharply at Amelia.
"Why don't you go on you're own way" Miriam said, her voice dangerously low and Maya held her back too. Only Rebekah was the one other girl who kept her cool. But she still stared Amelia down with anger.
"Poor little Maya" Amelia said now, looking the girl up and down now noticing her larger than normal sweatshirt that was her father's and her jeans that were a little too big on her.
"I wonder what will happen when you're daddy eventually gets arrested. He is a threat to the public peace. The Rabbis in the synagogue say so. I wonder how many pounds you will lose then just from separation anxiety?"
"Okay that is it!" Hanna exclaimed, but Maya held onto her arm even tighter.
"Hanna no!"
"Yeah Hanna! Listen to you're bestie. I do wonder what will happen when you're secret is uncovered as well" Amelia said with fake sympathy in her voice as Hanna's eyes widened in fear, making her freeze.
Miriam pulled away from Maya now, nailing Amelia right in the nose with her fist. Her father had taught her something. "Miriam!" All three girls exclaimed now just as their Principal came walking down the hall.
"You four!" he exclaimed, pointing to Maya and her friends. "My office now!"
Three Hours Later
"What were you girls thinking?" Simon exclaimed, looking at all four girls including his daughter who had ice on her knuckles.
All the parents were standing in the principal's office, some looking calm and some looking livid.
"Well she started it daddy!" Miriam exclaimed. "Amelia is always making jabs about us and I just got sick of it!"
"Well that does not give you the right to punch a girl Miriam!" Eden exclaimed.
"Why not!" she finally exploded. "Uncle Ibrahim and Uncle Jehoshaphat used to beat daddy up on a regular basis and you and grandma just let them get away with it!"
Both Eden and Simon backed up, eyes widened at what they're daughter was saying.
"Baby that is all just play!" Simon exclaimed now, rubbing his head a little.
"Well that's not what it looks like to me!"
"Okay what I want to know is why my usually level headed daughter lost her temper on a mean girl" Gaius said now as he looked at Hanna for an answer. She was silent, not wanting to give away the secrets that had been revealed.
Mary spoke up as well, looking at Rebekah. "Well? Young lady what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Mary, Rebekah just stood there" Maya said, her voice soft and quiet, but still loud enough for people to hear. Her eyes were trained on the sleeves of her sweatshirt, covering her arms well, so that not even her hands were showing.
Jesus noticed this and frowned. Something was off with his daughter. She had been isolating herself for weeks since they had gotten back from the Rosh Hashanah celebration in his hometown two months ago. It was time that he confronted her about it.
"We will talk at home Maya" he said softly, standing behind her, stroking her hair gently. He knew this was not her fault.
"And I held Hanna back as well" Maya said now, leaning back against her father, who brushed her tangled hair out of her face as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.
"Yeah it was all me" Miriam confessed. "These three had nothing to do with it."
The principal sighed, shaking his head. "Well in that case, Miriam you have detention for the rest of the week. And you three girls are fine. You are all free to take you're children home now."
The parents nodded and walked out with their kids.
Simon & Eden's Home
"Miriam I cannot believe that you would ever punch a girl!" Eden said now as the teenager sat on the couch, gazing up at her parents.
"Well there is a first time for everything!" she said sarcastically, leaning back against some pillows, crossing her arms.
"Lose the sarcasm young lady. Keep talking to us like that..." Simon said, a warning tone in his voice that he had never had to use on Miriam.
The girl sighed and looked out the window, avoiding her parents gazes now, her anger building by the minute. She was angry. Angry that she would get in trouble for fighting when her dad used to get into them all the time. She was angry at everything at the moment. Simon sat down next to Miriam now and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Sweetheart look at me. Miriam hey..." He took her face in his hands and turned her to face him, surprised to see hints of anger and sadness in her eyes as the tears fell.
"What is going on with you?" Simon asked softly now, wiping away her tears.
"It's what's going on with all of us daddy. We all have issues that we're leaning on eachother for and it's harder when our parents and our boyfriends are putting themselves in danger all the time. Even Hanna! Being a cop's daughter is not easy."
Eden sat down next to Miriam as well and rubbed her back. "And I guess being bullied doesn't help anything" she said softly.
The teenager shook her head and she leaned against her father's chest as he held her close in his arms. She was sobbing so hard now that she couldn't control it. He sighed and ran a hand through her hair now, looking over at Eden, who looked sad. No one said the situation would be easy, especially on four teenage girls who were best friends.
"Baby I know this has been hard on you" Simon said softly, kissing the side of her head. "Especially with what happened to you're mom while I was away and the way I treated you both when I found out about what happened to you're mom."
Miriam wiped at her eyes now as her mom handed her a tissue, kissing her head.
"It looks like we all need family therapy. Even one of the school counselors called me into her office one day worried about the 'stability' of our family. She's actually called all of us except Hanna into her office."
"Okay that's taking it too far" Simon said as Eden rolled her eyes, hugging her daughter now.
"And what business is it of their's anyway. It's not like we're all putting our children in danger. Going to hospitals and healing kids and adults. What is so wrong about that?"
Simon couldn't believe what he was hearing as he shook his head. Even both Maya and Rebekah had single parents and they're lives were almost perfect. These school counselors were just assuming things. Just because the girls had been pulled out of school for some missions didn't mean that they were bad parents. In fact all three girls were straight A students.
"I'm seriously considering the home school option" Eden said now as she rubbed her daughter's back, kissing her head.
"Yeah Mary and Jesus have been considering it too. With all that's going on it may be easier." Simon said, rubbing his eyes. "The last thing these girls need is bullying."
Mary's Home
"What was I thinking? Accusing you of starting a fight!" Mary said as she and Rebekah walked inside of their house. "You wouldn't hurt a fly!" The older woman dumped her purse on the couch and slumped down next to her daughter.
"I swear that school. The staff and faculty think they're such snobs that they have to pry into all of our personal lives! And these counselors! Thinking you girls are unstable."
Rebekah sighed and leaned against her mom, curling up now as she closed her eyes. "Personally that may have been the case before, but not now. I think I'm living my best life with the best mom."
Mary smiled and kissed her daughter's head, rubbing her back softly as she looked out the window now. "What if I homeschooled you?" she asked now
"Really?" Rebekah asked now as she looked up at her mom.
"We've all been considering it for you girls" she said now as she pushed her daughter's hair away from her face, placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Yeah that's fine. We can study anywhere we want then! No bullies allowed!"
Mary laughed and hugged her daughter tighter. "No more bullies for my kid!"
Rebekah's phone went off just then, making her sigh as she leaned over the end of the couch pulling it out of her purse.
John: What the heck is going on? Something about a fight? Maya looks like a wreck! I'm coming over babe.
The teenager laughed and sighed, leaning back against her mom. "Protective boyfriends alert activated."
"You girls are lucky" Mary said, laughing now. "I don't worry about you as much when you're with John you know?"
"Yeah he is pretty great" Rebekah said right as the doorbell rang. John practically lived next door, so the two saw eachother all the time.
She laughed as her daughter jumped up and ran to the door. Rebekah barely had time to say a word before she felt a pair of lips on her's as John pulled her close to him. She smiled into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck as Mary shook her head and walked upstairs, giving the two some privacy.
Gaius's Home
"I don't think I have ever seen my girl so fired up in my life" Gaius said, wrapping an arm around his daughter as they walked up the stairs and into the house.
The two of them had been silent on the way home, but Hanna knew she wasn't in trouble. Her father knew that Hanna didn't start fights unless provoked. When he had first seen his daughter in the principal's office, he saw this scared look in her eyes. As if she was about to lose something she loved. And he knew the reason why.
"Yeah well that girl pushes buttons" she said as she sat down on the stairs as her phone went off. She pulled it out of her pocket and couldn't help but smile now.
Quintus: Baby what happened? My place tonight? Say 8:00?
Hanna: Long story. Let me spend some time with daddy first and then I will be over! xoxo
Hanna put her phone in her bag now as her dad sat down next to her, wrapping her in his arms. She smiled and leaned into his chest as he kissed her cheek gently, placing his chin on her head. They stayed silent for a couple minutes before Gaius spoke up again.
"Hanna? Why have you looked so scared all day?" he asked gently, kissing her forehead as he reached into her purse for her phone, showing her the picture on her background of her and Quintus. "Could it be this?"
Hanna's eyes widened now. "Daddy I can explain..."
"Hanna it's fine. You're eighteen anyway" he said handing her back the phone as he pulled her back into his arms.
She smiled now and visibly relaxed into her dad's arms, closing her eyes. "How did you even find out?" she asked now, looking up at him.
"I have my sources. Is that what that girl was holding over you're head?"
"Yeah. She's actually Atticus' daughter so..." Hanna rolled her eyes. "It made me freeze when I found out that she knew."
"Okay the other parents have me convinced now. You're being homeschooled from now on. No Latin class or bullies for you if that happens."
"Thank you!" she exclaimed, kissing her dad's cheek happily, rubbing her nose against his.
"You're welcome sweetie. Now go on and get ready for that date I know you have tonight." Gaius said now as she got up, squeezing his hand gently before rushing upstairs.
Zebedee's Home
Jesus had carried Maya all the way to the car on the way out of school as she looked as though she were about to collapse at any moment. On the way home, he ocassionally looked over at the girl. She had fallen asleep almost immediately as he started driving. She looked so pale and sick. How could he not have noticed this before?
It only took ten minutes to get home and just as he parked in the driveway, Matthew, Nathaniel and John came running out of the house each going in every direction. One next door and the other across the street. Jesus watched as John pulled Rebekah into a kiss and over to Nathaniel who lifted Miriam into his arms as she cried into his shoulder. Simon was watching from the doorway, the ever protective father.
Matthew stood at the door now, looking just as worried now as Jesus got out of the car before walking around to the passenger side, lifting Maya back into his arms. He now noticed how light she felt now as he carried her to the house. Something was up.
"Give us some time Matthew" Jesus said as the younger man nodded his head, looking down at Maya. He kissed her forehead gently before Jesus carried her upstairs.
She stirred a little now, clutching at his shirt. "Daddy?" she whispered tiredly.
"I'm right here baby" he whispered softly as he kissed her cheek, laying her down on her bed in the guest room next to his.
"Maya we need to talk" he said softly, sitting down next to her as he took one of her hands. "What is going on? You have been like this for two months. And why are you wearing a sweatshirt when it's a hundred degrees outside?"
The teenager bit her lip and avoided her father's gaze, but Jesus turned her face gently so that she was looking at him, his hand moving to her hair, stroking it gently.
Maya sat up now pulling her sweatshirt off to reveal a t-shirt underneath and Jesus gasped. His breathing almost stopped for a minute. "Maya..."
He could barely believe what he saw. He never thought that his strong, little Maya would ever resort to a coping skill like this.
Tears formed in her eyes now as her father pulled her against him as she sobbed into his shoulder for the first time in two months. "This is all too much daddy..." she managed to get out now as he rubbed her back gently, kissing her cheek once more.
"What's too much baby?" he asked worried now.
"I heard you and grandma when we were staying with her. I heard you daddy. I heard you say you won't be around much longer. And today at school...Amelia said you would be arrested and that you were a threat."
She sobbed brokenly as her father held her tighter now, rocking her back and forth in his arms. He kissed her cheek and her head, tears filling his own eyes as she continued to cry. She was practically clinging to him as if he would disappear at any moment. Obviously this girl at school knew what buttons to push as he had been arrested two months ago as well.
"It hurts daddy!" she managed to get out now as he rubbed her back.
"Baby shh..." he whispered softly, taking her face in his hands. "Calm down sweetheart. You're having a panic attack.." He could feel her heart racing and her breathing intensify.
"I don't want to lose the one man next to Matthew who ever loved me!"
Jesus tightened his arms around his little girl but not too tightly as she placed her head on his shoulder. He could feel the intense pain that his daughter was in as he wiped away some of his own tears.
"I'm right here Maya" he said softly, brushing her hair away from her face before wiping her tears away as best he could. "You are not losing me. At least not right now."
She tried to take some deep breaths, shivering a little as she snuggled closer into his arms. She was cold. It wasn't a bad case and he was lucky that he caught this early. If he hadn't been so persistant that afternoon, things may have gotten worse.
Jesus noticed this and grabbed her blanket, wrapping it around them both as he continued to hold her, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. After a few minutes, he lay back on the bed, pulling her to lay beside him as he kissed her head, rubbing circles onto her back.
"Maya why didn't you come to me?" he asked softly. "Did you think you would get in trouble for overhearing?"
"Well yeah...Most kids do get in trouble for that."
"Not my kid" Jesus said now as he hugged her gently as she wrapped her arms around him, hiding her face in his shoulder. "Maybe it's good that I'm thinking of homeschooling you."
"Seriously?" Maya asked, looking up at him now as he smoothed her hair down a little, brushing it out of her face.
"Not just for this. But for the bullying also. And as for what you heard me talking to you're grandmother about..."
He kissed her forehead gently as she snuggled against him. "Yes Maya. I won't lie to you. I will die, but you'll have Matthew and all these other people who love you. You won't be alone. I know that doesn't make things any better baby, but I want to be honest with you and not hide anything anymore.
Maya nodded and wiped at her eyes, but the tears just kept coming. She had hidden them for so long. He wiped them away gently, kissing her cheek softly as he placed her head back on his chest.
"I love you so much Maya. You have brought me so much joy and you may not be my biological daughter, but I love you all the same."
"I love you too daddy" she said softly. Her tears were slowing down now as she slowly closed her eyes, hiding her face in his shirt as he ran his fingers through her hair, kissing her cheek.
"Get some sleep little lamb" he whispered softly. "I'm not leaving you."