Hey! What's up? An update, that's what. I hope whoever reads this enjoys it! I think there's one or two more chapters left in this fic. Please review! Disclaimer: I don't own the Chemical Garden trilogy. I'm just a tired high school junior.

That winter was one of the harshest New York has seen in over twenty years. The safe house was always warm and safe, but others weren't so lucky. Our demonstrations were reduced due to the weather though Joseph still circulated my sister's story whenever she had the strength to write it. The weather had done little to improve Rhine's health. Her fever stayed consistently high, but my sister was always cold. She was usually piled with blankets, but I could still hear her shiver when I sat with her. Claire came every week to check on Rhine, but there was little she could do without medicine. Gabriel and I took turns sitting with her. Maddie and Chris usually played quietly by the foot of the bed.

Mostly Rhine slept, but sometimes when she was awake she'd play games with Maddie or tell her stories. She never complained about being sick though I could tell she frequently got annoyed with the coddling. Gabriel was much worse than I was. It took a wrench and Rhine's sweet coercing to convince Gabriel to leave the room for a shower or anything else.

A week before Christmas Eve, Rhine was well enough to sit by the fire in the living room. Someone had brought in a Christmas tree, and the fresh pine scent made my sister smile. It was snowing heavily outside, and the radio was on low volume in the background. Joseph had found an old chess set somewhere, and Sara and I were taking turns playing him. Maddie and Chris were playing nearby while Rhine was writing more of her story. Gabriel was in the kitchen, working on dinner.

There was slight static to the station, and then a soft female voice started talking. Rhine immediately perked up. She gestured for me to turn up the volume, which I did. "My name is Cecil, and I am looking for my sister wife. Rhine, if you're listening, I want you to know that I'm sorry for what I did. I betrayed your trust, and I'll never forgive myself for it. I'm taking my son and getting out of here. I don't trust you-know-who with him. I hope you're safe. I love you." The voice sputtered out, and then there was some static before switching back to the original programming.

Rhine's fingers clutched her pen tightly. Maddie went to her, sitting at her feet. Gabriel was in the doorway, worry written all over his face. "Rhine?" I said, touching her arm.

She looked up at me, her shoulders tense. "We should have taken her with us," Rhine said. "I should have…"

"Rhine," Gabriel stopped her. "There's nothing you could have done. She was under Vaughn's spell. She would've never left with you."

My sister nodded, but I could still see doubt written all over her face. Rhine's downfall always has and always will be her compassion. Somewhere along the way, Rhine had started to love her sister wives like sisters. I just hoped that she wouldn't try to do something stupid in order to help.

Christmas Day was a small affair. We had managed to scrap together a couple of toys to give to Maddie and Chris, and a few homemade gifts were distributed. Sara knitted warm wool sweaters for everyone while Joseph crafted small bookmarks out of scraps of wire and beads. Gabriel had crafted wind chimes out of bottle caps for the front door as a present to my sister. She had always loved the chimes in our garden. Rhine had saved enough sugar and other ingredients to bake a chocolate cake and make frosting. I gave her the seeds from our mother's garden, which made her smile widely. She treated them like they were made of precious metals.

Life went on normally until two weeks after the New Year. Only Rhine, Gabriel, and I were in the house. Joseph and Sara were off getting supplies and distributing Rhine's story. Maddie and Chris were with Claire. The kind older woman had taken a liking to them. I was helping Gabriel fix a broken floorboard while Rhine folded clean clothes in the living room. She was humming some familiar melody. Once in a while, Gabriel whistled along.

There was a loud knock on the door. Gabriel and I exchanged a look before he went to answer it. Usually the people who knew the house didn't knock, and we weren't expecting anyone else. I grabbed the gun that Joseph kept hidden in one of the locked table drawers. Rhine looked at me with wide eyes. I put a finger to my lips.

"Well, my dear, there isn't much to say for your tastes, is there?" My sister paled, her eyes fixed on the figure in the doorway. I looked up, the gun hidden behind a pillow. The figure was an older man, very distinguished, with keen intelligence in his eyes. Gabriel was standing behind him, shock and fear written all over his face. Studying him further, I found cruelty in his eyes as well. I didn't like it directed at my sister. He smiled sinisterly. "And this must be your brother. Rowan, am I correct?" He walked in the room.

Rhine nodded her head slowly. "What brings you here?" she rasped, her voice weak.

"Rhine, let's not play games, especially when you're so ill," the man stated. "I am here for Cecil."

"She's not here," Gabriel said quietly.

The man gave him a look. "Good help is so hard to find," he sniped. "I have always believed they should be seen and not heard." Gabriel's jaw clenched. "I won't repeat myself. Where is she?"

Rhine shrugged. "I don't know," she said tiredly. "Wherever she is, at least she's away from you."

The man gripped her arm tightly. "You don't want to mess with me," he warned.

I grabbed the gun, aiming directly at his back. "Get away from my sister," I stated my voice low.

"You're not going to shoot me," he scoffed.

"Try me," I deadpanned. The man backed away from Rhine. "Leave," I ordered. He headed to the door, lines marring his face.

"This isn't over," he sneered. "If I find out that girl has been hear, you will see me again."

I said nothing, my gun still pointed at him. I didn't lower it until the vile man was out of my sight. Gabriel shut the door, and tears were flowing down my sister's face. He moved to comfort her, and it occurred to me that I had just met the monster of my sister's nightmares, her father-in-law Vaughn. I swore to myself that he would not hurt my sister, not again. Not while I was still breathing…