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Morning came and Tristan still wanted to call Blaire but wasn’t sure he should so he didn’t. Besides he had to go and help with things at the rodeo for his dad. He at least didn’t have to deal with seeing Chris, who had left that morning for another rodeo. Tristan kept checking his phone wondering if he could call or when she might call him. And while Tristan kept fretting over if he blew it with Blaire, she was busy trying to not think about him or that he was possibly with someone else at that moment. She’d driven with her three best friends to Harvard in Gabriel’s SUV. They toured the campus and their student guide, a Sophomore in the law program named Alan Snyder, kept flirting with Blaire. After the tour they were brought to a party, not the kind of booze and such because it was still for those that came as pre-frosh. Alan got Blaire off in a corner away from her friends talking to her. “So what do you plan to come to Harvard to study?”, Alan asked leaning, on his shoulder, against the wall next to her. Blaire smiled looking up at him as she leaned on the wall next to him. “Law actually. It’s kind of a family thing.”, Blaire explained. “Really. I’m a sophomore in the law program. It’s a great program here, and now I’m not only saying that because I’m supposed to talk up the university to the pre-frosh. So why do you say it’s a family thing?”, he asked taking a drink of a soda. “My dad was a Navy SEAL and ended up becoming a cop. My mom was a lawyer who became a judge. So dealing with law is kind of in the genes.”, Blaire said with a flirty smile. Alan nodded. “Some genes.”, Alan said looking her over. “This is probably the worst pick up line you’ve heard, but oh well. Wouldn’t mind finding out more about what is in your jeans.”, Alan said. Blaire giggled shaking her head. “Oh…wow alright. That is an award winner bad line Alan.”, Blaire teased. Alan shrugged.
“Told you it was bad. But what kind of award do I get for worse pick up line?”, Alan asked lightly brushing some of her hair back away from her face letting his hand go down the side of her face and next his hand brushing the chain of her north star necklace. “That’s a pretty necklace, by the way. Shines almost as bright as those sapphires you call eyes.”, Alan commented. “Oh that was a better line than the jeans one. Stick with the compliment line for future reference. They tend to get you further.”, Blaire said with a wink. “And thank you. It’s the north star. It was a sweet sixteen present from…”, Blaire said trailing off as her mind started to think about the night Tristan gave her the necklace. And the lame line he gave but how sweet it sounded from his lips. Alan raised an eyebrow. “Let me guess your boyfriend back home?”, Alan asked. Blaire shook her head. But as the thought about Tristan it brought her to yesterday and knowing he slept with someone else. She looked up from the necklace to Alan and smiled. “No. I don’t have a boyfriend. It was from a boy. But he’s not my boyfriend. He lives in Oregon and to be honest we just hook up when he comes to town.”, Blaire said giving the most general definition of her relationship with Tristan. Alan raised an eyebrow. “So he’s a sex-friend?”, Alan asked. Blaire nodded. “Basically yes. We hook up when he’s in town and otherwise we are free to see anyone we want. A fact he’s already utilized.”, Blaire said. “Oh. And you haven’t taken advantage of that freedom?”, Alan asked. “No, but local boys in my town aren’t really worth the time.”, Blaire stated simply. “And what about a college sophomore?”, Alan asked. Blaire bit on her bottom lip looking up at him. “And why might you be asking?”, Blaire asked. Alan grinned. “Well I gave you a group tour of the campus. What about a private tour of the dorms, specifically mine?”, Alan asked.
Hope suddenly appeared next to Blaire and grabbed her arm. “Pardon me Harvard but I’m borrowing my friend.”, Hope said yanking Blaire away. “Be right back Alan.”, Blaire called as she was dragged across the room. “What Hope?”, Blaire asked. “You cannot be serious. You are not going to his dorm alone and you sure aren’t going to sleep with him.”, Hope stated. “Hope, don’t get in my head.”, Blaire said. “I didn’t get in yours, I’m your friend I went in his. I knew what he wanted the second he started talking to you. You can’t honestly want to have a one night stand. Blaire you love Tristan and you damn well know it.”, Hope said not letting Blaire’s arm go. “Doesn’t matter Hope. He doesn’t love me. So if he gets to sleep with someone else I should be able to.”, Blaire defended. Hope reached into Blaire’s back pocket and pulled her cell phone out. “Call him. Now Blaire. He texted you for permission, that you foolishly gave. So call him. See if he is okay with this. See if he does what you did last night and makes a huge mistake or if he says what he really thinks.”, Hope said hitting the call button for Tristan and handing the phone to Blaire. Tristan heard his phone going off, having gotten back to his hotel to take a shower and pulled it out knowing it was Blaire’s ringtone. “Blaire?”, Tristan answered a bit more hopefully and happy that he normally would have answered. But he’d spent the night tossing and turning worried he’d screwed up with her and then worried all morning about it. And finally she was calling him. Hope glared at Blaire here eyes clearing saying ‘talk!’.
“Hi Tristan.”, Blaire said unable to mask that it hurt talking to him right now. Tristan could hear it in her tone and suddenly got worried that this was a ‘I never want to see you again call’. “How’s the tour of Harvard?”, Tristan asked trying to make the conversation casual. “It’s going rather well.”, Blaire said. She considered asking how his night went but she didn’t want the answer. She feared the answer. “And actually the tour is why I’m calling. Figured I owed you the same courtesy you gave me yesterday.”, Blaire said turning and snapping a picture of Alan and sending it to him in a separate text from their call. Tristan really didn’t like the sound of this. The same courtesy he gave her. His breath felt like it had completely left him. He got the buzz of a text and checked it and saw a picture of a tall guy in a dress shirt, tie, and slacks with short brown hair. “You get the picture?”, Blaire asked. “Yeah. I got it. He’s…cute.”, Tristan said taking a breath really not liking where this was going. “Yes he is. And well he just asked me to his room. So guess this is my courtesy call like you texted me last night to see if you mind.”, Blaire said fiddling with her necklace. Tristan slumped to his bed holding the phone with one hand and his pendant with the other. He felt like he’d just been sucker punched and had the wind knocked out of him worse than being thrown from a bull. But he was silent for a bit longer than he intended. “Would be a hypocrite if I told you no. As you said before our arrangement is only when I’m in Bayville with you. So if you want to sleep with him….I can’t really tell you not to.”, Tristan finally said and it killed him to say it. Blaire nodded. “Alright. Well I guess I’ll talk to you later.”, Blaire said about to hang up.
Hope blinked and grabbed the phone. “Hope give me the phone back!”, Blaire protested. Tristan raised an eyebrow having been ready to say goodbye to Blaire and have a nice cry at the fact the girl he loved was going to sleep with another man. “Hope?”, Tristan questioned. “What the fuck dude? Did you misplace your testicles today? Seriously cuntcake you can’t really have just told her it was okay to screw that douchnozzle.” , Hope said angry and frustrated. “Hope you should give the phone back to Blaire. This is between her and I. If she wants to sleep with that guy she can. That’s the agreement we had. And I slept with someone last night.”, Tristan said though his voice was rather sad on the last sentences. “Well doesn’t sound like you enjoyed it. And I’m not going to let my best friend do the dumbest and I mean DUMBEST thing she could do. I didn’t get to take the phone from her last night before she could send you that text about it being okay to sleep with that guy. If I had known I would have stopped her. Because you just read the text giving you the okay, I was the one who saw her face. I was the one that saw her cry.”, Hope said. Tristan gulped as he realized he’d made Blaire cry, he had hurt her. “I..I didn’t want her to cry. But I can’t be a hypocrite in this. I learned from last night that I don’t want or need anyone but her. And if she needs this to decide if I’m the one she really wants that I can’t stop her.”, Tristan said. “Yes you can! Tell her damn it. Tell her what you really want to say and not what you think you should say. Christ man find your balls. And now you tell her the truth.”, Hope said handing the phone back to Blaire.
Blaire blinked having heard only Hope’s side of the conversation. “Tristan?”, Blaire said getting the phone back. Tristan took a breath. “Blaire London Delaney please don’t sleep with that guy. I know it makes me a hypocrite to ask you this after last night. But last night the only thing I could think about was you. And I know that I don’t want or need anyone but you. Because no one but you feels right. You are MY north star not that guy’s. I know that being long distance will be complicated by we can figure it out, we can make it work. Just please don’t sleep with him.”, Tristan pleaded. Blaire blinked as he went into his long rang but started to smile. “Okay, I won’t.”, Blaire said. “And I..wait you won’t? It was that easy?”, Tristan said having been ready to counter further. “I didn’t really want to sleep with him Tristan. I thought that with what happened last night this would make things even between us. But I don’t know if I could have gone through with it. He’s cute but he’s not you. And… Tristan…”, Blaire answered. Tristan let out a sigh of relief. “Just because I did something stupid doesn’t mean we both should. And what Blaire?”, he asked curious. “I love you.”, Blaire said. Tristan fell back onto his bed letting the pendant go finally and smiled. “I love you too Blaire. And I would love if you would be willing to abolish our original agreement and just be only mine no matter what zip code we are in.”, Tristan answered a smile on his lips. Blaire smiled nodding. “I think I can agree to those terms.”, Blaire agreed. “So phone sex tonight when you get to wherever you are staying during your Harvard trip?”, Tristan asked joking mostly. Blaire giggled. “You’re on. I’ll call you tonight when we get to the house Gabriel’s dad owns that we are crashing at.”, Blaire said. “Alright. Look forward to talking to you. Bye Blaire, love you.”, Tristan said. Blaire smiled. “Bye Tristan, love you too.”, Blaire said hanging up.
The first words of ‘I love you’ Hope had walked away from where she’d dragged Blaire and over to Alan. “Excuse me Harvard?”, Hope said tapping his shoulder. “Yes?”, Alan asked looking to see if Blaire was with her. “Blaire is a no go. Her long distance guy finally grew a pair and told her he loves her. So she’s off market.”, Hope explained. “Oh. Um alright. Well what are you doing red?”, Alan asked. Hope started laughing. “Oh I’m busy picking up woman and doing better than you. I’ve gotten three numbers and you’ve gotten turned down by a straight girl and laughed at by a lesbian. Tough break.”, Hope said patting his shoulder holding up three slips of paper with girls names and numbers before walking away grinning. Hope walked back over to Blaire and the others. Blaire looked around but Alan had wandered away. “Where’d he go? I was going to let him down gently.”, Blaire said. Hope grinned. “Taken care of minus the gentle.”, Hope grinned. Blaire laughed shaking her head. “I love you Hope you are too cool.”, Blaire said hugging Hope. Hope shrugged her off. “Alright off I’ve got three girls in this room interested and having you all over me gives the wrong idea.”, Hope laughed. Bianca rolled her eyes. “Well someone’s a little player.”, Gabriel teased messing up Hope’s hair. “Come on let’s head out and check out the town and this house dad said we can use while at Harvard.”, Gabriel suggested. “Yeah lets go check out these digs and the town.”, Hope agreed as she linked arms with Blaire and Bianca. Bianca kept her other hand in Gabriel’s as the quartet walked out of the building and headed to explore the town and the house they’d call home during their college years.
Merrick and Leslie spent the next week looking at apartments trying to find one that they could both agree on. Granted Merrick wasn’t picky really. He just wanted the place to be safe. But he found the most places they looked at here really safe and otherwise he could easily smell infestations or water damage which ruled the various places out. They were finally at Two Brothers Fine Dining to look at an apartment for rent when the last person in the world walked by, his sister Emma. Emma stopped having noticed her brother and the girl. She glared for a moment but pushed it down and walked up with a smile. “Hey Merrick. And um…I always forget your name.”, Emma greeted. Leslie squeezed Merrick’s hand moving slightly behind him as Emma approached. She could feel her head starting to throb just being near the girl. Merrick sighed. “Emma you know her name is Leslie. Knock it off. Shouldn’t you be off doing something. Go on.”, Merrick instructed. “You taking her to lunch or something?”, Emma asked since they were outside a restaurant ignoring his request for her to go. Merrick sighed. “We are looking at an apartment. Hoping this one isn’t shit so we can finally pick one and start moving in.”, Merrick explained. Emma blinked. “Wait apartment? You are moving out and in with her?”,Emma asked. “Yes. We are moving in together. Kind of one of those things people in love do. They move in together.”, Merrick said. “Um which of you are Merrick and Leslie? I’m Alec D’Amour the landlord.”, A man with an Italian accent and black hair and bright blue eyes greeted a few subtle age lines and grays in his hair. “That would be us.”, Merrick said ignore his sister shaking Alec’s hand and following him inside to go look at the apartment.
Emma watched them walk inside and glared. Leslie holding the side of her head feeling a sharp pain. “Leslie?”, Merrick asked. “Just a migraine…”, Leslie said reaching into her purse and getting out her aspirin taking two to help the pain as they went about looking at the small two bedroom apartment. Emma was not happy in the slightest at this escalation of her brother’s relationship. She was okay with him sleeping around and not getting committed to anyone. Because it meant he never put anyone above her or the rest of the of the family. Her brother could not be with someone, least of all of low life human whose parents were part of the FOH. No that just would not do. So Emma quickly stormed away and back to the academy. Something had to be done. There was no way she could let some human sink her claws, metaphorically, into her big brother. She’d already been in the girl’s head once before and left some damage. She knew that because when she was close to her it was obvious the girl was in pain from the last encounter. She just needed to push a little bit more, however she’d have to cover her tracks. If Merrick did love the girl this had to not be traced back to her. She didn’t think Merrick would actually hurt her, but better safe than sorry. So Emma started making a plan, but she’d need help to make it happen. So she searched the academy to find Talia.
Talia of course was up in Alex’s bedroom making out. Emma knocked once before opening the door. “Sorry to intrude, I at least knew you two were dressed. I need Talia.”, Emma said pointing to Talia. Talia grumbled pulling back from kissing Alex and looked at Emma. “Little busy here.”, Talia said her tail wrapped around Alex’s leg and Alex’s hand up the back of her shirt. Alex sighed and brought his hand out and sat up on his elbows to look at Emma. “Seriously you can borrow her in say two hours…But till then she’s mine. Now get out.”, Alex said his white hair falling over his face but his blue eyes serious and cold. Talia grinned a little she did enjoy when Alex took charge. Emma rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Fine when you are done with Alex come find me. I’ve got a mission and I think you’ll want in.”, Emma said closing the door. Talia raised an eyebrow now intrigued. “Don’t even think about it Talia. You’re mine for at least the next two hours.”, Alex said pulling Talia back to him kissing her and rolling her to her back. Talia smiled into the kiss wasn’t often that Alex got aggressive about things. So on the moments he did she didn’t argue finding it rather attractive characteristic. She’d find out later what mission Emma was talking about. Her father had mentioned giving out any assignments to the students so the fact there was a mission interested her very much.
Emma grumbled and went to her dorm getting out some paper and started working out her plan. She’d have to find where Leslie currently lived, which wouldn’t be complicated since she could track the girl’s mind. With Talia’s help she could easily get the girl alone and finish what she’d started when the girl arrived in Bayville. And to cover her tracks she’d get Talia to posses the girl and get her into a car accident. It would take proper timing but they could do this. And in the end Leslie would either be dead and if she wasn’t the mental damage she inflicted would be written off as a result of the crash. With her plan all ready to present Emma then still had time to kill so she did some homework while she waited for Talia and Alex to wrap up what they were doing. Which once Talia was allowed to leave Alex’s bed she dressed and headed to find Emma. She spotted her in her dorm and leaned in the doorway. “So what’s this mission? Didn’t realize my father had decided to give missions out to the students yet.”, Talia questioned. Emma turned from her desk and smiled. “This isn’t a mission your dad gave. This is personal.”, Emma explained. “So then why would I be interested in some personal thing of yours?”, Talia questioned. “Because my target is Leslie Andrews, human that is dating Merrick . That’s what makes it personal for me. What makes it interesting for you is this girl is the daughter of two known FOH members. So we take down a human who dares to think she’s good enough for my big brother and who has connections to FOH.”, Emma explained. Talia grinned her fangs showing. “I’m in.”, Talia agreed. Yes she wanted to take down really any human especially with FOH connections. But to go after someone with Merrick did sound interesting. She never liked Merrick and she couldn’t’ go after him directly because he was Haven but his human was free game.
Emma reviewed the plan with Talia and both were on the same page on proceeding with the endeavor. They picked a day that Emma was sure Merrick wouldn’t be around and found Leslie getting ready to leave her apartment for work. Emma and Talia waiting for her outside. Leslie walked down the stairs of her building and stopped feeling the pain in her head again and looked around seeing Emma and some other girl. Leslie held both sides of her head wincing in pain. “Emma? Ouch. Why are you doing this to me?”, Leslie asked sinking to her knees in pain. Emma and Talia both smiling in a rather sinister way. Emma keeping her eyes locked on Leslie ass he kept inflicting pain on Leslie. “A worthless human like you doesn’t deserve to be with my brother. I don’t care what the rest of my family says. My brother will not fall for some piece of crap like you. Trying to get him to leave the Haven, what so your parents and their FOH buddies can attack him easier? He may not see you for what you are, but I won’t stand by and let you harm my brother.”, Emma said intensifying the telepathic link doing what she knew would be irreversible damage to the pain centers of Leslie’s brain. She was mostly focusing on the temporal lobe as it was the center for memory and emotions and Emma wanted to distort her memories and mess with her emotions, but she also was doing some damage to the frontal lobe for added insurance.
Leslie started to yell for help. “Shut her up already.”, Talia said. Emma nodded and with a thought Leslie was unconscious from the pain. “Well my half of this is done. You’re up Talia. Remember there’s that construction on one of the side streets that leads to the animal shelter she works at. That’s the route you need to take for the accident and just jump out of her before the car officially crashes.”, Emma said. Talia nodded. “I’ve got this.”, Talia said before disappearing in her cloud of blue smoke. As the smoke dissipated Leslie stood up and smiled a sinister smile. “Wish me luck Emma.”. It was Leslie’s voice speaking but Emma knew it was Talia doing to speaking and controlling Leslie’s body. Emma watched as Talia took Leslie took her car and drove away. Talia followed the route they knew was mostly common for Leslie to travel and then ignoring the caution signs and road closed signs Talia kept driving taking Leslie and her care over the closed stretch of road. Some of the workers tried to flag at her and Talia swerved to miss them, all part of the plan to cause the accident. And on cue Talia flipped the car crashing it into a large tree, jumping out of Leslie’s body just minutes in time landing in the bushes so as to not be seen.
Talia stayed low in the bushes and watched as the construction workers raced over to the wreckage and called for an ambulance. She waited and watched as they got no response from Leslie, she knew they wouldn’t. Not even from what Emma had done, but when she posses someone they went into at least a twenty four hour comma. She watched as a police car pulled up and she saw Blaire Delaney’s father Colby get out. Not far behind him an ambulance arrived along with the fire truck. Talia watched as the jaws of life were used to get the car door open and the firemen carefully took the limp body of Leslie from the mangled mess that was the car. The EMT checked and announced she was still breathing but unresponsive. She got her on a stretcher and into the ambulance to leave. Colby checked the license for the woman and sighed he knew the name. He’d heard it before, Holly and Blaire had mentioned this woman as the girlfriend of Merrick Bryant-Frost. Colby sighed and ran his hand over his face, he didn’t want to call the boy to tell him about the accident but he had to. Colby got into his cruiser and radio to the station requesting a number for Merrick Bryant-Frost. Once he got it he called it. Merrick was confused by the unfamiliar number calling him. “Merrick Bryant-Frost. Who’s this?”, Merrick greeted confused. “Merrick this is Captain Colby Delaney.”, Colby answered. “Um alright. And why is Blaire’s dad calling me?”, Merrick asked. Colby sighed. “You are dating Leslie Andrews correct?”, Colby asked. “Yes. Why? What happened?”, Merrick asked. “She got into a car accident I’m guess on her way to where she works. She must have forgotten about the road being closed for construction and went into a tree. She’s being taken to Bayville Community Hospital. She is breathing but was unresponsive. Do you know how to get in touch with her parents?”, Colby questioned.
Merrick went pale at the words ‘car accident’ and slumped onto the foyer floor of the Haven having been on his way to the shelter to meet Leslie and work. “Um..yeah. Her parents. Scott and Mary Andrews. Um their number is 613-257-9837 they live further out in Jamesport. Thank you for calling Mister Delaney…”, Merrick said hanging up. Aislinn saw Merrick slump to the floor through Morpheus’ eyes. Morpheus swooping down to land in front of Merrick and nudging his hands. Merrick too his hands away from Morpheus to cover his face trying to not cry now worried as hell about Leslie. He could see his hands shaking and he couldn’t get them to stop. Aislinn nudged Kim as they were in the kitchen making some goodies for Sebastian’s bake sale at school. “Something is wrong with Merrick.”, Aislinn said. Kim raised an eyebrow but decided against questioning and just ran from the kitchen and saw her son slumped on the floor his hands over his face. “Merrick?”, Kim questioned kneeling next to him putting her arms around him holding him as she would when he was still a little boy. “What’s wrong sweetie?”, Kim asked. Aislinn wasn’t far behind Kim worried about Merrick as well. “Colby Delaney just called me…Le…Leslie was in a car accident on her way to work.”, Merrick said through haggard breath. Kim and Aislinn both stayed silent taken off guard by the news. “Is she safe?”, Kim asked. “I..I don’t know. She’s being taken to the hospital she wasn’t responsive but was breathing.”, Merrick said. “Shit I need to go to the hospital.”, Merrick said taking his hands from his face though they were still shaking moving to get to his feet. “I’m coming with you. Aislinn can you finish the baking for Sebastian? Merrick is in no state to drive.”, Kim said getting up. Aislinn nodded. “Aye. I’ve got it under control. Go.”, Aislinn answered.
Kim nodded and took her phone out keeping an arm around Merrick as they walked out, calling her husband. “Christian? Leslie was in a car accident. I’m taking Merrick to the hospital to see her. Meet us there please.”, Kim said. “Yes of course. I’ll be right there.”, Christian said quickly getting his jacket and running out of the academy without a word to anyone. He knew what Leslie meant to his son, and how much pain his son must be in to know that the woman he loves was in pain. And even if Merrick wasn’t biologically his son he had promised himself when he started dating Kim that he would always be there for the triplets. That he would be the dad that Sebastian Shaw had never been to him and his brothers. And so he rushed to be at the hospital to offer any support he could to his son. So Christian got there just after Kim and Merrick and quickly found them. “What room is she in?”, Christian asked before hugging Merrick. “They won’t tell me. I’m not next of kin.”, Merrick growled. Colby was at the hospital to get an update on Leslie for his report and noticed Merrick and the Bryant-Frosts and walked over taking off his cap. “I’ve called her parents. They are on their way. Why aren’t you in her room?”, Colby greeted. “They won’t even tell me what room, I’m not family. If you’d taken her to the Hamilton clinic Kisa and Mikali would have let me see her.”, Merrick growled. Colby sighed. “Hold on..”, Colby said going over to the nurses’ station. “Let the boy and his parents in to see the crash victim.”, Colby directed. “But he’s not family so hospital regulations….”, The nurse argued. “That’s her fiancée alright so let him see her.”, Colby said not feeling bad at all for lying. He saw the pain in Merrick’s eyes and he knew it from when Alison had been captured by the Acolytes all those years ago. “He didn’t say that, but alright Captain Delaney.”, the nurse nodded hitting the button to unlock the doors.
Colby motioned for Merrick and his parents to follow him. Merrick followed with Kim and Christian right behind him. “You lied to her you know. I heard that.”, Merrick said as he followed Colby. “Kid I know the look on your face. I had it when I was told Alison was captured in the attack on the institute. I’m not above lying for the right reasons.”, Colby stated not looking at Kim or Christian when he talked about the attack. “She’s in here. Doctor said she’s in a coma and initial cat scan shows the crash caused some damage to her temporal and frontal lobes.”, Colby explained opening the door to the room. “I’ll leave you alone I have to fill out my report on the accident.”, Colby said. Merrick took a breath and looked at Colby. “Thank you Mister Delaney.”, Merrick said before going into the room and pulling a chair up close to the bed taking Leslie’s limp hand in his kissing it. “God Leslie…I should have told you I’d pick you up today instead of meeting you at the shelter.”, Merrick said holding back tears. “Please be okay. Please. I can’t lose the only person I’ve loved.”, Merrick whispered shaking his head. Kim placed her hand on Merrick’s shoulder squeezing it a little just so he knew he wasn’t alone. Kim looked to her husband . “Can you tell if she’ll be okay? Mentally speaking? Could Mikali or Kisa do something? Or maybe Damon?”, Kim asked. Christian sighed and closed his eyes and entered Leslie’s mind and quickly retracted his eyes springing open. He took Kim’s arm. “We’ll be right back son.”, Christian said taking Kim out of the room. “What? What is it?”, Kim asked as they got into the hall. “The damage to her brain…it wasn’t the accident..”, Christian said speaking softly not wanting Merrick to hear him. “What do you mean?”, Kim asked. “When someone’s mind has been affected by telepathy it leaves traces. Each telepath leaves their own signature so to speak.”, Christian answered. “So a telepath attacked her and that’s what caused the accident?”, Kim questioned. Christian nodded. “Who?”, Kim demanded. “Emma…”, Christian whispered.
Despite their low voices in the hall Merrick was listening. When he heard that a telepath did this to Leslie he started to growl. Then as the name left his father’s lips Merrick stood up letting Leslie’s hand slip from his. “I’ll kill her. She will not get away with hurting you Leslie. Please just pull through this and I’ll make sure my sister never comes near you again, because she’ll be six feet in the ground.”, Merrick promised moving from the bed side and out the door. “Merrick?”, Kim and Christian both exclaimed as he pushed past them. Merrick said nothing but kept growling and walking away. “He heard us…”, Christian said. “He’s going after her.”, Christian said. “He can’t, she’s his sister…he can’t we’re Haven.”, Kim said as she and Christian started to go after him. The moment Merrick walked out of the hospital doors he transformed into his large black wolf and headed in the direction of the Academy. Kim and Christian reached the doors too late and saw him change. “Fuck. We need to get to the Academy now.”, Kim said. Christian nodded as they ran to Christian’s car and rushed hoping to beat Merrick to the Academy. Thankfully a car is faster than a wolf. Christian and Kim got out of the car and reached to the front of the Academy and there on the steps laughing where Emma and Talia. “Mom? Dad? What’s going on?”, Emma asked. “How could you do this to your brother? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”, Christian asked before looking at Talia and realizing why Leslie was in a comma. “What you both did?!”, Christian said. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”, Talia stated. “Oh you don’t. I’m a goddamn telepath. I know what you two have done. Merrick knows too and he’s on his way here right now to kill you.”, Christian said. Emma blinked and shook her head. “Merrick would never hurt me. I’m his sister.”, Emma stated.
Kim was about to say something but stopped hearing the deep growling behind her and turned. And there on the sidewalk of the Academy was Merrick in wolf form snarling ready to attack. “Get behind us girls, if you want to live.”, Christian said turning to face his son. “Merrick I know you are mad. I know you are in full rage mode. But killing your sister and Talia will not change what happened. It won’t. It will just cause you a new pain. You are a Haven member you aren’t allowed to attack them. And killing your sister isn’t a guilt you could stand.”, Kim said trying to reason with her son. Merrick was beyond reasoning as his claws started to scrap the cement of the sidewalk his green-yellow eyes locked on the throat of his little sister. He snarled as his only answer and lunged forward. Kim and Christian both grabbed him, doing their best to stay clear of his jaws while still keeping him back. “GET INSIDE NOW!”, Christian ordered Emma and Talia. Talia nodded ready and willing to get out of the reach of Merrick and tugged at Emma’s arm. Emma was frozen with actual fear, her own brother the only man she held any feelings for was trying to kill her. “Come on Emma.”, Talia snarled pulling Emma up from the stairs and inside to the safety of the Academy. Merrick continued snapping and trying to get free of his parents. His mother having changed her form to that of having steel skin like Colossus to add to her strength and protect her at the same time. “Christian you need to know knock him out!”, Kim shouted. Christian nodded and focused with a light telepathic kick knocked Merrick unconscious his large wolf form going limp in his mother’s arms. Kim changed back to herself and lightly stroked Merrick’s fur and hugged him tightly. “My poor boy. I’m so sorry my precious boy.”, Kim whispered. With her husband’s help they carried him to the car and drove him back to the Haven locking him into his room from the outside neither trusting that he wouldn’t go after Emma and Talia again.

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Morning came and Tristan still wanted to call Blaire but wasn’t sure he should so he didn’t. Besides he had to go and help with things at the rodeo for his dad. He at least didn’t have to deal with seeing Chris, who had left that morning for another rodeo. Tristan kept checking his phone wondering if he could call or when she might call him. And while Tristan kept fretting over if he blew it with Blaire, she was busy trying to not think about him or that he was possibly with someone else at that moment. She’d driven with her three best friends to Harvard in Gabriel’s SUV. They toured the campus and their student guide, a Sophomore in the law program named Alan Snyder, kept flirting with Blaire. After the tour they were brought to a party, not the kind of booze and such because it was still for those that came as pre-frosh. Alan got Blaire off in a corner away from her friends talking to her. “So what do you plan to come to Harvard to study?”, Alan asked leaning, on his shoulder, against the wall next to her. Blaire smiled looking up at him as she leaned on the wall next to him. “Law actually. It’s kind of a family thing.”, Blaire explained. “Really. I’m a sophomore in the law program. It’s a great program here, and now I’m not only saying that because I’m supposed to talk up the university to the pre-frosh. So why do you say it’s a family thing?”, he asked taking a drink of a soda. “My dad was a Navy SEAL and ended up becoming a cop. My mom was a lawyer who became a judge. So dealing with law is kind of in the genes.”, Blaire said with a flirty smile. Alan nodded. “Some genes.”, Alan said looking her over. “This is probably the worst pick up line you’ve heard, but oh well. Wouldn’t mind finding out more about what is in your jeans.”, Alan said. Blaire giggled shaking her head. “Oh…wow alright. That is an award winner bad line Alan.”, Blaire teased. Alan shrugged.
“Told you it was bad. But what kind of award do I get for worse pick up line?”, Alan asked lightly brushing some of her hair back away from her face letting his hand go down the side of her face and next his hand brushing the chain of her north star necklace. “That’s a pretty necklace, by the way. Shines almost as bright as those sapphires you call eyes.”, Alan commented. “Oh that was a better line than the jeans one. Stick with the compliment line for future reference. They tend to get you further.”, Blaire said with a wink. “And thank you. It’s the north star. It was a sweet sixteen present from…”, Blaire said trailing off as her mind started to think about the night Tristan gave her the necklace. And the lame line he gave but how sweet it sounded from his lips. Alan raised an eyebrow. “Let me guess your boyfriend back home?”, Alan asked. Blaire shook her head. But as the thought about Tristan it brought her to yesterday and knowing he slept with someone else. She looked up from the necklace to Alan and smiled. “No. I don’t have a boyfriend. It was from a boy. But he’s not my boyfriend. He lives in Oregon and to be honest we just hook up when he comes to town.”, Blaire said giving the most general definition of her relationship with Tristan. Alan raised an eyebrow. “So he’s a sex-friend?”, Alan asked. Blaire nodded. “Basically yes. We hook up when he’s in town and otherwise we are free to see anyone we want. A fact he’s already utilized.”, Blaire said. “Oh. And you haven’t taken advantage of that freedom?”, Alan asked. “No, but local boys in my town aren’t really worth the time.”, Blaire stated simply. “And what about a college sophomore?”, Alan asked. Blaire bit on her bottom lip looking up at him. “And why might you be asking?”, Blaire asked. Alan grinned. “Well I gave you a group tour of the campus. What about a private tour of the dorms, specifically mine?”, Alan asked.
Hope suddenly appeared next to Blaire and grabbed her arm. “Pardon me Harvard but I’m borrowing my friend.”, Hope said yanking Blaire away. “Be right back Alan.”, Blaire called as she was dragged across the room. “What Hope?”, Blaire asked. “You cannot be serious. You are not going to his dorm alone and you sure aren’t going to sleep with him.”, Hope stated. “Hope, don’t get in my head.”, Blaire said. “I didn’t get in yours, I’m your friend I went in his. I knew what he wanted the second he started talking to you. You can’t honestly want to have a one night stand. Blaire you love Tristan and you damn well know it.”, Hope said not letting Blaire’s arm go. “Doesn’t matter Hope. He doesn’t love me. So if he gets to sleep with someone else I should be able to.”, Blaire defended. Hope reached into Blaire’s back pocket and pulled her cell phone out. “Call him. Now Blaire. He texted you for permission, that you foolishly gave. So call him. See if he is okay with this. See if he does what you did last night and makes a huge mistake or if he says what he really thinks.”, Hope said hitting the call button for Tristan and handing the phone to Blaire. Tristan heard his phone going off, having gotten back to his hotel to take a shower and pulled it out knowing it was Blaire’s ringtone. “Blaire?”, Tristan answered a bit more hopefully and happy that he normally would have answered. But he’d spent the night tossing and turning worried he’d screwed up with her and then worried all morning about it. And finally she was calling him. Hope glared at Blaire here eyes clearing saying ‘talk!’.
“Hi Tristan.”, Blaire said unable to mask that it hurt talking to him right now. Tristan could hear it in her tone and suddenly got worried that this was a ‘I never want to see you again call’. “How’s the tour of Harvard?”, Tristan asked trying to make the conversation casual. “It’s going rather well.”, Blaire said. She considered asking how his night went but she didn’t want the answer. She feared the answer. “And actually the tour is why I’m calling. Figured I owed you the same courtesy you gave me yesterday.”, Blaire said turning and snapping a picture of Alan and sending it to him in a separate text from their call. Tristan really didn’t like the sound of this. The same courtesy he gave her. His breath felt like it had completely left him. He got the buzz of a text and checked it and saw a picture of a tall guy in a dress shirt, tie, and slacks with short brown hair. “You get the picture?”, Blaire asked. “Yeah. I got it. He’s…cute.”, Tristan said taking a breath really not liking where this was going. “Yes he is. And well he just asked me to his room. So guess this is my courtesy call like you texted me last night to see if you mind.”, Blaire said fiddling with her necklace. Tristan slumped to his bed holding the phone with one hand and his pendant with the other. He felt like he’d just been sucker punched and had the wind knocked out of him worse than being thrown from a bull. But he was silent for a bit longer than he intended. “Would be a hypocrite if I told you no. As you said before our arrangement is only when I’m in Bayville with you. So if you want to sleep with him….I can’t really tell you not to.”, Tristan finally said and it killed him to say it. Blaire nodded. “Alright. Well I guess I’ll talk to you later.”, Blaire said about to hang up.
Hope blinked and grabbed the phone. “Hope give me the phone back!”, Blaire protested. Tristan raised an eyebrow having been ready to say goodbye to Blaire and have a nice cry at the fact the girl he loved was going to sleep with another man. “Hope?”, Tristan questioned. “What the fuck dude? Did you misplace your testicles today? Seriously cuntcake you can’t really have just told her it was okay to screw that douchnozzle.” , Hope said angry and frustrated. “Hope you should give the phone back to Blaire. This is between her and I. If she wants to sleep with that guy she can. That’s the agreement we had. And I slept with someone last night.”, Tristan said though his voice was rather sad on the last sentences. “Well doesn’t sound like you enjoyed it. And I’m not going to let my best friend do the dumbest and I mean DUMBEST thing she could do. I didn’t get to take the phone from her last night before she could send you that text about it being okay to sleep with that guy. If I had known I would have stopped her. Because you just read the text giving you the okay, I was the one who saw her face. I was the one that saw her cry.”, Hope said. Tristan gulped as he realized he’d made Blaire cry, he had hurt her. “I..I didn’t want her to cry. But I can’t be a hypocrite in this. I learned from last night that I don’t want or need anyone but her. And if she needs this to decide if I’m the one she really wants that I can’t stop her.”, Tristan said. “Yes you can! Tell her damn it. Tell her what you really want to say and not what you think you should say. Christ man find your balls. And now you tell her the truth.”, Hope said handing the phone back to Blaire.
Blaire blinked having heard only Hope’s side of the conversation. “Tristan?”, Blaire said getting the phone back. Tristan took a breath. “Blaire London Delaney please don’t sleep with that guy. I know it makes me a hypocrite to ask you this after last night. But last night the only thing I could think about was you. And I know that I don’t want or need anyone but you. Because no one but you feels right. You are MY north star not that guy’s. I know that being long distance will be complicated by we can figure it out, we can make it work. Just please don’t sleep with him.”, Tristan pleaded. Blaire blinked as he went into his long rang but started to smile. “Okay, I won’t.”, Blaire said. “And I..wait you won’t? It was that easy?”, Tristan said having been ready to counter further. “I didn’t really want to sleep with him Tristan. I thought that with what happened last night this would make things even between us. But I don’t know if I could have gone through with it. He’s cute but he’s not you. And… Tristan…”, Blaire answered. Tristan let out a sigh of relief. “Just because I did something stupid doesn’t mean we both should. And what Blaire?”, he asked curious. “I love you.”, Blaire said. Tristan fell back onto his bed letting the pendant go finally and smiled. “I love you too Blaire. And I would love if you would be willing to abolish our original agreement and just be only mine no matter what zip code we are in.”, Tristan answered a smile on his lips. Blaire smiled nodding. “I think I can agree to those terms.”, Blaire agreed. “So phone sex tonight when you get to wherever you are staying during your Harvard trip?”, Tristan asked joking mostly. Blaire giggled. “You’re on. I’ll call you tonight when we get to the house Gabriel’s dad owns that we are crashing at.”, Blaire said. “Alright. Look forward to talking to you. Bye Blaire, love you.”, Tristan said. Blaire smiled. “Bye Tristan, love you too.”, Blaire said hanging up.
The first words of ‘I love you’ Hope had walked away from where she’d dragged Blaire and over to Alan. “Excuse me Harvard?”, Hope said tapping his shoulder. “Yes?”, Alan asked looking to see if Blaire was with her. “Blaire is a no go. Her long distance guy finally grew a pair and told her he loves her. So she’s off market.”, Hope explained. “Oh. Um alright. Well what are you doing red?”, Alan asked. Hope started laughing. “Oh I’m busy picking up woman and doing better than you. I’ve gotten three numbers and you’ve gotten turned down by a straight girl and laughed at by a lesbian. Tough break.”, Hope said patting his shoulder holding up three slips of paper with girls names and numbers before walking away grinning. Hope walked back over to Blaire and the others. Blaire looked around but Alan had wandered away. “Where’d he go? I was going to let him down gently.”, Blaire said. Hope grinned. “Taken care of minus the gentle.”, Hope grinned. Blaire laughed shaking her head. “I love you Hope you are too cool.”, Blaire said hugging Hope. Hope shrugged her off. “Alright off I’ve got three girls in this room interested and having you all over me gives the wrong idea.”, Hope laughed. Bianca rolled her eyes. “Well someone’s a little player.”, Gabriel teased messing up Hope’s hair. “Come on let’s head out and check out the town and this house dad said we can use while at Harvard.”, Gabriel suggested. “Yeah lets go check out these digs and the town.”, Hope agreed as she linked arms with Blaire and Bianca. Bianca kept her other hand in Gabriel’s as the quartet walked out of the building and headed to explore the town and the house they’d call home during their college years.
Merrick and Leslie spent the next week looking at apartments trying to find one that they could both agree on. Granted Merrick wasn’t picky really. He just wanted the place to be safe. But he found the most places they looked at here really safe and otherwise he could easily smell infestations or water damage which ruled the various places out. They were finally at Two Brothers Fine Dining to look at an apartment for rent when the last person in the world walked by, his sister Emma. Emma stopped having noticed her brother and the girl. She glared for a moment but pushed it down and walked up with a smile. “Hey Merrick. And um…I always forget your name.”, Emma greeted. Leslie squeezed Merrick’s hand moving slightly behind him as Emma approached. She could feel her head starting to throb just being near the girl. Merrick sighed. “Emma you know her name is Leslie. Knock it off. Shouldn’t you be off doing something. Go on.”, Merrick instructed. “You taking her to lunch or something?”, Emma asked since they were outside a restaurant ignoring his request for her to go. Merrick sighed. “We are looking at an apartment. Hoping this one isn’t shit so we can finally pick one and start moving in.”, Merrick explained. Emma blinked. “Wait apartment? You are moving out and in with her?”,Emma asked. “Yes. We are moving in together. Kind of one of those things people in love do. They move in together.”, Merrick said. “Um which of you are Merrick and Leslie? I’m Alec D’Amour the landlord.”, A man with an Italian accent and black hair and bright blue eyes greeted a few subtle age lines and grays in his hair. “That would be us.”, Merrick said ignore his sister shaking Alec’s hand and following him inside to go look at the apartment.
Emma watched them walk inside and glared. Leslie holding the side of her head feeling a sharp pain. “Leslie?”, Merrick asked. “Just a migraine…”, Leslie said reaching into her purse and getting out her aspirin taking two to help the pain as they went about looking at the small two bedroom apartment. Emma was not happy in the slightest at this escalation of her brother’s relationship. She was okay with him sleeping around and not getting committed to anyone. Because it meant he never put anyone above her or the rest of the of the family. Her brother could not be with someone, least of all of low life human whose parents were part of the FOH. No that just would not do. So Emma quickly stormed away and back to the academy. Something had to be done. There was no way she could let some human sink her claws, metaphorically, into her big brother. She’d already been in the girl’s head once before and left some damage. She knew that because when she was close to her it was obvious the girl was in pain from the last encounter. She just needed to push a little bit more, however she’d have to cover her tracks. If Merrick did love the girl this had to not be traced back to her. She didn’t think Merrick would actually hurt her, but better safe than sorry. So Emma started making a plan, but she’d need help to make it happen. So she searched the academy to find Talia.
Talia of course was up in Alex’s bedroom making out. Emma knocked once before opening the door. “Sorry to intrude, I at least knew you two were dressed. I need Talia.”, Emma said pointing to Talia. Talia grumbled pulling back from kissing Alex and looked at Emma. “Little busy here.”, Talia said her tail wrapped around Alex’s leg and Alex’s hand up the back of her shirt. Alex sighed and brought his hand out and sat up on his elbows to look at Emma. “Seriously you can borrow her in say two hours…But till then she’s mine. Now get out.”, Alex said his white hair falling over his face but his blue eyes serious and cold. Talia grinned a little she did enjoy when Alex took charge. Emma rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Fine when you are done with Alex come find me. I’ve got a mission and I think you’ll want in.”, Emma said closing the door. Talia raised an eyebrow now intrigued. “Don’t even think about it Talia. You’re mine for at least the next two hours.”, Alex said pulling Talia back to him kissing her and rolling her to her back. Talia smiled into the kiss wasn’t often that Alex got aggressive about things. So on the moments he did she didn’t argue finding it rather attractive characteristic. She’d find out later what mission Emma was talking about. Her father had mentioned giving out any assignments to the students so the fact there was a mission interested her very much.
Emma grumbled and went to her dorm getting out some paper and started working out her plan. She’d have to find where Leslie currently lived, which wouldn’t be complicated since she could track the girl’s mind. With Talia’s help she could easily get the girl alone and finish what she’d started when the girl arrived in Bayville. And to cover her tracks she’d get Talia to posses the girl and get her into a car accident. It would take proper timing but they could do this. And in the end Leslie would either be dead and if she wasn’t the mental damage she inflicted would be written off as a result of the crash. With her plan all ready to present Emma then still had time to kill so she did some homework while she waited for Talia and Alex to wrap up what they were doing. Which once Talia was allowed to leave Alex’s bed she dressed and headed to find Emma. She spotted her in her dorm and leaned in the doorway. “So what’s this mission? Didn’t realize my father had decided to give missions out to the students yet.”, Talia questioned. Emma turned from her desk and smiled. “This isn’t a mission your dad gave. This is personal.”, Emma explained. “So then why would I be interested in some personal thing of yours?”, Talia questioned. “Because my target is Leslie Andrews, human that is dating Merrick . That’s what makes it personal for me. What makes it interesting for you is this girl is the daughter of two known FOH members. So we take down a human who dares to think she’s good enough for my big brother and who has connections to FOH.”, Emma explained. Talia grinned her fangs showing. “I’m in.”, Talia agreed. Yes she wanted to take down really any human especially with FOH connections. But to go after someone with Merrick did sound interesting. She never liked Merrick and she couldn’t’ go after him directly because he was Haven but his human was free game.
Emma reviewed the plan with Talia and both were on the same page on proceeding with the endeavor. They picked a day that Emma was sure Merrick wouldn’t be around and found Leslie getting ready to leave her apartment for work. Emma and Talia waiting for her outside. Leslie walked down the stairs of her building and stopped feeling the pain in her head again and looked around seeing Emma and some other girl. Leslie held both sides of her head wincing in pain. “Emma? Ouch. Why are you doing this to me?”, Leslie asked sinking to her knees in pain. Emma and Talia both smiling in a rather sinister way. Emma keeping her eyes locked on Leslie ass he kept inflicting pain on Leslie. “A worthless human like you doesn’t deserve to be with my brother. I don’t care what the rest of my family says. My brother will not fall for some piece of crap like you. Trying to get him to leave the Haven, what so your parents and their FOH buddies can attack him easier? He may not see you for what you are, but I won’t stand by and let you harm my brother.”, Emma said intensifying the telepathic link doing what she knew would be irreversible damage to the pain centers of Leslie’s brain. She was mostly focusing on the temporal lobe as it was the center for memory and emotions and Emma wanted to distort her memories and mess with her emotions, but she also was doing some damage to the frontal lobe for added insurance.
Leslie started to yell for help. “Shut her up already.”, Talia said. Emma nodded and with a thought Leslie was unconscious from the pain. “Well my half of this is done. You’re up Talia. Remember there’s that construction on one of the side streets that leads to the animal shelter she works at. That’s the route you need to take for the accident and just jump out of her before the car officially crashes.”, Emma said. Talia nodded. “I’ve got this.”, Talia said before disappearing in her cloud of blue smoke. As the smoke dissipated Leslie stood up and smiled a sinister smile. “Wish me luck Emma.”. It was Leslie’s voice speaking but Emma knew it was Talia doing to speaking and controlling Leslie’s body. Emma watched as Talia took Leslie took her car and drove away. Talia followed the route they knew was mostly common for Leslie to travel and then ignoring the caution signs and road closed signs Talia kept driving taking Leslie and her care over the closed stretch of road. Some of the workers tried to flag at her and Talia swerved to miss them, all part of the plan to cause the accident. And on cue Talia flipped the car crashing it into a large tree, jumping out of Leslie’s body just minutes in time landing in the bushes so as to not be seen.
Talia stayed low in the bushes and watched as the construction workers raced over to the wreckage and called for an ambulance. She waited and watched as they got no response from Leslie, she knew they wouldn’t. Not even from what Emma had done, but when she posses someone they went into at least a twenty four hour comma. She watched as a police car pulled up and she saw Blaire Delaney’s father Colby get out. Not far behind him an ambulance arrived along with the fire truck. Talia watched as the jaws of life were used to get the car door open and the firemen carefully took the limp body of Leslie from the mangled mess that was the car. The EMT checked and announced she was still breathing but unresponsive. She got her on a stretcher and into the ambulance to leave. Colby checked the license for the woman and sighed he knew the name. He’d heard it before, Holly and Blaire had mentioned this woman as the girlfriend of Merrick Bryant-Frost. Colby sighed and ran his hand over his face, he didn’t want to call the boy to tell him about the accident but he had to. Colby got into his cruiser and radio to the station requesting a number for Merrick Bryant-Frost. Once he got it he called it. Merrick was confused by the unfamiliar number calling him. “Merrick Bryant-Frost. Who’s this?”, Merrick greeted confused. “Merrick this is Captain Colby Delaney.”, Colby answered. “Um alright. And why is Blaire’s dad calling me?”, Merrick asked. Colby sighed. “You are dating Leslie Andrews correct?”, Colby asked. “Yes. Why? What happened?”, Merrick asked. “She got into a car accident I’m guess on her way to where she works. She must have forgotten about the road being closed for construction and went into a tree. She’s being taken to Bayville Community Hospital. She is breathing but was unresponsive. Do you know how to get in touch with her parents?”, Colby questioned.
Merrick went pale at the words ‘car accident’ and slumped onto the foyer floor of the Haven having been on his way to the shelter to meet Leslie and work. “Um..yeah. Her parents. Scott and Mary Andrews. Um their number is 613-257-9837 they live further out in Jamesport. Thank you for calling Mister Delaney…”, Merrick said hanging up. Aislinn saw Merrick slump to the floor through Morpheus’ eyes. Morpheus swooping down to land in front of Merrick and nudging his hands. Merrick too his hands away from Morpheus to cover his face trying to not cry now worried as hell about Leslie. He could see his hands shaking and he couldn’t get them to stop. Aislinn nudged Kim as they were in the kitchen making some goodies for Sebastian’s bake sale at school. “Something is wrong with Merrick.”, Aislinn said. Kim raised an eyebrow but decided against questioning and just ran from the kitchen and saw her son slumped on the floor his hands over his face. “Merrick?”, Kim questioned kneeling next to him putting her arms around him holding him as she would when he was still a little boy. “What’s wrong sweetie?”, Kim asked. Aislinn wasn’t far behind Kim worried about Merrick as well. “Colby Delaney just called me…Le…Leslie was in a car accident on her way to work.”, Merrick said through haggard breath. Kim and Aislinn both stayed silent taken off guard by the news. “Is she safe?”, Kim asked. “I..I don’t know. She’s being taken to the hospital she wasn’t responsive but was breathing.”, Merrick said. “Shit I need to go to the hospital.”, Merrick said taking his hands from his face though they were still shaking moving to get to his feet. “I’m coming with you. Aislinn can you finish the baking for Sebastian? Merrick is in no state to drive.”, Kim said getting up. Aislinn nodded. “Aye. I’ve got it under control. Go.”, Aislinn answered.
Kim nodded and took her phone out keeping an arm around Merrick as they walked out, calling her husband. “Christian? Leslie was in a car accident. I’m taking Merrick to the hospital to see her. Meet us there please.”, Kim said. “Yes of course. I’ll be right there.”, Christian said quickly getting his jacket and running out of the academy without a word to anyone. He knew what Leslie meant to his son, and how much pain his son must be in to know that the woman he loves was in pain. And even if Merrick wasn’t biologically his son he had promised himself when he started dating Kim that he would always be there for the triplets. That he would be the dad that Sebastian Shaw had never been to him and his brothers. And so he rushed to be at the hospital to offer any support he could to his son. So Christian got there just after Kim and Merrick and quickly found them. “What room is she in?”, Christian asked before hugging Merrick. “They won’t tell me. I’m not next of kin.”, Merrick growled. Colby was at the hospital to get an update on Leslie for his report and noticed Merrick and the Bryant-Frosts and walked over taking off his cap. “I’ve called her parents. They are on their way. Why aren’t you in her room?”, Colby greeted. “They won’t even tell me what room, I’m not family. If you’d taken her to the Hamilton clinic Kisa and Mikali would have let me see her.”, Merrick growled. Colby sighed. “Hold on..”, Colby said going over to the nurses’ station. “Let the boy and his parents in to see the crash victim.”, Colby directed. “But he’s not family so hospital regulations….”, The nurse argued. “That’s her fiancée alright so let him see her.”, Colby said not feeling bad at all for lying. He saw the pain in Merrick’s eyes and he knew it from when Alison had been captured by the Acolytes all those years ago. “He didn’t say that, but alright Captain Delaney.”, the nurse nodded hitting the button to unlock the doors.
Colby motioned for Merrick and his parents to follow him. Merrick followed with Kim and Christian right behind him. “You lied to her you know. I heard that.”, Merrick said as he followed Colby. “Kid I know the look on your face. I had it when I was told Alison was captured in the attack on the institute. I’m not above lying for the right reasons.”, Colby stated not looking at Kim or Christian when he talked about the attack. “She’s in here. Doctor said she’s in a coma and initial cat scan shows the crash caused some damage to her temporal and frontal lobes.”, Colby explained opening the door to the room. “I’ll leave you alone I have to fill out my report on the accident.”, Colby said. Merrick took a breath and looked at Colby. “Thank you Mister Delaney.”, Merrick said before going into the room and pulling a chair up close to the bed taking Leslie’s limp hand in his kissing it. “God Leslie…I should have told you I’d pick you up today instead of meeting you at the shelter.”, Merrick said holding back tears. “Please be okay. Please. I can’t lose the only person I’ve loved.”, Merrick whispered shaking his head. Kim placed her hand on Merrick’s shoulder squeezing it a little just so he knew he wasn’t alone. Kim looked to her husband . “Can you tell if she’ll be okay? Mentally speaking? Could Mikali or Kisa do something? Or maybe Damon?”, Kim asked. Christian sighed and closed his eyes and entered Leslie’s mind and quickly retracted his eyes springing open. He took Kim’s arm. “We’ll be right back son.”, Christian said taking Kim out of the room. “What? What is it?”, Kim asked as they got into the hall. “The damage to her brain…it wasn’t the accident..”, Christian said speaking softly not wanting Merrick to hear him. “What do you mean?”, Kim asked. “When someone’s mind has been affected by telepathy it leaves traces. Each telepath leaves their own signature so to speak.”, Christian answered. “So a telepath attacked her and that’s what caused the accident?”, Kim questioned. Christian nodded. “Who?”, Kim demanded. “Emma…”, Christian whispered.
Despite their low voices in the hall Merrick was listening. When he heard that a telepath did this to Leslie he started to growl. Then as the name left his father’s lips Merrick stood up letting Leslie’s hand slip from his. “I’ll kill her. She will not get away with hurting you Leslie. Please just pull through this and I’ll make sure my sister never comes near you again, because she’ll be six feet in the ground.”, Merrick promised moving from the bed side and out the door. “Merrick?”, Kim and Christian both exclaimed as he pushed past them. Merrick said nothing but kept growling and walking away. “He heard us…”, Christian said. “He’s going after her.”, Christian said. “He can’t, she’s his sister…he can’t we’re Haven.”, Kim said as she and Christian started to go after him. The moment Merrick walked out of the hospital doors he transformed into his large black wolf and headed in the direction of the Academy. Kim and Christian reached the doors too late and saw him change. “Fuck. We need to get to the Academy now.”, Kim said. Christian nodded as they ran to Christian’s car and rushed hoping to beat Merrick to the Academy. Thankfully a car is faster than a wolf. Christian and Kim got out of the car and reached to the front of the Academy and there on the steps laughing where Emma and Talia. “Mom? Dad? What’s going on?”, Emma asked. “How could you do this to your brother? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”, Christian asked before looking at Talia and realizing why Leslie was in a comma. “What you both did?!”, Christian said. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”, Talia stated. “Oh you don’t. I’m a goddamn telepath. I know what you two have done. Merrick knows too and he’s on his way here right now to kill you.”, Christian said. Emma blinked and shook her head. “Merrick would never hurt me. I’m his sister.”, Emma stated.
Kim was about to say something but stopped hearing the deep growling behind her and turned. And there on the sidewalk of the Academy was Merrick in wolf form snarling ready to attack. “Get behind us girls, if you want to live.”, Christian said turning to face his son. “Merrick I know you are mad. I know you are in full rage mode. But killing your sister and Talia will not change what happened. It won’t. It will just cause you a new pain. You are a Haven member you aren’t allowed to attack them. And killing your sister isn’t a guilt you could stand.”, Kim said trying to reason with her son. Merrick was beyond reasoning as his claws started to scrap the cement of the sidewalk his green-yellow eyes locked on the throat of his little sister. He snarled as his only answer and lunged forward. Kim and Christian both grabbed him, doing their best to stay clear of his jaws while still keeping him back. “GET INSIDE NOW!”, Christian ordered Emma and Talia. Talia nodded ready and willing to get out of the reach of Merrick and tugged at Emma’s arm. Emma was frozen with actual fear, her own brother the only man she held any feelings for was trying to kill her. “Come on Emma.”, Talia snarled pulling Emma up from the stairs and inside to the safety of the Academy. Merrick continued snapping and trying to get free of his parents. His mother having changed her form to that of having steel skin like Colossus to add to her strength and protect her at the same time. “Christian you need to know knock him out!”, Kim shouted. Christian nodded and focused with a light telepathic kick knocked Merrick unconscious his large wolf form going limp in his mother’s arms. Kim changed back to herself and lightly stroked Merrick’s fur and hugged him tightly. “My poor boy. I’m so sorry my precious boy.”, Kim whispered. With her husband’s help they carried him to the car and drove him back to the Haven locking him into his room from the outside neither trusting that he wouldn’t go after Emma and Talia again.