The Aria Within the Rhapsody **ON HIATUS**

Chapter 21: Double Trouble

*This chapter is dedicated to demoiselledavignon. Here you go! On with the show!*

Aria's POV: 

Ugh!!! I can't take it anymore! Papa and Jim are fighting. Olivia isn't helping much either. Phoebe is doing his best to look for Ash but Papa insists on going with him, but everyone is afraid that he will draw a lot of attention and everything is just pure chaos. . . "Aria, I know you want to help, but this one is for the grown ups." Liv says to me. "You found me! Why can't you find my brother?" I shout back at her. "Sweetie, everyone is trying their goddamn hardest but Ash is making it very difficult." she says back. "Well, they are not trying hard enough! I want my brother! I want Ash back and I want him now!" I can't stop screaming. It's funny. . . When Papa first told me that I was getting a brother, I was very unsure. . . And then. . . Papa brought him home. I hated him because he made too much noise and everyone came to see him and not me. It's strange how one night and one person can change all of that. See, Ash was hardly three weeks old when someone tried to break into Garden Lodge. . . I am a pretty light sleeper and I heard some rattling coming from outside the house. You'll never believe what I found when I followed the sound to my brother's room. *Flashback: April 1981* "Liv?" I ask my cousin, "How did you feel when Roggie said you were getting a baby?" "Well, child," she begins to say, "I hated Nicole from the start. When Rog, told me that the two of them made a demon child, I cringed. And by looking at how Daphne turned out, I was right." I look to the ground. What if Papa's new baby turns out like Daphne? What if the new baby doesn't like me? Olivia is right. A new baby is not a good idea. Liv looks over to me and says, "But that doesn't mean your new baby will turn out like mine did. I have a feeling that your baby will turn out wonderful." She smiles at me and I smile at her. I guess I'll have to wait and see. "Aria," Phoebe says my name with a smile, "Are you ready to meet your brother?" It's time. Here goes nothing. I take Liv's hand and walk with her to the sitting room and see Papa holding what looks like a pile of blankets. He looks over to me with a smile and says, "Aria, my darling, come meet your baby brother." I didn't know how to feel. I think for a moment as Papa goes back to look at the baby in his arms. I watch everyone talk to the baby, look at the baby, and fuss over him. Papa looks back over to me and says, "Come here, my love. Your brother wants to meet you." I fell for it. I walked over to them and Papa made a spot for me next to him and I sit down. He is cute though and looks like a small Papa. "Hello. I'm your big sister." I say to my little brother and I touch his cheek.

*Time skip: 4 months later* 

4 months. 4 months of crying, no sleep, and being forgotten. Yes, forgotten. Everyone comes over to see baby Ashton. I hate him. I want nothing to do with him. It's always, 'Aria feed the cats.' 'Aria hush! You will wake the baby.' or 'Not now Aria I'm feeding or playing with the baby.' or perhaps 'Ash this' or 'Ash that' Ash, Ash, ASH! It's never, 'Aria are you ok?' 'How can I make it better Aria?' I hate it! I want my Papa back! I don't want a brother. Everyone has forgotten about me! Half of the time Papa won't let me near him at all. I lay in my bed trying to go to sleep when I hear a noise coming from outside. I walk over to my window to try and see what was going on outside. Nothing. A few minutes later I hear it again. I whip my head to the door frame and follow the sound. The sound leads me to the door across from mine. I walk in with out turning the lights on careful not to wake my brother. I go over to his big window when I see a strange man in our yard. 'What is he doing?' I think to myself looking at him just standing there looking around. He makes his way to the house getting ready to. . . CLIMB UP!! Oh no! This isn't good. I have to think fast. I move myself away from the window scared to be seen by this man. I look over into the crib and see my baby brother sleeping peacefully like nothing is wrong. I reach into the crib very carefully ready to hide. I look around the nursery holding tight onto my sleeping brother and finally decide to hide us in the closet. I go as fast as I can and rush into the closet and quietly shut the door exactly at is was. Luckily, our closets were big because Mimi and Pop Pop love to give us a lot of toys and clothes. I go as far back and off to the side until the door is out of sight. I cradle my baby brother in my lap so I can cover his mouth making sure he can still breathe out of his nose. Then. . . I heard the window open and the man landing in the nursery. Papa. . . Please help us. I began to softly whimper hoping that Papa or anyone will hear the noise and coming running in. I heard the sound of a camera clicking which means he is taking pictures. I continue hearing his footsteps when I heard a thud and glass break! "MMMMMM!!! SHIT!" the man groans in pain. "What was that?" I heard Papa's voice in the hall. "I don't know, sir." Phoebe says joining in. "Oh my god. The children!" Papa says in a panic, "Ring the constable! I have to check on my children." I hear him get up quickly when Ash begins to make noise. "Shhhhh. Shhhhh." I hush him quietly. Luckily he stops. Oh no. I think he heard us because I hear his foot steps coming to the closet. As I hear the door open, the nursery door is flung open and the light turned on! "What hell is going on in here?" Papa's voice booms in. Ash starts whimpering and I try shushing him again, but it's not working. Oh no! "Who are you? What the hell are you doing in my house?" Papa shouts. Phoebe joins Papa and says, "I rang the constable and they will be here swiftly. Are the children alright?" "Where the hell are my children you wanker!" "Your guess is as good as mine Freddie, but this will make a great story for the times." the man says. "Really? How can you do that with out the pictures?" "Oi! Give that back!" the man shouts at Papa.