Page 48 of Witch's Promise

Gabe nodded, relief evident in the slight relaxation of his shoulders. He turned to go, then paused, looking back at Sean with an expression that was impossible to decipher. "Sean, I... thank you. For being here."

Before Sean could formulate a response, Gabe was gone, striding towards the house with purpose in every step. Sean watched him go, a whirlwind of emotions churning in his gut. Gratitude, that Gabe still trusted him enough to let him in, even a little. Fear, that he'd inevitably fuck it up again. And underneath it all, a gnawing sense of guilt that threatened to consume him whole.

Because the truth was, Sean didn't deserve Gabe's gratitude. He didn't deserve to be here, to be trusted, to be anything more than a painful memory of past mistakes. Not after everything he'd done. Not with the secrets he was still keeping.

Shaking off the spiral of self-recrimination, Sean turned his attention to the devastated backyard. If he couldn't make things right - and really, how could he ever hope to do that? - he could at least try to be useful. Maybe if he looked around, he could find some clue about who had attacked them and why.

A glint caught his eye, and Sean crouched down, pushing aside fallen streamers to reveal a small glass bottle. His breath caught in his throat as recognition dawned. "Fuck," he muttered, carefully extracting the bottle from the dirt. It was a magic nullifier, a potent cocktail designed to temporarily strip a witch of their powers.

Sean's stomach churned as the implications hit him. This wasn't some random attack. It was targeted, precise, and bore allthe hallmarks of his father's organization. The level of planning, the specific magical weapons used - it all reeked of his father’s particular brand of calculated cruelty.

Carefully, Sean slipped the bottle into his pocket. He'd have to find a way to dispose of it later, somewhere far from here. The last thing Gabe and his family needed was for anyone to start asking uncomfortable questions about how Sean recognized such a specialized magical weapon.

As he straightened up, the full weight of the situation settled onto Sean's shoulders. Gabe still had no idea about his past, about the family legacy of violence and manipulation he'd walked away from. And now, it seemed that very legacy had come back to haunt them both.

"Goddamn it, Dad," Sean muttered, running a hand through his hair. "What the fuck are you playing at?"

He'd tried so hard to leave that life behind, to become someone Gabe could be proud of. But the past had a way of catching up, didn't it? No matter how far or how fast you ran, some sins couldn't be outrun.

Sean's mind raced, trying to piece together his father's possible motives. What could his father want with the Reed family? Was this about power, territory, or something more personal? And how the hell was Sean supposed to help without revealing the very connections that would likely destroy any chance of reconciliation with Gabe?

As Sean made his way back towards the house, his resolve hardened. He'd find a way to help, to protect Gabe and his family from the storm that was coming. Even if it meant confronting the very demons he'd been running from for years.

The bottle in his pocket felt like it weighed a ton, a physical reminder of the secrets he was still keeping. But for now, it was a necessary evil. Sean would find a way to use his knowledge,his training, to help Gabe navigate the dangerous waters ahead - without compromising himself or putting them in more danger.

Giana sat on the couch, her fingers combing through an unconscious Gino's hair. The worry etched on her face made Sean's chest tighten with a familiar cocktail of guilt and regret. Another person he'd failed to protect, another reminder of how fucking useless he really was when it mattered.

Shaking off the self-recrimination, Sean made his way towards the master bedroom. He could hear voices drifting through the partially open door, Gabe's familiar tones mixed with others he didn't recognize. As he approached, the conversation became clearer, snippets of medical jargon and magical theory that made Sean's head spin.

He hesitated at the threshold, suddenly feeling like an intruder. Who was he to barge in on this scene? He wasn't family, wasn't part of Gabe's new life. He was just a ghost from the past, haunting the edges of a world he no longer belonged in.

But before Sean could retreat, Gabe looked up and spotted him. A smile flickered across his ex's face, warm and genuine in a way that made Sean's heart clench painfully. "Sean, hey. Come on in. I want you to meet the team."

Sean nodded, forcing his feet to move. As he entered the room, he became acutely aware of the assessing gazes fixed on him. Three men stood around Damian’s prone form, each radiating an aura of power that made the hairs on the back of Sean's neck stand up.

"Everyone, this is Sean," Gabe said. "He's been a huge help tonight. Sean, this is Marcus, Lucas, and Finn. We work together."

Sean's eyes flicked from face to face, committing names and features to memory out of habit. Marcus, tall and lithe, with an energy that crackled just beneath the surface of his skin. Lucas, shorter but no less imposing, his gaze sharp and calculating ashe sized Sean up. And Finn, bent over Damian's body, his hands glowing with a white light that pulsed in time with some unheard rhythm.

"Nice to meet you," Sean managed, his voice steadier than he felt.

He couldn't help but notice the way Gabe stood close to Lucas, their shoulders nearly touching. A familiar, ugly feeling reared its head in Sean's gut - jealousy, mixed with a hefty dose of self-loathing. He had no right to feel possessive, not after everything he'd done.

Gabe must have sensed Sean's discomfort, because he quickly launched into an explanation. "Finn's a high-level white magic user," he said, gesturing to the man working over Damian. "He's trying to counteract the dark magic in my dad's body."

Sean nodded, trying not to let on how out of his depth he felt. The magical energy in the room was palpable, a thrumming undercurrent that made his skin prickle. It was a stark reminder of how different his world was from Gabe's, how much had changed in the years they'd been apart.

Finn looked up, his face drawn with concentration. "I'm going to need some space to work," he said, his voice tight. "This is delicate stuff. Gabe, you and the others should wait outside. This could take a while."

Gabe hesitated, concern etched into every line of his face. "Are you sure? I could help, maybe-"

"No," Finn cut him off firmly. "Your energy's all over the place right now, man. You'd do more harm than good. Trust me on this, okay?"

For a moment, Sean thought Gabe might argue. But then his shoulders slumped, a flicker of relief passing across his face. "Yeah, okay. You're right. We'll be in the kitchen if you need anything."

As they filed out of the room, Sean couldn't help but steal glances at Gabe. He looked exhausted, the weight of leadership sitting heavy on his shoulders. Sean's fingers itched with the urge to reach out, to offer some kind of comfort. But he held back, all too aware of the gulf that stretched between them.

Emily met them in the hallway, her face pale but determined. "I'll put on some tea," she said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. "We could all use something warm, I think."

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