She stood on the damp sand until the tide began to rise, cold water splashing against her ankles. The sky was clear with wisps of dark gray clouds splattered against the darkening day. Shining through the clouds was the sunset, a cold yellow mixed with the bright and shining orange. The sun would go down soon, the light was quickly fading. It wouldn't be long until the sky was a pale gray slate, with a hint of blue and a handful of stars beginning to shine.

Roman had walked down the beach until he was out of sight, too far gone and too far away for Jeen to call out to him now.

She had no desire to go back to the house. She'd taken off the scarf and coat, not wanting to wear anything from the doctor. It was a reminder of her excitement. How she actually thought they had a chance at saving their - her - mother. If they had never listened to Londen, and just went to a hospital instead of Dr. Paxton, none of this would've happened.

Now all she could feel was the hurt inside.

Half of her hated her mother so much it was painful - and the other half still wanted to save her.

It felt like she was being torn in two.

Roman would've never known that her parents weren't his. Jeen knew Roman wasn't the forgiving type, and to have him forgive Isabella for lying to him for his whole life... she wasn't certain he could.

She wasn't certain she could.

The way back to Dr. Paxton's was cold.

Jeen walked slowly, not wanting to go in the house at all.

She didn't want to speak to anyone. Didn't want to face anyone, didn't want to face her problems.

She trudged across the lawn, crushing the perfectly green grass beneath her footsteps. She shoved the code into the screen. The door popped open, Jeen walking in and slamming the door behind her.

"Jeen?"

It was Londen's voice.
"Don't talk me."

"The doctor went to go find Wen, and Saule's after Roman."

"I don't care."

She threw the grey coat and scarf on the coach, walking across the house while avoiding looking at Londen. She stopped in front of a glass window, staring out with stinging eyes. Her vision began to blur.

She reached up and wiped her cheek, pulling hand away and looking at it. She didn't even realize she'd begun to cry.

"Who are you?" Jeen said, almost under her breath.

She knew Londen could hear her. The house was deadly silent and they were only a room apart, no walls between them.

"Why didn't you just let us take you to a hospital? None of this would've happened." She whispered, her voice shaking.

"Why did we listen to you."

She heard Londen's footsteps across the marbled floor. The sliding of a chair across the floor came next. Londen then sat down, leaning his crutches against the table.

"Because if you didn't listen to me, you and your family would only be torn apart a second time."

"Too late. That just happened a second time." Jeen whispered, refusing to look at him.

"I know, and I'm sorry, but just hear me out. Roman's supposed to be dead."

"Stop being so vague and make some sense for once."

"Fine." Londen sighed heavily. "Your mother saw first hand what Dr. Paxton and Wen went through as they were - and still are - supervised by the Minister. Your mother used the help of someone else to put it in the medical records that Roman died of a plague not a year after he was adopted. If the Minister knew that your mother lied to him all those years ago, she would be taken to prison the minute we find her."

"How did they manage to miss that Roman clearly wasn't dead?"

"Your family moved at that time, didn't they? To Di Nova, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, she managed to hide for a couple years there didn't she? Just the three of you?"

"Yes."

"Long enough to put in the records the fake birth of a child. One named Michael Roman Starc."

"Isn't the name Roman a bit of dead giveaway?"

"On the contrary, it's a perfect tribute to the loss of her previous child. So, no. It's actually quite fitting to rename him that."

There was silence for a few seconds.

Jeen turned around, looking at Londen, who now had a slight flush in his cheeks, which meant his strange sickly boute was gone.

"That's interesting. But, I don't really care about the tiny details of how everything came to happen." She paused. "I care about the big details, and you've managed to leave out one very big one."

"What's that?" Londen asked, his voice sounding tired.

"Stop pretending. You haven't exactly been good at hiding the truth."

His expression grew darker, his eyebrows drawn together, overshadowing his eyes.

"You know us." She said.

They stared at each other for a moment, Jeen waiting for him to deny it, but he remained silent.

"I'm just trying to figure out how." Jeen added, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

"It doesn't matter." Londen said, looking away.
Jeen scoffed loudly.

"Um... I think it does matter. A lot."

"No it doesn't. What matters is getting your family back together." Londen said, grabbing his crutches and pulling himself to his feet - or foot - unsteadily.

He turned, swinging his leg as he made his way back to the living room.

Jeen sat there, staring at the table.

"Why do you want to help us? What's in it for you?"

His head turned only far enough to see the side of of his face, the other half covered in shadow.

"Nothing. I just have a gut feeling telling me it's what I should do." He said in a hushed tone.

Jeen couldn't tell if he was being honest or not, but she felt a twang of guilt. She doubted she had the kindness to ever do that for someone she barely knew. Almost a complete stranger.

"Thank you." She said despite her anger, her voice was still thick from her recent tears.

Londen gave a brief nod of his head before he began to shuffle away.

She sniffed, reaching to brush away a drop stuck to her eyelashes.

She took the time to think. Watching as the sun disappeared completely from view, dusk taking its place. The Moons would be up soon.

The sound of a sports transfer engine came from outside. She turned and looked out the opposite window to see smoke billowing out of a silvering Aro 412. A manually driven transfer, costing roughly in the hundred thousands to millions in money.

Wen threw his door open, slamming it behind him. He stormed towards the house, disappearing from view and coming through the front door a moment later.

He looked around the dark house with glare.

"Where'd he go now?" He said.

"Gabriel?" Londen asked.

"Who else?" Wen said, looking out the window.

"He went looking for you." Londen answered.

"Of course he did." Wen sighed, then turned and walked out the door again.

"Wait, did you find... the other guy?" Londen called after him, standing up from the couch.

"Does it look like I did?" Wen yelled back from outside, his voice muffled.

The sound of an engine starting followed. A few seconds later Wen swerved out of the driveway and sped away.

Jeen stood there watching as the transfer disappeared from view.

What am I doing here?

The thought echoed in her head.

Why am I here? Honestly?

It felt like every time she and Roman relied on anyone, they ended up getting hurt in some way or another.

She lifted her head, staring back at the ocean through the glass.

She knew what this meant.

Jeen was done turning other people's lives into messes just to try and organise her own.

She turned and glanced around the dim house. Londen walked to the restroom, leaving her alone in the house.

Her eyes landed on a silver connector sitting on the kitchen counter. She rushed across the room, reached out and pocketed it. She grabbed the grey coat she'd thrown on the couch earlier and walked to the door. 

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