Painted in Fate

Chapter 9: Shattered Pieces

The silence between them stretched unbearably, like the calm before an inevitable storm. Babe's mind raced, filled with emotions he could barely understand, let alone articulate. How could he even begin to process what Billy had just said? The man in front of him—the one whose presence both hurt and comforted him—might have been the cause of his pain in another life.

But even now, there was no anger. Just confusion, a gnawing ache that twisted through his chest like a tightly wound knot. Could he really hold Billy accountable for something that happened in a life neither of them could remember fully?

Billy, on the other hand, felt the weight of his own words crushing down on him. He had said it—admitted that, in some way, he believed he was responsible for the tragedy that had befallen Babe's past self. But he didn't know all the details yet. His memories were fragmented, flashes of emotion and images that didn't make sense. The guilt, however, was too real to ignore.

"I think we should take a step back," Babe finally whispered, breaking the silence. His voice trembled slightly, betraying the calm expression he tried to hold. "I don't know if I can process this right now."

Billy's heart sank. The space between them felt impossibly wide despite how close they stood. "I understand," he said, though the words tasted bitter. Every instinct told him to close the distance, to explain, to make things right. But he knew Babe needed space—time to figure out what all of this meant.

Babe took a step away, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I don't think I can forgive you... not until I know what really happened."

Billy nodded, though the words stung more than anything else. He had been prepared for this—prepared for the possibility that Babe might never forgive him. But hearing it made it real. It was like a punch to the gut.

"I don't expect you to," Billy said quietly, his voice strained with the weight of unspoken sorrow. "But I'll find out what happened. I owe you that."

Before either of them could say more, another wave of memories hit Billy—harder this time, clearer. He gasped, gripping the edge of a nearby bench to steady himself as the images flooded his mind.

Fire. Screams. The overwhelming scent of blood and ash. And Babe—standing amidst the flames, his eyes filled with both love and betrayal. There were words, sharp and cutting, words that felt like they had been carved into Billy's very soul.

"You did this to us. You killed us."

The words echoed in his mind, each syllable striking like a blade. Billy's heart raced, his breathing shallow as the memory consumed him.

Babe, sensing the change in Billy's demeanor, hesitated. "What's happening to you?" he asked, his voice edged with concern.

"I—" Billy started, but the words stuck in his throat. He couldn't bring himself to say what he had just seen. The guilt was too heavy, the memory too raw.

Before Billy could respond, another fragment of memory flashed through Babe's mind. It wasn't as clear as Billy's, but it was enough to make his heart lurch painfully in his chest.

Billy... running toward him, desperation etched across his face, only to find the ruins of a life destroyed. And Babe... lying in the center of it all, bloodied and broken.

The scene shifted, becoming even more distorted, but one thing remained constant: the overwhelming sense of betrayal. The last thing Babe remembered in that memory was looking into Billy's eyes as everything faded away, the betrayal so fresh and vivid it nearly drowned him.

He gasped, stumbling back as the memory vanished, leaving behind an empty, hollow feeling.

"I... I saw it too," Babe whispered, his voice barely audible.

Billy looked up, meeting Babe's eyes with a mixture of shock and sorrow. "What did you see?"

"Fire. Blood." Babe's voice wavered. "I saw you... running toward me. But it was too late."

The weight of their shared memories hung between them, thick and suffocating. Neither knew what to say, but the pain was palpable.

Babe clenched his fists tighter, his nails digging into his palms as he struggled to keep himself grounded. He didn't know how to make sense of all this—the memories, the feelings, the overwhelming sense of loss. It was all too much.

"We were both there," Babe murmured, more to himself than to Billy. "In another life. We... we loved each other."

Billy's chest tightened at the admission, but there was no comfort in it. The love they had shared in that past life was tainted by tragedy, and now, standing here with Babe, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were doomed to repeat that same cycle of heartbreak.

"But I was the reason you died," Billy said quietly, the words barely escaping his lips.

Babe didn't respond right away. He wanted to deny it, to tell Billy that it wasn't true, but deep down, he knew there was some truth to it. The fragments of memory were too real, too painful to ignore. And yet, despite everything, he couldn't bring himself to hate Billy.

"Maybe," Babe whispered, his voice hollow, "but we don't know everything yet."

Billy swallowed hard, his throat tight with emotion. "I'll find out. I'll make sure you know the truth."

Before Babe could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He fumbled to pull it out, grateful for the distraction. It was a message from Nana.

Nana's Message

Hey, babes! You've been MIA lately.
Just checking in to make sure you haven't joined a cult or something.
If you need me, I'll be at our spot. Love ya! 💖

Babe couldn't help but smile, the familiar lightness of Nana's message cutting through the tension, if only for a moment. He glanced at Billy, who was watching him with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"It's Nana," Babe explained, slipping the phone back into his pocket. "He's wondering where I've been."

Billy nodded, though his mind was still heavy with the weight of their conversation. He wanted to ask more, to push Babe for answers, but he knew better than to overwhelm him right now.

"Maybe we should both take a break," Billy suggested, his voice soft but firm. "Let this all settle for a bit."

Babe hesitated before nodding in agreement. "Yeah... maybe."

As they parted ways, both Babe and Billy were left with a sense of unease. The memories were coming faster now, more vivid with each passing moment. And with them came the painful truth that their connection wasn't just about love—it was also about loss, betrayal, and heartbreak.

Billy couldn't shake the feeling that his uncle was somehow tied to all of this, but he didn't have the answers yet. He would find them, though. He owed Babe that much. And maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to break the cycle of pain that had bound them together for so long.

As Babe walked away, he glanced down at his phone again, rereading Nana's message. A brief smile crossed his lips, but it quickly faded. Despite Nana's light-hearted tone, Babe couldn't shake the feeling that something much bigger was lurking just beneath the surface of everything that was happening.

And somehow, he knew it wouldn't be long before those shadows came to light.