Six in the morning. The sun was just beginning to rise, and Gustave was coming out of his room dressed for the day curious as to his step-sister's whereabouts. He walked two rooms down to Eliza's room and gently knocked. When he heard no answer he opened it finding the room vacant. She had been up in the tower all night, he knew because the bed was still perfectly made. Gustave sighed and shut the door making his way up to the attic. He gave three little knocks and spoke. "Hey, red, it's me. Can I come in?"

On the other side Eliza closed her eyes and sighed from her spot at the window. She put her fist to wooden wall and gave four knocks, paused, then another two. Gustave smiled at the code knock they had come up with as children. He turned to look at a little hidden door next to the tower door. Gustave reached into his back pocket and pulled out a key, then unlocked the door. He saw Eliza climb back out onto the roof and sighed again. He shut the door relocking it and setting the key down on a little desk. He walked over to the window and climbed out going to sit next to her. She stared straight ahead waiting for the sun to come up. After their first year of officially being brother and sister they would wake up as early as they could and watch the sun come up together before they went down to breakfast.

Gustave looked to her and saw how she was trying to gather her thoughts to say something to him. "We don't have to talk. We can just sit here and watch if you want. Or we can talk, but not about last night." He said.

She gave a small laugh. "You say it like it's so easy. It's not you know? Ignoring, what happened last night. Trying to forget that she was right there. That after so long I saw her, standing right, in front, of me." Her voice began to crack and tears filled her eyes. "You don't know what it's like Gustave."

"I know. I know I don't. I know, I probably never will. But, hey." Gustave lifted her face and turned it to him whipping away the tears. "I'm here. I'm always right here Eliza, I always will be, I promise."

She gave a little smile and nodded. "I know. And, believe me, I couldn't have asked for a better older brother." He smiled at her. Eliza turned back to the sky. "You know, I always wanted her to come back. Until, I saw how happy your mother made our father. I always thought that my mother would come back and everything would be right, but, then, your mother happened. Christine loved me. She hardly knew me, but she loved me. When the day of the wedding came around I gave up. I didn't want my mother anymore. The older I got, the more I realized that she was an awful person. But last night I realized something." She said.

Gustave made a face and asked "What?"

"I realized she never cared for me." Eliza answered.

Gustave sighed. "I'm sure that's not true. She is still your mother Eliza."

She scoffed. "You weren't there. You didn't see it."

"See what Eliza?"

"That look. When your mother looks at me, she looks at me, like, well, like a mother. In her eyes there's love, compassion, trust, warmth, and anything else positive you can think of, that's always how Christine looks at us. But when I came out last night and I saw my mother, I saw all of that, for a split second, your mother touched my arm, and told me it was alright. Then it all disappeared and was replaced with something else, greed, selfishness, and disappointment. It was as if, she had a plan, that I was a part of, and seeing Christine be so good with me, it was like everything just fell apart. She doesn't care, then again, she never did."

Gustave looked down and sighed. "Eighteen years ago on March tenth, Erik Destler was married to Kasey Peters, and that night set sail to Scotland." Eliza looked to him curious to where he was going with this. "From Scotland they traveled to Ireland where they spent time with Kasey's family. Erik was welcomed and accepted by her family. Three months later on June seventh they traveled back to Scotland set sail back to Coney Island on the eleventh of June. Then on July second their ship docked on Coney and they were free to officially start their lives together. December twenty-eighth, Kasey Destler is rushed to the hospital. Later on the same day the couple found out that she had miscarried a child. A year later Kasey wakes up early the morning of July the nineteenth sick, Erik calls for the doctor, and they find out at ten fifteen in the morning that she is pregnant. Eight months later on the snow filled night of February eighth Kasey Destler goes into labor. Three hours later at eleven fifty seven that night she brings forth a beautiful baby girl. With a little red patch on her head and bright yellow eyes. She wanted to call her something unique something special. So she named her Eliza. Kasey thought that she was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, and she couldn't get herself to believe that she had created this girl she held in her arms."

Eliza sat there somewhat dumbfounded at everything Gustave just said. "How on earth do you know what she was thinking?" She asked.

Gustave smiled. "About two years ago I found a box full of a bunch of old newspapers and a journal. I learned after the second page that the journal belonged to your mother. I couldn't bring myself to stop reading it. The last entry was about the day you were born. She once loved you. What I said were her words exactly."

Eliza sat there not knowing what to say. They sat in silence watching the sun rise, and once it was high in the sky Gustave looked over to his sister. He stroked her dark red hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. She smiled and turned to him. "It doesn't matter what she's done, or where she is anymore. You have a good family here Eliza. Father, the twins, Meg, Raoul, Selena, even my mother and I. We care for and love you very much. Don't ever forget that red." She smiled wider at her nickname.

She kissed his cheek and nodded. "Thank you. I love you too."

They laughed for a moment and then Gustave got up. "You can't hide up here forever. So I suggest you come down and eat something." Eliza gave him a look of annoyance. "I mean it." Then before she could say anything else he left. She sat there and just thought for the longest time. Then with a sigh she thought I'm gonna have to face them eventually. Might as well get it over with.

Eliza walked down from the tower and down to the first floor. Everyone was up and in the dining room. They all froze when she walked in and everyone but Gustave was shocked to see her. She looked at all of them as they stared at her. "Eliza," Erik began.

"I'm fine. I just needed some time to myself. I'm fine now." She said as she walked up to the table to get something to eat.

Erik sighed, and Christine gave him a look that meant not to push it. Erik couldn't help it, this was his little Eliza. He placed a hand on her arm as she reached for some fruit. "Eliza, please,"

She jerked away. "I'm fine Papa!" She argued. "Stop worrying about me! I'm not five anymore! I've handled her leaving before and I can do it again! I'm almost eighteen Papa, I can handle myself." Eliza grabbed an apple and stormed out of the room to the gardens.

They all sat in silence until the four year old Jordan jumped down from his seat and went after her. Meg watched him go off, then she looked to Gustave. He nodded. "Hey, guys." He called getting the attention of the children. "Let's go out back and play hide and seek."

"I'd rather play explorer!" Selena said.

"Me too!" Julian said.

Gustave smiled. "Alright, we can do that too. Come on let's go." They all jumped up and followed Gustave outside leaving the adults to it.

Once out of ear shot Christine looked to Erik. "Since when do you not know this look?" She asked angrily.

He sighed and rubbed the side of his face. "She needs to talk to someone Christine. Though, doing it this way wasn't the smartest thing Erik." Meg said.

"I know." Erik replied.

"No you don't." Christine said making him look at her. "She was right Erik. She's almost eighteen. You can't be there to fight all of her battles anymore. If Eliza wants to do this herself then let her. And if she wants to talk then she'll come to one of us. Eliza doesn't need you hovering over her anymore Erik." Christine got up and walked out into the gardens with the children. Leaving Erik to his thoughts.