Layla stepped out of the bathroom in a pair of baggy sleep pants and white tank top. She just finished using the blow dryer on her hair and looked over to the large bed. This bed in the guest bedroom in the Silvervine manor was a four-poster bed and white sheer curtains attached to it. 

Layla would have thought Aziza would pose up on bed as Aziza didn't need to blow dry her short hair. She was surprised to see Aziza just lying on her stomach in a pair of gym shorts and white tube top. 

She was hugging a pillow under her chin and Layla sat down beside her, “What’s wrong, love?” Layla asked and gently touched Aziza’s back.

Aziza let out a sigh before rolling to her side to face Layla, “I’m just worried about how we just fit in.” Aziza said and moved one of her hands to hold Layla’s hand. “You think we would have trouble getting used to everything but yet…here we are.”

Layla took Aziza’s hand and leaned down to kiss Aziza’s head before laying on her side to be face to face with Aziza. “What has brought this up?” Layla asked and Aziza moved closer to Layla, almost burying her face in Layla’s collar bone. 

“When Diamond was in that fighting pit, tearing apart Jack, I wasn’t horrified by her actions…instead I wanted to jump in to help.” Aziza said and gently squeezed Layla’s hand. “I never had those feelings before…”

Aziza felt Layla’s free hand to pet her head, “Are you worried that you are losing yourself and becoming someone else?” Layla asked and Aziza gave Layla’s hand a small squeeze again. “I don’t see that happening, if anything you’ve been acting more free.”

Aziza’s face shot up to look at Layla in confusion. “How does the feeling of wanting to help tearing apart a person mean I’m acting more free?!” Aziza asked and Layla softly smiled to kiss her forehead.

“Well that is new but what I mean is you're no longer trying to please everyone around you.” Layla commented and kept petting Aziza’s head. “Your confidence skyrocketed ever since you gained your health and training with Diamond.”

Aziza let out a sigh before burying her face back into Layla’s collar bone. “True.” Aziza paused before glancing at Layla. “How are you feeling about all this?”

Layla smiled before nuzzling the top of Aziza’s head, “Perfectly fine as I have you by my side…though…” Layla paused to think and Aziza gave her hand a small squeeze. “I think I got a glimpse and feeling Diamond gets when she is in a room…the fear and stares.” 

“From what happened at the party?” Aziza asked and Layla squeezed Aziza’s hand. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, I just want to sleep…with you beside me.” Layla whispered and Aziza nuzzled Layla’s neck. “We will have to apologize to Tullia for missing the movie.”

“They will understand,” Aziza asked before getting up and Layla moved under the blankets. Aziza turned off the lights and returned to bed to slip under the covers with Layla. 

Aziza moved to snuggle up to Layla and Layla embraced Aziza, allowing Aziza to get comfortable first. Aziza’s face became buried into Layla’s chest and her legs interlocking with Layla’s legs. Layla closed her eyes and remembered the eyes of fear from the party before washing away from Aziza’s warmth and embrace as the two drifted asleep.

Diamond walked into the theater room with a large bowl of popcorn and was humming as she walked. She had a shower and switched to wearing only black pair of panties and an oversized white dress shirt with sleeves rolled up to her elbows.

The theater room was very simple in design with black walls, and one wall hung a large screen. Instead of seats or a couch for seating were several large soft pillows and blankets and hanging above the pile was the projector that was bolted to the ceiling. 

“So where is mom and dad?” Diamond asked as she spotted Tullia in the pile of pillows and blankets. She was wearing a very cute tiger onesie and she held her hands out for the bowl of popcorn, even making small grabby hand motions like a raccoon. “I would have thought they would still be here.”

Diamond handed the bowl to Tullia, “Mom was having a hard time staying up and dad took her to bed.” Tullia said and glanced at the door. “Are your friends going to join us?”

“Probably not, Layla had a hard time at the party, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t join us.” Diamond said as she walked to a small table that had a laptop set up on it. “So sister’s night for the rest of the night.”

“Too bad, and I picked some more modern classics for them too.” Tullia said as Diamond clicked the laptop to start the movies. “But I did avoid movies based on books you read.”

Diamond returned to the pillow pile and plopped herself across from her sister. “Good, they either rarely get it right or way not much missing.” Diamond sighed and noticed Tullia smirking. “What?”

“You ran into ‘them’, didn’t you?” Tullia chirped and Diamond raised her brow from sister’s words. “You’re wearing their old dress shirt, I know because it still has a Corporal pin in the collar.”

Tullia leaned towards Diamond and grabbed the shirt collar to show the pin. “I did not meet them, I met with our Aunt at the ball.” Diamond sighed and Tullia had a big smirk on her face. “She gave me an…interesting birthday gift.”

“Her golden eyes reminded you o-Mhm.” Tullia was cut off by Diamond covering her mouth but Diamond could still see a gremlin smirk on her face.

“Enough, I don’t want to talk about them tonight,” Diamond removed her hand from Tullia’s mouth and Tullia leaned back in her spot. “I see you got a haircut, eh?”

Tullia put down her hood to show her new haircut, “It’s been bothering me lately and figured it was the best time to cut it.” Tullia said and toyed with her bangs a little.

“Looks good on you…” Diamond’s trailed off as her eyes trailed down to Tullia’s neck, more on the old scarring on it. “How have you been lately?” Diamond slid over to sit closer to her little sister and she was trying her best to not look like she was trying to get a better look at Tullia’s neck. 

Tullia lifted her chin and caused Diamond to take pause for a moment before gently touching Tullia’s throat. “I’ve been doing fine, Dia.” Tullia kept relaxed as Diamond checked out the scarring. “Though I will return back to Sanctuary soon.”

Diamond’s eyes flickered back up to Tullia’s eyes, “Having trouble sleeping?” Diamond did notice the bags under Tullia’s eyes were darker now.

“Ya and I’m running low on my medication too,” Tullia shifted her sleeves to show her wrists and Diamond’s hands moved to scarring on Tullia’s wrists. “I’m okay and no new scarring, Dia.”

Tullia had heard the rumors and stories swirling around her older sister about her stone cold killer. Though Tullia saw her sister oozing anxious aura putting up a strong face to hide it. Tullia noticed the tension in Diamond’s shoulder lower after examining Tullia’s wrists and Tullia slid to be seated beside Diamond.

“Do you want me to take you in tomorrow?” Dia asked as Tullia rested her head on Diamond's shoulder. “I could dr-”

“Brutus will drive me and mom tomorrow.” Tullia quickly cut Diamond off quickly and grabbed a handful of popcorn to eat. “I don’t want to be in another fender bender with you driving.”

“Excuse me, I was not at fault for that,” Diamond huffed and ruffled Tullia’s hair. “It was the snobby and uptight vampire…showed him a thing or two.”

“You sure did,” Tullia giggled as she focused on the screen now and she felt Diamond rest her head on top of her head. Tullia would have loved Diamond to drop her off but at same time she hated seeing her big sister's heart broken.

Diamond focused on the screen with Tullia and Diamond’s eyelids were getting heavy. Tullia could feel Diamond’s relaxed weight on her and she carefully shifted so Diamond’s head rested on her lap. “Sweet dreams, Big sis.” Tullia whispered while petting Diamond’s white and soft hair.

The morning sun peeked over the horizon and slowly enlightened the city in its golden light. Sitting in the SUV, that was parked in front of the Silvervine Mansion, was Anderson waiting for Diamond to join him. 

Diamond came out of the mansion in her normal clothing and she opened the passenger door but paused in seeing a bouquet of snowdrop flowers. “I knew you were too busy to get them beforehand.” Anderson said and Diamond softly smiled as she gently grabbed them.

“Mom and sister already left with Boris.” Diamond stated as she got in and Anderson nodded. “They both know it’s hard for us to see her back in, don’t they.”

“Yep and reason why they left so early,” Anderson said as shifted his hat before starting driving. “I set up one of the maids to drop off Aziza and Layla at their apartment, if we aren’t back by the time they are ready.”

“I see,” Diamond said and looked over the snowdrops. She smiled seeing they were fresh and Anderson lightly hummed along with the music coming from the radio. 

The ride was quiet but neither of them felt odd about it and the drive was further north. Once they left the city limits Anderson glanced at Diamond and smiled seeing her relaxed in her seat. 

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you so relaxed.” Anderson chuckled and Diamond glanced at her father. “Or has the winter effect finally taken hold of you?”

“No, I just…I just felt a small bit of stress off my shoulders today.” Diamond said and looked back out the passenger window. “Will you join me this time?”

“No, this is your thing at this time, if it wasn’t for the party you would have Boris driving you up here.” Anderson said and Diamond nodded. “I also think she will understand why you didn’t show up last night.”

Diamond nodded and the quiet once returned with only the radio playing in the background. The two had a silent understanding of each other and didn’t need much words to enjoy each other’s company.

Anderson slowed down the SUV and pulled over to the side. It had been an hour long drive to get where they were and parked at the edge of a forest. Anderson put the SUV in park and Diamond gave him a small nod before getting out.

Diamond headed to the forest edge to a hidden pathway that was covered up by snow and a huge down oak tree. For a normal human it would be hard but Diamond easily climbed over the oak tree with one hand. She didn’t have any trouble with snow either and if she truly had a problem she would have just transformed.

At the end of the trail led to a large clearing covered in snow and there was a single tree on a small hill in the middle of the clearing. Diamond knew this clearing would be covered in wildflowers in the spring and summer season and make it breathtaking.

Diamond let out a sigh before she trudged through the snow to get to the lone tree and it was a huge yew tree. Once at the foot of the tree she bent down and cleared some snow, it revealed bevel headstone. Diamond found an older bouquet of snowdrops and she could tell it was at least a month old.

‘Mom must have been here a month ago.’ Diamond thought before she took a deep breath and felt a catch in her throat before finally speaking, “Hello, Eve, sorry for being late this year.” Diamond put her bouquet on the grave. “It’s been an interesting year to say the least.”