Going out to Las Vegas to visit my sister tomorrow, so there will probably not be any updates tomorrow. But, we'll see.

I also started the process of sealing my other sister's cup. So I'll be checking on that before I leave to see if I did it right. Hopefully I did, cause I don't want to have to redo it again.

Anyway, enjoy!

Everly's POV

Even though we tended to try and kill each other more often than most siblings, I preferred to catch a ride back with Lydia rather than ride with Gamma 12 again. Ryan seemed to share my thoughts, as he'd begged and pleaded with Lydia to let him ride back with her as well.

So there we were. Lydia driving, me in the passenger seat, and Ryan asleep in the back.

Lydia's focus was on the road and she hadn't said a damn thing the entire drive. Wouldn't even let me switch off with her so she could get some sleep. Ryan had tried unsuccessfully to get her to converse with him and when that failed, ended up falling asleep. The events of the day had caught up with him.

They'd caught up with me too, but I was still too paranoid to allow myself to sleep in Lydia's presence. So using Ryan's phone, I tried for what felt like the hundredth time to get a hold of Sam.

When the phone once again went to voicemail, I finally gave up and turned off the phone. I blew out a long sigh.

"Trouble in paradise?" Lydia asked me.

I turned to give her a blank look.

She glanced at me briefly before shrugging. "There's only one person you'd be continuously calling that obsessively."

"Do you know," I asked her. "how to have normal conversations with people?"

She shrugged. "I thought two sisters talking about their boyfriends was normal conversation."

"Their boyfriends?" I looked at her. "Did you actually find someone who can stand to put up with you?"

Lydia waved me off. "I don't have the time or patience for men."

I shook my head and looked back at the phone, dialing Sam's number once again.

"You do know the very definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result, yes?"

"Is that why you keep asking me the same questions regarding daggers?" I asked her.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Maybe he's dead and that's why he's not answering."

I glared at Lydia. "Just focus on the road."

"Is Henri even going to open the gate for me, or am I going to have to hold a gun to your head?"

I just shook my head. "Henri will open the gate for me, though Lily might greet you with a gun."

"Your little elf doesn't concern me."

I let out a sigh as she pulled up to the gates. After a moment, the gates were opened and we drove in with Gamma 12 behind us. As soon as the cars were parked, Eric practically jumped from the SUV he'd been in with the rest of his team and all but ran up the steps into the house to get away from them.

"Must be a charming team if the team members themselves are so eager to get away from each other." She turned and looked over her shoulder into the backseat at Ryan, who was still asleep. She made a face. "I'll make sure he gets inside."

I shot her a dubious look. "Now why don't I trust you?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "Can't imagine."

I rolled my eyes and pushed open the door, stepping out of the car just as Lily came walking down the steps, a gun in her hands. She eyed Lydia.

"I don't like her," Lily said.

I shrugged. "You've never liked Lydia."

"With good reason. You don't even like her."

"That's not the point," I told her. "She says she can help."

Lily grimaced. "I'd rather drop dead than accept her help."

"Well too late," I said. "I already accepted."

"That's like making a deal with the devil," Lily muttered.

"I was told as much."

"By who?"

"Tessa."

Lily made another face as she watched Tessa get out of the SUV. "I don't like her either, but she's right."

I ignored her comments. "Have you spoken with Sam?" I asked her.

"When? Cause we spoke before he went off to God knows where, but I haven't spoken to him since then. Why?"

"He isn't answering his phone," I told her.

She shrugged. "I can get Nicky to track it, although then she'd have to stop working to figure out who got into your building." She looked at me. "Whoever it was, Nicky's having trouble figuring it out, which is not good. In my opinion we should all be ditching our phones and computers and using walkie-talkies."

I waved my hand dismissively. "Leave Nicky to what she's doing. If I can't get a hold of him soon I'll go looking for him myself."

Lily nodded. "What was he doing?" She asked me. "You seem a little worried."

"He was checking up on Hayden."

Lily looked around me at Lydia dragging Ryan out of the car. "Well considering that one's here and not anywhere near Hayden, I'm thinking Sam's doing fine." She looked down the driveway. "Actually, I know he is." She pointed over my shoulder and I turned to look as Sam's car came pulling up the driveway.

I watched as Sam stepped out of the car. He locked eyes with me for a moment before quickly looking away. He started toward me with his head ducked, only to slow in his steps when he caught sight of Lydia.

Lydia waved at Sam with an overly sweet smile before walking past me and up the steps into the house. Sam watched her the entire time with a blank look on his face. He had stopped moving completely until she'd disappeared from sight.

I closed the short distance between us. I frowned as I saw some dried blood stained into his jacket sleeve. "What happened?" I asked as I reached out to see how bad he was hurt.

He pulled back before I could touch him.

I looked at him curiously. "Sam," I said. "is something wrong? Did something happen?"

He didn't respond to me. In fact, he seemed to be making every effort not to look at me. I watched as he ran a hand through his hair, a frown on his face. Something was bothering him.

"Did you find Hayden?" I asked him.

Finally, he looked at me. "Uh, yeah," He said softly. "He's fine. Just been busy. Apparently Lydia's been sending him out to . . . undisclosed locations."

"Then what's got you so-"

"What is Lydia doing here?" Sam cut me off.

I was startled by the tone he'd used. Sure, I knew he wasn't Lydia's biggest fan, but he tended to remain civil whenever she was around-and by civil, I meant that he'd sit in another room and read a book and completely ignore her. But then, he did that with most people anyway.

"She says she can help," I told him.

He didn't say anything in response to that.

I noticed something else. "Did you get new hearing aids?" I asked him. "And what happened to your head?" Again, when I reached out to check him, he stepped back and out of reach.

He was looking off to the side, still making an effort not to look at me. The muscles in his jaw ticked as he clenched and unclenched it, and it seemed whatever was on his mind was weighing him down. Finally, he blew a long sigh.

"This isn't working," He said quietly.

I was only half-listening to what he was saying. Mostly, I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on with him and how he'd gotten hurt.

I frowned as I looked at him. "What?" I questioned.

He shook his head. "It's not working," He repeated. "This. Us." He started to back away from me. "We're done."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "Sam, what is going on? This isn't like you."

"Just stay away from me. It'll all be better that way," He said as he turned and walked off.

"Sam," I called out to him but he kept walking. "Sam!"

Lily came walking up to my side and stared at Sam's retreating form. "What was that all about?"

"He just broke up with me," I paused as I looked at her briefly. "I think."

"You think?"

I ignored her, mostly thinking to myself. "Something's not right."

"I'll say," Lily said and I turned my attention to her just in time to see her load up her gun and then start after Sam.

I caught her arm before she could make it very far. "Don't," I said.

"Ok, sure. Whatever you say." Her words suggested she was taking my request seriously. Her tone suggested she was going to do whatever the hell she wanted. It didn't surprise me.

"I'm serious Lily. I don't want you shooting him." I took the gun from her. "I want you to follow him."

Lily stared at me for a beat. "You know, usually the girlfriend waits a little longer before jumping right into stalking her ex."

"Lily."

"I'm just trying to follow your logic."

"There is something going on with him and I want to know what. I can't look into it by myself. Not right now."

Lily blew out a sigh and held out her hand for her gun. I gave it back to her. "For the record, I noticed he wasn't acting right either," She said. "I wasn't going to shoot him just cause he broke up with you, I was going to beat the information of what the hell is going on out of him."

I pinched at the bridge of my nose and shook my head. "Just, follow him," I said. "Let me know what you find out."

Lily grumbled something under her breath and walked off. "I want to go on record and say that this is a bad idea!" She shouted. "And I do not approve!"

I shook my head as I watched her walk away. Now that I was alone, I was worried. Worried about whatever was wrong with Sam. Worried I wouldn't be in time to find the missing agents.

And even though I knew there was a reason behind Sam saying what he did, I couldn't help but feel hurt. Mostly, I was hurt that he clearly felt he couldn't talk to me about whatever was clearly bothering him. But also, there was the hurt of heartbreak.

I shook my head and smoothed my hair back from my face. I didn't have time to think about this. Didn't have time to confront my feelings on the matter. Later. After.

After Lily had followed Sam and figured out what was going on. And if she didn't find anything . . . well, then I guess it meant we were well and truly over. But I couldn't think about that now. Couldn't take time for myself now. I'd just have to shove everything aside and keep going like I always did. Eventually, when everything was said and done and figured out, I could give myself time.

Time to let the damage finally sink in.

For now, I had to deal with Lydia. I grimaced at the thought and walked up the stairs. Henri was waiting just inside.

"How are you, Miss Kingston?" He asked me.

I shrugged. "Been better," I replied.

"Do I need to talk some sense into Mr. Slade?"

I smiled slightly and then shook my head. "No. Leave him be."

Henri was watching me closely.

"I'm fine," I told him.

"Your favorite phrase," He said blandly. "In fact, I recall you using it most recently after I had to stitch up seventeen knife wounds."

I shrugged. "I was fine."

"You nearly bled out."

"Make your point."

"I already have." He turned and began to walk away. "I will make sure the guestrooms are made up. Anyone in particular you would like to assign to the smallest room?"

I smiled. "I'll leave that up to you," I told him. "Where did everyone go?"

"Living room," Henri replied. "Lydia has already been informed that she will not be staying," He stated.

I gave Henri a flat look. "She says she's going to help."

"Need I remind you of what occurred when she visited your home last year?"

"We didn't do that much damage."

"I had to get twenty different repairmen in here."

"Alright, fine," I replied. "Point taken."

Henri looked at me. "Make no mistake, Miss Kingston. I am fond of your sister as I am fond of you and I have been in both of your lives for a long time. However, when it comes down to Lydia or you, my choice will always be you. Even if I have to drag Lydia out of here myself."

"Thanks, Henri," I replied. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"I am confident you would have been dead long before now."

This got me to roll my eyes. "Such faith in me."

"That statement has nothing to with my faith in you, but everything to do with my knowing you."

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New update soon and the next chapter will be in Sam's POV