Drakeness from small Beginnings

Chapter 8: Sully

"Ouch!"

"Hold still. I have to clean the wound.", I said, while patching up Nate. "Do you want an ibuprofen, too?", I asked after I finished.

"I'd love to.", he sighed.

I made my way to the kitchen, leaving the men alone to discuss their plans for Scotland. As we found out by opening the cross, the next clue would be hidden in Avery's grave in Scotland. Just nearby the church, Rafe had been digging in for about fifteen years. I wasn't eager to go there, but I knew it was the only way to help Sam.

I filled two glasses with water and grabbed the package with the painkillers, when I heard Nathan's voice.

"I don't know, Sully. She is going to a really hard time at the moment. Remember what Rafe did to her! And now she has to see him again."

"Yes, I know, but I have to tell her some time or other."

"Tell me what?", I asked my father.

"Oh shit.", Sam said.

Nathan and my father looked at each other suspiciously.

"I'm serious, guys. What are you keeping from me?"

"I think it's better, if you sit down. Nate, Sam, could you give us a minute?"

"Sure, Sully.", Nathan answered, dragging Sam out of the room and quickly grabbing the glass of water and the painkillers out of my hand.

"Okay, Dad. You're scaring me. Did somebody die?"

He waited to respond until Sam closed the door.

"No, nobody died, it's ... uhm. It's complicated. Do you remember your mother?"

"Not really, but sometimes I remember a woman in a blue shirt, watching over me."

"She was the owner of an orphanage in Málaga. Your mother died during childbirth and gave you to this orphanage. That is were I found you and eventually adopted you."

I needed a few seconds to understand, what he just told me.

"I am adopted." It was not a question. I spoke in a really calm voice, letting it sink in. "I guess this is the reason, why I am able to speak Spanish. But why did you adopt me? I was just an obstruction."

"I guess it was because of your heritage. Well first of all: I see you as my daughter and nothing can ever change this, but in the beginning I got interested because of your last name. Your real name is Josephine Theodora Avery. Henry Avery was your ancestor."

"What?!", now I was screaming. "He was my ancestor?! So I was just a means to an end to you?"

"No, Jo, that may have been so in the early years, but I changed. I changed because of you. I learned how to love a child, to raise one and look after it. I admit, that I thought, we would have better chances to claim Avery's treasure through you, but that was a long time ago. Now I see my daughter. My daughter, that I can be proud of."

"But why did you never tell me? Why do I have to find out this way?"

"After Panama, I thought, that it would just hurt you more and in the following years, I always wanted to protect you from emotional pain. Especially after your time with Rafe."

I remained silent.

"Please, Jo, can you forgive me? I know it was wrong to not tell you."

"I need some air.", I excused myself and went out of the apartment onto the balcony. I leaned against the balustrade and looked into the night sky.

----------------------------------------Nathan's point of view---------------------------------------------

"Nathan, you're driving me crazy! Stop walking around and calm down.", Sam said.

"Did Sully even tell her? I mean I didn't hear her shouting at him.", I asked.

"Well, maybe she took it pretty well."

We heard a door being slammed and looked knowingly at each other.

"Nathan don't do that. She will need some time.", Sam tried to convince me.

"She will need me, Sam."

"Don't be too devoted."

"I'm not devoted! I just care about her."

"Care about her? Nathan, I am not stupid. I can see how you look at her."

"What do you mean? I don't look at her in any way ..."

"Come on, Nathan. You're in love with her!"

I sighed and sat down. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Yes. Yes it is.", Sam laughed."Since when?"

"I don't know. Two maybe three years?"

"Why didn't you tell her?"

I sighed. "I was afraid. And I didn't want to confuse her more after everything, that happened to her ..."

"Why don't you tell her now?"

"It's complicated. I think it's not a good time now. You know ... Because of Rafe..."

"But you will tell her?"

"Yeah, I suppose ... when all of this is over."

"You know what? Talk to her now. Not that you love her, but be there for her. Cheer her up, make her laugh. That is what she needs right now."

"All right.", I said and went to the balcony.