Are You Willing to Trust?

Chapter 42: Beginnings

            

Feeling a set of fingers touch my wrist, I jerk up painfully and meet dark brown wide eyes. Instantly I regret my instincts as pain washes over my stomach muscles and a burning sensation floods my lungs. Letting out a ragged breath, I offer my wrist to North as I slump back down onto the couch against the borrowed pillows that lay behind me.

         "Isn't there a nice way of waking you up?" North grumbles pressing two of his calloused fingers against my inner wrist. I let out a short breath at his words and can't help but smirk.

         "If I knew of a way, don't you think I would have said something" I state allowing my sarcasm to take over. "I mean you only have tried five times." I am greeted with a small smirk before North's fingers disappear from my wrist and appear at my forehead.

         "Yeah well I was hoping." He states his smirk turning into a slight frown as I force myself into a sitting position waving away his hand. 

         "Well I promise I would have said something." I state letting out a long shaken breath as I try to ignore the pain sparking in my stomach.

         "You shouldn't be sitting up." North whispers his hand reappearing on my neck and I tense for a moment before closing my eyes trying to calm myself. They were all so touchy with me and I still didn't get why.

         "I am not going to get any sleep anyways." I whisper under my breath allowing North to cup my face slightly before opening my eyes. I watch as his flicker, focusing on my own for abnormalities before pulling away.

         The last couple of hours had just been a repeat of the same thing. Waking up with a jolt from either Luke, North, or Silas, which ever one of them awoke me then took my pulse, checked my eyes, asked me how I felt and texted Green and Roberts while I fell asleep. It was getting to the point where it became annoying so much so I almost yelled at Luke when he woke me up last.

         Drowsily, I use all my strength to push myself off the couch and into a standing position. Unable to hold in a groan, I stagger slightly to the closest wall and lean against it. Instantly a shadow is over me and those large calloused hands are wrapped around my forearm.

         "Damnit Angel." North grunts trying his best to take on my weight but I refuse to move taking in harsh ragged breaths. Pulling my arm roughly away from his touch, I straighten myself and force my breathing to calm.

         "I'm fine." I whisper beyond exhausted and not enjoying the attention but my eyes widen spotting the smaller figure in the corner of the room wearing a large black shirt and black boxers. Her blonde hair is pulled into a messy bun and her soft green eyes are focused on me. "I'm sorry." I whisper directing North's attention to the small girl in the room.

         Surprised, North moves to Sang instantly giving me the distraction I need to take my exit and move outside into the darkness of night. I don't stray far from the house knowing fully well that North will come back after me in a couple of minutes. Focusing on the stars above me and the cool autumn night, I allow my sore body to relax.

         "What are you doing here?" Instantly my body tenses and my eyes land on an older man with short cropped hair. His eyes are wide as though he recognizes me but in the darkness I am unable to recognize him. Backing up, I spread my legs getting ready to run when the back light of the trailers flickers on blinding us both and North comes bursting out of the back door.

         "Angel get your ass- Uncle?" North stops and his eyes widen spotting the man standing in the yard and so do mine. Uncle? My eyes flicker to North recalling that his profile mentioned an Uncle as a guardian but this man. I knew him. But from where? Taking a cautious step forward, I study this man closer when recognition sets in.

Shawn James.

         "Angel?" James whispers under his breath meeting my eyes, his face contorted with confusion. "What happened to Izzy?" He states a slight smirk appearing on his face and shock instantly rocketed through North's face in return.

         "It changes when I change moods." I state walking toward the male meeting his soft brown eyes. "Which is a lot, James." I add and offer my hand to the male who instantly takes it a smile appearing on his face.

         "From what I remember, I am sure." He chuckles and I blush slightly as he pulls me into a very gentle hug. "How in the world did you end up here little chick?" He asks and I glance to North who still hasn't pulled his jaw up from the ground.

         "Bossman thought the Blackbourne team would be a good place to hide out." I state following Shawn into the house. Stepping over the threshold, I ignore the stares from Silas and Luke as I step into the kitchen where Sang is pouring coffee. "Assigned Roberts to be my handler. Little did I know half the old team would be connected to it." I state leaning against the counter carefully as Sang hands over a cup to James. "I don't remember you having family, you geezer." I teased.

         "Yeah Luke and North are my nephews. I was granted custody about a month after we met when Luke was born. Surprised me to the end of the earth and back. Raised him myself though," Shawn states proudly and I glance to Luke who happened to be stepping into the kitchen along with the rest of the boys excluding Victor who was probably still asleep. "North came along afterward about ten years afterward. Who woulda thought?" James smirks and raises the cup to his mouth. I glanced over at the boys who had entered the room all wearing surprised but restrained masks.

         "That would make you older than..." Silas's voice trailed off doing some mental math and I smirk slightly as Shawn let out a belly laugh putting his sloshing coffee cup on the counter of his kitchen.

         "That's right boy." James smiles looking to Silas before looking to me. "A never aging beauty that can change who she is, into who ever she wants to be in seconds." I smirk rolling my eyes slightly at how dramatic the male was being and I noticed Sang shifting forward interest clear in her eyes.

         "Anyone?" She whispers and James's eyes move to her for a moment before a devilish smile appears on his lips.

         "Anyone." He states again adding even more drama and I can't hold back my laugher.

         "You make me seem like I have super powers, James." I state rolling my head back slightly to stretch my sore neck. I catch a glimpse of North's bewildered state. "Might want to fill these guys in though." I state glancing back to James his gaze now flickering to the other boys. "Seems they have gone into shell shock."

         James barks out another laugh and I can't help but feel relaxed for the second time since I arrived. "Uncle what the fucking hell is going on?" North says angrily and James waves his hand at the male ushering him to calm down as he takes another sip of coffee.

         "That my boy is a very long story and one that I prefer to do all at once, with Angel's permission that is." James states getting serious as he glances to me. Shrugging I look to Sang whose bright green eyes widen with my glance.

 

         "Everyone has a beginning." I state and I watch as her eyes grow even wider with interest and surprise. "You have my permission to share it." I state to James and slowly let out a yawn before moving back to the living room and the couch.