(A/N: NerdsinaTree, that's okay. I did wonder for a bit but I get it. I was going to resume uploading a bit sooner than I did but got thrown for a loop when I was in a car accident and had to take time to recover and catch up on school work. Life sometimes stinks.

I will not even begin to tell you guys about the debate to include this scene but with some of the things I want to happen later, I decided that yes, this scene needed to be included. So, on with the story!

I own nothing!)

Amber looked out the window at the pouring rain, wondering if it was raining where Sofia was too. After a moment, she sat down and looked towards her family members, who were quietly engaged in their own activities.

"Excuse me, Miss Amber, you just received a letter."

Amber looked up at Baileywick and accepted the letter with a grateful nod. She looked at the neat penmanship that the address was written with and smiled.

"It's from Sofia."

Three sets of curious eyes landed on the blonde woman. Amber read the letter quietly.

"Well?" Miranda asked.

"Sofia arrived safely. Her Ladyship has taken quite a keen interest in Sofia and wants her to stay."

"How long?" Roland asked.

Amber hesitated. "Indefinitely."

The young blonde chose not to repeat what the letter said specifically.

'Her Ladyship has threatened hiding the carriage if I dare to leave before she says I may. She hopes to… hopes to do something about my "abysmal lack of self confidence".'

Amber couldn't help but smile at that. Maybe, just maybe, Sofia would be a very different person when she returned.

And maybe she will be ready to open up about how she feels.

Amber hoped so. It had been nearly two years. Far too long, in her opinion, to go refusing to talk about a traumatic event.

"What on earth could Lady Hexley want Sofia to stay indefinitely for?" Roland muttered.

The question broke Amber out of her thoughts. Carefully, she chose her words.

"Well, perhaps she wants to get to know Sofia a little bit better. Who knows? Maybe this trip will be just what Sofia needs. It's no secret she's wanted an escape from Cantare Valley for quite some time. Well, here's her escape."

A tea tray was set near Amber and she started pouring some tea for the family once the maid backed out of the room. From across the room, an older brunette figure looked at the eldest teenager, anxiety in her eyes.

"You're unusually calm about this situation," Miranda said.

Amber's eyes flared wide with frustration as she grabbed the tea tray and threw it down to the ground. The family looked at her shocked as tea and broken bits of porcelain were scattered all over the floor.

"Unusually calm?" Amber all but screeched as she stood up. "Do you think I'm not worried too about her being away? Do you think I'm not worried about how she will return to us? Yes, I pushed for her permission to go but that doesn't mean I'm not scared to death about her being so far away. What if she has one of her nightmares that send her wandering for hours? What if Lady Hexley does something that only causes Sofia to feel worse? I don't know the marchioness other than bits of her reputation. Sure, her reputation paints her as a kind lady, but does that really mean anything? Don't you dare call me calm about any of this!"

Amber took a shuddering breath as she sat back down. "Sofia's attack has left its mark on all of us. Not just Sofia. James witnessed part of it and had to deal with guilt over not being able to subdue Graham and get Sofia taken care of. You, Mom and Dad, had to return from a trip not knowing something had happened. Me? I'm the main one to go after her when she is feeling particularly low. I'm the one she will come to first when she decides she's actually going to go to someone. Anyone knows full well that I'm the one who's closest to her. Yet, I can never get her to tell me anything and it hurts. It hurts that she is hurting so badly she won't open up to anyone. It hurts watching her destroy herself by keeping all of her feelings bottled up."

Amber took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. As she did, she glanced at James. He seemed very uncomfortable and there was something in his expression that caused Amber to feel very worried for him.

Does he still feel guilty?

Seeing that, Amber hoped even more so that with some time and help from Lady Hexley, Sofia would be able to open up about how she felt. Likely, only Sofia would hold the key to James letting go of his guilt.

"You've been keeping that bottled up, all this time?" Roland asked.

Amber nodded. "At least I'm able to open up. But Sofia isn't able to right now. She refuses to. And she has managed to evade all tactics used to get her to open up."

Amber briefly thought back to when she scolded her sister for getting mad at Lord Sebara. Even realizing her error then hadn't brought the hurting lady to open up. Granted, Amber realized that conversation hadn't been about Sofia's feelings in regard to the attack. But still, it would have been nice if Sofia had opened up even a little bit.

Amber shook herself out of her thoughts.

"I don't doubt Sofia will be a different person when she gets back. She's getting a break from the place where her life got uprooted and she's met someone who, by all accounts, has a great deal of confidence. Maybe some of that will rub off on Sofia and help her be able to move forward. For now, all we really can do is hope."

With that, Amber stood up and walked out of the sitting room. She had had enough for one day.