Chapter 24 (Redemption or Not?......)

"You're waking up now Maeve...."

"In 3,2,1. Snap" the therapist said

Maeve opened her eyes slowly and began to look around. She tried to get up but discovered that she was tied to the chair. They had to tie her up for fear that she was going to wake up as Keres. That personality would probably fry them all.

"What's this?" She asked frightened

"What are you doing to me?! Let me go!"

"Keres! Keres help me, please help me!" She screamed

"No.... We are not going to hurt you" Nikolay said getting in front of the therapist

"Nikolay?" Maeve asked

"Yes, that's me" he said staring into her eyes. They looked different and he was sure she wasn't Keres or Sally

"Why am I here?" Maeve asked

"To right the wrong" Grace said

"Detective Grace? What happened to your face?" Maeve asked surprised to see her face bandaged

"Keres happened" Grace said smiling

"Oh no, I'm so sorry. I couldn't stop it" Maeve said

"That's okay, but you can stop this from happening again in the future" Grace said

"How?" Maeve asked

"By letting go of Keres" Grace said

"What do you mean? I'm not holding onto her" Maeve said

"Yes you are"

"Do you remember what you said immediately you discovered you were tied up?" Grace asked

"You asked for Keres" she said

"I..... I did say that" Maeve said

"Yes, and Keres is using that as a leverage against you" Grace said

"So, what do I do?" Maeve asked

"She's the only one who can protect me" she added

"That's wrong" Orlando said

"We can protect you now" he added

"What am I supposed to do then?" Maeve asked

"You created Keres right?" The therapist asked

"Yes, I did but Keres created Sally" Maeve said

"That means if you let go of Keres, Sally leaves too" the therapist said

"Keres is too strong because she has Sally backing her up. There is no way I can make her disappear" Maeve said

"That is what you think, but if you are able to reach out to her and persuade her that you no longer need her then she will willingly leave and of course Sally's going to go with her" the therapist said

"Willingly leave?!" Keres' voice rang out

"Oh my God!" Grace jumped

"I'm sorry" Maeve said

"Maeve....." Grace said and made to touch her

"Don't be sorry! I'm going to kill all of them!" Keres shouted again and made to break out of the handcuffs used to hold her down

"Oh my God! What do we do?" Grace asked turning to Ian

Ian kept mute and turned around sadly

"Don't just be quite say something!" Nikolay said pushing Ian

"Don't worry, I've got this" the therapist said and sat in front of Maeve who was going back and forth with her doubles

"Listen to the sound of my voice Maeve"

"You can hear me Maeve. Now you are going to sleep and when you sleep you will meet with Keres and Sally. Try your best to convince them to leave"

"You're sleeping in 3,2,1" the therapist said and by the snap of her fingers Maeve fell asleep

"No, I can't watch this" Ian said and left with Nikolay following from behind

"Dude what the hell is your problem?" Nikolay asked

"What's my problem?" Ian asked

"Yeah" Nikolay said

"My problem is you guys telling Maeve that she doesn't need Keres and Sally no more when you all know that she has been the one protecting her all these while" Ian said

"Ian...." Nikolay said

"You guys are treating her this way because she's just a mere double right? Just a personality Maeve built?" Ian asked

"But you see that double is my friend and I love her!" Ian said and hit the car

"Ian....." Nikolay called again

"I'm not going to sit and watch you guys tell Maeve to make Keres disappear"

"I'm not going to pretend like I'm fine with you guys doing this" Ian said

"You know why? Because I'm not Keres or Sally who pretends so that everyone else can be happy and then leaves herself in sadness because it's that sadness that has turned her into what she is now" he added

"The only thing she had ever prioritized was Maeve's welfare and now because she wants to kill your stupid Father she suddenly becomes useless huh?" He said and walked to the car and drove off. Ian was the only one who was against Keres killing and at the same time against them getting rid of her. He knew she made Sally and he unknowingly developed a sense of friendship with them. Not Maeve. She was never there. Just hiding like a scared little cat. Nikolay too saw reason with his claims but the truth was Keres wasn't going to stop if they didn't make her. He walked back inside to see how they were progressing

"Maeve, can you hear me?" The therapist asked

"Yes, I can hear you" Maeve's voice rang out

"Good, can you see Keres?" The therapist asked

"Yes, I can" Maeve said

"Sally wants to know your name" she added

"I'm Doc. Ivy" Ivy said

"Nice name" Sally's voice rang out

"Sally!" Nikolay called and rushed towards her. Her personality was what attracted him to them. It was her he loved.

"Don't go too close, we don't want to break the connection" Doc. Ivy said

"Hello Nikolay" Sally said

"Hey" Nikolay said smiling

"Why bother smiling, she can't see you. Her eyes are closed" Orlando whispered

"Ian?" Sally called

"He's not here. He just left but he isn't mad or anything" Nikolay said

"He's definitely mad. Tell him I'm saying goodbye though" she said

"Sally, where's Keres?" Ivy asked

"She doesn't want to talk to you. She hates therapists" Sally said

"Tell her that we can be friends" Ivy said

"She says if you want to end up like Grace then you should continue bugging her" Sally said

"Gosh, I'm tired of being a media for the two of you" Sally said

"Sally?" Ivy called

"Yeah?" Sally answered

"Can I speak to Maeve?" She requested

"Go on" Maeve said

"I'll break the link between you and I now and you have to create a link with just you and Keres. Convince her to leave" Ivy said

"I'm breaking the link in 3,2,1" Ivy said and snapped her fingers

There was silence as Maeve didn't make any move at all again

"They are in her mind, right?" Grace said

"I hope this goes well" she added

Trying to get Keres to leave on her own accord was proving difficult as expected

"Are you done using your dog?!" Keres asked

"Your dog doesn't have it's teeth to bite anymore and you're done with it?! You want to throw it away?!" She asked angrily

"No, Keres please listen to me" Maeve said begging her

"I'm not throwing you away"

"Not after everything you have ever done for me. I can't do that because I have a conscience" she added

"So, I'm the one without the conscience huh?" Keres asked

"That's not what I mean" Maeve started

"Look, from the very first day I created you you gave more meaning to my life"

"You helped me walk down the streets of Candida with my head high and when I was kidnapped you took all those harsh treatment for me"

"You even gave me a new friend, Sally and it has been amazing being with you two"

"But Keres, I don't want you to kill" she said

"I want you to have peace and nothing more. You said you were going to do only the things I wanted and now you're going against that promise. I don't want you to kill Diego. He is a bad man all right, but his case is for the law to handle and not us"

"Please Keres can't you do what I want just this last time?" Maeve requested

"What do you want?" Keres asked

"Keres, I'm grateful for everything and I mean everything" Maeve said

"But now Keres, I'm ready to protect myself" she added

"You've got to be kidding me" Keres said

"You know nothing about protecting yourself!" She said

"I do"

"Now that you have taught me" Maeve said

"Keres, I'm asking and not ordering. Please before things get out of hand. Please leave" Maeve said

"In the long run, you still ask me to leave" Keres said

"After everything" she added

"No, Keres it's not like that. I just want to live my life now by myself being around people that I love" Maeve said

"People like who? Nikolay?" Keres asked

"Maeve, your obsession with him is getting on my nerves" she said

"See? This is why I'm asking you to leave Keres"

"Before, we had so much in common"

"The fact that we were both abused, but now I want to live my life forgetting the past and moving on to the present. And moving on is something I know that you Keres would never do" she added

"Please leave" Maeve said

"I've already left as you can't see Sally anymore" Keres said

"Sally!" Maeve called

"No, you don't get to see her because you're kicking us away" Keres said

"Like I said, I've already left you. You're the one holding onto me" Keres said

"Why? Are you scared something will happen to you once I leave and you wouldn't be able to handle it?" She asked

"No, sorry for holding you back" Maeve said

"Thank you Keres. I'll miss you" Maeve said

"You'll wish you don't. You'll wish no one does" Keres said

"Ah....." Maeve groaned

"You're opening your eyes in 3,21" Ivy snapped her fingers again and Maeve opened her eyes

She could tell it was just her and nothing else pushing her

"Keres?" Ivy asked

"I'm Maeve Evans" she smiled

Three days later Hunter passed away as a result of Cancer. He knew he was going to die anyway and decided to go to jail instead of Maeve. The news of her coming back was a delight to him. He died smiling brightly. Ian didn't have anyone around him again and left after Grace assured him that Diego was going to jail.

"Get in" the Police officer hassled Diego inside the precinct van

"Wait a minute" Diego said and walked up to another man taken away by the Police officers

"William?" He asked

"Oh Diego, didn't think I'll get to see you before I go to prison" William said

"I'm surprised as you are that you're the one taking the blame for Major Johnathan" Diego said

"He was one smart man, placing all the monetary benefits we got under his secretary's name" William explained

"I mean, if he isn't that smart he wouldn't be the Major of North Valley" he added

"See you in twenty five years" he said and walked into the van

"Of course Johnathan, you outsmarted all of us" Diego said

"Hurry up already, jail awaits you!" The Police officer said and pushed him into the van

*

Legend travelled out of the country after her final exams to study abroad. Ray looked back at when they all had fun and laughed together when they were in school and slowly everyone went their separate ways but with the promise to come back together. Diego was going to be out when he hits seventy five but thankfully patched things up with his family, his son especially.

2 years later. Delta High School reunion

"Hey guys!" Ian screamed rushing in

"Ian!" Emma screamed and jumped on him drawing laughter from the students

"Oh, you guys look good" he commented them

"And we are looking good right?" Ray asked showing off his matching ring with Legend

"What?!" Ian exclaimed collapsing on the chair

"I'm as shocked as you are" Sandra said

"Yours is more shocking. You and Oscar?" Legend said

"Even you Oscar?" Ian asked surprised

"Umm, a man's got to make his move" Oscar said

"You're still full of your self" Ian said

"Well, guys I'm really happy for you all" he said

"Ian baby, I'm the only one who's lonely" Emma said making a face

"I see sugar. Want to meet up for dinner tomorrow?" He asked

"Yes!" She said happily

"But I have a girlfriend. If she catches us she'll probably beat you to a pulp" he lied

"Do you really want to still hang out?" He asked

"Go away. You're still so annoying" she said

"Are we all present?" He asked

"No, Nikolay and Sally are yet to come" Ray said

"What?" Ian asked

"We're here" Nikolay said walking in with Maeve hand in hand

She was wearing a dress

"Hey Ian" Nikolay said patting his back

"Sally!" Legend said hugging Maeve

"Hey" Maeve said

"I didn't get the time to apologize to you before so let me apologize now" Legend said

"I'm sorry, Sally" she said

"Apology accepted and it's Maeve not Sally" Maeve corrected and sat down

"Hey Ray" she said

"Looking good sis" Raymond commented

"So, are you two a thing now?" He asked Nikolay

"Yep" Nikolay said and gave Maeve a peck. Ian scoffed at the sight and turned away

"Drinks are on me!" Tristan said suddenly standing up

"Oh his drunk" Frankie said

"Yes babe I'm in front of the eatery. I'm about heading in" Maeve said

She was on a call with Nikolay

"Ok, see you later" she said and ended the call. She saw Ian standing afar

"Hey Ian, what are you doing here?" Maeve asked walking up to him. He was surprised to see her in front of him. Annoyed that behind the same face he laughed and joked with was another person he never met. Someone he didn't like.

"Do I have to take permission from you before going somewhere?" He asked rudely

"No, that's not what I meant" Maeve said

"It's just uncanny that Nikolay and I were coming here and then I met you" she said

"Uncanny?" Ian asked

"Sorry" she said

"Yeah, whatever" Ian said

"Ian, you know this thing you have against me makes me really sad" she said

"We can be friends just the same way you were friends with her" she added

"Her? Is her name now forbidden?" He asked angrily

"Keres, that's her name" he said

"Oh my gosh" Maeve said and moved backwards

"What's wrong?" He asked holding her

"Nothing, I just got dizzy for a second" she said

"Well, I'm sorry but I can't pretend to not have a problem with you. Good day" he said and walked away

Dejectedly, Maeve walked into the eatery and sat down

"Ah...." She sighed and laid her head on the table. Nikolay got into the eatery and looked around for her.

"Knock knock" Nikolay said hitting her table

"Hey babe" he sat down

"What's wrong?" He asked

She slowly lifted her head

"Apparently someone misses me" she said

"Huh?" He asked

"Hey handsome..." Keres said