Chapter 35

Bellaneeze appeared looking like she had been in the middle of having a conversation that she had been pulled out of. Confusion on her face as she looked around, but when she spotted Daniel the look changed to one that Rowan knew well. Love, confusion then worry.

“Daniel, your bleeding!” Bellaneeze’s panicked voice echoed in the silence. Rowan hadn’t noticed the blood, funny she had missed as now she looked at him he was covered in it, lacerations all over is arms, chest and face.

“Why have you called me to you, you know it's too dangerous.”

“I didn’t call you here my love. Oh high and mighty over there did, apparently a family reunion was needed.” Daniel said, embracing her so tenderly that it made Rowans heart constrict at them not being together, surely with that much love they should be.

Getting more and more confused by the second, her head felt like it was going to exploded. Bellaneeze was her mother. Huh. Well she could have told her that before now. Why had they kept this a secret and why did Shae and Alexion think they were her parents? Had they been lying to her this whole time? Her whole life was turning out to be one big fat lie.

Laughter bubbled up from the empty pit in her stomach. Xavier was still frozen in a compromising position. Her mother and father, apparently, were wrapped in each other’s arms, and Daniel was a weird, something, with a sex crazed wife. What wasn’t funny about that? She felt hysterical, yeah that would best describe the emotion right now, nothing else would fit.

“She’s losing it. I knew this would be too much information. You should have let me tell her in my own time Adam.” Daniel sighed.

“Daniel, you worry to my love, she is a lot stronger than you know. Just give her a moment, she will pull it together.” Bellaneese said into his shoulder.

Rowan could hear everything that was going on around her. It was like she had two brains one processing the information the other totally freaking out.

“She is processing the new information; she will be fine in a minute.” Adam announced.

Rowan was indeed processing the information, her laughter loud and from her belly, she couldn’t stop it, couldn’t help it. But it helped release the nervous energy from her. Her mind hadn’t shut down, it had cracked wide open and she felt lost.

Finally she pulled herself into some semblance of normal and looked around.

“Are you ok now?” Bellaneese asked stepping in her direction.

Rowan held up her hand to stop her. She needed space.

“No, I'm not ok, nothing about this is ok. My fiancé is groping a married woman, and I just found out that the parents I never knew I had aren’t my parents at all and that you two are. Anything else you’d like to tell me while we’re on the truth serum?” Rowan asked.

Adam stepped forward, “Yes. I will tell you the whole truth.”

 With a rather angry retort from Daniels and Bellaneeze in language she couldn’t understand, it sounded like bells chiming, before he looked at her again and continued.

“Biologically, Daniel, and I are your fathers, Shae, Eve and Bellaneeze you mothers. I know it's hard to belive or understand, and we don't have time to get into the mechanics of it right now. but that is the truth.”

Rowan felt her mouth drop open, far enough to catch flies, if there were any. Her mind couldn’t grasp that concept. How did you have three mothers, never mind two fathers?

 “You are the Key Rowan. The Key to life and death. Eve needs you to gain entrance into the garden of Eden and the tree of life. We can't let that happen, no matter what.”

“Why haven’t you killed me then?” Why had she asked that question. She had no idea, it just popped out and before she could retraked it he was answering her.

“If killing you would solve this problem, I would have, but you are life and death, without you, the world would end.”

Oh goodie, she thought.

“Why does Eve want the tree of life, you are immortal, what good would it do her?” Rowan asked.

“We are not immortal Rowan, what you see before you is an illusion, Eve wants her youth back and she wants to reign supreme, she still holds a grudge for being evicted from the garden.”

“Why not come for me earlier then, why has she waited this long?”

“She didn’t know you existed. It's why Daniel hid you, he realised his mistake and did his best by you. It was only when you returned here and your powers returned fully that she felt your presence and knew what you were. Now she will build an army and come for you.” Adam explained.

“Adam. We need Rogue.”  Daniel said.

“You know what you are asking of me!” Adam sighed.

“Yes.” Daniel said, with equally as much enthusiasm and Adam had had at the suggestion.

Rowan wondered why they would be so dower at bring Rogue back if they could, but she didn’t interrupt their quiet contemplation, it seemed wrong somehow to voice her feelings and concerns over their odd behaviour. She laughed again, everything was so odd, how was she able to tell anymore?

“Rowan, I need for you to unfreeze things now.” Adam asked her, his voice low and soft.

She continued to laugh but answered him in bursts. “If I knew how to, I would. Do you think I have been sitting here twiddling my thumbs the whole time. No, I have been trying to undo it, but you took my powers remember.”

“No, I didn’t. I just let you think I had. The mind is a powerful tool Rowan, you need to learn how to use it against people. I didn’t have to take anything from you, you just had to believe I had.”

Rowan was stunned, yet again, by this. When would she learn? Concentrating on Xavier she willed him to breath, to move, to come to her. She also willed him to slap Eve.

*

Xavier felt her calling him and he went to her, but not before hitting Eve across the face.

He was shocked at himself, he had never struck a woman before, not out of malice anyway. But he didnt linger on that thought as Rowans call was stronger. She needed him, he could feel it.

Rowan wrapped her arms around him.

“I'm so glad your back.” She said as those pesky tear returned.

“How dare you strike me you little maggot.” Eve’s voice bellowed. Xavier didn’t even react to Eve’s out bust as he held Rowan.

“You have no idea how glad I am to be myself again. I felt like I was trapped inside my body, with no will of my own. I hated every minute of it.” He kissed her. His lips hard and soft, seeking entrance into her mouth. Pulling back as Eve continued to bellow in outrage, she looked into his eyes.

“I know babe, don't worry, I'm not angry with you, but before you touch me again. Please go and wash her stink off you.” She said, pushing him towards the water.

“Fine, ignore me then, see if you like this.” Eve taunted, her perfect eyebrow cocked up and her grin became wicked.

Rowan felt her stomach heat up and swirl, nausea overtook her and she wrapped her arms around herself.

“What are you doing to her?” Xavier said rushing to Rowans side, before he too clutched his stomach and fell to his knees at Rowans side.

“Eve!” Adam yelled.

“Oh don't get your knickers in a twist, I didn’t kill anyone.” Eve cackled, “Although he may wish I had soon enough.”

“What has she done to me?” Rowan cried. The emptiness she felt was excruciating.

“It appears she has given me our baby.” Xavier said breathlessly, looking at his distended stomach.

Rowan gapped at the swell that she saw, she hadn’t even had a swell yet.

Xavier’s hand flew to his stomach and shock crossed his perfect features as Rowan stared at him.

“What is it?” she asked, worry sounding heavy in her voice.

“It kicked me. there it is again. How?”

“I aged it a bit.” Eve said, clearly delighted with herself.

Rowan and Xavier looked at each other. Rowan had had enough bizarreness for one day and just couldn’t take anymore.

“Change it back. Put things back to how they are meant to be, right now.”

“No. You do it, if you want the morning sickness, peeing all the time, cravings and cramps, never mind the birthing of it. I just did you a favour, you can thank me for it later.” Eve smiled at her, a taunting smile that made her stomach lurch.

“I can't do it. I might kill the baby. Adam. Do something.” Rowan pleaded.

“Sorry Rowan, I can't do anything. But she is right, you do have the power change it back.” Adam said, smiling at Eve.

He really was smiling at the evil cow. Smiling.

“Eve, I'm bring Rogue back.” Adam sobered.

“You know what that means Adam.” Eve said.

You could cut the air with a knife it had become so thick and tense.

“What are your terms?” Adam asked.

“I get to take someone else.”

“Fine, but no one here and not storm.” Adam agreed.

“Agreed.”

Adams face paled at her agreement and Rowan had a sinking feeling she wasn’t going to like what was going down here. So before she could stop herself or they could voice the person taking Rogue place she wanted her own bit of happiness guaranteed.

“Before any further agreements are made, I want one thing sorted out right here, right now.” Rowan piped up, not knowing if this was a good time, but lately there wasn’t any good times for anything.

“If you’re my parents, then I want you to stop this farce of a marriage between me and Rafe and let me and Xavier get married. I want to be with him and I'm not moving from this hell hole of a nightmare until I get at least one thing out of this.” She finished, resting her hands on her hips and fought the childish urge to stamp her foot.

“Sorted.” Daniel gleamed at her.

“Now as to you terms Eve, who will you be taking?” Adam returned to the original topic.

“Josephine.”

“NO.” Rowan yelled.

“Too late, buttercup, the agreement had been made. I get Josephine you get Rogue.” Eve laughed.