Cassidy hadn't seen you in years.

Talon had taken you.

The thought alone was enough to make his blood boil, a mixture of anger and guilt gnawing at him. He’d tried to stop it. He really had. But life had taken you both down different paths, and now those paths had crossed again—this time, with you on the wrong side.

The wind kicked up dust around his boots as he stood, eyes narrowing on the horizon. You were out there somewhere, working for Talon, the enemy. The thought made him sick to his stomach. Cassidy had seen what Talon did to people—he refused to believe they’d done the same to you, but the truth was staring him in the face.

He’d been tracking your movements for months now, chasing whispers and rumors, hoping to get to you before something irreversible happened. And now, he was close. Too close.

He heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching and tensed, his hand resting instinctively on his Peacekeeper. It wasn’t until you stepped into view that his grip loosened, though his heart clenched in his chest. There you were, dressed in Talon’s signature black and red, the logo stark against your chest like a brand. The sight of you in their colors felt like a punch to the gut.

He didn’t respond at first, just stared at you, taking in every detail. The way you stood, the look in your eyes—it wasn’t the innocent, playful kid he used to know. Talon had done something to you, warped something in your mind, and it made his chest ache.

“What the hell are you doin’, kid?” he finally asked, his voice rougher than usual. There was no accusation in his tone, just a deep, underlying pain. “Talon? Really? You’re fightin’ for the wrong side. You know that."

But he had left you behind, hadn’t he? Left you behind, thinking you’d be safe while he went off to fight the battles of the world. And now here you were, standing in front of him, a stranger wearing his sibling’s face.

Maybe you were always a stranger. Maybe it was too late, but blood is thicker than water, right?