Sunday, April 5th 2009
Who: Harlow, Fox and Starbuck What: A first meeting, and a healing Where: Fox's room When: Afternoon
Harlow made her way up to Fox’s room, nerves did not even describe how she was feeling at the moment. Her stomach was going to burst with butterflies. The whole way to this school she had been hoping that her half brother would be better than their father. But Harlow didn’t let herself believe that he was, because if he was dick like Chase than at least her heart wouldn’t get broken.
The little blonde rolled her eyes at herself. “Of course your heart will get broken Harlow, he’s all the family you got left.” She said quietly to herself as she stopped in front of his door. Her powers wanted to push into that room ahead of her and find out what he was doing but she held them back since that would have been extremely rude. Harlow knocked on the door and waited, trying not to crumple the letter Chase had given her for Fox in her hands.
She worried about her appearance for a moment, chase had left some spectacular bruises on her wrists, a black eye and a split lip that was just starting to heal. It was her punishment for standing up to him. Hopefully Fox wouldn’t say anything to bad about it.
Fox had closed his laptop after replying to Harlow, but he was still texting with Cassie. Apparently something was off with her and her boytoy so they were staying at the hellhounds house. What the hell? He was really confused, but it seemed like he didn't have much time to pump her for information. That Harlow chick was at the door. Throwing on a black t-shirt, just to be nice, he closed his phone and went to the door.
"I'm guessing you're Harlow," he started as he opened it. The next comment was swallowed when he saw the marks and bruises. Jesus! What the fuck had happened to her?
Harlow looked up at the guy in front of her, he was very handsome and…huge, at least to her he was. But of course he was half angel, weren’t they all really pretty? “Um yeah I’m Harlow.” She twisted a blonde pigtail not knowing what to say and then held out the letter. “I know it must be really freaking weird to have a chick looking for you when you have no idea who she is.” She smiled and then continued. “I am supposed to give you this.” She said softly. “It will…kind of explain why I’m here.” She leaned on the doorframe waiting for him to open the letter.
Fox took the envelope and stepped back into the room. "Don't just stand in the doorway." He didn't know what she wanted with him, but if she didn't want to discuss it on the boards, it was likely she didn't want to have it in the hallway either. Ripping it open he read the short paragraph from his ass of a father, his back to Harlow. When he was done, he read it again. And again.
Harlow looked behind her and then stepped into Fox’s room. She shut the door behind her and waited as he read the letter, over and over again. She scanned his room, not seeing to much of anything that was extremely personal, some books maybe that were near the bed but no pictures or anything like that. Seems Fox didn’t like to outwardly show who he was or maybe he just wasn’t into possessions. She had no idea.
Fox finally sighed when he realized that no matter how many times he read the letter the words weren't going to change. He knew Chase's handwriting well enough to know it was real. Harlow was his half sister. At least according to this. Fuck. Slowly he turned around, looking at her in a different light. "So I'm guessing those are from him too?"
Harlow looked at him when he sighed and winced a little, okay he wasn’t overly thrilled about this either…she could handle it. When he turned to look at her, his eyes were different from before. Of course she was still a perfect stranger but now he knew they shared the same asshole of a father. “Yeah…I spent a couple months in our father’s care. This is the result of me using my powers on him. He didn’t like it much so he sent me here to burden you.”
"That's what he said." Well, to be accurate, Chase had written 'the bitch is your responsibility now'. How nice of him. Seemed Harlow's mom and Chase had gotten busy one night several years ago and out popped the blonde. Great.
Fox stopped looking at her face, mostly because the black eye and split lip were pissing him off. He'd had those more than once before, courtesy of the same prick. "So what's your plan?"
“My plan? Well my plan was to find you, see if you were anything like him, if you were I’d be out of here if you were semi decent than I’d like to know you. Other than that I want to have a life again, a place that’s mine again.” She twisted the strap on her messenger bag and then looked around the room again. “Look I know this is hard okay, you don’t know me and I’ve known about you for about two months…you’re kinda the only family I have left but I don’t expect shit from you.” Harlow said firmly, lifting her chin so she could look into Fox’s eyes.
Fuck, she even sounded like him. Fox laughed softly This was just...wow. He moved to his bed and sat down. "Feel free to have a seat. I'm not gonna hit you." Fox had never hit a woman and he'd be damned if he'd start with a waif of a girl. "You've gotta give me a minute to get used to this. I mean, ten minutes ago I was an only child, quite happy on my own and now I've got a half sister."
Harlow raised an eyebrow at his laugh and then shrugged before she sat down. Not being hit was a good enough invitation to stay. She pulled her back off and dumped it on the floor before sitting on the computer chair, immediately spinning on it before controlling herself. “yeah I mean I didn’t expect a parade or anything.” She played with her necklace and then tilted her head to look at him. “You don’t look like that bastard at all…guess we were both lucky.”
"Should've seen him when he was younger. He didn't get girls because he was a sleaze." Chase Wiley had looked good in his youth, but he'd gone to pot recently. Fox was about an even blend of his parents, hedging a bit more on the angel side, but he ignored that. "So you're Harlow and my sister. Fuck," he breathed, running a hand through his hair.
“I saw pictures, but I still have a hard time believing my mother fell for it…he just had this look about him…like I don’t know, something not good.” She frowned and then looked at Fox. “Yeah that about covers it…Harlow Violet Quinlan from New Orleans.” She spun in the chair and then smiled at him. “You’re freaking out a little bit aren’t you?”
"If it was after my mother got hold of him, he'd settled down for a bit. Probably why your mom hooked up with him." Fox glanced at her, his knee bouncing. "Little bit." Shit. He didn't stay in one place. He didn't need responsibility. Didn't want it.
“Probably, but my mom wasn’t a settling down type woman anyways, I think she just used him to try to get a baby.” Harlow twisted her pigtail around her finger and then gave Fox a sympathetic look. “Hey I’m not here to make your life harder, I can survive on my own I don’t need you to hold my hand.” She said as she sat up straighter in the chair. Truthfully she didn’t need Fox’s help but she desperately wanted it, but decided she would cover that up with her own version of bravado.
"What is it you want?" Fox could see through the facade, the mask. He knew because he wore it often enough on his own to recognize it.
Harlow blinked in surprise and then shrugged. “I just didn’t want to be alone that’s all. I don’t need you to make my way but it would be nice to not be alone.” She scowled at saying it outloud but if she didn’t tell her brother the truth what was the point of searching him out. She smirked for a second and then spun in the chair. “you have a few girls protective of you.”
Fox chuckled. "Yeah. I've got a couple friends here. Some that like me and some that would rather they be first in line to rip my balls off. Kinda varies." He shrugged, not caring about it much beyond that. At least, that's what he told himself. "I don't know how I feel about having a sister. But I'll say that if you need me, you can ask."
Harlow laughed and nodded. “Yeah that Frankie girl was really trying to find out who I was, but I couldn’t tell anyone without talking to you first.” She chewed on her lip and then nodded. “Well that’s better than telling me to fuck off and not show up unless you need me.”
Fox sighed, looking at her. "I don't know you. I don't know who you are and all I have is a piece of paper telling me we share blood. I don't make friends easy and certainly not family. That's just me." He ran a hand through his hair, wondering why the hell he was explaining himself. "I'm not shutting you out, but I don't trust people. I'm willing, in this instance, to put that aside and get to know you. I can't promise to be your brother."
Harlow sighed and then slumped in the chair, she was not big on serious type conversations. “I get that, I like making friends, having connections but not everyone does.” She listened to him and then nodded. “I appreciate that…and I don’t expect you to act like my brother when you don’t know me…fuck I don’t even know how a brother is supposed to act. Until my mom died I thought I was an only child too…the only thing I think is real about siblings is they are supposed to be there for each other.”
Fox snorted. "Not from what I've seen. Constantly fighting, yelling, screaming and then running back to do it again?" He shook his head. "I'll pass on that. I get enough already."
Harlow twisted her hair again and shrugged. “I guess I don’t know…fighting comes with the territory sometimes…but we didn’t grow up together so it might be different if…you know we hang out.”
Nodding, he agreed to that at least. "We can try. See how it goes." Now, the fun part. "Do you want to let people know, or stick with the friend of the family story for now?"
She nodded and then laughed at his question. “I guess that’s more up to you, I don’t mind telling people I’m your sister…but do you mind? And why would you?” She was curious as to what he would say, why would Fox want to hide it from anyone?
Okay, she wanted to tell people, fine. He shrugged. "Never said I didn't. Just making sure the story stays straight. Word around here travels fast."
Her bambi eyes went wide and she nodded. “right, probably a lot of gossipers around here…I mean what else are they going to do right.” She was quiet for a moment and then bit her lip. “I don’t…do well with kids my own age.” Harlow said randomly. “I’m a bit nervous about this school thing.”
Now there was an interesting question. "How old are you?" She definitely looked younger, but Fox wasn't going to try to guess. "Most people around here have a shit load of problems, so rather than focus on their own, they look at everyone else's. But why so nervous?"
“I’m sixteen, my birthday was in February.” She looked at him with a slight smile and then spun the chair again. “Sounds like most places with a lot of people stuck there.” Harlow said and then chewed on her lip at the rest of his question. “I…did not have a good time at school. I was bullied a lot for being weird…I mean I know there are people here whose powers are way weirder than mine but…it’s still in the back of my mind.”
Well that made sense. "I can introduce you to a couple people. Namely Kate and Cassie. They're pretty cool and keep an eye on their friends." Then at least she'd have someone else to talk to if Fox wasn't what she wanted. Hell...a sister?
“Cassie was nice, she offered to text you for me. Considering she didn’t know me I appreciated it.” Harlow pulled at a tear in her leggings and then looked at him for a second. “You would have handled this better if I were a boy huh?” Her powers had taken a small taste of Fox and that was what she gathered.
Fox hesitated, thinking on it. "Maybe? I don't know. I usually brawl with guys and fuck girls." He shrugged, not knowing how to be more honest than that. "This is just...more than I was expecting when Cassie said someone wanted to talk to me."
Harlow nodded, the statement didn’t surprise her. “I don’t really work in either of those categories…but I assume you don’t fuck Cassie so I mean she is your friend right?” Harlow sat up again, not wanting to slide off the chair entirely. “I’m sure it is…at least I knew what I was going to tell you.”
Fox wagged his head. "She fit in one of those categories earlier, but she's got a ball and chain so friend for now." Boy, how did he get himself into conversations like this?
Harlow smirked at him and nodded. “Oh…well then.” She grinned at him and then shrugged. “Guess you got no idea what the flying fuck to do with me then. Certainly can’t perv on me so you’re at a loss.” She was teasing him and she hoped he knew it.
Fox chuckled. "If you weren't sixteen and related, I'd totally be 'perv'ing on you. Damn genes." He looked up and smiled, but it faltered seeing the black eye. "I can call a healer in here if you want, to fix that. The guy I know can be a total ass, but he's pretty cool." Fox didn't figure Harlow wanted to walk around the school looking like a punching bag.
Harlow laughed and then leaned forward a bit in the chair. “Really like…he can make it go away?” she said a little stunned and then nodded quickly. “I would love to get his fucking marks off me…plus they hurt.”
Fox nodded. "Yeah. There's a couple healers on campus. Their powers are to heal injuries, illnesses and that crap." He didn't add that he could do it, too, just not reliably. Plus, he didn't feel like taking on a stranger's injuries. "Lemme call him."
Harlow looked at him when hung up the phone and got up starting to pace the room since she had been sitting for too long. "Is he coming?" She asked before nearly taking a header over her bag. "I'm good...really." Fox hung up the phone, looking at Harlow. "Yeah, he's on his way now." He chuckled as she very nearly faceplanted due to her bag on the floor. "Sit back down before you give him more work to do," he laughed. Fox looked at Harlow. "Is there any thing that we can't see he'll need to get?" Fox knew his father. Anything could've happened. He glanced at the door when someone knocked. "Yeah, c'mon in."
Harlow blushed and then sat back down on the chair. “Sorry I can be a bit accident prone at times.” When she sat and he asked her if there was more she nodded. “yeah he…had a bat and hit me a few times with it.” She frowned at saying it because she felt like she was weak for not fighting back well enough.
Upon hearing Fox's voice, Starbuck opened the door and walked in, quickly shutting it behind him. "Hey," he said softly, offering a weak smile at Fox, and then looking concerned as his eyes fell upon Harlow.
Well, apparently it was up to Fox to do the introductions. "Starbuck, my half-sister Harlow. Harlow, Starbuck." Fox leaned back against the wall, watching the two. "Apparently she had a baseball bat taken to her, too," he let the healer know.
Harlow looked at Fox for a second and then back at Starbuck. “Hi…I’m the cute one.” She grinned at the healer and then looked at Fox again when he mentioned the bat. “um yeah. I have the black eye, my lip, the bruises on my wrists, upper arms and, long, really dark ones on my back.” She said as she pulled her tshirt off and rolled up the tank top underneath to reveal the bruises on her back, along with the bottom of her angel wings tattoo.
Starbuck's frown deepened. He could barely process the big revelation that Harlow was Fox's half sister. Starbuck didn't know Fox had any siblings. But that was a chat for later. Right now, Starbuck had a woman in pain who needed his help. "Why don't you lie down," he suggested as he pulled off his hoodie. It was bulky with long sleeves that would only get in his way. "I don't know what Fox told you about me, but when I heal.. it causes a somewhat cold, tingling sensation. My hands glow bright blue, and they leave temporary prints on your body. Just.. so you're aware."
Fox had mentioned it because he was trying it out, both to see how it sounded at the reaction. The reaction wasn't positive. He could already tell there was going to have to be an explanation later. Lovely. "No, I hadn't told her." To be honest, he'd forgotten. Fox climbed off the bed, giving it over to Harlow and Starbuck so they'd have space. So far, being a brother sucked ass.
Harlow made her way over to the bed and laid down, her eyes going wide when Starbuck told her what his healing was like. “That’s kinda cool.” She said and then looked at her brother for a second. She wasn’t scared, of course not, but this had never happened to her before so she kept her eyes on Fox, sort of like he was her reassurance in all this.
Starbuck wasn't frowning out of disapproval over the news that Fox had a half sister. He was frowning at the news about the baseball bat and the asshole who had the nerve to swing it at Harlow. What sort of sick fuck beat up a woman? Especially someone young and small like Harlow. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at Harlow. "What hurts the worst? I can start there."
Fox sat in the computer chair, swiveling in it just like Harlow had. He nodded when she searched him out with her eyes. Starbuck was good at what he did, which was why Fox called him.
Harlow nodded back and then looked up at Starbuck. “Um my back hurts the most…they feel like really deep bruises…” She started to roll over and pushed her tank top all the way up so Starbuck could see them.
Starbuck allowed Harlow to roll over onto her stomach. He helped her in pulling up the back of her shirt. He had to close his eyes briefly upon seeing the severity of the bruises. "Just relax. I promise it won't hurt.. just feel a little cold and weird." He gently rested his palms on the first of the bruises. After a second, the healing energy began to pour out of his hands and into Harlow, both his hands and her back glowing during the process. He kept moving his hands, tending to each and every bruise. They were deep, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.
Starbuck allowed Harlow to roll over onto her stomach. He helped her in pulling up the back of her shirt. He had to close his eyes briefly upon seeing the severity of the bruises. "Just relax. I promise it won't hurt.. just feel a little cold and weird." He gently rested his palms on the first of the bruises. After a second, the healing energy began to pour out of his hands and into Harlow, both his hands and her back glowing during the process. He kept moving his hands, tending to each and every bruise. They were deep, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.
Harlow shivered from the feeling of his power and then rested her head on her arms looking at Fox. She wondered what it would have been like to grow up with him, to have a bond between them instead of this gaping nothingness between them now.
When Starbuck finished with her back, the whole damn thing was glowing from his handprints. "The glowing should fade in a day or so. Does it feel better at least?" It should have felt completely healed, but he wanted to ask to make sure he'd not missed anything on her back before moving on to her other injuries.
Harlow blinked up at him and smiled. "It feels way better." She said as she flipped over onto her back pulling her tank top down before she flashed her brother and the healer. "Can I..um..sit up now?" She asked, hoping she could while he healed the rest of it.
"Sure," he told her, moving back a little to let her get comfortable. "So.. are you part angel too?" he asked, looking at Harlow, but casting a quick glance at Fox. Starbuck was still attempting to figure this out. He would have remembered if Fox or even Frankie had mentioned the dude having a sister. As he waited for a response, he held out his hand for her to offer her wrists to him. Those were the next parts to be healed.
Harlow happily sat up and let him have her wrists, blinking at him and then looking at Fox. "No...we don't share the same mother...we share the same father." She said as he healed her wrists.
"Just so you know, I met her twenty minutes ago. So...don't go spreading it around yet, okay?" Fox asked Starbuck, wanting to feel out this family thing with Harlow before it became public knowledge. Starbuck was a nice guy, but he'd tell Kim and Frankie and fuck knew who else. Fox didn't want to deal with all the questions just yet.
Starbuck raised an eyebrow at Fox. "Alright," he said with a little sigh. That was a damn big secret to keep. "I have to tell Kim though.. but I'll make sure she knows it stays between us." He didn't keep secrets from Kim, and he refused to start now. But he knew she'd keep things quiet while Fox and Harlow sorted out their new found family ties. His hands moved up her arms to get rid of the bruises there next.
Harlow shuffled her feet a little when Fox asked Starbuck to keep it quiet and then looked at her brother wondering if he was going to ask her to keep it quiet too. "I'm sure telling Kim is okay." She smiled at him and then grinned. "Can you fix my face now? Blue would be better than this."
Nodding, Starbuck leaned close to her. He placed a few fingers gently over her black eye and watched as the color changed to radiant blue. Next he placed his index finger alone over her lip, looking her in the eyes as he did so. "I hope the bastard who did this gets what's coming to him."
Harlow blinked at him and then smiled. "I hope he does too, it's long overdue." She couldn't help herself once Starbuck fixed her lip she kissed his index finger. "Thank you so much. I look like an alien at the moment but it's much better than being beaten."
Starbuck managed a grin when she kissed his finger. "You're welcome. Like I said.. the glowing will fade in a day or so. You can lounge around until then." He figured if she just arrived, she wouldn't be in classes right away tomorrow. He looked back over at Fox. "So.. big day for you, huh? I guess for both of you."
Fox frowned, glancing up from his phone. "What do you mean?" Seriously? He was going to try and have that conversation before Fox even really got a chance to process it? Not cool.
Harlow looked at her brother and then at Starbuck. "It's an interesting day to say the least...so um thank you so much...but I'd really like to...um talk to my brother...get to know him a bit." She said as she scrunched up her nose.
Starbuck really didn't appreciate Fox's attitude. He'd come here to help, and the question wasn't anything probing or whatever. He was trying to make simple conversation. He ignored the idiot and focused his attention on Harlow, giving her a smile and a little nod. "Yeah, absolutely. Call me if you need anything else. And, again, welcome." He got up and grabbed his hoodie, throwing it over his shoulder as he made his way out of the room without saying anything to Fox.
Fox frowned at Starbuck. He hadn't said anything, just asked for clarification on the question. Whatever. It's how everyone treated him, so he was used to it. He would've told Starbuck thanks, but decided not to given the guy's attitude.
Harlow frowned a bit after Starbuck left and then tilted her head at Fox. "So i can see you two are besties." She got up and looked in the mirror. "Wow I really do look like an alien version of pokey little puppy." She turned around and pouted at Fox.
Fox nodded. "Yeah. I'm not sure when we went downhill, but I think it had something to do with my ex. Dunno. Booze makes it fuzzy." Shrugging, he watched her move back to the mirror to check herself out. "At least it goes away faster."
She looked at him and sighed. "Well that's kinda shitty...was that ex Frankie?" She asked as she sat on the bed again and sat indian style. "I will take your word on that." She chewed on her lip and then looked at Fox. "You're kinda uncomfortable with this aren't you?"
"Yeah. Frankie's my only ex." Fox would let her take from that what she would. "A bit. But you've had two months to get used to the idea. I haven't. Right now, I definitely need the time."
Harlow nodded and uncrossed her legs and put her feet on the floor. "Do you want me to go? Like...I want to talk to you but if this is really awkward for you and you need some space I get it."
Fox sighed. "I don't know. I mean, this is all a lot, y'know?" He nodded at the offer for space. He needed it right now.
"I know it is and I understand if you need the space." She said and started to get up. "Do you want me to go?" Harlow asked, twisting her pigtail.
Fox looked at her. "No, I'll go. You can stay here so you're not walking around all blue."
She grinned at him and then started to hug him but stopped. "I don't know if you're a hugger so...I probably shouldn't do that but thank you, but I feel really bad about you having to leave your room." Harlow picked up her bag that had tried to break her legs earlier and started digging through it.
"Don't worry about it." Fox stood up, grabbing his shoes from under the bed and slipping them on. He grabbed his jacket, keys, phone and wallet. "If you leave, just lock the door."
Harlow nodded and watched him as he pulled on his jacket. "Thank you...for actually being nice." She said with a slight smile.
Fox shrugged. He couldn't blame her for expecting something different given who their father was and what he'd done. "Sure. Just keep that in mind when people start talking."
Harlow shrugged at what he said. "I don't care what other people say, I can make up my own mind about things."
Damn. Maybe they were related after all. Giving her a half smile, Fox nodded. "I'll see you later, Harlow."
"Bye Fox." She said as she pulled out her phone and then set it down. Who the hell did she have to text anyways.