Sally relaxed a bit as they were finally invited inside. Her breath, which she'd been forcibly controlling up to this point, hitched as she stepped inside; a sea of blue and yellow rounding on her in unsettling unison as her heart stuttered erratically. The colour drained from her face as her head spun, her eyes glassing over just a bit as she gripped the first shoulder she could reach tightly. 

Shaking her head as if her thoughts were an etch-a-sketch, she dismissed the concern that pressed in on her as six pairs of ears all perked up at the sound of her palpitations. "I'm fine," she coughed, "Totally normal stress response. Happens all the time. No..." she huffed softly, "No big deal." 

Gathering her thoughts, Sally straightened herself. Pushing past Christian with a weak smile, she moved to hug Evie... but her heart skipped another beat as Evie shrank away, poignantly moving to hide her face in Jacoby's chest. The poor boy nearly dropped the luggage AGAIN as he instinctively cradled her close.

Sally, hanging her head, sighed heavily as Hiram stepped up to take her elbow. "Come, dear, I'll get you both settled in. We'll figure everything else out in the morning." Glancing up at him, Sally smiled weakly with a nod as she reached back for Sully's hand. Christian sighed. Sal winced. Ely, chuckling, shook his head as Sullivan seemed to freeze... stuck between comforting Sally or Evie.

Ultimately, Sullivan decided to stick with Salena since Evie had a support network. Besides, he hadn't been there all her life... What was one more night? However, he did round on her and gave her a hard look.

"I'd have thought you raised better than that, seeing the way Harvey and Salena took care of you in those movies. Not that I have a right to really say anything, because I know it's a lot to process, but I must say, I'm disappointed. Don't be so quick to judge your friend and turn your back. She's really missed you, and was looking forward to come and see you."

Turning back around, he followed Hiram and Salena, Amelia on their heels with extra pillows and blankets in her hand.

"I'm sorry, Salena. I'm not sure what I thought would happen here..." he admitted as he walked with them.

Hiram turned and walked backward, looking at Sullivan. "You're in a tough spot, little brother. Be easy with Evie. I think you made the right choice in comforting Salena tonight, but, Evie never met you or Matty. Then, to see Salena with you who is supposed to be her father? You have to understand that looks hard for her. Salena was like a sister to her from all Evie told us. It's going to be hard for her."

"Hard or not, she could be less calloused and allow some understanding and explanation before making her judgments. I've seen her scientific studies. To have a mind so geared toward answers and logic be dictated by an emotional response without at least exploring the odds? She's no where near where I would have expected her to be."

"Don't be so cold, brother. There was a time I remember you being led by your heart instead of your brain, or shall we recall your heroin journals?"

Sullivan scoffed and looked away. He knew Hiram was right, but that didn't change the fact that he'd expected Evie to accept Salena at least, instead of deny both of them.

"She hasn't lost her friend. In fact, she's gained her father back if she opens up to that. I at least lost the love of my life at that time that my brain broke." He sighed, he knew he was being harsh. Then again, seeing the pain on Salena's face had hurt him as well. Hiram sighed and turned his back, continuing to lead them.

"She'll come around. Trust me. Just give her time. This is a bit much for all of us if I'm honest. I'm sure for you too." Hiram stopped and pushed open a door. "This is your room for the night... Get settled. Amelia here will have breakfast ready in the morning." Amelia nodded and stepped into the room, prepping the guest bed with extra pillows and blankets for the duo. "If there's anything you need, just ask!" she offered after she'd finished. "I'll be around, or you can call the internal number to ring the servant dorms. One of us will handle whatever it is you seek." She bowed then made her exit as Hiram leaned against the door frame.

"Tomorrow will be a new day... Rest and take care of yourselves. And don't go too hard and yourself, or the girls, Sully. You're here now, make the best of it. We'll figure you out, don't worry. I'm sure Christian won't rest and will have answers. You know he's got ties to every otherkin the realms have to offer. Someone will know something."

Hiram kicked off the door and waved over his shoulder. "Night..."

"Night, and Hiram, thanks." Sullivan sighed, shutting the door behind his brother and looked at Sally. "I'm really sorry... I had hoped this would be better for you... But it could have been much worse. So there's that." He chuckled.

Sally was quiet for a long time... almost too quiet. It felt unnerving. Hiram could hear her heart skip every few beats as she tiptoed down the hallway behind them, and yet she never made so much as a single sound. Her face was blank... cold, almost... her eyes distant. Even as the others departed and she settled into the bed, she didn't even sigh. 

"It's what I expected," she admitted with an affect so flat that it made Sully frown. This was so unlike her. Had Evie's reaction really effected her this much? Forcing a smile, she finally met his gaze. "She's smart as a whip... sharper than a scalpal. But she got ALL her mother's emotion... and half a helping of yours from what I understand. She's young, and impulsive, and nearly as sensitive as Sal... I would say." 

As she mentioned his brother, her gaze wavered ever so slightly... and suddenly Sully understood. 

For all her talk about how smart he and Evelia were... Sully saw just how short Sally sold herself in comparison. She'd been thrown into a world that shouldn't exist with no warning and no safety net. And rather than spend any normative amount of time processing or adjusting ... she was instinctively shielding from and for Sal. It was a lot of effort for someone unaccustomed to the need, and yet... with barely a frown of concentration, Sally took to the habit like water... as fluidly as she dove into everything in their world. 

"I mean... let's be honest... even despite the age difference, I DID kind of break friend rule number one. That would be a capital betrayal in ANY situation. And ours is... well... I would say ours is worse," she shrugged and smirked. "I'm not changing anything... and as awful as I'm sure it is, I can't say that I regret it. But... I definitely understand her needing time. And space. And don't you DARE go making a fucking physics joke.," she quipped. 

Breathing soft and slowly, Sally kicked her shoes off in one corner, removing her gloves and shaking her hair loose in a cascade of pins. "You packed our bags... can you fetch my foxglove, please. It'll be faster. And I'm afraid speed is of some importance at the moment," she glanced over her shoulder shooting him one of 'those' looks. It wasn't awful yet, but she was pushing her boundaries... which quickly seemed like it was going to be a pattern in this family. 

As Sully unpacked for her, Sally slipped out of her dress... making a point to coyly ignore his presence as she shimmied into something more comfortable in full view. "I find it very interesting that in a house of this size your brother just assumes we only require one room," she smirked playfully, "Do I smell that strongly of vanilla bourbon?" 

Sullivan chuckled. "I'm not certain, dear... But I'm sure it's the way you're already looking at me, and calling me love, that has him assuming." Sully waved his hand as a knock came to the door.

"Um, Master Sullivan?" an older gentleman's voice called out. Sully, not recognizing it, raised a brow and moved to the door. Opening it slightly, he peeked through the crack. "Yeeeeees?"

"Wow, I didn't believe them, but damned if they weren't telling the truth! You brought me here when I was a wee little kid. I remember you dying. That was a hard time in my life."

"Vincent?"

"Um, yeah... I grew up a bit. Sorry." The man-child looked down at his feet as nerves kicked in.

"Holy shit. How long ago did I die?"

"Um, about twenty years, sir."

Sullivan blinked and shook his head. "That really explains a lot, but damn is it hard to wrap my head around twenty years of missed progress..."

Looking back, he smiled. "You seem like life has treated you pretty well, Vincent."

"Yeah, I have your brothers and you to thank for that. I appreciate it. OH! I, um...  I have a special delivery for you!"

Sullivan opened the door and noticed the stand up piano on rollers in the hallway. "Master Christian said he'd expect you would want it to wind down. Mentioned you probably wouldn't be getting much sleep over the next few days and how music always calmed you down. So, where do you want us to put it?"

Sully chuckled softly and smiled, "Give me just a moment..."

Turning into the room he looked at Salena, who'd already hidden herself beneath the covers. Chuckling, he swung the door open and pointed to the far wall. "Over there will be fine, Vincent, thank you."

Sullivan stepped out of the way and allowed Vincent and the other man he didn't know to wheel the piano through. Once set up and off the dolly, the men bowed their heads and made way out of the room, leaving Sully and Sally to worry about themselves. "Sleep well, if you can, Master Sullivan. It's good to see you again."

"You as well, Vincent," Sullivan called out as he shut the door behind him. Turning to Salena, he could see the look on her face.

"No... No, they aren't all like us. Most are human. However, Christian really does have a soft side he keeps hidden. All of the staff of the house, were orphans due to something of an otherkin nature. Children affected by things like us with no where to go but the asylum or repressing their experiences and living in a fearful, non-believing and confused state for the rest of their lives. Here, they can live in the knowledge that what happened to them was true... Here, they know that we offer them protection and benefits. Once they are of age, we help them go to college and further education... Or, if they so choose, they can stay on and work until they so choose otherwise. Some even help us hunt those of our kind that would seek to destroy the balance. Like Carlisle..."

He smiled. "They are better equipped than even most of the hunters. At lest, they were. I don't know how far the hunters have advanced in twenty years..." Sullivan frowned at that thought. What if they weren't the apex hunters anymore? Maybe that's why the family was in hiding? Or maybe it was something entirely that had sent them underground. As it was when one of them "died". He'd figure that all out the next day.

Moving to the piano, he sat down at it and played a few notes, then ran both a minor and a major scales. Satisfied with the instrument's upkeep, he closed the cover and spun to face Salena.

"Maybe, just maybe, neither of us sleep tonight, hmm?" he jested as he removed his suit jacket, then his shirt, and crawled onto the bed. "Maybe, I don't wait two weeks before unbridled desire sets in and I can't control myself?" He inched closer, his lips near hers. "Maybe... I need a release from this stress of being in this home with my family?" He grinned and kissed her hard. "What do you think, hmm?"

Sally, already starving from a life of imposed fragility, needed no prodding. "Maybe I don't want you to control yourself," she purred back, grinning like the cheshire cat as she kissed him just as fervently. There was no question. The look in her eyes said she'd HAPPILY risk it for one night with him. But, as her heart... in a racket... skipped a beat, his words from the night before echoed in her head - 'I can't hold another love while she dies in my arms'. And suddenly, for the first time that she could remember, Sally felt a frigid fear slip silently into her bones. 

Breathless and shivering, she shoved away from him, her mismatched eyes troubled and conflicted... and afraid. For the first time in her whole life, she was afraid of dying. And that terrified her to her core. 

"Sully," her voice came out heavy with regret and longing, "I..." 

She paused for a long moment. What the fuck did she even SAY? She wanted him so badly. And yet, she was so afraid. Afraid of hurting him... again. The heart in her chest beat like a drum as she stared at him... worried and torn. 

"I..." 

Her voice hitched as she struggled to find the words. 

Caught halfway between laughing and crying... she did both. A sniffling chuckle that perfectly summed up the pathetic irony of her predicament. 

"I'm scared." 

The words were tiny, a susurrant, forced whisper as glanced up at him. 

"I've never been scared before. But you... you make me... afraid of dying. And at the same time... my worst fear... since last night... is dying without ever having you," she chuckled as she sniffled... suddenly hating everything for a split second. 

Shooting him a forlorn smirk, her fingers traced the lines of dark ink that decorated his skin as she inched just a little closer. "If it was just me, I'd risk it in a heartbeat... no pun intended. If it was just me I'd say it's a GLORIOUS way to go. But... you... I can't risk putting you through that. Not again. It's like..." she paused for a minute, trailing soft kisses up his chest to his neck, "It's like I'm dying of thirst, but the water is poison. Like I'm suffocating, but if I breathe my lungs'll burst. It's like... your lips are morphine and I could happily overdose, but then I'd never get to kiss you again. So I'm stuck in hell, wishing on every sin like a morning star just to be holy." 

Chuckling, she shook her head... what the actual fuck was wrong with her? That was pathetic. And embarrassing. And... fucking gothic in its poetic melancholy. 

Scared or not, she didn't want to live like that. The glint in her eyes shifted, shimmering as her thoughts twisted and turned. Shaking her head again, she grinned wickedly, "Although... it's a hell of a feeling to fuck the life outta someone. ...or so I've been told." She winked and coaxed him closer, "You've been to heaven. So... you know the way, right? Can you show me?" She grinned coyly, biting her lip as she leaned in to kiss him again. "I don't want to go with anyone else." 

Sullivan nodded, understanding her worry.

"If it makes you feel better, this may be the best house to die in!" He chuckled. "But yes, I'm certain I've been to Heaven... And I know I've been to Hell. I'll take you to either place you'd like to go."

He winked. "I suppose we will see how this goes, hmm? Forgive me, it's been a few years and I might be out of practice." He snerked softly before reaching over her and killing the lights and trailing kisses down, down, into the darkness, and vanishing beneath the sheets. The morning would probably come quicker than they imagined... If he didn't kill her in the process.