The Haven

Chapter 38

I stormed back to base and searched for Annabeth. She was in her new quarters, reading over a document on her tablet. She looked up when I entered. Her face dropped.

"Becca what happened? Are you okay? Your bleeding."

"It's...not mine." I breathed heavily.

"Then, whose is it?" She asked, putting her tablet down and walking to me.

I stuttered. Leaving Toby's body without showing any other emotional other than rage, made me realize how devastated I really was.

"Toby's." I said, lip quivering.

Annabeth gasped. "Oh my god, Becca. What happened?"

"Asher killed him." I said, plopping down in a leather chair.

"How do you-"

"Before he died, he had just a little life left in him. He said to me, 'Asher did this'. And I promise just before he died, it would be a life for a life." I said.

"Rebecca, you can't kill As-"

"Oh I sure can. He took Toby away from me because he couldn't live with me being with someone else. When I get me hands on him, no one will be able to help him." I hissed.

"Becca, think about this. Asher has been your friend how long?"

"Fifteen years." I said. "Then all of a sudden he changed, he constantly fought with Braxton about who would get me. Braxton never fought back unless it got physical, and sometimes I would have to step in or they would have killed each other. He's not the same, Beth." I said.

"Maybe he got confused...."

"Annabeth the wounds were all clean and the skin around it was singed! Only Asher or a hot blade could have caused those wounds! Am I the only one who is outraged that he killed Toby, so that in his twisted thoughts I would crawl back to him?!"

"Rebecca stop this." She said firmly.

"How would you feel if you got into an argument with Cash and didn't have time to talk about it before he suddenly died?" I said, obviously striking a nerve.

"How do you-"

"I've seen you two, on more than one occasion, together."

Annabeth sat in the other chair.

"Now do you get my point?" I asked.

"Yes, I see where you're coming from, more clearly. Why don't you try and talk to him about it? Not just straight up kill him." Beth asked.

I sighed, shaking my head. "I just need to be left alone."

I stood, and left Annabeth's quarters. I walked away, not really caring where I was walking to. I quickly found my way to an elevator, suddenly overwhelmed with emotions. I stepped inside and once the doors closed, I dropped to my knees and sobbed.

I sobbed for fighting with him. I sobbed for not being fast enough to tell him I wasn't cheating. I sobbed for not finding him soon enough. I sobbed even more because no one understands what it feels like.

I shakily stood up, and wiped my eyes as I waited for the doors to open. Once the doors opened I found myself on the training mats. No one was here, so I had it all to myself. I grabbed some boxing gloves and headgear.

I walked to the sandbag, and started bouncing on my toes.

'Left hook. Bounce. Right upper. Bounce. Stop, shift, high kick.'

Soon my punches were becoming harder and harder. The gloves began to hurt my hands, so I took them off, then continued. Soon I was imagining Asher's face on the bag. Rage fueled my punches and kicks, and after a few minutes my knuckles were raw, bleeding. I keep hitting the bag, harder and harder.

Screaming, I unsubconsciously drew water out, and sliced the bag in half. I fell to my knees, face in my hands, overcome with wet anger. I'm sobbing, body shuddering, sand all over the floor.

Two hands caress my shoulders, but I'm too busy sobbing to turn and see who it is. They stand me up and pull me into a strong hug. I know exactly who it is... Kia. His strong arms wrapped around my shoulders, and steady heartbeat calmed me to where I was able to stop hyperventilating.

"I am so sorry, Becks." He whispered to me, laying his chin on my head.

"I-I was fin-finally accepting that I loved him. And now he's gone forever." I whimpered.

"I know, I know." He said, rubbing my back.

Kia held me in his arms longer, until I stopped crying all together. I lifted my head to look at his face.

"Thank you." I said softly.

Kia smiled at me as he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. I closed my eyes, I felt so safe in his arms...like I felt in Toby's. Kia let me go and walked to the sandbag I cut in half.

"Letting it all out huh?" He asked.

"Yea." I said.

Kia walked over to the shelves, and grabbed a trainer gear set. He put it on and walked to me.

"Come on." He said, clapping the gloves together.

"No." I said, drawing water from the canteen in the small of my back.

I placed the water over my knuckles and healed them quickly.

"Becca it's not like you'll slice me in half. I hope." He added.

He clapped his gloved hands together again. "Come on Beccs."

I smiled. "I hope so too."

I smiled as I walked to him and began dishing out the hardest punches. After shuffling around for ten minutes we were breathless. Me from exerting all my energy, Kia from blocking all of my kicks and punches.

So far I hadn't killed him, but he kept pushing and pushing. He wasn't just blocking anymore, he was dishing out punches as well. I kept steady and began fighting back. Soon after he lost the gloves, and were were fighting without gear. Before I knew it, his hand were on fire and water laced mine.

He reached for my throat with his flaming hands, but I ducked and froze his hand. He melted the ice easily, and came at me again. I slipped through a shadow, appeared behind him, and jumped into his back. I formed a dagger and pushed it against his throat.

I smiled wickedly. "I win."

Kia laughed, before holding his hands up. Quick as a flash, his hands gripped my wrist and flipped me on my back. He stood over me and smiled.

"Now we're even."

My jaw tightened but I smiled to hide it. "Fine."

Kia offered me his hand, but I just swatted it away and stood myself. As I looked thankfully to Kia, the sirens sounded. He looked at me solemnly before speaking.

"They're here."