Together Until Death

She opened her apartment door to hundreds of sunflowers and knew instantly that he’d found her. Taking a deep breath, Cassandra stepped through the threshold, jumping from one place to another. The sound of a branch breaking behind her induced fear, and she spun around quickly as a man emerged from the sunflowers, grinning. His eyes were nefarious, though their color was bright and silver, and his face was covered in scars.

“Shawn." Her face went white, all the breath that she'd been holding quickly exiting her mouth. "How did you find me?” They started circling each other; she wouldn't allow him to get any closer.

“I will admit, you are a very difficult woman to track down. You have got a lot of… special people on your side. They protect you, as you protect them. But children make mistakes, they trust all too easily." He paused before continuing. "Myla is beautiful and perceptive, she would make a great recruit for the program.” Shawn's voice sliced through Cassandra like a blade image of her goddaughter entered her mind. “I think Little Maisie Jane is going to be like her namesake, brilliant and thoughtful. And Max, well I predict that he is going to be just like his daddy.”

“Stay away from them.” Cassandra spit, picturing her young godchildren.

“Oh come on Cassie, you used to love helping me recruit the little ones. You were so good at picking out exceptional candidates.” The man stopped walking, gazing thoughtfully at the woman before him.

“You know that I haven't been that girl in a long time. So if you’re here to kill me, then get it over with.” Cassandra threw her hands up in surrender. “I’m tired of running from you, of hiding.”

“If I wanted you dead, my love, you would already be. No, I’m not here to kill you.” Shawn shook his head, taking a step towards Cassandra. "I could never hurt you."

“Then what do you want?”

“I am prepared to offer you a little trade. You see, you are the smartest human that I have ever met. Your mind is marvelous, and your memory is matchless. With your brain, I believe that I can figure out a way to harness the powers of beings to unlock the minds of humans.”

“Your world is something that I want no part of Shawn, that's why I left. You want a world without humans because you think we are weak and undeserving.” Cassandra shook her head.

“You see, I thought that you might respond that way, so I set up a little incentive to persuade you. Jeff, bring out the girl.” Shawn ordered. Another man, one I had never seen before, appeared from within the flowers, carrying Maisie out with him. Cassandra’s heart stopped. Jeff set the girl down next to Shawn.

“At Cass!” The two-year-old shrieked, taking toward Cassandra. Just before the two met, Shawn yanked the child's arm, swinging her up into his arms and holding her tight. She screamed and cried, begging for Cassandra.

“What the hell is the matter with you?” Cass screamed, rushing at Shawn. Jeff grabbed her and threw her to the ground.

“Do not touch her!" Shawn hissed, glaring at Jeff.

“It’s okay baby, it’s okay.” She cried, standing. “What do you want?"

“What I have always wanted, my love. You and your brain. Together, we can be unstoppable. I love you, I have always loved you, and soon you are going to realize that you love me too.” Shawn stepped forward. “Come with me, save this child, and be happy.”

“You’re wrong.” She Cassandra shook her head. “I loved you once, but you’re not that person anymore, and I hate the man you have become.” Shawn blinked a few times, her words had obviously affected him. But he quickly regained his composure.

“That is unfortunate, Cassandra. I did not want to have to do this, but you have left me with no choice. Jeff, kill the girl. Maybe then Cassandra will understand how serious I am. You belong to me, and one way or another I will have you.” Cassandra screamed, fighting to get past Shawn as Jeff took Maisie and dropped her on the ground, pulling out a knife.

“No, please!” Cassandra struggled. “Don’t hurt her! I’ll go with you, I’ll do whatever you want!” Jeff paused, looking at Shawn, who was looking at Cassandra. “Please.”

“We are meant to be together, Cassie.” Shawn’s eyes had tears in them now, as he took Cassandra’s face in his hands. “I love you, I have always loved you. I know that you feel it, you do not have to be afraid.”

“You're right.” She lied, leaning up and kissing the man who she feared most. His obsession with her had gotten her parents killed, and put everyone that she cared about in danger. She thought that leaving everything behind would keep them safe, but she knew now that he would never stop until she went with him. “Before we go, can I write a letter to my friends? I want them to know that I’m okay.”

“They are not your friends Cassie, they do not care about you.” Shawn persuaded, running his thumb along her cheek. “Why waste any more time on them? I am the only one who truly loves you.”

“I know you are." She lied again, placing her hand on his cheek. "But I care about them. I promise, I won't run from you, I won't fight anymore. I am yours. I just want to let them know my decision so they know that I am safe, and they can stop trying to find me.”

“Alright. We will go back to your apartment and you can write the letter while Jeff and I pack up some of your things. I know what you will want. I am sorry it had to come to this, but it was the only way to help you accept our love.” The two men started towards the flowers while Cassandra picked up the child, hugging and kissing her.

“I’m so sorry baby girl, I love you so much. I’m so sorry,” she whispered to Maisie, trying to soothe her. They walked back into the flowers and through the threshold of Cassandra's apartment. The only reminder of the field were a few yellow petals and some dirt. Shawn was already packing her things, ordering Jeff to send them through a portal going to her new home. As she held Maisie close, she carefully wrote the letter. When she finished, she stapled it to Maisie's shirt. Shawn quickly read the letter over before speaking.

"Thank you for being honest with them. It is time to go now, her parents will be here soon, if not for their daughter seeing that she is here, then for that other guy who is understandably and hopelessly in love with you. I would really not like to be here for a reunion,” Shawn directed, watching as Jeff walked through the threshold once more and disappeared.

“I have to go now baby, but I love you so, so much. Mommy and Daddy will be here soon, okay? Make sure they get this.” Cassandra motioned to the note, and then pulled the small child close to her.

“No go.” Maisie pled, wrapping her little arms around Cassandra. Shawn and Jeff came out of her room.

“It is time to go."

“I love you, Maisie Jane, don’t ever forget that. I love you all so much.” Cassandra kissed the child a few more times then walked away quickly. Shawn took her hand and they stepped through the portal, the door slamming behind them. Maisie screamed for her to come back.

Moments after the portal closed, Oliver George opened the door, racing in with his wife and three friends.

“Thank God!” Shelby George breathed, sprinting to her daughter and scooping her up. Oliver followed, with the others close behind. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Maisie's parents inspected her, finding only a scrape from when she'd been dropped. Oliver ripped the paper off of his daughter, reading it aloud as Shelby rocked the two-year-old and soothed her.

"Dear friends,

Obviously, if you are reading this, then something has happened. No need to worry though, it is all okay. There has been a decision to go back to the man of my past. Congratulations are not necessary, we will never see each other again. Oliver, please give your kids my love. Make sure they know my regret for not being there for them. Eventually, you will all forget about me and move on, and that’s what you should do. Like it or not, this is a new reality and you need to face it. Ordinarily, we could have said goodbye in person, but this seemed easier. Originally the plan was for me to come back to you all, but when he came for me that all changed, he reminded me of our love. Kiss the kids for me, and then never mention me again. I don’t want it to be harder for them than it already may be. Nothing hurts me more than knowing that it hurts you all, but this is what must happen. Going away was the best decision I ever made. Also, it doesn’t mean you don’t have my love, it just means that my desires have finally become clear. My happiness is something that needs to be focused on now. Shelby and Oliver, please forgive me for what happened to your daughter. Running was the only way that you all would stay safe. Running, however, didn’t work. You might be angry with me, and that’s okay. Harbor that anger and use it to forget me. Even if you have to shout it to the skies, do it. Forget all of our memories and everything we did. Oliver, forget our past. Understand that this is what is right for me. Not only is this going to make me happy, but it is going to change lives. Don’t worry about me okay? Maybe this is what was always meant to happen. Even so, I am still sorry that it happened this way. Had it been up to me, the kids would have never been involved. Act like this was all just one nightmare. Decide to let me go. Take all of the anger you may hold against me and use it to hate me. Once you hate me, it will be easier to let me go. Guys, it’s time. Oliver, give Jane my apologies. Unleash all of the negativity that you feel towards me, towards Shawn, and let go. Trust me that Shawn is good for me that we will be happy. There is nothing you can do about it. And there is nothing more my heart wants. You won’t understand, but what Shawn makes me feel is something so rare. And it drives me. Friends, know that you have my love always, but it is time to say goodbye.

Eternally yours,

CASSANDRA

“She got back with him?” Bailey’s heart clenched. He was the man that Shawn had mentioned, the one who was in love with Cassandra.

“That can’t be right. First of all, that doesn’t even sound like her writing. She’s a genius and this letter doesn’t even make sense.” Quinn shook her head. “Plus, Casey wouldn’t do that. I know how she felt about Shawn, she hated and feared him." Quinn had the ability of mind reading, and empathy. She felt what others felt.

“That’s what it says,” Cap verified, reading the letter over. His full name was Captain, after Captain Hook, but was much less of a villain. He had the ability of inhuman strength and could anticipate an opponent before they acted.

“No want to go.” Maisie shook her head. “At Cass, no say yes.”

“Who didn’t want to go, baby? Aunt Cass?” Shelby asked, looking into her daughter’s bright blue eyes and brushing her curly blonde hair back. Maisie nodded.

“I need to look at it,” Bailey ordered, taking the letter from Cap and scanning it. He smiled. “It’s a code, the one we’ve been using to communicate since she left.”

“What?” The group gasped in unison.

“You’ve been talking to her?” Shelby demanded, her voice raising.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Shelby asked softly, knowing that there had to of been a good reason for the secrecy.

“She asked me not to. We didn’t want to put her, or you, in any more danger. She didn’t tell me how to find her, or where she was. She sent me a letter a few weeks after she left, leaving me instructions on how to contact her if I wanted to. I was to leave my replying letter in her favorite book on the top shelf at her favorite library.” Bailey explained, looking at the letter again. “Don’t come looking. I am sorry he found me. I had to go. Just stay safe. Cassandra.”

“She doesn’t want us to come for her?” Oliver asked.

“Well, she knows that we’re gonna anyways right?” Quinn shook her head. “She’s family. You don't abandon family.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t,” Shelby suggested.

“What do you mean ‘maybe we shouldn’t’? Of course we should, and we will,” Bailey seethed.

“I’m sorry, it’s just, she ran away from us once to keep us safe, but we kept digging, and somehow that psychopath managed to find my daughter. I’m not willing to put my kids’ lives in danger again.”

“Shelb…” Oliver started.

“How can you even suggest not trying to find her? I get that she left, but she left to protect us. He took her and you want us to just let it happen?” Quinn erupted. Cap put his hand on her shoulder.

“Why don’t you take the kids to the safe house? No one knows where it is except you and me, you’ll be safe there.” Oliver suggested, putting one of his hands on his wife’s shoulder and the other on his daughter’s.

“What about you?”

“She’s my best friend Shelbs, I've known her since we were toddlers. She's been there for me more times than I could ever repay. I can't abandon her.” Oliver shook his head. Shelby sighed, knowing that her friends were right.

“If you stay, I stay. I can’t protect them by myself. We know what to look for now, we've heard about Shawn, and Cap grew up with him. We'll find her.” Oliver smiled, pulling his wife into a hug.

“I’m sorry I snapped,” Quinn apologized.

“Me too,” Bailey agreed.

“Hey, look at this.” Cap bent over, picking up one of the yellow petals from the floor.

“What is it?” Bailey question. Everyone took a step closer.

“Sunflowers.” Quinn smiled. “Cass’s favorite. She probably has a pot or something around here.”

“No these pedals are too big to be from a pot.” Shelby shook her head. She was an event coordinator; she knew her flowers.

“Maybe she visited a sunflower field, brought some back to dry?” Cap asked.

“There aren’t any around here,” Bailey said. “I checked.” Just then, Quinn’s phone rang.

“Oliver, why are you calling me?”

“It’s Myla, we left her at home with Max when we left. The babysitter wasn’t available but my sister was on her way,” Shelby informed.

“Hey, bug,” Quinn answered, putting the phone on speaker.

“Aunt Quinny I need to talk to my dad,” the smart seven-year-old requested.

“I’m here honey, is everything okay?” Oliver asked, taking the phone.

“I had a vision. You're at Aunt Cass’s house right?”

“Yes,” Oliver nodded.

“I saw Aunt Cass coming home and her apartment turning into a place with a bunch of flowers. I think someone opened a portal in her apartment. Then I saw her go back home and she had Maisie and there were two guys and they left just before you guys walked in. But daddy’s phone was dead so I couldn’t call you right away.” Shelby checked her pockets, wondering why Myla didn't call her, then realized she'd left her phone in the car.

“That really helps, thank you, sweetie. You're a rock star,” Oliver complimented.

“Is Maisie okay? I mean, I know she is, but is she?”

“Yeah, she’s right here. Maisie, say hi to Myla,” Shelby cooed.

“Lala!” Maisie squeaked.

“Hi sissy, I love you and I’ll see you soon.”

“Is Aunt Stephanie there yet?” Shelby questioned her daughter, worried about Myla taking care of her one-year-old brother.

“No, but she will be here in five minutes. She brought her boyfriend,” Myla sounded grossed out. “They’re gonna get married but I don’t like him. He smells weird.”

“That’s because he’s a mechanic. Alright, mommy and daddy will be home soon okay? We love you. Give Max a hug for us.”

“I love you too.” Myla hung up.

“So someone opened a portal in her apartment. We know that Shawn doesn’t have that ability, and Casey is human, so he had to of enlisted someone with that ability.” Quinn predicted.

“I’ve only met a handful of people who the power needed to pull off something like that. I mean, that would be under Oliver's jurisdiction, but opening portals is a lot harder than moving objects. No offense Ollie.” Bailey explained.

“None was taken, but it would be pretty awesome to be able to open portals. Think about it, we could go wherever we wanted whenever we wanted.” He smiled.

“Can we please focus?” Cap spit. The group looked at him, puzzled. He was always very laid back; he didn’t get irritated or annoyed easily. “I’m sorry it’s just, you guys didn’t grow up with Shawn. I did, and I know how manipulative and sadistic he is. He’s been obsessed with Cass from the first time he saw her in first grade. I don’t want to leave her alone with him any longer than we have to.”