To what end?

Still frustrated about her family's meeting, Cara set off to a bar for a drink. When they arrived, Blair recognized the place instantly, "The goblin's den?"

Surprised, Cara sharply turned to face her, "you know the goblin's den? That's interesting!"

"It's the first place i visited on my first day in this city!" Blair explained as they approached the bar counter.

The barkeep, Olaf, as expected, stands behind the counter wearing his usual grumpy expression, "how may i help ya' ladies?"

Cara rested her elbow against the counter leaned towards him, "are you playing dumb Olaf? You already know what i want!"

"How can i forget you, my lady? You are the future leader of our kind. I shall serve you your usual!" He responded respectfully unlike his snobbish tone.

When his eyes landed on Blair, he gasped - realization dawns, "the human girl? You've survived? Rumors fly around the city that you are under 'you know who's' protection! So it's true!?" His tone was laced with pure curiousity.

"Like i said, I am not human!" Blair glared.

"Whatever ya' say!"

While Olaf prepare their drink, they found a table near the window and settled. There was a long interminable silence between them before Olaf finally brought two wooden jug sized cups filled with beer.

"I wanted wine!" Cara complained, staring at her cup with displeasure.

"It's the only one we've got my lady!" He explained.

"Stop fucking calling me that!" Cara snapped,

"Arghh!!" She groaned, picking up her cup with force and chugging down the entire beer in a single go, and only put the cup back down when she was done emptying it.

Olaf watched with shock, "it seems you need a refill. Give me a minute!"

Warily, he took Cara's cup and left to refill it.

"You want mine?" Blair asked, staring blankly at her.

Cara laughs weakly, "I am acting like a complete lunatic, aren't i? Well what can I do? family makes one like this!"

Blair scoffed slightly, "why be with something that makes you pathetic?"

Her question was so cold it made Cara laugh hard. Before she responded Blair's question, she took her cup and drank her wine, emptied the cup, placed it back, then let out an exaggerated groan, "because however pathetic they make you feel, they are the ones that love you the most!"

"Love?" Blair scoffed, "I do not know love but I am pretty sure what i saw between you and your parents wasn't it!"

Cara was amused by Blair's comment, "I think I need another drink for this conversation!" She slapped her hand soundly on table and yelled, "Olaf! I need my drink!"

"Here I come my la… I mean, here it is!" He almost had a slip of tongue but managed to twist his words smartly. He kept her refilled cup in front of her and took Blair's cup back with him to refill.

She raises her cup, took a huge swig, and placed it back soundly, "where do i begin? Your question sounded like you have no family!"

"I had people i care about, yes! And i feel they were more a family to me than your parents were to you!" Blair responded in a flat unemotional tone.

Cara pulled a long face, "that was harsh, but true!" She corrected her slouched posture and leaned back on her seat, "I had um, I had a sister you know. She um, she was perfect!" Cara chuckled shortly, "she was kind, smart, and if she were here, she'd make the perfect queen!"

"What happened?" Blair leaned

Cara paused, inhaled deeply, regained her composure, then continued, "I had always been curious about the outside world. We were just kids back then, it was before freedom day. I swam ashore and was spying on the humans that came fishing when i got attacked, I had no idea they were not hunting fishes but sirens!"

Eyes red with tears, she shook her head in regret, took another huge swig of the wine, and continued, "my sister, Kiara, she came to my aid, and when the hunter shot his arrow, it was aimed at me, but then…" her voice tremors, "but then, Kiara she um, she pushed me away and was killed in my stead. She died because of me!"

Anyone could clearly see Cara biting down her tears, she's struggling to remain relaxed, "when our parents found us, the pain they felt, their faces… I hurt them, every single one of my people were hurt when Kiara died. I no longer saw myself as one of them after that incident. So as you already know, i ran away!"

After Cara's story, Blair realized she was mistaken and began to understand the reason behind the dispute that occurred between Cara and her parents.

Cara sniffed, wiping the single painful tear that rolled down her cheek. Her hazel eyes glowed with guilt and regret and the emotions reflected in her voice, "my parents do not hate me, they love me so much. I am the one who cannot live with them, because every second I look at them, I can still see the pain of Kiara's loss in their eyes. I can't possibly hurt them more by reminding them of her! I mean afterall, I killed her."

She fall silent and ducked her head in embarrassment.

"Dying because of someone and dying for someone are two separate things Cara! Your sister died so you could live, so you could be happy and get what you deserved. She saw your love for the outside world and wanted that for you, she gave you a chance to find what you seek. Stop blaming yourself!" Blair consoled.

Her words washed down Cara's resurgent pain, though it's not completely gone, a part of her now feels at ease. She chuckled, "I didn't know you could console people too!"

Blair laughs weakly, "I didn't know I could do that either!" She paused to think, "I guess when you've lost many loved ones, you begin to see pain, feel and understand it, you become one with it. I wish i can tell you it's okay, but i won't, because it's not! So cry if you want to Cara, you have feelings too, and you hurt too. Don't act strong, nobody is asking you to!"

Impressed, Cara chuckles brightly, "these words are already enough, I feel much better now, and i am ready to go back to my family!"

Blair's brows knitted, clearly confused, "your family?"

"Yes, my family!" Cara downed the remaining wine that's left in the cup and sharply stands, "I thought you said family doesn't have to be one by blood? I am not talking about my parents, I'm talking about Damien, Zion, and… you!"

Shocked, Blair sharply looked up at her, "me?"

"Yes, you Blair!" She chuckled, "you are my family now and it's high time we go back home!"

On their way back to the mansion, Cara's words kept spiraling around Blair's head. What does it mean to be family to the people who caused you pain and grave loss?

Simultaneously, as they opened the doors to the mansion, Damien was hurled across the room and fell flat next to their feet.

"What the hell? Damien you okay?" Cara rushed to his aid and pulled him to his feet.

He grunted, jerking his hand out her grasp and, spinning around to face something behind him.

Their eyes followed his movement.

A slender pale lady steps out of the shadow, glaring viciously, and grinning devilishly.

Cara gasped, "No freakin way!"

The woman chuckled, "Hello Cara, miss me?"