Disclaimer: I obviously DO NOT own House of Wax or any of it's characters. I do however own my OCs.
Warnings: (Future) Sensitive Topics, Language (at some point), (possible) violence, (maybe probably future) smut,
Summary: Lester stumbles upon a little girl waiting for her mother in the woods. Bo saves them from an abusive man. With nowhere else to go they choose to stay in Ambrose with the brothers. A proper motherly touch could be good for them.
A/N: I'm sometimes REALLY BAD at writing summaries… and this was one of those times…
Lester was driving down the dirt road in the forest towards Ambrose. The sun was setting through the trees casting a spotlight onto a small figure sitting against one of the trees on the side of the road ahead. He slowed and rolled down his window as he came to a stop. The little brunette girl - she looked no older than eight - lifted her head to look up at him. She clutched a teddy bear in her arms and there was a small, worn, purple backpack beside her.
"Ya lost?" Lester asked as he put the truck in park. The girl shook her head.
"I'm waitin' for my mama," the girl said.
"Out in the woods? Gonna be dark soon."
"She said she'd come," the girl insisted with a nod. "Your truck smells," she said as her nose wrinkled.
"uh, yeah, I clean up road kill," he said with a sheepish smile. "Ya know, I wouldn't feel right leavin' a kid out here. There's a town not... two- three miles from here. You can wait for your ma there."
"She won't know where to find me."
"You gotta wait at this specific tree?" Lester asked, glancing up at the tree. The girl looked up at the tree as well then turned back to Lester and shook her head.
"She told me to go down this road. She said she'd find me."
"It's gonna get cold out," Lester said with a frown. "Might rain," he muttered to himself as he noted a few dark clouds. Lester let out a sigh. "Look I know you're a smart girl, your mama probably told ya not to talk to strangers but I promise I ain't gonna hurt ya." The girl frowned and looked down the road as if expecting her mother to come into view any second. "How about this," he turned off the engine of the truck. "I'll wait here with you until it gets dark. Seat's a lot comfier than the ground." The girl nodded, got up and walked around the truck. She pulled open the door and clambered inside. "So... What's your name?" The girl looked at him. "Name's Lester," he said with a smile, showing his semi-yellowed teeth.
"Isabella," the girl replied.
"And his name?" Lester pointed to the teddy. Isabella shrugged. "So, why'd your ma tell you to come out here?"
"Cause... She had to pack."
"Pack?" Lester asked with a frown. He glanced to her bag that she'd put onto the floor of the truck. Isabella nodded.
"She didn't tell me why. She just said not to come home after school and to go down this road."
"What's in your bag?"
"Mama packed some of my clothes and a sandwich but I had the sandwich for lunch."
"Sun's almost down," Lester noted after a few minutes of silence.
"She said she'd come," the girl insisted.
"I'm not doubting ya," he assured her. Suddenly a cell phone started ringing. "Hang on." He fished the phone out from his pocket and opened it. "Yeah?" he answered. Isabella couldn't hear who was on the other line. "Uh yeah, I was. Kinda... Ran into someone along the way." Lester glanced at Isabella. "No! No, no, not someone... Like that. It's a little kid. She's..." Lester looked at Isabella who held up seven fingers and her eighth was bent to signify a half. "She's only seven. Waitin' for her ma... Yeah, in the woods on the side of the road... I ain't seen nobody else...uh...got a backpack with 'er said her ma had to pack." Lester moved the receiver away from his mouth. "'S my brother," he said quietly to the girl. "I was supposed to be back sooner." Isabella grabbed her bag and was about to get out. Lester gently grabbed her arm and shook his head as he spoke into his phone. "I'm gonna bring her to the house with me. Don't feel right just leavin' her alone out here... Yeah I know... Just, save some food for 'er? Thanks Bo... You gotta ask him, I'm sure he'd say the same... See ya at the house." He hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket. "I'll come back and look for your ma after dinner. You gotta be hungry." Isabella nodded. "Alright then, Izzy... Can I call you Izzy?" He saw her smile for the first time, showing a few missing baby teeth, as she nodded.
"You can bring your bag in if ya'd like," Lester said as he parked the truck. "Gotta walk up to the house," he said nodding to the at the end of a dirt driveway. Isabella put her backpack on and stood by the truck as Lester locked it. They walked up the dirt path and Lester noticed her looking at the House of Wax as they went by. "That's my ma's," he said. "One of my older brothers make the figures now since Ma passed." Lester looked away from the wax building. "Maybe you and your ma could see it before you leave," he suggested. "Bo'll be in the house, Vincent is… probably down in his workshop. You probably won't see him." Isabella nodded.
They got to the house and Lester knocked before opening the door. He ushered Isabella inside and she clutched her bear to her chest.
"Bo?" he called.
"In here!" A man called back. Isabella stood in front of the door while Lester walked in and into the kitchen. "Damn it, Lest. Can't you take a god damned shower before you come in here?!" Isabella flinched at the volume of the voice and held her bear closer.
"Hey, don't curse in front of... Izzy?" Lester came out of the kitchen and saw her still by the door. "You can come in."
...
"So, you ask him?" Lester asked as the three sat on the couch and ate dinner, mashed potatoes with lumps and some undercooked vegetables. They'd set up little fold out tables in front of them. Bo glared at him before letting out a huff.
"Yeah, I asked him," he grumbled.
"And-?"
"He said no, alright?!" Bo snapped. Both men saw Isabella visible jump in her seat and she shut her eyes. Bo's face softened and he cleared his throat. "He doesn't want to." Lester was the first to finish his food and put his dish in the sink before running upstairs for a pillow and some blankets. Bo took a sip of his beer and glanced over at the girl. Her plate was almost completely clean. Every time Bo moved he saw her freeze, she'd stop chewing and tense up. Lester came back.
"What are those for?" Bo asked.
"I figured Izzy was tired, so while I go look for her ma she can rest."
"I'm gonna watch the tv," Bo said, getting up to put his dish in the sink as Lester put the pillow and blanket beside Isabella. He came back and grabbed the tv remote before turning it on.
"Bo," Lester said with a small frown. Bo didn't look at him, turning his full attention to the screen across from him. "I'll be back later," Lester said before leaving the house, the screen door bouncing shut behind him. Isabella brought her dish to the sink before returning to the couch. She looked at Bo, who was ignoring her, before she curled up into a ball on the other side of the couch. The pillow and blanket acted like a barrier between the two. Bo glanced over at her and saw she was already asleep.
After a few minutes he turned his head to see Vincent coming down the shorter set of stairs.
"On the stove," Bo muttered as the long haired man entered the kitchen. A moment later he came out with a plate of food. He stood there and noticed Isabella. Bo saw him standing there and motioned for him to go away. "She's asleep." But Vincent could see her looking at him before she closed her eyes again. Vincent left as silently as he'd come.
...
Bo didn't know what time it was when he woke up, only that it was still dark and someone had let the screen door slam behind them, which caused him to jolt awake. He looked to his right to see the girl gone but her bear and backpack still there. No soon as he got up he heard someone shouting, then Isabella.
"Mama!" He heard her cry. Bo ran out the door and saw the girl running down the path. He could hear a woman shouting her name.
"Bella?! Isabella!" Bo ran down the path after the girl and saw Lester getting out of his truck then Isabella hugging a long haired brunette woman who looked a little young to have a seven year old daughter.
"I told you she'd find me!" Isabella exclaimed to Lester with a big smile. "Can she stay too? Can she?"
"Oh. Sweetie, we can't stay," the woman said.
"Why not?" Isabella asked as she started to pout.
"Cause..." The woman hesitated. "Cause I didn't tell your daddy I was leaving and if I'm not back soon he's..." She trailed off.
"He's gonna get mad again," Isabella finished with a sad nod.
"You in some kinda trouble?" Lester asked.
"I'm really sorry, thank you for watching her, I didn't mean to take so long but we have to leave."
"Somebody after you?" Lester asked.
"Please. I don't wanna get you involved. It's not your problem." The woman took the girl's hand. "Bella, go get your bag."
"But mama!"
"Baby, we have to go."
"Just where you gonna go?" Bo asked.
"Look we really don't have time to-" there was a sudden gunshot and the two girls yelped. The woman lowered herself to cover Isabella. The shot had been fired into the air but it was in the woods nearby, within a mile of where they were. They could hear a nearby truck. The woman looked terrified and the girl started to cry softly.
"Mama..."
"Lest, get them in the house," Bo ordered. "I won't be long," he said before he headed to his truck and drove out of sight.
"Come on," Lester said.
"B-but." The woman looked to Bo's retreating figure before looking back at the younger man.
"Don't you worry. You'll be safe here. Besides, can't just let you run around in the dark." The woman nodded.
…
Lester brought Isabella to a spare bedroom and her mother tucked her in before they went back downstairs. The woman was practically pacing a hole into the floor when Bo came back. There was blood on his shirt that made the woman stop cold. He went into the kitchen to wash his hands like nothing was wrong.
"What happened?" she asked. Bo didn't answer but walked out of the kitchen drying his hand on a towel.
"I took care of your problem," he said, nonchalantly.
"You..." The woman blinked a few times. "He's gone?"
"Oh he's gone," Bo said, he couldn't help the grin on his face. He waited for her to freak out, to scream or run, but to his surprise she started laughing. Her legs gave out and she sat in front of him. Lester had made an attempt to catch her but he wasn't close enough. Bo looked down at her as her laughter turned into sobs. He was just barely able to make out what she mumbled over and over.
"Thank you."
"Yer welcome," Bo said before walking past the younger man and heading up to shower. Lester watched his brother go before turning back to the sobbing woman on the floor.
"Who was he? The guy that was after ya?" he asked. She took a breath as her sobs slowed enough to allow her to be understood.
"My...my husband."
"He do that?" He pointed to her busted lip and the bruise on her temple. It had been too dark outside to see them before. She nodded. "He... ever hurt Izzy?" She looked up at him as he scratched his head. "Isabella, I mean." The woman closed her eyes as she nodded. "Why didn't ya call the cops on 'im." She shook her head.
"He... He said he'd kill her… if we ever said anything." She let out a short laugh. "We're free. You have no idea how grateful I am." She looked to the stairs. "That man..."
"That's my older brother, Bo," Lester clarify. "One of 'em," he muttered.
"He..."
"He's different," Lester said with a nod.
"He saved our lives," the woman said. "I don't care how or why... But me and my little girl don't have to live in fear because of him." Lester shifted on his feet.
"I'll get you an extra blanket for the spare room," he said. "Must be tired. Name's Lester by the way."
"I'm Annie."
I've also posted this on Tumblr, Wattpad and AO3. Currently still writing this, updates will probably be slow. Really getting into writing about slashers and the like.