KasperXIII
Sworn To A Great Divide
"Aunt Thalia," she smiled, batting her eyes rather shyly to the wording. A week ago, she would've never imagined herself to be good around children at all, not even to earn the title of that 'aunt' who probably isn't an aunt biologically. But now it might just happen with Karin's baby. After a long while of doubts... this felt good, finally. Even with her faults, she was still capable of caring for another young life. "Yeah, it does have a nice ring to it. I just hope by the time he or she's born, I can actually be up to that role as a better version of me. No more of what you saw or heard last night. Even if I have to hurt myself or someone has to hurt me to stop myself, let it be. I don't want to get angry like I did last night again. That's not what I want to be. Future Thalia, you mentioned... Yeah. Future me, a calmer, more normal me."
Karin went through a few tips as well for how Thalia should think if she feels she might just lose her mind again. Think not of herself, but of the one she cares about most. Karin and her child. Charlie and her mom. All of them mattered way more than her in some raging fit that could lead her to kill. If only they came to her mind when she went after James, because, unfortunately, they didn't last night. Perhaps she needed a release to get that anger out into something that wasn't another human. She figured she'd break a lot cups and tear through several punching bags, mainly because going through an experience like her own lead to aggressive tendencies that she didn't even know the potential of. That's not what she wanted to be a role model for to Charlie or the baby. She wished she could be a model woman that Charlie could look up to someday, maybe not a perfect replica of their mother, but one that is more of a hybrid - the woman Thalia wanted to be all along.
"I will. I... sorta have faith that I can get better and not do that as much. I'm just glad you believe me. Behavioral therapy, or whatever it's called. I'll do it. I'll go to whatever person I need and just... get better."
Seated there with Karin and speaking about the brighter future reminded her of the moments on Karin's couch when they did that before. It was... rather ideal. It gave her hope to know Karin still cared about her and hadn't lost all hope. Never again would she act to hurt her best friend or family.
Then came the shootout. Al-Asheera had gone to war with the Clover Boys, something that they never did under the old leadership. Thalia froze, unsure of how to respond. Hundreds dead, a gang war in full effect. This is definitely not what Ra's wanted. Reeves was certainly not trying to preserve the same legacy that she had heard of several times over. One that included making Charlie the next leader, which wasn't going to fly with her around. Her jaw dropped ever so slightly, trying to get the words of shock out to give her input on the massacre of the previous night.
"It's like I don't even recognize them anymore," she sighed. "Ra's used to shit on Bradan's doorstep all the time, but never to the point of declaring war or starting a full-on firefight. Ra's has taken land and stolen bases of operations, but as far as I know, he's never killed a member of the Clover Boys. If he ever had one for interrogation, he'd send them back permanently damaged. Part of his only-kill-if-necessary policy, I guess... But damn. Reeves just doesn't care anymore, throwing away everything Ra's built. N-Not that I care, but it's just amazing to see what new leadership can do to an empire. He's literally driving Al-Asheera in a nosedive into a pit of spikes. Like he wants it all to burn so he can start over. Beats me... At least Bradan did us a favor and thinned them out."
Then came the incident with Damien, something Karin was out of the loop for. "I don't even know what his motives were, but he's clearly not just some guy interested in me. Shortly after you left the hospital with your freedom, he broke in and took me out of the hospital for whatever sinister gain of his. Odd enough how he didn't go straight to Reeves, but it was pretty clear he was no good guy. But it seems like he had a direct contact with James, because he began spewing all sorts of shit about him. I guess... that's what partially provoked me." She shrugged and sighed, lowering her head slightly and holding it up with a single hand through her hair. "I had to stab him. But according to James, I can't be certain if I killed him, even if I spilled a lot of blood... Ugh. If he's with Al-Asheera, he might know where we are, and that's why I'm just as concerned for everyone else. I don't care what kinda army this Jackal guy has. Al-Asheera... they're still huge in numbers, even if a few hundreds were killed..." Even though they were now just 5, which she'd become aware of soon. "...I'm still worried for the kids, Charlie, Joe, Jordan..."
In that moment, it hit her: Jordan. Frank. Bradan. The agreement she made in the hospital. Her eyes shot out as she seemed to look out into space at a realization.
"Holy shit, Kar, did you... wait."
She immediately stood up from her place and power walked her way back to the mansion. She was desperately hoping Frank hadn't poked the bear after she'd made peace for good.
Then there was Charlie back in the kitchen, listening in to the wise words of his friend's protector. Charlie had been exposed to several dark truths in his short life, and there was no real way to cleanse them all from his mind in such a short time. So did Frank and Jordan. Everyone was coping in their own way, and Charlie desperately needed a pick-me-up. A beacon of hope that his relationship with his sister was meant to be, that she was alive and brought to him like for a reason. All of these events had some underlying meaning, including the death of his father. And Jon, too - not as a replacement for the Reverend, but more like the next man to help Charlie as he grows up to become a man. Just hearing how Frank's experience shaped him... gave him hope that even with the perils of the past week, he could still grow to see success. The going would get tough.... but it would all shape up to work in the future. Not only that, but Jordan also enjoyed his company, and his comforting touch. Best friends, and under Frank's care, he'd be okay. Charlie smiled back.
"You know it, Jordan," he replied. Maybe these two new great friends of his would prove to be great influences for the future. "Thank you, Mister Hale. You really are motivating. And encouraging."
The heart-to-heart moment was cut short by the quick footsteps of Charlie's big sister in her frantic rush to the kitchen in search of the detective she grew to know and even love. It was quite a convenience that he had met her brother in the kitchen and they were fast at work on breakfast in bed for Nicole. As she entered, her face grew a smile towards her brother, proud of his progress so far.
"Well, aren't you a pro chef in the making?"
Charlie grinned and walked closer to his sister, still showing his newfound happiness. "Yeah, and I got Mister Hale to help me out with the eggs. Jordan is helping out, too."
Thalia gasped in a slightly exaggerated manner, but one appropriate for Charlie. "Oohhh! Isn't that quite something? I didn't know about that, Frank. Say... You think I can borrow him for a second? I forgot when I came back, I had to ask him a question."
Charlie nodded. "Gotcha. Don't steal the food though, because it's all for Mommy."
"Wouldn't dream of it, buddy." Thalia grinned and walked away from her brother, closer to Frank, tapping his shoulder to signal him to leave and speak in private. It seemed urgent. And not in a good way. Thalia was seriously worried that Frank had done something that he'd regret. Something Thalia tried to fix.
She directed him out of the kitchen to the room just outside. It almost looked like she was shivering, and now wasn't the time to talk about her freakout yesterday.
"Frank..." she whimpered. "The Clover Boys are mad at Al-Asheera, and they're probably going to be more active. But I need to know something. Did you do anything to piss them off in the past few days? Anything that might make them target you and Jordan more than they already are?" She was praying he didn't. Maybe they would still be safe based on her truce for info about Al-Asheera.
Karin went through a few tips as well for how Thalia should think if she feels she might just lose her mind again. Think not of herself, but of the one she cares about most. Karin and her child. Charlie and her mom. All of them mattered way more than her in some raging fit that could lead her to kill. If only they came to her mind when she went after James, because, unfortunately, they didn't last night. Perhaps she needed a release to get that anger out into something that wasn't another human. She figured she'd break a lot cups and tear through several punching bags, mainly because going through an experience like her own lead to aggressive tendencies that she didn't even know the potential of. That's not what she wanted to be a role model for to Charlie or the baby. She wished she could be a model woman that Charlie could look up to someday, maybe not a perfect replica of their mother, but one that is more of a hybrid - the woman Thalia wanted to be all along.
"I will. I... sorta have faith that I can get better and not do that as much. I'm just glad you believe me. Behavioral therapy, or whatever it's called. I'll do it. I'll go to whatever person I need and just... get better."
Seated there with Karin and speaking about the brighter future reminded her of the moments on Karin's couch when they did that before. It was... rather ideal. It gave her hope to know Karin still cared about her and hadn't lost all hope. Never again would she act to hurt her best friend or family.
Then came the shootout. Al-Asheera had gone to war with the Clover Boys, something that they never did under the old leadership. Thalia froze, unsure of how to respond. Hundreds dead, a gang war in full effect. This is definitely not what Ra's wanted. Reeves was certainly not trying to preserve the same legacy that she had heard of several times over. One that included making Charlie the next leader, which wasn't going to fly with her around. Her jaw dropped ever so slightly, trying to get the words of shock out to give her input on the massacre of the previous night.
"It's like I don't even recognize them anymore," she sighed. "Ra's used to shit on Bradan's doorstep all the time, but never to the point of declaring war or starting a full-on firefight. Ra's has taken land and stolen bases of operations, but as far as I know, he's never killed a member of the Clover Boys. If he ever had one for interrogation, he'd send them back permanently damaged. Part of his only-kill-if-necessary policy, I guess... But damn. Reeves just doesn't care anymore, throwing away everything Ra's built. N-Not that I care, but it's just amazing to see what new leadership can do to an empire. He's literally driving Al-Asheera in a nosedive into a pit of spikes. Like he wants it all to burn so he can start over. Beats me... At least Bradan did us a favor and thinned them out."
Then came the incident with Damien, something Karin was out of the loop for. "I don't even know what his motives were, but he's clearly not just some guy interested in me. Shortly after you left the hospital with your freedom, he broke in and took me out of the hospital for whatever sinister gain of his. Odd enough how he didn't go straight to Reeves, but it was pretty clear he was no good guy. But it seems like he had a direct contact with James, because he began spewing all sorts of shit about him. I guess... that's what partially provoked me." She shrugged and sighed, lowering her head slightly and holding it up with a single hand through her hair. "I had to stab him. But according to James, I can't be certain if I killed him, even if I spilled a lot of blood... Ugh. If he's with Al-Asheera, he might know where we are, and that's why I'm just as concerned for everyone else. I don't care what kinda army this Jackal guy has. Al-Asheera... they're still huge in numbers, even if a few hundreds were killed..." Even though they were now just 5, which she'd become aware of soon. "...I'm still worried for the kids, Charlie, Joe, Jordan..."
In that moment, it hit her: Jordan. Frank. Bradan. The agreement she made in the hospital. Her eyes shot out as she seemed to look out into space at a realization.
"Holy shit, Kar, did you... wait."
She immediately stood up from her place and power walked her way back to the mansion. She was desperately hoping Frank hadn't poked the bear after she'd made peace for good.
Then there was Charlie back in the kitchen, listening in to the wise words of his friend's protector. Charlie had been exposed to several dark truths in his short life, and there was no real way to cleanse them all from his mind in such a short time. So did Frank and Jordan. Everyone was coping in their own way, and Charlie desperately needed a pick-me-up. A beacon of hope that his relationship with his sister was meant to be, that she was alive and brought to him like for a reason. All of these events had some underlying meaning, including the death of his father. And Jon, too - not as a replacement for the Reverend, but more like the next man to help Charlie as he grows up to become a man. Just hearing how Frank's experience shaped him... gave him hope that even with the perils of the past week, he could still grow to see success. The going would get tough.... but it would all shape up to work in the future. Not only that, but Jordan also enjoyed his company, and his comforting touch. Best friends, and under Frank's care, he'd be okay. Charlie smiled back.
"You know it, Jordan," he replied. Maybe these two new great friends of his would prove to be great influences for the future. "Thank you, Mister Hale. You really are motivating. And encouraging."
The heart-to-heart moment was cut short by the quick footsteps of Charlie's big sister in her frantic rush to the kitchen in search of the detective she grew to know and even love. It was quite a convenience that he had met her brother in the kitchen and they were fast at work on breakfast in bed for Nicole. As she entered, her face grew a smile towards her brother, proud of his progress so far.
"Well, aren't you a pro chef in the making?"
Charlie grinned and walked closer to his sister, still showing his newfound happiness. "Yeah, and I got Mister Hale to help me out with the eggs. Jordan is helping out, too."
Thalia gasped in a slightly exaggerated manner, but one appropriate for Charlie. "Oohhh! Isn't that quite something? I didn't know about that, Frank. Say... You think I can borrow him for a second? I forgot when I came back, I had to ask him a question."
Charlie nodded. "Gotcha. Don't steal the food though, because it's all for Mommy."
"Wouldn't dream of it, buddy." Thalia grinned and walked away from her brother, closer to Frank, tapping his shoulder to signal him to leave and speak in private. It seemed urgent. And not in a good way. Thalia was seriously worried that Frank had done something that he'd regret. Something Thalia tried to fix.
She directed him out of the kitchen to the room just outside. It almost looked like she was shivering, and now wasn't the time to talk about her freakout yesterday.
"Frank..." she whimpered. "The Clover Boys are mad at Al-Asheera, and they're probably going to be more active. But I need to know something. Did you do anything to piss them off in the past few days? Anything that might make them target you and Jordan more than they already are?" She was praying he didn't. Maybe they would still be safe based on her truce for info about Al-Asheera.