Scenario 24- ''She Needs Us.''

Ellianne came through the door awkwardly, a servant silently bringing in her possessions behind her. Her parents were glaring at her, and she didn't know what to say to them.

Her father was glaring at her, his green eyes boring into her. Her mother shook her head at her, refusing to look at her, and in many ways that was even worse.

Ellianne knew that she had royally messed up; she knew that before she had even lay her eyes on her parents.

But she... Life was hard, harder than any of her parents could comprehend. It was a struggle to live up to her mother and father, and it was even hard to live up to the fact that she was not even a morsel as good as they were. So she had resorted to things that she shouldn't have, and she was here now.

''Why did they do this?'' Kel asked, her voice soft with disappointment. ''What did you do to be kicked out of page training?''

''They didn't say?'' Ellianne asked incredulously. ''What did they say then?'' She was pretty sure that they would have told her parents, considering the graveness of the situation.

''That they had no choice,'' Neal said, through clenched teeth. ''That they could no longer keep you.''

''What did you do?'' her mother asked.

She wasn't planning on this. She didn't plan on telling them; she didn't think she would have to tell them. She felt her stomach twist in fear and in shame. She hang her head; she couldn't meet either of her parent's eyes.

''What did you do!'' That was her father this time. He rarely yelled, but he was now. His indignant roar brought tears to her eyes.

''I'm sorry,'' she said, her voice quavering with tears that she was trying so hard to suppress. ''I'm so sorry.''

''I...'' she said. But the words remained still on her lips. It was a truth she could not bare to face, and one that she could not bring herself to say aloud.

''I...'' she tried again and still the words did not come. Her sobs were racking her body and her words were barely comprehensible.

And then the words came, soft but striking with their own type of thunder bolts.

Neal looked at the ground, his mouth in a pinched line. He could not believe what Ellianne did, could not believe how she so easily tossed out the life she was formerly working so hard to build. For the past couple of days, he could not speak to her, could not even stand to look at her. Kel put her hand on his arm, stopping him as he was about to pace.

''Neal, stop this,'' Kel said. ''She's our daughter and she made a mistake.''

''A mistake?'' Neal said, chuckling bitterly. ''That's the understatement of the century. A mistake. No fucking duh.''

Kel shook her head. ''Not now, Neal,'' she said. ''Don't pull this now.''

''But she...she...she...''

''I know what she did,'' Kel said, looking at the ground. ''And I can't believe she did it, either. What, do you think I'm not upset either? Do you think I wanted this, Neal? Do you?''

''You're acting like it's no big deal,'' he said. ''Like it's nothing. Like she didn't just throw her life away.

''I don't know how this happened. She was so intelligent, so street-smart and... She was so determined. And you... You talked to her about those matters, didn't you? Still, she just went and...''

''Neal. Stop it. Blaming each other will do nothing to fix this.'' Kel was getting fed up with him now. He was mulling over this, like...like...like... He was so disappointed in her. And of course, Kel was too, because she did know better than this. But he looked disgusted with her. Kel was disappointed, but she could never be disgusted at her daughter. She loved Elianne too much. Besides she could tell Elianne was sorry, even though they both knew that it would do nothing to fix the situation.

''Oh gods, I thought my daughter knew better than to act like a godsdamn whore!'' he exclaimed.

''Neal!''

He looked remorseful then, and ashamed. He hung his head. ''I'm sorry but... Kel...''

Now it was Kel's turn to get angry. ''She's your daughter. She made a mistake. A big one but... There's no need to punish her like this. She'll be punished enough in the months to come.''

''She went screwing around and now... look what happened! Gods, I thought we taught her to be more responsible!''

''We did,'' Kel said, gritting her teeth. ''And she wasn't. There's nothing we can do about it now, though.''

Neal looked away.

''She's going to have to make a very tough decision right now, Neal,'' Kel said. ''A very hard one to make.''

''She could get rid of it,'' Neal said. ''She could get rid of it and go back with her knight-master.''

''I've always believed in a woman's right to choose,'' Kel said. ''But that's a decision that Elianne will have to live with the rest of her life.''

Neal looked away. ''She could always give it up later.''

''That might be even harder.''

''There isn't any option that sounds good now, Neal,'' Kel said. ''There isn't any easy option now. This is going to be a very hard decision, one that will affect her for the rest of her life.''

''I know,'' Neal said, gritting his teeth. ''Why did she…''

''Wondering and blaming won't do any of us any good, Neal,'' Kel said. ''Being stuck in the past won't either.''

''I still can't believe it.''

''In the next months, we're going to have to I'm sure.''

''Her other sisters did just fine. I would never compare Ellianne to them but… How did they end up fine, and she…''

''Ellianne was always different. She never seemed to be secure like they did. She was never really at peace with herself; she's never really known who she was. As her mother, I've tried to help her but I guess…''

''A baby won't do anything to help that,'' Neal said.

''No,'' Kel said. ''She's probably more unsure than ever.''

There was a pause, before she added, ''She needs us.''

Neal looked away from her. ''I know.''

It was about a week later, and Neal found Ellianne sitting on the edge of the pond with her feet over the water. Her eyes were distant, and there was a fear in them that tore Neal apart. The anger had subsided, and sorrow and disappointment tasted like bitter bile in the back of his throat. But Kel was right. There was nothing he could do about it now, nothing that anyone could do about it now. And it seemed that Ellianne was on the right track, getting herself together, from what Kel had told him.

Kel said she was keeping the baby. She was thinking about it for a long time, and that was the decision she had reached. Now she was trying to think of how she was going to make that happen, how she was going to provide for that baby.

''Ellianne,'' he called.

She turned around, and froze. She was shocked; he had been avoiding her for the past week. She probably thought he was going to get angry at her again, and rightfully so. He sighed as he ran up after her.

She didn't move as he sat down next to her. ''Hey,'' he said.

''Hey,'' she said, her voice quiet and hoarse.

''So you're keeping it?''

She nodded and her eyes got even sadder and more distant. ''Yeah. And I'll raise it, too.''

She looked so world-weary, and defeated like that. There were circles under her hazel eyes, and she was pale and gaunt.

''Whose the father?''

''I…He…''

''You know who he is, don't you?''

The words came out sharp. It was bad enough to get pregnant from a guy you had been dating, but a guy who you had barely or not known…

''Yes,'' she said. ''But it doesn't matter. He made it clear that he wasn't going to be a part of this baby's life. He wasn't ready to be a father; he doesn't want anything to do with me.''

Neal felt a surge of anger shoot through him. He never thought much of men who had skipped out on their fatherhood responsibilities, because they were too irresponsible themselves. But a man like that who was the father of his grandchild (or future grandchild) anyway…. He wanted to throttle him. ''Give me the name of that son-of-a-bitch. Give me his name and I'll…''

''It's no good,'' she said. ''It would be no good to force a father like that on a child.''

''But at least financially…''

''It's… I don't know.''

There was silence, and Ellianne started to cry. The tears flowed down her cheeks, although she didn't register them. Neal put his arm around her shoulders, and felt her body shake against him.

As Ellianne felt his arms around her, she started to cry harder. It reminded her so much of the times she was younger, when Neal would comfort her when she got upset. At the time, it would make whatever hurt she had seem better. Only she was older, and the situation and her well-being could not be mended so easily. That fact hit her heart with lightening bolts, and seemed to make everything that more hopeless.

Neal felt the impact of this, too. He could not tell her that everything was going to be all right, because he was not sure of this and she would be able to sense the emptiness of this promise in his words. She was not a little girl anymore, and she was facing a very adult issue.

But she would always be his little girl. And he would be there for her always, supporting her every decision (even if he did not agree with these decisions, or even if these decisions had disastrous effects).

''I'm here for you,'' he said.

She nodded. He didn't have to say it; she already knew.

Sorry if it was a bit sappy and unrealistic toward the end, but I didn't know what else to do. Just trying to present a serious topic in the best way that I can. Please review, and tell me you honest opinion.