_________________________________

T h e   H o l l o w s   I n
O U R  F R E E D O M
_________________________________

"We have no neural allies."

I rolled my eyes, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed. "You are the neutral ally; just go tell her to get off the phone so we can get a move on."

Jace gave me an uncertain look. "I'm not neutral; she hates me."

"Dislikes," I rephrased, "she hates me." Jace shook his head, but sucked it up and walked over to Sky, who was leaning against the wall, her right shoulder pressed to it as she engaged in a conversation with Jameson, who was on the other side of the call.

When he had first called, she ignored it a few times, then declined a couple more times. When she finally picked up, she shouted at him in an angry sob kind of way.

Now they were absolutely fine.
Great.

When Sky saw Jace approaching her, though, she didn't exactly seem joyous. That made me feel better; at least she's not fine with absolutely everyone apart from me. That would be hurtful.

Sky pulled the phone away and the pair quickly engaged in a quiet conversation. It was very quick, in fact, that Jace was by my side once more in the next moment.

We watched in silence as she ended the call, and then strode off, walking straight by me.

Taken aback, I held out a hand in question. "So one minute I'm her best friend and childhood Guardian, next I'm a hallway wall?" I asked, feeling the annoyance creeping up. With that said, I followed after her, watching her greet her new tribe—we could name them a Botched job Bria, and Something else Sapphire.

Inventive, I know—their mothers were geniuses.

I was more than surprised when I saw our new sitting arrangement in the car. The Terrible Three had stuck themselves in the middle, leaving Elle very confused. In fact, across the last three hours, I have never seen her look more confused and vulnerable.

I sighed, stopping in front of her.

She seemed to be waiting for Jace, then she said, "who's driving?"

"I'd love to," I started, "except I think I might ram the car into a tourist attraction." I finished, teeth clenched.

Elle's lips flattened. "Okay." She said.

"I'm not sitting in the back alone—do you have any idea how demoralising that is?" I then put in.

Elle frowned. "I never suggested it." She responded, seeming deflated.

"Good." I concluded, hearing Bria giggle in the car. I knew it was Bria because neither Sapphire nor Sky giggled like a five year old.

"I could sit in the back?" Jace offered. I suddenly became very detached.

"No." I responded defiantly. Neither one of them questioned me, in fact, neither did I; I wasn't sure why I didn't want him to sit in the back.

I just didn't.

I did actually end up driving—Elle and Jace said that when I was driving I'd have to focus on the road, so I'd have no time to bicker. I guess they were right.

Jace was next to me, and Elle got the pleasure of sitting alone in the back.

It was actually a very logical seating plan, even if I had turned my nose up at the girls initially. A Guardian and her trainee at the front, another very trained Guardian at the back, and the S.O's sandwiched in the middle.

The girls were having their own conversations, which I could barely hear since Jace was giving me constant directions, and I was also concentrating too much on not killing everyone. It's a flaw in me.

Soon, my phone rang, and in a weird turn of events, I had to get Jace on the phone—it was weird because Jameson was on the other end. The pair didn't exactly have a good record.

The conversation between Jace and Jameson was awkward, and quick, before Jace passed me the phone. I gestured for him to try to get it between my shoulder and my ear so that I could hold it but not take my hands off the wheel.

Once the phone was secure, I greeted Jameson.

"How is she with you?" He asked me first.

I laughed with no humour. "Hello to you too." I responded, feeling the car go silent. The girls were listening.

"Not good then." I heard him say.

I sighed. "The only thing that would make today any worse is if I crash this car—which you are making about 70% more likely."

I heard him laugh. I'm not sure he thought I was being serious. "We've left and we located that hotel you were staying in—were about an hour an a half behind it."

"How's everyone?" I asked him, after wondering what to say for a few moments.

"Cassie's tired; Colton has been up most of the night crying." Jameson began.

"That is the general idea of babies." I quipped, seeing Jace gesture to the right.

Jameson ignored me, and began to speak again as I took a right. "Jonah's been writing poems to his long lost girlfriend–" I heard something being hit on the other end.

"–well I hope that Jonah knows how to drive, otherwise he'll be long lost too." I commented in response to the commotion, hearing Jameson stifle a laugh.

"Is he okay?" Sapphire said, leaning forward out of absolutely nowhere.

"Christ, Sapphire—if I wasn't a Guardian I would've just killed your arse." I replied, making her huff and slump back in her seat.

"What happened?" Jameson asked, concerned.

I sighed. "Irrelevance happened." I said, dismissing it. I heard Sapphire almost gasp in shock. "How's Avery?" I asked, grabbing the girls' attention once more.

"She's fine, mostly just obsessing over the baby." He replied, and I nodded absentmindedly.

"How's everyone on your end?" He asked, filling the silence.

I laughed to myself. "Is that a serious question?" I responded. When he didn't reply, I sighed.

"You were just on the phone with Jace so you know he's alive, Bria is still homosexual, Sapphire is still annoying, Elle is still Sky's mother and Sky still won't admit that that isn't my fault." When I had finished, I blew out a breath.

I saw Jace reach out in the corner of my eye and place a palm over my clenched hand on the steering wheel. I took a few deep breaths before I was able to relax them.

"Can I just quickly add that the homosexual thing wasn't an insult, I'm sorry." I glanced into the mirror to see Bria looking into it to. She just nodded and displayed a small smile.

"Jace please take the gasoline away from my ear." I heard Jameson saying something to do with the car, but he didn't get a chance to finish before Jace took the phone away.

With only the road to focus on, I relaxed, and waited for Jace to give me the next direction.

Soon enough, Elle yelled from the back of the car for me to turn right and pull into the gravel drive. Well, she said drive, it kind of just looked like a wasteland.

We all stared at it for a few moments, before slipping out uncertainly.

Elle let out a breath, a grin on her face. "It's good to be home." She whispered to herself.

Sky approached me suddenly. "Alexi–"

"–Look, Sky, this is the way it works," I whirled on her suddenly, catching her by surprise. "My life doesn't depend on you, your life depends on me. I'm not some friend that you can just come back to as and when you want to, like some dog kennel. Your mother is Elle Beaufort. Suck it up, and stop blaming me for something that is in your DNA."

With that, I spun around and stalked off in the direction that Elle had been looking to when she had previously spoken.

Suddenly, someone grabbed me, pulling me into the strongest choke hold I have ever experienced. I struggled against them, managing to loosen the grip but not totally escape.

"Richard!" I heard someone yell from a distance. "Richard, stop!" They sounded frantic, "She's an ally!"

Out of nowhere, Elle came bounding into my vision, ripping the person away from me.

I crashed to the floor, trying to cushion my fall slightly. From the floor, I watched as the man who had been grappling with me approached Elle, his hands finding her face.

He cupped it, and then pulled her in for a hug. "Elle." He whispered, before kissing her.

Confused, I let whoever was hauling me up do so as I watched him.

They came apart, noticing their audience. Elle cleared her throat.

"Richard, this is the group from the mission I was telling you about," he frowned, then realisation dawned on him.

"Guys, this is Richard," then she looked past me, and upon looking around, I found that she was looking at Sky, directing her next statement at her.

"Your father."

_________________________________

So Sky has mummy and daddy issues??

This gets better and better by the minute

It all makes sense now

Also Lexi damn I can't tell if this girl is funny or just rude 😭😂🤷🏼‍♀️

Anywho

Sky and Lexi being in an argument??
Jace attempting to calm Lexi in the car?
Lexi putting her foot down with Sky when they arrived?
Lexi being attacked (thought she was meant to be a good fighter) ??
Sky's...father???

Well, until next time

-Long Lost Family

FABULOUS SONGS

Songs that played when I was writing this chapter (in order):
Promises - Aly & AJ
Woman Is a Word - Empress Of
Animal - Ellie Goulding
Let Me Down Gently - La Roux
Salty Sweet - MS MR
Touch It - Ariana Grande
Atlantis - Ellie Goulding
Wicked Love - Foxes
Dark Doo Wop - MS MR
Halcyon - Ellie Goulding
Bare - WILDES

END OF FABULOUS SONGS

Date written:
02/04/18 (this was almost five months ago wtaf)

___________
Next update: Friday
___________

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE SPOILER:

Often, a dark past manages to catch up with, placing its fingers on your body, holding tightly and never letting go.

There is no exception for a dark childhood.