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One; The Beginning

"That's the last of it, pop," A gentle voice called from behind the 1970 Chevy pickup truck. A sun-kissed-tanned girl stepped out from behind the truck, the last of all the boxes, she had packed earlier that week, in hand. Her father, graying at the roots due to his old age, stepped out onto the porch of the front of the house. "Looks like we're finally done then. Are you sure you don't want me to stay, Amethyst?" Amethyst smiled warmly at the old man, making her way towards the porch. "Unless you have a fear of long drives, I think mom would like you to be home for dinner." She passed her father, heading through the front door to settle the box in hand on the coffee table. Though the inside of the house was still furnished with things her parents had bought a long time ago, she had wanted to spruce up each detail. She admired the old recliner, the worn love seat, and so forth, though she wanted to make it her own style. The few boxes that were filled with things belonging to her were placed in the bedroom and bathroom, the other boxes she had brought were placed in various places. Some boxes were filled to the brim with things needed for her work, though others were filled with items she could use to make the house look more like something of her style. With the sounds of boots scuffing against the floor ringing in her ear, Amethyst turned to stare up into the fading blue eyes of her father. "I do say, Benjamin O'Shea, you have aged ever-so gracefully through the years." A soft chuckle escaped her father's lips, his eyes crinkling as a smile graced his features. "And you, Amethyst O'Shea, have grown into a beautiful, midnight bloom." With a mock bow from her father, the two hugged. "I'll see you soon, pop. Make sure to tell mom I love her, I'll call her as soon as I get my cell set up, and I will send her any old photos I find." Amethyst pulled away after a few moments, her father ruffling her long, ink-colored hair. "I love you, Mist. It's going to be a bit lonely around here, maybe you should get a dog, or a cat." A soft gasp made it's way from Amethyst's lips, her hand moving to rest on her chest. "Is my own father calling me a cat lady?" Another round of laughs ensued, the two eventually parting as the sun began to set.

Not long after her father had left, Amethyst began unpacking each of the boxes, starting with the kitchen. Her movements were slower when it came to actually placing each item somewhere, though it didn't take her long to unpack every box littering the house. By the end of the night, close to ten, she was finished. With a small smile, Amethyst laid the last freshly fluffed pillow into place on her newly made bed. There she was, in the master room, the bed made with her sheets, and, yet, there she was in the room of her parents as a small child. The simple memory of spending each night in the bed with her parents after a rough nightmare made her smile, her hand brushing over the folded blanket at the end of the bed. Her bedroom had been turned into an art studio, thanks to her doing, and it looked amazing. Her photo developing room had been placed, strategically, in the basement. Though the basement was small in size, it was large enough to have a dark room, which pleased Amethyst to no end. Her sock covered feet made little noise as she made her way out of the room, heading to the kitchen to put up the remaining grocery she had brought with her. She hummed to herself as she placed the frozen items in the freezer, occupying herself for a short time. It wasn't until she heard the creak of a floorboard that she stopped, her head snapping in the direction of the sound. Her eyes looked around the kitchen cautiously, soon trailing towards the opening to the living room to search there as well. She settled the container of rotisserie chicken onto the counter, slowly making her way into the living room. "Hello?" Though there was no response to her greeting, there was the sound of faint shuffling throughout the house, as if someone were rushing around. Once everything became silent, she sighed. "Not even through the first night and you're already contemplating the house being haunted. Nice job, Amethyst, nice job." Her sarcasm fueled words rang through the silence, soft foot falls following as she headed back to the kitchen. She quickly grabbed the container of chicken from the counter, opening the refrigerator to place it inside. Once the container was place on the middle shelf, she turned to grab the last container of chicken, slipping it beside it's partner on the middle shelf. With a gentle flick of her wrist, the door to the fridge swung closed, revealing a gem settled perfectly on the counter. Upon closer inspection, it was more than a simple gem, it was a crystal attached to a chain. Amethyst carefully picked up the necklace, a small sense of deja-vu washing over her. Not being able to place where the necklace had come from, let alone whose it was, she set it back onto the counter. She quickly made work of putting the grocery bags away, a cloud of confusion looming over her as she made her way up to her room. The first day on her own was done, now she simply had to get through the rest.