Indie, I tried to stop him. I'm sorry.
Indianna rubbed her eyes as Kal's voice woke her, and she frowned.
What?
She gasped when the door flew open and Rogue walked in, smiling happily.
Oh.
"Sister!" Rogue said and clapped his hands. "I'm glad to see you... alive."
"I'm not."
"Oh, now, don't be a downer," Rogue smirked and glanced around the room.
Greyson's room.
"Miss him? Of course you do. Though I don't understand how—he wasn't nice," Rogue tutted.
"Neither are you," Indianna said slowly and sat up in bed, her body tense and her hands clenched into fists.
"Ah, but I admit it and embrace it," Rogue grinned.
He kicked the door shut with his boot, making Indianna jump.
"Don't look so tense. I'm not going to hurt you, baby sister."
"Too late."
"Oh, you'll get over that," Rogue said dismissively.
He walked over to Greyson's wardrobe and flicked through his clothes.
"Ooh."
Rogue held up a scarf and arched an eyebrow.
"You sure he wasn't gay? This scarf is definitely not straight."
"Put his stuff down," Indianna said.
She tried to sound forceful, but she was frightened.
"Why?" Rogue asked.
He walked over to Greyson's desk and flicked through the books scattered across it.
"He's dead."
Indianna flinched and closed her eyes.
"The sooner you accept it, the better," Rogue said. "He's dead. Gone. Poof—"
"Stop!" Indianna yelled.
Rogue smiled.
"That's it. That's the anger I want. It livens you right up, sweetheart," he nodded. "You're a right bore otherwise."
"What do you want?" Indianna asked.
"Can't a brother come and visit his little sister?" Rogue asked innocently.
"What do you want?"
"To let you know that I have complete control," Rogue said simply.
"I'm aware."
"Fantastic," Rogue smirked. "So, Indianna, when I want you to do something, no matter what it is, I want you to do it. Okay? No questions asked. No resistance. Nothing. Am I clear?"
Indianna swallowed and nodded.
"Clear."
"Super!" Rogue exclaimed. "Now, I need your help with a little problem."
"My help?"
"Of course," Rogue nodded. "Now, I'm debating what to do with our mother. She tried to run away. It was foolish; she knew she couldn't escape. Shall I kill her—"
"No!" Indianna gasped.
"No?" Rogue repeated. "She did betray you, remember? Spied on you? She led to the events that caused your mate's death."
"You killed him!" Indianna spat.
"But he wouldn't have been there unless Iris had let you out."
Indianna looked at her hands, and a tear slipped down her cheek.
"I killed him," she whispered.
"Sure," Rogue nodded. "That works too. Let's go with that. You killed him."
Indianna whimpered, and Rogue laughed.
"Stop being so weak. You didn't kill him," Rogue said. "Don't be pathetic and miserable and act like you did. I killed him. Well, I had the order, but it was me. All me. And I rather enjoyed it."
"You're sick!" Indianna gasped. "We're brother and sister! I could have died! Why did you do this to me?"
"I strongly believe that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Rogue smiled. "And you're alive! But... you're looking quite miserable and pathetic, so I'm not really seeing you being strong. No worries, I'm sure it will come in time!"
"I'll be strong enough to take you down."
"Ah, dangerous words, little sister," Rogue tutted and shook his head. "You already have so many injured people. Why add to that number? You can never defeat me. I'm being nice as well—letting you all come home and live your lives as normal—"
"Normal!" Indianna exclaimed. "People are grieving! People are hurt! Everyone is living in fear! You can't even go into town without being watched by your men! How is that normal?"
"You could all be dead," Rogue said and shrugged. "This is normal now, sweetheart. You'd better learn to accept it."
Indianna took a deep breath and covered her face with her hands.
"Please leave—"
"But I haven't decided whether I'm going to kill Mummy Dearest," Rogue pouted. "I can't leave yet."
"Kill her, leave her alive, I don't care," Indianna growled.
Rogue smiled.
"Alrighty," he said. "Goodbye, little sister. I'll see you again soon."
Indianna slowly climbed out of the shower and dressed in a daze. She plodded back into her bedroom and sat on her bed.
She felt so empty.
So lost.
Without Greyson, she was nothing. She wasn't herself. He had made her into the person she became, and now she had retreated back into her old self.
Indianna sighed and grabbed Greyson's jumper, hugging it to her chest.
"I love you," she whispered. "I love you so much."
Tears slipped down her cheeks, and her eyes landed on a pink bag shoved to the side of the room.
Brooke's birthday present.
Greyson had said he liked it.
Curiously, Indianna made her way over to the bag and crouched beside it. She tentatively pulled on the lace and opened it.
She took a deep breath as she reached inside, her hand touching soft fabric. She pulled out the gift and couldn't help but laugh.
In her hand was frilly, skimpy lingerie. It was sparkly, girly and... small.
"Of course you'd like that," Indianna murmured.
There was a knock on the door, and Kal walked in. He looked smart, dressed in a black suit and suede shoes.
"Hey," he said softly.
He took in Indianna's attire. She was wearing a long, loose black dress and black sandals. Her hair was still damp and cascaded down her back.
"You ready?"
"I'm never going to get to wear it for him," Indianna whispered, clutching the clothing in her hands. "He would have loved it, and I would have called him a pig or something... That's never going to happen, Kal."
Indianna's voice cracked, and she looked up at Kal with teary eyes.
"He's gone. I'm never going to see him again. To touch him. To..."
Indianna broke down in tears, and Kal rushed over and wrapped his arms around her.
"Indie, you'll see him again," Kal whispered. "One day."
"Don't patronise me," Indianna whimpered and cried into Kal's chest. "I don't want to go, Kal."
"You've got to. Today is your chance to say goodbye."
"I don't want to say goodbye!" Indianna yelled and pushed Kal away. "I can't say goodbye because then it's like he's really gone! He can't be!"
"Indie—"
"No!" she cried and looked down at the lingerie in her hands.
She yelled angrily and threw it across the room.
"It becomes official when there's a funeral," she whimpered. "I can't stand there and finalise his death... I can't!"
"You can," Kal said. "You can do it. Greyson wouldn't want you to be upset because of him—"
"Screw what he would have wanted because I am upset!" Indianna screamed. "I never even got to tell him! I said I would after, but he's not here! I thought I'd see him after all this, but... he's g-gone! And he never knew! I never fucking told him!"
"Indie," Kal said slowly.
Everyone else joined them, drawn by Indianna's yelling.
"You never told him what?"
Indianna whimpered and caught Brooke's eye. Brooke nodded and smiled encouragingly.
"It's fine, hun. You've got all of us to support you."
Indianna covered her face with her hands and cried.
"But I never told him. He'll never know!"
"What is it?" Mac called.
Kirstie's eyes widened in realisation.
"Oh," she gasped. "Oh, Indie."
Indianna looked up at everyone. They were all dressed in dark clothing, ready for Greyson's funeral.
But she wasn't.
She never would be.
Indianna opened her mouth to speak. The next two words would change her life forever.
"I'm pregnant."