A/N: This chapter is set during the same time as chapter six. Again sorry for the confusing time line!
WARNING: References to past child abuse.
Omega lay on her bed, her body exhausted, but her mind to awake to try to sleep.
It was strange to think that only this morning she had been sleeping on her mother's kitchen floor, dreaming about one day meeting her elusive older brothers. Now, after a day of police interviews and hospital examinations, she was actually living with them.
Her new room was small. Not room for much more than a bed and besides table. But it was hers. The first thing her life that she could call her own.
It had belongs to Ninety-Nine originally, the man who had rescued her brothers all those years ago. The room was sparse, cleared of any of his belongings for years now. Still, being here made Omega feel closer to her great-uncle that she wished she'd had the honour of knowing.
Omega sighed, rolling out of the bed. Sleep wasn't coming to her any time soon, so there wasn't much point in lying on it. Her stomach had settled now. Perhaps there was some more biscuits in the kitchen she could try.
Slowly, she opened her door, creeping out into the hallway. Light flickered from the door to Tech and Crosshair's bedroom. She guessed that Tech must've still been busy on his computer. On the other side of the corridor, she could hear the low tone of Wrecker's voice coming from the room. Omega wondered who he could be talking too. From her window she had seen Hunter and Crosshair sitting on the front porch and Echo's bedroom was downstairs. Even after a lifetime of Nala punishing her for eavesdropping, Omega couldn't help her curiosity and tiptoed towards the closed door.
"... don't know. The kid's been through so much. I wanna help but I don't wanna make it worse." Wrecker's voice said in a low whisper that wasn't much quieter than his usual tone. "I'm so big! What if I hurt her just by giving her a hug?"
Omega leant her head against the door, trying to peak through the slit to see who he was talking too. However, it must not have been as properly shut as she'd thought, as when she put her weight against it, the door swung open.
She stumbled into the room. It was nearly twice the size of hers. Shelves full of action figures lined the deep red walls that were covered with posters of artwork, movies and lots people in swimming costumes. They must really enjoy swimming. The floor was littered with piles of clothes and other random junk. There were two single beds pushed on either side of the room. One was slightly neater, empty save for a weighted blanket and sleep mask folded on the pillow. On the other, sat Wrecker, a black and red teddy bear on his lap. He stared at her, having cut himself off in surprise.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't to eavesdrop! But I heard you talking and I didn't know who too and I never should've listened in. Please don't send me back. It won't happen again I swear!" Omega rambled. She hadn't even lived with her brothers for more than twenty-four hours and she had already messed up. They would never trust her again now. Not that they should. She deserved being sent back after breaking their trust so quickly. Nala had been right. She was nothing but a useless brat who-
"Woah hey! It's err... its OK." Wrecker said, kneeling besides her. Omega jumped. Lost in her spiral, she hadn't even noticed he'd left his bed. He brought a large hand up to her cheek, wiping away tears she hadn't known she had shed. His touch was slow and deliberate, handling her like glass as though afraid if he used too much pressure she'd shatter. His gentle strokes, soothed her cries to sniffles.
Omega snorted to herself. She had probably cried more in the last twenty-four hours than her entire life.
"Sorry." She said once she had calmed down.
"Don't worry about it kid. Just knock next time yeah?" Wrecker said, his smile awkward in it'd attempt to be reassuring.
'I will, I promise." She smiled in return. She glanced around his large frame. There was nobody else in the room besides them. Nor was there any phones or devices open. The only person, Wrecker could've been talking too was the teddy bear now lying on his bed.
"We're you talking to your teddy?" Omega asked, her curiosity once again getting the better of her.
"No!" Wrecker exclaimed, his instant denial suggesting otherwise. "I mean I wasn't talking to her! We were playing a game! I mean I wasn't doing that either! I was-"
"A game? Like a test?" Omega asked. Nala had made her do games. Puzzles, challenges and quizzes that pushed her brain to the limit. She didn't understand why anyone would be doing that willingly.
Wrecker must have been remembering those games too, as he clutched his bald head with a grimace.
"No, not like that." His voice was hard, angrier than she had heard him all day. But his expression softened as his attention focused back on her. "This is just for fun."
"Fun?" She echoed.
"Yeah! Like this!"
Wrecker bounced from his crouch to grab something off one of the shelves. On the floor he placed a platoon of toy soldiers around of a cardboard box, turrets drawn onto its edges plus a gate that opened and closed cut out of the front. He put the teddy bear inside the box.
"So, what do you think Princess Lula should do to escape her tower?"
"What if I pick the wrong answer?" Omega asked.
"There are no wrong answers kid. That's what makes it fun." Wrecker told her.
"Oh! Well I guess I would have her kick down the gate?"
"Good thinking! But what if the tower was on a moat?" Wrecker put the box on top of one of the many pikes of clothes.
"Then she would use a boat to get across." Omega picked up a nearby shoe, slowly beginning to understand.
Wrecker grinned at her.
"Perfect! That's when the guards decided to unleash their secret weapon!"
That was how Hunter found them an hour later, deep into the law of Princess Lula who had used her bravery and kindness to unite the five kingdoms by befriending Gonky, the giant dog-dragon, that had once imprisoned her.
"Isn't it past you guys' bedtime?"
Omega jumped, startled from her fantasy to find Hunter standing, arms folded in the doorway.
Before she could once again start babbling apologies, Wrecker spoke up.
"Don't blame the kid. It was my fault. I said she could stay up later."
Omega stared at her older brother. She was unbelievably grateful, but he shouldn't have to take the blame for her.
But Hunter wasn't angry. Instead she found a fond smile on his face.
"Okay. Just don't blame me when you tired tomorrow. We've got an early start shopping tomorrow." He reminded them.
Omega nodded, suddenly realising how sleepy she was, her imagination must have tired out mind to finally catch up with her body.
She was about to head back to her room when Wrecker's hand clasped her shoulder. This time, his touch firm and warm.
"Here." He said, pressing Lula into her arms. "On our first night here, I couldn't sleep either. So Ninety-Nine made Lula for me, to protect me whilst I slept. You can borrow her for tonight. And when we go shopping tomorrow, I getcha one for yourself."
Omega stroked her fingers over the soft fabric, worn over years of love. She clutched it tight, trusting her brother's word and knowing that should she fail, her brother would be there to protect her.
A/N: I realised I never gave a proper description of their house so here we go. Also this is based on your standard British house as I have no idea what a normal American house would be like. On the top floor there is a bathroom, two larger bedrooms and a box room. On the bottom floor there is an open plan kitchen, dining and living area, plus a front room that was once an extra living space. Ninety-Nine used to sleep in one of the larger bedrooms but when he got custody of the batch, he gave them to the boys to share, and turned the front room into a bedroom for him. Then when Echo moved in with them, he was wheelchair bound for a while after the accident and sometimes still has trouble getting up the stairs so Ninety-Nine gave him the front room and turned the box room into a bedroom for himself.
Back when they were living with Nala Se, the batch all shared one room that was basically just a plain white box. So when they moved in with Ninety-Nine they were happy to have some more space each and to be able to decorate their rooms. I imagine they tried a couple of different combinations before they got settled. At first Hunter and Crosshair shared a room with Wrecker and Tech sharing the other. However, this would lead to arguments between Hunter and Crosshair that would only get worse without their own space to cool down from each other. Similarly, Tech likes to have all his experiments out in his room and despite never meaning too, Wrecker would often distract him or break his things. Then Hunter shared with Tech, but the light from Tech's computer and tinkering with his experiments would be too much for his senses and would keep him up all night. Tech and Crosshair sharing works out for both of them as whilst Tech's side of the room might look like an explosion of random junk, everything has a very specific place and Crosshair is a neat freak who doesn't need much space beyond his bed, so as long as Tech's stuff is organised and doesn't cross his side of the room, he's fine. Plus Tech likes to talk whilst Crosshair likes to listen so Tech's ramblings over his experiments is a comfort to both of them. Then Wrecker and Hunter are both slobs who like the same stuff, and like to go to sleep at a more reasonable hour so they get on better sharing a room too.
To Korean Flashblade: Thank you for comment! I'm glad you like it even if it's not what you would typically read! Xxxxxxx