𝙰𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝙾𝚏 𝙼𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚢 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚝𝚝𝚘 𐂃

Chapter 7

"Doing the cruddy chores doesn't sound like much of a punishment." Hailey said with a deeply entrenched frown. Biting her nails clean, she and Cristine listened to the news shared by their father. Apparently the two people on patrol at the time, on the account of negligence, weren't allowed to go on runs. Instead they had to do the chores that were just a pain in the ass.

"The two on patrol won't go on runs until further notice. That's the hardest they can be punished, believe me. The amount of people in the Militia aren't enough to spare and most enjoy time away from the ranch." James explained and took a seat on the edge of the table. Giving Cristine one over, remembering her bloodied form, how she dealt with that resurrected, and the offensive stance as if she has had to take on the world by herself... it rerouted within his brains like a broken record with every wandering thought.

"What're you thinking about Birdie?" James asked, voice careful.

Cristine shrugged, a forced smile on her lips with her answer, "if I wasn't here and left like I plan-"

"Don't." James shook his head, "please don't. This is not your fault, never was, and will be. I should have said something sooner. I should've listened to you. But instead I was naive and sure that you didn't have to deal with this because I am your father."

Cristine looked down at her fists on the table, expression hidden from her sister and father. If this was the best 'punishment' that came out of this attempt on her life, then it meant that she had to make herself useful to this place. Cristine never put high expectations on the things she could not directly influence, so she wasn't angry or disappointed how this had played out. Her father had done his best for her, but she wasn't going to kumbaya and neither were her Troy and his men.

Guilt ridden words from her father wouldn't fix this for her either. It was why she didn't go to him in the first place, even under Hailey's pressure. She wanted to see what he'd do, what he could and would do as a so called Founding Father. Not as her father, because that would just be getting her hopes up and ending up disappointed with the outcome.

Biting her lip, Cristine raised her head again when roughed hands covered the back of her palms. The pain and guilt misting through his eyes for her well being. It warmed her heart in the moment, so she simply locked her fingers around his and sat in this peaceful moment. Choosing this moment to think of the most perfect memory of her father, Cristine clung to it. She chose it because in this moment, he was the person he should have been had it not been for their deeply rooted family issues.

"Daddy's right." Warmed by her father and sister's intimate moment, Hailey witnessed the shifting on Cristine's face before she stepped forward to comfort het sister. Rubbing the curve of her shoulder, Hailey briefly smiled at her father's accepting nod. She really hated see her sister suffering so silently, sure they hadn't been on the best of terms and the contact had been strained, but that didn't mean she didn't love her. They'd have to work through their issues together and Hailey thought this was a good time as any.

"It'll get better, I'm sure of it." Rubbing soothing circles trying to remain understanding. There was nothing wrong with breaking down once in a while or asking for help and Hailey felt that her sister needed to know that her emotions were very much valid, not a burden or a sign of weakness. She could only be strong for so long and Hailey was secretly glad that this insane ordeal brought the them closer together.

"Hailey? James? Are you here?" The soft-spoken voice outside the cabin turned the atmosphere inside thin. The daughter, father, sister moment short lived. Her father's comforting hands easily slipped away from his eldest and Cristine looked at the figure of her father waltzing towards the door. She saw him struggle with the door knob for a bit before pulling it open.