Ariel opened her eyes and her head was pounding. Her throat was sore and scratchy. She felt really tired and it was hard to lift her head. She felt chilly and realized that she was shaking under the covers that felt cool to her.
"You're awake!" Darcy said. "I want you to drink this." She said and Ariel sat up slowly. Every part of her body felt sore. Then she remembered where she'd been, and what had happened. She felt so stupid. She'd sat out there for so long that she couldn't move any more.
She remembered seeing that animal. Then she remembered hearing Malachi calling her name, and then nothing. She sat up and took the tea that was offered to her.
"You gave us quite a scare Ariel. You were ice cold when Malachi carried you in. What were you doing out there?"
Ariel sipped the hot tea and didn't respond. What if she told her that for a fleeting moment Ariel had thought to just stay out there until she faded away? But she was ashamed of that. She'd just gotten colder than she realized rather fast.
"She's awake?" She heard the deep voice from the doorway. In it stood Vento and Malachi just behind him. Ariel looked away from them and down at the bedspread feeling a slight heat stealing into her cheeks.
"What were you doing out there?" Vento demanded and Ariel swallowed and in a raspy voice spoke.
"I was upset and not thinking. I'm sorry." She explained. "Thank you Malachi, I know I probably wouldn't be sitting here if you didn't find me when you did."
"Being upset is no reason to go out and sit in the freezing rain. You could have died." Vento said in a warning tone, but didn't raise his voice.
"What made you go out there Ariel?" Malachi asked as they were now in the room. She felt the stares on her. She knew that they had to be thinking that she'd tried to kill herself or something. What a stupid way to try it too. Ariel felt worse inside.
"I didn't try to kill myself. I was just lost in thoughts. Then I was colder than I realized and couldn't move."
"Still that is no reason for you to have gone out there. Especially with nothing on and sat as you were." Vento said in an angry tone now. "That was irresponsible of you, and do you know the scare that you gave us?"
"I know!" She finally shouted and tears started coming down again. Her loud outburst startled them all "I know okay!" she said more tears falling onto the bedspread.
"I know I'm stupid and irresponsible, and not worth much. I just wanted to not feel so hurt inside, I just want it to stop. I went out there just to clear my head. The cold felt good for a moment alright!"
"Ariel you can't really think so little of yourself. Your parents and sister are wrong about you and your worth." Malachi said to her.
"Are they?" She challenged her fists clenching in the blanket, her voice a bit stronger. "Do any of you know what it's like to never receive the love of your family!" She demanded feeling a damn break inside of her. All the years of hurt rushing out of her mouth.
"To be told everyday what a failure you are and then realize they are right!"
"Ariel," Darcy started, but she just raised her voice to talk over her. Her voice was shaking with the threat of real sobs. It was getting harder to talk but she did.
"You've never been told that you shouldn't have been born. Have your father tell you that he didn't want another daughter but a son. Never had your mother blame you for the fact that she could no longer have children to give her husband the son he wanted." She sobbed into her hands.
"Ariel, it's not your fault." Darcy said touching her shoulder, while the others stood there unsure of what to say to her. Just what did you say to that? Clearly the issue had run far deeper than any had known.
"Don't touch me!" She said jerking away. "I just wanted them to at least be proud of one thing I did. I can't even have Natasha's love nor approval over such a simple thing as what I wear." Ariel moved to get up.
"You need to stay in bed." Vento said to her. Jeremiah was there now too and moved to stop her from getting up. She ignored them and tried to stand, but her legs were too weak. Malachi was watching the whole thing, his eyes narrowing the more she said.
"No, I can't look at any of you. Here I am crying my eyes out and telling you all these things that are my problem. I'm so pathetic," She sobbed, as she collapsed back down into a sitting position on the bed. "It's my problem not yours."
"You need to lay down and rest." Jeremiah said and she shook her head and went to move again. It was Malachi who moved this time and came around. He took hold of her chin so she was looking at him.
"You are going to stay right here and rest. Just where do you think you are going to go?" She met his ice blue gaze, tears still falling down.
"Look at those in this room." He demanded.
"Malachi." Vento said in warning at the harshness of Malachi's voice, but he ignored his father. He didn't think that she was going to respond right now to kindness. She'd see it like they were just trying to placate her and didn't really care. Just being nice, like she always said. If she wasn't going to listen to soft words then she needed something else.
"Look at them!" he demanded. After a second she moved her gaze to those in the room. "Do they look like they are pretending to care?" Darcy was wiping at some tears that she had and Jeremiah had a harder look to him.
"N… no." She answered looking down. They didn't look like they were just going about business. Ariel realized it having actually looked at them.
"You need our help right now, and you are going to let Darcy take care of you." Malachi ordered.
"What if I don't want her too? I just want to be left alone." She said. Malachi stood up and looked down at her.
"Then you can leave and not come back." There was a gasp from Darcy. Vento moved toward his son. That was completely uncalled for. He was angry at Malachi for being so brash with her.
"She can stay here as long as she wants. What is wrong with you?" Vento said very angry at the callous tone his son used. The poor young woman was a shattered mess at the moment. Malachi didn't relent, the others clearly didn't get it. He finally did.
"No, not if she's going to spit in the face of those that stayed up all night to save her life and then trod on them and their help. I don't want someone in my home who thinks so little of those that actually do care. We stayed up all night with her and that clearly doesn't matter to her at all." Malachi moved around the bed toward the door. Ariel was shocked at what he said, that was not it!
"I don't think that! I just, I'm not used to it!" Ariel shot back. Malachi felt a satisfied smile, got her. Though his back was to most of them. He hid his knowing smiled when he turned around. Exactly what he wanted, he knew he'd won with that outburst. It meant that she wasn't completely in pity mode and ignoring their help. His father glanced at him but didn't say anything realizing now what Malachi had been doing all along. Though he was not happy about it.
"I'm sorry. But you don't understand what it's like." She said sharply to Malachi rather than the rest because he made her angry now. She did not spit in their faces. She loved Darcy and Jeremiah like family they were good to her.
"You should learn Ariel that we say what we mean in this household. We don't tell a person something they want to hear. We tell them what we think and what the truth is. It's about time you realize it, anything foolish like this again and action will be taken." Vento said. Ariel nodded looking down at the bed spread.
"Thank you." She said clearing her throat. "For saving me last night and what all of you did. I owe you."
"You need rest. I will bring you some food shortly." Darcy said with a smile and gave her a brief hug helping her get into the bed. She moved out the door with Jeremiah. Thought she gave Malachi an irritated look. Whatever, it helped, she wasn't in pity mode anymore. She'd grown up with harsh tones and demanding things. So it stood to reason she would respond to that if softness didn't work.
"Your parents were very foolish Ariel. Know that." Vento commented and moved from the room taking Malachi with. They closed the door moving down the hall. Vento reached over and smacked Malachi hard upside the head.
"What the hell was that for?" Malachi asked rubbing the back of his head. That had been a sound smack, he wasn't two. He sure hadn't used human strength either.
"For your little stunt back there. I can't believe you did that. What if you pushed her in the opposite direction."
"I knew what I was doing. She was used to authoritative people, and I gave her a choice. I didn't tell her what to pick."
"You were a complete ass. I didn't raise you to be so disrespectful." Malachi rolled his eyes.
"She's fine, and still here isn't she?" Vento just made an agreeing sound.
"For this you can set up the meeting with Alectro at the gathering." Malachi made a growl like sound at that. "Plus make sure your wife to be stops beating her sister mentally and emotionally."
"I'm not a babysitter." He said.
"Unfortunately you now are."
"You picked her for me, you babysit her." He said with a snide tone and ducked as Vento went to smack him again.
"Getting slow old man." He commented moving ahead.
"Don't make me beat your ass boy. I'll do it just to prove a point." Malachi just gave a smile and headed down to the study with his father following.