Game of Thrones is seriously screwing me up.  I'm waiting so impatiently for the next two episodes... okay, enjoy :)

Chapter Quote:

"The thing about love is that you never truly know the person that you're with until you see them wrestle their demons in broad daylight."

~Unknown

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Chapter 26: We Had a Deal 

Luke 

For the next seven hours, sleep wouldn't come easily.  If he tried, all Luke saw was Ryan's dead body and all he heard was the sound of his sword running through the guy.  If he had to go back in time to that moment, he wouldn't change the outcome.  Bryn's life came first over everything.  Luke couldn't lose her again.  The first time it happened, there was motivation to keep him distracted.  But if he lost her a second time, Luke feared for his sanity.

So, instead of sleeping, Luke sat outside Bryn's room, waiting to hear how she was.

"Luke?  May I speak to you?" Hallie asked softly.  He looked up at her.  She was standing in the doorway of Bryn's room.

"How is she doing?" He replied, standing up.

"Still asleep, but she woke up briefly.  Checked to make sure you and her brothers were safe then crashed again.  Ryan must've hurt her before you or the twins saw her.  She got stabbed in the leg."

"What?!  She'll live though right?"

"Definitely.  This isn't the worst she's faced, and by far not the worst she's going to face.  Bryn knows that too."

"What is it she's going to face?  You act as if you know what it is.  Everyone here seems to know something I don't.  What is it?" Luke demanded exhaustedly.

"I'm not at liberty to say.  If you want to find out, you have to ask her.  She'll tell you.  Not willingly, but she will.  You're her... you're her kryptonite."

"I don't want to be her kryptonite!  I don't want to be the reason she gets herself killed!" he hissed.

"Luke, I didn't come out here to make you more upset than you already are.  I came to see how you were doing.  Bradley told me what you did to Ryan," Hallie said.  At the mention of the guy, Luke shut down.  She picked up on it instantly. "I've never killed someone so I have no idea how you're feeling but what you did, you destroyed Hannah's top general.  You destroyed one of her strongest military leaders.  You killed the guy that has tormented Bryn for the past year.  You killed the guy that was about to kill the girl you love.  Ryan was not a good person, and even if he survived the war, he would continue killing demigods that supported the gods.  Do not let the darkness of this eat at you.  I don't know you well Luke, but I know you have this light in you and with all this darkness going on around you what with the end of the world and the curse and now you killing Ryan, I can tell you're letting the darkness consume you, you're letting it eat the light in you away.  You have made it this far with what's been thrown at you so fight back Luke.  Fight back."

"I'm trying Hallie.  I'm not doing a good job of it though," Luke confessed.

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "I know you are.  That's who you are.  But you need someone who wants to save that light in you.  I think you know who I'm talking about.  I'll see you later.  Go in and see her." Hallie patted him on the shoulder and disappeared down the hallway.  Luke stood in his spot for a good minute, letting her words sink in.

Taking a deep breath, Luke poked his head into Bryn's room.  Prerana, Ana, and Vanessa were sitting around her bed.  When they heard him come in, they all stood up.

"You don't need to get up on my account.  I just wanted to see her," he said softly.

"We'll leave you two alone," Ana replied.  She and the other two girls hurriedly left the room before he could protest.  Luke padded softly to Bryn's bed.  She was sprawled out on her stomach underneath the covers.

"Bryn?" he whispered, sitting next to her on the bed.  She remained still. "Bryn, if you can hear me, know that when you wake up, I want to talk to you.  I've messed up a lot of things recently, but nothing on that list stands out more or compares to how I treated you when you came back.  I'm not leaving this world without telling you what you need to know.  I'm not leaving this world without telling you what I should've told you years ago."

Bryn still didn't stir.  Luke sighed, placing his hand over hers.  Just as he did that, Brady opened the door. "Hey Jackson, we need you.  It's urgent."

Brady left when Luke nodded.  He kissed Bryn on her head before going to the meeting room.  When he got there, Silena, Derek, Hallie, Brady, and Bradley were arguing.

"What is going on?" Luke inquired, stepping cautiously into the room.

"Here, read it," Bradley ordered, handing the Jackson boy a piece of paper.  Luke opened it up and read it.  At the end of the note, he was unsure of what to believe.  Hannah was requesting a meeting under a white flag.  Luke highly doubted she was surrendering, but if she wasn't doing that, then what was she doing?  Did she want to negotiate something?

"You're arguing about whether or not we should go meet her," Luke stated.

"Derek, Brady, and I are against it.  Silena and Hallie are for it," Bradley explained. "What do you think?"

"It's Hannah.  Usually when people call for a white flag meeting, they just want to speak.  But with it being her, with all she's done, I don't trust this not to be a trick or an ambush.  But if we have any troops to support us, Hannah will destroy them all.  I don't know what she is, but she's more powerful than any of us can comprehend," Luke commented.

"So what do you think we should do?" Hallie inquired. "If we ignore Hannah, we might miss something important.  If we go, we could be ambushed."

"I say we should go.  I want to hear what she has to say," he decided.

"Luke, come on, what has she ever done to let us trust her on this?" Derek debated.

"She hasn't.  But rules in warfare a clear.  A white flag means negotiations or surrender.  I'm pretty sure she's not surrendering so she must be wanting to negotiate something."

Brady and Bradley started protesting.  Silena and Hallie threw arguments back at the twins.  Luke stood in the middle of it all, staring down at the map of Manhattan below him.  Hannah wanted to meet in Central Park.  Even though she wanted to meet on the other side of it, the farthest away from the Empire State Building, it was still too close for comfort.

"We'll get there before her.  We'll meet her at a point farther away than the place she wants to meet because the point she does want to meet us at is too close to the Empire State Building for my liking.  I'll tell Prerana, Ana, and Vanessa to watch over Bryn while we go," Luke informed.

"What's happening?" Bryn mumbled weakly from the doorway.  Everyone jumped in surprise.

"Bryn, what are you doing up?  You should be resting!" Bradley chastised as he and Brady walked up to her.

"I've been asleep for eight hours.  I need to get up.  I'm fine," she insisted, albeit in a weak voice. "What's happening?"

Bryn walked up next to Luke and read the note on the table.  He watched her carefully for any sign of what she believed they should do.

"We should go," Bryn said simply.

"What do you mean 'we'?  As in you go too?  That's insane," Brady retorted. "You nearly died eight hours ago because of that stupid stunt you did."

"That stupid stunt is the reason Luke is alive," she growled.

"Forget that he's alive!  What about you damn it!  We don't want to lose our sister any sooner than we are!" Bradley snapped.

"What are they talking about?" Luke interrupted.

"They're worried I'm going to get myself killed is all.  I've been taking a lot of risks lately and they don't like it.  That's the end of that conversation.  We're all going.  We're the leaders of this thing and I'm not going to make myself look weak by not showing up.  I'm going to change into different clothes because these are all bloody.  Then we'll go.  We'll take the dragons."

"I'll take Silena and Derek, Bradley can take Hallie, Luke can go with you," Brady said. "And no arguments."

Brady took his leave with Bradley trailing behind him.  Hallie said she'd go call them down before they went to see Hannah.  It left Silena, Derek, Bryn, and Luke alone.

Bryn broke the silence. "I'll meet you three downstairs outside.  I'm going to go change before we leave."

She stumbled a little as she exited the room.  Luke was instantly by her side in case she fell.  She insisted she was fine and continued on her way.

"Bryn, wait, please," he requested.  She surprisingly faced him. "We need to talk."

"Talk about what?"

"About everything going on between you and me."

"There's not much to say.  We're allies and when this war is done, we go our separate ways.  End of story.  Now go downstairs.  I'll meet you in a minute." Before he could stop her, she entered her room and shut the door.  He looked up at the ceiling in defeat.  How was he going to get her to listen to him?  He'd been so harsh on her that he worried maybe she never would.

"She'll come around, she always does," Silena consoled from the doorway.

"What if I messed up too badly?  What if she won't forgive me for what I said?"

"She loves you too much to not forgive you.  Come on, let's go downstairs." Silena took Luke's hand in hers and led him downstairs.  Bryn was soon to follow.  She slowly climbed on Drogon.  Luke could tell her leg pained her.  He waited until she was settled into the saddle on the dragon before climbing up himself.  He wasn't sure where to put his hands: on her waist or on her shoulders.

"Luke, what are you waiting for?" Bryn inquired, glancing at him from over her shoulder.

"Uh, nothing, nothing, just distracted," he lied.  Luke wrapped his arms loosely around her waist.  Drogon shot into the air.  Luke's grip tightened on Bryn significantly.  The three dragons soared over buildings and over Central Park.  Having been unable to find another suitable spot to meet Hannah, the demigods reluctantly went to the original spot.  Hannah was already there waiting for them.  She had six cyclops with her.  They stood on guard with their weapons but showed no signs of an imminent attack.  Luke was still on edge though.

"Hello Luke, Silena, Derek, long time no see," Hannah greeted.  She nodded at the others coldly. "Brady, Bradley, Hallie, Bryn."

"What do you want Hannah?" Silena demanded.

"Calm yourself.  I'm not here to cause trouble.  I'm here to request a day off from the war, to let the wounded rest and to reorganize my troops.  You could probably do the same," Hannah explained.

"Why?" Bryn asked. "Why does someone as powerful as you need to reorganize?"

Hannah's nostrils flared. "Because I underestimated your love for the Jackson boy here.  You're a good actress Bryn Winchester.  But you know the consequences of your betrayal, remember our deal?"

Bryn wrapped her hand around Luke's arm and replied smugly, "Remember my token of loyalty?  That means the consequences of my actions remain on myself, no one else."

"What is she talking about?" Luke whispered.

"Oh, you haven't told him?  Shocking.  Truly shocking.  But the others all seem to know.  So why keep it a secret from him?"

"Bryn?" Luke repeated more urgently.

"He will know at the right time.  He doesn't need to know right now."

"Worried he might try to change it?"

"Not that he might.  That he will."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because I know him."

"Do you?  You've been gone for a year.  People change."

"People change, but his fatal flaw won't."

"And what is your fatal flaw, Bryn?"

"I have more than I should.  Is there anymore you want to talk about or are we done?"

Hannah stepped towards Bryn, getting right up in her face.  The girls were the same height but Hannah seemed to loom over the daughter of Zeus.  Luke tried to step protectively in front of Bryn but she made him stay in his place.

"Act all high and mighty as much as you want, but the truth is, whether you win or lose, you will lose either way.  Remember that our deal made you my little bitch," Hannah growled.

"I'm not your little bitch.  I'm just someone who knows what she wants and doesn't mind the consequences of getting it.  Now go.  I'll see you again, and next time?  You're not going to live to see another day," Bryn snarled.

Hannah barked at her soldiers and strode away.  When they were out of view, Bryn collapsed.  Luke barely caught her in time.  He carefully lowered her to the ground.  Kneeling next to her, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Bryn began nodding but that turned into the shaking of her head.  Brady and Bradley were deathly pale.  Silena, Derek, and Hallie weren't even bothering hiding their depressed expressions.  Luke was fed up with the secrets around here.  He asked, "What is it that I don't know?  What is this deal you made with Hannah that everyone but me knows about?"

Bryn shook her head. "No, I'm not telling you."

"Because you don't want to or what?  Whatever you've done pertains to me so I you may not want to tell me, but I deserve to know."

"No, no, no, I'm not saying a word.  I can't do it.  I can't do it to you.  You'll hate me," she breathed.

"Luke's right," Bradley said. "He deserves to know."

"You should tell him," Brady agreed. "He may've been an ass to you but he's been trying to make up for that.  After all he's the reason you're alive after you killed the drakon."

"No!" she declared vehemently, standing up. "Go back to base.  Leave me alone.  Tell him yourselves if you want to but I'm not- I can't..."

"Bryn, are you okay?" Silena queried, taking a step towards her.  Bryn's entire body convulsed as she clenched and unclenched her hands at her sides.  Luke saw sparks flying off her fingertips.  Hallie saw it too because she immediately said, "Bryn, your hands.  You need to calm down."

"You're losing control of your powers," Derek remarked in shock. "How is that possible?"

"It happens when she panics or is about to have a panic attack.  We need to stop pushing her," Hallie said.

"Go back.  Just go!" Bryn pleaded.  The others backed away but Luke stepped forward.  Bryn took a simultaneous step back and held her hands up to tell him to stip.  He had no time to react to the lightning that shot out from her hands directing into his chest.  He went flying backwards, only stopping when Drogon caught him in his mouth.  However the dragon didn't chomp down on him.  Instead he was gently dropped onto the ground.  Silena, Derek, the twins, and Hallie ran over to him, asking him repeatedly if he was okay.  All he could do was look at Bryn.

The daughter of Zeus was staring at her hands in horror.  Her eyes landed on Luke and a look of pure mortification settled onto her face.  She began stammering, "I didn't mean- that wasn't- Luke... oh gods..." Bryn stopped herself from talking anymore and bolted into the woods.

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Uh oh, Bryn's having more issues.  What do you think is going to happen?  Let me know in a review :)