Summer & Ryan

Summer was quick about getting Raimi out, while Ryan opened the door for Conan and waited patiently for the trio to sort themselves out. "Come along inside now, and I'll have a better look at that cut. Ryan, why don't you come in as well?" Acting for all the world like the three of them hadn't just been threatened, Summer was radiating her calming, self-assured feelings like the venture had been a perfectly peaceful one with not a thing gone wrong.

Moving up the steps, she opened the door for Conan, motioning him to step inside.

Conan*Raimi

Though the obvious threat had been carted away in the opposite direction of their desination, Conan couldn't relax. Even if Ryan hadn't been here, there was now, more than ever, the fear that the hatred that steamed from Lanny would result in an attack against Summer, Collin, and Greg. He couldn't keep from jumping a bit every time Ryan got within any reasonable distance of him, and this was only compounded by Raimi's continued tearful requests for Lanny, which struck the teen like a sharp blow. What had been done to his brother to make him request the presence of a man who had been instrumental in his kidnapping, and who had twice now attempted to kill Conan himself?

All of this was running through his head as he moved into the trailer and sank down onto the tiles in the kitchen, thinking that this surface would be far easier to clean than the carpet of the living room when his blood inevitably dripped down onto it, and tensely awaied his treatment.

Summer, Lanny, & Ryan

Confused beyond explanation why the toddler seemed to be calling out for Lanny, Summer set the child down near his brother and hurried to gather up some towels and bandages. She wasn't so equipped as Martha was with Tahmores, but being the mother she was, Summer had necessaries for such situations.

Gently, the woman moved a wetted cloth across his arms, wiping away the stain of blood that covered the limb, and making sure that there was nothing caught up in the wound that would lead to festering. When she had cleaned the wound as best she could, and as carefully as possible to cause the teen the least amount of discomfort, she began to apply a length of bandages to staunch the blood flow.

Ryan, standing on the inside of the door, had made it a point to keep his distance respectful around Conan, after noticing how badly the boy flinched around him. The young man himself almost jumped out of his skin when he saw a giant liger splayed across the couch.

Conan*Raimi

I'm all alone
in this crowd of screaming people
Crying in my silence,
Searching for some kind of peace

You're reaching out your hand,
Holding out hope for me to take
And I've never been so afraid,
But then I've never felt so alive.

Shrinking back from the light that blinds
Feeling for some kind of tie that binds
Wanting to feel the warmth again,
but scared that I'll get burned.

When Summer sat Raimi down beside his brother, the toddler got up and made his way tearfully over to Innuo, seeking the big liger's comfort when his brother seemed unable to provide the calm force that he needed. He toddled instantly over to the huge cat, showing no ounce of fear as he buried both hands and his face into the warm fur, clinging to the exotic pet as though he were a giant sort of dog.

And though Conan's eyes followed him, he did not immediately get up to stop him. Instead, he held very still, tense almost beyond reasoning, as Summer began to gently bind up his wounds. He winced only once, and that lightly the cloth caught on a particularly jagged piece of skin, but he never moved away.

(And there you are,)
You're reaching out your hand,
Holding out hope for me to take,
(No strings attached, I guess.)
And I've never been so afraid...

But then I've never felt so alive.

Summer & Ryan

Ryan had the impulse to rush over and intercept the toddler before he could reach the big feline, but seeing that neither Summer nor Conan looked terribly concerned over it, he held back warily and watched the youngster. Innuo chuffed lightly at the boy, and to completely disprove the officer's fear, did absolutely nothing else as Raimi clutched into his hide and buried his face from sight.

Summer had spared the big cat a watchful gaze for a moment, but she'd never heard so much as a rumble from the beast in her life. Given how tolerant he was of the little cats that were always under foot or climbing on him, she doubted he'd put up any fuss over the boy, and so she put her attention back on Conan after a moment. "There we are, that should keep it clean and protected until it can heal. How does it feel? Not to tight, is it?"

Conan*Raimi

Leaning into the liger's plushy fur, the toddler's tears began to slow, drawing off of the cat's almost nonchalant calmness and easy perception of the world. After several minutes, during which Summer finished binding up the elder brother's arm, the tiny face turned out from the pale fur, thumb tucking instantly into mouth as he looked across the room at his brother. The face under the flaming curls was blotched, but calmer, though he still made no move to leave Innuo.

And Conan met those tiny brown eyes with his own blue gaze for a long moment, something hopeless settling into it before he shook it out and moved his head to indicate that the bandage was not uncomfortable.

Summer & Ryan

"Why don't you settle in the livingroom with Raimi? I'll get you two something to eat." She offered kindly, standing up and sweeping the endless strands of pale brown hair behind her shoulders, "Ryan, you can just make yourself at home as well." She informed, picking up the blood-stained cloth and moving it to the trash.

"No thanks, Mrs. Wallock. I-"

"Summer. I know you're in uniform, but for pity's sake, you can call me by my first name." Without even looking his way, the woman turned her gentle exasperation at him, now moving to clean her hands and scour the cupboards for breakfast foods.

Conan*Raimi

Taking Summer's suggestion, Conan immediately moved toward the living room, glad to get away from what he saw as the imposing figure of Ryan blocking the door. As much as his brain knew that Ryan was only extending his protection and trying to keep them safe, he still felt a little trapped in the familiar house, with his one escape blocked by the officer. So he willingly moved away, settling himself on the carpet in the living room and muttering hoarse words to Raimi, who looked uncertain for a long moment before relinquishing his hold on Innuo and returning, tears spawned anew, to his brother's embrace.

As he wrapped both arms tightly around the youngster and moved into a low hum, Conan felt relief beginning to slowly creep up on him, leaning back against a chair and cuddling the toddler against his chest as both of them slowly calmed.

Summer & Ryan

"I'm afraid I need to do more shopping, but..." The woman inched up on her tiptoes, pushing aside a box of half-empty cheerios and pulling out a few packages of poptarts. "How do poptarts sound?" Opening one on the packages, she returned to the living room and handed these to the two brothers, and then offered on to Ryan, "And you?"

"No thanks, I've already eaten." Ryan politely refused, continuing to stand by the door as he was. He couldn't help but muse over how the house looked near the same as it did when he was just a little kid, coming over to play with Greg.

After a mighty yawn that showed off the impressive fangs, Innou slid to the floor and wormed his way between the two brothers and where Summer had seated herself on the floor. Giving a contented sigh, the giant cat made himself comfortable and closed his light amber eyes.

Conan*Raimi

Poised carefully in his semi-relaxed state, Conan took a poptart from Summer, beginning to break it up into bite sized pieces, though he found himself suddenly not hungry. But despite this, not wanting to worry or upset anyone, he began as usual to divide the food between Raimi and himself. The toddler was soon smiling and cooing again as his elder brother made the little bits of poptart do a swirling dance around the kid's head, darting them just out of range when the toddler reached for them, earning a few giggles.

By the time they'd devoured the first poptart together, and a second, the dimpled grin was reappearing on the small face, and it was as though he'd never been upset. With one of his famous, joyful squeals, he pulled away from Conan and crawled over Innuo's massive bulk, soon tumbling less-than-gracefully into Summer's arms, giggling up at her as though the events of this morning had never occured.

Summer & Ryan

Raimi's return to joy was enough to settle away the worry that had constantly been trying to break through on Summer's face. Responding to the toddler's squeal with laughter, the woman was more than happy to scoop him up once he toppled up and over Innuo's frame and ended up in her lap. "You can't stay blue for long, can you?" In the back of her mind, she was going over just what possessed the kid to reach out to Lanny, and why the other teen had said what he did. But these thoughts, as pressing as they were in her mind, were never once voiced.

"I'm going to take a sweep of the area. I won't be far." Ryan stated after a moment, dipping his head briefly in a nod before slipping outside and returning to his vehicle.

"I have to visit with Collin later at the shop. If you'd like to come with, you're more than welcome too. If not, I don't want to tell you what to do... but I think it would be safest for you both to either stay here under Ryan's watch, or hang out at Greg's new place." The woman said quietly, keeping her voice soft and friendly as she looked at Raimi.

Conan*Raimi

Raimi giggled in response to Summer's question, completely forgetting his trouble earlier, though Conan was certain that it would make an appearance in the poor toddler's dreams tonight. As much as his brother, these days, Raimi seemed prone to nightmares, though only ones that made him cry. None of the ones he'd had so far were ones where he woke up screaming.

But Summer's new line of comments earned a stunned gaze from Conan, whose fingers began to move quickly. Just because we're all trying to put all this back behind us doesn't mean that... we can't- He cut off the beginnings of both of those, and finally finished with the same frustrated question as always. Why? Even today... both you and Raimi could have been killed because of me! Why do you keep doing this to yourself, to your family?

In an instant, he was on his feet, pacing across the floor and back again, his eyes studying the pattern of the rug under his feet broodingly as he considered and tossed aside several apologies for this outburst, and finally remained silent, his fingers still.

Summer & Innuo

The response was taken with a never ending supply of patience and understanding, and not even the incredibility and emotion portrayed through his motions and facade could entirely defeat the kindly smile she carried, "Conan, whatever happens, you aren't to blame. Circumstances have brought danger to you, but no matter what happens... please know that I'll never blame you for it." She looked solidly to him, "My words are true; we took you in knowing that this sort of thing could easily happen. And there is no way I would ever cast you out to deal with it on your own."

Conan*Raimi

And still, he found the concept difficult to grasp. If he'd been thinking rationally, he'd have found a sort of grim amusement in that he understood such advanced concepts, could pick apart Ben enough to cause a falter in his ever-defended true emotions, but the simple idea of human kindness was beyond his ability to understand.

Her words made something ache inside him, made him want to curl into a hole somewhere and die, because she was so selfless with her care, and it was being returned to her with threats from his enemies. How do you know that? What would you know about whether it's my fault? Attacks rain down on you because I am alive, and it is not my fault? If I am not the cause of this, then who is? He barely paused in his frantic pacing to say these things to Summer, his fingers shifting and signing at a feverish pace before he finally slumped down onto the floor, leaning forward and drawing his knees up, putting his head in his hands. He was riding wave after wave of intense emotion, whichc ran teh gammor from shame to anger to grief and back again, and everything in between that was in any way negative or self-depreciating. And finally, after several moments, he signed again, I don't understand.

Summer & Innuo

Summer paused for a long moment, drummer her fingers across Raimi's belly and chest in a playful manner, and trying to keep her intentions and voice peaceful to the toddler who wasn't privillaged to what his older brother was saying. "From what I've seen, you are a good person, Conan. In all honesty, I don't know what all this is about, or what you may or may not have done. But hear this; I don't want to know, and I don't hold anything against you." The woman lifted her gaze from his hands and set them to meet his own eyes, "You've got a good heart and an admirable sense of protection for your little brother. I know you are a good person, and you aren't to blame for this." She repeated firmly, setting that notion straight, "Maybe no one is truly to blame; maybe people just got mixed up in the wrong things at the wrong time, and this is the result... but whatever the case, I don't want you fretting over it any more. This is your home without question or obligation, for as long as you choose to stay here."

Conan*Raimi

Settled where he was, leaned forward with his elbows on knees, face in his hands, Conan was silent in his turmoil as he listened to Summer's soft and carefully chosen words. It was a large concept to try to wrap his mind around, because everything that Summer was saying went completely opposite to what he'd been told, how he'd been treated, his whole life. So he closed his eyes, listening to the sound of her voice against the silence and weighing each word with no distraction. And to his astonishment, they all rang true in his mind. In the swelling darkness that was taking over his heart, a tiny bit of light crept in, shining its light on the little boy crouched in the corner of that dark space, and the child lifted a dirty face, and looked out of Conan's eyes as he turned them up to meet Summer's, a hint of shimmer in them, but not comfortable enough yet to lose complete control. And surprisingly, the hands were steady as he put forth, not a burst of emotional words, but something that was just as meaningful, coming from him. I understand now.