Chapter 27 - Breathing

“And that's the whole story,” Jake laid out almost everything for Haley to hear, skipping over the parts about Spud, as they sat across from each other in his hotel room. He sighed as he looked down at the floor, his little sister's eyes on him, intense as she analyzed the situation.

He then noticed her straighten up, ready to speak. His ears perked as he waited to hear what she thought, because Jake could deny many things, but Haley's intelligence was not one of them. There used to be a time when he envied her insight, but it was only now that he was grateful for it. So he sat patiently until she was finally ready to speak. “You're an idiot,” was her verdict. His shoulders dropped.

Haley looked angry at him. “All this time, I thought she had broken your heart.” She shook her head from side to side. “When in fact. . . you broke hers.”

Jake's expression read of shame. “I know,” he whispered.

“Jesus, Jake!” Haley yelled out of frustration. “What did you expect from her? To stay home and be the good little wife, while you went off chasing after some other woman?” Jake had no words for her. “And what has that gotten you so far? Here, alone in another country. No friends, no family, no status. Do you even know what dad and I have been through since you left?”

She was visibly upset and she had every right to be, Jake knew as he watched her stand. “With dad,” she began slowly, her arms wrapping around herself. “It's like with mom all over again. He won't even wrap his head around the idea that you may not be coming back. He thinks-”

“Stop,” Jake's brow furrowed as he cut her off. “I always planned on coming back,” he clarified.

“How?” she asked. “The Council has gone mad. They want you brought in. You left your post, Jake, and as far as they're concerned, you're AWOL,” she explained. “Jake,” her voice seemed tired as she spoke. “They're going to take the search for you world-wide.”

“What?” Jake couldn't believe it. All this fuss over leaving his post? “I don't understand.” His confusion was clear.

“What's not to understand? You're a powerful dragon.” Jake knew it was bad when his sister started complimenting him. “Not only that, but influential in the magical word. You can easily make others see your side. Jake. . .” she didn't know how to say it. “They think you have the potential to become the next Dark Dragon.” Silence then fell over the siblings.

“I-” Jake finally began several moments later. “I could never betray the oath I took,” he said softly. Haley looked relieved to hear him say the words she had been preaching to others for months. She knew her brother could never be evil. And with that fact secure in her mind, she sat back down, a smile on her face.

“I know,” she whispered as she reached out and took his hand. “So let's return home, stand before the Council, and explain everything. They'll reinstate you and we can start getting things back to normal,” she suggested.

“No,” was Jake's final word as he slid his hand away from Haley.

“Why not?” she wanted to know.

“You're smarter than that, Haley. You already know why,” he told her.

“The Huntsclan,” she confirmed. Jake nodded. “Don't you think this is the type of information the Council would want to know? If you tell them you left your post on official duty they will understand.”

“I don't think they will. This isn't only about the Huntsclan,” he tried to tell her.

“You're right, it's about you and how each day brings you closer to destroying your marriage.”

“My marriage has already failed.” He looked away. “But if it means anything to you, I never meant to hurt Trixie,” he admitted.

“Really? Because you had me fooled. I mean, have you truly forgotten what Rose did to our family?!” she yelled, furious that her brother had fallen so deeply into his own denial. He was so much like their father in that respect. “You can't possibly still care for her! She had our mother killed, Jake. And if what you say is true, she's begun a new reign of the Huntsclan.” She was frantic. Her brother could not be this blind. “I watched our mother die, Jake. She died!” Haley was determined to make him see the light. “You trusted her, you loved her, and she turned on you like rabid dog!”

“Enough, Haley,” he whispered, but she continued.

“That heartless dog doesn't deserve your loyalty! What that monster deserves is to be tied and beaten within an inch of her life. That dog-” But Jake would not give her a chance to open his eyes, as she was cut off immediately when she felt his hand strike her across the face. He did so, with so much force, that Haley was knocked from her chair. Jake gasped as he realized what he had just done. He didn't even remember rising from his seat to stand over her. All he could remember thinking at the time was that he wanted her to shut up and shut up now!

Jake could only stare as Haley slowly brought her hand up to her stinging face. Her cheeks wet as tears began to cascade down her pale skin. Jake went to speak. “I'm sorry,” but they were not his words that were heard. The older dragon's eyes grew wide as he realized that the words had slipped from his sister's mouth.

Why was she apologizing to him? He didn't understand, because everything she had told him was true. Jake knew he had been losing his focus, but didn't know how to get back on track. “I'm sorry,” Haley's voice broke as she repeated her words.

Jake then suddenly dropped to the floor beside her. “No.” He shook his head as he wrapped his arms around his little sister and embraced her tightly. He had already failed so many people in his life, including himself, but he would be damned if he allowed Haley to be one of them. “No, I'm sorry. Me,” he stressed as she began to sob openly into his chest.

OoOoO

His eyes had been opened, he knew, but he was already in this too deep to turn around now. If he had any chance of things returning to normal he had to set this right. He laughed at the thought. Normal. That was all Trixie ever wanted and though he was nowhere near the definition of normal, he knew he could have tried harder.

After apologizing to Haley and regaining his cool, they spoke for a while longer. Jake learned about Fred and how he had had his own ordeal with the Huntsclan. “Wait,” Jake interrupted her in the middle of her story. “Are you telling me. . . Fred knows where the Academy is located?” At his question, Haley knew she had said too much. “Haley,” he demanded an answer.

“Yes,” she finally responded.

“Where is Fred now?”

“Recovering,” she answered slowly. “I know what you're thinking, Jake, he's not up to it,” she told him.

“I wouldn't ask him to go back, not after what he's been through. I only need him to point me in the right direction,” he explained. “Take me too him.”

Haley sighed. She thought she had been so close to convincing him to come home with her, but then she had to go and open her big mouth. “Fine,” she agreed, knowing that there was no changing his mind once it had been set. “It's faster if we fly,” she told him.

Jake couldn't help the smile that came to his face as he flew beside his little sister. It was a simple thing that he had taken for granted long ago. For months he had flown the skies alone, looking for what seemed to be the impossible, but he had his sister next to him now and somehow that made everything better. Everything now seemed just a little more bearable. “Thank you,” he whispered into the wind, knowing full well that the rush of air around them would never allow it to reach her ears.

It wasn't long before the siblings reached their destination. Jake followed Haley inside and he was greeted with a warm smile from his fellow dragon. “Jake!” Fred was glad to see his trusted friend, but it didn't seem like the sentiment was returned. “Jake?” he questioned.

“Haley, she told me what happened.” The smile on the blonde's face finally fell. “You didn't give me up.”

“Of course not. What kind of friend would I be if I had?” He then gave him a friendly hit on the arm. “Come on.” He led them to the sofas. “We should talk,” he suggested.

As they sat down, Jake got straight to the matter at hand. “Tell me of the Huntsclan,” he asked of Fred.

Fred frowned. “They aren't the Huntsclan we remember,” he let the fact be known. “From what I can conclude, the top three run everything and they are not older than we are. The rest, no more than thirteen.”

“Children?” Jake questioned, not knowing how he felt about going up against someone several years his junior.

“Don't let the fact that they are children fool you,” Fred warned. He then pressed his lips together for a moment before beginning again. “When they had me locked up, they brought down a handful of their members to see me. . .” he trailed off in deep thought. Haley gave him a concern look before she reached over and gently touched his hand. He smiled as his gaze focused on her. He then continued slowly. “Their eyes. There was so much hate within them. It burned with it. They were hungry for blood. Each is trained to be anything, but a child.” He gave his point of view. “Like I said, they are not the Huntsclan we remember. Something stirs within, something darker than before.”

“It's revenge,” Jake answered. The other looked at him curiously. Jake only shook his head. “It's a moment I don't want to relive,” was his only explanation, and Fred respected it. Jake then stood and walked over to the window. It was beginning to grow dark. “Where can I find them?” he asked and found that a moment later that his friend stood beside him.

“Do you know what you're doing, Jake?” Fred wanted to know.

“I don't know what I'm doing anymore,” he said honestly. “But this is something I have to do. I have to face her. I have to know where I stand,” he finished in a whisper.

“Then we leave tonight,” Fred announced and then turned around to prepare.

“No,” Jake answered. “You've been through enough. You don't have to go back.”

“You don't understand,” Fred began with his back to both of the Long children. “They took something from me and I want him back.” Both could hear the anger in his voice before he continued down the hall.

“Him? Who's him?” Jake asked his sister.

Haley gave him an exhausted sigh. “Were you not listening to me at all at the hotel?” she wondered. “One of the top three, the Huntsclan member he escaped with, who was forced to go back, is his boyfriend,” she clarified.

Jake then quickly sat next to Haley and then whispered. “Fred's gay?” he asked seriously.

Haley stared at her brother in amazement. “Wow, Jake. Just when I think you can't surprise me anymore.” She got up and headed towards the kitchen.

“What? What did I say?” he called behind her.

OoOoO

“You probably already know him.” Fred answered when Jake, feeling bad that he hadn't known more about his friend, asked about his boyfriend. “He was part of the New York Chapter. Brooklyn Even. He's the Number One Huntsman.” he paused to think a moment. “But more than likely you know him by his cadet name. . . Number Eighty-nine,” he revealed. “My Kaden,” he spoke softly to himself.

Haley's stomach dropped at that moment as she lost a bit of her altitude when she heard the familiar name. Number Eighty-nine. Her mother's killer. How could someone so kind, love someone so vile? She wondered as she regained her altitude. Jake then swept in beside her. He spoke only loud enough for her to hear. “I know what you're thinking.”

“You have no idea what I'm thinking,” her voice was tight and low.

“Relax, because I want the same thing.” The words surprised Haley greatly as her head whipped towards him.

She then gave him a concern look. “You know what this will cost you.” She reminded him. Jake chanced a glance at Fred. He had always been a good friend to him and so the thought of betraying him gave him a nasty feeling in his stomach. “Can you truly be with me on this?” Haley's voice rang through his thoughts.

“Would you forgive me if I weren't?”

“Never,” she declared.

“Then I'm with you.” He had made his decision. He knew it would sever all ties he had with Fred, but what kind of son would disrespect the memory of their fallen mother? This was about honor for both Haley and Jake and it would be restored.

“Good,” Haley began. “Because be clear on this, we are not-” she stopped when both realized that Fred had finally noticed them. Jake fell back into their V formation without hearing Haley finish her sentence, but it was alright because he already knew her final words. They were not leaving Number Eighty-nine. . . breathing.

To Be Continued. . .

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