"You little munchkins, both of you are going to get it!" The twins squealed with delighy and started to run away from their mother,who is chasing them, while giggling.
Evren watch her siblings and mother chase around the field near their home under a tree, leaning against her father who is also watching them.
Suddenly the twins split up making their mother pause and decide who to go for before finally choosing the youngest troublemaker. The said youngest laughed loudly after being caught by his mother and was smothered with kisses. Jiro jumped onto his mothers back bringing all of them down but were still laughing.
Hearing her father chuckle, Evren looked up to him and saw that he was also looking at her but she can she in his eyes that he was content and happy with his family which made her smile. Her father kissed her forehead and ushered her to stand with him and walked towards the rest of their family.
Sensing someone approaching, their heads turn towards them which made all of their smiles widened.
"Papa!"
The twins let go of their mother deciding that they were going to tackle their father next. Their father let out a laugh, allowing his children to tackle him thus started a playful wrestle.
Evren walked up to her mother who beckoned her to sit with her. Evren leaned against her mother like how she did with her father and watch the boys in her family play fight.
"My lovely Angel"
Hearing her nickname leave the mouth of her morher, she looked at her giving her one of smiles that is only reserve for her family.
"I love you so much"
Her smile widened at those words and made her hug her mother tightly and give a kiss on her cheek.
"Love you too, mama"
Their exchange of words were heard by the boys and they also started to proclaim their love.
"We love you,mama! We love you too papa!"
At the mere age of nine, Evren knew that she would to anything to protect her little family.
...but it seems she was just not strong enough that time.
Her father suddenly shot up, his eyes widened for a milisecond then was narrowed, guarded.
"Teresa."
Just from calling her name. Their mother gathered up the twins in her arms and motioned for her daughter to follow. Confused and anxious, Evren hesitated, glancing at her father before following after her fathet gave her a look of reassurance.
They entered their home and went straight towards their bunker. Evren felt a shiver go up her spine. Their bunker was only use for emergencies... where is her father?
Then their father suddenly materialised beside her mother and ushered her and her siblings inside. Once inside, Evren noticed her parents where not following them and immediately turned towards them.
She saw her parents look at them with sadness, grief but there was also pride and determination. Those looks from her parents made her heart beat rapidly and tightened her hold on her siblings.
Jiro and jake were hugged by their parents, whispering how much they love us and to be always strong for each other. When it was my turn to be hugged, I grip my father's shirt tight. Sensing my distress my father kissed my forehead and mother repeated his actions. I held back my tears once I finally saw their faces but managed to choke out.
"Ma, Pa... why?"
Mother immediately teared up and hugged me and the twins tightly.
"Angel, my beautiful,strong and smart daughter"
Just by hearing those endearments from her father made her tears flow.
"There is someone after us and they finally managed to locate after so many years, we are sorry that, my dear children are being involved with our problem"
Evren just shook her head not blaming her parents for anything, as she was sure the twins will also agree with her even though they still cannoy fully comprehend the situation.
"But we will protect all of you, we won't let them come near you... So my little warrior"
Her farther placed his forehead against her. Evren tightly closed her eyes, trying her best to hold back the tears, to appear strong in front of her father but it seems her tears has a mind of their own.
" Our brave Angel, We need you to run... run with your siblings, protect each other until you reach the place written in a paper inside the bag... you need to go now"
By now her body was shaking so badly that it alerted her siblings that something was wrong with their parents and immediately started to question them.
"Where are we going?"
"Mama,mama are you and papa not coming? Why? We want you to come!"
Teresa tightened her hold on her twins, tears heavily flowing and kept whispering how much they love us and how they were so sorry.
Evren's grip on her father tightened before finally letting go. She took a deep breath trying to will her body to stop shaking, which was already failing, and looked at their parents trying to convey with her eyes oh her resolution but also grief.
Dalton was immediately filled with guilt, blaming himself for putting that look on his still daughter but was also filled with pride on how brave she was. Evren placed the big backpack on her back and took hold one hand of each twins on hers.
She run towards another door in the bunker that leads another end outside. Before she opened the door she looked back at her parents thumping her hand against her left chest, where her heart is located.
"I love you mama, papa, to the moon and back"
The twins seems to be slowly getting what was happening but did not cried out loud but also looked at their parents full of love repeating their sister's action.
"To the moon and back mama, papa"
"Forever and always"
Her parents stood there looking at them full of love, adoration, sadness, pain that it made her hold back another set of tears.
"We also love all of you, to the moon and back"
Mother began to choke up in finishing the last sentence and tears rolled down on their father's face.
"...Forever and always"
Evren bit her bottom lip tightly, turned around and run to who knows where with the twins not looking back.
Teresa and Dalton watch their children run until they can't see them anymore, and hardened their demeanor. They walked upstairs and out on their front yard, waiting.
Dalton looked at his wife, gave her a long kiss before parting. Teresa lookes at here husband engraving everything into her memory before whispering
"I love you so much"
Dalton squeezed his wife's hand before letting go.
"I love you too, teri"
Suddenly growls were heard on every side of them. If Evren and the twins heard those growls from where they are, Evren pulled her siblings to run faster not turning back once.
Seven years later....
"That's enough for today Evren"
Eyes tiredly looking up from where she was layjng, she saw her father's friend, Simone towering over her, hands outstretched for her to take.
She took it groaning from how her body was stiff and immediately started to stretch it to atleast minimize the pain she will definitely feel tomorrow.
After what happened seven years ago, Evren kept her promise to their parents and located the place written on the paper that was in the bag. At first Simone was surprised and cautious at seeing us but after reading the note that she also found in the bag with a "simone" written on it, they were ushered inside and was took care by him and her wife, Layla, and was already treated as part of their family.
When her and her siblings had finally settled by chance Evren saw Simone doing his training and immediately asked to train her to protect her siblings, to which he agreed. At seeing their sister training they immediately started to request to also train, which was declined but after many debates, they can start on light exercises before moving up.
Thus after each session the twins started to show signs of improvement, while Evren...gre leaps and beyond but as a side effect she started to close any emotions and will remain stoic unless it is for her family.
As Evren was walking home after school they encountered someone being beaten up by a bunch of highschool thugs. Evren knows that fights happen in their school and she does not bother with them... but she will not standby and keep watch when somebody is clearly outnumbered. As she fought had defeated them one by one, she let them go as they fled from the scene and turned to help the guy who was beaten up.
The sais guy looked up at her at awe and took her offered hand to stand up.
"Thank you"
She just shrugged and continued on her walk back but was stopped by that guy.
"Wait! Can I atleast get the name of the supergirl?"
Evren turned around dumbfounded by what he called her but he only grinned at her which after all these years made her crack a small smile.
"Evren"
His grin widened and outstrecthed his hand towards me. I look at his hands before deciding to accept the handshake.
"Hey Evren, I'm Seth"
It seems that Seth has a knack of locating me in our school which resulted for us to hang out more often. By the end of our third year we were what others consider to be best friends.
At first she thought that it was weird that she, who everyone considered as a "lone wolf" to suddenly befriended an outgoing and friendly person but blamed it on Seth's persistance on soendong time with her at every chance he can get.
Her siblings also took a liking on her only friend and started to hang out with us more often than they used to. Seth took us to an ice cream shop nearby and he will treat us to anything we like. Jake immediately jumped on that chance and dragged Jiro to the counter. Seth laughed at their antics while she just shook my head at the youngest's greediness.
We head back to our home with Seth, who insisted in escorting us back. Her siblings immediately went inside leaving her with Seth.
"Thanks for treating us, it was much appreciated"
He just chuckled while ruffling her hair. If anyone did that she may had already punched their gut but with him...
Evren stared at him and as usual gave me one of his silly grins.
....those type of actions made her heart race.
She can't let him know about this, he deserves better not someone can barely protect anything... yet. But it seems he had other ideas.
He stopped messing up her hair and was about to leave when he suddenly hold her hand and placed a light kiss on her forehead. Then he bid a goodbye not before giving her a sly wink leaving her standing there, eyes following his back until it can't see him anymore.
Evren touched her forehead, the heat of Seth's lips still lingering. When she went inside the house Jiro and Jake immediately started questioning on why she had a smile on her face.
Jiro was thankful that his sister was always there to protect them, that their sister always placed them first in her priorities before she tended to hers. But was worried when it had gotten worse to the point that she sometimes had forgetten her needs and wants.
So he and his twin were thankful for Seth for pulling her out of that and made her feel again, made her feel loved in way that they can't give her.
But he still has that lingering thought of Seth using her and their friendship.
When the news that they were now together those thoughts were put aside for the sake of his sister's happiness and congratulated them.
Even if his twin had loosen his guard against her sister's friend, now lover, Jake still kept an eye on him. He did not easily brushed aside what his intuition was telling him, not when his father taught him to always trust it.
So that was what he did. He continued to observe that man while keeping up is nonchalant attitude. He did not want to warn his sister against him with still no evidence to back uo his claim. But for now... he wishes for his sister to be happy and kept this observation to himself.
Evren knows that her siblings did not fully trust Seth. She thought it was due to them being protective, which she taught was sweet. But she can't help and also started to have doubts about her lover.
There were times where he was suddenly distant from her and then when they were on a date, he will get a call and immediately cut the date short. She thought that he started to get bored of their relationship and was seeing someone behind her back was ruled out when he reassured her that no, he was not cheating on her. He explained that he was taking care of a business his father left him and was needed to be address by him.
Evren accepted hia reasoning, still skeptical but did not pursue it any longer. She trusts him.
She trusted him too much.
It was one of those days where Simone and his wife where out of the country to handle some of their business for a week but were now coming back at any moment tonight.
Evren was walking home with her siblings after buying groceries when she felt someone watching them. She continued walking with a hand in her pocket, fingering her pocket knife not showing any signs on noticing them.
Their home was now visible as they entered their quiet neighborhood.
Too quiet.
It seems the ones following them also thought of it and decided to finally show himself... theirselves.
'Shit, too many'
Evren thought as she place herself infront of her siblings. Jiro dropped the bags he was carrying and took a stance with jake copying him.
The man infront of them smirked then grinned widely.
"Finally found you"
Those words immediately made Evren thought back to their parents. She clenched her hands tight and glared at the man who she assumed was responsible for her parent's ungodly death.
"What the fuck do you want, murderer"
It only made the man's grin widen at them as he laugh
"As expected of the daughter of the palstone, a genius, always knowing the situation"
She heard someone took a sharp intake of breath but not bothering to think who and kept her eyes of that man.
"You know, tracking you was never easy but thankfully, you fell right in his territory"
Those words brought dread inside of her, already guessing who that person was. But that did not stop her heart from shattering when her guess was right....'It was always right'
Seth stood by the murderer of her parents looking at them... at her with complete satisfaction.
"I knew it, you son of a bitch"
Jake shouted not caring of drawing attention towards him, he took place infront of his sister, shielding her.
"You lying son of a bitch"
But that only made him chuckle, making fun of the situation.
"Now, now that's not nice saying those words to your sister's lover, ain't it?"
"You bastard"
The normally brain of the two hissed at him. If Jiro could kill him right now, he would in a heartbeat.
"Why... WHY?!"
Evren wanted to end this nightmare... it hurts, as she clutched her chest, as if to soothe her heart. She stared at him showing how she felt...betrayed, hurt but most of all anger. Anger at him but most of all at herself for trusting him too much.
"Do not get me wrong but meeting you was by pure chance. My father told me that they still not have found the Palstone children when I decided to finally join the hunt. I kept a low profile, allowing myself to become someone "normal" in school and lead for me to be "bullied" as you name it. Then when I was about to finally kill those weaklings, you swooped in."
Seth laughed as he saw Evren eyes realizing her fault.
"You lead yourself to me but the best part is you trusted me which made it much more easier"
My fault?
Those signs... Why. Why did I not listen to them.. to my siblings.. to own damn self.
No. This is not the time to wallow in self regret. Jiro.. jake are still here..
'Protect them'
Evren stood straight up. She will not waste the efforts of her parents.
She took a fighting stance. Not once wavering.
She will not waste her efforts, Simone's efforts in teaching her.
The man let out a booming laugh expecting for this to happen.
"Get them."
Men where surrounding them trying to take them down but with the adrenaline rushing in her, she kept on taking them down as they come. As she jabbed the brute trying to trap her she heard Jake screamed. She turned and saw a man painfully twisted her brothers arm behind his back. She rushed towards them but was tackled by the man who betrayed her.
"If you keep on resisting, this will only be more painful for you"
She only spat on him and continued of struggling. That only angered him and with strength that she never felt before, he bashed her head on the ground, not enough for a concussion but enough for her to slump in his hold.
Jiro shouted her sister's name after getting a glimpse of that bastard bashing her head. He puched the one he was fighting on his neck bringing him down and tried to rush to his sister but was also tackled down. He still continued to squirm doing his best to get free from the hold but to no avail. He looked at his twin, who was put to unconciousness and tied up before looking at his sister, afraid before he followed suit his brother.
Evren through hazy eyes saw her brother, wanting to comfort him but can't.
'No...'
Tears filled her eyes, failing to keep her promise to her parents, failing to protect her brothers.
Regretting trusting too much.
Thought of her mother and father at their last moment together
'Mama... Papa'
How Simone and Layla willingly took them in. Layla showering us with love and the times Simone trained us.
"Simone... Layla"
Then finally her brothers,her sweet brothers. How Jake will always show his love by hugging her with Jiro following him but in a mild manner.
"Time for you to sleep, sweetheart"
That was the last thing she heard before her mind had shut down.
'I'm so sorry... I failed everyone of you'