Falling To The Sun | B. Swan + E. Cullen

seize

There was a type of idealized view when it came to father-daughter relationships that the world sort of expected. Roman wasn't sure if she would ever subscribe to that sort of belief but she knew for a fact that they were meant to be present, to at least try and be involved in their children's lives.

She wanted to believe that maybe he was away on some secret mission or maybe he was undercover all these  years that he couldn't reach to her in the slightest but she knew for a fact that it wasn't true -- he spoke to Marnie relatively often and when the plane began to descend in  Anchorage she knew that he wasn't doing anything special that prevented him.

Her eagerness was already starting to wain and Roman knew that this wasn't going to be a pleasant experience.

Marnie couldn't sit still though as she shifted continuously in her seat, unconsciously checking her watch over and over again. It eased her thoughts enough to know that they hadn't gone so far as to see each other without her knowing.

She led the way in a huff, grabbing their suitcases as she dragged her mom along by the hand despite her protests. She wanted to rush through this entire thing. It had to be now or she would implode with this bubbling need to get her answers.

Eyes trained to the faces that she passed in the crowd, searching, Roman missed it when Marnie stopped behind her, a small gasp alerting her to the change, and she spins, finding her mom frozen as she beamed openly at the man in a military uniform.

Her insides froze, ice burning her lungs. She shivered violently, a hand coming up to cover her mouth.

Julius Elders was a handsome man. Each photo of him that she's ever seen was enough to cement that thought into her mind. When she imagined what he might look like now she thought salt and pepper hair, refined with wisdom and age.

It was never this stunning being, pale as snow, perfect skin and dark, dark hair. He had no stubble, no faint freckles from hours in the sun, freckles that she knew he had with the utmost certainty.

Even with it all, it was the eyes that gave him away. She had seen those before, pressed to the forest floor with the weight of uncertainty weighed upon her shoulders. A man spoke of killing her and wolves stepped from the trees.

Hair of fire as she was held up by her hair, dangling in the air as Harry died below her.

The ruby red of his eyes made her want to be sick. She was going to be sick.

And Marnie approached him carelessly, knowingly -- embracing him lovingly, holding him like she might never have the chance again.

Her breathing came quick, fire eating away the ice as her muscles warmed and coiled, brimming with life.

"What the fuck?" Roman hissed, biting the words between clenched teeth. "What the fuck?!"

"Roman!" Marnie snaps.

"No! No, what is going on? What is this?"

"Roman..." Julius tries and the soft care in his tone makes her skin crawl.

She hisses at him, snapping her teeth in his direction. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare speak to me. You have no right!"

"Enough, Roman! We'll speak of this later, in private," Marnie orders and she has half a mind to just turn and go back home. She was still at the airport, after all. She could do it.

And despite the situation, despite everything, Roman still wanted her answers and explanations and hows.  She still wanted to know the stranger that was her dad and why he thought it was alright to abandon her for ten years.