ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ⇴ ᴛᴠᴅ ² ✓

twenty four

Silence echoed around the rustic office. Billie huffed as she collapsed into a chair in the corner, like an secretary posed, about to take notes on the meeting in front of her.

The teenager shattered the quiet as she lifted the bottleneck, tilting it downwards to refill her glass. The penetrating sound of wine sloshing wrecking her parents' resolve, but serving to strengthen her own.

Once Billie was finished with her distracting behaviour, Cara carefully cleared her throat, beginning the proceedings. "Sales have plummeted, as to be expected, we're getting ready for the dry season." She began, infuriatingly vaguely, probably because of her daughter's unwelcome presence. Ricky did not comment on this, but the small smile never left him.

Billie, having placed her glasses back over her eyes, curiously slid them down just a smidge. "Until then, our... manufacturers have to be satisfied, there's been a general unrest lately. Many are turning away from the business." 

"Witches are never satisfied, it's not a new concept." Ricky settled quickly, leaning back into his chair and joining his hands in his lap. "It only means they need more incentive for production. I will have my men do the rounds."

Billie's brows shot straight up into a crowded forehead. Witches? Had she heard him right? By the indifference of her Cara and Noah, Billie began to realise this was not news to them. She began to doubt heavily what little she knew about them.

Had they know about the supernatural when they'd sent her away? Billie wasn't sure which answer would make her feel better, if any at all. 

As Ricky reached for his phone, presumably to send word of his quick decision, Billie's vision concentrated darkly on the device and she forgot to stop her words. "I wouldn't."

Billie quickly cleared her expression, sipping her wine quietly as the room turned to her. Ricky eyed her curiously, turning off his phone in accordance with her advice. "Do elaborate."

She shrugged easily, sunglasses mostly covering her deceiving eyes and glass of rosé hiding the bottom of her face. "Just a feeling."

He sat still for a moment, pondering her words before standing, his steps slow, deliberate. Ricky stopped in front of her, leaning forwards until his hands clutched the armrests of her seat. Billie didn't concede by an inch.

"You wouldn't lie to a vampire, would you sweet?"

Billie smiled carelessly as she shrugged her shoulders. "I've done dumber things." Her dimples popped cockily and she found herself wondering internally why she had even allowed herself into this situation. Then again, it seemed to her that after Klaus, this Ricky seemed like a Santa Clause from the mall.

He didn't move, blades of grass in his eyes boring into hers and she realised that her mostly concealed eyes didn't bother him in the slightest. 

She eventually sighed tiredly as she began to explain vaguely, disinterested and unbothered of her clairvoyance, ignoring the voice of Klaus, Damon, Mickey and her own common sense, all of whom screamed at her to shut her pretty mouth.

By the end, the only pleased faces in the room were Cara's and Ricky. "So... what do you suggest we do then." Her mother asked with a hint of a smile, like she was proud of her daughter for finally being useful. 

Billie looked to her in surprise first, and then laughed quietly, shaking her head at the request as though it was the most preposterous thing she'd heard in years. She propped her dimmer back into place.

"Listen mama bear, I'm on vacay." Billie tapped her sunglasses as to make a point, shrugging as though there was nothing she could do about it. "Catch me on business hours."

"And when would that be?" She demanded, patience wearing thin.

Billie chuckled at the words, feeling her mother was a hair's width short of losing her temper with her. She laid a hand over her heart dramatically. "I'm touched you think I'm that organised mom."

"Now is not the time for your theatrics Billie." Cara snapped, her short lived pride for her daughter long gone.

A long sigh left Billie's lips, quickly reminded she was no longer in a place where her smart quips were well accepted and once again slid her glasses down, instantly drawn to the halo of light around the silent Noah.

Her gaze lingered on him for a long moment, a frown over her eyes. Why had he been so quiet this whole time? He wasn't like Cara, he never had been. But after their brief phone calls while she was gone, Billie had thought she'd knocked over the last straw for him.

Ricky followed where he eyes had settled, flitting his gaze between Billie and her father for a second before glancing to Cara, who also followed intently. She quickly caught on to what Billie was implying.

"Noah, why don't you talk to them." She asked of him, though they all knew it wasn't a request. Noah snapped into attention, his mind having been someplace else while they'd been speaking.

He shook his head quickly. "Honey, you know we're not on the best of terms, after..." He didn't finish his sentence, but Cara nodded in understanding, knowing what he wouldn't say. "They won't turn you away, don't worry." She reassured him, as softly as her voice could go. 

Billie smirked subtly from where she sat, wondering if that's where she'd gotten her skills in manipulation from. Her mother seemed to be doing it just fine. Although the expression quickly turned sour. 

This was her family. The one that had turned her away for not being good enough, the same one she undeniably shared blood with.

It unsettled her, a cold feeling just under her skin. She wanted so badly to have nothing in common with them, but it just wasn't possible. Maybe this was where she belonged.

It was this damn place, she thought. Making her think like this. 

Billie tried to remember her aunt's apartment, the way she felt so happy, so pure there. Like she was a good person that came from a good place. But every time she tried, the only place she saw in her mind's eye was the apartment she was in at that very moment.

Noah eventually conceded to his wife's wishes, like he always did. He met the eyes of the others in the room, lingering a second longer on Billie's before standing, his phone pulled into his hand as he left the room to make a phone call.

When the door closed behind him, Billie looked up to the ceiling in thought before she voiced her wonder. "Why dad? What does he have to do with the witches?"

Neither answered her for a moment and Billie looked down again to find them smiling slyly to each other. "You don't know?" Ricky taunted her with that infuriatingly conceited smirk.

Cara shook her head at the vampire's words, taking over the explanation gracefully.

"Billie, you're father's a witch."