The Secrets of Llawnech

After about half an hour, Emma had joined his side.

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Rose had retreated to her room, sitting on the edge of her bed and staring at the wall.

Marcus came. To join her after a while. "Hey you, what are you doi g all the way up here?"
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"Don't you need to be consoling my sister?" He asked, in her absence he had consumed probably the best part of a barrel of ale as he watched the fountains before him.

"She is sensitive, maybe you need to try hugging her rather than talking." Emma mused quietly.

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"He said he was all I had..." Rose whispered absently. "So, I am.. destined.. to only be able to feel what Jackson allows me to feel, or say, or do."

"That was not going to happen, I can tell from the way she reacted when I greeted her." He finished his drink.
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"In a way he is right though, he's your brother in a way he is all you have." He agreed. "But I think he needs his big sister right now and I know that he isn't going about it the right way."

"Don't give her the chance to react, just go for the hug. She doesn't need words, Echo... people don't always need words, they just need affection. They need to know they are safe to feel."

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"No, I have you and our baby and my aunt." Rose whispered. "I know I would have Alex if anything ever happened to you and Alicia. I don't have him, so he can't be all I have. I am all he has, he needs me. So he needs to stop being so horrible."

"I'll talk to him in the morning, but I'm starting to think this is how your brother deals with grief."
______

"No she just wants to attack me, she has no idea how I feel yet makes assumptions and throws them back at me."

"I am very glad that everyone's way of grieving is to tear out my heart and stamp on the pieces that are left." Rose answered sarcastically.

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"You are both doing the same kind of things to each other," Emma sighed, slipping her arms around him and pulling him into her. "You want to talk about it?"

He stood up on his feet. "Not really."
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"
He sighed." I know this all hurts now darling but I assure you things can only. Get better. From here. "

Emma frowned when he pulled away and stood up, going silent and just watching him.

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"It was getting better, he dragged it all back up."

"I wish I could make it all. Go away for you." He td her.
_____

Jackson just watched the water, occasionally. Moving his hand slightly to cause ripples.

Emma slowly got to her feet, attempting again - arms slipping around him from behind.

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"I wish you could too..."

He kissed her head.
______

Jackson didn't move he just watched the water.

Emma sighed gently in relief that he didn't pull away, holding him in complete silence then.

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Rose leant over to hug him.

He hugged her back.
_____

Jackson just watched the water.

"Its going to be okay, echo."

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Rose was quiet then

"Yeah maybe."
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He kissed her head.

"There isnt a maybe about it, of course it is."

"Yeah, maybe." He sighed. "You should go back to the party."

"And leave you out here miserable on your own? No."

"I would like some time to myself if that's alright." He asked her.

"I've given you loads of time recently, I just wish you'd talk to me. You promised that you'd start talking to me again..." Emma whispered, before waving her own comments away and leaving.

"I will, when I know how." He whispered.

Emma silently went back to the party, though simply ended up sitting by herself in the corner.

Alicia watched her and she wandered over after a while. "You okay Emma?"

Emma nodded subtly, "Fine. Parties aren't any fun when your alone."