Before I started talking again, I ate a little more of the soup, which was the best I've ever eaten. "As you heard, he raised me. At one point I'd even call him father, but you saw how much I love him now."

"Oh yeah, I saw that."

"He's one of the main people in white snakes, and also the one who brought me to them. How lucky I am." I said sarcastically. "Because of him I grew up in white snakes and became the person I am today. He was here because you can't just leave white snakes."

"Even though I don't like him, he seemed interested in you."

"Never trust the white snakes. Every single one is a manipulator. They play on your emotions until you break."

"Then why should I trust you?" He asked and I kept quiet.

He's right. "Maybe you shouldn't." I don't even know what I'm capable of anymore. After all, I go to a therapist. "I almost killed your brother the first time we met. That should have been reason enough not to trust me, don't you think?"

"That wasn't the first time we met."

"Yes it was." What is he talking about?

"You stole my laptop a few years ago."

"And what would I do with your laptop?"

"I'm sure it was you." He smiled. "Those eyes haunted me at night."

"I'm going to have to disappoint you Killy, I've never been to LA." And the moment I finished saying it, I regretted saying anything. Somebody kill me.

"I never said anything about LA." The smile on his face got bigger.

After the awkward silence, which probably only I felt, since Killian was smiling, I was saved once again by the ringing of the phone, this time.

I could tell by Killian's expression that this was something serious. And when he got up and took all his things and left, I think it was confirmed.

I wonder what's that about.

Not long after that, the doctor showed up and gave me about a million medications and told me to exercise as little as possible for a few more days. He wrote down everything I needed on paper so I wouldn't forget it, and was kind enough to put everything Killian had brought in the fridge.

I thought about whether I should call him, but it would be useless.

When the doctor had already left and I was left alone, I decided to have a nap. Half an hour would be enough for me. Then I can do something meaningful.

*****

I woke up less than half an hour later, to the ringing of my mobile phone.

When I checked it, I found three missed calls from Luna. She called a few minutes ago. How come I didn't hear the phone ring before?



"Finn!" I yelled at him as I entered the villa.

"In the living room." Kai called and I immediately ran there.

As I entered I noticed Finn sitting on the couch and Kai with a gauze pad in his hand treating him.

The moment Finn turned to me, I noticed his face. A purple swollen eye, a split eyebrow, a bloody lower lip and a few other wounds.

"What happened?" I walked up to them.

"Finn thinks he is hero." Kai snorted.

"And that means?"

"Nothing. It means nothing." Finn finally spoke, looking pained.

"He beat up some guys who were taking a chance on women. The only mistake was that he was one and there were five of them. Could you tell him something? I'm not planning on burying my own brother." Kai threw everything in his hands on the table and left.

I haven't seen him like this in a long time. Kai is one of those people who takes everything cool. It is rare to see him upset.

"Are you going to give me a lecture too?" Finn snorted.

"What were you thinking? One against five? Do you have a death wish?" The words coming out of my mouth hurt me.

"Stop pretending to care."

"And that's supposed to mean what? You think I don't care? Why would you even think that?"

"When was the last time we went out as a family? Or just you and I went out for a beer? I'll tell you. Never." He stood up so he could look me in the eyes better. "You know your office better than your own brother." He scolded me.

"And who do you think I'm doing all this for? Do you think it's for me? Do you think this is what I wanted to do with my life?" I pointed around. "I got my hands dirty so you wouldn't have to! And I didn't even ask you for a fucking thank you!" I screamed.

"I never asked you for these things! I just want my brother back!" Tears welled up in his eyes.

"That brother who was unable to protect you all from his own father?" I laughed. "Wonderful idea."

"I want the Killian back who cared and showed at least one emotion. Not the one who thinks that's weakness." A tear ran down his cheek.

"That Killian wouldn't be alive anymore."

"Maybe that would be best." He looked straight into my eyes and said nothing more. He was waiting for me to tell him something, but I couldn't do anything.

Finn snorted and shook his head before slipping past me and walking away.

"Finn." I yelled at him as I turned around

"I'll stay with a friend." It was the last thing he said.

"Finn!" I shouted after him, but he only heard the front door close.

I grabbed the first thing I had on hand and threw it against the wall. The vase with flowers and water shattered and the glass fell to the ground. The water soaked into the wall while a small portion flowed to the floor.

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I wiped them away before they started running down my cheeks.

With anger coursing through my veins, I started walking into the hall. To the door behind which were the stairs leading down. I went down and entered the first door on the right.

The man who was lying on the metal bed without a mattress stood up. "To what do I owe this visit?" He said in a tone that pissed me off even more.

This guy was a human trafficker. He deserves what he gets.

I quickly walked over to him and grabbed his shirt with one hand before slamming my fist into his jaw.

I let go of his shirt and he, still off balance, staggered until he fell to the ground. I straddled him and started hitting him in the face with my already bloody fists.

Not caring if it hurt, I went on and on. Blood poured from every part of his face, and he was suffocating on it as well. Some amount also got on my face and shirt.

I didn't stop, even though he didn't raise his head and couldn't open his eyes.

His defenseless body under mine and the blood that was everywhere didn't satisfy me though. It didn't matter how long I beat him, how many bones I broke, and how many teeth he lost.

That fire in me didn't want to go out.

With a final scream and punch, his head turned to the side and all the blood came out of his mouth.

My chest heaved rapidly as I looked down at the motionless body below me.

What did I do?



"No, don't worry. I didn't even enter the kitchen."

"Why don't I believe you?" Luna's voice came from the other end of the phone.

"It is not my fault." I laughed. "I guess you'll just have to trust me."

"So I should get on a plane right now. Good to know."

"Oh come on." I snorted. "Everything is okay." Except I have a stab wound in my stomach.

Luna finally called after a few days to check on me. I didn't say anything about knowing she was in Europe with Theo. I'll tell her when we see each other. If I told her over the phone, she could cancel me and get out of this situation. She won't get off that easily.

"When you say that, I'm even more scared."

"Maybe you should trust me once in a while. Really, everything is..." I didn't finish as I was interrupted by the doorbell. "Someone's at the door. I'll call later."

"Don't forget to water the flowers!" She yelled but I cut her off before I could answer her.

I put my phone on the table and slowly stood up. Because of the pills the doctor gave me, everything hurts a lot less and I'm able to walk to the door. But I'd rather not say how long it takes.

With the gun behind my back, which I have just in case, I opened the door. But what I saw, I did not expect. I put the gun on the shoe rack and opened the door wide.

"Killian. What happened?" I looked at him in horror. He was covered in blood. His face and clothes, to be exact. His hands were completely destroyed. I didn't know which blood was his and which wasn't.

Without saying anything to me, he just stood in the doorway. With a look stuck on my face.

I didn't know what to do. I have a million thoughts and questions in my head that I probably won't get an answer to right now.

Did he look like this all the way here? Is he okay? What has happened? Is anyone else hurt? Why is he here and not at home?

"Come in." I finally said and moved out of his way.

He slowly started to walk inside before I closed the door behind him. I followed him into the living room where he sat on the couch and looked at his hands.

Why am I afraid that he killed someone he shouldn't have? But he wouldn't hurt his brothers, right? Right?

I went to the kitchen and came back with a bowl full of water and a small towel to clean the wounds. I placed it on the table in front of him before sitting down next to him.

"Killian, what happened?" I soaked the towel in a bowl and squeezed out the excess water.

He didn't answer me again, he just looked at his hands.

What should I do? Can I touch him to clean his wounds or not?

I guess I have to ask, even if he doesn't answer.

"Killian, I'm going to touch you to clean your wounds, okay? Please don't be angry." Carefully and especially slowly, I reached out for his hand. When I touched him, he didn't even move. That will be the first time.

I carefully ran over his hands and wiped the blood from them until he didn't even move. He still didn't say anything and didn't look anywhere but where his hands were.

After a while, the water in the bowl turned red from the blood, so I had to go and change it. That's when I found out that the effects of the pills in my system had expired.

I took a deep breath as I walked over and sat back down next to Killian. I tried not to let it show on me.

"Can I clean your face?" He didn't answer me again, but this time he turned his head towards me, giving me the opportunity to clean his face.

I wet a towel and put it on his face. At the touch of the towel and my hand, with his face, he closed his eyes.

I wiped the already dried blood from him bit by bit. I also noticed that he has some blood in his hair. But I'm not going to deal with it now. I need to find out what happened. I pulled my hand away from him and threw the towel into the bowl when I was done.

"All done."

Killian finally opened his eyes and stared intently into mine.

"Will you tell me what happened?" I asked him again, and again I waited for an answer, which I did not receive. "If you don't want to tell me, fine. But at least say something because you're scaring me."

"I had a fight with Finn." He said, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God he can talk.

But wait. "Killian whose blood is that?"

"Not Finn's."

"That's good." I breathed out hard. The amount of blood I washed off him was too much. I doubt that person is still alive. "I think you're still slightly in shock.

"I don't know why I'm here. I just got in the car and stopped here."

"That's fine." I tried to calm him down.

"Sorry."

"No no." I interrupted him. "There's nothing to apologize for." I thought about touching him, but maybe that's a bad idea. I don't need him to freak out or anything now.

"I want to protect everyone, but I'm losing them. Finn left and soon the others will too. I'm destroying my family."

"That can't be true. Killian you are the best brother anyone could ask for. I have seen with my own eyes what you are capable of just to protect them."

"So what should I do to not divide my own family?"

"I'm not the best person to ask. Killian, I don't have a family. I haven't for a while, but I'd give anything to see his thoughts."

"What if he doesn't come back?"

"He will. Trust me."

This was an eye-opening talk. I didn't think Killian could be like this. He is lost and doesn't know what to do.

I see a piece of myself in him. And that scares me.

*****

The way they both help each other.

Hope you enjoyed. <3