February Seventh, Seven Hours Later, 12:07
-
Sally held Ky to her chest, her hands running through her hair. The girl was in shock, her eyes wide and watering as she sat there with her aunt. The rag doll adjusted the blanket over her niece's shoulders, humming a soothing song as she did so. Zero and Scraps lay in a miserable pile at their feet staring at the door, then up at the two.
The soft sound of music from the radio gave little comfort to them as they sat in the living room, sullen and afraid... Afraid of the news that was to come and afraid that news would never come. Scraps raised his head and turned towards the door, Zero lifted an eyelid, glancing at the front door. He shook his head and laid it back down on the feet of his Mistress. Scraps' tail drooped and he curled back into his ball with a whimper.
Her eyes wandered down to her niece's face; her eyes had finally closed and her breathing had evened out. She sighed and gently moved her head onto the couch cushion as she stood. "Zero, Scraps, up." The two dogs obeyed, jumping onto the couch and curling around the sleeping teenager. Zero nuzzled into his Mistress' arms, watching as a small smile tugged at the corners of her paled lips.
Sally moved to the window, pulling the aged curtains from the dirtied window. She stared out into the still world before her. Three, tall lanky forms, blurred by the textured glass, made their way towards the manor. Sally stiffened and moved to the door, thrusting it open. Her feet gently padded against the stairs as she rushed into the arms of her husband.
"Jack, did you-?"
"No, Sally..." Sally froze in his arms, her shoulders drooping. Victor and Sirius shook their heads and patted Jack on the back.
"How is she?" Sirius asked, looking into the house.
"Not well, it's affected her terribly, she hasn't said a word... To think..." She pressed a hand to her mouth and shook her head. "It's not her, Jack... It's..." He patted her back and shook his skull.
"The search group is still out looking, they just sent in new searchers and forced us to come home and take a break," Sirius said, walking into the manor. "I'll just crash on the... Oh, never mind..."
"Victor, go help him find a sleeping bag, he'll stay in your room," Jack said, motioning for the young man to go inside.
"Yes, Jack," he said, nodding and slowly walking into the house. Jack tightened his grip on his wife and led her back into the hall way, softly closing the door behind them. He released a sigh and released Sally to lean in the door way of the family room.
"A diversion... A diversion, that's what it was," Jack murmured, rubbing the ridge of his nose. "We were foolish..."
"Sora?"
"Still out helping, he refused to come back with us. He'll be coming back next shift." He glanced over at the ragdoll, who stood there, twiddling her thumbs. "I found this before I left," he said, holding an object out to her. Sally took it and ran her fingers over it, gently touching the aging paper.
"It's the letter... the one Ky wrote for... his birthday..."
"It must've fallen out of Jeremy's pocket when they took him..."
"Anything of Vanessa's?"
"Not that I've heard... I doubt she had anything on her that would've fallen out..." He rubbed his temples and moaned. "I feel awful..."
"We all do, Jack," Sally whispered, walking into the room. Jack watched her gently tuck the letter into KyRea's hand, brush her bangs back and kiss her forehead. "How will we tell her, Jack? Heaven knows it will only make her worse..." she whispered, gently pulling the glasses off of her niece's face.
"I don't know Sally, I don't know..."
They both froze as a faint knock echoed in the hall. Jack met her gaze, worried that they were about to receive bad news. The Pumpkin King turned and walked back to the door; his hand rested on the knob, afraid to turn it.
It swung open with its expected creak and Jack heaved a sigh of relief. "Junior."
The eleven year old stood there, holding his pillow to his chest and staring up at his uncle. "I came to see Ky..." he said, walking in as Jack stepped to the side.
"She's asleep," Sally said, walking into the hall way. Junior's eye rolled to look at the floor as he rubbed a foot against his ankle.
"I figured... but I wanted to come see if she was okay... can I sleep on the floor?" he asked, walking into the living room. Jack and Sally looked at each other, then back at the little reaper.
"Sure," Jack said. "I'll go get you some blankets." Junior sat by the couch and he stared into his cousin's face, her eyes tight, fists curled and lips quivering as she slept. Zero shuttered and shifted onto his back as Scraps circled at Ky's feet.
He set his head in his hands and watched her roll over, dragging Zero with her. "Junior." He turned at the sound of his uncle's voice, holding several blankets in his hands. Sally stood at his side, holding a mug of cocoa, which the boy readily accepted.
"Thanks, Aunt Sally." Grim Junior rolled out the blankets into a padded mattress and pulled the warmest over his lap. He expected Jack to leave, but instead he pushed his arm chair up next to the couch and sat down. He stared at Ky, his sockets even more empty and hollow looking than usual. "Uncle Jack?"
"Yes, Junior?" he answered, absentmindedly.
"... will she be okay?"
Jack didn't answer for several seconds before looking over at his nephew. "I really don't know..." He stood up and rubbed his neck and sadly shook his skull. "Good night Junior."
"'night..." Junior said, as he looked down into his mug, staring at his chocolate reflection. He sighed and looked over at his cousin again. He blinked, noticing that her eyes were open.
He barely caught her whisper: "Hi."
Junior scrambled to his knees to reach for her hand. "Kaige! I'm so sorry I didn't know that-I couldn't protect by myself-I didn't see-!" Ky pressed a finger to his mouth and her lips formed ‘shhhh.' He nodded and rubbed his eye socket. "I'm sorry..."
The girl pushed herself up, gracefully moving around the dogs. She patted his head, a small, melancholy smile on her lips. "It's okay Junior... none of us knew..." He saw the tears smart her eyes again and began to nibble on his bottom lip. Her hand fell on his shoulder.
"I need your help."
-
VC moaned, her head had the feeling that it was about to explode. "Ugh... Ky? Victor? Jeremy?" she called, trying to gain balance as she stood. She reached out for a wall and shuttered as her fingers brushed cold stone. ‘Where the heck am I?'
"So, you're Vanessa?" She turned to see a girl, not much bigger than her, with electric blond hair that fell past her knees.
"I'd prefer to be called VC," she answered, running her tongue over her fangs.
"Right, my apologies. My name is Maebelle."
"Hi... so... Know where we are?"
"World? No, I can tell you that we're currently in the east wing tower, floor seven, though." VC blinked.
"Uhm... I won't ask." Maebelle laughed, the dainty giggle echoing through the room.
"That's as far as we've gotten out of the tower, out of the tower and straight into the east wing."
"Ah."
The girl got up and knocked on the right hand wall, "Dillon, she's here."
"He's here too," came the reply. VC blinked in confusion and turned to look at Maebelle, who had just paled considerably.
"Who-?"
"They have Jeremy too?" Maebelle croaked, setting a hand over her eyes. "What about-?"
"Not yet... but it's only a matter of time really..." Maebelle shook her head, her blond hair flailing around her head as her face fell into a look of despair.
"Wha-?"
"You, Jeremy and KyRea are all part of a group called ‘Stars'... You and Jeremy are the strongest of the three... now Ky's an easy target... and our only hope now..."
-
Sora pushed the door open, the quiet whisperings of his sister and cousin reaching his ears as he walked in. "What-?!" Junior hissed. "You CAN'T! They'll hurt you if you go! You can't do it-!" Sora stiffened and peeked his head into the room. Junior was on his feet and Ky was on the floor, head tilting down and her face set into a stern look of determination.
"I have to, Junior!" she whispered urgently. She stared up into his sockets as they sant into a look of sorrow and upset.
"But... I don't want you to leave..." Junior whispered, tears welling up inside his sockets as he looked at her. "You're my best friend, Ky." Ky hugged him tightly and he held his tears back as well as he could. She ruffled his tousle of hair.
"You're not leaving." The two froze and turned to face Sora who was standing at the door. Ky flinched at the look of her brother: his hair was messier than usual, dirt was splattered across his face and his expression was grim and stern.
"Sora," Ky whispered, standing up and balancing herself on her cousin. Sora walked over to her, arms folded and stared deeply into her eyes. "Sora..."
"Not without me," he whispered, grinning grimly. "We're in this together, Sis, whether you like it or not."
