BITTER PEOPLE

Shawn gripped Sage's hand tightly, as they walked in Martinez mansion, a place they once called home.

As expected, his father was standing at the door. He looked different from the last time Shawn saw him, he looked old, tired and sad- things he never saw in his father before.

Sage unintentionally stepped back at the sight of her father, she gripped Shawn's hand tightly when a memory of the old man beating her flashed into her mind.

" My children." Jared smiled, opening his arms wide for his kids.

" Enrique must have talked to you about this, we're only staying here because it will help with Sage's treatment, but don't expect us to forgive you for everything you've done." Shawn spats bitterly.

Jared gets taken back at the tone his sweet son used on him. Shawn was the sweetest boy he knew and this tone just wasn't him.

" Shawn, why are you talking to me like this?" Jared's voice cracked as he looked at his son, helplessly.

" How long is this drama going to take?" Hades grunted, throwing his head back.

" Are you shocked? Isn't this the tone you always used on my sister? Be grateful that my mom raised me well or else I would've done so much more." Shawn's words felt like sharp knives slicing Jared's heart.

Now he felt what he put Sage through. His daughter was broken and scared but instead of helping her like a father should, he kept pushing her deeper into the darkness.

" Can I just. . . just hug you two for once?" Jared questions, looking at the scared Sage in Shawn's arms.

His heart ached to comfort his daughter, but he knew he has lost that right long ago.

" No!" Shawn snaps, walking past him with Sage.

Hades rolls his eyes at Jared, following them inside. Jared looked up at Enrique, they shared a sympathetic look before walking inside.

Sage stared at the rich interiors of the luxurious house, it was definitely more colorful than the asylum room in her mind. She grips Shawn's jacket tightly, looking at all the new people in the room.

Everyone stood up, color draining from their faces as they took in Sage's appearance. The house's baby was back, but she has lost herself and everyone in the room could tell that.

" SAGE," Josephine took a step towards them.

Sage immediately cowered back, hugging Shawn tightly, making Josephine stop in her tracks. Sabrina who was standing in the corner, crying silently came forward.

A look of shock crossed Shawn's face when he saw Sabrina. She was a mess, her hair, face and dressing was completely messed up.

" Shawn, Sage." Sabrina sobbed, walking up to them.

" Stay away." Shawn seethed, taking a step away from Sabrina.

" What are you doing here? The only reason I agreed to come here was because you wouldn't be here." Shawn said, not caring if his words damaged Sabrina's heart.

This bitch has done enough damage to his baby Sage and now, he just doesn't care about anyone except her.

" We had an accident, L-Luca died, and my baby too." Sabrina sobbed, falling on the sofa behind her.

" Baby?"

" You had a niece, but. . ." Sabrina trails off, crying her heart out.

Shawn felt a pang in his heart at her words but Sabrina's deeds soon brought him back to the reality.

" Okay, but that doesn't give you a pass to get away with what all you've done." He shoots back.

" How could you be so insensitive about this?" Sabrina looks at Shawn in disbelief.

" Oh, I'm sorry. I thought we had the right to make fun of other's pain. I thought we had the right to torment them by making fun of their trauma. Wasn't it normal here?" Shawn says, raising an eyebrow at her.

Sabrina wailed her heart out, his words stung but she could hear herself saying more bitter things to Sage in the past.

Sage looked at Sabrina, a little pout forming on her lips as tears pooled into her eyes.

" You know Sabrina, you must've done something really nice in your last life that God gave you Sage. Look at her, she has lost herself, her dignity, her memories but yet, she is crying when you're in pain. How could you possibly be so evil to someone like Sage?" Shawn screams, pointing at Sage.

Sabrina looked at Sage, for the first time in these years, she felt loved. Her sister loved her, she always did, Sabrina was just too blind to see it.

" Let me hug her for once, Shawn." Sabrina cries, walking up to them.

" No!" Shawn acted heartless to her pleadings just like they always did to Sage.

Sage slowly raised her arm, trying to wipe Sabrina's tears when Shawn caught her hand, pulling it back.

" Don't touch her, Sage. Even her tears are venomous for you." Shawn growled, leaving Sabrina's heart broken.

He pulled Sage in his arms, walking upstairs to her room. Sage coughed, stepping back when he opened he opened the door of her room.

" I'm so sorry, kids." Josephine who was hot on their trial mumbled.

" What is this?" Shawn exclaimed, looking at the room full of dusty junk.

" After you left, Sabrina was really furious so she wrecked Sage's room and turned it into a store room." Josephine says, tears rolling down her cheeks as she kept looking at Sage.

" That bitch." Shawn muttered under his breath.

" Is my room the same?" Shawn questions, as Josephine immediately nods.

He grabs Sage, walking to his room which was neat and maintained exactly how he left it. He helps Sage sit on the bed and takes off her shoes.

" I missed you, son." Josephine whispers, hugging Shawn.

Shawn tried to step back but he couldn't, Josephine was the closest person he saw his mom in. He wrapped his arms around her, crying his heart about in her embrace.

He was exhausted, he was sad but he couldn't be weak for Sage.

Josephine kisses his forehead, caressing his cheeks just like his mom always did.

" Can I?" She asks, looking at Sage.

At Shawn's approval, Josephine hugs Sage, crying silently for her beautiful daughter who she has lost in the world of monsters.

" My lovely little princess, aunt missed you so much." Josephine weeps, planting little kisses all over Sage's face.

Sage doesn't react to Josephine, or Shawn. She plays with the button on her shirt.

" You must be hungry, I'll make you two some food right away." Josephine smiles through her tears, caressing Shawn's cheek.

" Please keep it a little bland, Sage can't consume spicy food." Shawn says.

" Sure, anything for my children. I'm going to call Elliot and tell him you're back. He'll be so happy." Josephine says, as she walks out.

Shawn looks back at Sage, sitting beside her. Sage looks at him as he holds her stare. She touches his nose with his pointy finger when he grabs it.

" Don't go near Sabrina, she is evil." He says, holding her finger gently.

Sage scrunches her nose, pulling her finger out of his hold. She disregards him and everything else, drifting into her own world.

" Hey! You forgot your bag." Hades stumbles in the room with Shawn's bag.

He gives Sage a goofy smile before slumping on the bed, beside Shawn.

" Your family is pretty dramatic I tell you." Hades rolls his eyes.

" A dramatic family is still better than a family of rapists and criminals." Shawn slaps back, a glare supporting his words.

Hades disregards him, knowing Shawn will kick he out if he picks a fight with him.

" So now what?" He mutters.

" Now, I'll get my sister treated so she can kick her bastard husband out of her life, legally." Shawn smiles at Hades.

" Hey!" Enrique says, peeking his head in the room.

" Hi." Hades whines, hiding his face in the pillows.

" I've talked to my fellow doctor friends, we can take Sage tomorrow for the examinations. And I was thinking that I'll begin her treatment from tomorrow too." Enrique says, leaning against the wall.

" You?" Hades scoffs.

" Yes, unlike you I went to school for years and got a degree which can be used to help people." Enrique snaps at Hades.

" Who told you that you're going to be her therapist?" Shawn cuts their argument.

" Who else can it be?" Enrique let's out a little chuckle.

" Anyone but you." Shawn says.

" Why? I won't even charge you. Therapy is expensive as fuck, Shawn." Enrique screams, scaring Sage.

Sage winces, flinching back at his screams. She hides her face in her pillow, shifting close to Shawn.

" I don't care about the expenses, Enrique. You can't be her therapist because you're competing with Hades here, you'll make yourself appear better in her mind and I don't want anyone to play with Sage's mind for their own reasons." Shawn growls, hugging Sage.

" No! I'm a professional, I won't do that." Enrique protests.

" I agree with Shawn." Hades smiles at Enrique.

" Really? Tell me honestly, would you not try to hide your deeds from her during the treatment?" Shawn's question has Enrique silent.

He looks at Sage and then sighs. He knew Shawn was right, Enrique would try his best to give reasons to his mistakes so Sage can forgive him if he became her therapist and he knew that too.

" Who is going to be then?" Enrique sighs.

" A friend of mine."