Alone

•28•

Lilah

I dragged a hand through my hair as James stepped back, slipping his hands into his pockets. Instinctively I half stepped in front of Spencer, looking to my family.

"Spencer saved me, so if you would be so kind as to not shove him into a wall." I gave a pointed look to James, him chucking faintly and nodded.

"Li, what are the bruises from?" Sun reached out, and instinctively, I flinched away. "I'm sorry-"

"It's alright Sun." I murmured softly, feeling Spencer's hands on my arms slightly.

"You're alright Lilah, they're not going to hurt you." He murmured softly, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear slightly.

"Here's the money I told you I'd give you." I handed the check to my mother, her tilting her head.

"Lilah-?"

"Myron wasn't kind, he wasn't who I thought." I shook my head, pulling my hair off of my neck to better show the bruises. "Spencer got me away from him."

"Li, Myron could come back." James said softly.

"He won't." Spencer hmmed. "In fact, I doubt he'll be able to hurt anyone anymore." He slipped his hands into his pockets. "If he isn't already, he will very soon be dead."

"What do you mean?" I looked up at him, unsure as to what he was talking about.

"A member of my crew wanted some practice with her knives." I felt his hand brush through my hair lightly. "I figured I'd give her some." He smirked faintly.

I blinked at him faintly before hugging him tightly, my face half buried in his shoulder. "He's gone?" I mumbled, my face pressed into fabric.

"If he isn't already, he will be soon." I noticed his tone immediately soften as he wrapped his arms around me gently.

"Why would you do this for her?" I glanced up to see James speaking, his expression seemingly carefully masked to keep himself calm. "You kept me locked in a brig for months."

I felt Spencer flinch faintly. "I tried to give you a cabin. Other than telling me your name, you were violent any time anyone tried to talk to you. I never intended to keep you there. But I had to keep my crew safe." He took a breath. "The only reason you were in the brig to begin with was because I have a reputation to uphold. I show weakness, I die. I intended to let you out as soon as I could. But you never gave me a chance."

I looked to James quietly, my fingers curled into Spencer's shirt.

"I fought because I thought you wanted to kill me. I had to make sure I wasn't going to die before I got to see my siblings again. And my parents." He shook his head. "I apologize." He held a hand out to Spencer, his expression faintly softened.

"Your reasons are understandable." He said softly, shaking his hand. "But let's get back to Lilah for now, okay?" He looked down to me, his gaze soft. "I'll let you finish telling them."

I nodded softly, leaning into him. "I knew I'd be able to give you guys the money. So I married him since he seemed kind enough. That's what the check is for. The money I was promised. And I'm free." I pulled out the divorce papers, grabbing a pen and pressing the paper to the wall. Quickly signing them myself. "I've wanted to be out for so long. But I never got the chance to leave him. Now," I looked up to Spencer, meeting his eyes. "Now I do." I murmured.

"What d'you mean Li?" Sun asked softly, leaning against the wall.

"If he'll have me, I want to go with Spencer." I murmured, looking to the floor. "I can't stay in this town anymore. You guys are here but.. so was Myron." I looked up. "The memories of what he did, they'll come back when I'm here. I'll visit, I'll write but. I can't stay here."

"Li, we understand, it's just a hard thing to process with everything you just told us okay? We support this decision, it's just gonna take us a bit." James smiled gently, pulling me into a gentle hug.

Before I could say a word, I heard the door open, glancing over. There I saw Ella, her hair tied back.

"Spencer, Emily's back. I thought you'd-" She stopped, looking at me and my family.

As I watched her, standing beside my mother and Sunset, I realized it.

She looked like them, like me.

The ages made sense..

The appearance-

"Ella?" Before I could speak, my mother did, her eyes trained on her.

"Yes?" Ella tilted her head, a locket hanging out of her shirt.

My mother's eyes fell to the necklace, then back to Ella's eyes. "You're- where did you get that?"

Ella tilted her head, setting a hand on it. "I'm not sure.."

"She had it on when we found her, it's how we knew her name." Spencer said softly.

"I had this made for my daughter Ella.."

Ella studied my mother, recognition slowly flowing over her face. "Mum?"