I WANTED TO RUN OUT OF THE ROOM RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT. Her piercing blue eyes that haunt me when I look at the mirror focus on me and Dad. She hurt our family too much, and she didn't deserve to call us her family. Last time I checked, she and Dad were divorced.

"We aren't family," I spat, stepping towards her, anger controlling my movements. Dad held me back, reminding me to control my rage. But it wasn't long before he couldn't control his anger either, especially since Auston Miller came walking up to Mom, easily putting an arm behind her.

"Huh, didn't remember planning a meeting with your family, Julianna." Auston was pushing to to an edge. I could feel my father shake in rage as he tried to keep me still. "Jake, nice to see you have the nerve to show yourself again."

Mom cleared her throat. "Again, I'm so sorry how things ended up being," she apologized. I didn't really know the full story behind my parents' divorce, but clearly Mom didn't enjoy being in the relationship, while Dad still was trying to pick the pieces up and glue them back together. 

"You never had the right to go after my wife," Dad gritted from between his teeth. "If you just left her alone--"

"You cannot force love, Jake."

"And you can't force my daughter into something she she doesn't want to be apart of." Dad looked at me briefly, then returned his gaze to the two other adults. I looked across the room to Spencer, who didn't move from the other side. He watched as our parents fought. He was a lot closer to them than I was. Just as Dad said that, he also turned to me. 

"That what this conversation was going to turn into, isn't it?" Spencer said slowly. "You brought us here just to try to take her away from us."

"That's not going to happen again," I said, my voice low but loud enough for everyone to hear. 

My mother walks towards me slowly, one foot in front of the other. Her arms were outstretched, wanting to hold me in her arms. "My little girl, come here."

Dad was pushing me back, putting him in between the two of us. Mom looked furious with him, wanting to get around. Dad didn't need to keep me away, I wanted to get out of that room myself. But I had to stay and know what happens next. 

"Let her approach the damn girl, Olsen. Lauren isn't your property, and she's her mother, you really think she'll hurt her?"

Dad probably thought about that a lot. Would his wife really want to hurt their daughter, even to a minimal extent. A normal mother wouldn't. My mother was not normal. Dad probably heard those words before, thinking they were somewhat true. He knew better now, anger flooding his face. "You know what, Auston? Stay out of our family. Stay out of our business. What's going to happen here does not involve you." Dad fumbles for his gun. "You know what, Auston? I don't need you back in my life. I don't need you standing beside her, running this hellhole."

"Dad, no!" Spencer yelled, a second too late. The bullet moved through the air, across the room.

I'm sure Spencer and I were thinking the same thing. The two adults in the middle of room, one we actually had a part of our heart for. Spencer probably thought the bullet was aimed for Mom, even if that wasn't the most logical. 

The bullet pierced through the air and pushed right into Auston's skin, into his heart. He fell onto the ground, blood leaking out of him like water out of a burst pipe. Mom let out the most inhumane scream as she watched the man she probably loved more than anything right now go down by the hands of a man she's been with for twenty years, maybe more. Spencer and I stared at the body, knowing that we had the capability of doing that, but Dad?

Shock quickly turned to rage on Mom's face, then calmness when she turned to me. "Lauren, sweetheart, this was supposed to be a new beginning for everyone. Disease free, violence free. We need a new beginning, a fresh start. This was going to change everything. You were going to change everything."

I shook my head slowly. "This isn't the way to do that, Mom. I didn't want this to happen. This is wrong, Mom. This isn't making anything right. You just forced me into this."

"I know you better, Lauren. I know my daughter better. You want to change the world, Lauren. It was all you ever dreamed of as a child. We were just helping you."

"You just fed those lies into her head, Mom," Spencer spat. "Ever since she was little, you tried and make her a pawn in you games. Mom, she's he own person, when will you realise that?"

Mom turned around, really looking at Spencer for the first time since we all ended up in the room. She studied him closely, noticing his clamped fists and clenched teeth. The three of us shared similar eyes. Ocean blue -- that was how I first described and remembered them. They were so much more that that. They were the colour of winter on a freezing cold day. It was the colour of a storm on its worst day. Yet, it was also the same colour as the emotion I feel usually when I'm around him -- calm. There was no one way to describe them. But they weren't just the colour of the ocean.

"You were supposed to be the one supporting me through all of this," Mom hissed. "You were my little boy, wanting to do anything for his younger sister. It's because of you that we made it this far, son, and it's your fault now that we're failing."

He hesitated, finding the right words. "You forced me into this, Mom."

"You both could've had the world at your finger tips. I only ever wanted the best for the two of you. But now..." Her smile grew wicked. "I can't have too many people in my way. If I can't convince you to help us, maybe I should force you to."

She pulled out a weapon from thin air, at least it seemed like that it came from no where. I don't think I've ever seen a weapon in her hands, her words enough to convince me to do what she wants. She's staring at me, that wicked grin still painting her face. But she points backwards, without looking, and pulls the trigger.

It's after I hear the faint click that I know what's going on.

Frozen in his feet, unable to comprehend what was going on, the bullet cut through the air, hitting Spencer.

Spencer.

I shriek, the sound escaping my mouth barely human, that you could probably hear from miles away. He was shot... by my mother... by his mother. I couldn't breathe. I had to rush by his side and help him as much as I could. But Dad held me back, knowing there was more to this. I could only watch as he fell to the ground, clutching his side.

"If you give in, the Institute will help to save him," Mom said, her eyes cold. "At the moment, you don't have the ability to do that. But if you agree to this and keep your word, maybe then it won't be too late."

I couldn't believe anything she said. This woman -- our mother -- had the nerve to shoot her son, and risk his life. I could see the blood staining the floor and I couldn't do anything about it. He's saved me countless times and I can't help him this one time. 

I try to keep the tears from flowing. "You are actually sick, you know?" I stuttered. "You actually did just shoot your son for a one way ticket to the end of the world."

"You can save him, Lauren... daughter."

Don't do it... don't agree to it. It was Spencer's voice, which was weak, even inside of my head. I've got it covered.

Covered? But how?

He doesn't reply.

"I am not your daughter," I said boldly. "I would never consider you as my mother. You don't deserve the title of a mother. You deserve to go to hell, Dr. Henderson."

She turned to Dad. "You've tainted her. You turned her against me."

And as she spits that out, I see my brother heave himself up. The colour has drained from his face and he's weak. So, so weak. He puts a finger to his mouth, motioning for me to stay quiet. Spencer looked as if he was going to pass out any second. I wanted to run up to him, but I stayed quiet.

She kept arguing with my father, not noticing what was going on behind her. Spencer moved slowly, but slowly walked towards her. His fingers, covered in blood, wrapped around his blade.

What are you doing?

Please trust me, Lauren.

"Well Lauren? This is you final choice. You permanently side with the Institute and stop this rebellion and save your brother's life or let him bleed to death."

I could clearly see where the bullet hit Spencer. His rib cage, and one of his lungs were most likely punctured. The fact that he was walking was a miracle. The fact that his heart was still beating was a miracle and he had this strength, even if it probably wasn't going to last.

Too focused on being angry at my father and me, she didn't see the end. At least, the end of Spencer's blade, which pierced her skin from the back, blood splattering everything.

"My goals in life are kinda boring. My bucket list too. I just wanted to survive high school, get a girlfriend, get into a college - that stuff."

"What about for the future?"

"Graduate university. Get married. Kill Mom. Have kids."

I really didn't think he was serious when he said that what feels like years ago, when we were talking about bucket lists that one night. Spencer was a joker, I wasn't supposed to trust everything he said, especially something like that.

Dad didn't move, didn't react, as the blood splattered everywhere. I couldn't feel like legs or anything in my body at the moment, and all I could do was watch as he pulled the blade from her chest and watched her sink to the floor, her glassy eyes staring at the ceiling.

He looked me in the eyes, dropping the blade. 

Finally I could feel the tears flowing down my cheeks. I know what was going to happen right now. I know what's coming. I'm shaking my head, my body shivering. "No... no Spencer, I'm not leaving without you."

He doesn't take his eyes off me. I'm sorry for all of this. I love you, Lauren. 

His body goes limp, falling right beside our mother's body.

And then I'm on the ground, screaming, shaking, letting all the tears fall from my eyes as my father holds me. Spencer was gone.

Gone.

His voice in my mind went dead, a piece of me gone with him.