Just keep reading loves.....
Chapter 13: Falling Down The Chain of Command
It was almost 24 hours before Gabrielle finally woke. Her state of depression was deeper than ever before. Within days she became ill, unable to eat.
"You must get this girl home," Aunt Hildur's personal physician stated, "She won't survive here if she does not return to more comfortable surroundings."
Just when they needed, the battles in their area ceased. The boys were allowed to return home along with Gabrielle, Rosie, and Aunt Hildur, who insisted on speaking to her sister and brother-in-law personally. Gabrielle spent most of the voyage sitting on the deck, starring blankely out over the ocean. Her black clothingseemed to worsen the appearance ofher already pale complextion as a result of her illness.
It was only Jack that she remotlyresponded to. He took care of her willingly until they reached New York. Only once did he see her break from her emotionless stance. She was sitting, looking out over the ocean on the final day, and he walked up behind her. She turned and looked up at him for a moment before looking at the water again-he would never forget the look in her eyes. They pleaded, begged-he knew the only way she would ever recover would be for Mush to somehow come back to life, leaving him sick with guilt at the thought of her life from here. Parents who didn't understand or listen to her, love one lost in the wages of war, and best friend in the same emotional wreck as she was.
Rosie insisted the boys come with them to the mayor's house, if only for awhile. Jack escorted her in, balancing some of her weight. As they all entered the living room her mother ran across the room to her, but Gabrielle shyed away. Her mother stopped. Jack shook his head lightly. She backed up to her husband. Gabrielle then noticed Calire's parents on the other side of the room-along with Claire.
She stood, clothed in black.Each knew what the other was going through. The girls ran towards each other and Gabrielle pulled her friend into a tight embrace. Claire sobbed as Gabrielle could not shed another ounce of emotion.
"Do you see now,Marie?" Aunt Hildur stepped forward, "Now I've always been a stickler, and I know for a fact Gabrielle was never fond of me. But I must say-the way you have raised this girl is simply un-excusable! I speak to all four of you!" she shifted her attention to both girl's sets of parents, "These girls were in love-but it wasn't the boy you wanted was it John?" Gabrielle's father found himself falling down the chain of command, "You were all too worried about your images, your futures! Over your own children! Now look was has happened. They are sick, they've lost everything. They have no loving parents to guide them, they've lost the loved ones, and Gabrielle was thrown into an umbrage of war!"
The entire room was stiff and tense, "Look at these boys John-look at them!" he followed her pointing finger to where Jack, Spot, and Skittery stood, "You were so worried about your image when they stood up and fought for their own lives that you almost killed them. Now they go off and fight for a cause that barely even concerns them and you still don't give them or their friends the respect they deserve. And look now, the war has killed at least two of them.Now they may be street-rats, but as of now I hold them at a higher standard than all of you..." All four parents stomached their own faults being thrown in their faces, "No matter what you say, I am taking these two girls with me to my house here in Manhattan. Staying home with you will only make them worse. Think about what I've said, and you best figure something out-because their lives are forever altered by your selfishness..."
With that, she was out the door with both girls, the three boys, and Rosie. All four parents stood in shock, never once arguing against her taking their daughters. They knew. It was what to do now that still left them puzzled...
A/N: must sleep now. but like i said-dont worry. itll be fine. not everything is as it seems, okay? just wait just wait....