A FATHER'S LOVE A Tale of the Twins' Past IV

The group of old friends gathered together by one of the snack tables, watching all the other couples dance as they idly sipped glasses of punch and chatted about whatever came to mind. Severin stood there, slightly uncomfortable in his suit and fighting not to swat Lexie's hand away from where it was toying with his hair. She loved his hair, which was still exactly the same style as his sister's even after all these years, and she had told him so enough times when they had been alone together.

"Oh my God!" Lexie hissed in consperital tones, looking out at the dance floor. "Can you believe Angelique? She's all over him! That girl has no shame...."

"Really Lexie," Ada sighed with a shake of her head that caused her pale blond locks to swirl around her face. "Do you have to be so nosy all the time? What Angelique does with half the boys in the school is her own business."

Lexie blinked in mild amazement at her friend's tone, green eyes wide with shock. "Why Ada, if I didn't know you better I'd say that almost sounded catty. What gives?"

"Angelique made a pass on Alec," Myra supplied simply, taking another sip of punch.

"Myra!!!"

"What? It's not like it's a secret or anything."

Severin suddenly stifled a yawn and his sister smirked at him. "We boring you Sev?"

"No," he replied sheepishly. "It's just kinda stuffy in here. I could use some air, you wanna go for a walk Lexie?"

Her eyes glittered with concealed excitement at the thought. "Sure Sev, I'd love to."

"We'll see you guys later then," Severin said with a shrug as he

headed out of the gym with Lexie clinging to his arm.

"Speaking of being all over some one..." Ada mumbled under her breath as she watched the pair leave.

"Man, if that wasn't your brother there I'd say you were jealous!" Myra said with a small shake of her head.

"Jealous!? Ha! More revolted than anything."

"That's what I thought...."

********************

The pair of teenagers leaned against a wall in a secluded area outside the school, tangled in a passionate embrace. Tongues twining, hands roming freely, until finally one of them pulled their head back to gasp for breath.

"Oh... Sev...."

"Mmm hmm?"

"This... this...."

"Yes?"

"Is this going to be the night?"

A small smile found it's way onto his lips and he gently ran a finger along her cheek. "Who knows, it could be...." He leaned forward to kiss her again but stopped as the sound of voices carried over to where he and Lexie were. "Damnit," he mumbled, looking up. "Who the hell is that!?"

"Oh who cares Sev!" Lexie sighed in irritation, running her hands through the liquid silk of his hair. "They probably won't come over here. This is our night, remember? _Our_ night!"

"Right, right...." He leaned towards her again as the voices grew more distant and tried to cast away the clinging doubt that something wasn't right. That doubt jumped right back up again however as the voices grew louder again and a coil of terror lodged itself low in his gut. Even before he heard the female voice yelling that fear in his belly told him exactly what was wrong.

"Ada!" he gasped as her frightened voice became clear in the stillness of the night. "Something's going on... I've got to...." He ran off, trying to fight back the urge to scream. Having a twin could be hell sometimes. That connection between the two. Being able to feel her absolute terror. But then again, since he could feel it he was able to help stop it. If he got there in time....

Ada choked back a scream as she felt his body pressing her to the wall. She still wasn't sure what had happened. Alec had suggested that they go for a walk, she had agreed, then he had cornered her against this wall. What on earth had gotten into him?

"Come on Ada," he murmered in her ear. "We both know why you came out here with me. For the same reason that Lexie went with your brother. And she's probably not giving him any trouble, so why are you giving me so much?"

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something. Wanting to ask why he was so different now, but no noise came out. Fortunately someone else spoke up.

"Get your hands off of my sister you son of a bitch."

Alec turned around, smileing weakly. "Sev, hey! What's going on?"

"I think you know," Severin replied coldly, his pale eyes glittering dangerously in the moonlight. "Now I'd like to know why you're cuddling up to my sister when it's obvious that she's not appreciating the attention."

"What, this? She's just playing. Right Ada?"

Ada gaped at him, her eyes wide with terror and Severin felt something in him snap. Just like when he had been younger and that one older kid had gone too far by callilng him a bastard. Except this time it was different. This time someone was trying to physically hurt his twin. "Leave her alone and I _might_ leave you with the use of both legs," he finally said.

"Look... Sev...."

"Severin!!!"

He turned his head slightly at Lexie's voice behind him. "Get out of here, this doesn't involve you. I'll be back in a minute."

"Like hell this doesn't involve me!" Lexie snapped, her green eyes spitting fire. "What are you doing leaving me alone on _our_ night? I'm sure Ada can take care of herself."

He gaped at her in pure shock at her harsh words. "Lexie...."

"Let her take care of herself Sev. Unless you've got some sort of a sick thing for her...."

His gaze traveled in shock between his twin, his _former_ best friend and his girl and finally he spoke. "Look, Ada's pretty shaken up. I'm gonna take her home, then I'll be right back. Okay Lexie?"

Lexie snorted and stuck her nose in the air. "If you leave Severin, don't bother coming back for me. I'm not going to hang around while you fall all over your _sister_ you perv."

"He's probably the only guy the little slut'd open her legs for anyways," Alec muttered under his breath, winning himself a murderous look.

"Watch it Alec," Severin hissed, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I might just come back to kick your ass for saying that. Now you two enjoy one another's company, I got the feeling you make a good pair. Come on Ada...." He put an arm around her shoulders and felt fresh anger well up in him as he felt the way she was trembling. As the pair of them started home Ada started sobbing.

"Oh Sev, I'm so sorry...."

"Ada, it's not your fault."

"Yes it is. I didn't have to go out there with him. And now I wrecked things with Lexie...."

He sighed and stopped walking, turning her to face him. "Look, don't blame yourself for _any_ of this. What happened with Lexie probably would have happend sometime anyways, she's... selfish. At least it happened before I ended up getting married to her, huh?"

Ada smiled slightly and nodded, glancing up to look at him. Suddenly she gasped as a shadow loomed up in the darkness. "Sev! Behind you...!"

He wrenched around and threw a punch at the form that was easily

blocked. "Ada!" he yelled as he struggled with the shadowy assalent. "Get out of...." His voice trailed off into nothingness as a chloroform doused rag was pressed against his face and he fell into unconciousness. Ada stumbled back a few steps and tried to run, tottering on her high heels, but with the swiftness of a striking snake a hand was around her wrist and she was pulled backwards. The same rag being pressed over her mouth and nose, the fumes choking her as she slipped into unconcousness as well.

The shadowy figure straghtened his jacket and tucked the rag into one pocket before setting about moving his victims to the car he had parked nearby. "Now only one more loose end," he mumbled under his breath.

*********~R&R~***********

My Message to the World