Chapter Text
It is at least 3,600 years old and according to legend, it was used by the High Priest of the Maya when he was performing esoteric rites. It is said that when he willed death with the help of the skull, death invariably followed.
F.A. Mitchell-Hedges, about Crystal Skulls
1926
April 2040
Maui, Hawaii
Cassie couldn't exactly put her finger on it. One minute, Derek was having a good time playing with his son, and then the next minute, his smile vanished and he puts barely any energy into playing with his son. Cassie had noticed this trend in his behavior ever since she got out of the hospital a month ago. Despite the joy Derek felt after healing her, that joy was getting short and short-lived with each passing day. She was going to get to the bottom of this.
After distracting Evan with his favorite Goldfish crackers, Cassie sat down on the couch next to her husband. She didn't want to put him in an awkward spot but it was time to talk about it now before it all came to a head.
"What's going on?" Cassie asked quickly. "What's got you so upset?"
Derek looked at her, avoiding eye contact and looking at the ground. "It's nothing."
Cassie scoffs before looking ahead. "Remember when we were little and we told each other that if we got married, we wouldn't divorce?"
"Yeah, I remember. But that was when we were fourth graders."
"We still pinky swore on it. Well, I've been looking up ways how couples can improve their relationship and I came across one common source: communication. Obviously, something is going on with you and I want you to talk to me about it."
"What difference does it make?"
"D-Man, communication is key. You and I have found dozens of keys over the years so let's focus on the keys to our hearts for a change. Come on, let's talk like a recently married loving couple would."
"There's nothing to talk about."
Cassie sits up. "Hey, there being nothing to talk about is something to talk about. Come on, hubby, talk to me. I really want to know what's got you so upset." If I can throw some ridiculous questions at him, then he'll be forced to answer and I'm hoping he gives an honest answer so we can start something. "Is it me? Is it the fact that I ate the last waffle this morning? Or the fact that I whistle Evan's favorite tune instead of singing it? Or the fact that I got three parking tickets this year alone?"
Derek looked at her. "You got three parking tickets?!"
"I consider that to be an improvement; so far, this year, I have only gotten parking tickets and not speeding tickets."
"Oh my god, even with our son being born you are still a horrible driver."
"Unlike you, I'm working on it."
"I am trying to work on it," Derek suddenly snapped. "I've been trying to work on it for a month now but no matter what ideas I come up with... I..."
Cassie scoots clsoer to him. "What's going on, Derek? What are you trying to work on? I can help you; two is better than one. Do you need help painting? Is it with work or-"
"You almost died," Derek told her, "you almost died. You almost died in the hospital; you were coughing up blood!"
Cassie reels back. "That wasn't your fault; the doctors said that-"
"The doctors didn't know anything? Whatever you had was so rare and unknown to the point that no amount of antibiotics or pills could help you. They gave up on you and decided that you were going to die. That curse from the Confederate gold, I picked up a cursed gold coin and cursed you."
"No, it was the blood from the Lemurians," Cassie rebutted. "I got some blood in my eye and I got the infection from them."
"That makes no sense? The way the doctor described the way your infection was transmitted, how it can't be passed on yet you contracted it from something proves that they didn't know what they were talking about. You were going to die and it took me finding the Golden Fleece to save your life. That gold coin, anyone who took a cursed Confederate coin ended up having their families die of some kind of illness. And then they would die too."
"Derek, you saved me' that's all that matters."
"I shouldn't have had to save you in the first place. I never should've put you in danger." A tear escaped him. "I almost made Evan motherless. I almost made Evan like his grandfather."
"But you didn't; you saved me. I'm grateful for that. Is this the only reason you were kicking yourself around for the past month?"
"I thought about a few things," Derek admitted, "I thought that maybe... you and Evan would be better off if... I..."
"Don't," Cassie quickly shut down. "Don't ever think that shit is okay with me." Her voice increased in volume as she continued to speak. "If you think that Evan and I are going to be better off without you then you are stupid. I'm sorry if I'm using harsh language but it's the truth."
Derek looked at her.
"You think you're a horrible man for believing you put your wife and son in danger for something you're not one hundred percent sure you did and you think that your solution is to abandon them? I'm sorry but if you think that abandoning your family is a good thing then you are an asshole. You made a vow to me so it should mean something. I made a vow to you so it should mean something. You are Evan's father and Evan deserves a father. If you're so worried about leaving because you're a bad person, then why not stay and be a good person?"
"But you two would be alive and well," Derek said softly, "and you wouldn't have to worry about any curse I may have brought on you."
"For better or worse," she reminds him, "in sickness and health, for richer or poor; that's what our favorite Catholic priest told us to repeat when we got married. If you leave right now, then your Golden Fleece adventure will have been for nothing. That promise we made to have Evan live a normal life despite our lives being abnormal won't ever come true." She paused. "What will it take for you to stay?"
Derek couldn't answer on time.
"Evan's birthday," Cassie answered for him. "Evan's birthday is coming up. If nothing happens to me or Evan for the next two weeks, if Evan lives to see his first birthday, then you have to stay. How does that sound?"
Derek looked at Evan before returning his gaze to Cassie. "If you and Evan aren't in any danger by Evan's birthday, then... I'll stay."
Cassie smiled. "Thank you; that's all I ever ask for you. I don't want Evan or me to lose you. Do you promise to stay if we make it to Evan's birthday?"
"I will," Derek vowed. "I promise to stay here and watch him grow up but... this fear is-"
"Of course," Cassie interrupted, "your feelings, they won't go away immediately so we'll work through them. I promise." She carefully wrapped her arms around Derek's shoulders. "Derek, I promise that we'll work through this... together. And if it helps change your mind, I have a dig in South Sudan to go to so you can spend more time with Evan and bond with him."
"Yes," Derek said without hesitating, "I like that idea."
"I promise to come back in one piece."
"Pinky promise?"
"Pinky promise."