Blake

As Amara spoke, her voice dripped with acid on the word family. Everyone in the room slightly flinched at her anger.

Like usual, Rebecca asked the question all of them were thinking. "Why...do you hate your family?"

Amara smiled sadly, her eyes glancing down. "Why wouldn't I? Cassim, you met them earlier. Why wouldn't I hate people like that?"

The room became silent with everyone glancing away from each other. Cassim opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say a word Rebecca pounced on Amara and hugged her. Amara looked shocked and started pushing Rebecca away and then stopped.

Finally speaking, Cassim cleared his throat. "Anyway, we still need to discuss what work you'll do.". He turned to the others. "Any ideas?"

Nesta paused for a moment. "We could let her start as an aid for us, bringing us materials I suppose." She looked at Amara. "Would that be okay with you?" Amara nodded and started removing Rebecca from herself.

"Anyway you're not going anywhere until you're healed," Rebecca stated this fact clearly.

"Um actually..." Amara looked up at Jake and Leo. "Would I be able to go to your shop?"

Jake hesitated before turning to Cassim. He though for a moment before agreeing. "But only if two of us go with you."

Amara seemed disappointed, but agreed. I won't be able to go otherwise, she thought.

"We'll go tomorrow." Everyone nodded and filed out of the room.

Once they were in the hallway, Cassim turned to Rebecca. "Rebecca, could you come to my office for a sec?"

After everyone left, Amara broke down. She curled up onto a ball and focused on breathing and keeping her vision from going blurry. After a few minutes she calmed down. God, that conversation had brought back bad memories.

When talking about her family, Amara always remembered Blake and Karen. She saw Blake getting shot ten times, the blood splattering on her face and walls. She saw Karen's smirking face as she held Amra down and beat her, as she broke Amara's heart piece by piece. She would remember Blake's smile as he died.

She wished she could forget it. Just forget it all and start over. Forget her past and pain. But that's impossible, she would never forget. Her family would make sure of that. Sighing, she turned over and cried herself into unconsciousness.

Cassim turned off the camera in his office and turned to face Rebecca. " Do you know why she reacted like that just now?"

Rebecca shook her head.

"I figured. I'll ask her tomorrow. You should go rest."

Rebecca nodded and left. As soon as she was gone, Cassim sank down into his chair, that scene replaying through his mind. He fell asleep wondering what had made her react like that.

The next day they headed to Jake's shop. Rebecca and Cassim declared her ribs were strong enough she could use crutches to walk. Of course, her crutches weren't as steady as walking normally, so Rebecca ended up staying with her to catch her of she fell. When they got to the store, they saw Heather setting up right next to their store. Amara looked inside and saw candy and sweets everywhere.

"So she's opening a candy store." Jake looked inside. "That will work well for her. She'll keep customers away from our shop since she's closer to the trains and stairs."

Amara sighed. "Let's go." She started walking past when Heather swept out through her store's door.

"Well, well! If it isn't the little btch of the Balcks!" She smirked and Amara knew she wasn't done. "How's Blake doing?"

Amara felt her eyes widen and her legs crumple. She fell onto the floor with her hand covering her mouth trying not to vomit, the gunshots echoing in her head.

Cassim and Rebecca whipped around to her and tried to help her up, tried to talk to her but she wouldn't respond. Her breathing was rapid and her eyes were full of tears and panic. Cassim grabbed her hand and tapped her over and over until her eyes became focused again and she looked at him. Rebecca jumped in front of her and hugged her tight.

"Oh? So it still brings back memories?" Heather sashayed up to Amara and crouched in front of her. "How many shots again? 8? 9? Or was it 10?"

Amara flinched back at the number ten and burrowed into Rebecca's shoulder.

Cassim's head was whirling with thoughts. Who's Blake? Why did Amara react like that to hearing his name? Why did Heather mention shots? He looked over at Amara who's eyes were still filled with panic. What happened to you?

Did anybody get the reference?

No one? Alright, guess I'm the only one then

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