TRY AGAIN

Weeks passed by as they were locked up in Xavier's house planning and planning but couldn't get anything. Autumn put in little effort as he could. He still wanted to keep his distance from whatever decision they would make. It was all just a back and forth between Zia and Evan screaming about how important it was to save Walter. Xavier gave up countless times to put an end to their screaming contest. Ashley, on the other hand, never took her eyes off Autumn. There was something about his silence that was deafening. "You have been quiet." She said, joining him by the pool outside.

Autumn played with his hand in the water, mind drifting like the water's wrinkles, "I just don't want to be a part of all that anymore. It seems like every decision I make just gets us deeper and deeper into trouble. I mean, I am the reason all of this is happening in the first place. I am the reason we are here. The less I do, the more things will work out – hopefully." Ashley sat down next to him, taking his hand out of the water. "When we were little, and mom used to give us these millions of chores to do around the house, I used to complain so much, but you did it. I mean I was older than you, so I guess it was just your childhood phase that made you so willing to do everything an adult told you to. The truth is that you did all that because you didn't know another way. You did it because that is just the type of person you are Autumn. You do what needs to be done despite what outcomes there might be. You can't change that about yourself. You are you, and that makes you an amazing person." Ashley gently rubbed his cheek, just the way his mother used to. "Besides all of their endless fighting about what to do, I know you already know what needs to be done. You're Autumn. You always know."

"We need to start at the beginning. This hopeless rambling is not going to help." Xavier paced up and down with his head on his hand. "Okay if that is gonna help then I guess we start where it all began, with Jacob." Zia glanced up to Ashley, waiting on her to say something. "Okay." She said, shifting herself properly in her seat. "Jacob introduced me to the cult way before all of you. He forced me to join, and after befriending you and Xavier, you guys were set to be claimed. The night of the party was a major mistake. Autumn was never supposed to be in the room. He was never supposed to look for us." Ashley saw the painful look on Autumn's face. "After that, everything was good. Autumn and I broke up, and after a while, he found Evan and I had Annalee." Xavier stated. Evan glanced over to Autumn feeling the memories coming back. "Autumn met me in the library. We were together for as long as I can remember. After Annalee came clean with you guys killing his parents and all the other things, you guys were afraid I would come clean, so you killed me, and that's when Autumn sat the curse or what he thought would save him and me." Autumn could feel his breathing fading away. It was time he came clean. "After Jacob turned me, something died inside of me. Something I wanted back for such a long time. Something I knew I would never get back. I decided that I had to do something about it. I thought I could use Xavier for my plan, but he broke things off before I could completely gain his trust. After that, I tried with you, Zia, but I couldn't because we grew too close. I went searching and searching until I discovered the Stone family. The family known for their curses. That's why I got involved with Evan. I used him to create a curse that would, at the end of the time, set me free, forever. He got too mixed up in it and what he had to do to relieve the curse that he lost his way; hence that is what got him to Walter. He went to look for someone that could help him not knowing who Walter was. The curse let him to Walter, which made Walter drawn to here, to me. The cycle never stopped; the curse was never lifted even though we got our memories back. This was all just a long game of mine that fell apart bit by bit." Autumn realize he stood alone. Everyone was standing on the opposite side of the room beside Ashley. "I tried so much to fix everything that I messed it up more and more. With every option, I would get, I would try to fix everything. After Evan disappeared and all of you, I knew there was no way of fixing this anymore. Walter was bound to cross our roads one time or another. I think Atreus would have made sure of that. I know I have apologized like a million times before, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I fucked up everything for us. I'm sorry we are here. I'm sorry that Walter is in the state he is. I deserve to die and just end this all. End all of your misery." Ashley stepped in front of Autumn, who was seeking their forgiveness. "Don't apologize for being human. Don't apologize because you wanted a way out. We are all human Autumn. Everyone in this room has made mistakes. They killed mom for god sakes, and you still helped them through whatever bullshit they went through or got into." Autumn lowered his head sobbing. "You'll try again. They'll try again. We'll try again, and we'll find a way to get through this. Whether they stand with you or not." Ashley embraced Autumn keeping him in her arms. Zia walked over and put her arms around him. Xavier walked over and embraced him. Evan stood hesitantly watching them. He closed his eyes, sighed and walked up to them. Ashley, Zia and Xavier let go of Autumn leaving him face to face with Evan. "I need him back," Evan whispered as Autumn nodded. Evan moved closer to him, staring at him, picturing them in the garden and hugged him, hugging him as humanly tight. "I'll get him back. I promise." Autumn whispered. "I promise."