Argent Eye IV

46

As soon as I got home, I threw my shoes off and collapsed onto my bed, face first with my arms outstretched.

What a day.

I still felt terrible about what happened- I'd ended up hurting my friends. Still, at least Haydn had been lying about killing them. I wasn't entirely sure I could live with myself if that had been the case, but I hated that it very nearly had been the case.

I didn't realise I'd fallen asleep until I woke to the sound of saucepans clanging and the smell of onions cooking. I frowned, stretched, and then noticed that Ronan was sat at my desk, browsing through my laptop.

"What're you doing here?" I asked lazily, my eyes only just open.

Ronan turned, smiled, and then came over. "Penelope told me what happened." He said. "Are you okay?"

I yawned, and then managed to open my eyes properly, before sitting up on the bed. "Yeah, I'm okay." I said. "Can't say the same for the others, though."

"That wasn't your fault." Ronan said. I'd lost count of how many times people had told me that, and it didn't help as much as they probably thought it did.

I just frowned. "Are they okay?" I asked. "Did you see them?"

Ronan nodded. "They're fine. Stark was sitting up in bed when I saw him, and Tina was whizzing about as usual."

I nodded, glad. I then looked at the door- it wasn't closed properly, and I could see shadows from the kitchen moving about. "Is that Jake?" I asked.

"Yeah." Ronan said. "He's cooking us all dinner."

"Oh." I said. "I didn't hear him come in."

"You were out." Ronan chuckled. "Although, you probably do need to eat."

At the mention of food, my stomach growled. "Agreed." I said, and got up.

"Hello, sleepy head." Jake said, seeing me walk into the kitchen. He had onions sizzling in a pan, and water ready to boil.

I smiled. "Hey. What you cooking?"

"Pasta bake." He said. "Like spag bol, but ten times better."

"Mmm." I said.

"And garlic bread." He added.

I smiled even more. "Oh, yes." I said.

"And, over dinner, you can tell Ronan and I what happened to you today." He said.

I groaned. "Do I have to?"

"Yes." He said.

I sighed, but laughed. "Fine."

I went and sat down at the table, and waited for my dinner to come. It smelled delicious, and I didn't hesitate to grab a slice of garlic bread and tuck in before I started explaining things. Then, after about five minutes of eating in silence, I started telling them what happened.

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"Well, at least you'll know not to do that again." Jake chuckled.

"Yup." I said. We'd finished eating, so were all just sat round the table.

"What happens now?" He asked.

I let out a long breath. "My boss thinks I should take the rest of the week off." I said. "I was planning on going home for a bit, just to spend some time with the family."

Both Jake and Ronan nodded.

"I think that would be wise." Ronan said.

"Basically, shit is gonna go down very, very soon." I said. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a weekend of normality for a change."

"Absolutely." Jake said. "I promise I won't throw a party whilst you're gone."

I laughed. "You better not."

Jake pulled a face of disappointment, but we all refrained from speaking about Argents for the rest of the evening, which was a relief. Tina text me that evening to say that Stark was all good, and that he'd be up and running in the morning- that was also a relief.

Then, I went to bed early.

__________

I got up from the floor, not quite sure what I'd been doing down there. I was in the fighting room at work, in one of the rings with the cushioned flooring.

"Millie?"

I turned and saw Tina there, looking at me with Stark and Penelope at her side.

"Yeah?" I wanted to say, but I couldn't. I tried opening my mouth to speak, but it was like someone had glued it shut.

In fact, my body seemed to be moving without me asking it to. I quickly stood up, and punched Stark super hard in the stomach, knocking him flying in the opposite direction.

"Millie, what are you doing?" Tina asked, her face a picture of panic.

"You need to stop!" Penelope shouted- she was angry, and fearful.

I can't!

Again, I wanted to speak, but I couldn't get the words to come out. My hand reached out and grabbed Tina by the neck, before I threw her hard onto the ground. I then advanced on Penelope, and punched her hard in the ribs- she joined Stark over the other side of the room, unconscious.

Stop, stop, stop!

I could feel the tears filling my eyes- clearly I was still able to cry.

I turned back to Tina, who'd got herself up. She looked pretty calm, despite the circumstances.

"Look what you did, Millie." She said. "This was all your fault."

No, no, no!

"You'll end up getting us all killed." Tina continued, and then shoved me backwards. I stumbled, not wanting to do anything to stop her. It was the least I deserved.

"That's not true." I whimpered pathetically, suddenly finding I was able to talk. I had control of my body again, but the damage was already done.

"It is, and you know it." She said, and shoved me again, this time pushing me over.

I didn't even bother denying it this time. "I'm sorry." I said, the tears falling freely down my face.

Tina just stood there, and folded her arms. She was shaking her head.

She then turned her back on me.

I fell.

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