Chapter Four

The next few days passed tensely in the Darlington house. Tristan was in a bad mood with everyone – which actually made me feel less left out than when he was just in a bad mood with me – and nobody was telling me what was going on. Being in the same room with him felt like being in the eye of a hurricane; he was deathly silent and fuming most of the time, like he could snap at any moment. Masochistically, I tried to be in the same room with him as often as possible, because there was something thrilling about the possibility that he might explode at any point.

Gregory and Edwin were going on like everything was normal, but it was clear on their faces that they were strained. Whether this was because of whatever the family had been arguing about, or because of Tristan's volatile mood, or both, I didn't know, but it was adding to the general weight of the household.

Maya was still acting as bitchy to me as ever, but I sometimes caught her biting her lip worriedly as she watched Tristan before seeming to take a deep breath of preparation and going to him, whispering to him and trying to get him to calm down – though it never worked.

The only person who seemed to retain any sense of normalcy was Annabelle. There was a noticeable gravity about her but she didn't seem as weary by the whole thing as Edwin and Gregory, moving fluidly from day to day with me at her side, buoying the whole family up. She finished complicated puzzles for adults in a matter of hours, read regularly, and even once opted to play a game of hide and seek where I was embarrassed to discover that it took me significantly longer to find her than vice versa. I told myself it was because she knew the house better, as it was depressing to think that a six year old was smarter than me.

Whatever was going on, she was concerned about it, but it wasn't her main priority. Annabelle was getting on with her life in a way the others weren't and I had to admire her for it. She gravitated towards me whenever she came into a room opting to sit by me rather than anyone else, and I felt that sense of smug specialness that you feel whenever somebody picks you as their favourite.

I guess the stagnant depression that was filling the house came to a head for Gregory and Edwin after about a week, because when I arrived in the kitchen one morning I found everybody sitting in a similar fashion to when I'd found them arguing, except that there was a free seat beside Annabelle, which she motioned me towards, beaming, as soon as I entered the room.

Awkwardly, and still feeling like an intruder, I lowered myself carefully into the chair and glanced warily from one person to another until I landed on Annabelle's still smiling face.

'Good morning Cody,' Gregory said, but this time he looked at me and smiled too.

'... Morning,' I said tentatively. Why did it feel like they were about to fire me?

'I know you don't know what's been going on lately-' he started, but Tristan cut him off.

'Gregory!' he snapped, and I noticed he used his dad's first name. Still not on great terms then. He looked livid.

'Oh be quiet, Tristan,' Gregory said tersely. 'We all know you're angry, you've done a perfectly good job of showing us, and if you'd listen you'd realise I'm trying to do something about it.'

Mortified, I looked down at the table. I've never been comfortable around my friends when they're getting in trouble with their parents, it's makes me feel simultaneously embarrassed and like defending them. I bit my tongue and didn't look up even when I felt both Tristan and Gregory return their gazes to me.

'Now I know you must be curious, and I promise we'll tell you everything eventually,' Gregory went on, and I looked up to see Tristan shooting a shocked look at his dad, but he said nothing. 'Despite being in the dark you've been wonderful with Annabelle over the past few days,' Gregory continued, and I flushed; praise was the last thing I'd been expecting. Annabelle was smiling so big I thought her face would crack.

'So since it's the weekend,' Edwin cut in excitedly, decidedly more bouncy than he'd been all week, 'Greg and I thought we'd give you the night off!'

I looked at them in surprise; I'd thought I already had nights off. Annabelle went to bed at half eight and after that I was pretty much at a loose end to do what I wanted.

'We want you to go out and do something fun,' Edwin said happily.

I looked at them warily. What could I do? They hadn't given me any money yet, and this was London. One of the most expensive cities in the world. 'I'm not really-' I started, but they cut me off.

'Don't worry about a thing,' Gregory said smoothly, 'you can go with Tristan.'

Great. That sounded like a recipe for tremendous fun if I ever heard one.

'Excuse me?' Tristan asked flatly.

'You were going out with your friends anyway, weren't you?' Gregory asked coolly.

'Actually I was planning to can-'

'Excellent,' his dad interrupted him.

'Hang on a second,' Annabelle demanded, and I looked down at her to see her big grin was gone. 'What's going on here? Why does Cody have to go out with Tristan. He's my friend!'

There was a beat of silence as we all registered this, and Tristan started to smirk.

'Uh,' I said intelligently, because it seemed like I was expected to say something.

'Yes,' Edwin said indulgently, smiling at his daughter. 'And maybe because he's been such a good friend to you, he'll manage to cheer up your grumpy lump of a brother.'

The smirk turned into a scowl.

'Fine,' Annabelle snapped. 'But he still has to play with me today.'

'Of course,' I said quickly. 'I'm all yours.'

So we spent day like we usually did, playing games and eating, while I battled the uneasy possibility that a six year old might have a crush on me.

Although. I mean. At least someone did.

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'Um,' I stuttered uncomfortably as Tristan led the way out to his car. I knew he was only seventeen but for some reason he had both a driving licence (presumably fake) and a vehicle. I have a legitimate driving licence in California and my parents won't even buy me a pushbike. 'I don't have ID or anything,'

As soon as Annabelle was in bed – still grumpy about the fact that I'd be spending time with Tristan and his friends instead of sitting on my ass in the living room watching TV like I did every other night – I'd bolted up to my room to try and figure out what to wear. I'd been so angsty when I'd packed that of course I hadn't thought to include anything that might help me pass for eighteen and get me into a club. Riffling through my as-yet-unpacked suitcase, I'd finally settled on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a red and black check shirt. I tried to mess with my hair to make it do something other than resemble the Jersey Shore guys but the best I could do was a messy, bed-head look and I sighed at my uncooperative reflection before throwing on my jacket and trundling down the stairs. Tristan was waiting for me in the living room impatiently wearing dark fat man pants and a grey cardigan, and I felt immediately over-dressed. What did his friends do for fun? Nap?

'It's taken care of,' Tristan said now, remotely unlocking his car and tossing me a piece of plastic, which I barely caught. I looked down at it to see it was an ID card, which stated that my name was Alex Young, that I was nineteen, and British.

'I can't do a British accent!' I cried. 'They'll catch me straight away!'

Tristan sat into the driver's seat and I followed suit in the passenger side. 'Try,' he suggested, starting the car. 'Say something in an English accent.'

'Um,' I stuttered again. 'Like what?'

'Say your name is Alex Young and you're nineteen.'

I cleared my throat and glanced at him uncertainly before attempting it. '"Oi'm Alex Young and Oi'm nointeen'," I tried, and glanced at him again. He looked at me in outright shock before laughing.

'That was awful!'

'Well you try and American accent then!' I snapped, pocketing the sure-to-be-useless ID.

'"Uh, hey. I'm Cody James. I think you're looking for me'," Tristan said in a flawless impersonation of the first thing I'd ever said to him.

I scowled. 'Whatever. I didn't think we got to use real-life inspiration. Here, I'll try again. "Hi, I'm Tristan Darlington, I'm a complete asshole." How was that?'

Tristan looked at me even though he was supposed to be driving, but just like the last time I'd been in a car with him, the car itself seemed to know more about driving than he did. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't seem especially put out by what I'd said, and I stubbornly refused to apologise.

'Better,' he said, and I caught him trying to hide his smirk.

We reached a more built-up area pretty quickly; Tristan pulled into a high-rise car-park and we walked in companionable enough silence to a bar. I clutched the fake ID nervously as we walked, but in the end it turned out I didn't even need it; the guy on the door obviously knew Tristan and he waved us in without bothering to check.

'You knew that would happen,' I accused him once we were inside.

'I did,' he admitted, smirking again.

I looked around as he led us to the bar. I'd been in places like this at home – during the day, I mean. I might be able to pass for eighteen or nineteen here, but I can't pass for twenty-one. It was all polished chrome, blue under-lighting, minimalist fittings.

'Where are your friends?' I asked, sitting on a barstool next to Tristan as he raised a hand to get the attention of the bartender.

'Where I wish I was,' he said bluntly. 'At home in bed.'

I cringed. 'I thought you were coming out with them tonight?'

'So did I.' He didn't offer any further explanation and, remembering the mood he'd been in all week, I didn't ask. 'Instead, I'm going to get completely pissed and forget everything that's happened this week,' he said, grinning, but it was cynical.

'Oh.' Drunk I could do. 'Okay.'

The bartender finally made her way to us – seeing as the bar was pretty deserted anyway – and smiled, her gaze lingering a little longer on Tristan than on me.

I wasn't even mad. He was a ten. I'm a seven on a good day.

'What can I get for you?' she asked, slinging a towel over her shoulder.

'Double vodka, and keep them coming,' Tristan said flatly.

'Bad day?'

'Bad week.'

'I know the feeling. And what about you sweetheart?' she turned her attention to me. I assumed my best Tristan pose and tried for a British accent in case she asked to check my ID, 'Same, please.'

She snorted. 'What was that accent?!' she demanded, thinking it was a joke. Tristan shook his head beside me.

'He's American,' he said flatly. 'An actor. Trying to get his accents right for a role he's got coming up.'

'Ooh, really?!' she asked excitedly, seemingly in no hurry to get us our drinks. 'What's your name? Have I seen you in anything?'

'Cody James,' I said nonchalantly in my own accent. 'I've been in a few things in the States, but only a handful came out over here. I had a small part in the last Twilight film.'

She all but had a spastic attack. 'Are you serious?! Oh my god! Did you have a speaking part?! I'll have to watch it again. My friend Milly is going to absolutely shit when I tell her. Can I get your autograph?!'

I smiled serenely, fully aware that Tristan was staring at me. 'Sure. Who shall I make it out to?'

'Cassie Downes,' she said, thrusting a napkin at me. 'I'm so going to IMDB you when I get home tonight.'

She wandered away to get our drinks while I signed the napkin. 'Great,' Tristan said sarcastically. 'So basically I can never come back here because she'll attack me about why you lied to her.'

'You started it,' I muttered, drawing a little heart after my name happily. Maybe I should be an actor. I could get used to this sort of attention.

'Here you go,' Cassie gushed, pushing our drinks at us. 'On the house, since you're famous.'

'Thank you, Cassie,' I smiled. 'And this is for you.' I gave her back the napkin. She looked at it delightedly before folding it reverently and putting it in her pocket.

'If you guys want anything else don't hesitate to ask,' she beamed, and lingered for a second before moving away.

So all I have to do to get more attention from girls than Tristan is be famous. Simples.

'Twilight?' he hissed once she was out of earshot. 'Really?'

'Shut up, I was awesome. She would totally sleep with me now if I asked.'

Tristan looked at me sceptically. 'Cody,' he said longsufferingly, 'you are so gay you practically radiate rainbows.'

I gasped, shocked. 'I'm not that gay,' I protested. 'Most people don't even know until I tell them!'

Tristan just rolled his eyes and downed his drink, motioning for another. I followed suit, trying to keep up with him, but soon he'd practically lapped me. He held his drink well but true to his word he seemed determined to get "pissed" so I figured it might be up to me to drive us home and slowed down, eventually just ordering a Coke and sipping from it as Tristan consumed a gallon of vodka.

'So I guess you're pretty curious about what's been going on?' he asked eventually. He wasn't slurring his words or falling over, but I knew he was pretty drunk. Drunk enough to come clean?

I shrugged. 'You know me. I can't go a few hours without snooping through your family's personal things.'

He snorted and took another drink. 'I told you you wouldn't find anything.'

I looked down. 'I found out about Kaley,' I said softly, raising my eyes to look at him warily.

He studied me for a second, then tilted his head in concession. 'You found out her name,' he corrected me.

'Are you going to tell me what happened to her?'

He looked at, smiling wryly. 'Try me again in a few drinks' time,' he suggested.

'Well you have to tell me something,' I said impatiently. 'I feel like I'm walking on eggshells the whole time in case I say the wrong thing, because anything I say could be the wrong thing.'

Tristan sighed and took another drink. I knew I was getting to him and he eventually rolled his eyes. 'Whatever. You probably won't remember this in the morning anyway.' I didn't bother pointing out that it would likely be the other way around. 'Kaley is our sister; mine and Annabelle's.'

This wasn't exactly new information, but I kept my mouth shut.

'About seven years ago, just after we brought Belle home from the hospital,' it was the first time I'd heard him call her Belle, 'Kaley went missing. Or at least, that's what we thought for a while. She was always wandering off, I mean she was thirteen, and sometimes she'd stay at a friend's place and not come home for a few days but she always turned up eventually.

'Then, just when we were starting to get worried, we got a letter.' He paused, obviously trying to collect himself.

'From her?' I whispered.

'No. From the people who took her.'

I felt my whole body go chill. 'What?' I whispered, but he either didn't hear me or chose to ignore me.

'They told us not to bother looking for her, or them, because we wouldn't find anything. They wanted – needed – her for something. The girls in our family...' he trailed off. 'They're different.'

I remembered what Annabelle had told me. 'Special?'

'Yeah.'

'So... What's going on now? Is it to do with Kaley?'

'Yes. They've made contact with us again, they sent another letter.'

'Her kidnappers?!'

'Yes. They're coming back to London.'

I frowned. 'To give her back?'

Tristan smiled wryly and shook his head. 'No. She's about to turn twenty-one, she'll be at her most powerful then. They plan to keep her.'

'Then why did they send that letter? To taunt you?'

'Partly,' Tristan said bitterly, and I knew from his voice that this was one of the points over which he and Gregory disagreed. 'And as a – a "courtesy", they called it. They know we'll know as soon as she steps foot in London and they warned us not to try anything.'

I shook my head, trying to make sense of what he was telling me. He seemed to be answering some questions and giving me hundreds more in their place.

'Why won't Gregory do anything?!' I demanded. 'Why don't you tell the police, make the airports watch out for her?!'

Tristan shook his head, smiling wryly. 'There are some pieces of this puzzle that you don't get to know, Cody,' he told me. 'But none of that would help. There are... Extenuating circumstances.'

'But you have to do something,' I said desperately. 'You can't just let them bring her back to London and not try to get her back!'

Tristan looked at me. 'Where have you been the last week? That's what I've been trying to convince Gregory to let me do.'

'What's wrong with him?!' I demanded.

Tristan shrugged one shoulder, sighing and taking another drink. 'I imagine he has a plan of some sort; Kaley was always his little girl, he won't let this go unchecked. But until he lets me in on it and I can't take it for granted that it's going to work.'

'So what are you doing?'

Tristan shook his head. 'I don't know yet,' he admitted quietly.

We sat in silence for a few moments; it was pretty clear he wasn't going to be volunteering any more information. So, obviously, I decided to ask.

'You said... The girls in your family...?' I started tentatively, and he nodded. 'You're related to Maya, aren't you?'

Tristan laughed. 'God no. That would be awkward considering how she feels about me.' He shook his head, amused. 'But she is Gregory's niece,' he added.

'So Gregory's not your...?'

Tristan shook his head. 'What, did you think Edwin birthed me or something?'

'No! No, I just, thought you might be related to one of them.'

He shook his head. 'No, neither of them. We're all adopted.'

'But you all look so alike!'

'We're related to each other,' he clarified. 'Just not to Gregory or Edwin.'

'So who are your real parents?'

He shrugged. 'I've never met them. I know my mother is... Like Belle and Kaley. But basically whenever she gets pregnant she calls up Gregory and Edwin and they set the adoption process in motion.'

'But why?'

'It's complicated.'

'Do you all have the same dad?'

'As far as I know.'

'You should look them up on Facebook,' I advised. 'My friend Eric found his half-brother through Facebook.'

'Sure, I'll get right on that.'

I scowled. 'Why are only the girls in your family special?' I demanded, changing the subject.

'That was a poor way of explaining it,' Tristan admitted, scratching his head. 'Our whole family is... "Special". The girls are just a little more special than the rest of us.'

'So I'm the only normal person in the house then?' I grumbled.

Tristan smiled enigmatically at me and sipped from his drink, saying nothing.

'Whatever,' I muttered. 'I don't have to be special to know that this whole Kaley thing is bullshit. Waiting around and doing nothing is stupid. You should do something. I could help.'

Tristan looked at me with the same enigmatic smile. 'Oh,' he said simply. 'You wouldn't be here if you couldn't help.'

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A/N: Ive changed the actor who plays Cody to Brenton Thwaites. Pic on the side :)