Halestorm: A Shadowhunters Fanfiction

8.

Alyssa P.O.V
—-
I walked as far as my legs would let me go before they gave out. My whole world was shattering around me. I had been living with a brother and sister I didn't know about, my father now being uncovered. All the pain and hurt from my whole life springing to the surface once again.

"Alyssa!" Archer sprinted down the hall to get to me. I couldn't catch my breath. I gasped for air and nothing went through. I hadn't had a panic attack in a long time.

"Hey, it's okay. We're gonna be okay." He said. He pulled me into his side as I heard another body drop down next to me, rubbing my back. Isabelle spoke softly to me, talking me down while my brother held me.

"I'm so sorry, you guys. We had no idea." She said after I was able to breathe on my own again. I curled up, knees to my chest.

"It's not your fault." I said meekly. For 19 years, I thought my father wanted nothing to do with Archer and I. It hurt every time I thought about it and I had struggled with the idea of not being wanted by both parents. It crumbled my relationship with my mother and at times my siblings. Now to find out who he was, it was devastating.

"We need to talk about this." My mother came strolling to our side. Archer stood up, blocking her from my view.

"No. We don't. You just dropped this on us, no warning and no remorse. So, what? What's the point? Why now? You had 19 years." I could feel the heat coming off of Archer. I pulled myself off the ground and stood next to my brother.

"Let's go talk in private." I said quietly. Isabelle had gotten up off the floor and found Alec, who was coming towards us. Archer, my mother and I, ducked into a small room off the hallway, Allie slipping in just as we shut the door.

"Talk." Archer said. His way of dealing with hurt was to be angry.

"I'm so sorry I lied. I know I shouldn't of. But, I couldn't bring myself to work through what we had done and we're doing-"

"Were? How long had this been going on?" I asked. I sat down on the window bench.

—-
Archer P.O.V
"Were? How long had this been going on?" Alyssa asked before sitting down. I was fuming. I paced on the carpet.

"On and off for 20 years, before and after you were born." My mother answered.

"Unbelievable." I said. Alexandra stood up.

"Look, Arch, clearly this is hard for her. Maybe-"

"Hard for her? Are you listening to yourself, Al? She knowingly had an affair with a married man for 16 years, had two kids with him and still continued to see him!" I shouted. Alyssa stood up and grabbed me. She pulled me back a bit and I went to take her place on the window sill. I watched as she sat on the table in front of my mother, staring at her.

"Over the last 19 years, I believed my father was a deadbeat. That he didn't want anything to do with us. I cried myself to sleep growing up wondering what I ever did to make him not want to be in our lives. I wanted a father so damn bad to be like the rest of the kids around us. We needed one. To know that you knew exactly who it was and that you did something so awful is a huge slap in the face. Because of your selfish actions, Archer and I didn't get to have a father. You cheated us. Not only that, but you told Alexandra. You told her and not us." She said in a monotone. Her words stung. I watched as the tears ran down my mothers face. She broke eye contact with Alyssa.

"Low blow." Alexandra said. I stood up.

"Stay out of this. You're in just as deep as she is. You knew and you didn't tell us. You've always been on her side, no matter what." I glared at her. Alyssa looked our direction.

"You guys are taking this too far. Guilt trip? Really, Lyss? And you, Archer. Shouting? What's that gonna solve?" She raised her voice.

"It could have been solved a long time ago if you didn't keep this from us. Both of you. You don't understand. You had a dad." I said. Alexandra rolled her eyes and looked out the window.

"Now you're bringing that up?" She asked.

"He's right, Alex. You don't understand. You don't get to pretend like we're the bad guys when you have no idea what we feel or are going through."

"Enough. All three of you." Mom spoke. "Stop picking fights with each other. We're going to talk this out-"

"No. We aren't. I want you both to leave. I don't know about Alyssa, but I have no interest in seeing either one of you right now. You lied to us for years. You watched us struggle and heard us talk about what it would be like to even know who our dad was and to know now that you could have answered that question is a punch to the stomach." I said and opened the door.

"He's right. I think it's best you both leave." Alyssa said. She stood up and wrapped her arms around herself. My mom got up and walked out the door without another word. My sister stayed.

"Alexandra. Now." I said. She took a few steps forward, then looked between both of us.

"I've never been more disappointed in both of you guys. I get that it hurts, but treating mom that way is disgusting. I hope you're both ashamed." She finished her sentence as she pushed past me. I shut the door again just as Alyssa crumpled again. She sobbed. I sat with her and sobbed as well.