[ussbansheec] "An Innocent Rose" Part Two
- From: "Moria McEntire" <bansheec@xxxxxxx>
- To: <ussbansheec@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2006 18:15:21 -0400
"An Innocent Rose" Part Two
William Worthington, Briar Rose Esslemont, Emma Frost, Alexandria
Monroe-Frost,
This log takes place 11 years ago
Alexandria smiled as she watched William and the girl take off. She was
about to ask Emma if she wanted to follow them when the blonde held up her
hand. "Don't even think it."
Briar let out a squeal of delight as the wind pushed her dark hair from her
face. "King of the skies!" she cried out in glee.
Opening his lungs, William screetched out a cry of deep joy. He pushed
them higher and faster, soaring up above the roof of the sky scraper.
"Just like eagles," she laughed.
Peering around, William cuddled the little girl tightly to his chest.
"Perhaps we should see about getting you back to firm earth." With that, he
slowly swooped down to the roof garden. He placed her gently on her feet
then winked at her. "Good?"
"Can we do it again?" she beamed.
"Soon, let Em and Lexie make you comfortable first," he said softly.
"That reminds me," Emma said as she and Alexandria came out onto the rood.
"we will have to go shopping."
Briar tilted her head to the side, staring all over to see her womble.
"Shopping?" she asked softly as she approached the blonde woman, still
searching for her toy.
Emma held out the stuffed toy and nodded. "Clothes, toys, and other
children's things. We don't have any here."
Wrapping Wiffunpuff in her arms, Briar rubbed her cheek against him as she
sank down onto one of the benches. "I don't need anything," she whispered.
"I have my orchids and Wiffunpuff."
Alexandria sat beside her and carefully brushed locks of dark hair from her
forehead. "Well, you'll need clothes won't you? And our guest room is rather
grown up and boring. Plus, you'll need things to play with."
"I have Wiffunpuff," she repeated defensively as if they had said she had to
give him up. Hugging the small toy tighter, she shook her head and drew her
knees up under her chin.
Seeing what the problem might be Alexandria smiled softly. "You know just
because you get new things doesn't mean you have to give him up." Leaning
down she whispered. "I still have Skysong, she's a dragon."
Glancing nervously at Emma, Briar leaned very close to Alexandria and
whispered, "A pretty, sad lady gave him to me. He's the only thing truly
mine."
"That makes him extra special." Alexandria whispered back. "So it shall be
his room too. He can help you pick out all your knew things. We could even
get him some things as well."
"He needs a new hat and scarf," she said just as softly. "He used to have
them but Toby Grimsby stole them for his teddybear."
Alexandria nodded her head and smiled. "Then he shall have a new hat and
scarf."
"Can..." the girl blushed gently, sending her cheeks a mix of red and green
blotches, "can I have a doll?"
God, William thought, you can have a thousand dolls if I had anything to do
with it. For a fleeting minute he wished he couldn't imagine what it would
be like for a child to not have a doll but he knew the darkness some were
forced to live and die in. At least Briar was saved it. Now she would have
dollies and teddies and pretty pink sheets on her bed if she wanted.
"Of course you can have a doll." Alexandria replied as she glanced at Emma
but the blonde wasn't there.
"Promise?" Briar asked in a such a small voice it could barely be heard.
Alexandria caressed the girl's cheek. "Promise."
"Will she do until we can get to the store?" Emma asked as she held out doll
in a stain a lace dress with tight blonde curls.
Briar reached forward and took the doll tentatively, holding her in her lap
and stroking her curls. "She's beautiful," she whispered in awe. "What's
her name?"
"Sabrina." Emma answered as she watched the girl hold her doll lovingly.
"Wiffunpuff will protect her and I will be as careful as I can with her,"
she said as she played very carefully with her.
Emma smiled brightly. "Then she is yours to keep."
Alexandria blinked. The doll was the only thing from her childhood Emma had,
that she cared about. The only good memory, and she was giving it to the
child. At the moment, she was falling in love all over again.
"Mine? Really?" Briar glanced up at the colder woman and saw the smile,
felt the warmth she hadn't felt from her before. "Then I don't want any
more toys. I love these two too much."
The child was incredible and both women knew they weren't likely to give her
up or send her to the school as the plan had been, they'd keep her
themselves. "Alright sweetie, but if you ever change your mind just let us
know. Emma has a charge count at FAO."
"FAO..." she whispered, trying to work it out. "What's FAO?"
"FAO Schwarz, the biggest and best toy store on the east coast." Emma
replied. "Alexandria spends hours there."
"Why?"
Alexandria laughed softly. "Even adults like to act like children from time
to time."
"Why?"
"Because we miss being children." Alexandria explained. "Because sometimes
we just wanna be silly. Because it's fun."
Her eyes sparkling in amusement, Briar asked again, "Why?"
Alexandria laughed brightly as she picked the girl up and placed her in her
lap and cuddled her carefully. "Because children are our bright stars who
remind us what's good in life."
Briar had frozen when she was touched, clinging both the doll and Wiffunpuff
to her chest to protect them. "I'm not good," she whispered in a tiny,
scared voice. "Get shown things... get forced to eat..."
Shown things? Alexandria looked up at Emma who shrugged. Then she titled the
girl's head up and looked into her eyes. "You are good, child. You're a
special and sweet little girl who hasn't been allowed to enjoy the innocence
of childhood. I promise you, Briar, you are safe with me and Emma. We won't
force you to eat, we won't treat you badly, we're going to protect you and
take care of you."
"Why?" came the question again, though deeper and more needy.
"Because every little girl deserves to be loved, cared for, and protected."
Emma explained as she sat next to Alexandria and the girl.
Briar bit her lip as she stared down at the two toys in her arms then up at
the two women. "I am not easy to love," she told them honestly. "I am
disobedient."
"All children misbehave." Emma replied. "That does not make you unlovable,
nor a bad child." She smiled again. "When our William was very young he was
always into things he should not be into."
William laughed deeply as he leaned against the wall. "I was my Daddy's
little angel though. Broke his heart when..." he shook his head and ruffled
his feathers.
"When..." she glanced over then up at the women, "what?"
"Sometimes things happen to the ones we love that we can't always explain,
sweetie." Alexandria said carefully.
"Like..." she bit her lip again, "like seeing things that make you sick?
That kind of bad thing?"
William stared over at Emma but nodded. "Yeah, that kinda thing."
"Briar, when your ready you can tell us what happened to you. You can talk
to any of us about anything." Emma said softly.
"I gave him poison ivy," Briar whispered significantly, "because he wanted
me to touch it."
The sky above them began to cloud over.
Unwelcome memories pinched the back of Emma's mind and she pushed them away
again. "Whenever someone tries you hurt you, Briar, or tries to make you do
things like that, things that make you feel bad, you have every right to
give them poison ivy to protect yourself. I want you to come to us if
anything like that ever happens again, ok?"
"It's going to rain," Briar said to avoid the request. "Maybe we should go
in?"
Alexandria blushed. She hadn't meant to do that. She looked up at the sky
and it instantly started to clear.
"Can we still go in..." the girl asked as she slid to her feet and moved to
hide just behind William.
"Of course we can." Alexandria replied. "William can even have dinner with
us if your hungry."
Briar shook her head firmly. She didn't want to eat, not yet. She wanted
to see if they'd let her not eat if she wanted. She needed to make sure
they weren't simply just another orphanage in disguise.
"Ok." Alexandria said as she lead them inside. "We can put dinner of until
you're ready. Are you tried? You could lay down, or just get use to the
place if you'd like. William knows his way around."
"Do..." she glanced over at Emma then back at Alexandria. "Do you have a
greenhouse here?"
Alexandria nodded and held out her hand. "It's small, nothing like my
mother's, but Emma had it made for me."
Again Briar shook her head but this time held up the toys as her excuse. "I
would drop them," she said softly.
"Silly me." Alexandria laughed and then lead the girl to a back corner of
the penthouse. The small room, once a storage area was nothing but windows
and floor. "Most of the planets came from clippings from my mother's
gardens." She walked over to a table full of African Violets. "These are my
favorites."
It was too small, Briar could feel it already. But it smelled perfect and
felt more like home than anything she'd ever felt before. Reaching out one
hand, she brushed the violets and smiled when they tickled a little. "May
I..." she whispered. "Stay here?"
Alexandria nodded. "For as long as you wish and whenever you want."
Briar moved to a bench and curled up on it, her toys still cuddled tightly.
"I will sleep here," she told them all.
"It's a little small." Emma said carefully. "I think you'd be more
comfortable in a bedroom, in a bed, but how about we fix your bedroom up so
you can keep some planets in there as well."
Briar shook her head and curled even tighter. "Here... Please?" she almost
begged, staring up at the colder one with need in her eyes. "They're
singing so sweetly."
Emma looked over at Alexandria who nodded. "Alright, for now."
"But you'll make me leave," Briar said softly and sadly. "Where is it you
would have me sleep? If I must leave here then I will not make you force
me."
William suddenly felt like crap and he had no idea why. This kid was
turning him inside out even worse than she had before. She was so sweet.
"There's a bedroom near our room." Emma explained. "We'd feel better to have
you close by, but until we can redecorate your room so it's comfortable you
can stay here."
Once more Briar shook her head as she stepped meekly up to Emma, her head
bowed. "I will stay where you put me."
"Here is fine, Briar." Emma said softly. "I will have Hoshie come in first
thing tomorrow and we'll start plans for your room. We'll do it anyway you
wish."
"I wish for this," the girl sighed.
"Then we will make sure your bedroom is as close to this as we can get it."
Emma replied. "The space is bigger."
Briar stared around at the warm, alive space and smiled for Emma. "Is there
a bed for Sabrina and one for Wiffunpuff?"
"There will be if you want them." Emma replied.
"He doesn't really need one," the girl explained, "but she does. I don't
want her ruined if I sleep with her in my bed."
Emma smiled, that made sense. "Then I will have a proper bed for her sent
over before bedtime. We can always get one to match your bed later. I'll go
speak with Susan."
Alexandria chuckled as Emma headed out and then turned to look at Briar. "Do
you need anything sweetie?"
One shoulder shrugged then she shook her head again. "I'm fine," she
whispered quickly then almost ran back to her bench where she set the two
toys down to start playing by herself.
William stepped over to Lexie and nodded at Briar. "She gonna be okay?
I've never seen a girl so quiet and meek."
"In time." Alexandria answered as she watched the girl playing. "Sounds as
if she's been through a lot." She could feel the anger again but kept it
smothered. "With time and lots of patience and care, I think she'll be ok."
"This Oscar, can I go and kill him?" he grunted.
"I'm fairly sure Emma's beating you to it." Biting her bottom lip,
Alexandria looked over her shoulder a moment. Emma wouldn't have taken
hearing that well, nor would she react well to it. "Would you mind sticking
around tonight? She knows you, might help to settle her in."
"Sure, Lex, so long as I get one of the omlettes your Henri cooks up, I
don't mind," he chuckled even if his thoughts were back to wripping flesh,
throttling life from sick men.
She chuckled as once again her attention was solely for the child. "You
think he'd fix anything else? Though I must talk to him about using a
replicator for Briar."
Briar was mumbling softly in a language William didn't understand as the
doll and the womble were danced around on the bench. "You've got the
prettiest lil girl I've ever seen there, Lex. I'd be envious if it weren't
for the fact that I'd suck as a parent."
"You did good by her, William. You took an interest and acted for her well
being." The white haired woman put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't
underestimate the size of your heart, cousin."
"It's not the size of my heart that's what's broken in me," he said softly,
"and you know it. It's just me. I couldn't risk it, I couldn't let a kid
grow up with all my bitterness and hate. It's just wrong." Suddenly Briar
let out a bright giggle and William's whole face lit up. "Hear that, Lex?
How could I take that away from her? How could anyone?"
"I don't know, William." Alexandria replied sadly. "I've never been able
figure out how they could have taken it from you."
His mirror eyes seemed to darken like smoke under glass. "You never saw
those creatures, the Keepers. Vile things, so steeped in evil that it
wasn't even possible to be Human in that mine." His wings shuddered as he
realised just how closed in he was. "I gotta get some air," he muttered as
he stomped off.
Alexandria sighed and shook her head. She knew he'd be back when he calmed
down. In a lot of ways he was like her father when it came to needing space.
Which she guessed made sense given their pasts. Not wanting to disturb the
girl's play Alexandria busied herself with feeding and watering the planets.
"The violets need more water than the others," the girl whispered absently.
"They say they're thirsty."
"Thank you." Alexandria replied with a smile. "Plain water or would they
like some with the violet food in it?"
"They're not hungry." Briar giggled again as her cheeks took on a slight
blush. "They say you overfeed them and they'll grow fat."
Alexandria laughed cheerfully as she picked up the water can of pure water.
"Well then we'll have to stop that won't we. Wouldn't want fat planets. To
hard to get them on treadmill."
"They don't use a treadmill, silly," Briar laughed. "You're silly."
"You've not see silly baby until you meet my uncles." A brightness lit
Alexandria's eyes at the thought of them. "All done, was that enough?"
Briar nodded firmly. "They say thank you. They like you, that's why they
grow for you."
"I like them too." Alexandria replied as she moved on to the minute tea
roses. "My mother always had gardens and grew flowers and planets of all
kinds. It was time she and I spent together, plus our powers give us a very
close connection to the planet, it makes us feed apart of it."
"William is drawn to the skies," the girl said softly as she picked up the
doll to play with her arms and hair. "So are you. But your feet are rooted
where his are not."
A fine white brow slow rose and Alexandria turned to look at the girl.
"You've pegged us pretty well sweetie."
"Sorry," she whispered absently. "The cold one is warmest inside. I like
her, she scared the doctor."
"Nothing to be sorry for." Alexandria reassured her. "You're a bright and
prospective child and that's perfectly wonderful." She smiled brightly as
she looked at the girl. "And your right about Emma too."
"What should I call you?"
"Whatever you'd like." She answered as she brought over a new budding rose
and gave it to the girl. "Emma calls me Alexandria, most people call me
Lexie, my mother still calls me child." She chuckled. "Call us whatever your
comfortable with."
"William calls you Lex," the girl observed.
Alexandria nodded. "He always has."
"But you don't like it?" she asked.
"I like it." Alexandria replied. "I missed it while he was away."
"Away where?" Briar stared up at Alexandria as she cuddled her soft toy.
"What happened to make him so sad and scared?"
Sitting on the bench Alexandria took a moment to think. It wasn't her place
to speak of William's past. "A lot of things sweetie, and maybe one day
he'll tell you."
Briar frowned as she climbed up onto the woman's lap and cuddled her as well
as her toy. "I like him too. But he doesn't want to keep me like you do.
You won't send me away, will you?"
"No Briar," Alexandria replied as she wrapped her arms around the child and
cuddled her. "we're not going to send you away. And it's not that William
doesn't want you, it's just he's still a bit of a big kid himself is all.
This way you have me and Emma plus William."
"Except he goes away," she whispered as she snuggled down. She picked up
her new doll and cuddled her too.
Alexandria kissed the to of the girl's head. "He comes back, child. We'll
all come back, we won't ever leave you I promise."
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- » [ussbansheec] "An Innocent Rose" Part Two
