And When The Lights Go Out

[Barbie Tectra]

Barbie's eyes watered profusely as she made her way back home, her hand clutching her stomach in grievance. She let sobs break into the silence of Richmond's house, relieved that he wasn't there. It was too much to take, and letting another human see her cry would make her bad situation, worse. She stopped walking, realizing how big of a head rush that she had, and sat down on a chair in the den. Or lounge, or whatever he called it. She stared at the brick fireplace, her mind whirring in circles. How could the doctors tell her that without being upset; no sympathy in their voices. Barbie picked up a nick-knack she had brought from home, looking over the porcelain figure. It was a bear, a little cub. She threw it and it shattered with a crash. She hated her life, and who she was; and wasn't sure why she deserved this. It was not her fault that she was cold, was it? Was it her that had done this too herself?

Barbie stood from her sitting position, a dazed look in her tear-filled eyes. She made her way to the bedroom, her steps soft. As if not to wake up something that would never be there. When she reached the bedroom, she flopped down on the bed, where a small baby blanket was located. She laid there, her head buried in the baby blanket for a few seconds, sobbing loudly and uncontrollably. She could never imagine something worse then the pain she felt right then. She rolled onto her back, and looked at the ceiling. If someone had been position to look her strait in the eye, they would see something no one ever had. The defeat; the defeat that she had never felt before in her life. It inched into her tears, pouring into her black locks. She wasn't good enough, Merlin didn't believe she deserved a child. That was it. She was done; Richmond would leave.

 

[Richmond Vanetta]

Richmond had been out. Many people would have instantly looked revolted that he had been allowed out of the house, but lately, he had calmed down, settling into family life, the idea of a child of his own. He had been to the station to pick up Helene, who had just finished another year at Hogwarts. Today was the day. Today, Richmond was planning to tell his daughter that she was going to have a younger brother or sister. But when he arrived home, Helene dragging her drunk inside the house, Richmond could tell something was wrong. His eyes dropped instantly to the porcelain shards on the floor.

Richmond turned to Helene, smiling in a reassuring way- though his smile, in itself, was quite terrifying. "I just need to go and see Barbie," he said, gesturing to the bedroom where he guessed she was, "you go and unload your stuff." He turned away from his daughter who moved into her own room, scuffing the floor with her trunk, and headed for the room that he and Barbie shared. Perhaps it was just hormones? His ex-wife had tried to murder him, at one point.. Although, Richmond was entirely sure that was related to the pregnancy. Stepping into the doorway, he looked in at the scene, at Barbie, at the blanket, at the tear stains on his fiancée's cheeks. He wasn't sure what to expect as he entered the room, sitting down on the end of the bed, before deciding that it was safe and slithering up the covers, lounging beside her, head propped up on one elbow. He didn't say anything. He didn't quite understand. He didn't know if he wanted to.

 

[Barbie Tectra]

There was an eerie silence in the house. Barbie's mind was so completely blank that she didn't even hear her Fiance and her almost step-daughter, come in. She was curled in a ball, the blanket wrapped around her left arm so tightly, that her hand was turning white. The tears hadn't subsided, and her cheeks were stained a red color, while under her eyes was pale like normally. She used the blanket to wipe the tears and she took a deep, staggering breath. It wasn't until the door had opened and closed, that she realized what was happening.

She jumped a bit, and then wiped her eyes a little bit more. She begged them to go down, and begged them to stop watering. unfortunately, begging had never been Barbie's forte. She sniffed back as he came up beside her in the bed. She laid her head on his chest, sniffling a bit more. Then she picked her head up, her hazel eyes burning into his. She couldn't find the words to tell him. She wanted to scream the truth in his face. However, she had cotton mouth, and couldn't even start with a vowl sound. So she just looked at him, with her sad eyes.

 

[Richmond Vanetta]

Richmond was so unsure of what to do, that he instinctively raised a hand, stroking down Barbie's face, his touch was soft and loving. She was looking at him, her eyes burning into his. He felt as though he knew exactly what this was about, exactly what had happened. The less they spoke, the more it ticked over in his brain, the more he understood and the more he felt his heart sinking, his throat, tightening. It was the way she holding the blanket that had done it, that had sparked Richmond's mind, bringing it to a depressing conclusion. A heartbreaking one. He had just been getting used to the idea, but now..

Nothing had been verbally confirmed. It didn't need to be. Richmond knew it was over.

He continued in his silence, not knowing what to say, not able to speak. As tough a man as he was, Richmond had only one weakness; children. He loved his daughter more than anything. Anyone. He would not admit it to Barbie or anybody. Richmond wasn't great with emotions. But maybe this would be the thing to change him, to make him somebody different, someone new and loving and what Barbie deserved as a fiance. Maybe this was the end of their relationship? Richmond felt he'd done enough damage, already. Would she still want him there when this had happened. But he couldn't be sure it had happened. She hadn't verbally told him, and though his instincts told him he was right, he wanted to ignore them. He would try and stay with her. He would try and make it all better. Perhaps, if they moved, life would be better? Richmond allowed the idea to remain in his head, rolling around it and growing, becoming something more.

Richmond gave Barbie one last look before sitting up. He couldn't bare to see her like this. This wasn't her. This wasn't right. He slid off the bed, standing up and walking to the doorway. "Do you want something to eat? Something to drink?" He asked, only slightly turning his head to watch her in the corner of his eye.

 

[Barbie Tectra]

((I'm sorry, coulda sworn I had replied this! Sorry love!))

Barbie flinched slightly when he raised his hand. It was out of habit. There was something that Richmond didn't know, her past was a gruesome one. Barbie couldn't handle him leaving her, she would die more inside. If people thought she was cold now, they should wait until she gets back out in the world. She was ready to cause some mayhem, destroy some people. She felt a twinging pain in her stomach. She held it and more tears swam down her cheeks. She wanted to keep her and Richmond together, she wanted him to love her. What if he only loved what she no longer had? What if he thought her disgusting, a murder perhaps? Was it her fault?

Barbie came closer to Richmond, taking in his scent. She wiped away some tears with the small blanket, the yellow one with bears on it. She had bought it as a promise between her and Richmond to care for the child in a loving environment. Time passed slowly. The clock on the wall ticked incessantly, becoming louder, and louder as the seconds passed. Seconds turned into minutes. She looked at him then she turned her head completely away from him to cough a bit, chocking on her tears; and some mucus from her running nose. It was disgusting, Barbie felt disgusting. When he stood, she braced herself for him to ask her to leave, never show up again. But he didn't.

He couldn't even look at her. She couldn't speak. instead she shook her head no, a sinus headache coming on quickly. She wasn't ready to handle all of this. She looked away, and then curled into a ball, trying hard to stop her sobbing.