Hidden and Silent (SpyxFamily)

Ch. 1: Part Six

They were leaving. They were leaving, they were leaving, and Damian could feel every last bit of safety being ripped from him, like being evicted from a fortress to face the enemy, unarmed and out in the open.

He hadn't exactly felt secure or comfortable even with them around, but just knowing they were there. . .

He felt the same with Forger, and Damian watched them walk away with her uneasily. It had only been a day, but their time in the lab had been intense. She'd been his only companion, the only one who knew what they went through, and he was uncomfortable watching her be carried off. So much had happened in so little time, and it felt unnatural that they be apart now.

Damian was a bit unsettled when he noticed this feeling.

Donovan headed for his own car and Damian was reticent to follow. There was no driver, his father had come alone, and Damian unfortunately had an inkling why.

Damian didn't want to go home. He'd rather stay fixed to the pavement where he at least knew where he stood. If he went home, what would happen? Would anything change? Could he trust his father? If he actually left him at the lab, what else was he capable of? What would he say? What would he do?

Damian looked from Donovan to the Forgers and fervently wished they would stay. When Mr. Forger got him out of that cell, he'd never been so relieved to see someone and never so reliant.

Donovan reached his car and Damian shifted nervously in place. Could he just not go? How would his father react? He was scared. Everything was just wrong. He couldn't move, he couldn't bring himself to step any further. He hadn't really really processed all this, what did he do?

As Damian panicked, he was strangely self controlled as he stood in the middle of the parking lot. His heart beat loud, though slow and methodically, each beat like a drum in his ears. He could feel his unsteady lungs, but each breath was consistent and deep.

He didn't know where it came from.

Donovan stopped with his hand on the door handle Damian had never seen him touch before (someone else always opened it for him), and looked back at his sons.

Damian shuddered, but Donovan's gaze didn't stay on him. It went instead to Demetrius standing a few steps ahead of his brother. He wasn't moving either and he was very still. He stood firm and Damian didn't know what was happening.

Donovan immediately picked up on something Damian did not and his eyes narrowed, critical and displeased, at his eldest.

Damian had seen his father's irritation with him before, but never with Demetrius. His older brother was the perfect son who got the best grades, the flawless example of an obedient child, the teachers' favourite student, all with glowing reviews of him. He was nothing short of excellent at home and in public, raising the reputation of the Desmonds as every good son should.

But Donovan glared at him like Damian had never seen and something was different this time. His father didn't sigh, he didn't convey judgement or impatience, but a warning heavy with consequence. It spoke of unwritten, ironclad rules that Demetrius was breaking.

Reflexively, Damian stepped back while Demetrius remained stoic. Strong. He looked invincible to him in that moment.

Demetrius and Donovan needed no words to communicate. Their glares said it all and Damian was deaf to their exchange. He was amazed at his brother's boldness to blatantly defy their father who Damian was nervous to look at. As if one glance would turn him to a block of ice.

His muscles knotted and curled that something bad would happen.

"Do you understand what you're doing?" Donovan finally said like Demetrius was making the stupidest, yet most consequential decision of his life and his crisp words were the last warning Demetrius was going to get.

There was no reply. Damian had a poor view of his brother's face and all he saw was the the subtle, discerning twitch of his father's eyes narrowing even more.

"There will be consequences."

Still no reply.

Damian wished he knew what Demetrius was thinking.

"Either you will come home." Donovan shot a glance Damian's way and Demetrius shifted to partially stand in front of him. "Or he will."

Damian was sure his heart stopped.

"I trust you will take care of the situation and come to your senses." Donovan issued the command, and as if there were nothing left to discuss, boarded his car.

Damian was speechless. That was not at all what he'd expected. Donovan hadn't even said a word to him and somehow it was worse. He'd said he'd have Damian come home. And not because he loved him.

Damian fought the shudder in his chest and hated the worming, stabbing, seemingly living piece of him, that told him he was upset. That he wanted his father to come back and apologize. That it was a mistake. That he cared for him, to show him an ounce of affection that he couldn't remember receiving once.

He'd hoped desperately that Demetrius was lying about their father and it was hard to accept. But now it felt more real than ever.

Damian watched his father go as he turned onto the road and wasn't sure what just happened. Why did he leave them here? What did Demetrius do?

Suddenly, his brother sucked air through his nose and bent his head so his fingers could grasp at his scalp and hair.

"What just happened?" Damian wavered, wanting to know for the umpteenth time, and Demetrius dragged his hands down to cover his eyes.

"Ha~~." Demetrius sounded like he might be nauseous and his steady, firm appearance crumbled. He began mumbling to himself.

"Demetrius?" Damian needed some answers here or he was going to go insane. Why was everyone and everything, always, all the time, confusing?!

"Gggh!"

Damian startled when Demetrius growled and aggressively scratched at his head. Then abruptly stopped as his arms wrapped over and clutched the back of it.

This concerned Damian.

He stepped closer and tentatively tugged on his brother's pant leg who stood quiet for a minute. Then looked down at him

And looked up as a car drove into the sparse parking lot, interrupting them. It cut through the open spaces and parked right beside them.

The Forgers had come back.

'What the. . .'

Mr. Forger emerged to look over the top of the vehicle that stood between them. "Ready?" He said as if Demetrius should know what he spoke of and Damian blinked.

Too much was happening.

"Yeah." Demetrius replied.

What? Damian thought. Why did they come back? Did they plan this? How? When? Damian was with Demetrius the whole time, when did this happen?!

"Right, then. Let's go." Mr. Forger reentered the car without any explanation.

Demetrius followed with Damian.