A plan for the future

She looked lost and somehow he saw himself in her. He had been lost too, gods had he been lost back when he had been through something similar. He sat down next to her, reaching over to take her hand and hold in his. She didnt have to be alone, never again did she have to be alone. However when she mentioned him getting angry over what Romeo and her hadnt done, he frowned. “It’s none of his business what you do with anyone, so it’s wrong that he even thought he was allowed that kind of information.” He said before he sighed and looked away and ahead. “It does get better. You may feel disgusted and shocked… stuck in wondering what ways you could have gone to make things different. But you have to process what has happened to you. And it will take time.” He said before he looked at her with a sad smile. “What happened to you will never be something he can justify, neither could it ever be your fault. You have to remember that.” He assured her. You and your whore brother both know what you were getting into! It’s not my fault that he couldnt handle living up to his promises?! Maybe he shouldnt go around leading on real men without knowing what he’s dealing with! He’s lucky I was nice that night. Now get the hell out of my face little girl, I wasnt interested then and I wont be now. Maybe send your brother back here and I’ll give him round two. A servant came to announce the bath being ready soon. “Should I call Kareema? I wont tell her if you dont want her to know. But I can also tell her to not talk about it unless you bring it up. But it’s all up to you.”

He was right, wasn't he? And yet she felt so guilty. Like her saying that would've invited the elder lycan to do such things. She leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as he held her hand so carefully. This was what she needed. Someone who would be there and give her advice. Honestly this was the first time where she felt like her and Eden connected. It was just sad that it had to be this.
The mention of Kareema made her hesitate. It was no secret that the vampyress and the old lycan were old friends. "I don't know," she whispered. She was afraid if Kareema decided to pick Lucius' side, just like it seemed Romeo had. She felt so stupid for having had a crush on him. She didn't have that anymore, that was for sure. "You can tell her to come over ... I want to be the one telling it," she finally said. It was better it came from her lips. But that didn't take away the fear of not being believed.
Getting up she still held Eden's hand. "You'll be here when I'm done with my bath, right?" She asked, clearly terrified of being left alone. Part of her even wanted him to be in the room with her as she bathed, but that would probably be weird for him, and she didn't want that. She was shivering again. "I just don't want to be alone right now," she whispered.

She wasn't alone, he said, and yet she did feel scared to leave for her bath. Being confronted with herself might be the scariest thing she would ever have to do. Just holding his hand a bit like a lost child, she looked at him as he called Kareema, though she didn't have to wait for long. The vampyress came through the door, embracing her. Josette didn't let go of Eden's hand, and along with the caring embrace she started sobbing again. Could this really be what family love felt like? Kareema kissed her head, and she looked up at her, her lips separating as if she wanted to say something, but only a small whimper came out before she buried her face in the vampyress' shirt. She was probably ruining the fabric with her bloody tears.
A servant came in, announcing that her bath was ready, and Josette calmed herself down somewhat. She whispered a faint "thank you," before she looked up at Kareema once more. It was so clear that she didn't want to be alone, and Kareema was no stranger to being in the room when she bathed. Her eyes then went to Eden, blinking a few times as she thought of what to say. "I'll go have that bath," she said, letting go of Eden's hand to grip on to Kareema's shirt. It was just a small gesture, but the vampyress knew that she was needed.
They headed out to the bathroom, steam already filling the air along with calming scents. Carefully she got undressed, and while her bruises had healed, it was clear that her body was still trembling with the phantom pains. She got in to the bath, holding on to the edges of the tub just to guide herself a bit. Then she looked to Kareema, her cheeks stained with bloody tears as she told her what had happened. At least from her side of the story. The whole time she was scared. Afraid that the vampyress would pick her old friend over her or worse be scolded for making it up.

She let Kareema scoop water on her, looking at the bubbles as they hit her skin before rejoining the others in the tub. The question about Romeo made her swallow, "I didn't see him," she said, "I just ... Ran ... If I hadn't bumped in to ..." Her sentence was broken but it was purely because the whole ordeal was just messed up in her mind. Nothing made real sense. "Well, I guess I might've still been running," she confessed. Aurel had stood in her way of running forever, but maybe that was why he had been there at that time. Like her very own guardian angel. Looking at Kareema she smiled a little sad, "I don't think I want to ever be with a lycan," she said, her breath trembling, squeezing her eyes shut as a wave of memories washed over her. Those warm hands, grabbing at her, touching her when she said no, "please," she muttered under her breath, holding on to the tub as if it was the only thing that grounded her.

As she was freaking out it seemed that the elder vampyress knew just how to handle it. The skin to skin contact along with the guiding words made her calm down much more easily. Breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth she seemed to relax back to normal, repeating what Kareema had said, "Im here, not there," in soft trembling whispers. She seemed to calm down shortly, relaxing back in the water as she looked at her quote on quote mother. Well she really was that, wasn't she? "I love you," she said to her, her lips pulling up in a small smile though it was hard to pretend to be happy when she was still scared.
As she finished her bath, she got dried off and dressed in to some clothes that a servant had placed on a chair for her. Once she was dressed, she let Kareema braid her wet hair, sitting on the edge of the bed with the vampyress behind her. "Do you think ... I could start calling you mom?" she asked carefully.

Josette always felt it so calming when Kareema did her hair. And the vampyress was a master in braids, so she didn't complain. Hearing that she was already considered to be a daughter to her made her feel warm inside. They truly did have a bond that couldn't be matched. The mention of Eden made her nod, yeah they probably had to go see him.
When they found him however, it wasn't really in a mood that she found comforting. And yet, she couldn't blame him. Watching the phone fall she just went to him, wrapping her arms around him. She didn't have parents on her own, but she had Eden and Kareema, and they had given her safety and comfort. The least she could do was be there for them when they felt this way. "What's going on?" She asked, feeling a bit scared to ask, but she wanted to know if she had to prepare for something.

Josette frowned at the fact that the elder lycan was actually pressing charges. "B-but he assaulted me?" She whispered in confusion. Wouldn't it normally be the other way around? "You defended me ... You protected me?" She was rather new to all of this law stuff. But then he said something that would've made her heart stop if she had had a beating one. She would have to be in the same room as them? Sit across from them and talk about what happened? Standing frozen in Eden's arms it felt almost surreal. "I don't know if I can do that," she whispered.

"Well in situations such as this one, you'd have to report him first. He just got ahead of us." he said with a sigh. He could tell how confused she was, but he wanted to remain calm in the situation. "You dont have to do anything you dont want." he told her. He didnt need her to come defend him if it would only make her trauma worse. "I will try and see if I can get him to settle for something. Typically there's always something that is wanted for charges such as these." he said. Kareema frowned. "There's only one thing I want to know before all of this begins." he said, looking down at Josette. "Do you want to press your own charges for what he did to you? You dont have to answer now, just think it through." he said, Kareema stepping forward. "You should. He shouldnt get away with what he did to you." - "But it wont be easy. And you should only do something you're a hundred percent sure on." - "We will protect you." Kareema said, trying not to sound agitated. But she didnt want Lucius to just get to move on with his life and somehow earn something from his wrongdoings. Eden was calmer in the situation, shortly looking towards the older vampyress. He hadnt seen her this riled up for someone before, but he was happy it was for Josette. However putting thoughts in her head on the night of the assault would not be the best course of action. "Sleep on it Josette. I need to speak to Romeo either way, find out whose side he is on."

Feeling quite overwhelmed by everything she felt like the two elders took charge. She knew they meant well, but right now she couldn't tell what she should do. If it would be hard to prove, then was it even worth it? And what would Romeo say? And how would that strain the relationship between Eden and the young lycan? So many questions that she couldn't even speak. Kareema seemed to want to go ahead and press charges, but right now all she really wanted to do was rest. Let her body return to somewhat normal and let the slumber take a hold of her. Eden suggested sleeping on it, mentioning hearing Romeo out. She felt nervous. "What if he's against us?" she asked, looking from Kareema to Eden. She barely dared ask, but she knew she had to.

Josette liked the idea of Kareema staying by her, nodding at the notion as she felt Eden's hand on her cheek. She looked at him, feeling nervous about him leaving. "Come back safe, alright," she said, knowing he would, but she worried. If the old lycan could hurt her like this, then she was afraid of what he might be able to do to Eden.

Romeo had been to the hospital more than one time since arriving here in Churchill, and he felt like it was akin to that of a habit by now. Perhaps he should ask for a punch-card, getting his tenth visit for free. Breathing out he rubbed his face a little. This was all a mess. He had had no real choice in this, because if he had went with Eden, then something would be up. And he hadn't liked seeing the vampyre like that, pinning his uncle to the ground. From what Lucius had said, nothing had really happened that would warrant such an attack. Was Josette behind this? Maybe she was trying to split them up after all? His mind flooded with worries and thoughts, sipping on his maybe 3rd cup of coffee that evening, fighting with his eyelids to stay awake.

Looking up as the nurse entered, he felt like he looked rather bad, but she seemingly didn't even notice that. He sighed, looking over to his uncle who was asleep. "No, I'll come speak to him," he said, pushing himself up off the chair. Feeling a little lightheaded, but he was alright for now. Could you take me to him; I don't think it would be wise to speak here and disturb your sleeping patients,"[/color] he said, putting on a charming smile to make things move along more smoothly.
If she agreed, he would follow her down to the entrance and out to the smoking quarters. "Thank you so much; Would you be a doll and fetch me if my uncle wakes up in the meantime?" he asked, sending her a small smile that would be sure to make her swoon. If she promised he would walk out, standing with his half drunken cup of coffee. "Lycan's sleep," he said as he reached Eden, bumming a smoke from him and letting the vampyre light it. He was clearly worn out, not really sure why Eden had come here. Well beside the fact that his uncle had been busy calling gods knew who on the phone both before and after surgery.

Fuck he hated this tension between them, but could he really be blamed for this? The vampyre was so strangely cold towards him. He inhaled from his cigarette, leaning his head back before he exhaled the leftover smoke from his lungs. The talk about Josette made him frown. Since when had Eden started to care for her anyways? He didn't know what was going on, but it felt too weird to put a finger on.
"I'm here because I'm family and I don't really have a choice," he said in a sour tone, shaking his head before he looked at Eden, "what were you thinking? Attacking him like that?" he couldn't wrap his head around it, scoffing, "I think she's trying to stir up drama to tear the two of us apart," he said, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He could barely think right now.

"My uncle said that him and Josette had been talking, that she wasn't making a lot of sense and started tossing herself around even coming on to him," he said with a frown. Yeah that didn't sound like Josette, but he had heard of women doing crazy shit when they were desperate. "You came in and he said you were angry, attacking him," he said. That was about the gist of it, but his uncle had been quite weird talking about all of this. Romeo hadn't felt his skin, he couldn't be sure about the lies and the facts, but the thing with Josette just had a weird feeling to it.
"Eden, I don't know what you want from me right now ... I can't do anything; I didn't see what happened before I walked in and you were standing over him and breaking his hand!" he exclaimed. He was so tired and frustrated. He didn't know what was up or down anymore.

"Nothing sounds right!" he yelled again, shaking his head as he felt so burdened by all of this. He was expected to help his uncle, and here his boyfriend was not even trying to soothe him or help him? He felt like that was all Eden had come to do, scold him and lecture him. Then Eden spoke about what Josette's side of the story was and Romeo didn't even know what to say. His uncle was not nice to women behind their backs, but out in public he was the perfect gentleman, right? He just couldn't believe what was going on.
He said that him and Josette couldn't be together anymore, and he nodded, looking down as he felt his body tremble. He didn't know what or who to believe. His uncle had always been there, guiding him and helping him. But Eden. Eden he trusted with all his heart. Romeo's world was slowly caving in, moving over to sit down on a bench, fearing he might pass out. It was enough to have one Trevino in the hospital right now. "I want to speak with her ... Hear it from her lips, look her in the eyes and then I can take a stand," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. He felt as if he would fall asleep if he kept his eyes closed for too long while blinking.
Taking another sip of his now cold coffee, he shivered slightly before looking back at Eden. "If I stand by Josette and you ... Then I might lose everything," he whispered. Was it really so weird that he was scared?