Playing for Keeps (a PIL fanfic)

Chapter 34

(Arabella's POV)

Allison continued her story."Another picture, the woman was staring at a sunset on the beach. She looked so happy in the pictures with dad, like she was on top of the world. The last picture I can across looked like a family portrait. I recognized the two boys, as dad, and Toby. The woman was holding two baby girls, twins. On the back there was a love letter of sorts, written to John. After the pictures I found another letter, addressed to John, from Genevieve, and she was saying goodbye in the letter. There was a necklace in the corner of the box, that matched the one the woman was wearing in the pictures. Lastly, I found a journal that was addressed to me. On the inside of the cover was a letter written to me, from Genevieve. It told who she was, her abilities, my twin sister Nadia, and about my possible future abilities, as well as her time with John. I found out the woman in the picture was my mother, and confronted my dad about it...." She trails off, thinking for a moment before continuing.

"Anyway. He broke down, but admitted everything. He explained everything, admitting what he lied about before. I eventually decided to take a trip, not knowing where I was going exactly, but needing a change of pace. Dad tried to convince me not to go, but I had already made up my mind to go. So I packed some essentials, clothes, and toiletries, and my moms journal, and left. I became apart of Captain Cecil's crew, and kept in touch with Toby for a few weeks, but eventually stopped writing to him. I continued to practice my powers in secret, not letting any of Cecil's crew catch on. When I met you all, I still kept it a secret. It's something I don't trust many with, but after time, and learning that everyone was okay about Arabella's gift, I felt I could finally share." She finishes, looking to all of us.

"I'm sorry your mom left, and what you had to go through. I'm glad you found us though, and feel comfortable enough to share your secret." Luna says, looking towards Allison, offering the girl a gentle smile, which she returned.

"Glad you feel comfortable enough. Damn Captain Cecil. What a bastard. I'm still pissed about that asshole.. I'd like a crack at him if we ever see that prick again." Kris exclaims, fire in her eyes, prompting laughter from everyone.

           Allison turns her gaze to me next. "I guess that just leaves you then, Arabella." She says, drawing everyone's attention my way, and I shrug, running a hand back through my hair.

           I take  a deep breath. Some of the stuff I was going to share was nothing new, stuff most knew about me.. But some of it.. Not even Nathan knew about. I looked around at them, the girls, hell, they were the sisters I never had. "Well, first off, I'm glad to have met all of you, you have all become family to me, the sisters I never had. Thank you for sharing your stories, I know that's not an easy thing, and I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to do so....." I trailed off, running a hand back through my hair once more, nervous.

              "Well, some of this you know, and is nothing new... Some of this though, is stuff I haven't even shared with Nathan" I start meeting their gazes. "Well, everyone knows my parents ran the thieves guild, and raised me there. They died when I was younger, but they had taught me a lot before they died. Both of my parents were gifted, though I inherited my fathers gift. Gifted weren't that common where they started raising me, but was more common where they were from. That gradually started to change though, not long after my parents died. I eventually left the guild, most of you know, and was on my own for a long time...." I trail off, taking a swig of vodka out of the near empty bottle before continuing.

            "The part I didn't share, was the part about why I left, and what happened my last year there. After my parents died, someone else took over the guild. They felt I wasn't old enough at the time, the other members, that I wasn't old enough to take over, so Johnny took over. He went by many names, but I knew him as Johnny. He was a gifted as well. Anyway, Johnny could be a cruel bastard, some say he had no soul. Anyway, he started running the guild into the ground. I know thieves are considered shady, but Johnny was truly fucking shady. Anyway, he started making deals, and dabbling in trades that I don't even know the full details. I do know, he killed people, people that disobeyed him. He also gathered more gifted to the guild, to the point where almost the entire guild was almost all gifted people, before I left. He was big on gifted marrying gifted, for it was more likely that the children would be gifted as well. So he encouraged arranged marriages among the guild, which is something I'm very much against. My parents were a good example for me, two people madly in love. They had issues for sure, but had been through a lot together, before joining the guild. Anyway, besides Johnny running everything to shit, and the shady business, and the killing, the last straw was him trying to force me into an arranged marriage." I pause a moment, gathering my thoughts before continuing.