Scarred

Chapter 20

Eva's POV
"Eva, wake up," Cas whispers, poking my cheek.
"Ngh... what is it?" I grumble.
"Shh, listen. Maven, Sammy and your mum are talking," he says, pointing towards the kitchen. That's when I realise I fell asleep on the sofa, the blanket fort still somewhat intact. Slowly, I sit up, peering over the sofa as I try to listen into their conversation.

"So what is it you wanted to tell me?" Maven asks.
"You aren't going to believe me, I know that, but you have to know, I can't live with the knowledge that you don't know this but..." Sammy replies.
"But what?"
"James is alive."

I almost fall off the sofa when she says it, but Cas manages to stop me from falling. James was so desperate for me not to tell Maven, I guess all my efforts to keep my mouth shut were for nothing.

"Excuse me?"
"She's not lying," mum says. "He's living in Cassie and Hunter's old home. A cop apparently."
"How do you-"
"Eva, Cas and Flynn encountered him whilst they were there. He didn't want them to tell you, so that's why she didn't mention it before."

It sounds like Maven is crying, but I can't see him so there's no way to be sure.

"What am I supposed to do?" He sighs. "I love Charlie I can't just... but I also... god..."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you-" Sammy begins.
"No, I needed to know. I just wish I could contact him in some way."

Sighing, I glance down at my bag and notice my communicator in it, with a message from Flynn: a way to contact James.

Damn, Flynn really just seems to have perfect timing.

Suddenly, I rush to the kitchen with the communicator in hand.

"You can! Look Maven, you can contact him!" I say, startling everyone a little.
"Wait-"

But I call him before Maven can stop me.

Please pick up, please pick up.

"James!" I chirp when he picks up.
"Eva... what are you doing calling at this time?"
"I think there are some people you need to catch up with," I reply, placing the communicator on the table before retreating to Cas' side.

"Eva, what's going on?"
"James..." Maven gasps.
"Oh no, she told you, didn't she? I told her not to, I-"
"I told him James," Sammy murmurs. "I'm so sorry but I met up with Maven today and I had to tell him, you don't understand how awful it feels to keep that secret."
"I'm surprised Eva managed to keep it so long," mum smiles.

"Alice, Sammy? You're all here... it's just like the old days, only if Granny were here. It seems that after one Eva Kim brought us together originally, another has done it again... fourteen - almost fifteen - years later. But Maven, I'm sorry, if I only told you sooner, maybe this would be easier to sort out."
"Don't say that silly."
"Well what are you going to do?"

"I'll have to tell Charlie first-"
"I must admit, he's a lucky man," James says, the smirk almost audible in his voice, making Maven blush.
"Well I'll have to tell him. And we'll go from there."
"Don't leave him just because I'm here now," James orders.
"As I said, we'll figure it out."

They talk for a bit longer, but I reach the point of exhaustion where I almost entirely block them out. I stay awake just long enough to watch Charlie walk down the stairs and almost feel the tension increase in the atmosphere.

When I wake up, Cas lies in his dragon form on my chest, snoring quietly. Maven sits on one of the chairs, bags under his eyes.
"So, have you decided what you're going to do yet?" I ask, placing Cas in my lap as I sit down.
"No... spent all night thinking about it so I got no sleep," he sighs. "Who would you choose?"

"Nope. Don't drag me into this. I can't possibly decide. I mean... I've known James all my life but Charlie, he also means so much to me," I yawn. "And then Cas only knows Charlie, having met James only once."
"You're heading out again aren't you? It's a shame you're always on the move, where are you going this time?"
"To find some people who have the same curse as us. They're names are Tyran Crimson and Ryder Quinn," I say, handing him the notes, "look."
"Well... be careful alright?"
"Of course. My disguise will be of help too," I smirk, twirling a strand of dark indigo hair around my finger. "Plus, mum will be there until we leave Hezra. I won't let them catch me, I-"