Dealing With The Day

[Amorentia]

Reg POV

Watching Little Bit laying in the bed so still, it was just so wrong.  She was never still, not even in her sleep, there was always an energy around her that made her shine even in the dark.  Looking at her, so still, so soft looking, it made my chest hurt, "Has she moved?"  Peni's voice broke the silence of the room, her hand on my shoulder.

Shaking my head, I answered, my eyes never leaving my Little Bit, "Not yet"

"Okay," Peni said with a sigh, "Can you help me clean her up for when her parents come?" Looking at Little Bit's pale, pretty face, I nodded, taking a cloth from the bowl and gently stroking it over her face, wiping the smudges, the faint streaks of blood away.  We took off the cloths she was wearing, putting her in a soft nightgown that didn't look to me like anything my girl would wear.  Scooping her up in my arms, I craddled her to me like a child while Peni changed the sheets.  Laying her back down, I brushed a curl off her cheek, thinking how very young she looked right now.

Looking over at Peni, I saw the same thoughts were running through her head, her eyes filled with tears, I didn't know what to say.  Words at moments like this weren't my thing.  I leaned over, putting a soft kiss on Peni's forehead, hoping she would get what I meant by my actions.  Where was Sara when I needed someone to translate a look?  Still seeing the sadness etched into her face, I knew what she needed was Marcus and his comforting brand of magic, but Marcus was gone and she was stuck with me.  Giving it my best, I tugged her into my arms, holding her tight in a hug between friends, two people fight back fear and emotion.

"That was quick". she said backing up, "They're laughing. That's good. That's really good."

Glad that Marcus and the boys were back to offer the comfort I was giving clumsily, I took my seat back at Little Bits bedside, not wanting her to stir and be alone.  Even tough girls get scared and someone should be here to hold her hand for that.

Peni placed a soft hand on my shoulder, saying, "I'll be right back." nodding, I listened to her leave.

Marcus POV

Coming back from the fight, we were all on a bit of a high.  Peni's face was tight with worry, I had no doubt she was already running herself ragged,  "Did you get them. All of them?" she asked, her voice mirroring the strain she was showing. 

"Yeah, we got them" Jacob said with a grin, his face showing the adreniline we were all feeling.

"All of them," Seth added.

Moving over to my Pretty Peni, I pulled her into my arms, whispering against her hair, "How's Little Bit?"

She shook her head, saying softly, "Still unconcious. Ewan doesn't know when she'll wake up." Her arms moved around me as she buried her head against my chest, telling the room at large, "It was a killing curse to her head. Ewan said she maybe should be okay if there are no complications." The fight drained from us all, low growls filling the room as we thought of the loss we were already facing, the thought of adding to it, seeing any of the fire burn from Little Bits flame, was more than any of us wanted to think about.

Peni's soft brown eyes looked up at me as she said, "Reg's with her." I couldn't hold back a reaction, my brow arching at the thought.  Reg at someone's bedside.  I wasn't sure if it was sweet or terrifying.  The small smile that played across Peni's lips wiped away my concern, glad for anything that could make a smile touch her mouth right now.  Reg was Reg and we all loved him like some horrible, backwards, incentuous teenage step child. 

Breaking the silence, Tony said, "Pen, is there anything to eat? Leech's don't go well on an empty stomach."

She looked over at him saying,"Yeah." Leaning down, I whispered to her about the blood on her clothes, knowing she had probably not stopped long enough to even notice it.  She looked down, shaking slightly and I traced my fingers down her arm, trying to calm her so she wouldn't phase.  Taking a deep breath, she used her wand to siphon away the blood, moving around the kitchen, her fingers lingering on the shoulders, backs, and heads, like she was checking to make sure that we were all really here, really ok. 

The Cubs slipped into silence, of the pack they were the closet, knowing Justin in a way us older pack did not.  But what we lacked in personal experience, we made up for by knowing more about life in general, using our pasts to connect to them and make sure they knew they weren't alone.  Peni placed plates of food in front of each of them, stopping to gives hugs, kisses on the cheeks and words of love to each one in turn. 

When I arrived with Tori's parents, Peni and I walked together into the hall, fingers entwined.  She stopped, pulling me up short as her head leaned against me, "I feel like I'm going to be sick."

I wrapped my arms over her small waist, asking softly "Can I help?  Please?  I know your super woman," I placed my fingers under her chin, tipping her face up so I could look into her eyes, giving her a small smile as I added,  "But I'd like to take some of the weight off"

"I don't even know what I'm doing. I'm just... doing." she pulled me closer to her once more, "I don't want to think." The tears in her eyes threatened to spill over, clinging to her lashes as she closed her eyes, "Just be with me. I feel stronger when you with me."  

"I'm not going anywhere baby." I pressed my lips tenderly to hers, grateful with all that was in me that she was ok, that our family was safe.  Turning her in my arms, I wrapped myself around her, showing her with my body that she would never have to do this alone, whispering in her ear as I asked, "What are we doing now?"

Pressing her head back against me, her hands moved over mine, her voice sounding stronger as she replied, "Facing the music."

Jalil POV

Peni came into the room standing in the doorway while Sam walked Tori's Parents through what happened from the attack at the Hogshead up until now. Part of my sense raised defenses when she turned slowly sensing Peni behind her. I'd been there for some of her altercations when Little Bit was too immature to tell her Mom the truth about why Peni came down hard on her. Though she tried since to rectify the situation, the damage was done. Little Bit's Mom had little love for my Sister.

Taking Veronica's hand, Peni put her other hand on Vinton's back offering support to both of the concerned parents as Ewan started talking over Little Bit's condition. I almost smiled, catching Marcus's eye, as we watched her break down technical Magical Terms for Little Bits non Magical parents while Veronica transfered everything into sigh language for her husband who lost his hearing in a diving accident while working when Little Bit was three.

After Vinton signed something to his wife angrily, her mouth clicked open. Again, I almost inched forward. Instead of lashing out, she reached over taking Peni in her arms as a boat load of tears poured out of both of the woman's eyes. Mother heart to Motherheart, they both found their love her Little Bit a common ground they held together. That signaled my time to exit. There was little I could do for these crying women. 

In the Kitchen I found Reg sitting at the table. "I'm heading to the Rez." I told him. "Do you want to come?"

Reg exhaled sounding relieved, "Sounds good."

Telling Peni we were leaving, I saw Ewan was scanning Little Bit's head again. "I think she's good to be moved." 

"Is she or isn't she." My sister demanded.  

"She's good to Portkey over." He told her with confidence. "We need to move her as little as possible."

Veronica, Tori's Mother was signing to her husband who quickly signed back with a flustered face.

Reg walked to the top of  Tori's bed. A smile spread across my face as I saw what he was thinking as he said, "If you grab the bottom, we'll take the bed." He looked at Ewan asking, "That moving her little enough?"

Ewan smiled, "That's perfect."

"Good," Peni said definitively as she took out her wand to widen the walkways. Walking with Little Bit's parents, she continued trying to explain to them what was going on. Her voice was very crisp and to the point. It concerned me. The gentleness that tried to soften the sharpness was forced. Marcus stayed close to her with a loving hand and a watchful eye on her. No brother could ask for a better man for his Sister. At least I didn't have to worry about her. Looking down at Little Bit, I forced my mind not to go there, and just stay focused on what was at hand. 

Tori was securely tucked away in her room in her parents La Push house when Sam came to check on her. Despite all that happened, he stayed steady. He'd earned my respect deeply with his leadership ability. 

Hanging back, I tried hard not to let my mind drift too much. Faces played in my mind of kids I'd killed, or knew killed, during my life on the streets. In some ways my Pack live was serving as a pentance for me to give back all that I took away thugging on the streets. The thought occured to me, "It should have been me." 

Justin was one of the most innocent kids I'd ever met. He bordered on nieve with his comic book nerdiness and lanky build. But he had an easy way about him that just kind of fit in any possition. He didn't deserve this. Little Bit, she might be a handful, but at one point she was my handful.

Shaking my head, I stopped myself there. The point was, I deserved it. It should have been me. Pulling Sam aside I volunteered to be one of the older Pack taking Patrols around the Rez tonight so that the younger Pack could have time. I was going to pull the eleven to eleven. Then Sam turned from me to Peni telling her it was time to go to Justin's. I saw my Sister falter for a second. Putting my hands on her shoulders, I gave her a squeeze of support before giving her a kiss to her head. I was glad I wasn't her. I was glad I wasn't as close to out family like she was, or this would be way harder than it was already.

After she left, I decided to go back to Peni's to snag some time before tonight. "Want to go back to Peni's?" I asked Reg.

Looking a bit releived he nods, "Yeah, I'd like to check on Brailee...."

Peni Clearwater written by Amorentia. Marcus Flint written by shtteredprncess. Reg Black written by shtteredprncess. Blaise Zabini written by Amorentia Ewan Zabini by Amorentia. Jalil Clearwater written by Amorentia. Sam Uley by Amorentia. Tori "Little Bit" Young and family written by Amorentia.

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