Chess

December shook her head, her hair falling over her face. "I don't know," She admitted softly. "If I knew, I would tell you, but I don't. Sometimes I wish I was still---" She began, but she didn't finish. She reached out as if to touch him, but quickly pulled back.
~!!~
Samantha blinked, but nodded. He was acting strange, she thought, but she didn't protest as he pulled her towards the house. Her mind was elsewhere, and she hardly payed attention.
~!!~
Haven glared at him. "You think this is funny?!" She demanded, her voice rising. "She's out there, dying or dead, and you're going to sit here and demand a thank you?!" She yelled. "Well thank you, Benviolio," She said, putting emphasis on his name again. "Now tell me what you know."
~!!~
Draven blinked, and stared down at the boy on his legs as if he had no idea what he was. Laughing in spite of what had just happened, Elianna walked over to them.

"Who's your friend, Draven?" She asked, ignoring his glare.
~!!~
Vivian sighed. "But I can't," She said quietly. "My whole life, I've been the glue that he'd our family together. My parents got along when they were 'planning my future', but other times things just felt wrong. My family already fell apart, but I dont' want to make it worse." She didn't care if she didn't make sense; that was how she felt.

Sergei shook his head. "But when are you going to be the glue that holds yourself together?" He asked. "It isn't your job to keep them together." He said.

~!!~
David looked at Elianna. "I'm David!" He said happily. He hugged Draven's legs tighter. "I'm mister dark and scary's friend!" He looked up at Draven. "Hide me!" He begged again.

~!!~
Benny glared back. "What right do you have to yell at me when all I did was help!?" He demanded. "What happened to manners!?" He demanded. "What happened to respect?" He shouted. "What happened runts like you!?" He demanded. "You want me to tell you what I know?" He asked. "I won't won't. I'm dead, why would I care if people die?" But in truth he did care, he was to angry to give her what she wanted.

~!!~
Cole pushed the door open and held it open for her to enter. "Sammy?" He asked, looking at her sadly.

~!!~
Simon pulled back when he saw her hand. "You should go." He whispered. "MOM!" He called like a helpless child, holding his sister closer.

December stumbled to her feet and nodded, feeling numb. "Right," She said quietly. She turned away after taking one more look at her friend's face, tears blurring her vision. Of course she coudln't comfort him; she was a cold corpse. She didn't even belong here. She walked nextdoor and up to her friend porch. She glanced back at him one last time before walking inside, letting the door fall closed behind her.
~!!~
Haven opened her mouth to let more angry words spill out, but she paused. He was right, much as she hated to admit it. She took a deep breathe, and when she opened her eyes, she began to speak. "Whatever. I'm sorry. Please," She said through gritted teeth. "Tell me what you know."
~!!~
Elianna coudln't help it; she burst out laughing, even as Draven pushed the younger boy away again. "Well, it's nice to meet you, David. I'm Elianna, Mr. Dark and Scary's sister," She said, storing away the name for future use. Draven glared at her.
~!!~
Vivian shook her head. "You're right. I already messed that up," She said quietly, sitting down on the ground and leaning her back against the garage door. "I never argued because I was supposed to be the one that kept things right. If I was doing good in school, then we had something to talk about at dinnertime. If I made the honor roll, then we'd have something to distract ourselves from what we knew was coming." She bit her lip, pausing. "My parents fought a lot," She said quietly. "And I couldn't fix it."
~!!~
Samantha stepped inside, letting go of his hand as she turned back to him. She flinched as she saw the look on his face, and sighed. "Yeah?" She asked, shoving her hands into her pockets and looking at him.

Cole looked down and closed the door. "No, it's nothing." He said, and walked into the kicthen. There was a note on the table. Apparently Tuesday wasn't home at the moment. Cole just ran his fingers over the note. "How close are you to your siblings?" He asked.

~!!~
Sergei shook his head. "No, it isn't your fault." He said touching her cheek. "You did nothing wrong, it was wrong for them to use you like that, maybe if they tried to make you happy instead of themselves they could of have used that to keep themselves from falling apart. " He said softly.

~!!~
David found his way back to clinging to Draven. "Please!" He begged. "She keeps finding me!" He looked at Elianna. "I didn't know he had a sister! I thought that he as an only child because he seemed so lonely!" He said happily.

~!!~
Benny was still glaring. "I know lots of things." He said. "Why should I tell you any of it?" He asked. "Why would I want to tell you anything?" He asked, then he smirked. "I'll tell you that she is still alive, and won't want to leave with you." He said.

Samantha followed him into the kitchen, watching in silence as he touched the note. She looked up at his question, and blinked. She was prepared to lie, then realized she had no need to do so any longer, at least not with him. "I used to be really close to them," She said quietly. "But after...after that night happened, I grew apart from them," She said softly. "I haven't really been close to them for over a year."
~!!~
Vivian shrugged, looking down. "Maybe," She said quietly. "Or maybe if I had been just a little bit better..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "No, you're right," She said, smiling slightly up at him. "Thanks," She said quietly.
~!!~
Elianna smiled slightly, but it was less enthusiastic that time. Draven glared at David. "Get off," He said simply. Elianna sighed.

"You shouldn't waste your time with him," She said to David. "He's just a jerk."
~!!~
Haven glared at him. "You're really testing my patience," She said through gritted teeth. "What do you mean?? If you know she's alive, you know where she is, right?!" She demanded. "Where?"

Benny smirked. "Perhaps I do." He said. "But then again, why would I tell you?" He was smirking widely now. "She is here in town." He said. "Most likely in that man's arms. Espen?" He smirked. He pulled away from the door. And a sudden sad look covered his face and he gave her an address on the other side of the town. "The old Tucker family house, it's on the edge of a farm, can't miss it, it is an old house, built in the 1800s." He said, not caring to mention that that old farm house was where he grew up, or that his last name was Tucker. "No, I'll go with you." He said suddenly, opening the door.

~!!~
David looked up at her. "A jewk?" He asked. "Do you know what a jewk is?" He cried, tears in his eyes. "A jewk is someone who takes your stuff wabbit to set the house on fiwe, just because they don't like your father! A jewk is someone who was willing to kill your mother and himself to get the job done, and wouldn't of have minded of killing you!" He was clinging to Draven again, crying harder. "I don't care, I like Dwaven."

~!!~
Sergei didn't return the smiled. "Viven, you are as best as you can be, if they couldn't except that then they never truly saw you." He whispered, and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. He never perfectly well that if her mother saw this he would be yelled at. But it didn't matter, it was like Viven was a cage bird, and Sergei was determined to pick the lock.

~!!~
Cole didn't look at her. "Tuesday, he needs me, but I can't be there like I use to be. What if I repeat what happened with Rex. I'm an awful brother..." He said as he closed his eyes.

Samantha shook her head, taking a step towards him. "It won't happen again," She said quietly, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Please, Cole," She said quietly. "You're scaring me. Go to sleep," She whispered. "Please, go to sleep."
~!!~
Vivian's cheeks turned pink, but she kissed him back, closing her eyes. Of course, this was the moment her mother chose to pull into the drivway. She steped out of the car, and Vivian pulled back, her cheesk flushed. She stumbled to her feet, but the fuse had been set off. She flinched with each yelled word, and touched Sergei on the arm, saying with no words that he should go.
~!!~
Elianna flinched, and her eyes softened. "David..." She said quietly, but nothing else. She could have sworn she saw her brother's eyes soften in that moment, but as quickly as it was ther,e it was gone. Yet, he didn't push him off this time.
~!!~
Haven blinked, surprised by the sudden talkative attitude. "No,"She said simply. "You're not going with me. No offense, but you'll just get in the way," She said, stepping outside and repeating the address again and again in her mind to remember it.

Benny glared at her. "How can I get in the way when I'm technically not even here?" He asked as he stepped out as well. He glared at the back of her head and kicked the ground slightly, focusing on the ground in front of her. It lifted just enough to trip her. "Offense , by the way." He said, crossing his arms.

~!!~
David kept crying, not hearing Elianna, or even noticing that Draven didn't push him away yet. He was sad, scared and alone. He was only six and he lost everything, he didn't even have a friend.

Michi turned the corner then, and looked at them. She frowned when she saw the small boy crying. "What happened?" She asked.

~!!~
Sergei froze when he heard her mother yelling. Using his hand he touched Vivien's. He knew he was pushing his luck, but he turned slightly, and kissed her cheek. "Remember what I said." He whispered in her ear as he pulled away and turned to leave.

~!!~
Cole turned around ad wrapped his arms around her. "I'll go, but I want to talk to you later." He said softly. "Promise me you'll listen." He said.

Draven just shrugged. "I don't know," He said, but his voice didn't hold as much of the anger or malice it normally did. He sounded confused. "He just said some strange things, then started crying." Elianna was frowning, but said nothing.
~!!~
Samantha nodded. "Of course I'll listen," She said quietly. "I'll always listen," She said quietly. She slowly wrapped her arms around him as well, and didn't pull back right away; she was scared of what might happen when she left him.
~!!~
Vivian nodded, and turned to face her mother, her head held high even as the yelling continued. She didn't even seem to notice Sergei, her eyes only on her daughter, who stared back at her, saying nothing.
~!!~
Haven had just begun to walk when she tripped. She fell flat on her face, then stumbled back to her feet, glaring at him. Her eyes held a strange spark, though. "Another element," She said slowly. She had never met someone who could do what she did. She shook it off, and glared at him. "Don't do that again," She warned, glaring at him, hands clenched into tight fists at her sides as she turend to go again. "Benvolio," She added, saying his name just for an extra stab.

Michi frowned and pulled the boy off of Draven. "What's wrong?" She asked the sobbing boy. "What happened?" She asked, but he just wiggled out of her arms and clung to Draven again. He kept crying.

Michi gave Draven a strange look. "It looks like he wants you."

~!!~
Cole closed his eyes. "You should leave." He said, but held her tighter. He didn't want her to leave. He didn't want to be without her.

~!!~
Benny rolled his eyes. "You say 'another' like you met others. I'm guessing you're one to? Lawrence did seem pretty set on killing you." He said. "Who are you to tell me what to do?" He demanded, and anger rose up in him when she called him Benvolio. Another stone flew pass her head. "Don't call me that." He growled.

"So I see," Draven mumbled, staring down at the boy. He tried to shake him off, but it didn't seem to work. Elianna was staring at Michi now, shaking her head. Things just didn't make sense lately.
~!!~
Haven sent the stone back at him, glaring. "I'll call you whatever I please so long as you are still following me," she said, before turning and beginning to walk again, repeating the address in her mind again.
~!!~
Samantha nodded, but she too didn't move. She finally sighed, and pulled away. She smiled slightly at him, nodding. "Goodnight," She said quietly, though it wasn't night.

Michi closed her eyes. She smiled slightly when she opened her eyes. "Why don't you like him?" She asked.

David pulled back for only for a moment, looking at Michi before he hugged Draven's legs tighter.

~!!~
Benny glared t her again, and followed. "Stupid, no good rat." He mumbled under his breath as he followed. Moments later he was standing in front of his childhood home. The bright red paint had dulled over time and was now sometime like brown, and in the distance he could see that the barn had collapsed. He closed his eyes and remembered living on this farm as a kid. Before Haven could say anything he climbed up the broken steps and looked into the broken windows. It made him sad to think of the farm house in this shape.

He pulled open the door and stepped in. "Coming?" He asked. He took another step when he heard a cracking sound, like he was walking on broken glass. He stepped back and looked down at a fallen picture frame, the picture still inside. Staring back at him from the black and white photo was three boys, they were all standing in front of the house, all smiling. He dropped the frame, he remembered that day, but he wouldn't let himself think about it. He wasn't worried about Haven guessing that that was him in the middle, the picture was to worn to really tell.

Benny looked about the room he was standing in. Most of everything was still here, even the curtains, although they were moth eaten and gave off an awful smell.

"Up stairs." He said. "Their up stairs." He said.

~!!~
"Do I get a goodnight kiss?" Cole suddenly asked, smirking slightly.

Samantha blinked in surprise at the smirk on his face; just moments ago, he had seemed so sad. She simply nodded and reached up, kissing him lightly on the lips. "Goodnight," She whispered again.
~!!~
Haven looked at the old, worndown house and just nodded, walking in after him. She reached down and picked up the photograph. "They must have lived here before," She mumbled, setting it back down on the ground. She wrinkled her nose slighlty at the smell, then started up the stairs as they creaked under her weight. How long had it been since someone had been here, she thought?
~!!~
Draven just blinked. "He'a annoying," He said simply. Elianna resisted the urge to say something, and sighed, walking closer. She smiled slightly at Draven before turning into her own room without another word to him.

Cole was still sad, but he kissed her back. "Goodnight." He whispered softly, and finally walked up the stairs. He paused at the top. "See you later." He said, finally disappearing into his room, but not yet laying down.

~!!~
Espen opened a door. "You know, Haven, I been waiting for you." He said leaning against the door frame.

Benny followed up the stairs a few moments later, and he was glaring at Espen.

~!!~
Michi sighed. "And so are you, but I don't keep you from hugging me." She retorted as the boy's cries finally stopped, he had cried himself to sleep, somehow, still standing up.

Samantha hesitated, looking up the stairs. She was about to go to the door when she felt a sense of worry, and she walked up the stairs, slowly opening the door to his room. She sighed when she saw he wasn't laying down, and walked in, closing the door behind her. She sat down in front of the door, staring at him. "I'm staying here until you sleep," She said simply, folding her arms across her chest.
~!!~
Haven tesned up and took a step back before stopping. "Well, you didn't exactly make yourself easy to find," She spat, glaring at him. "Where is she??" She demanded.
~!!~
Draven didn't respond, just stared down at the boy still on his leg. He didn't know what to do with him now, and looked back at Michi for help.

Michi blinked. "What do you think I can do? He clings to you, Draven, you'll have to learn what to do with him." She said. "I won't be here to pull him off of you." She said pulling the boy off of him, and smiled at his sleeping face. "Do you know where his room is?" She asked.

~!!~
Espen smiled. "She is here." He said. "Somewhere." He smirked and his eyes fell on Benny. "I see you brought a ghost with you." He shook his head. "Haven there was a reason why it was hard for you to find me, but it looks like that ghost helped you.

Benny frowned. "This is the nut job that took that woman?" He asked.

~!!~
Cole looked at her. "What?" He asked. "Why?" He asked. He shook his head. "It doesn't matter, I won't be able to sleep with you here." He said.

Draven shook his head. "No," He said. "He spends most of his time sitting outside mine," He mumbled, gesturing towards his door behind him.
~!!~
Samantha blinked. "And why not?" She asked, trying to keep her voice light, though it didn't really work.
~!!~
Haven glared at him. "Stop playing games!" She shouted. "Where is she?!" She demanded.

Michi frowned. "Where is his mother?" She asked. "She must be worried about him by now." She said softly, glancing around.

~!!~
"Why would I want to have a nightmare when I have a dream right here?" He asked softly, brushing her hair out of her face.

~!!~
Espen smiled again. "Here somewhere." He repeated.

Benny sighed. "I would try the cellar." He said. "It has a lock on the outside, so it would be easy to lock someone in." He just hoped she didn't ask how he knew that.

"For heaven shakes." A female voice came. "I'm not locked up." She said walking up behind Espen.

"From what he said, she's dead," Draven said slowly. He stared down at the small boy again before looking back at Michi.
~!!~
Haven was about to turn around to the cellar when she saw her. She blinked, and then her eyes widened. "What...." She began, then shook her head. "What's going on?"
~!!~
Samantha sighed, standing back up. "Then I'll go," She said quietly. "But you have to sleep."

Cole shook his head, and held her tightly. "No, don't leave yet." He whispered and in the next moment her had her pinned down to the bed and was kissing her neck. "I love you." He whispered in between kisses.

~!!~
Jona said nothing as she wrapped her arms around Espen.

"Isn't it clear?" Benny asked. "She doesn't want to leave." He said simply. "What are you going to do? Make her leave?"

~!!~
"Oh." Michi said softly. "Then where should I take him?" She asked, looking down at the boy.

"But he's..." Haven began. "He's a hunter," She finally managed to say. "He's---he's--Why are you staying with him?" She asked. "I thought he had taken you, since you left Cinder and me alone....she was falling apart...I had to find---find you," She stammered.
~!!~
Draven shrugged, also looking at him. "I don't know where he's been staying here. There's plenty of empty rooms, but I have a feeling that he'll just find his way back here," He said, pointing at his leg.
~!!~
Samantha's eyes widened and a shiver ran down her spine. She gently pushed him away, sitting up and shaking her head. "What are you doing, Cole?" She asked, looking at him, her face revealing none of what she was feeling.

Cole wrapped his arms her waist and pulled her closer, his hands brushing the skin just underneath her shirt. "Sammy I-" He began, kissing her neck again. He laid his head on her shoulder and his breathing became even as he fell asleep.

~!!~
Michi smiled at him, and looked at David in her arms. "I think so too, but where do I put him in the men time?" She asked. "I can't just leave him in the hall." She said.

~!!~
"It doesn't matter if he is a hunter." Benny said. "Me and you are freaks of nature. " He said, crossing his arms.

Jona smiled. "I love him, and I can't do anything for Cinder, she won;t even let me touch her."

"So you'll just leave her?" Haven demanded, her voice rising. "She needs you!" She shouted, ignoring Benny completely. "I can't help her!" She cried, frustration rising in her voice.
~!!~
Draven frowned, then turned around and opened his door. "Just put him in there," He mumbled, looking away now.
~!!~
Samatha's eyes widened, and she was about to push him away again as he fell asleep. She slowly moved out from underneath him, standing up and smoothing down her shirt, shaking her head. She looked at his still form on the bed before turning and opening his door, and leaving.

"But no one can help her!" Jona shouted back. "She is too far gone, I'm not going to sit there is watch her waste away!" She looked away. "No one can help her now."

~!!~
Michi smiled and walked into his one and laid David on Draven's bed. She stepped back out and kissed his cheek. "You're sweeter then you know." She said.

"He's going to hurt you," Haven said suddenly. "He's going to hurt you, and no one will be here to help you." She turned away and walked back down the stairs, her hands clenched into tight fsits at her sides before walking outside.
~!!~
Draven mumbled something and looked away. "Better there than on my leg," Was all he said.