Everlasting Family

Lucian Taylor- Chapter 14

Clarksville, Tennessee- 1882- Lucian Taylor

Chapter 13

"North, we need to give him the option," Sean insists. "He should be allowed to choose as you were."

"He is not ready!" North yells, though that really is his usual volume.

I continue to hide around the corner as Mr. Blackbourne, Sean, North, and Silas discuss what I should and should not know about. What they don't realize is that I found out their secret when I was ten years old.

I heard them talking on my tenth birthday about the right time to tell me about the spring and the fact that none of them will ever age or die. They spoke of the Academy and the fact that they couldn't trust a ten year old too keep it a secret.

Even back then I was sneaky. It drives the guys crazy that I can move around unnoticed. They never seem to hear or see me if I don't want them to. It comes in handy when I want to hear conversations they don't think I should be a part of.

I love North, he is more like a brother than a father even though he raised me. He and Silas both made sure I became a good person and had an amazing childhood. We did move around a lot, but that never bothered me. I had my family and I have always been happy.

North made sure I knew about my parents and how amazing they were. Sean once told me how he and Mr. Blackbourne found us. I will never be able to thank my brothers for saving me. All four of them. I made my choice about joining the Academy years ago.

It was an easy decision really. I love helping others. We are always on some project or another, helping people in need. It is exhilarating and rewarding. I would never consider moving on without my brothers. They are all I have. There is no real reason for me to turn away from the Academy. Some people may want to grow old and live out their lives, but not me.

Holding the small vial I lifted off Silas, I twist it in my hands. Part of me wants to do this without telling them that I know. But that feels too dishonest. I don't want to deceive them, I just want them to understand this is what I want.

Suddenly coming up with a plan, I pocket the vial and stomp into the room. I want them to know I am coming. They don't disappoint when I walk into the room and all conversation stops.

"Luke, is everything alright?" Silas asks, sounding concerned. "You don't look happy."

I shake my head and sit down next to North. "You are my brother," I start, keeping eye contact with him as he frowns at me.

"I don't think I like where this is going," he mumbles, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"North, I know," I tell him quietly, looking from him to the rest of the guys. "I have known for years now. I have spent eight years thinking about what I want to do, what choice I would make when you all finally told me about the Academy."

Eyes widen and gasps sound around the room. They seem nervous and almost guilty. "Luke, we were going to tell you," Sean insists, rubbing the back of his neck and giving me a sheepish smile. "North just wasn't sure you were ready. He wants you to have a normal life if that's what you want, we all do."

I nod, and place my hand on North's shoulder. "I understand, North. But the Academy is where I belong because that is where you all are. Please understand when I say that this is what I want."

North is silent, as are the rest of the guys. All eyes are on him as he thinks through my words. I am not normally an emotional guy, I love to have fun and I hate serious situations like this. The tension makes me antsy. But I need North and the rest of them to know how important this is to me.

Just when I think he is going to refuse to listen to me about this, he sighs in resignation and gives me a tight nod. "You're right, Luke," he tells me, pulling something from his pocket. "You belong in this family. I just don't want to fuck up. I promised your father I would take care of you. I failed when I couldn't save your mother, I don't want to fail again."

North will always blame himself for my mother's death. No matter how many times we tell him that it was not his fault, he will always take responsibility for it. Shaking my head, I open my mouth to tell him, for the millionth time, that it was not his fault. He silences me by placing a small object in my hand.

Looking down, I see two vials. I don't have to ask to know why he gave me two. I know they carry one on them at all times. One is obviously for me to keep and the other for me to drink. Unable to help myself, I give North a big hug, chuckling when he grunts at me. He used to do the same thing when I was a small boy and I would try to tackle him.

"Just drink it, Luke," North growls, detaching himself from me. "Before I change my mind."

"You would never change your mind, North. Don't act like you haven't been hoping he would decide this for eighteen years," Silas pipes in.

North simply grunts again and gives me a nod that says to go ahead. I smile wide and drink down one of the vials. Placing the second in my pocket, I pull the one that belongs to Silas out and toss it to him.

He looks a bit shocked when he searches for his and can't find it. I know I am in trouble when Mr. Blackbourne lifts an eye brow. North is turning a deep shade of red and Sean is simply laughing at the whole thing.

"I told you the Academy is where I belong," I grin cheekily. "I just hoped you would decide to let me in on your own. By the way North, I made sure that today would mark me exactly one day older than you. I guess that makes you the little brother now."

I spent the next hour trying to run from North as the yelled threats at me and chased me down.