Plan A And Plan A

As quickly as they could, they had run to his house and locked the door, just in case Kat had forgotten to say something else to them. Ivan's heart was beating quickly in his chest, but calming down had not been an option until he and Natalia had locked themselves safely in the house.

Wait, locking himself up in the house with Natalia was safe? Comparatively, yes. Ivan was confused.

"But she alvays remembers pills. She's only one who ever remembers," he repeated again. It took Ivan a long time to be able to do so on his own. Natalia still did not have to take pills, as she always had been able to convince the doctors she was perfectly sane. Still, Katyusha was the one person he had never had to worry about hurting him in any way. And he would protect her... right? That was right. Ivan slumped down on his couch, face in his hands. He heard Natalia move away from the window, from which she had been staring through the curtains.

"What are we going to do?"

"Make her take pills."

"How?" Natalia questioned, voice still quiet and still standing in front of the couch. Ivan moved his face out of his hands, now simply propping his chin on them. Natalia's hands were on her hips, but not in her usual stately manner, just as if her hips were the place to rest them.

"Don't know."

The both of them fell quiet.

"If ve don't soon..." Ivan continued, hating to even think about it. Not Kat. Not his darling sister. He did not want to know how deep it went, just like he wished he did not know just how bad he could be. With himself he did not have a choice. With Kat, he did. Now he did not know how much worse it would get, just that it would get worse.

"She went to go see Angus," Natalia said, suddenly sitting on the ground. Ivan groaned. No! This was horrible! He did not trust Angus, sure, but if Kat did something... she would never forgive herself. Ivan did not know what she might do, but it did not matter. They had to think of something now and it had to be quick.

"Zen ve get her avay from him," Ivan stated firmly, looking over at Natalia. Nat stared at him with confusion.

"Not that... I don't think we'll have to worry about... him," she said slowly. "But if she doesn't come with us..." Natalia took in a deep breath. "Brother, you'll pick her up."

Ivan was horrified. "Use force on Kat? No, no! I cannot do zat!" He shook his head a few times to emphasize his point, but Natalia was pointing straight at him now.

"You will! You have to pick her up and take her back home and make her take her pills! I know you can do it brother, I believe you can always..." her words trailed off as she bit her lip, looking away from him. Conflicted, Ivan suddenly remembered how weird things had been between him and Nat, especially just recently. Funny how that worked.

Ivan was not very amused.

"She alvays remembers pills..." Ivan responded sulkily, but he did not have the heart to reject Natalia's plan right now. He could not think of anything else. Maybe if he got Katyusha to her house again and gave her her pills she would do it on her own. Yeah.

A knock on the door startled both of them, Ivan hiding behind the couch and Natalia clinging to him, her face pressed into his back. Half a minute later, there was another knock.

"I don't think it is Kat. You should answer it."

"You answer!"

He could feel Natalia glaring at him and so Ivan went to answer the door. He unlocked the door and opened it slowly, peering through the crack in the door before he finally opened it the entire way. "Your cat," Heracles said slowly, holding up a very happy looking Anastasia.

"Anastasia!" Ivan said happily, taking her. He pet her happily, feeling much better. Though... he had been certain she was in the house. Oh well. "Zank you."

Heracles shrugged, turned, and left. Ivan shut the door, still stroking Anastasia as he returned back over to the couch, where Natalia was now standing up straight once more.

"You will get Kat and I will make certain Angus does not interfere," she restated their plan.

As one, both she and Ivan both hesitated, swallowed, and then nodded.


Notes:

Aw~ Ivan can so easily be pushed around by both of his sisters. He is such a good brother. *sarcasm*