Omens (wattys2016)

Fourteen.

Max has his ear pressed tightly against the door, not that he really needs to. Gabriel's loud voice is booming down the hall. Liam and I are in the living room and we can hear him clear as day.

"What the actual hell Jackson?" Gabriel shouts, "Max barely touched her and I am pretty sure she fried him enough to cause temporary brain damage."

"Yea, cuz that's his biggest issue right now." I hear Jackson reply sarcastically, followed by the sound of a fist hitting either the desk or the wall. Either way, I'm sure it's not a good sign.

"This is not a joking matter," Gabriel growls, "This is serious shit. Do you have a death wish? You saw what she did to Max. Why would you risk your life like that? She could have killed you!"

Liam stops texting on his phone and I am suddenly aware that Jackson apparently did not tell them everything that happened between us. Why wouldn't he tell them? Oh yea, cuz he's freakishly hot and I'm just....me.

"Well," Jackson says, drawing his words out, "I might have already known that she couldn't hurt me. I might have possibly accidentally on purpose touched her last night when she was all glowing and whatnot."

"You what?" He yells and I am pretty sure the walls to the house actually shake. Max jumps at the sound, shooting a worried look to Liam.

"Well, she was freaking out Gabe. What was I supposed to do? Let her go all nuclear and possibly wipe out half the block? There were people nearby. Innocent people. Besides, nothing happened. She calmed down and it was fine."

"You never told me." Gabriel's voice is calmer now. I see Max's tense stance finally relax a bit as the two begin to talk more than yell. "How long have you known that you were...gifted?"

"Seven years," Jackson responds. I brace myself for more shouting, but it does not come. There is just the sharp intake of breaths from all three boys. "I was gonna tell you. I swear I was. I just couldn't think of the right moment. Mom and dad had just....you know. That's why I brought her here. She's the girl, the girl from that night. Remember? We were following those leads on that hunter that went all rogue and we went to that house but they were all dead. She was there. I saw her Gabe. I saw her soul when she died. I wanted to tell you but then she just kind of vanished and I thought maybe I had imagined the whole thing. I was going to come home and tell you but then all that stuff with her happened and I kind of just forgot. I didn't know that she wouldn't hurt me but, come on, she's been through a lot. I don't know. She's different. I can't explain it. I just...feel it."

"Yea, I feel it too," Gabriel agrees, "But that doesn't mean it's a good thing. We don't know what she is. These things that she can do, it may just be the tip of the iceberg. Just because you think she's good doesn't mean she is. I have to report this to Asher, all of this. You. The girl. What she can do. Shit, even what you can do. I have to tell him everything."

"No!" Jackson argues loudly, "No way. You saw what they did to Michael when they found out he was gifted. They took him to California and he hasn't been back since. Have you even heard from him? Cause none of us have. No. No way. I'm not going there so they can poke and prod at me like some kinda of science experiment. I swear Gabriel, you tell them about me, and I will leave. I don't care if it means being disbanded."

Max bolts from the door, throwing himself onto the couch, pretending to read a book. Liam picks his phone back up and begins to swipe at the screen absent-mindedly.

Gabriel leaves the study and enters the room. He stands in the middle of it, looking over all of us. Jackson leans against the doorway. I can see from his face that he is clearly worried.

"Ok guys," Gabriel says exhaustedly, "Considering no one in the room is paying me the least bit of attention, I can say it's safe to assume that you heard everything."

"Are you really going to tell Asher about Jax?" Liam asks.

"No." I hear Jackson breathe a sigh of relief. I have no idea who this Asher guy is, but he sounds terrifying. "But I am going to have to tell them about Omera. Maybe Asher, or one of the others at The Sanctuary, have some insight as to what she is. Until then, she stays here with us."

"I can't!" I jump from the couch. "I have curfew to meet. I have to be back at the shelter by nine or else they'll kick me out."

"It's not safe out there. Not just for you, but for everyone else as well. What if you can't control it next time? You could seriously hurt someone. Until we figure out what you are, you stay here."

"No. I have a life to go back to. I have school. Friends. A job. I can't just stop living my life simply because it's gotten significantly weirder. Let's just say that The Library, or whatever you just called them, comes back and tells you that I'm fine. That I'm just some weird human electrical output thing and I am free to go. What then? I won't have anything to go back to."

"I'll stay with her," Jackson chimes in, stepping into the room, "I can sneak into her room and leave before bed check. I'll keep an eye on her."

"I don't know how great of an idea that is," Gabriel says.

"No one else can do it," Jackson argues, "What if she gets upset or something comes after her? None of you can touch her when she...activates. I'm the only one who can get close enough to her to keep her safe. To keep others safe from her." He gives me an apologetic look and I know he is only saying this to make it a point. It doesn't make it hurt any less.

"Fine," Gabriel agrees, "I don't like it but it's the only option we have. But don't do anything stupid Jackson, I swear. You keep me updated on anything that happens. I don't care how insignificant you find it. If I don't hear from you every hour on the hour then I'll pull you out and she comes here. No arguments. Nothing. I let you do this your way until I hear back from Asher. Deal?"

"Deal." Jackson smiles brightly at me. Liam and Max exchange a look, one that I can't understand but causes them to bust out in laughter.

"Oh I don't think so," Gabriel says. I have no idea what he is talking about. Or who he's even talking to. "Don't even think about it Jackson. I'm serious. This is a hands off operation. You hear me? Hands off. If I think for even one second that you've crossed the line then the deal is off."

Jackson drops his gaze from me to the floor, a red flush spreading over his cheeks. This only causes me even more confusion and Max and Liam to laugh louder.