Snippet #1215677

Norman wiped his hands on the kitchen towel, scanning the countertops and cabinets for any remaining traces of dirt, to be quite satisfied that there were none. Nodding to himself, he closed his eyes and scanned the house with his other senses. He could make out water rushing through pipes upstairs, as well as two heartbeats and breathing patterns a little closer in another room. The latter was almost definitely Amunet and Derris; he knew of no other pair of people who would choose to sleep in the same room, given that the boy did not yet remember the identity of his sibling.

The water was too far away for him to hear the shower itself, meaning that it was on the third floor, and thus Jasper. Which left Miss Katherine. He'd heard her exit the house earlier, but never come back in. At the time, it had been little cause for concern; she was given to wandering the gardens of the estate, but it was growing quite dark outside now. The old man's mouth set in a determined line as he took the back door out, scanning the area with sharp eyes to try and spot any sign of her.

It took a few minutes, but he did find her, nestled comfortably in a patch of grass beside a tree. The small girl was curled about herself like a feline, chin tucked into her chest, arms bent at the elbow and legs at the knee, making her seem even more petite than she was. In the repose of sleep, he decided, she looked even less a girl of seventeen and even more the fragile child she had once been.

Sighing slightly, the old man stooped to collect her in his arms, and she stirred. "Hn... Daddy?"

He shook his head and shushed her. "No, Kitty, it is only me. Go back to sleep." His heart broke for the slight frown that creased her face, but it soon settled into dreamy contentment once again.

"Okay. I'm glad you're here, Norman." She smiled then, and slipped back into slumber. The old man stood stock-still for a moment, inexplicably warmed by a few simple words, uttered as they were in half-consciousness. His lips quirked slightly upwards, and he carried his charge back to her room with sure, steady strides, laying her atop her four-poster bed before pulling the duvet up about her shoulders. Patting her head gently, he closed the door softly behind him. Now, he ought to get some rest as well. There would be much to do in the coming days, after all.