[T]he next *mornin[g] *Sparrow*

[>>Sacora<<]

Sacora's head fell back, and Shattered looked up worried, only to relax as he found his master ok. His head fell gently onto her arm. The slight pressure felt good, and dimmed the pain.

The dog's ears pricked as the voice of an alto rose out of Sacora's throat. Her eyes were closed as she softly sang her mother's lullaby. Her mother had been an avid writer...and she had never forgotten the day she had found that music amoung her notes.

"I hear the river call my name
My tears fall down just like the rain
Beyond the clouds I yearn to fly
But all I can do is sit and cry

Oh dream my angel, don't be afriad
Don't stop believe, or you'll start to fade
The spring will come, the flowers will bloom
But your still a darkened, empty room

I hear the whispers, they say to stay
But I turn around, and run away
My body trembles as I roam
As I walk the streets, I'm all alone

Oh dream my angel, open you heart
You've been through so much, you've been torn apart
The sun will rise, the darkness falls
But you'll still be my angel
Standing tall"

Sacora's ice blue eyes flew open and a single tear rolled down her check. "I'm sorry Mother..." she whispered softly. "I never meant to turn out like you...I never meant for the mistakes to be repeated...."

Her eyes closed again and she started to sing a slow, sad song. She also loved to write...and this was one of her own. She had never finished it...so maybe she now that she was emotional...she could.

"I try to tell myself lies...
That I don't need you
Need you to survive
But I'm not fooling anybody
The pain grows, the agony remains
Yet I keep trying to feel okay
Even though my hopes are in vain

When you look into the mirror
Do you see what I see?
A pale face, black eyes
Can you see that you miss me?
Do you see what you've done?
Can you see what you've caused?
Do you see all your regrets?
And all that you've lost?
When you look
Into the mirror."

Her eyes narrowed as she got stuck. Then she sighed and stared at Shattered. "I give up!"

A low growl rose out of the dog's throat. She stared at him. "I supposed you're right." she sighed. "But what else can I do?"[/sub]

[Rose Brennan]

Saffron continued slowly reading, her hair was now pulled over her right shoulder and it fell in soft waves of sunlight as the knot had come undone without her noticing. Her ice blue eyes were thoughtful as she regarded the black type standing out against the white pages and she thought of Sacora and what on earth she’d let herself in for. She found herself singing softly and didn’t stop herself.

I follow the night
can’t stand the light
When will I begin
to live again?

One day I'll fly away
Leave all this to yesterday
what more could your Love do for me?
When will Love be through with me?

Why live life from dream to dream?
And dread the day when dreaming ends

One day I'll fly away
Leave all this to yesterday
why live life from dream to dream?
And dread the day when dreaming ends

One day I'll fly away
Fly, fly away

She put down her book on the edge of the bed and let one solitary tear role down her face which she brushed away with a delicate finger and a small sigh. Her hair was dry now and she looked beautiful...not that she cared much.

She wondered how long she could go on like this, it just showed how much she longed for companionship that she had a self-harming teenage girl and her dog curled up in her spare room.

But she had never been able to trust anyone else, they both had their guards up slightly and they’d both had a similar past. She got the feeling that she’d never meet anyone, never get married or have children...that depressed her most, the maternal Saffron Coulter would never be a mother.

[>>Sacora<<]

Sacora paused, as Shattered's head shot upward and towards the way Saffron had vanished. He set his head down, but his ears stayed pricked...Sacora blinked...curious of the sound that her companion liked.

She slowly and carefully pushed herself out of the bed then made her way down the hallway. By the time she had made it to Saffron's room, she was tired...but it was just the drugs from the hospital...she was under to it.

She leaned against the door-frame, and watched Saffron read. Only here could she catch up the beauitful voice. Saffron stopped, still not noticing her.

After awhile Sacora said softly. "My mother loved to write...poetry...songs...one day she hoped one of them would become a big hit...she never got the chance to see that through..." she trailed off. "She could also sing...although she was too shy to ever sing in front of people."

[Rose Brennan]

OOC: urgh, shorty

Saffron smiled softly and placed the book down beside her, she motioned for Sacora to come in. Her blue eyes glittering, glad that she’d come in. “And what about you?” she said softly “Do you sing?”

It would be good if she did, but bad as well. She could manage to get just about anything through the ‘business’ and it was a perfect possibility she could make Sacora sing professionally, if she wanted to.

It might provide a strong grounding for her, to focus on what she had...but it could do the opposite and Saffron knew that better than most...But she was getting ahead of herself and she couldn’t help but smile a little more but there was a question nagging in her brain “Sacora...what, um, what was your father’s name?”

[>>Sacora<<]

Sacora smiled almost sheepishly when was asked if she could sing. She considered lying...but that would be bad...lying hadn't gotten her anywhere so far. Sacora blinked and shrugged at the question. "I don't think so..." she murmured which was the truth...although she had been told differently.

Then the question came about her father, and she instantly grew stiff. That **stard had done more than enough to her, and she hated even to think about it. Although her expression grew hard, she tried to dig through her half-asleep brain. "Um...his real name was Luke Connor, but he rarely went by that name...when he was drug dealing he went by Brent Jacobs..." she said, thoughtfully. "Why?"

((XP mine's short 2...let me know if you wanna change the names! XD))

[Rose Brennan]

Saffron smiled “I bet you can” she said softly, she looked at Sacora, attentively awaiting her response and when she heard it she realized her suspicions had been true.

She went extremely pale and wondered how she was going to tell Sacora what she’d figured out. She stood up and walked toward Sacora and placed her hands on her shoulders, she knew the girl’s reaction would not be good...anything but.

“My...my father’s name Luke Connor, but I changed my name to Coulter when he went to jail. He’s not coming out Sacora, your father because...because he’s my father to”

((My muse has gone walkabouts)))

[>>Sacora<<]

((lol mine has 2))

Sacora stiffened suddenly. "I took my mother's name," she said curtly, trying to stay calm, which surprisingly, was not hard, although she wasn't sure how long that would last.

Suddenly she laughed, and sat down on the floor. "How long until the media finds out? Cause that will be fun..." she said sarcasticly. She had the urge to start laughing hysterically, but held it back, for now.

[Rose Brennan]

“I don’t care” Saffron said defiantly and there was a small flash of anger in her eyes that was quickly quelled. She sat down beside her, “I didn’t know until you told me, I was suspicious when they had all the details at the hospital and we both have fathers in prison” she laughed harshly and placed her hands in her lap, rubbing them together nervously.

“I’m sorry” she said finally, “I’m sorry I didn’t find out before but I’m not sorry I found you...understand? I don’t want you to think I don’t want you around because I do and it’s not just because your my half-sister” she stopped, waiting for Sacora’s response and running a hand through her hair, ruffling it and making it lose its perfect straightness, it wouldn’t be long till it became wavy again anyway.

[>>Sacora<<]

"Please don't get into the sappy stuff with me...I'm about to lose any sanity I have left...and that's not gonna help..." said Sacora, starting to get hysterical.

"I'm sorry but right now I'm not sure if I should laugh histerically or start crying right now..." she blinked. "So...I have a sister...it's strange thought..." she babbled.

Shattered padded over and neatly snipped at her hand. She blinked at him, instantly calming down. "Thanks..." she smiled, then she turned to Saffron. "It's a messed up world isn't it?"

[Rose Brennan]

“Mmh” Saffron said coldly, slightly hurt by the response. She was trying as hard as she could but all she got was cold, hard responses...well two could play at that game.

The huge dog was beside Sacora and suddenly she felt o lonely, the only family she had in the world was acting cold toward her and putting up so many barriers. That as to be expected but Saffron had saved her life and the girl seemed to forget that.

She was right, it was a messed up world, really messed up where someone couldn’t live a completely happy life; at least one period needed to be hell before or after the happy times, sometimes both. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall, thinking.

[>>Sacora<<]

"That was rude..." said Sacora suddenly. "I'm sorry...but today's been...rough in general...first I almost die then I find out my dad went and screw another woman..." she shook her head. "Thank God he's in jail..."

She trailed off, staring at the ceiling. "I'm not sure it you've realized, but I tend to not get along with people very well...I'm not very good at it...I'm not even sure how to do it...I've been alone...and nobody's ever tried to teach me...or help me for that matter...until you...and yet here I am acting like a selfish little..." she trailed off, glancing at Shattered. "I can get along with dogs though..." she said bitterly.

Shattered flinched and she gently put her hand on his back. She shook her head, sighing. "This is all very new to me."