Anna knew what Atrus was capable of. He saw the bruises that were on her skin, always fresh. After the first incident he calmed down a bit but didn't stop. He'd never stop, in her opinion. When someone he loves did something that he didn't like he'd always result in violence. Eventually Atrus' hurt would turn into anger and when that happened she didn't want anyone to be near him, let alone a child. She made arrangements with Atrus to take baby Gabrielle to live with her and Yoh until Atrus could recover. He never took care of the baby much before and she didn't know how much he was capable of doing. The baby deserved better. So that afternoon Yoh went over and gathered all of Gabby's things. She set the crib up in the large twin's room and managed to find a place for everything. This wasn't baby Toshi but it was a third child. Maybe it could fill the void of the missing baby, and now the one created with the loss of her best friend.
Ren and Horo were both very upset upon hearing the news, having both been close to them. Ren went over to spend time with Atrus and look after his friend. The best thing for Atrus would be to be around someone he was close to and someone who could help him vent his anger. Horo, on the other hand, went to spend the time with Anna and help her through loosing her best friend. When he arrived at Anna's house she was in the living room looking after Sakura, Haru and of course Gabby.
He looked at Anna compassionately and she just stared. Unable to contain herself, she burst out in tears.
"Why did this have to happen?" she asked the world. "Things were finally started to get better for her and now this. Now she's dead." Horo walked over to her and gave her a hug.
"Shh." He whispered. "Kalia was a good person and didn't deserve this. She loved Atrus, Gabrielle and you very much. I'm not that religious but I think that god wanted them to have their own guardian angel, and who better then her. No one will ever love them as much as she does. She'll always be looking after them, and you, no matter what." Anna sniffed a little, tears still rolling along her cheeks.
"She was my best friend. I wish there was something I could do to bring her back. I don't even think magic will work this time, her body is far too mangled. She's gone, forever." Horo nodded, unable to provide an answer to what Anna had said. Anna picked Gabrielle up softly.
"Poor girl lost her mummy. She's been over here before lots so she knows me but she'll be crying when mummy doesn't come to pick her up, when she doesn't get to sleep in her own house and room. How horrible it's going to be having to tell her that her mummy is dead when she gets old enough to ask where she is. And Kalia… She won't be there for her first steps, birthday, day of school, dance, boyfriend, her graduation, when she gets married and when she has kids of her own she wont have a mother to ask for advise." Anna was now crying again out of loss of her friend and sympathy for the poor child. "God knows Atrus won't do a good job looking after her, no matter how much he loves her. He loved Kalia yet he hit and yelled at her all the time. He doesn't understand what a relationship is."
"I know," replied Horo in agreement. "I hope she'll be okay. When is he going to take her back?"
"I don't know. Maybe never, knowing him. He could easily get out of this responsibility forever."
"I don't think he'll leave her. She's the spitting image of Kalia."
"You're right." She hugged Gabby softly. "Don't worry Gabby, I'll give you the best home possible for the time being. And you can always come and see me if things get rough." The baby cooed softly not understanding a thing that was going on, yet it gave Anna a sense of relief that at least the child could depend on her if she needed it.
Like Anna was there to take care of the children Yoh was there to take care of her. She held her as she cried and worried about everything. He stroked her softly and told her everything was going to be okay, although she was too stricken with grief to accept the idea that anything was ever going to be okay. Around the children and everyone else she kept on a brave, strong face but for Yoh it was her true emotions.
Slowly time began to heal some wounds. Looking after three babies occupied Anna and distracted her from thinking about the bad things she'd experienced, two great losses in less then a year. Gabrielle wasn't her dead baby Toshi but she was a third child and filled the void somewhat. Seeing as Atrus and Ren were spending more and more time together Horo-Horo frequented Anna's house to make sure she was okay and helped her out. They go out on walks with the babies or stay and home and watch TV together. It wasn't the same as being with Kalia but she liked having the company. If there was one thing about Kalia it was that she wanted to make everyone happy and she would have been pleased to see the progress Anna was making. I don't think anyone who dies would want their loved ones to be upset.
Atrus too was making progress when it came to grieving but not when it came to being a good person or father. It had been almost three months since Kalia's death and he had only been over to see his daughter a few times. Anna figured that maybe he didn't want the child or maybe it was just too painful to look at something that came from his girlfriend who was now dead. His house was a mess without someone to clean it. It was defiantly an unfit environment for a child to be raised in. The dishes were rarely done, the bed was never made, there was garbage laying around, he never once vacuumed or dusted, let alone washed anything, Atrus was defiantly the kind of man that needed a girlfriend. He had even broken some of the nice decorations Kalia had put up, partially because he was angry and partially because they reminded him of Kalia. Unlike many people might expect of a person of his type, he didn't go off and have sex with the first teenager to say yes. Since Kalia's death he hadn't changed their bed once, the sheets were dirty and smelt of sweat but still the faint scent of Kalia lingered on them and he wasn't ready to part with that. One day he would have to let go but until then he planned to hold on to everything he could. The decorations that weren't broken remained hanging on the walls and sitting on the shelves exactly where Kalia had placed them. He remembered fighting with her about having them there, he didn't like them then but now he loved them. She thought they looked nice and they would stay like that forever, she wasn't here now to decide where to put things and he had no clue.
Very slowly he recovered and, without Anna knowing it, was planning on taking his child back in the future.