Will You Keep The Secret

"I'm not doing anything to her! She is waiting outside for her mother." Apollo snarled, letting go of her once she was in the front garden and heading back in the houee. Closingvthe front door behind himself.

Ariel just swallowed thickly, looking around, seeming completely bewildered.

----
Persephone swore under her breath before whispering to Dallas. "Sorry, I'll be back." before heading out. "Come on Laney."

Ripley opened her mouth to say something but in stead burst into tears at being yelled at.

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Dallas only nodded. "Go get her."

Laney nodded. "I'll be back. My car is in the parking garage."

Apollo sighed when Ripley began to cry, walking over and picking her up to hug her, bouncing her gently as he did. "Don't cry, I'm sorry. It's not you I'm angry at, I shouldn't of yelled. I'm sorry, sweetheart."

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"We weren't careful enough." Persephone stressed as she headed toward Delaney's car.

"Why did you yell? What's happening daddy... we didn't do nothing wrong... we didn't... sh-she's my friend.. " she cried.

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"No, leaving the girls at home with his was a mistake," she muttered leading the way to get car.

"They must of said something that helped him figure it out," Persephone mumbled, getting into the car once they got there and putting her seat belt up. "Break every driving law there is, I don't care, we need to get there."

---
"It's complicated, you just have to trust me."

Ripley sniffled. "Can't she stay in here with me? Pleeeeeeease? We'll be really really quiet."

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Delaney got in and buckled her seat belt. "I'll get us there. Don't worry." She was going to hit every back road she knew, taking the shortest route possible as quickly as she could without causing any accident.

"No," Apollo answered with a shake of his head, placing Ripley down onto her feet and wiping her tears away gently. "Don't be sad."

---
Persephone just nodded, holding onto the car door - tense.

"But why? I like her..." she whined quietly. "Can I sit outside with her so she isn't scared?"

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"She'll be okay. He wouldn't hurt the girls," she muttered more to herself, making a sharp turn down a small back road.

"I'd rather you stayed inside,"

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"He wouldn't hurt your girl," Persephone mumbled. "Ariel and I stand between Ripley having my powers, and he'd be able to manipulate Ripley to doing whatever he likes with those abilities."

"But why? How come you don't like her?"

----
"I know that. I know what my daughter mean... which is why I need to take her with me," she whispered.

"It's complicated, I'll tell you one day - just not right now. Go to your room, hm? Finish up all those snacks."

---
"Take her with you - your finally going to leave him?"

"Daddy?"

---
"He's not giving me a choice," she whispered keeping her voice much calmer than she felt.

Persephone frowned at that, glancing over and whispering, "If it helps at all; you've always deserved better than him. Always."

---
"Yeah?"

Delaney just shook her head.

---
"I'm not going to get to play with her anymore... am I?"

"Don't shake your head at me, it's true. He just has this way of making you feel like you aren't good enough, it's really subtle, and you don't even realise he is doing it."

---
Apollo shook his head in the negative.

"It isn't true. We've been fine until today."

----
Ripley's bottom lip trembled and she started to cry even harder than before.

"I bet I can prove you wrong." Persephone shrug. "Has he ever forgotten that your opinon has just as valid - it could be to do with anything. What laundry detergent to use, what to have for dinner, what to order in for dinner or something to do with Ripley."

---
"Please stop crying," Apollo sighed.

"No. My opinion has always mattered as does Ripley's. Believe it or not we've been happy."

----
Ripley shook her head walking to the front door wanting to make sure that Ariel was still there.

"Bull." Persephone muttered. "If that was true you wouldn't be as worried about the girls as I am."

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Apollo made a small frustrated noise, "I said go up to your room, Ripley. So go."

"I'm worried because she's my daughter. She's sensitive and just her thinking he may be angry will put her into tears."

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"I just want to play with Ariel," she whined.

"And I've said you can't. I've said go to your room."

---
"Your still as niave as ever." Persephone muttered with an eyeroll.

"It's not fair... you won't even tell me why," she cried stomping up the stairs.

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Delaney ignored her, driving faster the closer they got to her home.

Persephone dropped it then, staring out ahead at the road, tense.

---
"Your too young to understand."

"I'm only too young when you don't want to tell me," she grumbled slamming her bedroom door behind her.

----
Laney turned down her street pulling up in front of the house.

Persephone sighed in relief when she saw Ariel in the front garden, getting out of the car and jogging to her daughter. Picking her up and hugging her tightly, "Hi there you,"

Ariel buried her face against her shoulder, only beginning to cry when she was in her mothers arms.