Chapter Sixteen:
|JOEL'S POV|
"How long has it been?" I whisper to Michael, and he glances once again at Kate, who hasn't left my sight since she woke up this morning.
"Four days," he replies after a while. "Is this normal?"
"For her?" I ask. "Definitely. This is how she copes with it." Kate is sitting at the kitchen table in silence, playing with a slip of paper. I'll bet fifty pounds it's the note that Alec left behind the first time he disappeared. She keeps reading and re-reading it, and she doesn't look up.
"How did you stop it last time?" Michael asks me, obviously concerned.
"I held her hand, and it seemed to work. But this time is different. She isn't talking. Last time it took two months for me to do anything, and she was talking to me."
"Please try." I step forward, and Kate's hand goes to her belt.
"Kate?" I ask, taking another step forward. She pulls out a knife and points it right at me without even looking up. I take one more step, and she throws the knife. I catch it easily, as it's not her best throw, and I drop it to the floor. Then I lay my hand on hers. She pulls her arm away from me in a motion similar to that of disgust. Then she looks up into my eyes. I stumble back at the emptiness in her gaze. There is absolutely no emotion whatsoever. "Kate, talk to me," I command her. She shakes her head. "Look, you walked away from him this time. You know where he is, you can see him whenever you want."
"He told me to choose you," she blurts out, jumping to her feet. "He told me to leave, because he wants me to be with you, Joel. But I realise now that I don't want that. I want him. It's always been him. We faced so many obstacles, but we made it through each and every one together. I want Alec. But then a part of me feels guilty for thinking that, because I love you, Joel. I love you so much, and I couldn't bear to part with you."
"Kate, I just want you to be happy. I know sometimes it seems like I don't care, but I do. I care so much about you, about how you feel. Although, I do admit that I'm being slightly selfish. If you're happy, I'm happy, and when you're like this, and I can't feel anything from you at all, it's terrifying for me."
"I'm blocking my emotions, because they keep overwhelming me. I don't know what I feel. I don't even know who I am anymore."
"Let me help you understand. I know one thing: I love you, and I want to be with you." A thoughtful look comes over her face, and then suddenly a tidal wave of emotions flows into my mind: love, hate, anxiety, depression, shame, distrust, and anger. 'You're angry at Alec for leaving, you don't know who to trust, you're ashamed of the way everything has affected you, you're anxious, afraid of what might happen if you ever see Alec again, and you're depressed because of the weight of your situation. You both love and hate Alec, and you love me. You also hate yourself for letting all of this happen.'
"Joel, I—" I step in, leaning down to kiss her, taking her face in my hands. Her hands grip my shirt, and pull me in closer. I pull away slightly
"You think too much," I say lightly. "I love you, Kate. That will never change."
"I love you, too," she sighs, leaning against my chest. "So this is it," she says softly. "This is my choice." Electricity bursts inside of me at her words, because I realise that this is it. She chose me.
"Finally. Geez, you two needed to do that a long time ago," Michael says from behind us. Kate draws a knife, threatening him, moving away from me at the same time. He takes a defensive stance. "Come at me," he commands her, making a really bad decision. She leaps for him, and then the doorbell rings.
***
[\_ALEC'S POV_/]
"Bye Alec!" Will calls from the lounge room. I grin and wave goodbye, leaving the house and shutting the front door behind me. I make the decision to go next door and see Joel once I leave my mother and aunt. I walk up to the front door and prepare to knock, but the door opens and Joel walks out carrying a backpack and dressed for battle.
"Where are you going?" I ask stiffly.
"Kate and I have been called on for two different missions. I'm going to America, and she's being stationed here in England."
"You've got to be kidding me." I swear under my breath. "They're actually going to split you two up? That'll be hard to cope with, I'm guessing?" He nods. "What if you guys get hurt?"
"Alec, don't worry about Kate. You don't really have the right to worry about her, and she can take care of herself."
"So, are you two—" He nods.
"Alec, I think you need to leave before she sees you. I'll call you when I get to America. I'll tell you how she is, alright?" I nod, and leave before I have a chance to run into Kate.
***
"Trish, it's just me. I'll watch you tonight, okay?" The thirteen-year-old looks up from the book she's reading and smiles.
"Sure. Do you know when Arthur will be back? I wanted to show him something I made."
"He's off duty for the rest of the week, because I noticed that he wasn't getting enough sleep. I won't put any of my agents in danger." She smiles at me.
"You're sweet," she observes. "What happened to your girlfriend?" I cock my head to the side in surprise.
"How did you hear about that?" I ask, utterly astonished.
"Arthur told me all about your girlfriend Kate. He said you really love her."
"I do, but we broke up. She's with someone else now." She frowns.
"If you still love her, why did you let her go?"
"It's complicated, Trish. She loves another boy, and they're made for each other."
"You'll find someone else," she assures me, and I smile softly to myself. The naïveté of a child is certainly something to be admired. "So, where's the rest of your team?"
"Outside, mainly. Some are resting, though most are on duty."
"What's it like being a Protector? I always wanted to be one, but my parents said it's too dangerous. I secretly learnt martial arts and self-defence when I was younger, and I would still love to do it."
"It takes a certain kind of person to be a Protector," I tell her honestly. "To be a good one, that is. You have to be able to face your fears, no matter how much they terrify you. You need to always be aware, and you need to be able to do things without hesitating. Sometimes you have to be cold and heartless, but other times you need to be warm, open and compassionate. You need to treat your partners in battle as your brothers and sisters, whether or not you know them. And you learn that love weakens you. However, some of us ignore that fact and get hurt anyway."
"It sounds like you've been through a lot," Trish says sympathetically. "Do you think I'd be able to be a Protector?"
"If I told you right now to kill your own father because he was a danger to others around you, would you do it?"
"No, I couldn't do that."
"Love weakens you," I repeat. "It makes you feel remorse, makes you hesitate. Love gets you killed."
"But love can strengthen us," Trish argues. "It can tell us when someone is in danger, and when we're with the people we love, we feel stronger, and it renews our hope." She's trying to be wise; I can see it in her face. Suddenly my phone vibrates in my pocket, and I answer it automatically.
"Mortan," I say as usual.
"Alec, I'm here."
"Joel?" I ask to confirm, although I'd know his voice anywhere.
"Yup. Kate's still on her plane, so I can't call her yet, but she's kept up a strong connection. It's weird being this far away from her, and from home. She's sleeping right now, so I can't get much from her except weird shapes and things. She's alright, though. She's happy."
"Good. That's all I want for her."
"Look, I should go. There's someone here for me." He hangs up, and I put my phone away.
"Who was that?" Trish asks.
"My half-brother and Kate's new boyfriend."
"She's dating your brother?" she asks incredulously. "That is wrong on so many levels."
"It's fine, though. I don't mind that much. It's not like it's driven a wedge between us. We're still fine."
"Trish, honey, it's bedtime!" Trish's mother peeks into the room, sees me and nods.
"Okay, mum." She puts away her book and turns off the light, pulling her covers up to her chin. I lean against the wall and sigh. I finally understand that saying: Ignorance is bliss. I wish I was that innocent.
***
"You should go and get some sleep," Trish tells me after my fourth night in a row protecting her. I haven't slept since I found out that Joel and Kate are now dating again. "Besides, I think I'll be fine tonight, because my sister's coming home. She's twenty-one, and she's a Protector as well."
"I wasn't aware that you had any siblings," I say, frowning.
"I also have a brother who's five, but he's at a Protector school."
"So if your brother and sister are doing that, why can't you?"
"Apparently I'm 'special'. I don't know whether that means I'm crazy or I have some awesome superpower." I'll have to look into this.
"When is your sister coming?"
"She'll be here at nine."
"That's right about now. You should probably get to sleep." I pick up my phone and dial Arthur's number.
"Yes?" he asks eagerly, answering right away.
"I know I said I'd give you until tomorrow, but are you able to come in tonight?"
"God, yes! Do you have any idea how boring it's been? I was close to killing myself. Be there in five."
Once Arthur arrives, I leave him with Trish while I go downstairs to speak with Trish's parents. Her mother is speaking with someone who must be her sister. Their faces are both grim.
"...cancer has spread. She only has a month." Shock grips me, and I gasp, causing both of them to turn and stare at me. Somehow I know they're talking about Trish.
"How could you not tell her?" I breathe out in outrage.
"She doesn't need to know yet," her mother replies sternly.
"Have you tried getting a healer in?"
"We can't find one strong enough. They'd have to heal her from her near-death state." Memories come rushing back to me, and then I see it.
Joel collapses to the ground, and I throw down my knife in victory. Suddenly, Kate runs to Joel, and looks deep into his eyes.
"Can anyone heal?" she asks frantically, looking around at the rest of us. "He needs medical attention instantly! Dammit!" she yells, when everyone shakes their head. Kate rips off Joel's shirt, and I protest— understandably— though Kate firmly tells me to shut up. She lays her hands on Joel's bare skin, and I watch as the wounds close under her hands.
"I think I know someone who can help," I say quickly.
"How soon can he be here?" asks Trish's mother.
"Well, she's on a mission in Australia at the moment. She's a hunter."
"A hunter? You know people in very high places, Mr Mortan."
"Also, I think you should let Trish train to be a Protector. It's her dream. I think she'd make a good one. Besides, it won't bring the sickness on any faster."
"Perhaps," is all her mother replies. "So, can you contact your friend?" I nod, pulling out my phone again. I dial Kate's number, and it rings six times before going to voicemail.
"Kate, this is urgent. It's a matter of life and death. Please call me back as soon as you get this." I hang up, and my phone rings immediately.
"What is it, Alec? This had better be important."
"I need you to heal someone who's going to die," I say pleadingly. Silence.
"Alec I don't know if I can. I mean, when I healed Joel, it just happened."
"Kate, please. This girl, she deserves to live."
"Girl?" she asks stiffly.
"Kate, she's only thirteen. She dreams of being a Protector like her siblings. She reminds me of you."
"Alec, I don't know if I can get there in time. I mean, if I leave here, I give up my right to be a Hunter."
"You would keep your job over saving someone's life? That doesn't sound like you, Kate."
"I'll see what I can do, but I can't make any promises."
"She only has a month." Kate hangs up, and I sigh.
"So?" asks Trish's mother eagerly, hope written across her face.
"She'll be here," I tell them honestly. Kate would never let someone die. I hope.