"I think Mikhail will be fine where he is for now," said Linder. "But I just have to go check."

Lily looked at him and nodded. He knew she'd believe him just like she would trust him with anything. 

"Are you sure it was him? That can't be right," she replied.  She'd been told about Linder's confusing encounter with Carl.

"He stood right in front of me Lily," replied Linder. "I'm sure I could recognize him from a mile away."

"If I see him I'm going to end him," she said simply, like she meant every word.

"No. When you see him, you're going to steer clear. I don't want you involved with him in anyway," said Linder, aiming a serious look at his sister.

She finally nodded and he let her be, even if he wasn't so convinced. "Fine," she said.

    "What are you doing with your nails?" Linder finally asked her.

"Making a weapon."

"What?"

"Claws."

    She showed her nails off then got back to filing then. They actually looked pretty.

"They actually don't look bad," said Linder.

Lily nodded. "They're classy, but lethal."

Linder's lips twisted into a little smile. He loved it when Lily tapped into her dramatic side. She looked like nothing could ever hurt her.

"Still, this isn't like you," she said, continuing to work on her nails.

"What?" Linder asked.

"To trust someone so easily," she said. "Especially with Mikky."

"It wasn't as easy as it looks. I still doubt it. But he's the only choice we've got," Linder shrugged. "And Mikky seems to like him."

"Yeah that isn't like Mikky eith–"

    The doorbell rang, several times. Disrupting  Lily mid sentence.

    She rolled around and got up, abandoning her filer before Linder could. "I'll go see who it is," she said.

"No, I'll go," Linder said. He knew all she was doing was trying to protect him. And she knew he was just trying to do the same.

"Lin, you went last time, I'll be back within the minute. So stay here okay?"

"Lily!"

     She was already going for the door. "Besides, it's probably not him. He shouldn't be back till later." She smiled at the same time Linder got to his feet to follow her.

    He didn't make it in time, and witnessed the horror he didn't want to.

His father slapped her so heavily that she stumbled backwards. Before she could fall, he grabbed her by the shirt and bellowed. "Do you know how long I've been waiting out there?!"

Rage filled Linder as he walked towards him, luckily the big man had his back to him.

When he backed her against the wall, she swiped her nails across the side of his face then spat on it.

He cried out. Most definitely because of the nails. "Now you've done it..."

Linder grabbed the heaviest thing he could and whacked it across the back of his head before he himself, knew what he was doing.

His father crumbled to the floor. He definitely had a concussion.

He held half of a bottle on his hand as he realized he'd broken the other half on their father.

Linder quickly grabbed his sister's hand and tried to lead her upstairs, back to the safety of their room.

"No Lin, that was my idea!" She complained. "I should have been the first to break one of his bottles on him."

"Shut up Lily, you are hurt."

"This is nothing," she replied, but he could hear all the hatred in her voice.

They'd most probably have it worse when he woke back up. But he had to know that Lily was okay. He checked her profusely.

He'd panicked as he rushed to her side. Linder didn't mind if he was at the receiving end of his father's fist, what hurt more than anything else was any damage caused on his siblings, whether physically or mentally.

He held Lily protectively as he carried her in his arms.

"Oh my God Lin!" She protested. "All he did was slap me, my legs still work."

It didn't help the crease on his eyebrows, if anything, they furrowed more.

Lily's eyes softened at the look on his face. She couldn't get him to understand that he wasn't alone. He was stressed out all the time, but she couldn't get him to take it easy.

"What's with that stupid face," Lily suddenly asked.

"This is not a funny situation Lily," he said but she knew that it would only take a little more and he'd smile.

"I'm not laughing. I'm just saying, that's a stupid, stupid face."

"Shut up," he finally smiled, then blew out a breath.

"There, you fixed it."

"You are such a moose," he said before kissing her cheek.

"Don't you just love it when you kiss a moose?" She asked.

He laughed and the bad mood was lifted immediately.

"You shouldn't have done that," said Lily when she thought it was okay to say it. "I could handle it."

He didn't reply, just set her down.

"He's going to let you have it worse."

"I don't care Lily," he said.

"That's what I'm worried about," she muttered.

Linder ignored her and noticed her arm close to her shoulder was bleeding a little, where he'd grabbed her when he got in the house. She had scratch marks.

"Wait here," he told her.

When he reappeared, he had bandaids and an ice pack for her cheek.

"Lin?" He heard her call.

"I'm going to find another job, just a little more so don't worry Lily. Then we're going to leave." He said.

She remained quiet as he tended to her. She didn't even wince.

•••

The next day, Linder and Lily both went to check up on Mikhail.

Thankfully, their father slept through to the next day. He'd wake up in his bedroom floor where they had dragged his unconscious body.

He might even cool his anger down in their absence. Unlikely, but possible.

Linder looked at the green eyed man who opened the door for them. His brown hair seemed to curl naturally and make him look younger. Not that Linder had any idea how old he was.

He pulled the door wider when he recognized Linder. "I didn't properly introduce myself the last time," he smiled and it was almost contagious. "I'm Eden."

How come he wasn't Tadashi's boyfriend. It didn't make sense that he was always here.

"Linder," he replied. "This is Lily."

"Hey," she said uninterestedly.

"Please, come in," he said.

The first thing Linder noticed when he got in was that Tadashi didn't seem to be home.

"Where's Mikky?" Asked Lily.

"In the living room," Eden motioned to where it was, then turned back to Linder.

They both heard Lily's voice coming from the living room. "Mikky! Guess how much I missed my favorite cupcake!"

Linder watched as Eden smiled fondly. To be honest, he was a little confused.

"Where's Tadashi anyway?" Linder asked.

"He should be here any minute now, I just asked him to pick a few groceries up, for my baby Mikhail." Eden replied.

That more than had Linder's attention. "Your baby?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Sorry, I keep getting carried away," said Eden. "He's such a sweetheart."

Linder crossed his arms. "You two really aren't a couple?" He asked again.

"No," Eden laughed nervously. "We're not."

He wasn't jealous, not exactly. The weird part was that he expected to be. "So why are you always here?"

"I'm only here for Mikhail," he said.

Linder leaned with his elbows on the counter and his silky hair fell forward as he kept talking. "I'm not sure I understand," he might have sounded a little defensive.

   Tadashi had mentioned this before, that they were fond of each other. He didn't believe it.

Eden leaned forward too. "I love your hair," he said as he tucked both sides behind Linder's ears, almost like he was about to cup his face.

Linder held his breath. Did he not see how close he was?

Eden seemed to study his face until Linder managed to break out of whatever was happening.

He immediately straightened and looked cautiously at Eden. He cleared his throat, his palms were clammy so he hid them behind him, like Eden could even see it.

Why was he acting like this? Linder cleared his throat again. "So what are you making for Mikky?"

"Spaghetti, he said it was his favorite."

Linder didn't bother to hide his surprise. "He told you that?!" Mikhail never just let people in like that, it didn't make a lot of sense.

"Mhm," Eden replied.

Linder still wasn't comfortable with the idea that Mikhail was opening up to a stranger.

"Maybe I should do it," he said. "You don't know how exactly he likes it."

"Then tell me," replied Eden while getting closer to him. "I'd be more than happy to learn."

"Well since you're such great friends with him, why didn't he tell you that?" He asked.

Eden chuckled. "What's the problem here Linder?" He stopped before him.

"I'm just saying if you don't know, then you should let me do it," he replied while crossing his arms again.

"I don't know if you sound jealous or cute," said Eden with another of his contagious smiles.

Linder didn't smile. "I'm not..." Linder averted his eyes. "It's not like he's your brother or something."

They had been arguing for a little while that they didn't see the other two at the door watching them. That was until Mikhail spoke.

"Don't be mean to Eden," he almost seemed to pout as he looked directly at Linder.

Both Linder and Lily exchanged looks of shock before their eyes shifted back to the little boy. Eden in his own right, seemed shocked too.

A warning from Mikhail... and to them?

That was definitely a first.