"There is something pagan in me that I can not shake off. In short, I deny nothing, but doubt everything.

--Lord Byron.
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Once I'd bawled my eyes out, in rapturous delight of my brother's second coming, I found myself reminiscing the tragic occurances of ten years ago. All the blood, darkness and pain, came rushing past the defences that I'd built over the years, and bought along, an overwhelming sense of agony.

The boys had been absolutely petrified at the sight of my tears, and would've, I'm sure, put my brother six feet under the ground, had they not been scared shitless to instigate my wrath any further.

"Leave.", I drawled, but no one made a move.

I took in a deap breath, and looked at Ethan.

"Unless to want me to move out, you'll take your squad and leave."

That did it. He drew back, and elbowed the others to do the same. Everyone obliged, except Theo, who stood firmly rooted to his spot, and crossed his arms, in defiance to the idea of leaving me alone. Lovely. Had the circumstances been different, I wouldn't hesitate to tease him relentlessly for the adorableness of his antics, but since I had much pressing matters at hand, he needed to leave.

"Theodore, love, you need to leave. I can see that you are worried, and while I appreciate the sentiment, it isn't required. I've known this man all my life, and I assure you, he's as harmless as they come. "

"Yeah, right. All your life.", came my conscience's facetious rejoinder, and I flinched inwardly at the intented pun.

Theo must have read the desperation behind my cold facade, since he, for once, didn't contend my statement, and retreated with the others. I heaved a sigh of relief, and redirected my attention towards my brother, who, ever since the effusive reunion, hadn't glanced away for a second.

"Drinking in my features, huh, brother?", I half smiled at him, to which he chuckled lightheartedly, and nodded gracefully.

"You can't blame me though. The last time I saw you, you barely reached my waist."

"What? No! I distinctly remember crossing your shoulder, by a good few inches." I reproved good naturedly.

"Yeah, sure. And I believe, it's still the case now, huh?" He said, before pulling me up, and staring down at me smugly. I glared at him, but he knew as well as I did, that anger was the last thing, I was feeling right now.

The innocuous banter bubbled my heart with such joy, that I suddenly realised, just how colourless my life'd been without him. And my family.

"How did you manage to survive?", I forced the words out, as I stared into his deep, brown eyes. I needed to know. I needed to know, how my supposedly dead brother was standing in front of me. With his hands, and legs, and head, still intact.

I wanted to know, if maybe, just maybe, the others had been just as lucky as him, and if, there was still a possibility, however slight, to get my family back togther.

A pained chuckle followed my question, and that was the only reply I got. Until much later, when I heard a faint whisper,"Who said I survived?"

A sharp pain shot through my chest. Father. It had to be him. The reason behind my brother's distress.

And mine.

"He got to you, didn't he? That bastard!", I shouted on top of my lungs, as my body shook violently, with barely restrained rage.

"There's so much you don't know, Hera, and I'm afraid, I can do nothing to change that. No! please, let me continue..", he shut me off, just as I was about to express my extreme aversion, to the notion of being in dark. "Don't put much thought into things that don't concern you, and focus on school. I'll try to keep him away from you, for as long as I can."

"But.."

"No, buts. Forget you saw me today, and go back to how things were. I'll come for you, when the time comes."

I nodded pensively.

"That's actually a brilliant idea, dear brother. Why celebrate the arrival of someone, who's come with the intention of leaving? And don't worry about me. I'll erase the past hour from my life, and go back to being the same pathetic little girl, who still mourns her dead family of ten years."

He took in a sharp breath, and reached for me.

"Hera.."

I stepped away. He'd no fucking clue of the anguish he'd put me through.

Just after filling my heart with inexpressable bliss.

"Leave. Just leave okay. I don't have anything to say to you. I'm glad you're alive, and hope that you make the best out of life."

"And yes, remember that I'll always love you.", I said, and turned with the intention of walking away from him. For good.

My name echoed. Again and again. But I turned a deaf ear towards it.

"He said he would harm you, if I breathed a word about his plan to anyone, Hera."

This caught my attention, and I halted mid-step.

"I'm not saying I'm abandoning you. I could never do that. Not when I've just found you. But that man's an arsehole, and we need to be careful. The lesser you know, the safer you'll be."

"So you aren't leaving me?", I murmered in a small voice.

He stroked both my cheeks lightly, and stared at me fondly.

"Could I ever?"

I now understood his reasons. He wasn't leaving me. He was just trying to find a way to keep me forever. Relief flooded my senses, as he pulled me towards him, and embraced me tightly.

As much as I wanted to know about the missing bits of my life, I didn't want to force it out of him. He'd do it voluntarily, and I just hoped he wouldn't take much time.

Patting my back slightly, he released me, and asked for my phone number, which I gladly gave after extracting a promise of staying in touch.

"Now go before your minions come after me." He said and shooed me away dramatically.

"Minions?"

"Yup. The ones who've been hiding behind that wall, all this while."

I spinned around swiftly, in hope of finding the accused, but came up with none.

"But, I don't see anyone."

"Give it a minute, and one of them will pop their head out."

But I didn't have to wait for another minute. Just a few seconds later, Elijah peeped out from behind the wall, followed by James, who clung to the former, like a baby monkey to his mum, making them both stumble due to the misbalance. Theo stepped out, and smacked the back of both their heads, before glancing timidly in my direction.

I tried to send a severe glare his way, but my lips cracked into a smile, before breaking into a full fledged laughter. Theo took a visible sigh of relief, causing me to laugh even harder.

These boys!

Beside me, my brother asked,

"Which one's yours?"

"I beg your pardon?", I looked at him incredulously.

"Don't act like you didn't hear me, darling.", he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and it took everything in me, to not hit him across the head.

You just met him today, Hera. After ten long years. Don't lose your calm. Don't. Lose. Your. Fucking. Calm.

I opened my mouth to retaliate, subtly of course, but the words died in my throat, as another voice beat me to the chase.

"I am.", resonated the authoritative voice of Theo fucking Wilkinson, making my eyes buldge out of their sockets.

Great. Just great.