After James had run from the Howlett house, Victor caught up with him and tried to calm him down. He started to calm down, but suddenly realized he needed to go back to the house.
"Ya can't go back now!"
"Victor, We need to get Eli."
"fine…." Victor rolled his eyes and grudgingly followed.
They walked for a while and soon found the curly-haired toddler they were looking for. She had ripped through the knees of her dress and she was covered in grass, dirt, and a little blood. She had been tying to follow them.
"Jay-jay! JAY-JAY!" She squealed as she ran and clung to James. He scooped her up and she hugged him tight as she could. Victor watched awkwardly for a moment then quickly hid his emotions and became cold.
"We need to get moving." James nodded back and carried their little sister as he followed Victor through the now nearly pitch-black woods.
"Jay-Jay… why mama an' daddy no wake up?" James felt guilt rise and seal his mouth shut.
"'Cos they're dead." Victor said matter-of-factly when James wouldn't, not looking behind him.
Elizabeth looked over at Victor and then back to James. "Jay-Jay… what mean dead?"
"I'll tell you when you're older, Eli-grace…" Elizabeth nodded and rested her head on his shoulder and yawned.
"It's way past your bedtime." She yawned again and her eyelids drooped.
"Nuh-night, Jay-jay~…. Vic-ta?" He turned around and she held out her arms and tried to squirm out of James's grip. "hug Vic-ta?"
Victor hesitated but then scooped Elizabeth up. She kissed his cheek and he froze for a moment.
"Nuh-night, Vic-ta…" She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Nuh-night…." She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, her arms wrapped around his neck and shoulders in a lazy hug. Her tiny hands were rubbing his back until she fell completely asleep. Victor hugged her back and gently patted her back, paling when he remembered that James was there, too. He turned cold again.
"Let's go. Here," He handed sleeping Elizabeth to James. "Take tha kid."
He went ahead through the woods.
