Memories

LXI

APRIL SUN IN CUBA

'So don't try and hold me back
Ain't nothin' you can say
Snake eyes on the paradise
And we got to go today'

⥎
⥐

Thalia was surprised as anyone that they'd allowed her to actually see the Foxes, but she knew it was only for goodbyes. At least they'd all be there together. One last time. Her heart was swelling at the thought of seeing Kevin again, and when she did, he was bruised and tired. Thalia gave her entrance, and his eyes lit up.

"Lia?" he asked, almost as if he didn't believe what he were seeing. Thalia didn't blame him. She'd been away for months and Kevin had probably imagined a moment similar to this one many times over in his head. 

"Yeah, baby," Thalia said, a soft smile on her aching face "It's me. I'm back." she knew that it would break Kevin's heart even more when she told him she had to leave. Kevin ran forward and hugged her tightly. It pained her and the small noise Thalia made was enough for Kevin to draw back. His eyes were wide, obviously terrified of having hurt her.

"Are you alright?" Kevin asked frantically. Everything hurt. Thalia didn't know how she'd survived last night, but she had and she wasn't exactly better off for it. Though seeing all the people she loved in the same room was definitely something to look forward to.

"Yes, my love," Thalia said in quiet French. She looked over to Neil, who was sitting in front of Andrew on the floor. Andrew was carefully putting the bandages back on her brother's face. "Andrew," she said. He didn't look up. "Andrew, look at me." eventually he did. "I'm sorry," she said. Nobody else in the room would have known what it meant, but she'd promised that she'd look after Kevin, along with Neil, and both of them had run off to Castle Evermore. Neil had returned, but Thalia hadn't, and a freshly non-medicated-Andrew had to assume the worst. 

He only nodded his head and turned back to a silent conversation with Neil. Thalia knew what her brother's face looked like. She didn't need to see the horrors again. Thalia took her hood off and looked across the team. Eventually her eyes came to rest on Wymack. "Uncuff him," Thalia said to Kurt, the guard standing by the door. He looked to Browning, who Thalia was meeting for the first time. Browning gestured to Kurt, who looked as if he was going to blow up, and moved to uncuff Wymack and Andrew.

Thalia slipped her hand very carefully into Kevin's and walked back over to the bed he had been sitting on. She looked at the bruises on his neck and frowned. "Who did this?"

"Andrew," Aaron responded. Thalia whipped her head around, but he wasn't watching her. "He wanted to get the answers about you and Neil out of Kevin. He was the only one who knew."

"And now that you know," Thalia rounded on Aaron, though she was really asking the whole team. "What do you think of us now that you know our past? Probably know it better than I do?" Aaron was silent. 

"It doesn't change my opinion of you," Dan spoke. Thalia turned her whole body, because just the neck would be too painful. "How did you fare better off than Neil?" she asked. Thalia sighed and slowly rolled back the sleeves of the hoodie she was wearing, showing off the bandages curling all the way up her arms.

"I didn't." she said. "Just because I don't have burns on my face covering a mob tattoo doesn't mean I got off any better than my brother." Thalia looked at the whole team. "I'm assuming Kevin told you that bit."

"Actually, Neil did." Allison spoke. Thalia looked to Neil's back, and when he turned eventually, she wasn't as shocked as everyone else in the room. Abby tried moving towards him but Andrew told her not to. Many Foxes gasped, and Kevin's hand flew to his own number protectively. "Oh my god, what did that?"

"A dashboard lighter," Neil said. Nicky made a gagging noise, as if he were going to throw up. Thalia wasn't sure he wouldn't. She saw a bucket on the end of the bed and kicked it over to him. Nicky picked it up and threw his stomach contents into the bucket. Even Aaron looked pained.

"Why didn't they do that to you?" Kevin asked. Thalia looked up at him and then to the floor.

"Because I wasn't my father's property," she said in French, knowing the agents would likely hear it and report back to their superiors. Browning looked annoyed and Sykes seemed mad, but Thalia didn't care. "I wasn't his to mark. Or to destroy a mark." Thalia gestured to her face. She'd tell the rest of the Foxes if she went back with them to the Foxhole Court, or Kevin could just tell them, knowing she probably wouldn't be allowed to go. The WPP was the only place Thalia was going after the interrogation.

"Does he know?" Thalia asked Kevin quietly, nodding to Wymack who was talking to Abby. Kevin knew exactly what she was talking about and sighed, shaking his head. "It's okay. You have three years, but it would be better sooner than later."

"I know," Kevin said. "I just don't know how to do it."

"Do you want me to be there?" Thalia asked, taking his hand. Kevin shook his head. "Something you need to do on your own?" he nodded. Thalia did too. "I understand. I love you, Kevin." he smiled.

"I'm just glad you're back." 

"Me too." she said, knowing she'd be leaving anytime now. Thalia was taking all of her time with Kevin, not bothering to share it with the others. She owed him most, after leaving him at Christmas. "I really am sorry about leaving. I thought I needed to do it. And I did. I know you probably won't understand for a long time, if ever, and that's okay. But I did the right thing, Kevin. I did what was right for everyone."

"Everyone except you." he said quietly. Thalia didn't say anything more and just lay her head on his shoulder. "I like the hair, by the way." Thalia huffed a laugh and shook her head against Kevin's shoulder. She was going to miss him so much.