Isiea is silent. She doesnt say a word, but shes been scratching her wrists again. Its a bad habit shes always had, which she does when shes stressed.

Beau had been a solid, warm presence. He never asked anyone for anything, content just to be near, making sure his charges were safe. Now he was gone, and the house seemed emptier for it.

Honestly, it depressed Lise. Which was surprising because usually she was depressing other people. But she was swiftly assured that her entire appetite was ruined.

Isiea eats her food quickly, then hurries back to her room. Probably to scratch her wrists some more.

Ethan hopped down from his chair padding down to Izzy's room. There was a timid knock on the door, and Ethan's head peeked inside.

After a short moment she opens the door, and gives him a forced smile. One of her wrists is bleeding a little, which is kinda unusual. She's scratched her wrists like this since she was 3, but rarely does it hard or long enough to make herself bleed.

After her siblings left she stood up and went to her own room, passing Isea's room.

(Here comes the guilt trip)

A dinosaur Band-Aid covered his forehead, and his right arm was wrapped in gauze. "Mommy and Daddy sent Beau away." His lower lip trembled, and he hiccuped, wiping his eyes on Floppy's fur.

"I know." She sighs, gently hugging him. "But he gave you a real bad bite- if we kept him, he might have kept trying to hurt you."

"Beau didnt bite me." Ethan gazed back at her with wide, teary eyes. The fear in them was obvious, and an understanding that went way beyond his years. "Beau didnt hurt me," he insisted. "Beau was trying to save me from the man in the closet."