The Link 2 - The Hunted

Chapter 28 - Teegan

The best week of my life was nearing an end. There were a few moments, parents overly concerned with the speed in which things were happening, that created some choppy waters, but my time with Caleb was irreplaceable. The impending resumption of school on Monday was not a pleasant thought. I didn't want to share Caleb, and I knew he didn't want to share me.

"So," Zane asked, "you two share, like everything?" He was in the backseat as we headed to the mall to pick up our prom clothes. I wasn't excited about bringing him along, but Caleb thought it was necessary so that we didn't completely shut out the rest of the world. He also liked Zane, which was a good thing. It didn't really matter since Zane would lose himself with his friends as soon as we landed.

"Yes," I replied as Caleb nodded.

"Isn't that kind of weird?" Zane asked, "I mean you can't always control the things that come into your head." I smiled, remembering the blonde woman at the store that Caleb fleetingly thought was cute. Caleb rolled his eyes at the memory as he drove. I enjoyed teasing him with it.

"You can tell what's real and what's behind the scenes," I said. "The strange stuff just flitters away, forgotten quickly, like it is in your own mind."

"I wouldn't want that," Zane informed us. "Just the thought of someone in my brain is scary."

"It not much different than the feelings," Caleb added. "Just a lot stronger."

"The feelings seem normal," Zane said. "Maybe because I never knew anything different. I guess other people would find that weird as well."

"Weirdness comes with being in the family," I joked. Zane laughed. It was comforting to feel both Mom and Dad's joy at his happiness. Caleb reached over and lightly patted my thigh, an unnecessary but wonderfully welcome agreement. Touching was a reinforcement of our feelings. I covered his hand with mine before he reluctantly pulled it back to the steering wheel.

The conversation shifted to more mundane topics. School and how Mason never returned. Though the powers never spoke, it was understood that he wasn't welcome back at school. The reality of his transgression was unprovable but understood by most. The fact that an orchestra nerd kicked his ass made sure he didn't fight the quasi-expulsion. It was said that he went to live with his father in Alabama, though no one seemed to know for sure. I found I didn't care about his fate since it no longer affected ours.

"Two hours," I reminded Zane as we pulled into the parking lot of the mall.

"I'll call you in two," Zane agreed. I was about to demand he meet us in two when Caleb's comforting thoughts washed the argument out of me. We could find plenty to do together while Zane ran around with his friends. I smiled at being handled in such a loving way. He was right of course, there was no need to stress the point with Zane, it was Saturday after all.

We left the car hand-in-hand, a couple tied more closely together than any in history. Zane took off ahead of us, almost at a run, to catch up with his friends. It was a leisurely walk as I marveled at Caleb's thoughts about our hands. He was running through how the comfort level had changed the past few weeks. It was only a few weeks ago when he was self-conscious about how to hold a hand that he didn't want to let go of, and now it was so natural. The fact that he still didn't want to let go made me smile.

"You know we could catch a movie and let Zane have some fun," Caleb said.

"We could," I agreed, "He's my younger brother, and sometimes I feel like I need to control things."

"Don't want him to put one over on you," Caleb said, nodding slightly. "I say we let him think he's getting away with it then he'll owe you one." That earned Caleb a quick kiss on the cheek. No one could ever understand me as he could. It was stupid but important that I felt I was getting the upper hand with Zane. I didn't want to feel like a doormat.