So what now? (Katydid50 x 5Bulletproof-Marshmellows)

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Seeing his small smile, she couldn't help but return it. Their relationship had so much potential and she was sure that they were just barely tapping into it.

She honestly hoped that her children would be alright without her for a few days. Deserai was usually fine for a day, staying at Aunt Rose's, but after that she had never pushed it. She wouldn't question it too much until then. Nicholas and Grace though.. they were a different story. She knew Grace would take care of her younger siblings but she didn't like putting her in that position. They all seemed alright with Micheal and he loved kids. They should be fine...

Daniel's words pulled her out of her worried state to reality once more. Noticing his gaze decidedly rest on something, she followed it to see a phone on a table. "Yeah, Deserai's probably hopping into bed by now." She smiled at the thought. Of course there were times when she put up a fit, but usually she fell asleep a few minutes afterward.

She smiled a bit as she watched him dial the phone number. "Thank you," she said softly before taking the phone. Bring it up to her ear and she brought herself into a more upright position, waiting for someone to answer. After two long rings she heard someone pick up. She smiled when she realized it was Nicholas.

"Hey Nicholas," she waited a moment for him to realize who it was. "I just wanted to call and check up on all of you. Make sure you weren't giving Micheal a hard time and say good night," she told him before waiting for a response.

The worry on Nicholas' face didn't seem to fade. She knew that he would want to see everything for himself. She didn't blame him though, after all their mother was in the hospital. A small chill ran down her spine. She honestly didn't want to go back there. The sooner her mother came back the better it would be. For all of them.

Running a hand through her hair, she shrugged at his response before she started to go to their bedroom. She missed the apartment. Even if she had had to share a room with Deserai back there, it was still better than this. And she could actually go to school at a more reasonable time. See her friends. Now they were just stuck here in the middle of nowhere.

Hearing the phone ring, she jumped a little. Seeing Nicholas go after it, she frowned, wondering who would be calling at this time. Deciding that he could take care of it, she went into the bedroom and set down her stuff. Deserai was curled up in bed with her favorite kangaroo. She smiled a little at the sight before setting her backpack down at the foot of the bed. At least their was one person in their family that was content and happy. She honestly didn't see anything that could really faze Deserai unless there was a death in the family.

Frowning at that thought, she immediately pushed it out of her mind before turning to the dresser to grab some pajamas and go change in the bathroom. She hoped Micheal wouldn't try to lecture her on the way there.

((Sorry it's not as long as I would have liked it to be,))  

[Katydid50]

Daniel smiled at Elenore's comment about Deserai hopping into bed. He wondered if Nicholas was helping the girl get ready for bed or if the job had fallen to Micheal. Although the man was good with kids, he'd never had to put a little girl to bed before, never mind getting her ready beforehand. Would she put up a fight or would she go easily? He hoped for Micheal's sake that it was the latter.

After handing over the phone, Daniel sat back and watched as she waited for someone to answer on the other line. He knew the moment someone had. Even before she spoke, her face lit up and a smile graced her mouth. It was clear that she loved her children. Even in the unorthodox location, and clothing, she still looked so beautiful. Her love for her children made her even more so, in his eyes. He wished his own mother had been like that but quickly pushed the thought away as unnecessary and unhelpful.


A smile split Nicholas' face when he realized it was his mother on the other end of the phone line. "Mom! Are you alright? Grace said you were but that you were staying there for a while. How long are you going to be there? When are you coming home?" He paused, his mind backtracking to what she had asked him before his barrage of questions. "We're doing alright. Micheal's just gone to put Deserai to bed. He made us spaghetti for supper."


Micheal smiled down at the little figure curled up in bed, already fast asleep. Never in all his days had he ever seen a child fall asleep so fast. Not that he'd had a lot of chances to watch a child fall asleep but still. She looked so cute, one arm wrapped around a stuffed kangaroo. He wondered if a love of Winnie the Pooh had inspired the attachment but didn't consider it too deeply.

He glanced up as Grace entered, setting down her backpack and gathering some pajamas from the dresser. His mind flickered back to something he had overheard at the farmer's market he bought his food from in the country town a few miles away. Something about Rose's niece staying the night with her. He didn't know how things like that managed to get out but he didn't doubt the truth of it. If anything, he was surprised it hadn't happened sooner, what with Grace and Daniel being so, well, alike in their hardheadedness.

When Grace left the room, presumably to change, Micheal followed her out and closed the bedroom door behind him. He didn't want to disturb the adorable little angel if Grace lost her temper with him. "Grace, may I 'ave a word with you?"

When she'd stopped, he said, "I 'eard about you staying the night with your aunt. Do you mind if I ask why?" Before she could answer, he raised his hands. "Now, you don't 'ave to tell me if you don't want to. Would serve me right, after all. Cats and idle curiosity and all that. I was just wondering, thinking I might be able to 'elp sort things out. Daniel's not the best at relating to people, in case you 'adn't noticed." Which, of course, she would have. She was a smart girl.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She smiled a bit more as he said mom. It made her heart swell knowing that they were alright and well fed. Hearing that he had spoekn to Grace, she knew that the girl was back home, despite whatever she may have thought of the place. Grace kept her word. She had never had to doubt it. Not after everything that had happened with her father.

With all the questions coming from her son, she knew that he was worried. "I'm fine sweetie, just a bit tired. Doctors want to keep me here so they can make sure I get the rest that I need. They want to make sure that I'm feeling alright afterward," she told him. "I should be back by the end of the week." She brushed a strand of her red hair back as she spoke. It made her happy that he was calling the place home.

"Did you guys thank him for dinner?" she asked, despite being a single mother and considering how busy she was, she still wanted her children to know about manners. Leaning back against the wall, she listened to his response. "You can tell Deserai that I called tomorrow. Get to bed and I'll give you all a call in the morning," she said softly. "Good night, sleep well. I love you."

After she hung up, she swallowed thickly before letting the phone rest on her lap. Looking over at Daniel, she smiled a little not wanting to get too emotional. She'd probably wake up as early as she usually did. It had been a routine for so long. Get the kids dressed, breakfast, school, and then go to work. Work. She sighed. "I should probably call the office tomorrow and let them know I won't be able to make it." Lowering her head, she hoped that they wouldn't ask too many questions and be alright with it. She couldn't afford to lose her job. There was no way in the world that she'd allow Daniel to go back to fighting.

Walking out of the room quietly, she was just about to reach the bathroom door when she heard Micheal's voice. Her fingers tightened a bit on her clothes and she stopped. She turned to look at him, letting him know that he had her attention. What did he want with her? They didn't even know each other that well. Sure, Aunt Rose got along with him and he stopped by this place every once in a while, it didn't meant she trusted him.

Of course he would bring up her staying at Aunt Rose's. He was asking why... she narrowed her dark brown eyes. When he said it was alright if she didn't tell him, she almost turned around and kept going. It wasn't a pleasant story and the less people that knew about it, the less people would question her about her irritated shoulder.

Hearing the comment about Daniel though kept her her there. She looked at him for a moment longer before her gaze turned to a blank space on the white wall. "I'm sure you know him well enough, but I don't think see how you'll be able to help in this situation," her words were soft. Hearing Nicholas still talking, she glanced over her shoulder. It sounded like he was talking to mom. "I appreciate you trying though," she told him, making sure that he was the only one that heard. With that she returned on her little venture to the bathroom so that she could change.  

[Katydid50]

Nicholas relaxed when he heard his mom say that she was fine. Although he knew she had a tendency to sugar-coat things for him, he doubted this was one of those times. She was in the hospital, after all. "Oh, okay," he said. He brightened when she told him she would be back by the end of the week, then frowned when he realized that it meant she would be staying at the hospital until then. "Okay," he said again, downcast.

In an effort to reassure her they were alright, he told her how Micheal was taking care of them. When she asked if they had thanked the old man for dinner, Nicholas paused and licked his lips. He hesitated, then lowered the phone and called out, "Thanks for supper, Micheal!" A response of 'Not a problem' assured him that the old man had heard. Satisfied, he brought the phone back to his ear. "Yes. I did, anyway."

They didn't talk for much longer, much to Nicholas' disappointment. "Oh, alright," he said quietly. "I love you, too. Feel better." Then she was gone.

With a sigh, Nicholas hung up the phone. Grace and Micheal were talking in the hallway but he slipped past them without eavesdropping and disappeared into his room. After the day they'd had, he just wanted to go to sleep. Tomorrow would come faster that way.


Daniel tried to offer a comforting smile when Elenore finally ended the call. He could see she was upset, though he wasn't sure why. Females were prone to outbursts of emotion, he was told, especially when they were pregnant.

When she mentioned calling the office the next day, he said, "I'll take care of it. Don't worry. Besides, it will sound more serious if someone else calls in for you, like you don't have the strength to do it yourself. Who knows? You might even get some 'Get well' cards." Reaching over, he plucked the phone from her grasp and returned it to its cradle.

A glance at the clock revealed it was getting late. There wasn't much else to do and he was tired after the long day. Plus, Elenore needed to rest. "We'd better get some sleep. Mornings come quickly." That said, he pushed himself to his feet and strode over to the door. A pair of light switches and a dial were installed into the wall next to it. A closer examination showed the dial to be a light dial and a slow turn dimmed the lights. Enough that a person could see, not so bright that they wouldn't be able to sleep. He didn't want to turn them completely off lest people think this room was unoccupied. He'd been caught out that way before.


Micheal was glad that Grace hadn't just ignored him. He'd doubted that would happen but it had been a long day and he knew how moody teenagers could be. When he asked about her staying at her aunt's, he didn't miss the way her eyes narrowed or the way she shifted her weight, as though she wanted to walk away without a word. In the end, though, she stayed.

When she spoke, it wasn't to tell him what had happened. Instead, she doubted him. 'O ye of little faith,' he thought wryly. At her appreciation, he waved away her words. She turned to head into the bathroom but he said, "I think you'd be surprised." Before he could say more, Nicholas called out, thanking him for supper. "Not a problem," he called back before turning his attention back to Grace. "I know how Daniel thinks. Now, I've never been a teenage girl, but I think I could guess pretty accurately how you think, too, and don't go getting your 'ackles raised. It's the truth. You remind me of someone I used to know a long time ago and people, love, are not 'ard to figure out."

Crossing his arms, Micheal leaned sideways against the wall. "So," he said, "why don't you 'umor an old man and tell me what it was Daniel did that drove you out."  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Nicholas hadn't been too happy with the news of her staying here. That made two of them. She had laughed a bit when he told Micheal then that he was grateful for the supper. Better late than never. Their conversation was brief but they were all tired. They all needed rest.

Seeing Daniel's smile after she had hung up, she appreciated that he tried to make her feel better. Upon hearing that he would take care of her job, she gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you," she honestly didn't want to explain the situation to them. They would ask more questions than she was prepared for, despite all her training with Deserai. She laughed a little when he mentioned get well cards. "Perhaps, hopefully they won't fuss over me too much when I come back." She didn't want that kind of attention from her co-workers.

Her eyes followed him as he took the phone and put it back in it's spot. Sleep... to be honest she hoped that he would stay here with her but at the same time it wasn't like they slept bed at home. She hated being in hospitals though and hoped he would make an exception to at least hold her tonight. Lowering her eyes for a moment, she couldn't help but feel a bit weak due to that thought. Since when had she become so needy?

Shaking that thought away, she looked back up at him, the lights in the room were rather dim by now and she didn't know how to break the silence. To tell him to stay. Running her fingers through her hair slowly, she felt butterflies in her stomach. All she had to do was ask...

Just as she was about to leave, he spoke. She sighed. Why did this have to be happening right now? Hearing Nicholas, she let her shoulders slump for a moment before she turned to face him once more. Smirking a little when he said he had never been a teenage girl, she couldn't help but think that Micheal wasn't all that bad.

What he said next put her a bit on edge. She didn't want to be an open book to him. If she already was, she'd have to find a way to close it. He really wasn't giving up though, she'd give him that much. Opening her mouth, she then shut it when Nicholas came by and disappeared into the bedroom. Her eyes went back to Micheal. "If you really want to know, I don't think we should be having this conversation in the hallway," she told him. She wasn't quite sure why she was giving in. Perhaps it was her mother had asked of her. Turning, she headed towards the dining room this time, clothes still in hand. She could change later.

Pulling out a chair when her uninjured arm, she sat down and waited for Micheal to do the same. Looking back at what had happened, it all seemed a bit ridiculous but she didn't regret leaving. She wasn't going to let Daniel become a father figure in her life. "I'm sure you already know that we don't see eye to eye," Grace told him as she placed her forearm on the table. "I was in pain. Daniel wanted to know what was wrong. I refused to tell him, he tried to get the hospital involved. I left." There. Simple as could be. "Let's also get this straight. I am not going to answer any questions about the cause of it. She meant the pain.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel smiled again when Elenore thanked him for offering to handle her work. He didn't mind. After all he'd done in his life, taking care of an accountant was a piece of cake. He tried to lighten the mood about her co-workers sending 'get well' cards but it was only a partial joke. He didn't know any of them but one of them was bound to do it. At her response, he grinned. "Oh, I don't know," he said. "There's bound to be at least one person who makes a fuss. Most places usual have them." Except for Ruggles Inc. That place was so stifled, people were afraid to burp lest they draw attention to themselves.

Getting up, Daniel crossed the room to dim the lights before wandering over to the spare bed. He hesitated, his mind flashing back to the last time he'd been in a hospital bed. His side gave a twinge at the memory, as though the muscles and flesh, too, remembered. But, of course, that was a ridiculous thought and he pushed it away before climbing up and laying down on the bed. He paused, shifted his weight, then sighed. "The beds have gotten comfier since the last time I was here," he said quietly.


Micheal watched the emotions flicker across Grace's face. One moment she was smirking, the next her entire face grew tense and shuttered. It was a fascinating display, one that reminded him of a young Daniel, although he'd been some years older.

Micheal stepped aside, watching as Nicholas trudged past, looking disheartened. Poor thing. This situation with his mother was really eating him up. The boy would probably be asleep by the time Micheal finished his talk with Grace so he would make a point of talking with Nicholas tomorrow morning.

Turning his focus back on Grace, he raised an eyebrow when she said they shouldn't be having that conversation in the hallway. He motioned for her to lead the way before following her into the kitchen where he took a seat across from her at the kitchen table.

Micheal wondered what had caused the young woman before him to run and he hadn't truly expected her to divulge it so easily, but he was more than relieved when she began to speak. At her comment about she and Daniel not seeing eye to eye, he suppressed a grin. That was an understatement, and a very funny one. He knew exactly why the two of them didn't get along and it wasn't because they were too different.

As Grace continued, Micheal's amusement fled. He listened intently, eyes narrowed slightly, thoughtfully. When she finally finished, he sat back and rubbed his whiskered jaw. When she said she wouldn't answer any questions about the cause of her pain, he shrugged. "That's fine by me," he said. "So long as you're not in danger, I'm not worried." He eyed her up and down. She didn't seem to be in any pain now, much to his relief. "It wasn't an abdominal pain, was it? A few years ago, Daniel got this pain in 'is gut that wouldn't go away. Stubborn fool wouldn't let us take 'im to the 'ospital. Ended up, 'is appendix ruptured before 'e let us take 'im." He shook his head at the memory. Oh yes, the two of them were more alike than they cared to admit.

Finally, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "Grace, I know that you don't like Daniel. To be honest, I don't blame you. 'e's a very difficult man to get along with." He raised a finger to ward off any comments that may have been forthcoming. "But, 'e is a good man. 'e also 'ates 'ospitals more than you do so it says a lot about 'ow much 'e was worried about you that 'e was willing to get them involved." He offered a small smile. "Try to keep that in mind. 'e's no fool and 'e doesn't do things without good cause."  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Elenore lay down after a bit. He went to go turn off the lights. Much to her satisfaction, he stayed in the room, taking the spare bed. Pulling the blanket that they had given her up, she then lay on her back, her eyes staring at the ceiling for now. Hearing his words, she looked over at him. When was he here last?

"Hopefully it will make it easier to sleep," she replied before closing her eyes slowly. She heard hear nurses shuffling down the hallway, saying something that she couldn't quite make out. It was going to be a long night. Breathing out slowly, she did her best to relax.

Micheal seemed a bit amused with the situation. He wanted to help.. but she just wanted to get him to leave her alone. Give him a simple story to satisfy his curiosity before going to bed.

She was glad that he agreed to not question her about the pain. There was no way she wanted to get Wolf involved with this, or his family. Now that she thought about it, she was a bit surprised that Leaf didn't say anything to Daniel. They were friends after all... Either way, she was grateful for the silence.

Shaking her head at his question, she then listened to his story about Daniel. Yeah. Hospitals weren't exactly a personal favorite of anyone she knew. He continued though, stating the obvious. Difficult was a bit of an understatement though. Lowering her head when he said that Daniel wouldn't do anything without good cause, she thought darkly, Why did he knock up my mom then? The anger in her eyes faded quickly though, not even showing in her expression. She wouldn't blame the child for what was happening and she knew it wasn't a fair thought. Thinking it in the first place.. well it wasn't like her. She simply wanted to get away from this place.

"That it?" she asked, looking up at Micheal once more, she tightened her fingers around her clothes, getting ready to leave. Sure, he cared about Daniel, she could understand that but when it came to herself, she didn't need another adult breathing down her neck. Her mother was enough authority for her.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel smiled. "One can only hope," he said before a yawn made speaking impossible. He didn't know how much sleep he would get but he would try. He didn't like hospitals -they made him uncomfortable- but at least, this time, he wasn't the patient and the nurses couldn't do anything weird to him. "Goodnight," he murmured, closing his eyes and waiting for sleep to claim him.


Grace didn't give much of a reaction to anything Micheal said. He studied her carefully but her expression gave away nothing. He hoped that some of what he'd said would sink in but he wasn't about to hold his breath. Daniel, in his younger years, had been even more stubborn than Grace. Micheal just hoped Grace wouldn't shoot him, too.

When she asked if that was it, he hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, probably is," he said. "If I think of anything more, I'll let you know." He shot her a grin, hoping she would know that he was only joking. Pushing himself to his feet, he stretched and said, "Well, I don't know about you, but I've 'ad a long day. Think I'll turn in for the night. Sleep well, Grace, and try not to judge Daniel too 'arshly. You two are more alike than you know." That said, he slipped past and wandered into the living room where he knew Daniel had some mattresses stashed. Though he knew he was allowed to, he just couldn't get himself to use the bed. It was probably the idea that Daniel and Elenore had had sex in it that caused his aversion.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

"Good night," she said softly. That ended her first few hours at the hospital.

Grace noticed his hesitation. Well, there really wasn't much he could say that could get to her at the moment. She wanted some sleep and then would think about tomorrow. Daniel would hopefully stay in the hospital while her mother was there. Hearing Micheal's last words, she couldn't him but smirk. Maybe he was right. They were both stubborn and not exactly the loudest people. "Good night," she simply said before getting up and going to the bathroom.

Closing the door, she leaned against it after flicking on the light. No bugs. She was grateful for that. Perhaps they had gone to hibernate for the winter. Grace followed her usual routine of getting ready for bed and checked on her wound. It wasn't puffy anymore. By the time her mother came back it should be healed. The stitches would have to be taken out but she was sure she could do that on her own... Seeing Screech would be nice though, even if she had to deal with Wolf being there.

Sighing, she turned off the light as she left the bathroom and went into the small bedroom that she now resided in to sleep.

The next couple of days weren't that different. Aunt Rose came by to help out around the house. Micheal and her got along quite nicely. Grace couldn't help but feel awkward about it at first but after the first day she got over it. If Rose liked him, he couldn't be that bad. Grace would always go outside or disappear when Daniel showed up. Confrontation was something she was avoiding. She wouldn't doubt the fact that he didn't want to talk to her either.

Nicholas and Deserai got to visit their mom once during the week. Grace stayed behind, Aunt Rose's truck would be too crowded, besides with winter break being here she needed some time away from there. She took the chance to go to the creek. It was frozen by now. She wouldn't be surprised if it started snowing soon.

Waking up the day of her mom finally being home, she had gotten there last the night before, she knew that she was getting ready for work. Sighing, she put a pillow over her head, trying to drown out the sound of pots and pans being moved in the kitchen for breakfast. Without realizing it, she fell back asleep.

Her eyes opened two hours later just before nine. Sighing, Grace rolled out of bed and slowly climbed down the ladder. Her red curls were all over the place. Blowing one out of her face, she went to the bathroom. Thankfully Deserai was still asleep. She usually woke up to her asking tons of questions. It was a bit odd for her not to be awake though...

Not thinking about it too much more, she brushed her teeth and waddled into the kitchen. She definitely wasn't a morning person and it only got worse when she didn't have to wake up for school. Looking around, she grimaced at the eggs. They weren't her favorite. Tugging at her over-sized shirt, she then went to the fridge and started to pull out the bacon and some vegetables. By now she had grown out of the faze when she had hated all green things.  

[Katydid50]

The next few days seemed to drag on but, once they were over, Daniel wondered where the time had gone. He stayed with Elenore in the hospital, only returning to the house to retrieve clean clothing and to freshen up. It didn't escape him that Grace seemed to vanish whenever he showed up. It bothered him just how much that bothered him but Micheal told him not to worry. Not that he had much of a choice. With Elenore in the hospital, he couldn't deal with his issues with Grace. It did ease his mind, though, to know that the kids were getting along with Micheal. Rose's help convinced him that everything would be alright while they were gone.

When Elenore was finally discharged and Daniel brought her home, the kids were overjoyed. At least, Deserai and Nicholas were. Grace seemed more relieved than anything but even that reaction seemed suppressed. When Micheal had initially said Grace was like a younger him, he'd dismissed the idea but he couldn't deny it any longer. The long hours spent in hospital had been spent comparing himself and Grace and he had to admit that his old friend was right, much to his own chagrin.

The first morning Elenore was out of the hospital, Daniel was up extra early. He didn't like her going to work so soon after being discharged but he knew it was a ridiculous feeling. It wasn't as though she'd had surgery or anything. She'd spent the last few days resting. There was no reason for her not to go to work.

It didn't change how he felt, though. He did his best to hide his misgivings, pasting on a smile and urging Elenore to have a good day.

After Elenore left for work, it was just him and Nicholas awake. Grace and Deserai were still asleep, something he knew wasn't a common occurrence. With the kids being on a break, he hadn't expected Grace to get up early but the fact that Deserai was still asleep was a welcome relief.

"So, what now?" Nicholas asked.

Daniel hummed thoughtfully, looking around the kitchen. Leftover eggs remained in the frying pan. He'd leave them for the girls when they finally got up but he had no idea what to do with the boy before him. He glanced out the window. A thin layer of snow had fallen last night, coating the brown grass in white. Not enough for a snowball fight or any proper snow fun. He caught sight of the trees in the distant, standing tall and dark against the white of the snow. He had caught Nicholas staring at the forest on more than one occasion but he was still hesitant to let the children wander with Melk Elish around. Then again, if Daniel was with, and brought Cindy, they should be safe enough.

Two hours later, the two men returned, grinning. Daniel carried his rifle -affectionately called 'Cindy' after the name engraved in the stock- while Nicholas carted a pair of dead rabbits. Their cheeks were flushed from the cold but they chatted and laughed amiably as they stomped the snow from their boots on the front porch before making their way inside.

"And then boom! And I thought it exploded!" Nicholas exclaimed as he set down the rabbits and shrugged off his coat.

Daniel laughed at the boy's blatant excitement. "Well, wouldn't be surprised if it's skull did but I sure hope not. That'll make skinning and cleaning it a whole lot harder," he said as he, too, shed his winter gear.

The pair made their way into the kitchen. Daniel paused when he caught sight of Grace but Nicholas kept going. "Grace! Grace! Look what we caught!" Nicholas said, proudly holding up the rabbits by their back feet. "Daniel shot them! He says he's going to show me how to skin them and we're going to have rabbit stew tonight!"

As much as Daniel enjoyed Nicholas' joy at the hunting trip, he wondered whether his sister would share the same excitement or would be disgusted, both at the dead animals and at Daniel.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Hearing the door open, she glanced through the kitchen to see who it was. Nicholas and Daniel. For once Nicholas was being loud. Sighing, she moved back into the kitchen and pulled out a frying pan. Grace had noticed the rifle in Daniel's hand. Where had it been before? She narrowed her eyes as she pulled out strips of bacon, placing them on the pan. Turning on the burner, she then glanced at the two guys, Nicholas yelling her name. It was good to see him happy but she still was hoping for quiet. Deserai would be up in no time.

And of course she's be running into the kitchen now. Raising an eyebrow while she looked at the rabbits, she couldn't help but think of the forest.. which only made her think of Wolf. "Have fun cleaning that," she mumbled as Deserai ran into her legs, wrapping her arms around them. This wasn't going to be good.

"What is that?" her eyes then widened when she saw it was rabbits. "Why are they not moving?" She looked at Nicholas her fingers stretched out to touch the fur but she stopped midway. Looking up at Daniel with confusion, she then saw the rifle. She couldn't put two and two together quite yet though. "What happened?" Letting go of Grace's legs she then bit her lip.

Hearing the questions, she flipped over the bacon. It was barely browning. "Deserai go brush your teeth," she said interrupting anything they could be explaining to her. She didn't want to deal with Deserai crying over the rabbits right now. Deserai frowned at her but Grace kept her gaze on her until she moved. Grace didn't bother to look at Daniel. Who knew what he wanted to tell Deserai. It was the circle of life? Ha. It would be entertaining to see how he would deal with her little sister refusing to eat anything for the next week.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel eyed Grace warily. She didn't seem too impressed by their catch but neither did she seem to be unnerved or disgusted. Instead, her focus appeared to be locked on Cindy as she calmly laid some bacon in a frying pan. He wasn't upset that she didn't want to eat the breakfast he made -after all, bacon trumped everything- though it did irk him. Food was precious and not to be treated carelessly or taken for granted. His years on the streets had taught him that.

Shifting the rifle to his other arm, he blinked in surprise as Deserai seemed to appear from nowhere, darting between him and Nicholas to clasp Grace's legs. He ignored the older girl's comment about them having fun, knowing it would be a messy and very gory experience. However, he was more concerned about Deserai's reaction to the dead rabbits than to Nicholas' reaction to gutting them. He glanced down at the boy, his own misgivings reflected on Nicholas' face.

Almost immediately, Deserai asked about the rabbits. Daniel watched as Nicholas quickly hid them behind his back, biting the inside of his lip to keep from smiling. But, as Deserai's questions kept coming, the urge to smile vanished like mist in the sun. His mind scrambled frantically to come up with answers to her questions that wouldn't traumatize her. What would Elenore say? Actually, she wouldn't have had to say anything because she wouldn't have brought the rabbits inside where Deserai could see them. "Umm..."

Before Daniel could give more of an answer, Grace told her younger sister to go brush her teeth. He held his breath, hoping Deserai would do as she was told. For a moment, it looked like the little girl would resist but a stern, steadfast look from Grace sent the girl from the room. As soon as Deserai left the kitchen, Daniel released a relieved sigh. They would have to deal with Deserai's questions sooner or later but he preferred later, preferably when Elenore was home.

"Nicholas, I've got some rope behind the house, near some tools. Can you go get it?" Daniel paused, then added, "Better bring the rabbits with you."

When the boy had left, Daniel turned to Grace. "Thanks for that," he said. "I have no idea what I would have told her."  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Daniel had looked quite uncomfortable in the situation and Nicholas desperately tried to hide the dead animals. For now she had managed to get Deserai to leave but who knew what would happen when the girl brought it up again. She'd let them deal with it then. Hopefully their mom would be back as well by the time that happened.

She raised an eyebrow when Daniel told Nicholas to go get some supplies. Why had they bounded so quickly? It irritated her a bit. Everyone seemed to be settling down. Liking it here. She wanted to go back to the city. It was where her life was. One that everyone had quickly left behind. Sure, she had known that Nicholas liked it out in the countryside but she had never thought he would want to stay here. Or that he would like Daniel as much as he did.

Hearing Daniel's thanks, she breathed out. "I wasn't doing it for you," she replied as she placed the lettuce on the wooden cutting board and pulled out a chef knife. Chopping up the lettuce instead of simply cutting a leaf off, she waited for him to leave. Her muscles became tense every time he was in the same room with her. She was sure he understood that they only reason she had stepped foot into this house again was because she couldn't abandon her family. She wouldn't be like her father.

((Wish I had more to write >< ))  

[Katydid50]

Daniel sighed quietly when Grace said she hadn't done it for him. He knew that but he'd hoped, somehow, maybe she had. Apparently not. If she didn't care so much about her sister, he thought she would have left him to handle it just to spite him. Even now, he could see the tension in her. She clearly had a problem with him and he couldn't blame her, all things considered, but he couldn't ignore the irritation that rose up within him every time his efforts at communicating with her were rebuffed, or worse.

"Yeah, I get that," he said as he watched her chop up a lettuce. He didn't know they had lettuce. He'd never liked the stuff. It was rabbit food and he was no rabbit. He reached up to scratch his cheek. "Grace, I know that you don't like me, and I don't blame you. If someone had gotten my mom pregnant..." He faded off. He couldn't go there. His relationship with his mother was the complete opposite of the one Elenore shared with Grace. In all honesty, if someone knocked up his mother, he couldn't have cared less.

"Anyway, I don't blame you for being angry with me but at least I'm trying," he said, trying not to let his annoyance seep into his tone, though he suspected it had. "Nicholas is happy here. Deserai is happy here. Your mother is happy here. I know you prefer the city but you're not even giving this place -or me- a chance."

((That's alright. Uni's sapping my creativity anyway.))  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She could hear his sigh. What did he care if who she had done it for? He wasn't winning her loyalty over, they were practically strangers. He said that he got it but she doubted it. Before they had managed to agree with not getting along. Now he was trying to make things work. Make this place home and have them all be a cute cuddly loving family. Her eyes narrowed

Hearing him mentioned his mother, she waited to hear where he would take it. Was he trying to connect with her on some level? She scoffed when he stopped and went on to say he didn't blame her. Grace could hear that he was starting to become annoyed. That made two of them.

The bacon was starting to burn on one side.

When he said that Nicholas and Deserai were happy here, her fingers tightened around the handle of the knife and she stopped chopping for a moment. "Deserai is happy because she doesn't know any better," she snapped. "Nicholas loves the country. It wasn't that hard to win them over." Anger was seeping in her own voice. "A chance?" she chuckled before shaking her head. Her expression then turned serious and a bit dark when she finally turned to face him, knife still in hand though she didn't realize it. "Why should I give you a chance?"