"You're ripped at every edge
Buy you're a masterpiece."
- Halsey

***

After a long one sided talk with Fredrick, Frans had dozed off. His head resting on the palm of his hand, the light, outgrown hair falling over his closed eyes.

The room looked like it was frozen in time. The morning rays of sun peeking in from behind the curtains, drawing dark and light lines on the white walls.

The picture would look calm, but in reality, it was everything but that.

A small figure opened the door very slowly, wide blue eyes curiously eyeing the two brothers.
Looking down the large hospital corridors, she noticed her caretaker was nowhere to be seen.

She slipped in the room, disturbing the hours of calmness that the brothers had.
Slowly, she padded closer to the bed that was across the room. She scanned the mans face, she knew him, or well, her older sister did. After all, her older sister did take pictures of Fredrick earlier.

The girl leaned forwards, trying to see the guys face who was sleeping by the bed. The guys blonde hair was annoyingly fallen over his face. Hesitantly she pushed the hair out of her eyes, giggling when the boy huffed.

The girl tickled Frans' nose with her fingers, giggling when Frans huffed once more, sneezing loudly.
The loud noise startled the girl and she hid under the bed.

Frans' green eyes flew open and his heart rate sped up. He looked down at Fred and rubbed his face, Fredrick was okay. He took a deep breath to calm his heart, how is it possible to sneeze so loud to scare yourself up from your deep slumber?

He froze when he noticed a pink stuffed elephant laying in front of him.

He jumped up, it wasn't there before. And he's only been asleep for a couple of minutes.
H

e tensed, but he did not feel any kind of fear. Painfully slowly, he peeked over the bed.

A pair of curious green eyes were met with playful, crystal blue ones.
It was a small girl with a bit too yellowish-pale skin, too dark circles under her eyes and too skinny frame. She must've been around nine years old in Frans' opinion. She had dark, long and dull hair. She was wearing a hospital gown, meaning she was a patient herself.
Everything about the girl was dull, except her smile. It was bright, and full of hope.

"Hey there."

Frans couldn't even finish his sentence before the girl had hopped on the bed and broken the trance like state Frans was in.

"Hey!"

She said, her smile not faltering for a second. She hugged the stuffed elephant closer to her chest. Making sure she didn't disturb Fredrick in any way. Frans was unsure about the strange girl being here, he felt at ease a little.

"I'm Ellie Frost and I'm twelve! I like elephants and when I grow up I'm going to be a ballet dancer!"

She said, her every word full of enthusiasm.
Something about the child was soothing to Frans, he relaxed and offered the girl a smile.

But then it hit him.

Ellie Frost. Twelve years old. Was this the Ellie Frost? Eveline's youngest child?

"Well, Ellie, I'm Frans. But tell me how did you get here?"

He asked, leaning closer to the child. There was no question the kid had been through something, or is going through something. But what exactly, Frans didn't know. Her body looked worn out and her eyes seemed tired, even the heavy smell of chemicals wasn't as disturbing as the dark circles under her eyes. But the smile was so bright and full of life.

"Oh, I'm a patient too! Just like Fredrick! And don't be silly, I know who you are! Everyone here knows who you are."

The girl giggled, pressing the elephant closer to her chest.

"I was so happy when mom said you are going to be my brother, does that mean Fredrick is going to be my brother as well? My mom said she loves your dad, so that means we must be siblings now, does it not?"

Ellie asked, looking up at him curiously.
So it was the Ellie Frost. Frans was a little taken a back, but he blamed the early morning hours for that. It was obviously too early.

"Yeah, I guess it does."

Suddenly Frans was tackled in a hug, the stuffed elephant pressed between them.

"I've always wanted a brother!"

Ellie beamed up at Frans, and deep deep down in Frans' heart, the ice he felt towards Evangeline started melting. But just a little bit. He knew he could never accept the woman like Fredrick and Annie did.
But just for Ellie's sake, he pushed the family problems aside.

"Hey Ellie, how did you know to come here?"

He asked, distraction Ellie as she was fidgeting with the dog tag Frans was wearing around his neck.
Blue eyes snapped up, a playful smile forming on Ellie's lips.

"Eva brought me here yesterday, this big man was here with us, Marman-"

"Marvel."

"-Marman brought me cookies!"

Frans looked at the child, wondering which one of the girls was Eva.

"Who's Eva, Ellie?"

"Eva is my oldest sister, she's sixteen! She took pictures of Fredrick before and-"

"She did what?"

Why would someone take picture of Frederick in such a state ? And why on earth was she here earlier? Frans didn't know the family, but this Eva was already making his stomach sick. How should he accept new family if he can't even trust them? And how could he now leave Fredrick's side knowing that she could just sneak some reporters in, if, she hasn't done it already.

"She took pictures, hey Frans, I can now tell my other friends that you're my brother! Can you imagine how jealous Mary would become if she hears it! Wait, I'll go and get my phone so-"

"Ellie!"

The voice startled both of them, Frans' head snapped up and Ellie slid off the bed. The girl looked like a deer caught on head lights.
It was some kind of nurse, her cheeks were flushed as she glared at Ellie Frost.

"Oh, I just wanted to see-"

"Don't run off like that again, and I'm so sorry sir. She won't slip off again. Cmon Ellie, its time for your medicine."

"No no, it's okay. She is no bother to me nor Fredrick."

Ellie dragged herself slowly towards the nurse. The nurse looked down, taking a firm grip around Ellie's shoulders.

"It's hospital rules, sir."

Before Frans could utter another word, the nurse named Amanda and Ellie were forcefully pushed aside. Two bulky men stormed in the room, startling Frans who automatically gripped Fredricks bed.
The men were wearing rather dark clothes.

"Found him Sir."

One of them talked in his earbud, not looking away from Frans who was now fully awake. The man who he now recognized as Oswald, the other one was Lance. His new guards.
Oswald mumbled something in the mic and then nodded to Lance.

Together they closed in on Frans, cornering him.

"Wha-"

Before he could ask, Lance and Oswald took a hold of his arms, dragging him out of the room. Confused and bit scared, Frans tried to push them off. He trashed and questioned them loudly.

They didn't even acknowledge him.

"Please, I'll come! Let me go for heavens sake!"

Frans pleaded as he was dragged towards the large front doors.
His heart was beating in his throat as his pulse quickened. He could not go away, he was trapped. Forcefully he was pushed out of the safety of hospital and into crowd of screaming people.

***