[CLOSED] how high can you fly with broken wings?

[tisha noelle gillespie]

"Noelle! Get dressed!" Her father called up the stairs. She put aside the book she was reading and made her way down the long hallway, her towel around her chest. Her hair was still damp from her shower. She glanced over the railing, but she didn't see her dad. So she started down the stairs, peeking into what seemed like the maze of rooms in their huge house. She finally found her mother and father in the den, her mother sewing something on the couch and her father working on some legal document.

"Why?" She asked, and her father looked up at her.

"Your mother and I decided to take in a couple little boys about your age. Their mother was killed. So we're going get them from foster care. Now go put on some clothes. We have to leave soon." He said. She didn't say anything, just started up the stairs. She walked to her room, pulling on a pair of skinny jeans. She retracted her wings with a wince, pulling on a white undershirt and a black vest. She started down the stairs, pulling on her shoes as she went. Her father lead her out to the car, her mother behind her pulling her hair up.

"We need to curl your hair for you, baby." Her mother said, twirling her hair around her finger. She climbed in the back with Noelle, the girl picking at her nail polish as her mom made ringlets in her damp hair on the way to the office.

[richard marcus johnson]

Richard shifted his weight, biting impatiently at his lip. They had been told yesterday a couple with a daughter were taking them. He had it in his head that little meant really little, wouldn't mind a baby 'sister'.


He glanced at Ricky, reached out and pulled his hand from his wrist. "Don't pick, it'll scar.." He was told they had been informed about his own slight drinking habit, though it wasn't an addiction, just his teenage self. They had also been informed of Sedrick's drug and cutting problems.
He pushed his red hair back, tucking it behind an ear and waiting impatiently. They had been told not to bring a lot, but bring what memories they wanted. "Soo.... You gonna talk any time soon?" He rose an eyebrow at Ricky, who ignored him, glanced up as someone cleared their throat. "Mister Johnson, this way, please.."
He got up, his brother following, and headed out front to meet them.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Noelle followed her father into the building, looking around at the art on the walls. It wasn't art like she was used to; her father was a lawyer, so it was safe to say that the little family was well off. Her mother told her to stop moving her head, that she was working on her hair, and Noelle looked down at her feet. "We're gonna do your hair tonight and make it pretty." Her mother told her, knowing she wasn't going to say anything back. She watched as a woman lead her parents into another room, and ran her hands uneasily over her jeans.

"Mom, yo-" She started quietly, walking to the little room. But a man stopped her. She took a seat in one of the chairs, twirling the piece of hair her mother had missed. She sighed, picking at her nail polish again. But it wasn't long before her parents came out with two boys at least a few years older than her. She couldn't help thinking how her father had said 'little'. But these boys weren't little. At all.

"Boys, this is Noelle." Her father said, her mother reaching over to mess with her hair again. She just gave a small wave, looking up helplessly at her mother. "What, princess?"

"Missed a spot." She mumbled, pointing to the spot she'd missed.

"Oh, don't worry about it. You look beautiful." Her father said, and she stood up, far shorter than the boys.

[richard marcus johnson]

Richard followed them out, clearing his throat. He blinked at the teen girl, wouldn't deny she was gorgeous. 'Well, damn..' He thought quietly, lips quirking into a smile. He offered his hand out to the girl's father. "Richard," He breathed, clearing his throat.

He glanced at his brother, who only pushed his dark hair back over his shoulder and waved faintly, stuffing hands in his pockets.
"That's Sedrick.." He offered softly.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Noelle watched her father shake hands with the boy, waving at the other boy. "I'm David. This is my wife Samantha. And Noelle. She's not much younger than the two of you. And we have a few dogs at home. Salt, Dice, and Scrappy."

"I got a mouse." Noelle offered quietly, and her father smiled. It wasn't often she offered anything to a conversation.

"Tell them the name of it, sweetie." Her mother encouraged quietly.

"I named it Alex cause I dunno if it's a boy or a girl.." She said quietly, then started to the door.

"I guess she wants to go home. She's had her nose in a book since she got back." He father said with a smile, motioning for the boys to follow her. By the time they got outside, she was already in the car.

[richard marcus johnson]

"Dogs, sweet," Richard laughed. Even despite it only being two weeks, he tried to be happy. Especially since he had to be for the both of them. He gathered his bags, gently nudging Sedrick out the door and to the car, biting at his lip again. He reached up to play with his nose ring, loaded everything in the back. He snatched Ricky's hat, smirking as his lips parted. "Aw c'mon oh silent one, spit it out."
Ricky only scowled, snatching his hat back and climbing into the car, sticking his headphones in his ears and pulling his iPod out.

Richard shifted in his seat as he climbed in. He poked the girl, trying to, hopefully, not make things so awkward. "You're already being boring like my brother, why so shy?"

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Noelle watched as everyone else climbed in the car, pulling her knees up to her chest once the boys were settled. She looked over as she was poked, shrugging her shoulders. "Some of us don't have much to say." She said quietly, smiling his way. She saw her mother looking back at them in the mirror. Ever since she had died, her mother watched her like a hawk. She guessed the woman thought she could die again.

"It hurts when I talk a lot." She said, then coughed into her arm. She would have talked a lot more, if it didn't make her lungs burn. She didn't offer an explanation, either. She didn't want the boy to think that he'd been taken into some strange home. She yawned, shifting her weight so she could lay her head against the back seat.

[richard marcus johnson]

Richard smiled faintly. "Whatever floats your boat," He huffed, reaching over discreetly to slap Ricky's hand gently from his wrist again.

Then he eyed the two up front. "Soo, what do you guys do for a living?" He couldn't help how chatty he was. Anything was a distraction from the blatant truth of why they were really here, though.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

"I'm a nurse at the hospital. I work with the maternity ward. And my husband is a lawyer." Her mother said with a smile, looking back at them. "Do either of you have a job? Because I know my husband's looking for someone to help around his office if either of you would like to."

They pulled into the driveway of a fairly large house, and her father got out, grabbing their bags from the back. Noelle walked to the back of the car, taking a couple of them. "They're gonna be in the two rooms across from you." He told her, and she nodded, waddling into the house with the heavy bags. She sat them in the space between the rooms, then wandered back down.

"You need your breathing treatment?" Her mom asked, and she nodded. Had she not been put back in her body, she probably wouldn't have a problem. "You boys want to come sit in the den with us?"

[richard marcus johnson]

Richard smirked. "Ah, cool." He supposed it was at least good they were well off. He helped bring everything to the rooms, setting his in one room and Ricky's in the one he was already investigating. He wandered down to the den after them. He glanced over his shoulder as Sedrick followed, huffing. "Better than a bunk.."
"He speaks!" Richard yowled, receiving not only the finger, but an agitated shove.
Laughing, he wandered into the den, smiled a charming smile Noelle's way before taking a seat on the sofa and looking around.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Noelle sat down in her chair, pulling her legs up close. She watched as her mom hooked up the breathing machine, and coughed again into her arm. She smiled at the boy as he smiled at her, thinking that he had a beautiful smile. Her mom handed her the mask, and she put it over her face, coughing again. It made her throat burn, and she yanked it off, handing it back.

"Noelle, you know it always burns.. You have to put it on." Her mother said sternly, handing it back to her. Her father came downstairs with her book, reading the back cover.

"Looks good. Put the mask on, Noelle." He said, but she shook her head, handing the mask back to her mom. "Tisha Noelle."

"It burns.." She mumbled, and her dad sighed. It was always a fight. She started coughing, and her dad slipped the mask back on, holding it there. "Ow!" She cried, trying to turn her head away. But after a few moments, she finally put her hand over the mask, tears falling down her cheeks from the pain. Her mom patted her head, standing back up.

"Would you like something to eat? We can order pizza." Her mother asked the boys, sitting down with her sewing.

[richard marcus johnson]

Richard watched them with furrowed eyebrows, frowned as tears dripped down her cheeks. And no, he didn't know her, but if her parents liked them, they were here for at least a year. Not to mention he had been raised right. When her mother got up, he scooted over, offering her a hand to squeeze. "Sounds good," He huffed, Sedrick just nodding before standing and putting his music in, scratching at his wrist again before moving to wander the large house, get to know the place he would be living in. Richard knew he hated surprises.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Noelle took his hand gently, even if she'd rather be reading her book with her free hand. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she couldn't turn the pages anyways. She coughed again, squeezing his hand. She pulled it into her lap, playing with his fingers. "I want a cheese one." She said, looking over at her dad. He nodded. "My back hurts.." She mumbled.

"You can go upstairs after your breathing treatment." He said, flipping through the phone book. She nodded, looking back down at his hand. She wiggled his thumb around, taking in a shallow breath. But it still hurt.

"Are they gonna stay with us, daddy?" She asked, looking back over at her father.

"Sure. Your mother always wanted a full house."

"But we've been happy with just you, Noelle. It's just everyone deserves a home, okay? And they need a stable home. And after your accident, the doctor said we don't need a baby running around."

"Okay. But they're staying, right?"

"Right."

She smiled as a snow white husky walked in, laying down at her feet. She nudged it, and the dog yawned. "Come on, Dice. You old grump."

[richard marcus johnson]

Rich watched her play with his fingers, then glanced at Sedrick's retreating form up the stairs. He guessed he was probably going up to unpack.

Listening to their conversation made him smile faintly and he gazed down at the dog.

There was an upset cry upstairs and he glanced up, but was standing as something hit a wall, gently pulled his hand from hers and headed up to the room. Sedrick was sitting against the wall, teeth gritted and hands gripping his head, knees drawn up. "Make 'em stop... Shut up!" He snarled. Richard crouched and hugged him close, pulling his head to his chest as he stroked his hair. "Shh..Ricky.. It's not real, it's okay..." He winced as his brothers fingers dug against his leg and stomach, but continued hugging him close as he trembled and mumbled. "You're okay... Think about something else."
"My fault...I coulda stopped him..."
"Sedrick.." Richard's jaw trembled and he lifted his brothers chin, searching his face. "Don't blame yourself..."

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Noelle winced at the cry, feeling completely unsettled by it. She felt complete and utter horror wash over her, watching the boy go up the stairs. Her breathing machine stopped, and she sat the mask in her seat, getting up carefully. She almost stepped on the dog, and she growled, eyeing Noelle warily. She started up the stairs, peering over at the boys. She expected to see a woman being murdered around the corner instead of the boys, her stomach turning over at the images flashing before her eyes.

"It's okay.. You're okay.." She said quietly, kneeling down beside them. She reached over, running her fingers gently through his hair. "You're okay.. It's just us here.." She bit her lip, looking over at the red head. "Maybe you just need to get him in bed.." She breathed, watching Dice waddle over with her pregnant belly, nudging he boy with her nose. "You wanna cuddle with Dice?"