Outcasts(#2): No More Games of Hearts

No Place Like Home

 Dawn's POV
         Two weeks feels like nothing when you spend them wisely with someone you care about. Rocky has been good support for me and so has everybody else. I'm not saying that I want everyone to treat me like I'm fragile for I'm just slowly healing. I know in situations like these that you have pick yourself up piece by piece. I'm doubling that and picking myself up higher than normally. I've come to the acceptance that my parents can't accept a relationship no matter the species or gender. I don't need their validation in order to be happy, I'm more than capable to so.  I guess it just hurt more at the fact that they would rather separate my relationship rather than respecting it. 
           Mom has been reaching out to me almost everyday but I just blocked her number after the fifth time she called. Apparently, mom has been trying to talk to Zach and Caroline as well but they are ignoring her. Well, Zach is at least. Caroline is responding to her informing her that we are all okay and that she needs to respect our space after spewing hateful words. Someone had to say it. Zach and Caroline haven't gone back to the house either since I left. I know that we can't shut out our mother from our life as it would be reaching a new low even for us. I mean we could; we were done with Mark's toxicity so should we do the same with our mom.  Still, for some reason despite her hateful words, I don't want her out of my life completely and I'm sure the other two feels the same way. We just can't accept talking to her right now. 
     On the  other end of the spectrum, I felt like a freeloader staying at Rocky's home so I decided to get myself a job to at least help her out paying the bills. I got a job at the club thanks to Skylar and Uncle Drake as I'm actually working the same position as Alex. I have been working there for a few days and surprisingly I like working there. Despite the craziness the club tends to get, it still gives off a great atmosphere for me. Why didn't I get a job before? I wanted to focus on my education and actually live my teenage years before dipping myself into the pool of adulthood.
          Life is as "sweet" as it should be and I wouldn't mind living like this till graduation.
  'One step backwards is another few steps forward.'
Although besides the mess with my mother, there is another thing that still sticks out like a sore thumb to me.

       I'm chilling on Rocky and I's bed on my stomach while giving Trouble some belly rubs. Rocky and I both got off work early so we'd thought we'd chill and enjoy each other's company.
"Hey, I'm making fajitas, did you want extra guacamole on your fajita?" Rocky asks entering the room with a little apron wrapped around her waist and hair put up in a messy bun.
"Yeah, that sounds good."
"Okay, cool." she nods
"Hey, Rocky." I stop her in her tracks.
"Yeah?"
"Can we talk?"
"Okay but real quick I have frozen meat on the sauce pan."
"Alright." I said sitting up and actually sitting on her bed now.
"What's up?"
"There has been something that's been on my mind all day since work and I know that we really need to talk about."
"Okay."
"Rocky, are we mates?" Her eyebrows raise and a little lot for words of course I did give her an question that either be given a simple answer or a complicated one.
"Didn't we have this conversation before?"
"Well technically that was when we were just started dating so I don't know if that really counts as a "are we mates" kind of situation."
"Why all the sudden interest in something like this?"
"I don't know to be honest." my eyes glance down while my thumbs circling swiftly out of the nerves.
"So, you wanted some reassurance?" my head immediately shot up as I get to my feet.
"No, not like that."
"Do you have any doubt in this relationship or want to move our relationship forward?"
"I don't have any doubt of any of this whatsoever."
"So you want to move forward?"
"I know we said that we'd take it slow but..."
"Oh...so you're ready to do the thing then."
"What? No, no, no." Rocky managed to exhale a breath the moment I said those words.
"By that sigh of relief something tells me that you weren't ready yet."
"It's not that I don't want to Dawn. I'm just don't think I'm officially ready yet."
"Hey, it's okay." I walk over to gently grasp her face to look right at me.
 "I'm not ready either, this  relationship is a two way street so don't worry about it." 
"So, why are you asking me this question if you aren't even sure about it yourself?" 
*Sigh*
"I don't know to be honest. I just was reflecting on everything we've all been through ever since the day we met." I exclaim placing my arms around my girlfriend's neck while looking into her eyes.
"So, you think that us meeting could've been fate?"
"I don't know about fate but it has been weird the fact that one simple action could thread out something bigger than it probably should've been."
"On top of that, the lengths that we all had to go through just for one person."
"Some more than others." 
"I'll say." she giggles as I just roll my eyes with a small toothless smile growing on my lips.
"So, what do you think? Do you think that after all we've been through and us entering each others lives that it means that we could mates?"
"It's a hard question that doesn't come with an easy answer as a simple yes or no. But I do believe in the fact that we were meant to find each other that day."
"You think so?" she nods with a faint side smirk.
"What about you? What are do you think about this?"
"I think that we would've eventually met each other that day regardless or not."
"Well there you have it. I  do believe that you have your answer there."
"I guess I do. Thanks for the second opinion."
"You're welcome."
*Beep!**Beep!*
"Oh shit, the sauce pan!" Rocky says racing downstairs to stop a fire while I just stand there shaking my head chuckling at how much I fell in love with a total goofball.
'but she's my goofball.'
Rocky's POV
*ding*dong*
My eyes slowly opens in response to the sound.
Was that-
*ding**dong*
Yes, it is.
I  release a low grumble before glancing down to see Dawn sound asleep in my arms and with Trouble resting on the end of the bed. Both are not affected by the sound as they don't move or toss and turn at all.
*ding**dong*
I hear you! I hear you!
I just gotta get out of this death trap. I kiss Dawn's temple before slowly inching out of her grasp while trying not to kick Trouble in the process. Dawn starts to shift causing me to freeze for a brief moment as she continues to shift before turning to the other side with her back facing me.
*Sigh*
Now then..onto our mystery guest.
*Ding**Dong*
"I'm coming, I'm coming." I exclaim halfway down the stairs in a grumble.
I swear I hear that doorbell ring one more time and I'll make that person eat it. I just hope this person has a very good reason for showing up at such a time like this. I stretch out my limbs walking into the living room.  
*Creak*
"Mrs. Maverick?"
"Hello, Rocky. May I come in?"
"I don't think that would be a good idea." I exclaim  eyebrows furrowed while crossing my arms leaning against the doorframe.
"I deserved that."
"Don't take this the wrong way but give me one legitimate reason why I should let you in."
I'm not here to cause harm. I just wanted to talk."
"Dawn's asleep."
"Actually I'm here to talk to you."
"Me?" she nods
Probably here to convince me to break up with Dawn for her own family's sake or something like that.
However, I'm not going to get anywhere if the conversation is going to be here.
"You can come in." I said pulling the door out and moving along side the door for an entry.
"Thank you." She says before entering the living room.
"Do you want to talk here or the kitchen?" I ask shutting the door behind me.
"Kitchen please."
"Alright. Do you anything to drink, water or something?"
"Tea if you have it."
"Is herbal okay?" she nods as we head into the kitchen and I start getting things ready for a cup of tea for one. I'm not much of a  tea drinker but Dawn is one. Well recently she has been a tea person ever since she moved in.
Silence emerges in the room as I'm mentally preparing for anything she has to say and hoping Dawn doesn't wake up anytime soon.
To be honest, I don't know what you are suppose to say to a mother who has bad blood with her daughter. I'm  just leaning against the counter, arms crossed, waiting for the kettle to whistle. Plus awkwardly having a staring contest with my guest as if we  both are waiting for someone to say something first.
"I'm sure that you are well aware of what currently happened between Dawn and I." Gabrielle starts
"Normally personal things are a private thing I don't like to get into unless I'm informed openly about it or  somehow involved myself." She doesn't respond but I know she doesn't have to because I know what she's thinking.
"Look if you are here to break Dawn and I up by saying of how you are trying to save your family's reputation. Think again."
"No, no, no. Trust me, I meant it when I said that I'm not here for any harm. I actually wanted to talk things out civilly." 
Before I could utter another word, the kettle starts to sings its high note tune. I simply just d what I have to when it comes to making tea as I pour the boiled water into the cup with the teabag before handing the cup to her then setting the necessary condiments down.
"I don't really know how you like your tea."
"That's fine, I don't mind making it myself." she then reaches for the sugar and honey while I seat across from her.
"So if you're not to break Dawn and I up then what is there to talk about?" 
"What does my daughter mean to you?" she asks while stirring her tea with a spoon in hand.
"Come again?"
"What does Dawn mean to you?" she repeats before sipping on her tea while waiting for me to spill the tea in a way. An easy answer with a hard way to phrase it.
"Dawn is someone I never thought that I would get along with in the beginning but I don't regret her entering my life. She is certainly a bright and very intelligent young woman who deserves more credit for her personality than given. She is also a great friend to have in your life as well. But in the terms that I see her in relationship terms . I would have to say she is an energy that's radiant or a spark that can be the light of your whole world. Dawn is more than a friend or a simple person, she is a whole package filled with her own trinkets and special pieces of a whole that makes her worth all the things I went through to be with her. She is my partner, my lover and my equal. I love her and I will continue to give that love to her no matter the obstacles thrown our direction."
"I see."
I pour my heart out and she only says two words. This conversation is going to turn sour real quick. I know I was right about her not liking the idea of Dawn and I together but I didn't want to be right either. Let's just hope that I'm not right about this conversation. 
"Alright then since that is your response then let me ask you this, Mrs. Maverick. Have you  ever asked her past boyfriends this question or am I the only exception?"
"No. I have asked this to them in the past whenever I get to meet them."
"And how did they react?"
"They either had one of two reactions; unsure to answer or gives me a bland and dry answer."
"So I've been the only one whose been genuine?"
"In a matter of answering my question yes and as for relationship that's still pending."
pending? What the hell is that suppose to mean.
"Is it pending through your analyzing or simply because of my species?"
 "That is something I can't answer."
"Can't or won't?" she just doesn't respond just glances down at her tea.
"I hope you realize that I never intend on hurting your daughter. I know you hate werewolves because one attacked your family long ago but that doesn't mean that all of us intend on doing harm."
"Funny, Dawn said the same thing." she claims glancing up
"I guess we have the same mindset on where certain opinions lie."
"Indeed."
"Maybe, I'm just being biased here on what werewolves means to me but why don't you in your own words tell me the input on werewolves."
"I don't think that would be a good idea."
"So is coming here talking to me but here we are."
"Well...I guess that at point I had the same opinion of werewolves as Dawn did at one point. I was as open minded and accepting. I trusted them and it felt like I could view them as my equal. Of course that was when Matthew was still alive at the time and before I was pregnant with the twins. But that all changed when Julian attacked my family which you know about. Matthew did die protecting the family he promised he'd protect but that his death was only part of the reason for my lose of trust. Julian was heavily wounded and Matthew had taken his last breath. Julian had sicked his pack on us that send us running. Of course, when your pregnant there is only so much energy you can have or use up before you become exhausted. We were running for a while until Caroline tripped that sent me to a halt and out of breath. The pack caught up to us as two of them held me down while another pinned Caroline down by her throat. They were going to make me watch them kill my own daughter before they'd kill me. Before that wolf could even slash her, Drake appeared and saved her.  Him and a few others had stepped into help warding off the pack sending them into retreat even Julian. I never forgot those words he said before making a full retreat: " One day, I will taste the blood of your children and make sure you all watch their demise."  she shuttered those final words as she wiped away a fresh tear from her left eye.
So, he was already crazy with power back then. I mean I know that he'd make his enemies pay for betrayal but never at this point then again he was a man fueled with anger and power hungry.
Also this would explain that why out of all the siblings, Caroline is the only one that stays in contact with her.  She knows why her mother acted that way but still disappointed in the choice of wording she said to Dawn.
"Does...the twins knows about this?" she shakes her head.
"I didn't want my children to live in fear for I was already living in that fear for them. As soon as I got home, we stayed with Drake at his house for several months after the incident. After Matthew's funeral, I sold the house we were living in and found a new home that would be a blind sight for Julian and his pack. For the longest time, I feared that Julian would eventually get his hands on the children even today. I couldn't forget his words like a promise that he would try to fulfill."
"My guess that he was going to fulfill his wishes but other...things got in the way."
"What do you mean?"
"It's not my place to say but lets just say that he had his own personal problems to deal with later on as those years got by. Your family wasn't the only "threat" to him."
"I see."
"But you have to understand that you based your fear on a man who was driven by vengeance and fury. He was a dictator or tried to be as he let the racism between humans and monsters get to him deeply."
"We all have something that makes us who we truly are." I nod 
"Do you relate to him?"
"Excuse me?"
"Did something bad ever happen to you that made you who you are today, Rocky?"
"Why do you assume it's something bad?"
"Because if it was something good then you wouldn't be a shield talking to me as we speak."
"I'm only keeping my guard up for Dawn's sake."
"Is it really for Dawn's sake or simply because it's your instinct to be on guard?" I just blink a few times in disbelief with eyebrows raised and unsure exactly.
'She's got me there.'
"Was I that obvious?"
"No, but I guess that's the whole point of what you are doing isn't it? Making sure the enemy can't read you."
"I never said you were the-"
"I know."
"But I guess the cat's out of the bag, yes I had...experience in the past." 
"Was it with our kind?" I shook my head.
"It was humans. They never say me as their equal and treated me different due to my species. It wasn't until I stood my ground that really made me feel heard. However, for the longest time, it really ruined my relationship with humans and my level of trust for anyone. Layers of someone I had to become in order to be the person I am today. However, I also learned that things change and not all humans are bad after meeting and befriending some."
"I'm sorry that you gone through something like that."
"You too. I'm sorry that you suffered so much from your family." 
"Thank you." 
"Of course." Silence emerges out again to cut our conversation short once again but only for a brief moment before Gabrielle opens her mouth once more.
"Another reason I came here is because I wanted to invite to my children, Dean's parents and your mom to a meeting I'm having tomorrow."
"You mean my parents?"
"I thought you said-"
"Long story but it turns out that my father is alive and my family is mended together again."
"I see."
"So, if you want all of these certain people then why not reach out to them yourself? I'm not trying to sound disrespectful, I'm just curious."
"I think we both know the reasons behind why I'm asking you instead of doing this myself."
"Fair enough."
"But can you please do that for me?"
"May I ask why exactly your setting a meeting?"
"I think that's question can be answered on your own. You just have to figure out what that answer means to you." 
"Okay then." I finally say after a while.
"Okay then. Well I think it's time I made my departure now. Thank you for hospitality and your time." she arises from her seat and heads for the door.
"Wait, what time is the meeting tomorrow?" I ask following after her.
"The meeting with my children will be at noon while the rest can come an hour later." I was about to ask the time difference but I believe that the answer is as plain as day so I don't question her intentions. I just simply continue to follow her to the door that I open for her and she proceeds on walking. She stops halfway before turning back to my direction.
"Oh and Rocky."
"Yeah?"
"You passed." she claims with a smile before exiting the door fully. I shut the door behind me as I just ponder on what exactly happened.
'I passed?'