It's What We Do That Defines Us

[Seth Draclau]

Seth hugged his daughter back, feeling this opportunity between the two to grow even closer together upon them. He knew that between all of his children, he and Isis were probably closest by virtue of her being his first biological child. Ayden was most likely Kassey's favorite by virtue of being their last and their only boy. He held the name of a man that was very important to Kassey which in a way proved the favor she placed in him. Not only bearing the name of a man she considered a father to her, but by virtue of his middle name.. that being his own.

Because of that bond he could only smile. "Just promise me one thing.. if for some reason I'm not around for you.. please, tell your mother how you feel. She could never think you weird or scary, she loves you and would protect you with her dying breath. You are our daughter and we will always love you.. no matter what happens," the man said as he looked upon his little girl grown up too fast. Would that he could protect her from all the evils of the galaxy.

"If you promise me that.. this can remain between us."

 

[Isis Draclau]

Isis gave him a small smile, and she nodded. When he mentioned about not being around for her, she didn't like that. It made her think that something bad might happen to him, and she wasn't sure how she would take to her dad not being around for her, or being in her life. She decided to push that thought away in efforts to abide by his promise to her, and her promise to him.

"I promise, dad." She said and then she retreated her hands, and placed them back in her lap for a moment, looking up at him. "I guess I just don't want to worry anyone, or hurt anyone I know. I just don't know how to feel, but knowing that you've had these feelings too, it kinda makes me feel like I'm not alone, and that's a good feeling. And Ayden, I don't ever want him to go through all of this. I know Jewel never had to go through it, but Ayden, he's so little. I have to protect him, since he's my brother. So however I have to do that, I will."

 

[Seth Draclau]

"Thank you. The fact that you will be there for your little brother gives me great comfort. Only together can we protect one another and one day I promise you, you will never have to hear someone aim a single hurtful word to you again," the father told his daughter as he placed a small kiss on her forehead. She would be alright.. he would see to that if not then he would do whatever he can to make sure that no one could ever hurt her again. Swiping a hand across her forehead to press a loose strand of hair out of her face, Seth stood up from the couch.

"Now.. you lay here and rest a while. When your injuries heal I will begin teaching you how to change and we'll see if you can at this age. I'll be in your brother's room with your mother," he said quietly as he began walking back to where he had come from, his body moving down the hall until he shifted in between the door and the crack and saw Kassey still watching over their young son, still sound asleep from earlier.

"Isis will be okay, dear," he said quietly, announcing his presence and letting Kassey know he had finished their talk.

 

[Isis Draclau]

Isis gave her dad a nod when he mentioned about her brother. She figured as herself, like the older sister, that she should be able to protect him if he needed it. Today, she was focused solely on making those girl pay for teasing, but then the more she remembered back, she had gotten angry, even more so, when Ayden had hit his head. That was what sent her over the edge more than not. He was little compared to boys his age, but she found that it didn't matter. All that mattered was that they were alright now, her concerns with her feelings were now talked out with Seth, and that gave her a small amount of relief.

Protecting Ayden was something that she felt like she should do. Julianna was out of school now, planning to be her own person, and soon Isis would be the one to help him. She took this responsibility happily, although she had a feeling that soon he would be the one protecting her once he got just a little bit older. She watched her dad smile and begin to walk off, and she had cleared her throat.

"Thanks, dad." She poked her head over the couch as he walked away from her. She figured that now would be a good time to do just as he said, even though her stomach was growling a little bit for dinner, all she did was lay her head back on the couch, and she was out like a light.

 

[Kassey Draclau]

While they were talking, Kassey had taken a chair in his room, and sat there watching him sleep soundly. At first, her mind wandered off to when he was just a baby. The news had stunned her and Seth again. She was sure that Isis was a one time case, but then, they were blessed with another child just four years later. She remembered just how she felt in her like. Lucky..and she didn't believe in luck. Maybe it was something else, she couldn't be sure, but being pregnant with Ayden was her second miracle, she would never forget that.

Her hand brushed some hair out of his face as he slept, but he didn't even stir. It made her see the mark on his head, and her mind wandered from past times to the current time. The more she stared at that mark, the more angry she had gotten. She could sit here and ask the questions of why they would pick on someone so much younger than them, so innocent, but Isis had already taught them the lesson that it was not good to do that. This made her concerned for her daughter, especially when Seth had said that she was hurting on the inside. That made her worry more and more about her well being, and her future.

Sometimes, Kassey had to remember that she was a responsible adult now. Because in a way, she felt that what Isis did, no fault at all. That she was right, that they deserved it. But another part of her had to disagree. These were other people's children, and she couldn't imagine of Isis had been unconscious, or sent into the hospital because of another girl at school. With a heavy sigh, she tried to relax her mind, but her over active thinking, something that she seemed to always have, never stopped. That is, until she heard Seth's voice.

Kassey had moved from the chair to see him in the crack of the door, and she gave Ayden one last look before she had stood up, and opened the door fully so that she could wrap her arms around him. "Are you sure?" Was her only response to that. When it came to her children, she was a worried mother. Even when Jewel was a baby, she would constantly check up on her when she wasn't around the little one. Even as they grew older, this was no different.

 

[Seth Draclau]

Seth's arms wrapped around his wife and held her close to him as his eyes looked over to where his son laid asleep. "Yes, I'm sure. She just needed to be reminded that she has people that love her more than life itself and I think that having gone through all this myself, knowing she has someone she can relate to will be a big help," he said as he looked at Kassey and leaned his head against hers before taking a deep breath. It was a hard thing to deal with, harder than he could imagine and he could imagine just how bad it could get. It was more real now that it had happened.

"When she feels better I'm going to begin teaching her how to change the color of her skin. I'm not sure how successful she'll be.. but if she's willing to try then maybe having a teacher can help her learn faster than I could," he said quietly. If he could help his baby, then he would. He just hoped that it would be enough to help set her mind at ease and give her the tools to deal with her life. He knew personally that when he learned to change, things got better. It was probable that she wold find the same.

 

[Kassey Draclau]

Kassey felt comforted when he leaned his head against hers. She had closed her eyes and listened to everything he had said, but in a way, she didn't dare let him go. She let her arms remained wrapped around him tightly, needing that love and support from him at every chance that she could get, especially when it came to the well being of their children.

"I understand. I had a feeling she would want to learn to change, especially after a day like today. I know we'll have to talk about where to send them for school, or hiring someone to come here. I never grew up in a school....I suppose I didn't realize how rough kids can really be." She explained to him, and then she gave him a kiss on his cheek. Finally, she had pulled back a little to look at him in the eyes. "I can't tell you just how...angry I am." She whispered, so that Ayden, if he woke up, wouldn't hear them, since they were still at the door. "They hurt our children. Physically hurt them. I don't care who they are, I don't want them around our kids anymore if they are any kind of threat to them whatsoever. I used to be able to take care of the people that hurt me and my own, but it's not like I can do that with the kids that pick on mine."

No, in her past, if someone had threatened her, or her family, her friends, she would have them killed, no question. But now...now she didn't have that option, not for other children so young. "Our children deserve better."

 

[Seth Draclau]

"People are horrible.. simply horrible," Seth said backing up what he knew about the way people could be. It was hard in this day and age to believe that people could be so bad to each other. With all the aliens, the diverse cultures, one would think that these sorts of prejudices would be gone, a thing of the past. That wasn't so, there would always be hate and with it, no one would ever be free of the scorn that another being can bring on another. Seth had learned this a long time ago and now it seemed it was something that his children would need to learn.

However..

"People are horrible.. but not all of them," he said sliding his fingers over the side of her face, offering a smile. "You taught me that, with your love and understanding. Our children do deserve better, you and I can give them better. We just have to trust each other.. as we always have and everything will be okay." It was funny how much the man had changed.. marrying the woman of his dreams, having two beautiful children together.. it had changed him for the better he believed. Kassey had been the one make this change in him, now he could help her.

 

[Kassey Draclau]

She had to smile when he offered her one himself, and then she leaned in to give him one small kiss on his lips. Kassey ran her hand on the back of his head, just holding him close for a moment before she nodded. "You're right. We're going to do what we can for them, no matter what. They know that they're loved and cared for. That's what matters now." She said with a smile, and then she turned to look over to Ayden.

"Where is Isis now? Is she hungry?" Kassey asked him, as she had moved her hands up and down his arms a little bit comfortingly. If they were hungry, Kassey was going to do her best to put something together for dinner. A lot of things had changed, and her cooking skills in the last 17 years were one of those things. She started to walk out of the bedroom, holding his hand and gently tugging him with her. "I can make something, Ayden shouldn't sleep all evening, either, or he'll be up late at night, and I think tomorrow, we should all sit down and talk about what they can do for school."

 

[Seth Draclau]

"Isis is still on the couch, I told her to relax and rest for a little while. I wouldn't be surprised if she took my advice immediately," he said with a smile. Both of their children had suffered a trying day and he imagined they deserved a little time to rest and forget their troubles. They could be woken up after a little while and dinner could be served. If it was one thing that he really looked forward to it was dinner with the family. Kassey's ability to cook had only gotten better with his teaching and now he enjoyed sitting at the table with his family and enjoying a home cooked meal.

"We can get dinner started and wake them when it's time to eat. They deserve a little rest after what they've been through." Seth followed along closely to his love. The two found there way into the living room, Seth's eyes catching hold of their young daughter sleeping on the couch. A smile spread over his face as his eyes softened. Leaning in closer, he whispered into her ear. "Let's go into the kitchen."

 

[Kassey Draclau]

Kassey nodded to Seth, agreeing with him as she led him into the living room by her hand. She held his tightly, and even throughout these years, no matter what situation they were in together, he had been there for her, and he knew just how to comfort her in every way possible. For that, and for so many other reasons, she really and truly loved him. That's when she had peeked over the couch to see Isis laying there, sprawled out comfortably and sleeping soundly.

She looked up to Seth and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I think you're right. Come on, let's go start something to eat for them." She tugged on his hand again and she walked the path into the kitchen, and once they were out of earshot for both of them, Kassey right away had gotten two glasses, and she looked in the icebox for something to drink. "I'm proud that Ayden stood up for his sister. That says so much for their future to help each other out. I would like to think that our parenting skills have really shown today in instances like this. There is always something good in a bad situation."

 

[Seth Draclau]

"I'm proud of him too.. he worries me though. He wants so much to be strong for his family but he's such a small boy.. smaller than most other kids his age. I'm afraid one day he's going to pick a fight with someone that will really hurt him. He knows how to fight.. he knows how to use his speed and agility to his advantage but it only goes so far." He was proud, but he didn't want his only son to be hurt doing what his parents had taught him to do. It was in this that he was glad that Isis was there for him, to watch over him and protect him even though he wanted to protect her.

"Isis proves herself a miracle once more as well.. I don't know what I'd do if Ayden was alone. He might want to protect her.. but it's her that comes to his rescue when he's hurt. They make a good team.. I just wish they didn't have to come to such pain and hardship. Our babies shouldn't need to fight because of the way they look," he said pulling out a chair at the table and taking a seat for a moment as he let out a sigh.

"It's just not fair.."

 

[Kassey Draclau]

He was right, very much so. It wasn't fair for their children to endure such pain, mentally and physically. They were both strong in their own ways, and she had a feeling that just a few more years of knowledge, they would both be twice as strong. But for now, the worry always remained. Perhaps, it was a parent thing, but Kassey was also scared of their children getting hurt in the process. She had grabbed a container, and poured them both some iced tea, and put it back into the cooler, and shut the door. She walked over to the table and set their drinks there, and then she had walked up behind Seth as he sat down.

Her hands moved to his shoulders and began to squeeze, giving them a gentle massage to help him relax. Then, she had kissed the top of his head before speaking again. "You're right, it's not fair. It's not fair that they have to go through any of this. We can take them out of that school, we could hire tutors, as long as it's both what they want. If Isis wants to change, you can help her learn how to do so. I just.."

She paused and continued to move her hands along his shoulders, and she let out a sigh herself. "..I preached to them being younger to embrace who they are, and who they want to be in the future. Now that all of this has happened, it's all altered. Isis wants to change, maybe Ayden will, too. Maybe it will make them stronger people. Ayden...I am still worried about him. He is little for his age, we'll just have to tell him to realize his size, and not to get hurt because of it. The rest will be up to him, since he's getting older now."