I am aware that I am awful at updating things within a reasonable time frame. But I hope you all enjoy this!

Helen could do nothing but watch as her family fell apart. There was nothing that she could say or do that would make it okay.

She looked back up into her bedroom mirror, taking in her own ghostly appearance. She was clad in a white dress, paired with matching shoes and jewelry. There were only two splashes of colour on her at all. Those were her eyes, still a brilliant shade of blue, and the dark circles under them.

For what seemed like endless nights, Helen hadn't slept. None of the LA institute inhabitants had. For many nights in a row, Helen had been awoken by screams and cries during the night. It kept herself, Mark and her father up.

It hurt her heart to see her baby siblings in so much pain. It hurt to see them have to lose their mother.

It hurt Helen too, but she tried to be strong for them. All of them. Her siblings, and her father.

It wasn't uncommon knowledge that Andrew Blackthorn absolutely adored Eleanor. And Helen saw her father's heart shatter for the second time in his life as she passed away in the institutes infirmary.

At least little Octavian survived. He was an absolutely beautiful baby. Yet, very unhappy. Helen didn't blame him.

A knock at her door pulled Helen out of her thoughts.

"Come in," she never locked her door any more. There was always a sibling that ended up in there. She was surprised when Mark entered her room, a blank expression on his face. He slowly closed the door after he stepped in, as though he was trying to be as quiet as possible.

"Hey, you. I haven't seen you all week. Is everything alright?" Helen inquired.

"Yeah, just-" he seemed to hesitate before he spoke again. "I've been sleeping in Drusilla's room. She doesn't want to be alone."

"That's good of you. I've been dealing with the rest of them. Dad needs time, I'm trying to give it to him."

"When did you grow up?"

"When I had to." He walked around the room to go sit on the foot of the bed. He too was wearing white.

"Are you ready for today?" He asked.

"I don't exactly have an option, Mark." He looked down, and Helen walked over to where he was sitting.

"I'm sorry, that was cruel." Helen took another breath before continuing, "I know you're hurting too. And I'm sorry I can't be there for you like I should be. The truth be told, you've had to grow up more in the last couple of weeks as well. And now you've lost two mothers, and I'm sorry. By the Angel, I'm so sorry." A sob slipped through Helen's pale lips as she finished, her speaking quickening as she went on.

Mark wrapped his arms around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

She didn't know how much time they had spent sitting there before there was another knock at the door.

The siblings readjusted themselves, and Helen rose to go answer the door.

Her father was standing at the doorway, also dressed in white, which made him look even paler than he was.

"Are you okay, baby girl?" He asked, noticing her appearance.

"Yeah, dad," she lied, not wanting to pun any more unnecessary stress onto her father, "Of course I'm fine."

"I'm glad. By any chance, have you seen Mark? We need to leave in about two minutes if we want to get there on time." Andrew's voice was sad. Sadder than Helen could ever remember hearing.

"I'm in here!" he yelled, louder than necessary.

"I hear that, Mark. Are you both ready to go?"

"Yeah, dad, just give us a minute," He forced a smile out, and walked away, closing the door behind him.

Helen spun around and looked over at her brother, who was still sitting on the edge of her bed, his eyebrows raised at her.

"What was that, Mark Antony?"

"I didn't want him to think I was anything besides my usual self."

''I'll consider that a legitimate answer, okay? Now come on, we've got to make sure all the kids are good to go." Helen said, walking to the door. She could hear her brother coming after her, following her out.

In the corridor, she was greeted by both of the twins, holding hands and looking at her.

"What's wrong, guys?" she asked, in what mark would call her 'older-sister-voice'.

Livia spoke for the both of them, "Dad is busy with the babies, and Jules is with Emma, and we got lonely."

"Well, little Livvy," it was Mark who spoke this time, "We're about to leave now. Are you both ready to go?"

"I don't want to go! I don't want to say goodbye to mommy!" Livvy screamed, and then started crying. Which was only followed by Tiberius's bawling as well.

Mark and Helen exchanged a glance, one that could only be translated as today is going to be full of tears, isn't it?

Mark knelt down in front of the twins, and whispered something that Helen couldn't hear from where she was standing. Almost immediately, the stopped crying (which surprised Helen) and ran off, presumably downstairs.

Mark got up off the ground, and winked at her.

"What did you say to them? It normally takes me hours to calm them down."

"Older brothers have our tricks, Helen. Now we better go, I think they'll all need us to be there."

It was when Helen grabbed her brother's hand, and walked down the hall she decided that with her family by her side, she could do almost anything. Perhaps she could put her family back together.