Memories

XXXIII

JUST THE TWO OF US

'Good things might come to those who wait
Not for those who wait too late
We gotta go for all we know'

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On the floor was Drake's body. She couldn't see his face because it was away from her, but there was blood all around him. Aaron turned at her appearance in the room. He stood from the bed and made his way over to her.

"Thalia, go back downstairs," he said, quite calmly for the situation. She ignored him and looked back to the bed. Andrew was wrapped only in the sheet and Neil was sitting next to him. Thalia looked back to Aaron, who she only just registered was covered in blood. She looked to the floor again and saw Neil's new racquet. There was no difficulty figuring out what had killed Drake, and Thalia took even less time guessing who had done it.

"Aaron," she said, heaving in breaths. "Move out of my way." Aaron didn't move, so she pushed past him and picked up the racquet. Thalia looked at it for a few seconds, before raising it and bringing it down on Drake's body. She let out all her anger on his already dead body and eventually dropped the racquet. Andrew was laughing, and Thalia knew it was due to his drugs, but she was inexplicably mad at him.

"You fucking idiot," she breathed, having also used most of her energy on beating her abuser. "He could have killed you." this somehow made him laugh louder. "Don't fucking laugh."

Footsteps rushed up the stairs, and Thalia turned when Kevin appeared in the doorframe. He recoiled at the sight, and went back downstairs to get Nicky and Luther. It didn't make it any easier.

Andrew had a large cut at his temple, and Thalia suddenly had another flush of anger run through her at the thought of what Drake had done. It wasn't long before Kevin returned, Nicky and Luther in tow, like Thalia knew they'd be.

Nicky looked around the room quickly before rushing to the bed. "Oh my god," he said, but Neil held out a hand.

"Don't," he said. Thalia looked at Neil quizzically. He was being protective of Andrew, which she'd never seen before. But that wasn't her top priority at the moment. Nicky reached out instead of moving closer. He took Andrew's face in his hands and looked him over, clearly scared.

"Andrew, are you okay? There's so much blood," Nicky said, not knowing how to process it all. "What happened?" Thalia looked at Luther, who was standing shocked in the doorway to the room. Thalia strode across the room to him, and he cowered slightly under her scrutinising gaze. She pointed a finger at him.

"This is your fault," She said angrily. "This wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you. If you'd just listened the first time," Thalia was angry on Andrew's behalf, as well as her own. It could have been her in Andrew's position. Could have been anyone who'd lived with the Spears. Any of the five children between Andrew and Thalia, and any of the ones before Andrew.

"Thalia, stop fighting my battles for me." Andrew said wearily from the bed. "Nicky, I need to talk to your father. You have two seconds to get out of the way." Thalia relegated herself to just staring at Luther with hate. He was bleeding from a cut on his cheek and had blood running down his nose from where she'd punched him. It made Thalia feel better, but not enough to drown out the other feelings rushing through her.

"One," Andrew said.

"Nicky, get down," Neil warned. He did as instructed, and crouched so that Andrew could see Luther clearly.

"Oh, Luther, good. You made it." Andrew said, smile still on his face. Thalia wanted to siphon it off, but it wasn't Andrew. It was his drugs. She couldn't wait until next year when they were gone and it was just pure Andrew. She wanted to see what he was like when he was off them for a long period of time. She wanted to see what Andrew was really like, and not the drugged version of him.

"Saves me the trouble of going downstairs to find you." Andrew said. "Hey, as long as you're here, why don't you explain what Drake is doing here? I can't wait to hear it. I hope it's good." Thalia quietly seethed at the contradicting words and tone to expression on Andrew's face, but angled most of her anger at Luther and the dead body on the floor she wouldn't look at.

"What in God's -"

"No, don't ask what." Andrew interrupted. "You know better than that. You know better." Andrew leaned forwards, but Neil had to stop him from falling. "Looks like I was right about him after all. Go on, tell me that this was all just a big misunderstanding. Tell me how I'm too immature to understand normal brotherly love. Tell me I'm too unbalanced to understand brotherly affection. Tell me this is natural." Thalia was as tense as she thought she'd ever been, but hearing Andrew's words made her feel like she was going to snap.

"How did she know about it," Luther said, directing the question away from himself. Thalia raised her eyebrows in surprise, but didn't answer the question. "How did she know he was here?"

"Speaking of misunderstandings," Andrew continued, bringing the conversation back on track. "Am I remembering this wrong, or did you say you would talk to Cass? You told me she wasn't going to foster anymore kids after me, but apparently she's had six since I left juvie." Andrew said. "Six, including our dear Thalia here." everyone in the room stared at Thalia, especially Neil.

He looked mortified by the idea, and Thalia refused to look him in the eye. Nicky made a noise that expressed the words he wouldn't say, and Kevin made a choked sound. Luther snapped his head to Thalia, and had his eyes wide as they strayed from her to the dead body on his guest bedroom floor.

"I'm no good at maths, but I'm pretty sure six is a lot more than zero, Luther," Andrew said, getting his uncle's attention again. "How many do you think were at her house when Drake was home between deployments?" he asked. It was a rhetorical question. Luther wouldn't know. "Now you let him into your house. You put him under the same roof as your son. My brother. After everything I did to keep them away from each other? When I get my balance back I am going to take you apart Luther. This is your only warning."

Aaron turned and looked at his brother, his face white with horror and eyes wide. "This has happened before?" he asked, worry laced in his words. He turned back to Luther when he realised he wasn't going to get an answer from Andrew. "This has happened before, and you knew. You knew what he'd done and you brought him here anyway."

Nicky stood, moving out of Andrew's way so he could still see his father. "Is it true?" he asked, still looking at Andrew and the damage that had been done. Luther floundered for an answer, and then Aaron yelled at him to get out, which, to his credit, he did.

"Did you call an ambulance?" Thalia asked Kevin when she moved over to him. He was standing still in shock. Kevin looked down at Thalia and nodded slightly. "Good, he's gonna need it."

"I can hear you, Thalia." Andrew said, looking at her.  The sirens were heard in the distance, and Andrew shrugged, taking off the armbands she was sure he'd always worn. Neil reached for his arm, which Thalia knew was a bad idea, even now, and Andrew clamped his free hand on Neil's wrist. "Just so we're clear, I'll kill you."

"Get rid of those. Pigs don't like it when people like me carry weapons." Andrew said. Neil took the bands and put them under the mattress of the bed. Thalia turned to leave the room, but Kevin gripped her upper arm.

"Was he telling the truth," Kevin asked in a whisper of French. Thalia stiffened. She knew what he was asking, and her silence seemed to be enough answer for Kevin, because he let go of her arm. She didn't leave, though. Only stared at the half-closed door as they waited for the ambulance and police.