The Fate Of The Marked

Chapter Fourteen

When Jane got home from work, I was still in the same place. I saw her drive up and go to the front porch. I sighed. The quiet had been nice. I instantly felt guilty for the thought, and then for the danger I was putting them in. I waited until she came to get me for dinner before I moved. Derek was already in the living room, watching TV. He smiled at me, but didn't quiet meet my gaze. I helped set the table, feeling more and more nervous. Jane kept giving me looks.

It wasn't brought up until after we had ate and moved into the living room. Jane gestured me to sit in between Derek and her. Derek gave her a dark look and moved so I could sit beside him, as far away from Jane as possible. I sat on the very edge, heart pounding, ready to run for the stairs. I had a feeling this wasn't going to be a good conversation.

Jane cleared her throat. Derek sighed and threw his arm over the back of the couch behind me.

"Elliot." She said. "One of the agreements of you coming to stay with us was that you would talk about what happened that made you repress your memories."

I could feel how tense Derek was. It put me on edge. He was normally the calm one. I didn't really have a problem talking to them about things, because I honestly couldn't remember. I wouldn't have to lie.

"So," Jane said, fidgeting with her shirt, "You have an appointment tomorrow, with Dr. Slade. He's the therapist Dr. Roberts recommended you to."

I didn't move, even though I just wanted to bolt up the stairs and lock myself in my room. The shrink would know I was lying. What would happen if he asked me something I knew the answer to? I was a terrible liar for the most part. He would see right through anything I said. Without thinking, I moved over a little, away from the adults. Twenty steps, at the most. I could be on the second floor before they even moved and lock myself there until late tomorrow. After all, I had a bathroom and plenty of books. Instead, I forced myself to sit back. Derek put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed lightly, as if he knew what it cost me to stay still.

"It'll only be for an hour." Jane said. "Honestly, Derek, Why couldn't you have told him. Now I'm the bad guy."

There was a long silence.

"Elliot." Derek said calmly. "Go upstairs and get ready for bed. I'll be up to talk to you in a few minutes."

I looked at the clock. It was only eight thirty, but I didn't have to be told twice. I ran all the way up the stairs before I stopped. I had to know what was going on. I opened and slammed my door, as if I had gone inside it, before creeping back to the bottom floor. I sat in the same place I had the other day, when Luka and Caius came to "check up" on me. I could see Derek's shadow pacing back and forth across the living room.

"I still don't think he should have to go, Jane." He said. "You see how jumpy he is now, even when we don't pressure him. It won't help anything."

"We don't have a choice." Jane said. "You heard Dr. Roberts. He has to do this. It's mandatory. I talked to Christi, and Max has to go too. Lula and Warren weren't going to make him, but social services showed up to their house and gave them a warning, saying if they interfered with his "emotional health" again, they would remove him from their care. I just don't want that to happen to us. "

"He doesn't remember. You can tell when you ask him something about when he was younger. He doesn't even know when his birthday is! There's no way he's just a good liar." Derek said, exasperated. "What if this just makes it worse?"

Jane was silent for a second.

"Maybe we can give an excuse. He does have school on Friday, but we can't do that forever. We'll have to face this again at some point. And we cant disobey Dr. Roberts. We're lucky he let Elliot come with us in the first place. I don't like it anymore than you do, but he'll have to grit his teeth and get through it. He doesn't even have to talk if he doesn't want to." She said.