"Belle," Corin held out his hands as if to show he was harmless, "This isn't what you think-"

"Now what I think, huh?" Isabelle shifted her weight and pointed up the stairs, "Then why were you up there?"

"Am I not allowed to see my children every once and a while?"

"No."

"...Well then."

Isabelle gave a frustrated smile turned towards the coat rack, "You can't deny it. You're trying to get us back into the project."

"Ugh... yes," Corin sighed, "I'm trying to get you back in the project. But I have a good reason!"

"Alright. Let's hear it."

"... Dr Calvin contacted me saying they found a new way to find Ashley and-"

"No! No stop!" Isabelle ran her hands over her face as she turned back to Corin, "I'm done! I'm not worrying about Ashley anymore! She's gone! We can't get her back and everyone knows it. But my stupid father just had to get her back, and in the process he died, along with hundreds of people! No matter how many people die, we can't save the one that mattered, and I'm done! I'm not putting my family's lives on the line for some childish dream! Never again!"

Corin just stared, leaving the house in uncomfortable silence as Isabelle's shouts echoed slightly throughout it. "Well?" She demanded, "Do you have another argument or not?"

"Uh... well... they're worried the the project could have... severe side effects.... up to.... potentially.... deadly."

Isabelle felt her face pale slightly, but she tried to keep her expression stoic, "Ok. But Harper had a unique strain of the experiment. So she'll be fine. Next question?"

"We don't know she'll be fine-"

"Well, you don't know this 'modifier' of yours will keep her alive! If she dies from the experiment, I can play it off as cancer, or something. Sure, the kids'll be devastated, but they won't know. But if I send her off to some stupid project of yours and she comes back in a coffin, they'll know something's up." Isabelle turned and grabbed his coat from the rack before throwing it at him, "Now get out before anyone gets hurt."

Corin's eyes widened, "Belle-"

"Get. Out."

_________________

"You know," Logan started, holding Harper's hand, "I think I've figured out when you're listening. You look more alive sometimes than others. Like now."

Harper wasn't quite sure what that meant, but it sounded like a good thing. She heard hushed voices behind Logan, and assumed it was the doctors arguing who would tell him she wasn't going to wake up. At this point, that didn't matter to her. Waking up wasn't her priority anymore. She just wanted to lay there, listening to the familiar beeps and hums and Logan's voice, or whoever else came to visit. It was pretty nice, actually.

"Listen.... Please don't get upset. But.... I called your mom. She's here right now. She wanted to see you," his voice dropped to a whisper, "If I'm completely honest, she looks worried sick. Not mean or cruel at all. And I know that sometimes abusive parents are like that, but.... She has tear stains on her eyes. She spontaneously breaks down. The doctors had to keep her from running into the room. She looks genuinely concerned."

Harper wanted to roll her eyes. It was unlikely that her mom actually wanted to see her. She was probably acting, like she always did at school meeting or whenever she took Harper to the doctor.

"She... she wants to talk to you. I'm gonna let her."

Even though she couldn't protest, Harper tried as hard as possible to. She didn't want to talk to her mom. Not now, not ever. Her mom had made her life miserable.

"Hey.... Hey sweetheart," her moms broken voice said quietly, "It's me. Your mom.... I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I... I was awful. I'm a terrible mother. I... I can't tell you how guilty I feel. Really. I left you alone for 5 years, only tried to talk to you once, didn't even try to look for you. And that was the worst mistake I've made. I'm so sorry...

I... I feel like I owe you an explanation. I... I..."

________________

She was back in the cell. She didn't know why. For once she had actually wanted to listen to what her mom had to say, and it just had to be when she came back. Life was annoying sometimes.

"Don't expect her to respond to anything you say, though," someone said behind her, "Nobody can get her to do anything. While it's hard to get anything out of her, it makes her easier to maintain."

The door squealed as it shut, coming together with a clang. After a little bit she heard someone's foot tapping and quiet breathing. Whoever it was seemed like a pretty awkward person. They tended to leave after a little bit. It was no one special.

The person cleared their throat a few times and started pacing. She could hear their clothes rubbing against each other as they walked. Finally, with a sigh, they sat down. Messing with some kind of fabric, she heard them clear their throat again before they spoke, "What happened?"

She tensed. His voice was familiar in the worst way possible. Memories came rushing back; leaving her mother, attempting to escape her home, the gun. The gun. The gun and two bodies on the floor. Two coffins-one for a loved one and one for someone no one loved. All at once, the memories flooded back.

"Harper?" His voice continued, "What. Happened?"

Her mouth refused to open. She couldn't move. All she could do was lay there in terror and wait for something to happen. Even if she could say or do anything, what would she say? What would she do? Even she didn't quite know what was happening, and she didn't have a gun to kill him with again.

"Please. I need to know."

Finally her jaw loosened, but when she opened her mouth only a sob came out. Curling herself into a tight ball, she cried, covering her head with her arms. Through her tears she heard the guard whisper, "Alert the Council. We've figured it out."

Im so sorry, guys. This took way to long to publish. I should've finished this chapter long ago, but I've been so busy this month. Like, nonstop work. I'm not even exaggerating. I've finally gotten to sit and relax for the first time in a while.

Anyways....

This chapter. Mom's back, someone else is back, who else could be back???

I hope you guys liked this chapter. I'll see y'all later! Bye!!!