Coveted [New/Revised Version]

UNBREAK MY MIND

     She didn't know how long she sat in that position but Iris refused to leave it. She couldn't face her family, not like this. She didn't know what to do so she continued rocking. The tears long stopped but not the guilt.

She heard the exact second when the front door jingled open. Iris knew it wasn't Sky. The feelings of this person weren't running rampant. They were singular and at the moment, she felt concern.

"Iris," Valentine's velvety voice drew her attention to him hovering above her. He kneeled down so they were at eyelevel. "Talk to me. What's wrong?"

"I broke them." She whispered.

Valentine looked at the other occupants of the room for half of a second then turned back to Iris. "They'll be fine once you calm down."

Iris blinked at his nonchalance. He spoke so confidently, as if she hadn't stripped the people she loved dearly of their very selves. "Once I calm down?"

"Yeah," He stood up and held his hand out for hers. "You'll have a clear head then and will be able to undo this."

Iris sniffled before taking his hand. Her leg muscles ached when she stood up. She couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't being overwhelmed by what Valentine felt. They stood face-to-face so she looked up at him. His obsidian eyes looked back at her, eyebrows drawn in worry.

"What are you doing here?"

"Sky called." He shrugged. "He said I'd be able to help you undo," he gestured, "this."

Iris nodded.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better."

And it wasn't a lie. She did feel better. Better than better. She felt stable. With only one person's emotions—that weren't damn near destructive to her—to focus on, she could tune it out then get a handle on her own.

"We can do this whenever you're ready." He prompted staring at the time. Was it already that late?

"What do I do?"

"Take a deep breath." Valentine instructed. She noticed he used that serene tone he used during their practice sessions or whenever he compelled someone. Admittedly, it did soothe and encourage her. Iris inhaled deeply. "Now, try to clear your mind."

"Easier said than done." Iris huffed.

"Fine," Valentine said. He walked behind her, turning her by the waist with his hands so she faced her family, Lisa, and Leo. She flinched at their blank expressions then averted her eyes.

"This is what we're going to do," his voice was at her ear. "You're going to close your eyes and focus on my voice and only my voice."

"Then what?"

"It'll just come naturally if you listen to what I tell you to do, okay?"

"Okay." Iris shut her eyes.

"Now focus on drawing it all back to you." Iris was about to ask focus on drawing what back when he continued. "All that control you exercised over them—rein it back. Think of it as a rope, one that splits into five. Imagine it unwrapping from around them and coming back to you. Think about how you want them to be free from your influence."

She thought about those things. Vividly, at that. However, nothing too special seemed to be happening. She breathed deeper through her nose. Was she supposed to be feeling something? Anything?