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

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Noelle listened to the commotion downstairs, keeping her hand near the puppy so it had some sort of warmth. She finally felt bad for it and pulled it close to her, laying it on her chest as she gently rubbed it's back and it stopped crying.

She could hear her parents faintly from downstairs. 'They aren't leaving.' 'Well then we need to get him some help. Because we can't have people screaming in the middle of the night.' 'We'll get him help then. But don't you dare think of letting those boys go back!' 'I wouldn't. I'm just saying that there has to be something to help him so he won't be hearing voices.'

[richard marcus johnson]

Richard could hear them from the other room, working his jaw as he stared down at his shaking brother.
"None of this should have fucking happened Ricky.." He whispered, that happy facade finally falling. "We should be at home...with mom and dad.." His voice cracked, tears falling down his cheeks. He bit his lip as Sedrick buried his face in his stomach, hugging him tight and beginning to relax. Leaning his head back, he brushed his tears away, slowly rubbing his brother's back until Sedrick's breaths deepened with sleep. He didn't bother move, listening to them in the other room until he was soon drifting to sleep as well, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks, red hair falling across his jaw.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Noelle woke in the morning to the puppy crying, and reached up to sleepily pet it. But she knew it was hungry. She hugged it close, reaching for her shirt. She covered herself with it, but couldn't really put it on with the puppy in one hand. And she didn't want to put it down and make it cry more. She looked in the boys rooms for them, then started down the stairs until she found them. She nudged Sedrick with her foot. But she couldn't say anything, not with her throat in so much pain. She rocked the puppy gently, hoping it would tie it over until he could get it's food. She nudged him again then walked over to the chair, sitting down in it with the puppy. She kept it and her shirt close as she closed her eyes, curling up in the chair. "Shh.." She told it.

[sedrick fidelis johnson]

Sedrick stirred at the first nudge but didn't wake. The second time, he stretched and yawned, lifting his head from Richard's lap to look sleepily over at Noelle and the puppy. He bit his lip guiltily, had a headache. Glancing at Richard, a shaky breath passed his lips. There was a bruise forming along his jaw, and a nasty bite on the palm of his right hand. Head down and dark hair hiding his face, he got up and wandered towards the kitchen to warm up some formula before taking the puppy and sitting down on the love seat with it, not wishing to wake Richard up. He studied the bruises on his scabbed wrist as it began to nurse from the bottle hungrily, then distracted himself by tracing the pattern on its little back with his eyes, never uttering a word.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Once he took the puppy, Noelle pulled on her shirt carefully before she curled up again, shifting so her wing wasn't crushed under her. She closed her eyes again, wrapping her arms tightly around her as she slowly started to drift off into sleep. But then her dad was up, trying to wake her.

"Noelle. You need your breathing treatment." He said, and she shook her head, covering her eyes with her arm. He gently puller her chair to the breathing machine, and she shook her head again. "Noelle, you know if you don't take it, you're gonna be in pain."

"Hurts.." She breathed, then covered her mouth so he couldn't put on the mask. He gently pulled her arms away, trying to put it on anyways, but she kept turning her head away. "No.." She cried, trying to pull her arms away.

[sedrick fidelis johnson]

Sedrick glanced up, uncertain as he watched the guy, knew he had seen everything last night. If anything, he was waiting to be told he wasn't allowed near her. But it wouldn't be a first, and he reached out to take her hand tightly with his free one after pushing his hair back. He caught her eye and held it, trying to reassure her.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

She looked over hesitantly at him, holding his hand tightly. "Please, Noelle. When you finish it, you can talk to Sedrick and it won't hurt. And you two can go play with the puppies." Her dad pleaded, and she started to cry. He slipped the mask on and held it there, Noelle reaching up to try and claw it away.

"Ow ow ow.. No.." She cried, trying to wiggle away. Her dad just held it there until she settled down, still crying from the pain. He got her a blanket, and gently wrapped her up before he smiled at the boy and left.

[sedrick fidelis johnson]

Sedrick watched her quietly, patting the spot beside him without a word. The puppy curled up in his lap and fell asleep and he reached over, rubbing her back slowly. Richard began to snore and he smirked faintly.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Noelle walked over, sitting beside him carefully. She pulled her blanket tight around her as she laid her head on his shoulder, curling up close by his side. She closed her eyes, really wanting nothing more but to sleep. She coughed, her lungs feeling like they were practically on fire. She was honestly amazed how loving the two boys are, that they're so gentle with her instead of being typical boys.

[sedrick fidelis johnson]

Sedrick closed his eyes and leaned his head back, had not slept well, his fit last night carrying over to nightmares in his sleep. He shifted his weight some, keeping his arm draped over her as he yawned.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Noelle was grateful when her mother finally came and took off the mask. and she curled closer to Sedrick, laying her head on his shoulder as she closed her eyes. She felt more comfortable laying on him than she did his bother. She was afraid to show Richard that she was fond of him, because she thought she was taking his glances and words the wrong way.

"Sedrick, would you be willing to go to the doctor? And let them see if they can get rid of your voices?" Her mother asked, sitting down across from him.

[sedrick fidelis johnson]

Sedrick runbed her shoulder gently, glancing at Richard as he stretched and yawned, then headed upstairs, probably to shower and use the bathroom.

He glanced towards the woman warily, thinking he would never call her mom.
'But don't you want a mommy, Ricky?'
'Yeah, or are you to afraid you'll let her die, too?'
His eyebrows furrowed and he shrugged, both in response to her and the voices. But he didn't bother say a word.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

"Okay. Well.. We're gonna make you an appointment for this evening, okay? You're safe here. We aren't gonna let anything happen to you or your brother." Her mother said, patting his leg gently before she started upstairs. Noelle yawned, holding tightly to his shirt.

"I'm sorry this had to happen to you and your brother.. You're both really sweet.." Noelle said quietly, looking over at the puppy. She let go of his shirt to gently pet it, then grabbed ahold to his shirt again.

[sedrick fidelis johnson]

Sedrick watched the woman go, chewing on his lip absently. He glanced at Noelle when she spoke. "Yeah.." He mumbled, thinking about Richard's words last night. He almost wished he could pull of that happy and bubbly facade. But he had seen it happen. Richard hadn't. And they still wanted him to come forward as a witness and figure out who it was. Honestly he wanted nothing to do with it anymore, stroked his hand slowly through Noelle's hair. "I think Richard likes you.." He spoke in a hushed voice.

[tisha noelle gillespie]

Noelle blushed a bit, shaking her head. "No.. I think he's just being nice, is all." She said, watching the puppy intently. It was so tiny. She didn't want to believe that the boy liked her, especially considering they were gonna be raised as siblings. He was too cute for her anyways. "What do you want for breakfast?" she asked, hoping to change the subject.