Soul Bonds

6. Alone (For Reals)

Carol had said they would need a day to prepare, but instead, she, Sang and Jimmy worked through the night. Sang quickly learned to keep her head down, work fast, and ignore the phantom scents that kept trying to gain her attention. The pain was harder to ignore, along with the pull to run out the door and to find her boys.

The rapid fire of tasks issued from Carol slowed as dawn started creeping over the horizon. Carol disappeared into the master bedroom for a moment then hurried into the kitchen to start preparing breakfast, using the food that would not travel well.

Breakfast was a silent affair. While they ate, Sang desperately considered her options, but her exhausted brain was only capable of concocting very Lukesque ideas.

Once her father and Carol had finished eating, Carol quickly started gathering dishes and started filling the sink with hot water.

"Jimmy and Sang, go through the house and check for anything we may have missed. We will be leaving as soon as I get this cleaned and packed."

Jimmy had just stood up when Sang's quiet voice firmly replied. "No."

"Dear, why don't you take Sang out to the van and have a conversation about our expectations. I hadn't wanted you forced to take on a disciplinarian role, but I think Sang needs to be reminded of her place in this family." Carol said calmly, sweetly, and without pausing in her task of washing dishes.

"I am not going to leave!" Sang squeaked as her father grabbed her arm and pulled her from the table. Her breathing picked up, and before they made it to the garage door, the only thing keeping her from hyperventilating was the flood of citrus and ginger in the air.

Inside the garage, any fight in her evaporated. She shivered in the early morning chill, which sent a new wave of pain crashing through her skull.

When her father dropped her arm, she stepped to the edge of the open garage door. Nathan's house was still and silent, but there was a faint glow of light coming from Kota's.

She started to take another step forward, but then looked back guiltily at her father.

"Just go. No one wants you here. Carol will not try to find you if you're gone." His tone was even and completely neutral. Uninterested. "But that will be the end of it. I'll be selling the house as soon as I'm able. I won't bail you out of trouble again. Are you confident enough in those boys? Sure enough in yourself that you can make it alone? There won't be calling me back when you find out they're.... gone. No more money, no more house. Are you willing to risk that?"

Sang's stomach rolled painfully. She wrapped her arms around her middle and stooped forward, almost trying to wrap herself around her pain. It happened again, and her balance shifted. One foot slid forward to compensate, and that slightest bit of forward momentum was all she needed. She flew down the driveway and across the street. As she raced to Kota's, she could see the garage door was closed. The front door was locked. She breathed for a moment, forehead pressed against the door and laid into the doorbell. She let the spicy smell invade her senses, remembering the taste of hot chocolate with marshmallows.

Running to the back, she found the kitchen door open. One step inside the house told Sang everything she feared. There was no one here. As her head throbbed in time of her heart beat, and the weight of her head became unbearable, she saw a set of the boys' keys and a phone on the counter. Recognition barely registered before the keys were in her hand, and she was again dashing outside, taking the long away around to Nathan's.

As Sang rounded the fence, the sound of an engine started broke the silence. Her heart thudded as she listened to the van pull out of the garage and turn onto the road. The decision had been made. There was no one left. She waited as the engine noise slowly faded away, slowly counted down, then peeked around the corner. The road was clear. In a moment, she was at the front door and letting herself in. 

Once inside, her knees went weak with the feeling of being home, being safe. Even as the phantom scent of leather and cypress enveloped her senses, she could still smell the true scent lingering underneath. Sang focused on the true scents of her boys. It helped the phantom scents fade away, and there was a slight loosening of the vice grip of pain in her head. Stumbling, she checked the house, making sure doors were locked and curtains firmly closed. Once she made it to Nathan's room, she slowly and oh so carefully plugged in the all but useless phone, then collapsed onto Nathan's bed. 

**********

AN: Titles are hard.

Sang's dad was harsher than I thought it would be, but, I've got Sang where I need her, and I think I think I think, this will be the last chapter where I'm focusing only on Sang or the boys. Yay for progress! 

I also strongly apologize for the lack of a news report. Those are really fun to write.