[center][hr] [b][u]Persephone[/u][/b] Persephone watched her brother leave and sighed. The living room she stood in connected to the kitchen. She strode into the kitchen and out the sliding back door. It creaked eerily but she paid no mind to it. Her gaze flicked around. The backyard was tidy and fenced in. Around the boarder of it all were a variety of perennial plants. She recognized lilies, daisies, and tulips. The last one were her favorites. Her mother used to buy her tulips for her birthday every year. A pang shot through her. What would she do without her mother? It was too odd. Her head began to pulse and she gripped the sides gently with her thin fingers. It shocked her to know that her brother had taken her out of the psychiatric unit. She thought he would have left her there... [i]"Persephone[/i] ...."the voice she had been hearing since their parent's death, returned. She jumped out of her skin and looked around with wide eyes. Where was it coming from? She circled around the yard, trying to find the source of it. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, except the plants and bugs. Clearly the voice wasn't coming from the bugs. There was no way that group of bees or the caterpillar nearby were speaking to her. "[i]Persephone[/i]...." She smoothed her hair around her face which was drenched in sweat. If Xavier saw or knew she was hearing voices again, he would flip and send her back to the psych ward. Quickly she ran inside, glancing to see her siblings were still outside. She shut the bathroom down, after running around trying to find it, and shut it tight. Persephone scampered to the shower and fumbled with the faucets. It didn't matter she had nothing to change into. She bit her lip and watched the water rush out of the shower nozzle. Persephone stripped down and hastily jumped into the shower. At first it was silent until.... [i]"You can't run. You can't hide. We're here[/i]..." Persephone clutched her head and sank to the bottom of the tub, tears filing her eyes. They streamed down her cheeks. She wondered if was hallucinating or was truly schizophrenic as the doctors labeled her. Maybe she was or wasn't. All she knew was the voice were real and she didn't know where they were coming from. Persephone dug her nails into her skin, waiting for the insanity to end. - x - Twenty minutes later, she left the shower. She looked to see new towels had been brought in, courtesy of she presumed Rose or Xavier. There were fresh clothing too. She sighed in relief and thanked God for her privacy. Slowly, as if coming back to life, Persephone readied herself. Once finished, she changed into her knit pullover, tank and light sweatpants with her bunny slippers. A small warmth filled her heart briefly. Xavier knew she loved those slippers and thankfully they had survived. The small gesture of kindness was uplifting. Persephone glanced sideways in the mirror at her deep, grotesque scars and sighed. She hair down to help conceal her them and exited the bathroom. She glanced downstairs to discover Xavier was unpacking their belongings. Further inspection told her that Rose was in the kitchen. Without a sound, she came down the stairs and sat on the landing away from the window. Ever since their parent's death and the glass, she was terrified of being near windows. Seph tensed and then scampered into the kitchen with Rose. Xavier watched her run passed him and sighed. "[b]Careful, alright?[/b]" He called to her and she nodded fervently. She sat on the chair and stared at her sister, managing a vacant smile. "[b]H-h-hey. It smells good[/b]." [hr] [b][u]Xavier[/u][/b] Xavier stared down at Rose. Her statement sounded shady, although her smile seemed trustworthy. He sighed, unsure of what to say or do for her. He wasn't letting it go, though he'd question her later. Rose seemed like glass and he was afraid of shattering her. Deep down, he knew something was inherently wrong that she wouldn't admit. The bruises she had after their parent's deaths told him otherwise from her not witnessing anything. Her statements from it to the police were logical. Still, Xavier caught her skipping up now and then. He decided to change the subject for her sake and stood next her ruffling her hair, as she said: "[b]I just had the great idea of preparing some food. I'm going to go get some out of the car and make some snacks and lemonade in the kitchen. You should show Persephone around the house[/b]." "[b]Alright Blondie. Sounds good[/b]," He looked around the neighbor to spot two girls and one guy staring at them. He grimaced. These people seemed nosy as hell. He didn't need the spectators eying them. They were under enough pressure. He stared for a few seconds and nodded to them, hoping they would leave. Their family, what was left, needed space. What the hell didn't people understand? He tersely looked to Rose, muscles taut with a quivering jaw. "[b]Just go inside. I'll get it right away for you. Make sure Seph isn't doing anything she shouldn't be, alright[/b]?" Xavier quickly found the food bins and carried them inside. He set out the items Rose had spoke of and hoped she'd checked on Seph for him. With a grunt, he continued unpacking. It was easy since he had lifted in high school and vigorously took his anger out during the gym workouts. He sighed and grabbed the girls' suitcases and hauled them inside. After, he grabbed his own and set the all in the living room. He frowned, looking outside, having lost track of Persephone. He had no clue if Rose had even checked on her. Frustration boiled up inside of him and clenched his fists. He couldn't handle taking care of both of the girls. Xavier had only begrudgingly taken her out of the psychiatric unit once her doctors declared her well. He sighed and went upstairs to discover that she was in the bathroom, showering. The sound of the houses' running water was foreign to him and he hadn't been able to locate its' precise noise. He hoped she wasn't engaging in any unfavorable behaviors; then realized all the sharp objects weren't in the house yet. After darting downstairs, he found her ruffle bag with her name on it and grabbed a pair of clothes for her. The black haired-boy ran up to the bathroom while the shower still ran and set them inside fast. He quickly left and came back downstairs. "[b]Okay[/b]," He told himself in a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "[b]Unpack[/b]," As he unpacked, he looked over to find Seph sitting on the landing. One glance at the window sent her scampering across the living room into the kitchen. He bit his lip, knowing the cause of her fear. Still, he needed her not to run. If she fell and hurt himself, he might have a stroke. "[b]Careful[/b]," He called to her, eyes narrowed. A feverish nod answered him. Xavier grunted and continued to unpack and sort their belongings. [hr][/center]