A/N: Well, this is last part of the Graverobber and Shilo moment. Thank you to LittleRepoBoy, FlaireSharpe, moonlight, geshagurl (aka moongurl736), and stiffkittens101 for reviewing. I'm glad you all like the chapter. And Flairesharpe, I'm just thankful that you reviewed. Indeed, I hope you all will enjoy this chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter Sixteen
Shilo and Graverobber had distanced themselves from each other after they finished their lunch. Well, Graverobber tried but he was so damn attracted to the young woman. He just pops up when Shilo was watching over and playing with the children. All the while, he continued his teasing with his low and seductive (?) voice.
And of course, Shilo wondered how he could be so damn annoying yet handsome at the same time. Right now, she felt like she wanted to slap him but she wanted hug him? Well, kind of. She mostly wanted to slap him for making her feel this way towards him. But then again, she seemed happy to know he would always be there. Well, for now, anyways. After all these years, Shilo still felt insecure, and she was more afraid of being alone more than anything.
Graverobber and Shilo sat in front of each other in the living room on opposite couches. There was still some unsettled feelings in the air for both of them. Both denied their feelings, no matter how obvious they were. And for some reason, they always found some sort of excuse to deny everything between them.
The uptight feeling started to slowly get to Graverobber. He hated that kind of aura. It feels like it could swallow him whole if he didn't try to do anything or say anything for that matter. It was then he finally got something he wanted to ask Shilo that seemed safe enough to talk about.
"So... Kid, why did take in those kids?" Graverobber asked, trying to sound like his usual self.
Shilo was glad Graverobber asked. At least, she didn't need to worry about denying her feelings to herself.
"Why do you want to know?" Shilo asked curiously.
"You don't seem to be the kind to take care of a kid. That's all," Graverobber said with a shrug.
"Yeah. I never thought I would take them in either until I met Emma. It started two years ago when she was only five..." Shilo began.
Shilo had been helping out Mia in her clinic once in a while, may it be assisting, making preparations for surgeries that Mia would do, or just cleaning the clinic for a bit. Shilo just wanted to be useful to Mia for a change after Lina and Mia helped her out and let her live with them in their small apartment. But of course, she has a job of her own other than helping out Mia. Shilo just wanted to busy herself to forget her past.
Thankfully, the clinic closed early before Lina entered with an injured girl in her arms. Shilo gasped the moment they entered. The girl was unconscious and still. Lina looked like she was about to kill someone.
"Wh- what happened?" Shilo asked worriedly. Lina didn't speak until after she laid the young girl on the bed.
"Found her in the middle of the street, lying unconscious. She lost too much blood, and it seems she has mulitple injuries. Where's Mia?" Lina asked seriously.
"She's in her office. I'll get her right away," Shilo said but Lina stopped her when she started to take a step.
"No. I will. You watch over the kid for me," Lina said before she left without another word.
It was only Shilo and an unconscious girl in the room. Shilo sat in a chair next to the bed and watched the little girl in worry. Several seconds later, the young girl started to stir, surprising Shilo. Just as the girl opened her eyes, she became frantic. Her body thrashing all about. Shilo froze and watched for a few seconds before Shilo hugged the young girl tightly to her. The young girl cried like a wounded animal, making Shilo in tears as well. Shilo tried her best to calm the young girl by telling her soothing words while she patted the young girl's back lightly.
Mia and Lina came on time to see Shilo trying to pacify the young girl. When the young girl calmed down, Mia took over when the little girl slept again and tended to the young girl's injuries. It seemed the girl was injured all over her body more than Lina had thought. Shilo had to turn away from looking at such brutality on such a young girl's body.
"Do not turn away, Shilo. Turning away means you are avoiding the problem," Mia said, "You need to get used to it or else you won't survive this reality. "
"But I-" Shilo started, clenching her hand into a fist. She was about to finish her sentence but Lina cut her off.
"That young kid is lucky. If she stayed out any longer on the streets like that, she would have been dead," Lina said quietly. She then looked over at Shilo and Mia. "She's going to be damaged her whole life."
Shilo clenched her fist even further, making her knuckles turn paler. She then unclenched them and looked over at the young girl. She ran her fingers in the young girl's hair and started to cry for her.
"She's far too young. Far too young," Shilo whispered. The three women stayed quiet as they watched over the young girl.
When the young girl woke up an hour later, Shilo was the only one in the room with her. The young girl looked around frantically before her eyes met Shilo's. Shilo gave a small smile to her but the young girl backed away a bit and cowered in fear. Shilo slowly leaned towards her but stopped when the young girl flinched from her being too close.
"My name is Shilo. What's yours?" She asked softly. The girl kept quiet for a while before she finally spoke.
"E-Emm- Emma," she answered hoarsely while closing her eyes. Shilo smiled before she poured the young girl some water in a glass and gave it to her. Emma looked up at her before she gulped the water down. Shilo whispered for her to slow down and not to gulp too much while she softly rubbed the girl's back.
"Do you feel better now?" Shilo asked after the girl finished drinking her water. Emma didn't answer. She only stared at Shilo.
After a while of being quiet, Emma began to finally speak again.
"I- I want m-my M-Mommy and D-Daddy," the girl cried, tears ran down immediately before the girl hugged herself tightly.
Shilo was startled at the sudden outburst. She became more frantic as she watched the young girl weep soon after. She just watched the young girl cry until Lina came in time to save the day.
"What's wrong?" Lina asked as she looked over from a lost Shilo to a mourning Emma.
"She- She just yelled out wanting her parents and then cried," Shilo explained. Lina sighed before nodding.
"Hey, little girl, stop crying for a moment," Lina ordered. The girl stopped and sniffled when she met eyes with Lina.
Shilo's eyes widened, wondering what kind of power Lina has to make little children stop crying.
"I want my Mommy and Daddy," the little girl repeated but softly this time.
"Where's your mom and dad? I'll take you to them," Lina told her. This, in return, made little Emma cry harder than ever before. Both, Lina and Shilo, were rather surprised at the sudden outburst.
After a few seconds of the shock, Lina whispered to Shilo.
"I don't know how to take care of this," Lina said. Shilo looked over with a concerned look.
"I don't know either," Shilo whispered back.
"One of us has to calm her down," Lina said frustratedly.
"I-I guess I would do it," Shilo replied. Lina nodded before she looked over to the exit.
"Be careful. It's dangerous when someone is unstable, may it be a child or adult," Lina whispered before patting Shilo's shoulder and left.
Shilo let out a sigh before coming up with something. It was then she remembered a teddy bear she found once and put it in a storage. She looked over at the young child still crying before she looked out the door to see Lina, leaning against the wall near the door.
"Could you watch Emma for a bit? I need to get something. I'll be quick," Shilo told Lina. Lina nodded before entering the room.
Shilo ran to the storage room and looked through so many baskets until she found a cute teddy bear. She smiled before she hugged the teddy bear against her chest.
"Please work," Shilo prayed before running back to where the child is.
Shilo saw the girl looked deeply scared and Lina looked quite lost. When Lina saw Shilo come back, Lina gave a sigh of relief and left the room once more. Shilo smiled and thanked her before she left.
Shilo turned back to Emma and slowly made her way towards the little girl. She sat on the bed while the girl coward the corner of the bed by balling up.
"It's okay, Emma," Shilo said softly before setting the teddy bear down next to herself.
Emma's eyes suddenly stop shivering when she saw the teddy bear. A small smile crept up on the little girl's lips.
"I'll give it to you. Free of charge," Shilo said. Emma looked at her in awe.
"A-are y-you s-sure?" Emma stuttered.
She nodded before setting the bear next to her. The girl snatched it immediately and hugged it tightly against her chest. Shilo chuckled a bit before she got closer and stroked her hair gently. At first, Emma flinched against the closeness and contact. But as if she understood, she relaxed and looked over at Shilo with her big brown eyes.
"A M-Monster t-took m-my M-Mommy and D-Daddy away," Emma confessed, crying her heart out again once more.
Shilo's eyes widened and hoped what she said wasn't what Shilo thought. If it was, the poor girl would be an orphan. Shilo came closer this time and held the girl comfortingly and stroke her back gently.
"Shhh," Shilo sounded to calm her.
"W-will I see m-my M-Mommy and D-Daddy again?" Emma said, almost choking from her tears as she did so. Shilo frowned and didn't know how to answer it.
"Lina drove to find out what had happened to her parents just in case they survived. Emma had to tell her where her house is, and she was pretty smart to remember where she lived for her age. I was there, of course, since Emma was still shaken from the whole ordeal, and it seemed she had taken a liking to me as well. And well, just as I thought, the Repo Man repossessed their organs. But of course, Lina was the one who found out what had happened to them. Emma and I stayed in the van. After we told her that her parents wouldn't be able to come back, she cried for at least a week," Shilo explained sadly.
"And? Doesn't really answer my question," Graverobber said, seemingly unfazed about the sad story. Graverobber heard enough sob stories for a lifetime, and it didn't mean he was a cold jerk. It's just that he was used to death, and it wasn't at all surprising to him. But of course, he understood. It's just that he's seen too much of this messed up world that he couldn't even show sympathy. Sympathy doesn't bring food on the table or give him money to survive on.
Shilo wasn't surprised at his lack of emotions, but it still made her a bit mad. She just sighed and let it go. He is, after all, a grave robber. She knew he must have seen stuff like that before and became immune to it.
"It took a while before you see Emma as she is today," Shilo said in a matter-of-factly tone. She ignored his lack of caring and what he said and continued on with the story. "When I saw how broken she was after losing her parents, it reminded me of myself when I lost my father and Blind Mag that day of the Opera." Shilo's head had lowered and closed her eyes, trying not to cry as she thought about them.
Graverobber noticed but did nothing. He wasn't one to interfere when someone had an emotional moment. Heck, he even admits that he knew nothing of how to pacify anyone.
"So that's why you took care of the orphans?" Graverobber asked after Shilo managed to contain herself from breaking down.
Shilo nodded and said, "That and many other reasons. Since my dad used to be a Repo Man, I wanted to right the wrongs he's done and repent for his sins. All the while, I want to bring joy to these children. They deserve happiness."
"That's a big burden you have there, kid," Graverobber said. He was rather surprised to know how much of an adult she is to bear such responsibilities. She was more of an adult than he would ever be.
Shilo nodded but smiled at him.
"It's not a burden at all. If I was forced to do it with no other choice, then it would be considered a burden, but I love them as if they were my own children if I had any. And anyways, I have Lina's and Mia's help, so I'm not alone in taking care of them," Shilo told him. Graverobber gave a smirk before getting up and sitting beside Shilo. His arm was wrapped around her shoulder. Shilo was pretty surprised at his sudden contact.
"I guess you aren't a kid, afterall, but I will still call you a Kid anyways," Graverobber said before he softly stroke Shilo's cheek with the back of his hand that was around her shoulder.
Shilo froze and looked at Graverobber as if he had two heads.
"And as for having children of your own, I could always give you my body. How about it, Kid?" Graverobber joked. Shilo looked at him shocked before she suddenly punched him on his stomach. Graverobber held his stomach. Shilo did have quite a punch.
"Stop teasing me," Shilo yelled quietly before standing up and stomping out of the living room to the kitchen in anger.