What Eve Left Behind

Mariah moved closer to James and buried her head against his chest as she continued to cry. "I had a choice James. I could have just gone to Steve, Sam, you, your parents, Nick...I could have told them what was going on and we could have just dealt with it. Just like I had a choice not to fight that guy in the pizza shop. I could have walked away. That baby wasn't just mine...but ours and you never had a choice in what I did and the risk I was putting our baby into. James...you deserve someone better than me."

James gritted his teeth as Mariah moved close into his chest. He listened ot her pour her heart out on what she should have done instead and he felt guilt that he didnt reach out to her. "No, i dont deserve anyone else but you. You're my wife, my best friend and i'll always love you." He said holding her close. "you were trying to protect Steve..no one will fault you for that. Mariah look at me..." he said.

being this clos she could tell James had been in a fight. His eyes weren't as bright as they once were. "i've been keeping secrets too..i've been looking for the man who hurt you." he admitted

Mariah slowly looked up at James and as she did she could tell immediately that he had been in a fight. However the worry about that shifted into even greater worry over what the fact that he was looking for he man that hurt her. She wanted to say something, but she knew it would be pointless. James was going to continue to look for him no matter what she said to him.

"Is that who hurt you?"

James looked to Mariah and rubbed his head in thought. "Funny enough no, still haven't found the guy yet." he said. He wondered if he should tell her who he fought but felt hiding more things from her wasn't a good idea. "You remember that mutant you fought in the subway, could turn into sand?" he asked describing Ibrahim. "Turns out he was looking for me i guess, think i winged him but i got cocky and nearly got buried." He said.

"But i'm alright, just a banged up shoulder...and ankle and my rib hurts pretty good." He smiled. He brushed her hair back trying to keep playing off that everything was fine. "Whenever you left i would head out and go looking for him." he admitted.

Mariah grew quiet as she realized that it must have been James that day in the building who shot Ray. "James, I was working for Ibrahim. He was the one who was blackmailing me. This is such a mess." She was quiet for another moment before speaking again. "I'm going to kill him. I swear to God I am. I will find a way if it is the last thing I do."

She became quiet again as new tears came to her eyes. "Does Sam hate me?"

"no kiddin..small world." James said. He had decided that no matter what else they learned he wasn't going to be upset. Both of them had taken it upon themselves to act in the interest of their friends and family. He looked to Mariah when she swore she would kill Ibrahim. "Just relax Mariah, he's on SHIELD's radar now. If he got to you they have to up their game quite a bit." James said. He had noticed a letter on one of the tables but didnt think to bring it up.

Seeing the new tears he thought of Sam. "I didnt see him out there though to be honest i wasn't looking for him." he said. "I'm sure he's not a fan of you right now but the guy is pretty smart. He would understand..hey if my dad was able to forgive Kylie for nearly killing him and she him for the same i think Sam, your godfather would forgive you." he said truthfully

Mariah became quiet for a while as she tried to calm down. James' presence helped a little, but she was still quite upset and unsure of her future. "Steve lied to me about my mother. After we found out that he was my father he told me that he and my mother were only together once. The truth was that he and my mother engaged in an almost two and a half year affair. He wouldn't tell me anything about her because he told me he didn't know anything. And now I've found out that she actually killed her husband and then killed herself to protect him. How am I supposed to deal with that?"

James winced hearing Steve's truth brought to light. He tried to think of a reason why Steve would lie about being a long relationship with her mother. So he tried to rationalize it in his head like it was his own father...

"He wanted to protect you." He said remembering the day he found out his father and Kylie. Granted it wasn't to the same scale as Mariah's situation. "Not going to try and defend your dad in this but..easier to say it was a one time thing then for him to admit to you taht he was in love with a married woman." he said.

He looked to Mariah when she mentioned that Steve didnt tell her anything about Eve. "What do you mean? Like her personality or how she died? Come to think of it i dont think i saw Steve out there." he said. In fact the building was rather quiet and hushed as rumors began to spread of Steve leaving behind his shield began to circulate. "I'm not going to try and tell you everything will be fine Mariah. Just know that i'll be here for you."

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