May 17th, 2013
"Baby, you light up my world like nobody else!"
"The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed!"
"But when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell!"
"You don't know-oh-oh!"
"You don't know you're beautiful!"
Alec and Zen were singing along to One Direction as they grooved (in an extremely ridiculously fashion, may I add) along to the beat, throwing confetti all over the stainless floors.
"Archer," I groaned in misery. "Please shut them up!"
"Well, the leader of today's activities is you, and the responsibility of dealing with nuisances falls to the leader. So, my lovely little sister, I'm afraid of getting those two to shut up is your problem today," Archer said with a blissful smile as he cut a piece of tape.
"Since when did I become the leader? Everyone knows that the leader should be the oldest," I pointed out.
"I am twenty-one. I'm in my golden years," Archer grumbled defensively. "Do you see this flawless face? How dare you call me old!"
"The second qualification is responsibility," I said. "Everyone knows you're more responsible than me."
"That has got to be the most false statement I've ever heard," Flynn Darkwood scoffed as he came around the corner, bearing a box of golden and white streamers next to Elijah, who was busy craftily tying the streamers into ribbons. Elijah looked up from his artwork, nodded in agreement with Flynn, then went back to cutting and pasting.
"That's right," Archer agreed with a big smile on his face as he descended the black ladder propped next to one of the pillars of the Cross mansion. "I'm not responsible. But Flynn here is twenty-one and clear-headed, meaning he definitely qualifies as a leader. I think you should elect him, Park."
Oh, I'm sorry. This talk about being a leader and easily-ripped streamers must be getting terribly confusing for you guys.
Here, let me explain: It's been two months since the court hearing in Cimeria.
Abigail had received a sentence of thirty years. She is currently locked up in one of the tightest cells in an XYZ compound somewhere in the world. Six received a twenty-year sentence and was too locked up in an XYZ compound.
Daniel and the other many individuals had been locked up in the general detainment center of Cimeria with a sentence of seven years.
After I had told my brother about what Abigail had revealed to me (who then went on to tell my father, who then told my grandmother, who then did everything she could to secure my safety), everything became a bit chaotic for quite some time.
The Order of the Dragons became burdened with the priority of locating the rebel group (or groups, if they had smaller factions scattered throughout the country--or worse, the world) and gathering as much information as possible.
My father had rounded a small team of XYZ's most skilled and most trusted agents to investigate as well, and had also given them the license to arrest anyone they thought overly suspicious.
However, despite the amount of revered agents that were currently scouring the Earth for more information, we had yet to find anything out. Abigail refused to say anymore, saying that even the cells of XYZ wouldn't be able to save her if she revealed anything else.
So, as the fruitless hunt for the enemy was taking place, I (along with everyone else under the age of twenty-one) had returned back to Paradise to finish education. My father couldn't come back, but he sent Archer with me and had reappointed Logan as my bodyguard (and if Logan wasn't here, then Alec would be in charge of bodyguard duties).
I took a look at Archer and Flynn bickering over streamers Archer had hung, and whether not it was symmetrical with the others. Elijah was ignoring them both and taping his beautifully-crafted golden and white ribbons onto the walls.
Archer wasn't often home with me. Ever since his returned, the international public had demanded his presence. Press conferences, interviews, guest appearances, and schedules for articles were filling up his schedule constantly. It was to the point where he could only be home for a day or two before he was whisked away to Tokyo or Cairo for some important event that required him to dress up and charm everyone onstage.
In turn, Flynn and Elijah were taken away from field tasks and stuck with me as a temporary guardian whenever Archer was absent. Elijah was always held up at the coffee shop, and was only home at night. So Flynn became the primary guardian for the past two months. Instead of physically investigating, Flynn was practically glued to his laptop 24/7. Either that, or he and Alec were shouting at each other.
Remember? Flynn and Alec are half-brothers, but Flynn left the family, which was seen as an act of betrayal to Alec. Even though Flynn (and Archer and I) had tried to explain to Alec that Flynn did search for Alec after the Darkwood fire, Abigail had hidden Alec so deep underground that even his technological-savvy brother couldn't find him, Alec was still extremely....peeved at Flynn for leaving in the first place.
Their two stubborn personalities and smart-aleck mouths didn't help the situation one bit. After a while, we all realized that this was their way of reconnecting with each other--through endless arguments over stupid things, such as which type of breakfast cereal was better or who had more pretty eyes (though I would appreciate the bonding more if they didn't have to scream their opinions).
I shook my head, snapping out the memories which included pounding headaches and useless debates. I let Archer and Flynn to continue arguing and carried a box of streamers over to Alec and Zen.
Those two were still dancing. Now it was to 'Best Song Ever,' and the dancing had gotten even worse. Alec was waving one of his crutches his around, and Zen was doing some weird spirit dance around him.
Alec, unlike me, didn't get a quick pardon from the hospital. While I suffered from a bullet wound, a sprained ankle, and several minor cuts and bruises (and a small concussion), Alec had gotten a critical stab wound, a broken leg, and not-so-minor cuts and bruises. I was allowed to leave the hospital after two weeks--Alec had taken a whole month to return to Paradise.
Alec's double-agent adventure had shaken him quite a bit. He told me he hated every moment of it--the fear that he would get caught, the disgust that ran through him whenever he was forced to carry out orders, and the hurt he felt when I thought he was a traitor. Though, enduring all that had earned him the whole-hearted trust of, well, everyone.
Our fun post-adventures with the incident didn't stop with head-pounding memories. The doctors had diagnosed Alec and I with PTSD due to our wonderful nightmares of burning buildings, consistent loss of sleep, and our growing paranoia around falling and/or burning objects.
I had it a bit worse than Alec. My nightmares didn't consist of just burning wood and falling beams that threatened to cave me in--it also consisted of watching everyone I loved being snatched away from me only to end up dead before I could do anything to help them.
The shadows under my eyes were ten times worse than Alec's and I jumped at everything that I didn't expect. I had been reduced to a weak, paranoid-filled, frightened girl cowering behind others.
"Can you put your crutch away before you take someone out?" I asked Alec, stopping one of his crutches, shifting the weight of the box into one arm.
"Archer, she's picking on me!" Alec cried out. "She's showing off! She's making me feel bad about my injury!"
"Really? How about I give you an actual injury to cry about?" I growled.
"Threat! Threat!" Alec yelled, backing away from me. "I feel threatened."
Zen snorted as he took the box from me. "How long are you going to use your broken leg as an upper hand?"
"For as long as I possibly can," Alec retorted. Zen rolled his eyes and began to tape the Happy Birthday Banner across the stairs. Alec gave me a contemplating glance, then set down his roll of tape and gestured for me to follow him.
I placed the box of streamers by Zen's foot and followed Darkwood into an empty hallway. "What is it?" I asked.
"Did you have another nightmare last night?" he asked. His pale green eyes seem to see right through me and I knew I couldn't lie. So I nodded, then crumpled to the floor, my face in the palms of my hands as I groaned in exhaustion and frustration.
"How'd you know?" I asked, my voice muffled by my hands.
"You've barely smiled the whole day. It's Logan's surprise party, but his own girlfriend can't crack a grin. Plus I heard you screaming last night."
"Did I wake you?"
"No. I couldn't sleep again," he answered. "You could've called me over, you know."
"I thought you were sleeping," I admitted, "so I didn't want to wake you."
"That's what family is for," Alec snorted. I looked up to see him smiling crookedly at me. There was a brotherly warmth in his grin. "I'd give you a hug, but you're on the ground, and I have a broken leg. Forgive me for not putting in more effort than I want to."
"What am I going to do, Alec?" I muttered. "I can't let Logan see me like this. I can't let anyone see me like this. I feel so weak and pathetic. Every time I have those nightmares, I'm reminded that I can't protect everyone and it's so..."
"Infuriating?" he finished for me. "That's how I felt when the firefighters dragged me out of the Darkwood mansion. I woke up first, yet I couldn't get anyone out in time."
"Now the same people who attacked you are attacking me, and I don't even know who they are," I sighed. "I'm so scared that someone's going to get hurt. I don't know what to do, but it's all I can think about."
"I don't know you," Alec said. "The Park Sparrow I know would rather jump off a cliff before she would say that she's scared. Park Sparrow is ruthless. She's annoying, she's impulsive, and she's a complete idiot. But she's also fearless, loyal, fierce, and the kind that would cut down the enemy before even letting them scare her. No matter how frightened she is, she always gets back to her feet because she knows that she can win. That's the Park Sparrow I know."
"And the Alec Darkwood I know would rather die than throw someone a surprise party and wear a party hat," I pointed out with a grin.
"Who said I'm wearing a party hat?" he scoffed.
I rolled my eyes at him, but I could my chest start to lighten as the depressing thoughts I've had all day start to float away. Alec was right--why was I allowing myself to be like this. I am Park Sparrow--princess of Cimeria by day, swash-buckling captain of the high seas by night. I wasn't scared by people--people were scared of me. I could do this, and I needed to start thinking that anything was possible, including a victory in this guerilla war.
"Thanks, Alec," I said gratefully.
"You can thank me by calling me by my proper title," Alec responded with a pompous air about him. "The High Overlord."
"Nevermind, I take back my thanks," I said quickly, revoking my previous comment. Alec curled his upper list and gave me a distasteful look when I heard Elijah shout, "They're here!"
Alec gave a startled cry and instantly started to crutch away towards his hiding spot. I leapt to my feet and scurried ahead of him, meeting Zen at the base of the stairs. We hopped over the banner that he had taped down and ran up the stairs, taking opposite sides.
Peeking over, I could see Archer, Flynn, and Elijah all dive under the table that they had been sitting at. The white tablecloth covering it fluttered and grew still, so you couldn't have a clue that three grown men were hiding under there.
I saw Minnie duck behind a statue and, thanks to her petite size, disappear from any front perspective. Sophia and Mark crawled beneath two different writing tables.
James and Josh slid behind two open doors and flattened themselves against the walls while Alec crutched behind a doorway and concealed himself within the shadows.
The crew waited in suspenseful silence and short breaths as we heard the jingle of keys from beyond the entrance doors. Someone slid the keys into the lock and the door was opened. Then there was more silence after Catarina and Lance's laughter faded.
Then:
"What the hell happened here?" asked Logan's unamused voice.
That was our cue. Eleven people emerged from their hiding spots, all shouting in obnoxious volumes, "Surprise!"
Today was Logan's birthday, as well as his return to Paradise after having to spend two weeks in Dubai, working on another mission.
Though all of us (Logan, Alec, Zen, Sophia, and I) had gotten quite popular among the agent-world, Logan had surpassed all of us in fame. Maybe it was because he was the only one who felt comfortable enough talking about the subject, or maybe it was because he was really good-looking and charismatic that people felt more inclined to speak to him than any of us.
News spread like wildfire that he had taken part of such a mission. Now, people around the world were scrambling over each other to have him work for them. Like my brother, Logan was often flown to other cities around the world for a short mission (or an occasional dinner to discuss what happened that very day).
Two weeks ago, he had been called out on a mission. Alec had concocted a brilliant plan at five a.m. to gather all of Logan's friends and throw a surprise party for him. Imagine his parents' surprise when eleven people showed up at the door around six-thirty, carrying boxes and bags of party decorations and ingredients for food.
I watched Josh and Mark throw themselves at Logan, tackling him to the ground due to their element of surprise. They gave him nineteen punches, since it was his nineteenth birthday, and screamed every number out loud.
"Get off!" Logan cried in protest as the boys continued to punch him despite the fact that he'd already been given the appropriate number of punches.
It was James who hauled Josh and Mark off Logan, but in returned, socked him in the arms nineteen times. Logan, who was looking practically furious, endured it with a sour face.
"I actually do something nice for you for once and this is the expression of gratefulness?" Alec asked, shaking his head in disappointment.
"You did this? This is something Park would do," Logan pointed out.
"Now he places the credit on someone else. Wow, I'm so offended right now. Park, he's picking on the cripple!"
At this, Logan's eyes followed Alec's gaze and met mine, where I stood leaning against the railing of the stairs. His annoyed expression dissipatated and a glowing smile spread across his lips. Alec began shaking his head again at Logan's change in expression.
"Alright, before we start throwing punches, how about a birthday lunch!" Minnie suggested. The crowd shouted their approval of that suggestion and began migrating towards the dining room. Zen and I descended the stairs together.
When I hopped over the birthday banner, though, my landing wasn't quite stable, and my weaker ankle gave way. I would've tumbled face-first into the floor and been the subject of Alec's mocking laughter for another five years if not for Logan's quick reflexes. He caught me in his arms and held onto me as I straightened myself.
"How is it that you can run and do backflips over tables in high heels, but can't even jump without falling?" Logan wondered. "Hey, can we talk?" He looked over to Alec and Zen. "Tell them not to wait and just eat. This will be really quick."
"Fine," Alec agreed. "But you better be back before the fondue runs out. Sophia made that especially for you, and if you're not there to eat it...well, tough luck, because I like strawberry-chocolate fondue as well."
"Ditto," Zen agreed. "Oh, and there's cake as well. Make it back in time for cake."
"I wouldn't miss the cake for anything," Logan reassured. While they were walking away, Logan entwined his hand with mine and began dragging me outside.
"What is it?" I asked once we were on his hardwood porch. Before I knew, Logan's lips were on mine, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist, pulling me close again hist chest. I smiled against his lips and returned the kiss enthusiastically.
He tasted like lemon drops. His cologne stuck to him like it was his personal scent. Having his embrace around me made me feel much stronger than I had in the past two weeks.
When we drew away, he pressed his forehead against mine--a habit that I loved. His fingers came up brush the strands of my ponytail off my shoulder, rubbing gentle circles against my neck. He was smiling, but when his fingers came up to the shadows under my eyes, a frown crept across his lips.
"Are they getting worse?" he asked. "Park, why haven't you called me about this?"
I knew he'd freak out if he found out that my nightmares were getting progressively worse. He was already upset that I couldn't sleep and that if I did, I'd be paralyzed in my dreams. I didn't want to worry him--not today.
"No, they're actually getting better. This is just the insomnia," I lied reassuringly. Logan looked extremely skeptical of my statement, so I leaned him and gave him a peck on the lips.
"I'll be fine, Logan, so there's no need to worry," I said, giving his hands a tight squeeze.
"You're such a liar," he snorted, drawing away from me and crossing his arms. He leaned against one of the pillars supporting the second floor and appraised me with sharp, golden eyes.
"Alright, they're pretty bad," I admitted, copying his posture and leaned against the frame of the door. "I didn't want you to worry."
"Park, I'm your bodyguard and your boyfriend. It will be impossible for you to stop me from worrying."
"I can still try, can't I?"
He chuckled at my comment. He uncrossed his arms and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his black slacks, then looked up. "Everyone is worried about Abigail's warnings. I know you're worried about who's going to get hurt in the process. That's a thought that everyone's come across ever since she gave us the warning.
You know what, though? Everyone's prepared for it. It's not as though we're heading into this sort of situation without a plan. We're preparing for anything that's coming towards us. All of us are. You need to know that you can't protect everyone, but everyone can protect themselves. You need to stop worrying about others and worry about yourself for once."
Logan held up a finger when I opened my mouth. "Don't even bother trying to tell me that you've spent a single second worrying about your health and safety. All those hours on the computer, digging through conspiracy pages and watching security footages, rereading files--you've been overworking yourself because you're afraid that you won't be able to protect anyone if you don't know anything."
"Know-it-all," I muttered.
Logan smiled as he walked over to where I stood. "It'll be okay, Park. Everyone here knows what they're getting themselves into, or else they wouldn't be here. Give us the chance to protect you for once."
He brought my hands to his lips and kissed the back of them.
"Since when did you get so good at speeches?" I asked.
"I have a gift for you," he answered instead, completely ignoring my question. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a square box that was navy blue and felt like satin.
"Today is your birthday," I commented when he handed it to me.
"And?" he inquired.
"So it's your turn to get gifts, not me." "Think of this as a late birthday gift from me," he suggested.
"But you gave me a jacket for my birthday."
"Take the damn box, Sparrow," he grumbled in a prickly manner, but the smile never left his face.
Laughing, I took the box from him and opened up the lid. Nested in the silk inside was a silver bracelet that glimmered even without the sunlight reflecting on it. Gingerly, I picked it up to see that there were charms dangling from the chain. In the middle, there was a silver dragon with sapphire encrusted eyes. The rest of the charms were silver stars, showing off their unscratched surfaces and flawless molding.
"Aw, man," I moaned as I gazed at the bracelet. "All I got you was the Game of Thrones book series."
"That's a wonderful gift. "
"At least I got them signed as well," I muttered. "This is so pretty."
"Can I put it on?" he asked, holding his hand out. I dropped it in his palm as a sign of my permission and held out my right wrist. Logan wrapped the bracelet around and hooked the two ends together.
"Thank you," I said softly. Logan took a hold of my hand and clasped it with both of his.
"We can make it through anything," he said, his voice confident, his eyes shining brightly. No matter how scared I was for the future, I felt hopeful that we would survive anything--all of us.
"I'll protect you," he promised, kissing my hand once again.
"Do you want to head in now? We promised we wouldn't miss the cake," I said.
"May the gods strike me with lightning if I miss the cake," he agreed, wrapping his fingers with mine as we headed inside.
And as we rejoined the party, where everyone belted out the chorus of 'Happy Birthday,' where Logan's face was smashed into the cake (courtesy of Elijah and Flynn), where we all ate Minnie and Sophia's unbelievably delicious cooking, where we forgot that there was a bigger problem out there, I realized something.
We would survive. No matter what.
* * *
Hi, y'all, it's me! (OH MY GOD, SHE'S ALIVE?)
Sorry that I've been gone for so long! I've been super super super super busy with a lot of things--those who read my message know why. If you don't know why, then it doesn't matter--here's your long awaited update.
This wraps up I'll Protect You (here's some tissues), but hey! We made it!
I am rewriting IPY. No, I'm not joking. And before you say anything about how the original was perfect and that I don't need to, let me stop you real quick:
Yes, I understand that there's always an emotional attachment to originals. There always is. Hell, I hate this draft with a burning passion but I love it because it's the original. However, there's several mistakes throughout this entire story that shows the lack of planning and editing that I put into the original. It's bothered me to the point where I can barely read past the first chapter, so I decided to sit down and rewrite it.
There's already about, what, five or six chapters of the revamped version up. And before you say that you won't read it, let me warn you about this one thing: the sequel will be following the revamped version. All the changes in the revamped will show up in the sequel and if you don't read it, sorry, but if you ask questions throughout the sequel, I'm just going to tell you to read the revamped. From hence on forth, the revamped will be canon--the original will remain a very loved draft.
I hope this epilogue didn't disappoint. If it did, I'm super sorry, I'm kind of rusty on writing at the moment.
I would also like to thank EVERYBODY who has stuck with this story for so long. You are all patient, amazing, and unbelievably fantastic souls for staying with this book through its crappy first chapters, through the prolonged updates, through the plot twists and unnecessary chapters--through my hiatus of three months. To everyone who's liked this book, you are all amazing, I just want you to know that. Without you guys, this story wouldn't have this amount of recognition.
Without you guys, my lame username orangechicken would mean nothing.
So, thank you, thank you, thank you!!
I hope you guys stick around for the sequel--if not, our time together was great!
Extra info: if you want my tumblr, instagram, twitter, then go to my profile--they're all listed there, besides my instagram. If you have any extra questions you want answered about I'll Protect You, then go to my ask.fm--also listed at my profile.
So long for now,
orangechicken