Beneath The Light

17. Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek

When Topaz awoke in the morning, the events from the past week seemed like a mere nightmare. That was until she wandered into the living room to hear the hushed tones of the rest of the household. Currently they were planning on how to remind her of her brother-slash-dad's runaway. "It's alright," Topaz groaned as she tied her hair back, entering the kitchen with a stiff scowl. "I remember everything, there's no need to break it to me gently," She sighed. "Zac's gone, and there's nothing I can do to rewind or change that. I made my choice. I told him. And he's made his. He's run away. He's good at doing that, but he'll come back... He always does eventually." She turned her back on the others to pour some coffee, only Aden having the ability to see straight through her words. The Angel said nothing, however. He merely stood next to her against the counter, and when she turned with her mug of coffee, he still said nothing. Instead of speaking, he pulled her back against him and wrapped his arms around her. That was what Aden always seemed to be so good at doing; reassuring Topaz that he'd be there.

"So what're we doing about Jemima?" Topaz asked when the witch left the kitchen to go freshen up in the bathroom. "What d'you mean?" Robert asked, hiking himself up onto a bar stool. "Well, she'll want to go home now that everything's over, and that means we'll have to pay her." Abi nodded her head in understanding but Robert held up a finger. "It's fine," He said. "Zac paid Jemmy as soon as Alice woke up yesterday. He obviously didn't want to make a big show of it, but he wrote out the cheque and she accepted it." Topaz nodded her head in relief that Zac had managed to do one thoughtful thing before he left. It was inevitable that Alice should follow, and as the others continued the conversation of Jemima's departure home later that day, Topaz thought of Alice's own departure from them, and the words the pair had shared.

Alice was roughly shoving things into Zac's black leather holdall, a mixture of his clothes and hers, bundled in amongst necessities and weapons. On several occasions the Angel had to restart the procedure in frustration as Topaz tipped everything out the bag. "You're not leaving!" She yelled. "Not after everything! I saved you, remember!" Alice had turned to her with tears running down her cheeks, her white flowing gown reminding Topaz with a stab how Angelic Alice will always be. "Topaz you have no idea how much I owe you, I'll forever be indebted to you for saving my life, but right now, I have no choice I have to go after Zac, the Angel knows what he might do now that we know the truth of those papers."

"But what about me, huh? What am I going to do? I'm the one who's just found out that my parents weren't really my parents. I'm the one who's just been tortured for that very reason by your parents. I'm the one who just about got killed while saving your life and no one, not one of you has thanked me for that!" Alice zipped the bag closed, tossed it over her shoulder and gripped Topaz by the upper arms, looking straight into her eye. "Topaz," The Angel said softly, their tears running in sync. "I love you like I love Aden, like I love Abi. You've become like a little sister to me, and I love you to death for what you done for me. But you have to understand that I can't stay here while Zac's not. Wherever he goes, I go. Surely, feeling how you feel about Aden, you understand that, don't you?" Topaz didn't reply, simply blinked her bloody eyelashes down at the floor. Alice bundled the broken mermaid in her arms one final time before fleeing the flat she'd chosen. Topaz feared that that would be the last time she'd see the Angel. The Angel knew why Topaz felt that way. The Angel knew.

Aden was worried that all Topaz had come through had caused her severe mental disruption. "Jemima?" Aden knocked on the witch's door, peering in to find the elderly lady packing her small belongings back into her case. "Yes dear?" She smiled, turning towards Aden as he closed the door behind him. "I'm worried about Paz." He admitted sheepishly. Jemima smiled and zipped her case closed, moving it onto the floor with a mere swipe of her hand. She then sat herself down on the edge of her bed and patted the space beside her. Obediently, Aden sat down next to the witch and fidgeted with his hands on his lap. He felt awkward asking for help. But he was at a loss. If Topaz was mentally disturbed in any way after everything that had happened - he'd hardly be surprised - then something had to be done to help ease her pain a little. "Aden," Jemima sighed, putting a short arm around the Angel's broad shoulders. "It's only expected that you'd be worried about Topaz. She's come through a lot these past few days, 'eck, she's been to Hell and back in the past two months!" Aden nodded vigorously in agreement before ducking his head back to his hands. "But what you have to understand is that she's a Nightingale. She's strong. She's got the blood of the most powerful mermaids and the blood of strong warlock descent in her veins. She's the strongest Worlder I've ever met in my long life, and let me tell you, I know plenty of strong Worlders and I've had a pretty long life," The witch and Aden both shared a short chuckle at the Scottish witch's words. "It's inevitable that you're going to be worried about her, you love her, and that's all part of the deal when you love someone. You worry about them. Even if that worry isn't needed, we worry anyway, because if we don't worry about them, we wouldn't care for them enough for it to be love," She sighed. "The best advice I can give to you now pet would be to take it easy over the next week or so. Topaz is still weak from the binding process, as is Abi but to a far lesser degree. I'll make sure Abi and Robert are safe and well with me on the trip home, and during their time away I want you to look after Topaz and keep her distracted. Don't talk about Zachary, don't talk about Alison, don't talk about her parents. Unless," The witch held a wrinkled finger out sternly. "She initiates the conversation. Then you reassure her that you're willing to support her no matter what she decides... Can you do that?" Aden scoffed and got to his feet to look at the witch straight on. "I love her, Jemmy; of course I'll support her."