something in the orange, spn [ 2 ]

001. normal life

Dean and Ophelia moved in with Lisa while Natalie and Jacob found a house nearby so that Natalie could still be close to the girls. Libby goes between her aunt and uncle's houses, but mostly lives with Natalie.

Lisa's house had gotten crowded enough with two extra people and Libby felt more comfortable living with two people she completely knew rather than two strangers, even if Dean and Ophelia were there too.

Larissa went off on her own and is still hunting, but she does visit from time to time.

Libby spends practically every night in Natalie and Jacob's bed, plagued by too many nightmares to be able to sleep alone. Witnessing her father's death twice has just made her nightmares ten times more frequent. She can't even take a nap without seeing Sam get shot or fall into the hole.

Sam's only been dead for a few weeks, and Ophelia is currently at Natalie and Jacob's since Ben was at a friend's house and Ben and Lisa went out with some neighbors.

"So, how are you doing?" Natalie asks her oldest niece. Libby and Jacob are watching The Little Mermaid while Natalie and Ophelia are baking brownies.

"Fine, I guess." Ophelia mumbles.

"Okay, I don't have to be psychic to sense that lie." Natalie says. Ophelia sighs.

"I'm not okay. Daddy isn't okay, either. He drinks all the time. He wakes up screaming. The pain is kind of overwhelming. Your pain's kind of worse, though. Which I guess I get. He was your twin."

"I don't wanna talk about your dad, I wanna talk about you, little missy. Nice job trying to dodge it, though." Natalie says.

"I get nightmares, too. I just don't wake up screaming." Ophelia says.

"Do you get your dad when you have them?" Natalie asks.

"No. I don't need to bother him with it. He has enough of his own grief to deal with." Ophelia says. Natalie frowns, her heart breaking for the ten year old.

"Opi..."

"Besides, I don't wanna add to anything. He's happy with Ben and Lisa. I shouldn't mess it up." Ophelia says.

"Honey--"

"It's just best he doesn't have to worry about me. It'll only add to the tension." Ophelia says, shrugging like it's not a big deal.

"Has he done anything to make you feel like this?" Natalie asks.

"No. It's my choice. The only thing he's done that I don't like is he says I can't use my powers anymore." Ophelia says.

"What?" Natalie asks.

"Normal people don't have telekinesis. And they... they can't feel others' emotions or sense lies. Not that I can stop those two. They're just... automatic. It's kinda like breathing." Ophelia says.

"Honey, you do not have to hide anything. I mean, well, your-- regarding your emotions. You shouldn't pretend to be fine if you're not." Natalie says.

"I've always done it." Ophelia says. "That way you guys can have less to stress about. Especially with you being pregnant now. And you have to worry about Libby. She needs more help than I do."

"You are both extremely important, Ophelia. Don't ever doubt that. You don't have to take care of all of us. You're a kid. You only have to worry about yourself, and we're supposed to help you when you don't feel good. You shouldn't feel the need to hide it."

"Right." Ophelia mumbles. "I have to go to the bathroom." She says, walking off.

Natalie watches her disappear into the bathroom, her heart breaking at her niece's beliefs.