[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/hjsFL36.png[/img][/center]
[hr][hr][center][color=a2d9ce]𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟚𝟘, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝕎𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕥𝕠𝕟, 𝔻.ℂ.   / /   ℍ𝕪𝕒𝕥𝕥 ℝ𝕖𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕪 ℍ𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕝   / /   ~𝟙𝟚𝟘𝟘 [/color][/center][hr][hr]

After a morning that was much groggier than usual-- the result of late night drinking, chatter, and a shared couch for a bed-- Callan had eventually managed to stumble back into her typical morning routine. A light headache, which she's almost giddily acknowledged as her first hangover, had since faded as she stood out in the hallway alone. Pacing nervously with her phone in hand, she finally mustered the courage to make the call. 

After a few short rings, the line was picked up. She felt her breath catch in her throat for a moment.

"[color=f7976a]Callan?[/color]" came the familiar voice.

"[color=a2d9ce]Uh... hey, Dom.[/color]"

It wasn't her parents. But baby steps were better than no steps at all.

"[color=f7976a]Oh, so NOW you want to talk?[/color]" She could hear that obnoxious whine in her younger brother's voice as he spoke. The one he used when he was feeling slighted, but trying to act far more upset than he was. Though she felt bad for ignoring him for so long, Callan couldn't help but smile.

"[color=a2d9ce]Sorry, bro. Magic school is hard work. I've been busy.[/color]"

"[color=f7976a]Yeah, like I'm gonna believe that,[/color]" he huffed. He was silent for a moment before adding, "[color=f7976a]I'm glad you called me, though. For a while there I though you might [i]actually[/i] be dead.[/color]"

She sighed. "[color=a2d9ce]I really am sorry. I was super pissed about mom and dad. Didn't really want to talk about it.[/color]"

"[color=f7976a]It's fine. I don't wanna talk about them either. They're being fuckin' assholes.[/color]"

Callan didn't find that funny, but she laughed. "[color=a2d9ce]Ohh, better not let mom hear you,[/color]" she teased.

"[color=f7976a]Yeah, right. They're both at work. Pretty sure they'd disconnect my phone if they overheard me talking to you. They already chewed me out for accepting your friend request on facebook. Spewing some bullshit about how-- er... anyway they're not here. We can talk.[/color]"

Weird. The older they got, the less she and Dom seemed to get along. Mean spirited teasing and insatiable desire to get on each other's nerves was what home was to her. Hearing Don try to be so considerate was... strange. In an endearing sort of way. But also slightly unsettling.

"[color=a2d9ce]Heh. I don't really know what to say,[/color]" she said honestly. Another part of the reason why she hadn't answered him back. Maybe it was the grumpy teenage part of her, but all she [i]wanted[/i] to say was that she was fine and not to worry. But of course, that couldn't be enough.

"[color=f7976a]Well... have you seen the news? All those subnaturals fighting over at that town that got attacked? And apparently, a bunch of 'em are staying at some super fancy hotel in Washington? There was some guy on the news with scars all over his face with time powers and some other girl that can summon these weird shadow things and this crazy red haired chick that can--[/color]"

"[color=a2d9ce]Alright, alright-- yeah, I saw the news, Dom.[/color]"

A pause. "[color=f7976a]And??[/color]"

She knew what he was really asking. She tried to think logically before she answered. Telling Dom that she was involved might make him worry, but... it wasn't like he'd tell anyone. There'd been that picture at the buffet, but whoever snapped it couldn't haven't gotten a good shot of her face from that angle, right? And... maybe it'd be nice to have any least one person back home who knew what was going on. At least one person to worry about her. She smiled sheepishly, leaning up against the wall. "[color=a2d9ce]Super fancy isn't even the half of it.[/color]"

She could practically hear his eyes bugging out of his head before Dom plunged into a stream of questions-- barely pausing for breath. His overactive side got the better of him sometimes. Usually when this happened, Callan used to tell him to shut up or throw a cushion at his head, but instead, she just listened. It was a welcome little slice of home-- not particularly pleasant to listen to, but beggars couldn't be choosers. In any case, it was kind of fun to entertain his eagerness to know more.

She managed to confirm a few of his questions concerning what her classmates had said before sirens suddenly drowned out everything else. She caught sight of the soldiers pouring into the hallway-- barging into rooms while one beelined towards her. 

"[color=a2d9ce]Dom,[/color]" she said, barely audible over fists on doors, blaring sirens, and her brother's excitedly oblivious blabbering, "[color=a2d9ce]Dom! I gotta go![/color]"

"[color=f7976a]What? Now? But--[/color]"

She ended the phone call and shoved it into her pocket before being rushed out into the room where General Brahm was gathering the others. She listened attentively before wide amethyst eyes were drawn towards the icy giant outside.

[hr]

Callan bumped into Siena first as the metal groaned and everything started to tilt sideways. One hand found the edge of a countertop while the other latched onto Siena's hand. "[color=a2d9ce]Hang on![/color]" she screamed, trying to sound as confident as she could with the fear of falling heavy on her mind. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Everyone and everything were sliding towards the back wall. Glass splashed across the scene below her as she desperately watched on, unable to do anything but hang on and pray. A heavy couch raced by, slamming into a pair of soldiers with a grotesque crunch as they abandoned their weapons in an effort to find purchase on the polished marble floor. 

The building lurched once as the structure beneath the penthouse continued to collapse on one side. The movement frightened her and she tightened her grip on the counter top. Too much. The surface immediately crumbled in her hand. Callan cried out as gravity pulled her down. Squeezing her eyes shut, she pulled Siena towards her. The fall was shorter and softer than expected, but she still couldn't bring herself to move until everything was finally still again. Letting go of Siena, she quickly noticed what-- or rather who-- had broken her fall and immediately scrambled to get off of Kusari, and Grant, doing her best to help Siena to her feet in the process. 

[sub]TBC in the Bleeding collab...[/sub]