Home is not a Place

52• Honey

VANESSA

After the movie, we talk for a while, and everyone goes to their rooms except Ethan. He stays back because I insist that I'm not leaving until he lets me give him a mental health assessment.

Him and I are leaning against the couch's armrests and facing each other. Our legs are tangled together under a blanket, and I have my file resting in my lap.

His lips curve upwards. "We really have to do this now?"

"Yeah." I tell him. "We can't put it off any longer. Plus, what's it going to hurt?"

He sighs. "Okay. I'm guessing you want to start off from my childhood..."

I nod with a gentle smile as he continues. "Well, I had a pretty normal childhood compared to everyone else. I went to school, got dropped off at daycare, had a sister to hangout with..."

I nod. "Both your parents worked?"

"Yeah. They loved us, but they didn't have much time to show us. They both work in the CIA." He tells me. "Jerome was always there for us, though."

Sounds like that's a reoccurring theme: Jerome being the steady rock for all of the team but me.

"Was your sister... always blind?" I question, honestly wanting to know the answer.

Ethan shifts his weight. "No, she wasn't. She became blind after my whole family was taken hostage and tortured for information."

I stare at him, his gray eyes softly peering back into mine. I say, "Was that the time that your back was burned?"

"Yeah, but the CIA came after their agents and saved us from that hell." He informs me. 

He hesitates. Then he says, "They inspired me to want to be in the CIA. When those men came in and gave me hope, I wanted to do the same for others."

I jot down this information, giving him time to sort out his thoughts before I ask another question. "You said your whole family was tortured?"

"Yep." He says with the shake of his head. Fog rolls over his eyes and I can tell he's being sent back to the memory of the torture.

"What happened?" I pry.

"My father was electrocuted, mom raped, sister blinded..." He tells me, gaze lost. His lips create a firm line, his jaw working. "And you know what? When the agents came in and shot the men who tortured us, I thought they got off too easily."

I write that down, and Ethan blinks. He says, "And after that, our lives changed, my sister's more than any of ours. She became someone new. We weren't kids anymore."

I remain silent as he blinks a few more times. After a minute or two, I reply. "How did your parents handle it?"

"They divorced." He explains with a furrowed brow. "Fell out of love and into a blame war. But, I guess blaming someone helps people cope with bad situations sometimes."

What he says reminds me of Ajax, creating room for a new conversation. "So, you grew up and made this team?"

"I don't really like taking the credit." He informs me. "It was Jerome's idea. I just helped him a bit."

"Okay." I shrug. "Then, what do you take credit for?"

He laughs. "Um, I guess keeping us together."

"I can see that." I reply. "Any of the team members have disputes?"

"Oh, yeah." He grins. "I am pretty sure Drake has had a falling out with every single one of us at least three or four times. But, that's what he does. He pushes people away when they get close."