The Saint

THIRTY

"I'm sure Victoria is going to be safest with...."

Aaron...

"...me."

I blinked.

"You." I repeated.

"Yes, Aaron, me. Dont forget that you kidnapped her."

"I'm not even mad, just suprised." I whispered to myself. "I thought you wouldn't be willing to take care of a child - are you even able?"

"Yes, I am. I took care of my niece for a while and she's doing good."

I scanned him up and down, trying to look for anything close to a lie. Anything I could use to disagree with this.

But I already knew what my answer was.

"How about we talk about this at home?"

Aaron, what in the actual FUCK is wrong with you?!

My inner voice screamed at me for the comment all the way back to Charles's house. It just slipped out of my mouth.

===

"Aaron, I know you want to argue about this-"

"I don't."

He stopped dead in his tracked and I think almost fell. He stumbled over to a chair and sighed deeply.

"Oh my goodness, thank you. You're making my job easier this time."

"Okay, let's not jump that far."

He stared at me with curiosity, and I just couldn't help but keep my eyes on his.

Blue eyes, just like ours, but these... these were different.

"You're right, I thought I would want to argue too. But... she would be safest with you. She probably trust you more too; you work for the government."

"You'd actually be suprised to what she told me about you."

I cranked my neck up with wide, hopeful eyes. I was hopeful.

"She told me that you guys helped her. You gained a little of her trust."

I looked down at my hands, smiling to myself.

I knew it was weird, and I knew it was wrong, but I thought that if I had Victoria with me, I would have Elizabeth there too. But I'm wrong.

Elizabeth is gone. I have to get that in my head.

What Ethan told me got to me. Her being with us, it isn't helping. It isn't helping me or her. She is a constant reminder, and I can't be reminded. I couldn't afford to be reminded.

And she... well, she needs something normal.

And nothing about me is normal.