"Wake up, babies. Lunch will be ready soon," Josiah said, as he opened the curtains, letting the painfully bright sunlight in.

"Lunch?" I asked, lifting my head to look at him sleepily.

"Yeah," he said, smiling sweetly. "Claire will be here at four."

I nodded and let my head fall back onto the pillow. Rose got out of bed and walked to the bathroom sleepily.

Just as I was about to sleep again, someone clapped their hands.

"None of that, sweetheart. Get up. Lucian wants you down for lunch," Josiah said, with a knowing look in his eyes.

I rolled my eyes and got out of bed.

Lucian can politely fuck off with his orders.

Josiah left the room, while I stood before the sink besides Rose.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked, to which she nodded her head.

"You?" She asked.

"Better than usual, I'd say." I said. She smiled and nodded.

After doing our morning business, I took her hand in mine and started walking.

Everyone was seated and talking when we reached the kitchen.

"Good Morning, babies!" Asher chimed as soon as we entered, turning all the attention to us.

"Morning, Asher," We muttered.

I halted in my steps. There were three seats empty. The two in the middle on both sides and Asher's seat.

"I thought we were allowed to sit beside each other now," I said, looking at Lucian, who was casually scrolling through his phone.

He looked up and saw how everyone was seated.

"Damien wasn't there at that time, so you took advantage. I was just being lenient."

"But we didn't exchange food," I gritted, feeling Rose's grip tighten on my hand.

"But I'm still asking you to sit away from each other," Lucian said, raising an eyebrow. "And don't talk through gritted teeth."

I just clenched my jaw and looked down, when he gave me a pointed look at the end.

"It's okay, Levi," Rose murmured, softly, before releasing her grip on my hand.

Rose surprised me when she walked forward and sat between Damien and Jayden. I stood there for a moment before going to sit beside Josiah.

'Still trying to keep you away from each other.'

"How is your bruise healing?"

I had to look up and confirm if it really was him asking that.

"Why do you care?" I snapped, feeling the piercing glare on me which honesty made me want to apologize quickly.

"Don't be disrespectful, Bunny," Lucian reprimanded, making me lower my gaze from Damien and focus on my food again.

There was silence for a while before,

"You didn't answer the question," Lucian said.

I looked up, feeling my anger run to be unleashed. But my eyes locked with Rose's at that moment.

"Good," I answered shortly before focusing on my food again.

"Claire will be here by four. I hope you've decided what you want," He said, looking between me and Rose.

A deathly silence fell, almost suffocating.

"What are they deciding again?" Damien asked, stopping his spoon, so it hung before his mouth and lowering it slowly.

"If they want to stay or not. If Bunny wants to show her the bruise as a proof of abuse, they will be put in foster care."

"But you will stop her from putting them in foster care, right?" Damien asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I can but I won't," Lucian said, simply, not bothering to look at Damien who seemed taken aback by his answer.

He tried to say something when Lucian raised an eyebrow at him, indicating he had had enough of the topic.

Damien just scowled and started eating again.

"Do you two want to hang out tomorrow? We could go on a picnic, if you'd like," Josiah asked, leaning to my side a bit. He looked up at the opposite side of the table.

Jayden was muttering something to Rose, who looked up as soon as he finished.

"He's asking if we want to go on a picnic," She said, looking at me for an answer.

I shrugged, causing her eyes to brighten as she barely contained her excitement.

"She's going, so I'm going too," Rose muttered to Jayden and threw a sweet thankful smile my way.

I knew she'd love the idea of a picnic. We've never been on one since we were put in Lucas's care.

I waited for Rose to finish before standing up and rushing over to her side. I grabbed her hand in mine before walking to our room.

About five minutes into the web series Rose put on, someone knocked. I stayed silent and stared at the door.

Josiah and Asher would just knock again.

The door opened and Damien walked in. He turned around to shut the door softly before striding towards the desk chair.

I opened my mouth to say something when he cut me off.

"Don't tell me to get out, Bunny," He said, simply.

"Then leave," I said, making him turn to me sharply.

"I've had enough of that, Bunny. You're not even willing to listen to me," he stated, taking a seat. Rose tensed up and looked down, fiddling with the covers.

"I've apologized many times and I'll do it again. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I did at the mall. I'm sorry I hurt you enough to leave a bruise or hurt you at all. I'm sorry for hurting Rose unknowingly, but it wasn't my intention to scare her at that time. I was simply apologizing at that time too for what I did at the mall."

"I don't care, Dexter," I said, gritting my teeth.

"Who's Dexter?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"She thought that was what Dex was short for," Rose said, remembering when I used to call him that when we were little.

'Where's your laboratory, Dexter?'

Apparently, Damien remembered too because his eyebrows raised.

"Anyways back to point," he said, shaking his head. "I just don't want you to punish everyone for what I did. Don't leave again because of my mistakes. It hurts my brothers. I don't want them to be sad. Don't make them suffer for what I did. I'm willing to stay away if you want," he said, almost pleadingly.

I just stared at him as he stared at the wall. Rose looked back and forth between us.

"Don't tell me you're lost in your own thoughts again," he gritted, when he locked eyes with me.

"We've already decided, Damien," Rose mumbled looking down at her hands.

Damien looked at her for a moment before nodding slowly. He frowned and stood up. Picking up the desk chair with one hand and placing it back where it was, he walked out silently.

---

"Hi, Claire," Rose said, as we descended down the stairs and watched her enter and being greeted by Josiah.

"Hey, girls. I'm so sorry for what happened. I told him to ask you if you were okay with the step family." She apologized.

"It wasn't your fault," I stated plainly, before walking past everyone to the living room.

Once the greetings and formalities were aside, she turned to us.

"Any other problems you have?" She asked, looking warily at the boys.

I could feel all the eyes on me, waiting for whatever I had to decide.

I stared at Claire for a moment before squeezing Rose's hand. She got the hint.

"No," Rose said. All the eyes were on her now, with surprise filling them. No one expected her to speak maybe.

The silence in the room was filled by five almost inaudible sighs. I frowned.

Why are they so desperate for keeping us here?

'Surprising, because they were the ones who hung up on you.'

Damien's head whipped towards Lucian, who was already looking at him. Lucian nodded, which I would think was a nod of reassurance and Damien let out a sigh of relief.

"Okay. What about you, Amira?" Claire asked, looking at her notepad.

"We make mutual decisions, Claire. So, if one of us says something, it's for both of us," I muttered, glancing at her once before shifting my gaze back to the table.

"Alright." Claire smiled, adjusting her glasses. "So I will just shift your guardianship back to your eldest brother?"

She looked at us for confirmation again.

"I'm just a call away," She reminded when I nodded curtly.

"Thanks, Claire," I said. She gave me a small smile before moving her gaze back to Lucian.

"I hope you will treat them nicely, Mr. Mazzanti. All the best." She stood up and adjusted her jacket. Extending her hand for a formal handshake, she took her leave, with Asher following to see her off.

"Thank you."

I looked up to see Lucian standing with his hands in his pockets while looking straight at the wall to our side.

I nodded and stood up, causing Rose to stand up too, since I was holding her hand.

I just took on step towards the door when Asher walked in.

"Pretend I gave you the biggest hug I could ever give someone," He said looking at both of us. Rose almost let out a giggle but stopped herself.

Asher earned points for almost making her laugh.

He was smiling ear to ear.

'That's fake.'

I nodded and cleared my throat before walking towards the door.

"Didn't Father cause drama?" I asked, when I suddenly remembered.

Lucian looked at me from his now seated position.

"I'll handle it," He said, simply. I nodded and walked out.

"Now that I notice it, you act like Lucian," Rose said, quietly as we climbed up the stairs. I turned my head, just a little, to look at her.

"What?" I asked, not quite believing what she said.

"I mean, you're always like, 'I'll handle it' and you handle everything." She shrugged.

'She means, he's trying to take decisions for you two.'

I hummed in response and nodded.

'I don't get why you chose them again. Just because they got you out of that house quickly does not mean they have no intention to hurt you.'

I moved my tongue across the inside of my cheek and tried to ignore this voice.

'Rose will be hurt.'

'She's trusting them too quickly. She'll leave your side and team up against you.'

'The sister you dedicated all your time, love and worry for, will drift away from you. Just because she has brothers now.'

"Levi?"

"What?" I asked. It came out rude. Too rude for Rose. "Sorry. I mean, yes, Rose?"

My tone was contrasting to the cold one I used before.

"What are you thinking? You're squeezing my hand too tightly," She said, timidly, almost scared.

I released my grip, causing her hand to fall to her side again.

"Nothing., I said, stuffing my hands in my pockets.

I held the door open for her and walked in after her.

I took a seat on my desk chair and watched Rose as she stood before the balcony doors.

"You won't leave my side, right Rose?" I asked.

'Of course, she will. What do you even do for her?'

That question caught her off-guard as she turned around to look at my face.

"Why would I?" She asked.

'Because she has brothers now.'

"Nothing." I gave her a tight smile. Her face that reflected innocence all the time now showed nothing but confusion and fear.

"I won't leave your side, Levi. You are all I have," She said, softly.

I nodded.

A few seconds passed before she clicked her tongue.

"What?" I asked.

"I forgot my phone downstairs," she said, putting her hand on her forehead. She moved towards the door. "I'll go get it."

'She's gonna get hurt.'

"Stop!" I said, ceasing her movements as she looked at me. "I'll go."

I stood up. She looked about to protest but nodded after a second.

'You're so bossy. Dictator.'

I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to pull my hair out.

She's gonna get hurt, if I let her go alone. I'm too bossy if I stop her from going. I'm her guard dog if I go with her.

What am I supposed to do?

'Stop existing. Kill yourself, maybe. You're the problem here.'

I clenched my eyes shut and took a deep breath.

My mind is becoming a mess.

I shut the door, a little too loud maybe but thought nothing of it.

Walking through the hallway I took deep breaths to calm down.

"My little heart needs lots of love."

I stopped, almost tripping over by the suddenness of the halt.

"Dad?" A whisper escaped my mouth.

"And my serious heart needs more books." A chuckle echoed through the hallway.

I turned my head to my side and stumbled back.

"Did the King Elijah Verlice surprise you, my love?" He said, with a sad smile on his face.

"Dad." A sob echoed around me. I turned towards the new voice.

"Do you see him too?" I asked, stuttering the sentence out.

"Yes," Rose muttered, looking at me through her teary eyes.

"But how?" I asked, looking at Dad for an answer.

"Because I'm here, baby," He said. His arms raised as he invited me in for a hug.

Another sob echoed in the hallway.

This time it was mine.

"I love you two so much," Dad said, smiling his usual smile that made the corners of his eyes wrinkle and warmth to spread in the surroundings.

"We love you too," Rose said, rushing towards him. I stood there frozen for a moment then took a step towards him.

"What about your Mom?" A voice as sweet as Rose's sounded.

Rose stopped and turned towards her right. Another sob escaped her mouth, when Mom smiled and started moving towards us. She came to stand beside Dad, who pulled her to his side.

"And I love my bigger bookworm too." He kissed her cheek, glancing at Rose with a knowing look. "I promised my little bookworm to take her on a book shopping date."

My hand flew to my mouth as sobs started erupting.

Rose ran to hug him and threw herself in his arms. Dad chuckled when he caught her like every other time.

"I'll never let you fall," he said, kissing her head.

So unfair when he placed big sloppy kisses on my face, while he kissed Rose so gently.

"Come on, little heart," Dad said, as he looked at me with eyes filled with love and adoration.

I sniffled, wiping my tears from my cheeks with my shaky hand before taking another step forward.

Before I could take a third step though, Dad's face morphed into horror. I stopped, confusion falling on me like a bitch.

He gasped and jerked a bit. Rose flinched and pulled away.

I gasped, feeling my chest tighten to the point it became painful.

Blood. Right in the middle of his chest.

"Dad!" Rose yelled. I flinched.

Mom gasped. I looked at her to find her shirt wet, with her blood flowing from the middle of her chest.

I clenched my eyes shut and took a step back. My hands covered my ears after I heard them falling to the floor.

'They're gone.' That voice said.

"No!" I yelled when something touched me.

I glanced up to see Rose kneeling beside them sobbing. She turned to ask me for help when the sad pained look on her face vanished and a horrified one replaced it.

Her hand touched her chest. When she pulled it away it was red with blood dripping from her fingers.

She looked at me once more, before she lost the energy and fell down beside my parents.