Black & White

Chapter Thirteen

3rd Person POV:

A suit-clad Atticus was making his way towards his younger sister's room. It was early in the morning, and the dark hallway was not yet illuminated by the sleeping sun. The incident during the previous day was unfortunate and infuriating. All of their staff had been briefed and instructed on Aurora, yet one somehow managed to strangle her.

The past evening was spent dealing with the man and other surrounding staff. It was safe to say some replacements would be needed. 

However, the eldest three siblings were surprised with a sweet sight upon their arrival home last night.

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Their youngest four siblings were sprawled out on the living room couches. The TV was playing the beginning of the third 'Hunger Games' movie, and empty Chinese food boxes littered the tables. To the right of the room, Kieran was on his own couch with an arm awkwardly propped up under his head; the position looked incredibly uncomfortable on his unconscious body.

In the center of the room, the twins and Aurora were snuggled up under a mountain of blankets together. Calix was sleeping sat upright with his arms crossed in front of his chest, his body snug beside Aurora. Aurora's upper body was being pressed against Cassian's chest like a pillow, his arms caging her in. 

Cassian's head was laid atop her own as he reclined back into the couch.

When Atticus went to pick Aurora up, Cassian's arms instinctively tightened their hold in response. Calix had shot awake when he felt movement beside him, relaxing only when he saw it was just Atticus. 

Kieran woke up due to the shuffling and left when he saw his elder brothers had arrived.

When Atticus finally got the very sleepy Aurora in his arms without waking her, Cassian had asked to be carried too. 

Damien rolled his eyes in response and smacked their youngest brother upside the head.

Valen watched the entire encounter, only moving to clean up the space when Atticus walked by and nodded at him.

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Atticus smiled at the memory of last night; he hadn't carried Aurora to bed since she was just a toddler. He opened the door to his sister's room, hoping to check on her before work without disrupting her sleep.

Walking up to her bed in the dark, he saw her sleeping figure curled up tightly in the sheets. He paused at the expression her face was making; she looked like she was in pain. Her lips and eyebrows were pressed downwards, her fingers curled around her blanket, and her body was shaking slightly.

Atticus crouched down near her head. "Cara? Are you alright, hun?" Aurora didn't reply, clearly unconscious.

Atticus realized she was having a nightmare and reached for her hands, wanting to hold them in attempts to soothe her. Upon contact with her skin, her body jolted awake and launched back into the headboard behind her.

"Aurora! It's just me. It's okay," he whisper-shouted at the girl. Her eyes blinked and dashed around the room, finally landing on her brother. Atticus saw tears starting to gloss her eyes and quickly sat himself on the bed beside her.

"Hun, it's okay. You're in your bedroom at home. It's only you and me in here," he carefully reassured.

"I'm sorry," Aurora sniffled out. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Atticus frowned at her apology. She had no reason to be sorry. "I was already up. You didn't wake anyone." Despite his confession, Aurora's lips still trembled and her throat stung.