You Really Don't Know?

Chapter 3

A/N: This story was inspired by a request from RussellZavala on twitter. This one is for you.

Ciara sat in Doug's Place basically against her will while her had yet another 'intervention' from her family. Ciara rolled her eyes as her mother went through a slideshow of crime scene photos.

"This is what Ben Weston did to Paige Larson. A sweet young innocent girl. Who had her whole life ahead of her when Ben ended it."

Ciara sighed, "MOM! I am perfectly aware of what Ben did. He was sick then. I'm not disputing that. But he's different now. He's changed."

Hope groaned and Abigail walked up. "Ben kidnapped Thomas when he was born." Ciara straightened up, "To be technical, he thought Thomas was his son. You can't kidnap your own child."

Abigail rolled her eyes as Hope changed the slide to the cabin. "This is what he did to me and Chad. He tried to KILL us by setting us on fire. Sound familiar? Well, it should since he did the SAME damn thing to you!" Ciara huffed, "Ben did NOT try to kill me! He looked me in the eye and SWORE to me that he didn't set the fire. I won't lie, he did question if he could have not remembered something while he was off his meds. But Marlena hypnotized him and he remembers EVERY moment now. He didn't start the fire."

Abigail rolled her eyes, "Oh, PLEASE. You think Ben looking you in the eye means ANYTHING?! Do you know how many times he laid in bed next to me after committing murder?!" Ciara swallowed, "And didn't YOU lay next to your husband after YOU committed murder?" Abigail shook her head, "That wasn't me, that was-" Ciara cut her off, "Gabby with a 'y'? Huh, isn't that interesting? But to be technical, you became sick AFTER you committed crimes, not before or during like Ben." Abigail stuttered, "I-I-Well, I-" Abigail walked away.

Ciara stood up and clapped her hands once, "Thank you again for this LOVELY event." Ciara headed for the door. Hope stood up, "Ciara, don't you see what Ben is doing? He is driving a wedge between you and everyone that you hold dear." gesturing to everyone that was there. Ciara crossed her arms, "No, that all of YOUR doings. Ben has NEVER once asked me to choose between him and my family. That you guys. He's never given me an ultimatum saying 'it's me or your family'. Ben is my friend. And beside Marlena, I am the only one who is willing to give him a chance and the benefit of the doubt."

Hope crossed her arms, "This is it, you need to make a choice: all of the people that you have known all your life or a psychopath. Ciara scoffed, "You're serious? It's Ben or you guys?" Hope nodded, "Yes, Ciara. It's either your family or Weston. If you choose him, you will have no family and no one besides him. Consider yourself shunned." Ciara let out a light laugh, "'Shunned'? What is this, an Amish community? You're the big Bishop who will shun me if I don't do what you want or what you find 'acceptable'?" Hope arched and eyebrow and deadpanned, "If that's what it takes."

Doug stood up, "Hope, maybe you should..." and motioned for Hope to shut up.

Ciara sighed deeply, "No, it's fine. I know my answer. I choose Ben, because he's never asked anything of me. Unlike you guys." Ciara stormed out of Doug's Place without another word.

When Ciara walked into the loft, it was dark except for a light by the couch. Ciara noticed that the couch was clear. Ben's makeshift bed wasn't there. "That's strange" Ciara thought to herself.

Ben walked out of with his backpack. When he saw Ciara, he looked like a deer in headlights. "Hey, I didn't hear you come in." Ciara nodded, "Yeah, just got here."

Ciara noticed Ben's backpack, "Are you going somewhere?" Ben looked down for a moment, "Uh, yeah. I guess you could say that." After a moment Ben continued, "I'm leaving Salem."