Even Stella turned her back to the window to look at everyone and let out a smile.
"Well, the important thing is that Stella is all right." June spoke in a motherly manner as she crossed the attic to wrap an arm around her little friend. Stella frowned, "Why wouldn't I be all . . . . . ." her words trailed off as realization hit her.
"That is one big mess I have gotten myself into." Stella sighed, massaging her temples. She spoke, "Sharp is going to finally kill me. I am sure of it." Stella had finally pieced together what she had promised Sharp to her actions and realized why the three of them had been acting like crazy.
They had thought she had gone out! And when they had finally found her, both Allen and Sharp had assumed she had somehow managed to find trouble.
"No one is going to do anything to you. It's my birthday after all." June said, rubbing Stella's head. "And you! Why on earth would you decide to just sit in the attic and not inform anyone that you'll be coming?" she added, turning towards Penelope, who was very clearly looking for a means of escape now.
Stella sighed and leaned against the window behind her, glad to be out of the spotlight. Everyone's attention was focused on Penelope right now. June was asking her all kinds of questions about where she had been all this time and her family, which Stella decided to tune out for a while as she closed her eyes.
"Are you hurt?" she opened her eyes upon hearing Simon's voice and shook her head. "I didn't really sustain any new injuries, which is a miracle to be honest." Stella replied with a slight chuckle. Though he tried to hide it, a small smile escaped Simon's lips at these words. "I'm glad." he said, "What about your hand though?"
Stella shrugged. It was then she noticed that everyone in the attic was looking at her. "I'm fine. Really." she said defensively. "We have a hard time accepting your definition of fine." Allen said with a shake of his head and received a glare from Stella.
"Wait!" This time it was Penelope, "You are a human!!!!????" Her eyes almost seemed ready to fall out of her face as she asked this.
Stella frowned. Wasn't it glaringly obvious just by looking at her. Hell, vampires didn't even have to look, they could tell just by smelling her. Plus, hadn't Stella referred to herself as a human during her conversation with Penelope?
Just as Stella had begun to wonder if Penelope had really lost it, something much more sensible emerged from her lips. "How come you have powers then?" Penelope asked. Stella shrugged, "That's something I would really like to know too." she said.
"What do you mean by she suddenly developed vampire powers one day?" Penelope asked again, this time to Allen. He face-palmed and muttered, "Damn! I need to start practicing controlling my thoughts." Stella didn't even need to read Penelope's mind to know what was going on inside her head. She was wondering why wasn't Allen already used to it. As he was always around a much stronger manipulator than Penelope.
Stella raised her eyebrows and pursued her lips when their eyes met, and she saw in Penelope's mind that she understood.