Sickly Days

Zander Ellison · Apr 5, 2011

There was something hot burning. Something was wrong. The moment eyes had been opened, something had been wrong. All the rest of the siblings had returned to school. There were few in the house. It could only be one of a few people. But, as the light continued to pour into the room, it become ever more clear to the eldest Valentine that it wasn't something that was wrong. It was someone. And he knew exactly who that was. A small groan was emitted from his mouth, and he sat up. A throbbing head, a dry throat, and a sickly feeling in his stomach. Zander knew what this was. He was sick. But, there was little he could do about it. He had to get up. He to get Jamie ready for school, and he had to get ready for work. There was no avoiding it. It didn't help that Mara would already be away at university, and Zander hoped for his own sake that Robin was out finding a job. He sat on his bed with his feet touching the cold wooden floor, the deep green eyes glancing round the room. The small room. Zander suddenly had a rising sick feeling in his throat. He made no hesitation in heading straight for the bathroom. Where he was promptly sick. Zander sat beside the toilet bowl and rested his throbbing head against the wall. Come on Zander his mind to him. Zander nodded, and once more got to his feet. He had a quick shower, and then cleaned the bathroom, to get rid of the evidence. He couldn't show he was sick. He had to be the strongest of the Valentine. He had to not be able to get sick, to show that despite the problems, Zander could take care of everything. That he was the rock of the family. Never to leave, never to desert them. Never to deal with his own problems. Something that most would believe came first, but was secondary. Zander knew that he came second, if not second third. His family were more important than him. Their safety was more important that his. Their well being was more important than his. He realised that most of his siblings would have no idea of how much work the eldest had put into the family. Of how easily Zander would drop everything for each of them, and yet he doubted any would do the same for him. But he could hardly complain. He knew why the others really gave little notice to him. He was the only one without someone. The only Valentine with a twin or sibling counter part. For a time it had been him and Jamie, but she'd been too young to remember and Tyler hadn't come much after. He was the eldest, and the odd one out. The only one with no one to rely on. At 23, being that alone, and yet that surrounded was proving pretty surreal.

Making his way down to the kitchen, the eldest Valentine had to take extra care with each step. His head made him feel light headed and dizzy. He didn't feel steady on his feet. But, he pushed through. Zander walked into the kitchen and began to get breakfast ready. He was dressed for work, a smart shirt, and work trousers. He had to get the younger ones up, and then get them to eat before heading out. The small walk for him on this day would be like an eternity. But, Zander continued to ignore what his body was telling him and continued to make himself and the two youngest breakfast. But, Zander knew he had to take the day off. Get the kids to school, and then call in sick. There was little hope of him doing well, when his mind blocked all other thoughts. And then their was a fellow parent whom Zander had the number for, he was sure the parent wouldn't mind helping him out by taking the youngest to school. Zander shook his head slightly. A shaking hand attempted to pour coffee into a mug. The mess was cleaned up as quickly as it had been made. Then once everything was ready, Zander walked back to the bottom of the stairs. "Jamie! Tyler! Come on, School!" Zander called to them shouting as loud as he could without further straining his voice, before heading back into the kitchen and standing at the counter, waiting for the two to turn up and watching the clock carefully, they couldn't afford to be late. He just hoped they were already up and getting ready. He hated going to wake them personally. He felt horrible and he didn't want to feel horrible. Zander turned and looked out the Kitchen window. He was breathing deeply, willing himself to win over whatever was attacking his body so he would not feel as poorly when they entered the room. He was at least thankful that it was just a few of them in the house. On a day like this, when the eldest was feeling how he was, having the entire Valentine family around was like being in his own personal hell. Especially when the yelling started up. Zander took a deep breath and knew he couldn't miss a day of work, and that he would just have to fight through it. Like any other dad would do. But Zander wasn't the parent his siblings expected him to be. He'd been 16 when it happened. He was now twenty-three and alone. He loved all his family more than they appreciated him, but there were times, days when it all did not seem worth it. By this point, Zander could've had a girlfriend or a wife. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Stay focused Alezander. keep focused" Zander muttered to himself under his breath. He would get through the day.

Jamie Holgersson · Apr 5, 2011

Jamie didn't wake when she normally did, instead half an hour after she'd usually get up she heard a faint yelling from downstairs that shook her out of sleep. Sitting up she held her head trying to contain the pain she felt coming out, almost like it was going to explode right there. Standing was more difficult, she wobbed on her little feet her hand clutching the bed frame. Zander wanted them downstairs, and she was going to be late fo school if she took longer then needed. Opening her dresse she pulled out the muggle uniform to the school she attended until she was eleven. Two more years, then she could learn magic. The thrill of Durmstrang kept her going through most of her days. she wanted to be like her siblings. All growing up and learning how to control their powers. Suddenly she felt sick and the lights throughout the house flicked as her body tried to reject whatever it was. Jamie hated being sick, it was the wrose pain she had ever felt in her entire life. The need to feel better propelled her across her room towards the door. She stumbled quite alot as her body woke up at her movement, her brain completely fuzzy with what she was doing.

Opening the door she managed to get down the kitchen before anything worse could happen to her. Her head was pounding, a constant reminder that she wasn't feeling very good. "Zander!" Her voice in which she tried to yell at her brother came out in a half whispher, whatever she was sick with already got control of her throat. She flung the doors in the kitchen looking for a bowl. The Bowl. The one she always used when she was sick, once she found it her stomach rejected the remaining bits of last nights dinner and stomach acid it held. Afterwards her throat burned and she stayed on the floor head over the bowl waiting for the next round of sickness to come. Zander was in the room she could smell the soap he always used but instead of it smelling nice it just made her body to become sick once again. Her pajamas were all but spoiled and she felt dirty. The need for an icepop and a warm bath come over her as she calmed down. A glance from her sent towards Zander was her way of telling him she was feeling good enough if he wanted to take the bowl from her he could. A glimace in a glass window nearby showed her herself completely pale but still red in the cheeks from her running and she felt lightheaded.

Zander Ellison · Apr 6, 2011

A pounding head, but him less aware that Jamie had not come down at the usual time that she did. Usually he didn't have to call on her. But on this day, the younger more twenty three year old Zander kicked in. Not able to completely control how he was feeling, not able to think of anything else. Just himself and how sick he was feeling. It always happened when he was sick. But it was never for very long, as the head of a family, Zander had a lot of other things to do. He had long learned how to put aside how he felt and focus on the people in front of him. Which was his family. The most important people to him. But, this was different. Zander felt close to collapsing. He was shattered and he felt like there was a party going on in his head, a party he wasn't invited to. And one he was suffering because of. His hands were shaking and he could not do anything to stop it. It just in general made him feel horrible. He knew that he had to go to work. He couldn't really take a day, when Robin also didn't have a job. But, it was as he was about to freshen up again, that the sound of his name, made him turn round. He knew it was Jamie, but he knew something was wrong. Zander was like a parent to Jamie, he had that instinct that told him something was wrong. Things become even more clear when she flung the door open and began searching for things. "Crap" Zander muttered under his breath. And at this point parent mode kicked in. He knew what Jamie was looking for, but it wouldn't matter if she found it or not. He went straight to the house phone and dialed his friends number. He hastely asked him if he'd be able to take Tyler to school, since he was alone and one was too sick to attend. He was glad when he said yes. While also saying he'd be over in a few minutes. Zander then became aware that Jamie had been sick. He could feel a sickly feeling rising in his throat. But he swallowed willing for it to go back down. For him to not be sick. To just push through. While calling the school, Zander went over to Jamie, and pushed her hair from her face and rubbed her back. The way their mother had been like for him. As he spoke on the phone to the school, he took the bowl from Jamie, and he had to fight to not be sick. Zander poured it away and using his magic, cleaning up what was left. After explaining to the school the problem, he turned to Jamie and smiled slightly. She was terribly pale. He hoped he didn't look like that. But as Zander glanced to his own reflection he could see that he did.

Zander knelt down and with a quick flick of his wand, all the mess was cleaned up. He would understand if she wanted to throw the clothes out. "Do you want to just throw these out and get new ones?" Zander offered to her. Before thinking that first, he had to get her washed and into clothes. It was all proving fairly difficult now that he was also sick. "Jamie, I want you to go have a shower, or bath, while I get Tyler ready for school. Then just go back to bed, I'll come up and see you?" But, as soon as he'd said that. Zander, put his arms around Jamie and lifted her off the ground. He went to the door, where his friend appear. Zander quickly thanked him, and walked up to where, Tyler was getting ready. The other parent remarked on how Zander looked somewhat sick, and asked if he could take over looking after Jamie. Alezander knew it was a nice gesture but, he knew it wasn't an offer that Zander was to take. He had his own children to take care off. And didn't have to take care of Zander's siblings. Zander took Jamie to the bathroom. "Get yourself cleaned up, okay? I'll get some food. You'll need to eat a little." Zander kissed Jamie lightly on the head and then went to the kitchen. He made Tyler's lunch and gave it to him. While wishing him a good day at school, and kissing him brotherly on the head. He thanked the man profusely and then closed the door. Zander leaned against the closed door. What a morning, were all he could think. A throbbing head ache and very serious sickly feeling were taking over him. He knew he had a rising temperature. He was sweating a lot more than he should. But, Zander could only take these few minutes of silence standing at the door to recover himself. The next thing that Zander knew to do was get the potion. The one that helped when kids were sick. He mixed it into the water, and then with a bit of toast carried it back up to Jamie's room. He was waiting for her to be done washing, so while waiting, he began to tidy her room. Little bits here and their. It was a distraction from the fact his hands were shaking beyond belief and that he wanted to just sleep through the day.

Out of Character:: Sorry for the slight God mod

Jamie Holgersson · Apr 6, 2011

Jamie felt Zander rubbing her back and felt comforted by the motion. She wanted to curl up in his lap and sleep the rest of the day yet she knew she'd be sick again, there was any thing to help the fact. Zander was already getting things under control and she felt herself being lifted into the air, yet his arms were secured around her keeping her from falling. The whole lifting up process didn't help her head or stomach and she could barely focus on what he was saying. An older father, at least older to her as she was used to Zander for a father, came to collect Tyler and questioned Alezander on how he felt which she found strange. She was the one sick afterall but looking up she noticed he seemed to have the same pale colouring to the face as she did. Now she felt bad that they both had to be sick and he still needed to care for her. "They're just clothes," she said into his ear his question finally catching up to her mind. She never really minded much when her clothes had to go, afterall most of them had been Kaileys sp they were old and she never found herself clutching to one thing over another.

Now Zander had told her to do something and see needed to do the best she could. He dropped her off in the bathroom and she started to heat the water up and filled the tub with luke-warm water. She was burning up yet she felt freezing and this bath was going to be the worse thing she would ever make herself do, but her body temperature was too high and needed to be brought down. Taking her clothes off she managed to put them in the bathroom's garbage without getting a whift of the smell the clothes now had. She slipped down in the tub shivering but managed to wash herself off as she normally would. Being a kid still enjoyed baths over showers and her mind wondered how the older kids managed not to fall over while showering.

When she was finished she climbed out and put on her bathrobe. All her clothes were in her room but she wasn't sure if she should wear any of them as she still wasn't feeling very good. Toweling off her hair she walked back to her room and found Zander there waiting for her with water and toast. She almosted gagged at the smell of the toast but one look at her brother she knew she couldn't put up a fight, he didn't have it in him, neither did she. He was moving around her room cleaning things up she always forgot to clean. She stood in the doorway, leaning on it, watching her eldest brother. "Zander? Are you sick too?" She asked him her eyes questioning him as she stood there hair dripping on the floor concerned about her older brother.

Zander Ellison · Apr 6, 2011

Being unsteady on his feet, Zander wanted to just get Jamie back to bed, so he could sit down and just rest for a little while. Sleep it off, even though he knew he had to wait. He would have to call Mara and tell her to be home early. But, he knew that she would be annoyed. No one liked having to be stuck in the house when their were sick people. He needed to get her to at least go tell his boss he couldn't make it in. Something that Zander hated doing, but most were fairly understanding, considering his situation. Most could not imagine being a parent at 16, especially if some had already grown up slightly. It was a hard task that most would hate to have, and yet Zander did have it. He knew that while it was pretty bad at time, his family was his family and he would do anything and everything for them. It wasn't something that made Zander fell upset. It didn't make him think that no one would really do the same for him. They all had their twin to take care of them. Or someone, and then there was just Zander. This day was a perfect example of how Zander had no one. While he'd sent Tyler to school, had he been older, Tyler would've been able to help Jamie. Mara always helped Robin when he was sick and vice versa. There was just Zander. No one could look after Zander, because he was the one meant to be able to take care of everyone else, and the one who wasn't meant to get sick, but Zander wasn't super human. He wasn't above it. He was just as prone to sickness as the next person. it didn't help he took care of two children at primary school who brought back so many germs it was silly. Zander looked round when he heard someone at the door. Despite his throbbing head, and the fact he felt like he was about to be sick, Zander forced a smile. Her question was however odd. He was sick. But, he couldn't tell her that. He had to be the figure of perfect health. The head of the Valentines had to have an immune system that could fit off anything, not like this. Not to the point where ever just standing was proving difficult. He shook his head at her. "No, I'm not sick, just a little tired." He was sick, that was the lie, but then he was also very tired. Zander had worked late into the night, and had woken up early. It was the same routine which lead to him getting minimal amounts of sleep, but he doubted Jamie would know the difference between a person who was a little tired and a person who was very tired.

"Dad used to do this whenever I used to get sick. I could never figure out why then, but it was comfortable and I could hold on to it, like it was actually him." Zander said, before taking off his shirt and then t-shirt and placing the plain t-shirt on Jamie, without giving her time to take off the bathrobe. He smiled at her, now at her level. As he thought of the memory, he smiled fondly, while also feeling a pang of sadness. He greatly missed his parents. He hadn't really had time to ever get over it. Not that the others had, but he'd had less opportunity. He had to make sure everyone else was okay, before he could start dealing with himself, this had never happened. "I need to call Mara. See if she isn't too busy to come back early so I can try to get to work in the after, but you might be stuck with me all day. Get comfortable." Once again Zander smiled, a slightly forced smile and then left the room. He headed straight for his room, Zander sat on his head and put his head into his hands and letting out a small cry of pain. His head was unimagineably sore. Everything was making it hurt. Zander took a few deep breaths before getting himself a t-shirt and then calling Mara. The conversation was short, Mara couldn't come, but she would tell his work, and she was going to stay with a friend, with Robin for the night. Zander had hoped for some other adult around in the house, so that he had a hand. Someone else to take part of the weight off Zander. He closed the phone then went back to his room and changed his work trousers to his joggies. The most comfortable trousers he had. ANd with a deep breath Zander walked back to Jamie's room, he knocked lightly, to see if he could come in and when he got the okay, Zander walked into. "Mara can't make it back, she's back up at University. As for Robin, he's looking for a job and staying with a friend, so it's just you and me. I think you should try to sleep. I can stay with you. Mum used to do that. She was always great when any of us were sick. She'd sit with us till we feel asleep. She'd sing this song, it was in Gaelic. How she knew it, is a wonder. I can do the same?" Zander said sitting on the ground beside Jamie's bed. While also smiling at his little sister. He hoped that she'd be better the next day. But he was never sure how to deal with his siblings when they were sick. It was always a little more difficult to figure out what to do. And with each time, something was different. It was why he'd asked her what she wanted to him to do. An odd method, but the one that worked. And although Zander wanted to just sleep, and push away his sickly feelings, he had to push through. Continue on going until she was better, then he could relax. Only then.

Out of Character:: Yeah, I should stop replying and actually go to bed, so I can shake this thing off.
Sorry for lameness

Jamie Holgersson · Apr 7, 2011

Jamie watched Zander as he faced her and answered her question. It didn't really seem to be the truth as she knew him pretty well, probably more then he even thought she did and he wasn't normally that pale. He wasn't ever that pale when tired, either, which was strange. She didn't want to prod him about it though she was worried about how he was feeling. "Can you take the toast out?" Jamie questioned him, not wanting to smell it anymore, it was making her feel nauseating. She knew she had to go over to her bed but she was feeling extremely tired, as well as having that prickly sickening feeling inside of her. Jamie had just been ready to move over towards her dresser for some clean pajamas when Zander stood infront of her and put his t-shirt over her and her bathrobe. It was loose on her even witht he bathrobe under it but she did get the faint smell of him from it despite her nose being slightly stuffy, and unlike the toast it actually seemed to calm her stomach alittle.

Jamison smiled back to her brother as he spoke but nothing really hit her brain and stuck out. He was going to go and call Mara about work or something. While he was gone she decided to slip out of her bathrobe and atleast change into pajama bottoms so she wouldn't be stuck with the bathrobe on all day, as it was completely wet and uncomfortable, another hand-me-down. Jamie got herself up into bed and took a sip of the water that was placed next to her bed on the stand. It was suprisingly plain and she was able to keep it down, no doubt there was a potion in it that was the wizard medicine. She was glad that they had a better tasting medicine then a muggle family. Of course it had no taste at all and starting fighting off the sickness more quickly. He wasn't gone long just enough time for her to change and settle in bed. Almost half of the drink was gone, something Mara always told her to do. Being it a potion it had different time intervals when a person could have another round so it make it last you drink most of it and then whenever you started feeling sick just take a few sips and the feeling would be gone. It was a neat trick and helped Jamie alot whenever she was sick, wasn't very much. Zander settled down on the floor next to her bed and she turned on her side facing him a light smile on her face. The strange pounding in her head was going down and she felt a more overall calmness reach her body. "Could you?" She asked when he was finishing, questioning him about both things he offered. She knew it was selfish, he had alot of things that needed to be taken care off, including himself. But just knowing he was there made everything seem alittle better. "When I fall asleep can you promise to go have some of the potion too? You don't look good at all," she said her voice in a whispher. Jamie wasn't sure why but whenever it was bed time and she was in bed and one of her siblings was there tucking her in bed, it felt like one of those church moments, when you had to whispher or else speaking would break the spell.

Zander Ellison · Apr 8, 2011

It was odd to be sitting on his sister's bedroom floor thinking of their parents. It wasn't like he didn't think of them but this was different. Usually when he thought of his parents it was just a normal situation and either he or one of the siblings that reminded Zander of his parents. He knew that Mara had a lot of characteristics that their mother had also had, as well as looking very like her. While Robin was a mixture of both and Alezander took after his dad more than anything although his name had been part of a bet. Between Zander's parents and friends. The first son born for them was to be called Alezander. Why that name it would never be made clear, but Zander has been the first so he'd gotten the name. Alezander had never really stuck. It had been all the formal people who called him Alezander. His family knew him as Zander and so had his friends and the professors at his school. Once they were told of Zander's nickname it hadn't been hard for most to switch. As much as the eldest valentine had no hate for his full name he also did prefer the nickname. It was really his now. And it rolled off the Tongue easily. His parents had been amazing with all his siblings. He'd watched fondly as each of his siblings was born and easily invited into the family. It had been pretty amazing. But it had not lasted. As most could see. His parents had died and left him a broken puzzle called his family. The eldest Valentine had never really considered his parents anything more than what has ended his normal life. He then had to spend his time providing as much normality for him family as possible. Which included putting them before himself. Like in all situations. It was always all Valentines before Zander. This was not actually him complaining. It was hard there was no denying that. It had never really been easy. But the reward was much greater. While the second eldest twins were a lost cause for him the others had all turned out well. Jamie and Tyler were both caring and smart. And if was by his, Mara and Robins hand. Sure it had always been Zander dealing with the late nights. Tyler had been a tiny baby when it had all happened and Jamie has not been much older. Zander had been the one to change the nappies, soothe them to sleep. This was beginning to remind him off it. It was odd, but it did. He knew that him being sick wasn't part of it. But there had been weeks when one or the other couldn't sleep and Zander had ended up getting only one or two hours of sleep per night. Which for someone of sixteen was hard. He knew that most would hate everything about it but he now knew the two youngest better than anything and he knew the two eldest too. Though he knew them less well, It was obvious that they were in part a team. Zander was the head of the team but it didn't mean the other two didn't bring their help too. Just being the oldest he had to do the most. Which he was actually okay with. It wasn't something he disliked or thought was bad.

Upon hearing that she did want him to sing the song, Zander stood up and sat down on the bit of bed left beside her. It wasn't much but it was enough . And since he knew it wouldn't actually take her that long to get to sleep. His mother had always managed to sing the song perfectly despite him not thinking they had any Scottish or Irish origins. At his school, Hogwarts, Zander had just been on the brink of starting a band. At school Zander had been very into music and for a long time had actually wanted to peruse music rather than something in magic. But none of the family had ever known that. His father had encouraged him a lot but thE was the only person who'd really known. But now it was different. He put his arm around her and kissed her lightly on the head. Zander glanced around the room and then to the glass as Jamie spoke. He smiled, it was nice that she cared. But Zander could hardly drink what they had left. He had to keep a hold of it just in case Tyler got sick. Zander didn't have enough in the event that Tyler got sick to have some himself. Despite how nice the quick and easy solution was appearing to him, as the eldest he had to put the others in front and this meant no potion for him. He had to ignore his headache and the pleas from his stomach to drink it. "I can't promise that. What if Tyler gets sick? There needs to be some for him just in case. Don't you worry about me. I'm fine." Zander whispered quietly. Before clearing his throat slightly and while at the same time trying to remember the song. His gaelic wasn't awful, but neither would actually know the difference. So it was easy to feel like it was right. Zander sang softly, so that it didn't hurt his head or hers. Zander was watching her to be sure she fell asleep. Although he wouldn't leave. Just in case she was sick again. He would wait for her to awake to be sure she was better. It was what his mother had done for him and since he was the only one who was able to clearly remember it all, he always tried to be the one to carry on the different traditions that his mother lived by. It was difficult, but he knew it was achievable. And Zander was good at doing things he really put his mind to. This was one of them.

Jamie Holgersson · Apr 8, 2011

Jamison pouted as her request was denied, not that she wasn't used to being denied things she wanted, cause she was, but this time it was because she was completely worried about her eldest brother. He was concerned about Tyler, and it just backed up a lesson she learned yesterday when she had been at school. People back during the Industrial Revolution cared alot for the youngest, and often the older children would work in factories so the youngest could have the best life possible. She knew she had to do the same and she didn't complain. Whenever Zander, Robin or Mara were too busy in the morning it was her duty to get Tyler up and dressed in nice clothes and have some breakfast in his stomach, and do to her lack of cooking it'd be instant oatmeal or cereal, both very muggle food, which both of them liked. Jamie often enjoyed the hand-me-downs she got from her older sisters and brothers, but by the time Tyler would have gotten them the clothes would be completely worn out from her and the sibling it came from so he always got to get the newer clothes. But Jamison never complain, and now she was glad she was the one who was sick and not Tyler, it made things easier on Zander, she could take care of herself atleast alittle bit. She just didn't enjoy the fact that Zander ignore her wish to have him feel better for a just in case situation. "Couldn't you make more? Or go out while I sleep and get some?" She asked, of course not really knowing much about magic.

Though one couldn't blame Jamison for her lack of knowlegde when it came to potions and magic. She was just nine and still had about two years before she would go into school to learn. As Zander moved up on to the bed to sing to her she back herself up more towards the edge so she could see his face as she drifted off. Zander was always the most comforting sibling to be with when sick, there was jsut something about him that made it easy to sleep even when she didn't feel good. Her voice was flat and even and low when she spoke to him now, he was lulling her into sleep thrigh there mother's song. "I love you Zander," she spoke out to him before finally drifting off into a sleep, though it was a pretty light one. Her hand moved over and grasped his and it was the last thing she'd remember before she completely fell asleep. Her mind's eye of course now was wondering the universe and she never really did remember her dreams, nightmares were easier to remember of course. Jamie also had a tendency to cry out in her sleep, or even just talk, but she never could recall why she said what she did. This time her broken down voice called out, "Mama?"

Zander Ellison · Apr 9, 2011

It was a warming factor for the eldest Valentine to know one of the others really did care. Even if nothing could be done about it. When the eldest had been at school he'd never thought about how much he would give for his younger siblings. He'd always known it as his duty to be able to be strong for them and to always want to protect them but this didn't mean that he had ever thought that he would actually have to. But now, he was a parent and a big brother. The things he would do for his siblings were many and went to a number of extremes. It wasn't like he thought he would have to act on any of them but, Zander knew there was little he would actually do for them. Like how most of the twins would do anything for the other. They had one person to protect and Zander had all of them to protect. If they wanted the protection of not was a completely different matter, but it wouldn't stop him from standing between them and harm. It was the nature of any parent or eldest sibling. He was sure that there would be a day where each of them would realise it. He hoped for the second eldest set of twins that they would learn it. Know that they made Zander's life difficult. That it was never easy when two just did everything to spite him. He knew it was because they just missed dad, but Zander was trying his best. And his struggles were almost comical to them. But he couldn't let them take over. Let them try and be him for a day. Then they would know. They would understand everything that Zander did. But he had to ignore all the thoughts of his other siblings and focus on Jamie. "I can't leave you on your own." it wasn't that Zander had a lack of trust for Jamie just that she really was just too young to leave anywhere alone. And Zander wasn't going to just leave her. If anything happened to her while he wasn't around then he would never be able to forgive himself. And that was why he would stay with her until their was a second adult in the house. He just hoped that after sleep she would feel better. Because once she felt better, Zander could then start considering himself. He had to take some muggle medication, and he could be able to relax a little more. Although if Mara wasn't coming back until the next day, he knew he'd have to at least be awake when they were awake. There was no chance of him being able to get some sleep while they were awake. He just could not let them run riot. Not that they would, but Tyler was 7 and Jamie was 9. While both acted older that didn't mean they couldn't also act like the children they were. All in all it just meant that Zander would have to be awake and alert until both were asleep only at that point could Zander really collapse. And just sleep. It was of course if he made it that far into the day. Zander had incredibly strength, but he was shattered. He had a sore head. His stomach was churning and making him feel very sick. He was hot and his throat was fairly dry. He would only last so long. He knew that if it did become all too much for him, he could rely on Jamie. but Zander didn't want to do that. She was just a kid. And that was all he wanted her to be. Nothing else.

Singing softly the eldest Valentine became aware that the youngest female was falling asleep. He smiled when she said she loved him. As much as he already knew it, it was still nice to hear. Especially since it had been a while and since he was feeling so awful. The headache seemed to be getting worse and worse. He wanted to sleep. Zander smiled when she took his hand and when the grip become slightly less tight he knew that was her asleep. He stopped singing and kissed her lightly on the head. "I love you too Jamie" He whispered, before pulling his hand from hers and getting off the bed. He had a few things to do before he could settle down and watch her sleep. He just went to the front door and made sure it was perfectly locked. He then made sure all the lights that had been on were off, and that all unnecessary heating was off. The after taking a pillow from his bedroom, Zander re entered Jamie's bedroom. He knew that he couldn't really leave her alone, but it didn't mean he could not sleep in the same room. Zander settled himself on the floor and closed his eyes. He wanted to cry out in pain at his head. But all that he could do was close his eyes tightly shut and just breathe. Hoping the pain would fade. It was as he attempted to go to sleep that he heard her voice again. His eyes snapped open and he looked to her. She'd just called out for mum. He had to admit this touched his heart strings. He stood up and had to steady himself. Before taking a seat on her bed, and just lightly sshing. "It's okay. It'll be okay." He said quietly. While also hoping that she would go back to sleep. He was unsure if she had so he took her head again, and then pulled his pillow in closer. Until he was right up against the bed. Zander got off the bed and once again layed down next to her. He kept a hold of her hand, while slowly attempting to drift off to sleep. He was sweating pretty hard, and his brain felt like it was about to explode, But Zander did his best to try to fall asleep. He just hoped she was sleeping well.

Out of Character:: You can have her either wake up not long after speaking or after a long while.
If it's soon after, he's lightly asleep. if it's a long while, then he's sound asleep.

Jamie Holgersson · Apr 11, 2011

Jamie sighed into her pillow as Zander spoke. Everyone still thought of her as a baby which meant she could get away a few things that the others couldn't, like a latenight snack to put her mind at ease. But it also meant she was controlled alot more, she couldn't be free to do whatever, if she hadn't been sick then Zander could easily take some of the potion for himself and save the rest in case one of them got sick. She felt bad for him and started to hate herself for being sick. Jamison hated being sick, more then she could hate anything else in the world, it was the worse feeling someone could have. Her body was heating up yet she felt cold, her head didn't feel right at all, she was tired yet she didn't think she'd be able to really sleep. Shaking her head she didn't try to respond to him, she couldn't fight him not now.

Jamie didn't remember anything that she dreamed when she woke up. It was a few hours since Zander put her to sleep with his singing. Looking down she realized Zander's shirt was on her, something she hadn't really connected in her brain before. She was feeling alot better now, the potion always worked well for her. Something was holding onto her hand when she tried to move it to fix her twisted clothing, it was Zander's hand. Turning over she looked down at him and he definitely did not look better. Glancing over to her nightstand, she knew she was suppose to drink the rest of the water now but Zander needed it. Licking her lips she twisted herself off her bed and straddled over her brother. The glass was in her hand she reached down to lift his head up so he'd be forced to drink the water in his sleep. Atleast that's how it happened in movies. She began to pour the water in his mouth slowly stopping every so often to make sure he wasn't going to choke.

Zander Ellison · Apr 11, 2011

The dreams of the Eldest Valentine were not a place most wanted to be. It was suffice to say that his dreams were mostly of his parents. They were mostly memories that he thought he'd forgotten. But in his dreams they lived still. Strong and clear. Everything perfect. Down to the very last detail. The detail of his dreams were something that the eldest could not say was repeated anywhere else. Only in his dreams were things clear. They weren't for him in the everyday. And while most mornings he would wake up and barely remember the dream that he'd had, there was a part of him that knew when they had been of his parents. It was hard for him to not dream of his parents. Unluck the other Valentines he'd never been given the chance to really recover from his parents death. He'd never been able to cry over them. He'd gone from being the eldest son, to a parents in a matter of seconds and he had to just learn to be strongest and be their for his family. And this was how he was repaid. The first set of twins the only people he relied on, and yet instructed to do as much out of the house as possible. The second twins that practically hated on everything that Zander tried to do. Because they felt he was trying to be their father. Zander knew he was nothing like their father. He tried his hardest, but his mind knew that he was nothing. He felt most days when he thought of Ciel and Kyle that he'd pretty much failed everything his parents had worked for. They had really tried to bring them up in the best ways possible, and then Kyle and Ciel were not what he had been expected to bring up. Zander always reasoned that it was hard. But he was a Valentine, hard was not meant to be a word he knew. He knew he'd let his parents down. It was why he tried a lot hard with the rest. Making sure that Kailey and Justin turned out better and more respective of him. He tried even harder with Jamie and Kyle. To make them see a little more that he did a lot more than they really realised. He doubted any of his siblings would realise how much Zander had put into the family. How much he had given up for his family and how much he would be willing to give for them. Overall he knew that they had no idea what it took to be the unofficial parent of 8 people. And he knew that they would never know what it felt like. It was just something, that he'd be the only one with any knowledge of. His dreams began to change slightly. They filled with worries over Jamie. An awake Zander would know that Jamie would be fine, but asleep and under a high fever, Zander's mind played tricks. Jamie very very sick. No potion working. His parents yelling at him, His siblings casting him out. And it appeared all he could do in his dream was say that he would do anything to have her well again. He screamed it and screamed it. Although it appeared that Zander was in a very deep sleep considering he was sick, part of his mind was still very much alert, and he became aware of someone on top of him.

Something entered his throat, and his eyes flew open, when he began to choke slightly on the liquid. He sat up slightly, coughing and spluttering out what ever had just been in his mouth a second before. And then a sickly feeling over took him again. He looked around the room and noticed Jamie with the glass in hand. He had to stop himself from smiling. She had been trying to help. But there was no time for that. All he could do was move Jamie off him and stand up. He was very unsteady on his feet, and despite having slept a few hours, Zander actually felt worse. His head was less sore, but his stomach was trying to get rid of nothing. He was going to try to go to the bathroom, but, Zander couldn't find his feet well enough to be able to walk in a straight enough direction. So instead he just sat back down on the ground and pushed himself up against her bed. He closed his eyes briefly and then looked to Jamie. His eyes were bloodshot, and though he smiled at his little sister. It was a little forced. He took his wand out and cleaned up the slight messy he'd created. "Jamie, how are you feeling?" Zander asked, hoping she was better. She definitely looked better. "You look a lot better." His voice was low, but he was still smiling at her, and he was still pushing through what he had. Once he knew she was okay, he could deal with himself.

Out of Character:: Jamie is so cute!

Jamie Holgersson · Apr 11, 2011

Jamie was startled when Zander suddenly sat up, she hadn't been expecting it. Of course she was far enough down on his torso that she wasn't really effected, but she feared he was choking. He hadn't sallowed anything that she had put into his mouth, the potion laid on the floor the carpet soaking it up already. A frown appeared on her face, something that barely happened. Zander moved her off of him and made to leave, most likely for the bathroom but he didn't make it very far. He was back on the ground beside her and she had worry in her eyes. The glass had about one-fourth of what had orginally been given to her and she still wanted Zander to atleast have that.

He was still tired, and she should have let him sleep, now she felt bad for him even more so then she did before. His eyes were all red where it was suppose to be white, and he was complete pale. Holding out the glass she didn't respond to him, she was actually quite scared to what was happening. Without a word to him she ran from the room and ran to the nearest room she knew had a garbage can. Taking the small rectangle box with a plastic bag inside Jamie brought it back to her brother. Her eyes were narrowed as she looked down at him. "I'm fine, Alezander," she said standing above him looking down. He was completely sick, more so then she had been, he most likely had been sick earlier or prehaps when she had been asleep, it looked like he was going to be again, though he kept smiling. Jamie knew it wasn't a real one, it was unlike the ones he'd give her when she got up in the morning, or came home from school or when he came back from work. Jamison was worried about her brother now.

Zander Ellison · Apr 11, 2011

It was clear that Jamie had meant well. The eldest Valentine was happy the girl had been so concerned for him, she'd gone about the wrong way. Zander wasn't going to give her into trouble. He didn't want to hurt her, and he didn't have the engery to. He didn't want to do anything. He wanted to just get rid of all the pain and sickness within him, But he knew getting better the muggle way was a lot more difficult and a lot longer than it was when their was magic involved. Zander would not complain. Not openly at least. He was glad that at least Jamie was okay. She looked well, and it appeared to him that the potion had worked. Which put his mind at rest. It had just never occured to him, that she would be as worried about him as he was about her. He'd gotten so used to more or less being always needed and underappreciated that it had become almost normal for no one to really show him much concern. How odd it was to be coming from a nine year old girl. But, he had to admit it was better than nothing. He would take her concern gladly, but the eldest also knew that he had to pulled himself together. He had to get himself up and walking, before anything else happened. He had to make sure that she ate. Had lunch. That he was around for when Tyler got home. He had to be able to function. There was no time for the eldest to get sick. That much he knew. That much his mind could put together with little difficulty. He was slightly startled when the youngest sister ran out the room. He gave a long sigh. It wasn't this hard when he was sick. Generally he was able to fight through it. Most times it happened when no one else was around or when everyone was around. In those cases it was very difficult for any person to tell that Zander was or had been sick. It was something he generally liked to keep to himself/ It just seemed that this time around, it hadn't worked. He couldn't see how he would be able to pretend that he was well. There was no doubt about it that he was sick, and that he had to deal with himself. But as Zander watched Jamie walk back into the room with a bin in hand, he had to admit he smiled and was glad. But it only reminded him, that he needed to be the parent, he needed to get something made for Jamie, so that she would have something to eat for lunch. Because he had to be sure she had her engery. But, Zander didn't have the energy to stand. The glass with the potion just sat beside him, with nothing else to do apart from just sit there. He couldn't drink it. Not any more. Zander smiled a small thanks to his sibling before trying to get his mind together.

"That's good Jamie." He nodded. He had not registered the use of his full name. He just knew that she'd spoken. Zander took a deep breath, and then looked up at his sister. "I'm fine," He told her, while also trying to convince himself of that fact. He wasn't fine. He was fair from fine. But, Zander was the eldest, and he knew as the eldest what he had to do. He knew that he had to do everything else. He had to get some work done. He had to make sure that Jamie did some work. She could miss a day of school considering she wasn't going to go to muggle secondary, but he still wanted her to have an education. A full one. So she knew things the others in her class would not know. "What do you want for Lunch?" Zander stood up. Slowly, but still he stood. It took him a moment to get steady on his feet, but once he felt steady he looked to Jamie, who was standing also. "I'm not sure what we have, but I think I could get something nice together. What do you think Jamie?" He asked, attempting to smile, though the room was spinning and he felt ready to collapse, he fought through what he was feeling and tried to put on a brace face. He had to be brave for her. He had to show her that he was strong, and that no little sickness could crush him. Which was rather hard considering, he felt like hell. And he looked pretty much like hell.

Jamie Holgersson · Apr 11, 2011

Jamie watched as he denied he was sick yet she hadn't even mentioned to him that he seemed it. Just brought in the bin, easily it could have been for herself. Yet he seemed to act like everything was just fine and dandy, and it made her angry with him. But she couldn't fight him, could she? He was the eldest and knew what was best, yet he didn't seem to know what was best for himself. She breathed out slowly from her mouth watching him stand and steady himself with her bed. One push and he'd be done she was sure. He hadn't had any of the potion, something she was going to force him to take.

He was going on and on about lunch which actually didn't sound that bad to her she wasn't sure if he'd actually be able to stomach smelling food while being sick. And Jamie didn't want his sickness all over her meal. "Nothing that you cook that's for sure," she said to him giving him a slight attitude. it wasn't going to help either of them she was sure but it was the only thing she could get out that he might actually pay attention too. Being sweet didn't get her very far all the time. Moving up to him she reached up as high as she could reach and gave him a slight push so he'd fall onto her bed, where she might have the chance to get him to rest. "Do you really want to be this sick when Tyler comes home? If you don't have the Potion, you'll still be contagious, and you'll give everyone the sickness, then where would we be? The three of you sick unable to care for Tyler who'd be sick too and me the only not sick because I took the potion like you're suppose too!" She spoke down to him, louder then she needed too, yet not quite yelling at him. If she yelled then most likely he wouldn't be able to comprehend what she said most likely and just be in more pain. Jamison was full out angry with Zander now, but it was for something people found faultless, something to want to be. He was a person who thought of everyone else before himself but this time he hadn't really thought everything through because he was sick and didn't think about himself.

Out of Character:: Sorry for my slight godmodding here

Zander Ellison · Apr 12, 2011

The sickly feeling seemed to grow as he stood on his feet. He was pretty sure that he couldn't go on. That his sick was actually going to stop him from doing what he needed to. He was sure if she needed to, Jamie would be able to fix herself something to eat. But he didn't want her to have to. In his eyes it was his job to be getting lunch for her. To make sure she ate. But it was becoming clear, even to him, that the path he was on, where his family came before absolutely everything else. On that path, he'd completely forgotten about himself. There weren't many thoughts in the boys mind that drifted to himself. He registered usually that he was sick, or that he was upset but he didn't do anything about it. It just sat below everything everything else, slowly eating away at his core. It was true that he'd felt a little under the weather the day before. But it had been a lot easier to ignore that than it was to currently ignore everything else that was going on in his life. It wasn't that simple for the eldest Valentine to just deal with his own problems. He'd spent so long not dealing with anything to do with them, that he couldn't figure out what to do. He was sick, and yet he had no idea how to deal with it. With any of the other siblings, he would've done what he'd done with Jamie. If more around, Zander would make the trip to diagon alley and buy up more, before returning. He worked from home, and made sure the person who was sick got better. But in all that he'd never known what to do, to take care of himself. How he dealt with himself being sick. Generally, Zander took a few muggle medications and was done with it. He hadn't drunk the magical potion in a long while. Not because he didn't like it, but if any of the others were sick, he'd have something to give them, and there wouldn't be a little left because he'd been selfish enough to drink it. But it wasn't selfish. Zander glanced down at Jamie as it was clear she was annoyed. A look of question was on the eldest face. Surely he didn't look that sick. But, he just watched as she walked towards him. He half expected her to get into his arms. A push was not something he'd expected, but he could do nothing to stop it. He felt weak and he wasn't steady on his feet and this meant all he could do was fall on to her bed. It wasn't so much a fall, as more him just being forced to take a seat. He looked at his sister. As she began to almost yell at him. The noise was loud. But he was able to register most of what she was saying. It was odd for him to be shown that much concern. He had always thought that Jamie was more alert to him, but it never really crossed his mind that she could actually see how sick he was. ANd then Zander consider the possibilty that he actually looked sick. It wouldn't be hard. He had a fever and he had a headache. His hands were shaking and he felt like he was going to be sick. He'd barely slept so all in all, he pretty much now knew that it wasn't going to be easy to hide how sick he was.

"Jamie, Mara will get more potion, and she will be back tomorrow." Zander managed to say. He had to show her that while he knew she meant well, it was pointless. He had to make her see that no matter how hard she tried, Zander still had to think of the bigger picture. Not just himself. Which while he realised that in this situation it would be okay, he couldn't. It was pointless. But he had to say the attention from his sister made him smile, ever so slightly. "It's my job. I have to take of everyone else, and then me. The rest of the potion has to be here, just in case Tyler is sick. And when Mara comes back with more, then I will take some. I'm your big brother, I have to think of you and of Tyler first." Zander was trying to make her see. One trait that almost all Valentines had, was their ability to be pretty stubborn. Something that Zander actually was. "Jamie go into my room, open the first drawer of my bedside table the drawer on the left, it's got a whole selection of muggle medicine. Look for a box marked Sudafed and another called Ibuprofen, make sure they say non-drowsy, if I have none that say that, just take what is their. Take them, and bring them here. And get me a new t-shirt. There should be one on a hanger on the end of my bed." Zander instructed. He had to take something. In the drawer that he'd told Jamie to go to, were a lot of different muggle treatments. Headache relief medication, stomach pains, bandages. Burn pastes. Everything that a person could need. He just hoped she'd be able to find what he'd asked for. Zander had the muggle equivalent of everything that they had the magical medicine of. He just never took any. His room was small to say the least. He had the smallest of all the Valentines. The walls had many things on them, mostly family pictures of them after the crash. They all moved. He also had a whole variety of picture from his school days. There was one of him kissing his first and only love. One of his with a guitar and his bandmates. And then one that sat in a frame on his beside table was the one of him and his parents. Smiling and waving. Zander's room was tidy. But, it wasn't somewhere he often let the others into. He was the parent, and it was like he got the same private room privelages as parents generally did. One of them being that no one went in his room without his express permission. He wondered if Jamie had ever been in the room. He just hoped more that she found what he need. Closing his eyes, Zander just let himself lean forward, curling his back and just take deep long breaths.

Jamie Holgersson · Apr 12, 2011

Jamie wasn't happy with the way her oldest brother was acting, it was as if he didn't really matter; not to him atleast. He looked completely sick yet he wouldn't listen to a thing she said, just pretended too but nothing really passed into his brain. Tears were ready to sting her eyes but she held them back as she listened to his instructions. Nodding she left the room heading down to her brother's. Upon entering the first thing she noticed were all the pictures lining the walls. Most were of all of them when they were younger, her entire life was lining the wall and she stood for a moment looking at all of them. Moving slowly towards the bedtable she noticed one near Zander's bed. Him and their parents smiling at the camera, the picture stung her. They looked completely happy and as much as she wanted to remember them she couldn't looking back it was always Zander, Mara and Robin she remembered caring for her, Zander more then the others. Her knees hit the floor as she knelt down her eyes glued to the picture. Her hand reached up pulling open the drawer he had told her to look in but she didn't look down. Once the drawer had come out as far as it could her eyes glanced down looking for the two things her brother wanted. There was so much medicine in it that it took her longer then she thought it was going to take to find what he neeeded. Closing the medicine drawer her eyes looked back to the picture of him and their parents her free hand tracing the frame. Her heart was in her throat and tears were ready to come from her eyes but she needed to prove that she was strong, she held them back.

Moving back towards the door she stopped seeing a picture standing out on the wall, it was amoung pictures of Zander from school, but she had thought it was her parents. Gently taking it down she stared down at the photo, it was Zander kissing some girl. She found it odd to see him actually doing such a thing to someone outside of her siblings, yet it wasn't gross to her. Jamison was already in the stage of begining to like boys, her brother having a girlfriend didn't bug her very much. Looking around the room she had never been in before and most likely wouldn't be in again for a long while Jamie sighed. His memories lined the walls, each having a story, yet he didn't ever talk about any of them. The photo in her hand was one of those things she'd like to ask him about but that'd be impossible. Her hands moved to place it back on the wall but instead it dropped and carefully put the photo into the pocket in her bottoms. He had so many, what was one missing one? her young mind didn't register what she had done as wrong, it wasn't like she took the photo of their parents. Those two held no real special place in her heart, but Zander, Zander did. She liked the fact he had been in love once, atleast in her mind he had a fairytale romance with the girl, but she couldn't ask him about it. Later he'd go back to his room and think about what she asked and look for the photo yet it'd be gone, he'd come looking for her then, and take the memory back. Remembering the shirt she turned around and found the one he had told her about on the hanger and pulled it off letting the hanger fall as she raced from the room shutting the door behind her. She made her way quickly back to her room, where Zander was still sitting on her bed. Jamie held out the items she had collected for him. The memory of his room and the photos burned her mind and she wished she could add the memory of her first entry into his room to the wall of things she has done. "Zander...here," she said getting his attention, his eyes were closed and she thought he might have fallen back asleep in her time she was gone, but he was in an awful position to actually sleep.

Zander Ellison · Apr 13, 2011

The eldest had never really been too secretive, it had just become so over many years. He'd learned that for his siblings, much like how he had been with his parents, his life before he had to take care of them was one, they cared little for. It didn't matter that Zander had lost most of his lives possibilities when he'd decided that he had to fight to take care of his family. To be allowed to look after a group of children who'd just lost their parents. It was almost like most of them forgot that Zander had lost them too. It was why, his room had become his place. The only place where he practically forbid his siblings from going. It was the only place that was really like Zander. The Zander who was friendly and relaxed. The Zander with many friends and a reputation of sleeping through his classes. The Zander that his siblings knew was fun, but responsible. He took care of things, and did most of the work around the house. He slept little and worked extremely hard. He never stopped. Sometimes, Zander liked to think of the differences between him then, and him now, and he liked to realise that while he'd had the time of his at Hogwarts it completely contrasted with the Zander his family knew. But, he wasn't annoyed, there would always be a point where all children realise it's time to put everything childlike behind them and move on. Zander had done it pretty quickly, and while he was still technically a child, But he knew that the memories he had with Jamie and Tyler. The ones where he watched their first steps and first words. How proud he'd felt when he'd sent them off for the first day of school. How he'd practically teared up when It had come to Tyler's first day, were memories he wouldn't trade. It was hard, he was worn out often, but it wasn't anything he wouldn't give up. Not without a fight. The memories he had after his parents had died, where just as important as the ones he had before his parents had died. They were different, but made them neither bad or good. They were just memories. This day, was not one of the ones that would go down in his memories. He hated being sick. He hated the feeling of helplessness that came with it. He hated that he knew despite everything else that he just had to continue. Keep pushing through. Keep going. And yet, most would never really understand how difficult that actually was. Right now, all Zander wanted to do was collapse in a heap on the floor. But, for Jamie he had to be alert. He had to be able to look after her. He rubbed his closed eyes with his hands and sighed slightly. What he would give for the pain to stop. He looked up when Jamie's voice reentered the room. She'd take a long time, but he could put up with that. He was sure that she'd found something in his room to look at.

Weakly, Zander smiled and took the medicine and t-shirt off Jamie. He pulled off his t-shirt and put on the new one. It was pointless him getting a new t-shirt, but that one he'd already slept in and he needed to feel in parts a little cleaner than he actually was. He then took the boxes, and removed what he needed and took the medication. He just swallowed the pills whole and without water. One of each. that's what was instructed on the boxes. Zander gave a small sigh. He didn't feel better, but he knew that it would take time before they began working. He looked to Jamie, and once again weakly smiled at her. "My old friend, Dean, Dean Carmichael, he was a muggleborn. He gave me a whole list of information on how to be a muggle living in England. Great guy" Zander didn't know why he explained that. It was just he had felt the need to. He didn't know if his sister would actually care about his friend but he needed to do something to pass the time. "Muggle medicine takes about 20 minutes to begin working, and then in four hours, I have to take more." He gave a nod. He wondered if she would even care. She was one of the more caring siblings. Since, she like him lacked a twin counter part. But she had Tyler. Who while was younger, was always someone who would care about her no matter what. And he knew they'd be close. He was smiling at the thought of it. "Dean was my roommate in school, the first guy I ever met. He was pretty much just like another brother. He came from a small family. With just a sister. I think he's living up in Scotland now, last I heard he was getting married." Zander tried to remember what the last letter he had reicved from the guy had said. Zander looked to his sister. "How are your friends at school? Any of them boys caught your eye yet?" Zander asked. While his head was still sore and his body cried for sleep, he wanted to keep himself awake. He wanted to keep the conversation going. To help persuade her he was fine. And he thought the best way to do this, was by asking her about her school life. how things were going.

Jamie Holgersson · Apr 13, 2011

Jamie watched as her brother took the muggle pills, she's heard stories of her classmates parents getting high from such pills and going basically crazy. She wondered if her brother would be fine with the pills he was taking or if he was slowly trying to kill himself like those crazy parents. Plenty of teens seemed to do drugs these days but Jamie never thought any of her siblings were like that, so for now she decided to trust her brother and not worry to much. Her hand that was hanging by her side brushed against the pocket with Zander's photo and she felt it bend slightly at her touch, she was glad it had made it with her mad dash to get back here. She listened to him explain how he knew what the muggle medicine did and wondered when he had gotten all of it. Her teeth caught her bottom lip as he continued talking and she briefly wondered if he was going crazy from the sickness. Afterall he's never talked about his life, or any of their lives before the accident.

Now he was questioning her and it through her off, he didn't look good at all and he already knew what her life at school was like, she figured anything she told to one of the three eldest would be passed around so they could all admire her triumphs and try to fix her failures together. "Fine," she answered back quietly, afterall she was here and not there she didn't really know how they were doing today. Sitting down carefully next to her brother she gave him trying to get him to take the rest of the water with the potion that laid next to her feet, it was pointless now that he had his muggle medicine. "No," she said acting disgusted at the thought. But really she didn't feel comfortable talking about the boys at school with her brother, and she knew better then to fall for a muggle. Some of them were cute, though, which made it hard for her not to approach them. But she could wait for a kiss till she was older and trusted the boy. Glancing at her brother she sensed all was not right with him, yet he insisted he was fine so she'd drop it and just complain to Mara tomorrow when she came home.

Zander Ellison · Apr 13, 2011

Even sitting in his sister's room, with this small moment when he spoke of his life outside of them, he could tell she thought it was weird. That it was abnormal. Him talking about anything other than the present was something generally unheard of. It just didn't talk. And it was exactly Zander's problem. He didn't about anything that was personal. His personal life wasn't something that was very big but it was still something he held close to him. It was something, his family had never asked him about, they were so quick to care about each other, and get Zander to talk to them, that he felt left out. Like Zander stood on the edge of a room, looking in on his family, where as they ran around, talking and every so often remembering he was there, to get something from him, or to try to get him to talk. Tyler was too young to need to have anyone to talk to, and in any case, Zander knew it would be Robin. Zander was the parent that was just there. People talked to him, about how they were, but he failed to find any one time, when someone had actually sat down, and asked Zander how he was coping. It wasn't anymore than he could expect. It was just what was. He had to be there for the others more than they had to be their for him. What he just wanted was someone to talk to, someone that he couldn't leave out details or lie to. To talk about how the death of his parents had really made him feel. As the eldest, he'd more than any of them, really lost his parents. They'd been his way of talking. He talked to them about things, and they were always ready to listen. But, he'd lost that. Zander knew that when his parents had died, it had pretty much taken his dreams away, and put his childish ways in a sealed box. But, Zander was just twenty three. He was still young, and he knew there was still time, but he also knew that the more he bottled up the more likely he'd be to leave. He cared a lot about his family, but they had everything and he had so little. He didn't hate that he'd brought them up. That he'd shared their memories and been such a huge part of their lives, but his life had gone by the waste side, and been completely forgotten. It wasn't something that would make any person smile. But, he had to learn to stop caring. Learn to let everything go and be completely accepting of everything that had happened. He glanced up at his sister. It was odd for her to answer in such a fashion. He knew it was rather odd of him to have sent them to Muggle school, but he had had to. The social services were happy that they were somewhere, and had bought the lies about the elder siblings. Which reminded him. "And have you given much thought to which school you'd like to attend?" He was talking about wizarding school. He knew that she would want to go to durmstrang like her siblings, but like her siblings, Zander offered the choice. Wherever they wanted to go he would support it.

Zander had himself been the only one so far of his siblings to not attend Durmstrang. He'd opted for the quieter and a lot more free school that was Hogwarts. He knew that had been the right school for him. it was nice. And the sorting had been one of the best parts. He'd been a Gryffindor. There was quite some pride behind going to the Gryffindor table as a first year and knowing that it would be amazing years of his life. And it had been. Though he'd not spent all of his seven years at the school, it had still been the best experience of the boys life. Each day it had been something new. Something different. Living at home with his family was like that, but then it was also completely different. Zander let out a small sigh. He was tired. He could barely keep his eyes open. "Listen, Jamie, I'm a little tired." He said, he wondered whether to stay in the room, or whether to just go back to his. He attempted to stand, but found it was pointless. So he sat back down on Jamie's bed, and then put his head against the pillow. "Only let me sleep for about an hour Jamie, after that I should be fine. And we can just continue the day, as if no one was sick. Don't let me sleep longer, I can't lose you guys" He was quiet, and before he'd even finished speaking his eyes were closed and once he'd finished speaking, he was pretty much asleep. He had meant in a sense what he'd said. He couldn't lose his siblings, and he'd fought for the right to keep them. He had to be up when Tyler got back from school. He had to appear as though he was doing his job properly. As much as he felt alone, if someone took away his siblings he knew he would be even more alone. It was something that he couldn't let happen, and he hoped that Jamie would listen to him, and wake him up when he'd asked.

Jamie Holgersson · Apr 16, 2011

Jamie shrugged her shoulders to her brother's question. She knew she'd go to durmstrang there wasn't a real question about it but still it was nice that she was given a choice but going somewhere and being the first one to go would be a pretty scary thing to do. Jamie felt better when she had the security of her siblings knowing what it's like. Right now she was too worried about Zander to really answer him, her eyes kept looking over him checking to make sure he was alright and nothing else was the matter with him. Leaning over she picked up her glass and put it back on the table besides her bed. She wasn't going to finish it, she felt fine now; it'd be there if Zander needed it. Besides it didn't seem that he'd be able to make it out of her room for awhile.

As he layed down across her bed she nodded but didn't think he even saw it for his eyes were closed. Turning her body towards him she leaned over and kissed his forehead before hopping off the bed and tossing her blanket over her brother. She suddenly felt like she was playing house again and it was almost fun. There wasn't a clock in the room and so she decided to go and clean up the house a bit and let Zander sleep for as much as his body needed, she'd so him she was able to care for herself. Setting herself up in the kitchen with cleaning supplies and light lunch she started to get to work, going slowly so she didn't get herself sick again. Within three hours most of the bottom half of the house was clean and Tyler had come home and was playing quietly in his room. He didn't know everything but he was okay with staying in there for now.

Walking back into her room she looked over the sleeping form of her big brother, there was alittle more color in his skin which made her smile. Moving over to her dresser she took the photo that was in her pocket and carefully placed it inside between a few shirts of hers till she could move it somewhere else when Zander wasn't in the room. Turning back to her brother she hopped up in the bed and felt his forehead, which didn't feel as hot as it had been when she kissed him eariler. Her hand moved to his shoulder where she grasped it and started shaking him lightly, it was almost time for him to take the medicine again. "Zander. Time to get up," she said leaning over his ear.

Zander Ellison · Apr 22, 2011

The eldest was asleep even before he felt his head completely against the pillow. His exchuastion had been building up for days. Little by little, the eldest had been growing more and more tired. With so much to take care of, and sending back the elder few siblings back to school, and making sure that Jamie and Tyler settled back well, and that he was still on top of all his own work, had left the eldest valentine tired beyond belief, and it appeared that as he slept in the youngest female's room that it had really only been a matter of time, before, he'd just collapsed onto a tired heap on the ground. before, his body had just given in and made him sleep. Which the eldest was pretty sure could happen. He knew it was slightly unlikely, but it didn't mean he didn't believe it could happen. It had been so much easier staying up late when he'd been younger. Zander had always gotten an extra long lie in. But, since taking over from his parents a long lie meant about 8am which as most of the teenage ones would claim, was not a long lie, but an incredibly morning. But, with a job, and now if Robin couldn't get one, he'd have to get more shifts, it all just meant that Zander knew he'd be going to bed at around 11pm, when he knew the youngest were asleep and getting up before the break of dawn. Zander would not complain but it wasn't like he actually enjoyed what he had to do. It just wasn't fun. Sure, being with his siblings was satisfying and seeing them grow up, but he got so little rest, that it meant he couldn't go out a lot, and Zander was pretty much forever alone. His dreams shifted slightly, he remembered the girl, the girl he had a date with. The eldest hadn't told anyone about this. He was pretty scared that they would do everything in their power to stop him from going on the date, and he didn't want to miss it. With so little friends and people to talk to, the girl was a nice change. One where he didn't have to be Zander the twenty three year old parent of 8 siblings, but rather just Zander. Just himself and as much as it was weird, to think he missed just being him. He loved all his siblings but he had so little time for himself, it was on his mind a lot more than his siblings were. Which was unfair, it was no one's fault after all. Just Fate.

A light shake, brought Zander back round. Albeit slowly, but he mumbled something incohernt and then blinked his eyes open. The light a little bright for his liking, but as he took a few moments to adjust his eyes, the light become better, and it become more about trying to be awake for what ever he needed to be awake for. He was vaguely aware that someone was on the bed, but, the more pressing matter was a feeling in his stomach, it was hunger. He was hungry. Which was a good sign considering he no long felt sick, but instead was feeling a lot better than he had been. He felt less hot and he felt a lot more at ease. As if it had completely passed. Zander moved his head slightly, and met the eyes of his little sister. He rubbed his eyes and yawned slightly. He knew that it had been a lot longer than just an hour. However the eldest would not be angry with Jamie. He was grateful, that she'd even considered that he really needed more than three hours. "I'm awake." Zander sat up slightly. He was taking everything slowly. He smiled at his little sister. It wasn't forced, and it didn't feel fake. He was actually feeling better, and feeling better, meant he smiled. "how are you? Still feeling okay?" Zander asked, she looked a lot better, and he trusted the potion to be able to do what it needed to. "How's Tyler?" Since she hadn't woken him, Zander figured that the youngest was fine. He stretched slightly. "I'm hungry." Zander muttered to himself. Although waiting for the youngest to almost give him the okay before wanting to move. "Are you?"

Jamie Holgersson · Apr 22, 2011

Jamie being as young as she is had gotten alot done in the time it took her oldest brother to rest. She cleaned the kitchen of the awful mess she had made along with the rements of all her siblings that were at school. It seemed that with Mara at work so much not much cleaning had been done in the house. Working her way around the lower half of the house she had cleaned more then she had ever done before, she wouldn't admit it but it had almost been fun, the potion had given her plenty of energy which most she used doing the chores. It was like playing house, something Tyler didn't very much like and the older siblings of her never had enough time to play. But it was a fun make believe game, something to help prepare her brain for the future, Jamison always hoped she would be a great mother someday. Now she was caring for her brother and tending to his chores like any mother would do for their sick son and it was fun for her.

Looking down at him as he slowly woke Jamie wondered whatever happened to the boy in the photograph. That Zander seemed to carefree and in love, it almost pained Jamie when she thought of the photo and how Zander looked now, but she still could see a trace of the love he held for that girl in him when he looked up at her. Prehaps it was just the love he had for her showing up in his eyes. "How'd you know Tyler was home?" She asked confused on how he knew the time already having just woken up. "I already had lunch and Tyler got an afternoon snack, he'll be fine till dinner," she told him slightly confused as to why food was brought into the situation so quickly. But as she heard her brothers grumbling she realized why, and a laugh came from her mouth. "Stay here, I'll be right back with something," she said before leaning over and giving her brother a kiss on his forehead. She ran from the room with a slight pause outside of Zander's room before quickly going down the stairs and into the kitchen. Though she couldn't cook with the stove there had been leftovers in the fridge that she heated up in the muggle microwave and put on the plate for her brother. Pulling out a tray she assembled a nice lunch of leftover meat a drink of water and a few crackers. Walking back up the stairs she managed to make it back to her room without dropping anything, a smile was on her face when she entered her room.

Zander Ellison · Apr 24, 2011

</SIZE>

<SIZE size="50">Waking up in the middle of the day, after taking a nap was not something that Zander had really ever done. Not since he'd been a young child and had reason to be sleeping in the middle of the day. As a twenty three year old parent, Zander was aware that whatever he did, could directly affect the children. It was why, even if he was working from home, taking a nap was never an option. It was why he felt slightly disorientated and out of place sitting in his littlest sister's room, having just woken up from a nap. It had been pretty crucial for him to take it, but he still felt weird. Not sick, just weird. As if, this was all just some dream, and when he awoke, he'd probably be crashed out on the couch, with Jamie or Tyler shaking him awake so he would play with them. Completely obvious to the fact, that there eldest brother was having a downright awful day.The eldest had to remind himself, that it was not up to the to notice that. He was the eldest, and despite what his family thought, he had to put everything else first. He'd even put the date he was going on, far enough away so that everything could be done by that time, and that someone could be there to care for the youngest two. Zander took a moment to glance around the room. It was an odd room, girly, but it was nice. It felt like Jamie to him. Which was nice, he'd always tried to encourage them to be their own person. To just be themselves and not put up with people who told them to be anything else. it was what their parents had always told them. It was why, despite having to be the parent of the family, his room was still very much Zander. It wasn't somewhere that his family could just walk into. it was his space, with his memories. Ones from before and now. He had many things kept from over the years. He had the film of Tyler's first steps. Tyler was almost like a son to him, rather than a brother, and Jamie, was almost like a daughter to him, rather than a sister. It was obvious that Zander had a soft spot for kids. He wanted nothing more than his own little family. One with a pretty wife, and his own kids. A small but nice family. He couldn't have that yet. Not while Jamie and Tyler were so young. He didn't think he could manage both.

Zander smiled warmly at his sister. "I'm the eldest, I know everything." He gave a small laugh. He'd just put two and two together. It wasn't rocket science to think that his little sister who'd been so worried about him would actually just let him sleep for an hour, which would've probably made him worse rather than better. He wondered what she'd made herself for lunch. He was proud that she'd managed to very much take care of herself. He'd taught her fairly well, which was something he didn't think he would ever be able to do. Not that he didn't think she was never going to learn to, more that he never believed that he would be able to teach or the others anything. The second eldest twins hadn't exactly ever listened to Zander. He watched as she laughed slightly and then left the room. He was curious as to where she was going, but had a small idea. He waited patiently, just looking the room over, and making the bed a little tidier. Well, the around around which he sat. He gave a warm and brotherly smile to the girl as she walked back in. "Thank you Jamie" Zander nodded to her. He took the tray and put it beside him on the bed. Before picking up one of the crackers and biting into it. Holding one hand under his mouth to catch any crumbs. Once he had swallowed, Zander spoke again. "What did you think of my room then?" Zander wondered what she'd actually thought about it. If she'd liked it, or if she'd not even noticed everything about it. He wanted her to know that he'd not always been just the adult. That he'd been as fun as Robin, or as care free and studious as Mara. But, it was difficult, he still at the end of the day could not be those things. He still had to be the parent and that for him, would always have to be first, over everything else. He took another bite into the crack, looking at his sister, expecting a response from her.

Jamie Holgersson · Jun 17, 2011

Jamison smiled as her brother took the tray of food but only ate a cracker, but she understood why it took her stomach awhile to want to have the lunch she had made for herself. Settling down on the foot of her bed watching her oldest brother as she spook. She never had the chance to spend much time with him and it always seemed all he would do was ask her questions when he was around to spend time with her. Not that she minded but she did want to play, she was still a little girl after all. "It was nice, alot of pictures," she said her mind going back to his room while her eyes trailed over to her dresser on accident.

Her older brother's room had suprised her it wasn't what she had thought it would be but it did feel like it was his little hid-away. Jamie knew she wouldn't be invited in again for a long time if not ever again, it was the only place where he could be alone. Looking around she realized being so young she didn't get that opportunity to be alone. Her younger borther was always with her along with one of the older siblings of hers.

Sickly Days

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

doing better | travelling

Well-Known Member

Users who are viewing this thread