Orion:

Sketch had fallen asleep sometime later.

I hugged him close from behind wrapping my arms around his chest bringing him back against me.

I wish that fire never happened, if it didn't Sketch wouldn't have tried to escape again. I know it was for his brother, but still. I never wanted to hurt him, he was so fragile too. It wasn't much longer that he had woken up. He didn't make any move to get up, just hugged his bear. That washed up toy, something only humans can attach themselves to. But I could only assume it was the last thing that connected him to his parents.

"I want to show you something today," I ran my fingers through his soft white hair, pushing it from his beautiful face. He just nodded, climbing on top of me and digging his nose into my neck. He smelled good, like roses.

"I'm sorry." he whispered. But I didn't say anything just waited for him to elaborate a little better. I wasn't even sure what he was sorry for. He had nothing to be sorry, it was completely my fault.

"I'm sorry for um...trying to find Sam. I promise I didn't want to leave, I just wanted to make sure he was okay,"

"I know baby, and I'm sorry that I hurt you." I whispered into his ear, and he snuggled closer.

He nodded into my neck, wrapping his arms around me tighter. "Can we go outside?" he asked.

"Sure, but first you'll need a bath."

He nodded rapidly before jumped up from my lap and ran into the bathroom, his old self bubbling with energy. I followed him inside the bathroom, bending down to draw the bath. He was smelling all the soap in my bathroom, trying to find the right one.

"I like this one, it smells like you," he smiled, walking toward me. He placed the bottle down, before dipping a finger into the warm water.

He ran into the other room, before coming back with his bear. He threw the bear into the water first, splashing me in the face.

He smiled, peeling off his boxers not even shy anymore about being naked. Sketch moved over to the other side and stepped in, sinking into the bubbly water. I rolled up my sleeves, knowing Sketch liked water and would no doubt play with it.

And not a second later he started splashing me, making him giggle when I got all mad. I thought it was cute to see him so happy, just by splashing me with water, but the down side was getting drenched. I sighed, grabbing the soap and lathering it onto my hands.

After I rinsed his hair, I washed his body, which took longer than I wanted to. He kept splashing me and I ended up practically soaked. After I had completely rinsed him off, I had him, with much protest, step out of the tub. He dragged the bear out too but I had to quickly put him in the hamper to be washed, well again.

I had dressed him in a pair of red boxers, tight pair of jeans, that would be warm and comfortable. Then a dark purple, almost blue t-shirt. He looked stunning and he wasn't even fully dressed. He sat down on the bed, swinging his legs as he watched me get changed into dry clothing. I grabbed a pair of white socks and slipped them on his feet, tickling them before I did so.

A maid came in a few moments later, with a glass of blood for Sketch but before he could touch it, I snatched it up. The medicine was laying on the table, so I mixed the two together to see if this would work. I handed it to Sketch and he drank it silently as I tied my boots.

"What are we doing today?" he asked standing up, and placing the empty glass down on the desk.

"Well I want to show you something, but it may be a little scary." I said but he just nodded. He grabbed my hand, ready to do whatever I had planned. I opened the door and led him outside the room. He snuggled into my side as we walked, but I liked it at how close he was.

We were going to the far side of the castle, and even go underground. We were almost there when Sketch released my hand and pressed his hands to the window.

"I-I know I shouldn't a-ask, but what happened to my old home?" he looked up at me with those beautiful eyes, before looking back out the window.

"Nothing, it was just a wild fire," I said and Sketch instantly relaxed. I grabbed his hand again and led him down the winding steps to the underground basement.

The fire was a little more than just an ordinary wild fire. There were monsters everywhere for unknown reasons but their scouts had wiped them all out before Xanthe got there. They were short in numbers but they had done just fine.

The door was ahead of us but Sketch tried to detach himself from me, trying to open it before I did. But luckily I snatched his wrist and pulled him back.

On the other side of this door was nothing to be excited about. It was just something I really wanted to show Sketch, but not that I was here's it might be too scary for him.

I opened it slowly as if prepping Sketch for what was ahead, hearing the deep loud scream of the creature inside. It was dark only a few torches lit, and smelled like shit. Sketch sunk into my side, grabbing onto my clothes that I was wearing.

The creature was about ten feet tall, its scales leading down its back in morphed like fins. The skin on its' arms was like leather, the touch probably felt the same. It was completely blind, but had made up for it in its other senses. It could smell from a mile away, and its hearing was as good as a bat, even if it didn't look like it.

It's teeth were razor sharp and it's claw like hands stretched down and hung from its body to the floor. It was large in width, its torso being the widest. The scent was gruesome due to what it ate and what came out. It typically hunts alone or finds a mate to hunt with.

It typically doesn't like crowded, noisy, lightened areas. It liked the dark, and typically lived in the deepest caves of the world. It eats a lot, any animal, and in most cases humans. It could make a loud screech signalling other of the same species to help in its time of need.

We captured it a long time ago, but the reason for capturing it was to make medicines. This creature alone can actually save an entire generation of people from a sickness of any choice. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to test the samples due to other problems.

"What is it?" Sketch asked, moving into my side deeper, hiding himself from the Phyrex in front of us.

"A Phyrex," I took his hand and led him further into the light room, that was once casted dark before.

He kept close but the creature couldn't get out, the glass was reenforced, in other words, it couldn't be smashed.

I took Sketch along the edge on the wall, looking down into the monsters cage. It wasn't anything special, just a monster that could maybe one day cure something. For now is just a vicious monster that really has no purpose in being here.

Xelia was into these kind of things. Even before she was a brat, she loved creatures that were unknown and dangerous. Something that everyone hated she craved to learn more about.

But you have to get her credit, without her this monster wouldn't be here right now. She is the one who helped me capture it, but that was a long time ago.

"It's scary." he whispered as if he said it too loud the monster would hear him.

"Have you ever seen one?" I asked.

"No, and I'm glad I haven't." he whispered again. "Can we go back now?"

"Sure, let's go outside." I said, leading him back to the door. The torches went out as we left the doors, locking behind us.

Once we were actually outside, Sketch ditched me for the flowers, but I didn't mind and thought it was cute how happy he was.

Later we had to go back in, and with much complaint Sketch came back inside to start his tutoring.

Erin was in a lousy mood but it didn't affect Sketch in any way, but I knew it wouldn't.

Sketch finished with Erin early so we got to retire sooner than expected and so was more than thankful for that. The day swung by fast but that was better than alright because I got to spend the whole day with Sketch.

We were right about to go to bed when Sketch declared he was hungry so we decided to get something for him to snack on. The halls were slightly illuminated, the cast of the moon shining through the windows in a ghostly manner. The mood was nice and I know just walking with Sketch in this peaceful manner could make me happy.

He was talking about his tutor session, saying he didn't need to do it anymore but I disagreed. It was kind of quiet and that worried me until we heard something or someone scream at the top of their lungs. It sounded like something from the wild and I know it scared the crap out of Sketch.

Thinking this day was going well was completely wrong because it was all ruined when we turned the corner.

On the other side was a body, a familiar body, looking as dead as the day he turned.

The person lying there was my brother and he wasn't moving.