Edge of Thorns 3 - Pt 23

Part 23
The more I hold off telling him, the harder this will be. Probably best to tell him now than drag it out further...

A reporter that may or may not try to report on what he learns. Nathan rubbed his hand across his face. "May as well tell him. And emphasize that he's not to tell anyone else. I think it would be much harder to try to dance around the subject, and for all we know, the break-in might have been Sin related." He frowned. "We've already established that associating with me makes you a prime target for their antics."

"Wonder how I've dodged that bullet," Enya mumbled, then put the phone to her ear again. "Still there? Okay, just hang tight, Scott. I'll be over in a few minutes." She hung up and slipped the phone into her back pocket while she started towards the door to get her coat. Nathan followed after.

"I'll ride with you," he said. "I can at least start getting him up to speed on the way back. With luck, he won't think I've gone completely insane."

Alton shrugged. "We'll think of some way to prove your story while you're out," he offered. "It will probably be one of us showing our wings, since that's the easiest thing to do, but we'll discuss it in the meanwhile."

Nathan smiled and nodded. "Sounds like a plan. We'll be back in a few. Keep an eye on Lidia for me."

"We will."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It occurred to Nathan as they pulled into the parking lot that he'd never been to Scott's apartment before, and part of him wondered if maybe he'd been subconsciously avoiding it since Enya lived there too, and he didn't want to be able to easily remind himself of Marni by knowing where her doppelganger lived. Then he remembered that he'd been without a car since he moved to Virtue, and his only contact with Scott had been (mostly) through work, and it wasn't like he'd been invited over to visit.

Then he thought he was thinking about it too much.

Two police cars were parked in front of the twins' building, lights still flashing, but otherwise the scene was relatively calm while the officers were wrapping things up and preparing to leave. Scott sat on the curb with a policeman standing next to him, but he stood when they pulled up, walking briskly to his sister and wrapping his arms around her in a tight, desperate hug when she had barely stepped out of the car. "Thank God you were out; I can't imagine what would have happened if you'd been here too."

"What happened?" Enya asked, hugging him back. She glanced back at Nathan when he got out, worry etched on her features. She gave Scott another tight squeeze before releasing him, brushing some of his hair out of his face. "Your hair's wet."

"I'd just gotten out of the shower when they broke in," Scott told her, running his fingers through his damp hair. He gave Nathan a quick glance too, almost as if he was surprised that he was there. "The lock on the door is completely busted, but they're leaving an officer here to keep it secure overnight. Luckily, they didn't take anything."

"How do you know?" Nathan asked, the only safe question he could think of. He was sure Enya noticed, but he wasn't going to ask about the red marks around Scott's wrists, or what looked like small cuts at the edges of his mouth. Even though his voice had been steady, the distant look in his coworker's eyes were indication enough that he was still very shaken by the ordeal. Scott was hesitant to respond.

"Because they both left in body bags, that's how." The reporter wrapped his hands around the back of his neck and looked down at the sidewalk. "I didn't see much -- they... they tased me and locked me in the bathroom -- but I heard them arguing and then a crash. The downstairs neighbors called the police." He became quiet again. "I just don't think I could sleep in there, even with the police nearby. Not after all that..."

"Alton's letting us crash at his place," Enya told him gently, ushering him towards the passenger's seat while Nathan stepped away to get in the back. "We haven't started on dinner yet, so you can join us for that too..."

"No." Scott abruptly brushed her off, moving back from her, much to her shock. "I... Enya, I don't think I'd be... I'm not sure I want to stay there. I mean, I know he's your friend and all, but... I just... I can't..."

"Prescott Fakhir Dasari." His twin's tone was stern, but not angry. "Now is not the time for this. I know you're apprehensive about Alton, and not just because you've finally figured out he's gay, but you need to get over it. He hasn't ever done anything to you to make you so nervous, besides being him, and he's offering us a place to stay, free of charge. It's Thanksgiving, Scott. If you want to rent out a motel room tomorrow, fine, but right now, I'm just thankful that I still have you! A break-in that has you this freaked out could have been much, much worse, and I'm not letting you out of my sight until I'm sure you're okay!" Enya half cried, half screamed the end of her lecture, and she took several, deep breaths, forcing back the tears in her eyes while she pointed at the door. "Get in the damn car, Scott. Make me believe you're okay."

Scott stared at her, the frown on his face barely changed, but climbed into the passenger's seat without another word. Enya finally let out the sob she'd been holding in, then wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She looked up at Nathan, then lifted her hands to sign, "Tell me you saw his wrists too."

Nathan nodded. "And the cuts on his mouth."

"I think I may have almost lost my brother, Karol." She used the name sign Lidia had made for him. "I think my brother was almost killed, but he's too scared to tell me."

"Give him time," Nathan signed back, sighing loudly. "Imagine if it had been you." He lowered his hands. "Do you want me to drive back?"

"No," Enya said quietly, taking another deep breath. "No, I'll be fine. Let's get back to the bookshop and get some dinner. We could all use the comfort food."

It was an awkwardly quiet ride at first, Nathan wondering how he should bring up the angels, or even if he should, after the ordeal Scott had gone through. No one spoke as they pulled out of the parking lot, and they were all silent for the first ten minutes or so of the ride. Scott wouldn't even look at either of them, staring out the window, completely lost in his thoughts.

Nathan decided he had to say something, and say it soon. It was the least he could do to soften the blow, and maybe make the revelation less startling once they arrived at Alton's. He cleared his throat and leaned forward. "Um, Scott? There's something we need to tell you..."

"If it's that you two are dating, congrats," Scott grumbled, still half-dazed and not paying much attention. "I don't care."

"We're not dating," Enya said with a slight glare towards him. Nathan tried not to let the conviction in her tone sting.

"We're not," he confirmed instead. "No, it has to do with Alton. And our friends Micah and Gabriel." There was just no easy way to say it. "They're angels. Like, straight-from-the-Bible angels. Lumiel, Michael, and, well, Gabriel, to be specific."

There was a long, long silence after he spoke. They had arrived at the bookshop, and Enya pulled into the parking in the back, but waited with Nathan to see if Scott would react. When he still said nothing, his sister carefully touched his shoulder. "Scott? Scott, I hope you don't think we're joking, because seriously, we wouldn't joke..."

"I don't think you're joking." Scott turned slightly to look at them while Enya and Nathan exchanged confused glances. He sighed, but gave them both a rueful smile. "Though I kind of wish you were." He looked back out the window again.

His twin watched him, as if waiting for him to say more, but then sighed herself, shaking her head. She pulled the keys from the ignition and opened the door. "I'll let the others know we're back," she said softly, turning to face Nathan. She lifted her hands and signed, "Watch him for me, please? I don't want to push him, but I'm worried. The last time he was this withdrawn was high school, when something really bad happened to him. Something he still won't tell me, his sister." Enya's brows knotted, and she turned back to her brother. "Whenever you're ready, Scott, Nathan will show you up to the apartment. Just... take your time. Lock the doors before you head up, okay?"

Scott nodded, the only sign he had heard her. Enya sighed again but stepped out of the car, walking to the back door and disappearing inside, leaving the two men alone. Once she was gone, Scott rested his head against the window and closed his eyes.

"You don't have to stay, Kink. I won't run off or anything; I know she's worried about me. I just... God, I don't know anymore. I don't know what to think, what to believe... nothing makes sense anymore..." He shook his head. "I asked you before what the Hell you and Enya were involved in, and in my gut I knew -- just knew -- there was more to it than what you told me. I had a hunch all the conspiracy theories showing up on my desk had some truth to them, but I never, not in a million years, would have thought that the craziest ones -- the one's about demons and angels and other mythical mayhem -- would mesh so well with what you just said." He opened his eyes and stared out into the lot. "I don't want to believe you, but at the same time I do. And after what happened tonight..." Scott trailed off and closed his eyes again. "God, why me? Why are you doing this to me?"

He's clearly confused and torn between believing what I've said and forcing himself to reject it, but what does he mean? What happened to him? What really happened during the break-in? Is there something more he's not saying? Is he too afraid to? Enya didn't want to push him, but should I? Or should I just let him have a moment of peace before he meets the angels directly?

Jesus Christ, what do I do?