Nicole could not remember the last time she'd felt this helpless. She'd been able to do nothing but sit there with her daughters once Hikaru had run off, and from what she could gather from sounds, and the look on Sora's face when he showed up, it was not a good situation. And then Hikaru had all but disappeared. After what they had been through together, Nicole had been rather worried about him.
And then he had returned, along with Reiko. Nicole had smelled them coming, and had met them outside. She hadn't said a word, and neither had they, but the vampire hugged the man, whispering to him as she did so, "Thank you, for being strong enough to do what I never could." She didn't say anything else, as the thanks for helping her deliver was unneeded.
And so two months had passed. Nicole had learned what had happened, which only made her more angry with herself, but moreover, she was mourning. In the end, her mother had truly been there for her. Had she not, Nicole would have died. Had Hikaru not come along, she would have died. She sighed. It was over, it was done, and there was no sense in wishing she could change it. She sat back down, Naya in her arms. The child was asleep, with Reiko being held by her name sake. Nicole smiled slightly. Hikaru might think that no one knew he called her daughters Nana and Rei-chan, but their mother knew. She'd taken to calling her daughter Rei, anyhow, if only to differentiate between the two. Naya fussed slightly, and with a slight shake of her head, Nicole stood back up.
"These two just refuse to sit still."
Sora had been relieved when he came back to see that Nicole was fine, holding his newborn daughters who were also healthy. The following morning, it felt empty, cold, as if something were missing from their lives, at least to Sora. And it felt like that for two months that followed. He had occupied himself mainly with taking care of his daughters, making sure they were safe and occasionally leaving them with Hikaru. When he did, he often left to be by himself, trying to enlist the help of people he knew, and had connections with to see if he could find where Shizuka had been taken. No one could find even a trace of her, not a scent, hair, anything. It was as if she had vanished completely from the planet, and Sora's heart continued to drop.
The only anchors he had were the ones his family created. Without them, Sora wasn't sure what might have happened. He took to Shizuka's departure a little more subtle than his brother, whom he was sure through his facade that there was something wrong with Hikaru. He tried asking, tried talking to him, but every time Sora drew near, Hikaru would chase him off. It hurt. Every time Hikaru chased him off, Sora felt his own heart breaking even more, and it hurt him to see his brother that way. He had written to his mother, detailing the events of what happened, and it was only through her that Hikaru could be reached. So, he left his brother to his mother. Winter was upon them again, and they had returned to the estate in Romania.
He glanced over towards Nicole, who stood up and muttered something. He smiled softly, standing and walking towards Nicole and took Naya from her hands. "It's because their mother is as well," he stated, smiling and rubbing his nose against Naya's. The young child giggled slightly, hand shooting out to grab a lock of blue strands and yanked on it, causing Sora to yelp slightly. He laughed nervously before turning to his mother, asking if she'd watch the twins while he spoke with Nicole. "We need to talk," were the only words he spoke when he pulled Nicole along by her hands.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there," he spoke, pulling Nicole to him and embracing her once they were outside. "I should have been there for you, but..." he paused, his eyes sinking into a low gaze, breathing softly over her head.
Nicole had been about to warn Sora when he put his down next to Naya, the girl had shown before to be a hair-puller. Alas, she was too late, and she laughed softly when Sora yelped. She raised her eyebrows, however, when he said they needed to talk, handing the girl to her grandmother. She let out a soft sigh when he apologized, and she pulled away slightly, looking up at him. "Hey, what happened that night was not your fault. If not for my mother and Hikaru, yes, I probably would be dead right now, and my father would have run away with our daughters, but he didn't, and he's dead Sora. You have been there for me in every way possible. Sometimes you just can't be there. But you're here now, and that's what matters."
Sora sighed, shaking his head lightly. "Still, it doesn't matter. I should have still been there. If I had..." he paused. What would have happened? He wasn't entirely sure how she had been taken in the first place, but none of that mattered. What mattered was that he had failed to protect her, again. "I'm sorry," he apologized once more, though this time, there was a light laugh to follow it. He shouldn't be thinking these things. He should be grateful that Nicole and his daughters were alive, even if he wasn't the one to have saved them. Nicole was right, as long as they were alive and well, it shouldn't matter. He sighed softly.
"I think my brother is mad at me," he stated softly, a sad smile crossing his features. Though he wasn't entirely sure why Hikaru was mad at him, he could only assume it had something to do with Shizuka's departure. He couldn't understand... well maybe he could. But Hikaru had never been the sentimental type. When it came to his family, Hikaru never hesitated, however; he did. When he had seen it was she who had attacked Sora, Hikaru hadn't moved, made no effort to attack her. And Sora was worried about the behavior his brother was showing as of late.
Nicole sighed through her nose, contemplating the situation. Hikaru had been extremely distant from everyone, even Reiko, aside from his nieces. From what she was able to get out of Sora, Shizuka had attacked him, unable to stop herself, and had agreed to leave with Esaias in order to protect them. She had also said I love you, apparently this directed at Hikaru directly. Hikaru had also hesitated when he had come across the situation, and from what she had seen earlier, when he literaly ripped her father limb from limb, hesitation was not apart of his nature. She pursed her lips.
"No, I don't think Hikaru is mad at you. I think...I think he may be mad at himself. He's confused, and he doesn't understand what he's feeling. I mean, my God, the man killed a Pure Blood, helped me give birth, and then lost his friend who had attacked his brother. I don't think there are many people in this whole world who can go through that and not get some type of emotional scarring. Just give him some time." She sighed slightly, knowing that Hikaru's hesitation to attack Shizuka had been bothering him as well, so she added, "And think of it this way: If it were me being controlled by Esaias, and I attacked Hikaru, would you have attacked and possibly even killed me? It's not an easy decision, especially when you're caught between saving your brother and destroying the one you love."
"I don't think he was expecting her to declare she loved him," he muttered, recalling the incident. Her eyes, her tears, every thing she had expressed in those last few minutes had been sincere; it had been the truth. "When it comes to love, Hikaru's a cynic, and he has every right to be. He even said I was crazy," he air quoted, signaling it wasn't quite what Hikaru said, but fairly close, "for loving you. But you're right, we'll just have to let him be for now. I just worry about him," he stated, wrapping Nicole back up into his arms. Not everyone could be as lucky as him, or at least that is what Sora thought as he kept his grip on Nicole, afraid to let her go.
Nicole inhaled his scent as he embraced her again. She smiled, turning her head to look up at him. "You silly man. You worry about everything."
And then he had returned, along with Reiko. Nicole had smelled them coming, and had met them outside. She hadn't said a word, and neither had they, but the vampire hugged the man, whispering to him as she did so, "Thank you, for being strong enough to do what I never could." She didn't say anything else, as the thanks for helping her deliver was unneeded.
And so two months had passed. Nicole had learned what had happened, which only made her more angry with herself, but moreover, she was mourning. In the end, her mother had truly been there for her. Had she not, Nicole would have died. Had Hikaru not come along, she would have died. She sighed. It was over, it was done, and there was no sense in wishing she could change it. She sat back down, Naya in her arms. The child was asleep, with Reiko being held by her name sake. Nicole smiled slightly. Hikaru might think that no one knew he called her daughters Nana and Rei-chan, but their mother knew. She'd taken to calling her daughter Rei, anyhow, if only to differentiate between the two. Naya fussed slightly, and with a slight shake of her head, Nicole stood back up.
"These two just refuse to sit still."
Sora had been relieved when he came back to see that Nicole was fine, holding his newborn daughters who were also healthy. The following morning, it felt empty, cold, as if something were missing from their lives, at least to Sora. And it felt like that for two months that followed. He had occupied himself mainly with taking care of his daughters, making sure they were safe and occasionally leaving them with Hikaru. When he did, he often left to be by himself, trying to enlist the help of people he knew, and had connections with to see if he could find where Shizuka had been taken. No one could find even a trace of her, not a scent, hair, anything. It was as if she had vanished completely from the planet, and Sora's heart continued to drop.
The only anchors he had were the ones his family created. Without them, Sora wasn't sure what might have happened. He took to Shizuka's departure a little more subtle than his brother, whom he was sure through his facade that there was something wrong with Hikaru. He tried asking, tried talking to him, but every time Sora drew near, Hikaru would chase him off. It hurt. Every time Hikaru chased him off, Sora felt his own heart breaking even more, and it hurt him to see his brother that way. He had written to his mother, detailing the events of what happened, and it was only through her that Hikaru could be reached. So, he left his brother to his mother. Winter was upon them again, and they had returned to the estate in Romania.
He glanced over towards Nicole, who stood up and muttered something. He smiled softly, standing and walking towards Nicole and took Naya from her hands. "It's because their mother is as well," he stated, smiling and rubbing his nose against Naya's. The young child giggled slightly, hand shooting out to grab a lock of blue strands and yanked on it, causing Sora to yelp slightly. He laughed nervously before turning to his mother, asking if she'd watch the twins while he spoke with Nicole. "We need to talk," were the only words he spoke when he pulled Nicole along by her hands.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there," he spoke, pulling Nicole to him and embracing her once they were outside. "I should have been there for you, but..." he paused, his eyes sinking into a low gaze, breathing softly over her head.
Nicole had been about to warn Sora when he put his down next to Naya, the girl had shown before to be a hair-puller. Alas, she was too late, and she laughed softly when Sora yelped. She raised her eyebrows, however, when he said they needed to talk, handing the girl to her grandmother. She let out a soft sigh when he apologized, and she pulled away slightly, looking up at him. "Hey, what happened that night was not your fault. If not for my mother and Hikaru, yes, I probably would be dead right now, and my father would have run away with our daughters, but he didn't, and he's dead Sora. You have been there for me in every way possible. Sometimes you just can't be there. But you're here now, and that's what matters."
Sora sighed, shaking his head lightly. "Still, it doesn't matter. I should have still been there. If I had..." he paused. What would have happened? He wasn't entirely sure how she had been taken in the first place, but none of that mattered. What mattered was that he had failed to protect her, again. "I'm sorry," he apologized once more, though this time, there was a light laugh to follow it. He shouldn't be thinking these things. He should be grateful that Nicole and his daughters were alive, even if he wasn't the one to have saved them. Nicole was right, as long as they were alive and well, it shouldn't matter. He sighed softly.
"I think my brother is mad at me," he stated softly, a sad smile crossing his features. Though he wasn't entirely sure why Hikaru was mad at him, he could only assume it had something to do with Shizuka's departure. He couldn't understand... well maybe he could. But Hikaru had never been the sentimental type. When it came to his family, Hikaru never hesitated, however; he did. When he had seen it was she who had attacked Sora, Hikaru hadn't moved, made no effort to attack her. And Sora was worried about the behavior his brother was showing as of late.
Nicole sighed through her nose, contemplating the situation. Hikaru had been extremely distant from everyone, even Reiko, aside from his nieces. From what she was able to get out of Sora, Shizuka had attacked him, unable to stop herself, and had agreed to leave with Esaias in order to protect them. She had also said I love you, apparently this directed at Hikaru directly. Hikaru had also hesitated when he had come across the situation, and from what she had seen earlier, when he literaly ripped her father limb from limb, hesitation was not apart of his nature. She pursed her lips.
"No, I don't think Hikaru is mad at you. I think...I think he may be mad at himself. He's confused, and he doesn't understand what he's feeling. I mean, my God, the man killed a Pure Blood, helped me give birth, and then lost his friend who had attacked his brother. I don't think there are many people in this whole world who can go through that and not get some type of emotional scarring. Just give him some time." She sighed slightly, knowing that Hikaru's hesitation to attack Shizuka had been bothering him as well, so she added, "And think of it this way: If it were me being controlled by Esaias, and I attacked Hikaru, would you have attacked and possibly even killed me? It's not an easy decision, especially when you're caught between saving your brother and destroying the one you love."
"I don't think he was expecting her to declare she loved him," he muttered, recalling the incident. Her eyes, her tears, every thing she had expressed in those last few minutes had been sincere; it had been the truth. "When it comes to love, Hikaru's a cynic, and he has every right to be. He even said I was crazy," he air quoted, signaling it wasn't quite what Hikaru said, but fairly close, "for loving you. But you're right, we'll just have to let him be for now. I just worry about him," he stated, wrapping Nicole back up into his arms. Not everyone could be as lucky as him, or at least that is what Sora thought as he kept his grip on Nicole, afraid to let her go.
Nicole inhaled his scent as he embraced her again. She smiled, turning her head to look up at him. "You silly man. You worry about everything."