When the girl woke up the next morning, Braig was already awake. When he saw she was up, he nodded to her.
"Morning, kid. Now come on, let's head back to town."
"Okay…do you think the two who…do you think they'll be…?"
"No, they likely gave up. Now come on."
The trip back into town was a much shorter one. Braig took her to the other edge of town, where a small inn stood. The sign on the top of the door said the Selkie's Song. He pushed the door open, and called inside.
"Rasa! You there?"
There was some banging in the back, and then a woman came out into the main bar. She was tall and well-built, with a tangle of dark red hair and bright green eyes. She was wearing a pain green dress, and was wiping her hands on her apron.
"What is it this time, Braig? Donner told me about the scrape you got yourself into yesterday, and I-"
She stopped when she saw the girl. "Is that- that's the girl that was with those two yesterday! Braig, you foolish man, what did you do?"
He ignored her, and pushed the girl forwards. "Clean her up and feed her. She's staying with us." When she stumbled forwards, Braig turned away and walked upstairs.
Rasa growled in annoyance, but took the girl gently by the hand and led her in back. Once in the kitchen, she turned and gave her a once over. The annoyance in her face turned to pity.
"You poor little thing. They must have been treating you something awful. Here, sit. I'll get you something warm to eat."
As she bustled around the kitchen, the little girl watched her with interest.
"Miss Rasa, are you Mister Braig's wife?"
Rasa froze. "What?"
"Are you?"
She laughed, but it was somewhat strained. "No, honey. I'm not. His wife wa- is my sister. He just lives with me."
"Oh. Okay." She smiled softly. "His wife must be really pretty, too, then."
Rasa laughed. "Thank you, dear." She handed the girl a warm plate of food. "You eat that, hon. I have to go talk to Braig. I'll be right back."
She turned and left the kitchen, leaving the girl to eat. After a little while, the girl began to hear voices. Blinking, she stood up and put the plate down. Walking to the stairs, the voices got louder, but she still couldn't make out words. Worried now, she sat down on the steps. A few moments later, she heard a loud thump. Without thinking, she leapt to her feet and dashed up the stairs.
When she got to the top, she could finally hear the words of the argument, and suddenly wished she couldn't.
"-you delusional, bitter moron! Could you please, for heaven's sake, stop living in the blasted past?"
"I am doing no such thing! You're the delusional one!"
Rasa yelled in frustration. "Braig, they're gone! Gone! My sister and Jasper are GONE! The darkness took them five years ago! Will you stop pretending that they just went on a little vacation and they'll be back? They're gone!"
She couldn't see the look on his face, but Braig's sudden stillness frightened her. Before she blinked, he raised a hand and slapped Rasa hard across the face.
"Shut up!" He screamed back, sounding more than anything like a desperate little boy. "They're alive, they have to be! They're alive! I know they are! Maybe, if I- if I just…if I just take her to the capital, she could find them! She can bring them back! Or she- or she can give me a Keyblade! If she can- if she can do that, I could- I could bring them back! I could bring them back, and we could be a family again!"
Rasa merely looked at him for a moment, then her face crumpled into tears. "Oh, Braig…what's happened to you? This has changed you so much, I…I don't even recognize you any more…"
Braig didn't answer her. He just stood unnaturally still, his back to the door.
The girl didn't realize what she was doing until her arms were already around Braig's waist.
"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I can't do what you want me to! I'm too weak, I can't bring them back! I'm so sorry!" She sobbed into his chest. "And I can't give you a Keyblade, either! They only- they only go to people they want, I can't give you one! Oh, I'm so sorry!"
She buried her face closer to him. "I'm so sorry! But please, oh please let me stay here! I don't want to be alone! You two were so nice to me, and I want a family so badly! Please, let me stay, even though I can't help you!"
Braig didn't answer her for a moment, and she started to cry harder. But then she felt his arms on her shoulders, pulling he backwards so her could kneel down and pull her close to him. It took her a moment to realize he was crying, too.
"Oh, god…oh, god…I'm sorry, kiddo, I'm sorry…how could I even think I could make you do that? I'd be no better than the people I took you from…I'm so sorry…"
He looked up as Rasa, who was speechless. "Rasa, I'm sorry…I've caused you so much trouble. I couldn't accept Mischa and Jas were gone, and I…I'm sorry."
She smiled through her tears. "I understand, Braig…It's alright."
He looked back down at the girl. "I'm sorry I expected so much of you, but…can I ask you something? It's not an order, I'm not going to force you…it's just a favor. Will you…will you stay? Please? You may not be able to do much, but…being around you, it helps me, just a little. It helps keep the darkness out of my heart. I know I shouldn't ask, after what I almost did, but…"
She didn't let him finish, crying out a delighted yes as she threw her arms around him again. He pulled her closer, and Rasa knelt and joined the hug as well.
Neither heard her when she spoke softly, her voice muffled by Braig's shirt.
"So this is what a family feels like…"
Bit of a short chapter, but a really good one. I was tearing up writing Braig's meltdown ):
Poor guy...