The Age of The Masrui

“Lux killed the man who shot Serena and hurt her… the police found him dead in a warehouse not far away. He bled out - they’ve matched his dna to the blood at the house so it’s definitely him. She nicked his femoral artery. His friend must’ve abandoned him there because there’s footprints in the blood leading out of the warehouse.”

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That’s fine, I’ll have alcohol waiting

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“I have to be strong for my mom. I need to be strong for everyone. She’s lost so much.”

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“Everyone leaves… it’s what people do. I’m fucking cursed.”

"Right okay well she uh, she doesn't need to know that.. she is going going enough, she doesn't have to feel like a mirderer too. There's only so much she can take." Dorian sighed.

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"You don't have to be strong with me," Cleo whispered, resting her palm against his cheek. "I've always been here to stop you from drowning, I can do it again."

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"I'm not going to beg you to believe me." Tesni sighed.

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Thanks

“I’ll leave it up to you to decide what to tell her - just… Update us so we know what to say to her.”

“Thanks Caliban. We’re all tired and not up for much conversation right now as much as we appreciate the update.”

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Bella was soon snoring against the pillows, the tablets having knocked her straight out.

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Henry eventually moved to lay down, wiping his eyes with his hands as he stared up at the ceiling, letting out a shaky breath.

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“We’ve got the girls now…”

"I am... Marlowe can you sit in with Lux and call me if she wakes up?" Dorian mumbled, not even waiting for a response before motioning for Caliban to follow and heading up the stairs and into the spare room.

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"What difference does that make for me and you? I am here to keep you afloat now as much as I was before. Come on, Rhys.... you just said it, if your mom gets bad then you won't be able to cope; that means your starting to slip now. Give yourself the same courtesy you are giving your mother, hm? Let me look after you."

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Tesni moved to lay down on her side beside him, reaching her hand over to brush her fingers through his hair gently.

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Ronan exhaled shakily and shook his head at her before heading out, calling to Rhys; "I need- " before correcting, "I'm going to see Karsi. Your mother went and knocked herself out like you wanted her to, not that she gave me any fucking warning so thanks for bringing those up. I'll be back later on."

“Wish I could turn my brain off… or had a distraction… hibernating sounds good right about now…” Henry whispered, turning his head to face her.

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Caliban followed up the stairs silently.

Odette frowned, watching them go before making herself another coffee, holding an empty cup up to Marlowe in silent question.

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“I’ll look after everyone.” Rhys nodded, pulling away from Cleo to gently pat Ronan on the arm before heading into the kitchen and routing round for the alcohol.

"Close the door behind yourself," Dorian whispered, sitting himself down on the edge of the bed as he placed his head in his hands.

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"Yes please," Marlowe nodded. "Coffee would be great."

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Cleo sighed deeply, following Rhys into the kitchen.

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"Karsi?" Ronan called as he wandered into her home.

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"Hibernating sounds amazing, always been jealous of bears and things."

"Close the door behind yourself," Dorian whispered, sitting himself down on the edge of the bed as he placed his head in his hands.

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"Yes please," Marlowe nodded. "Coffee would be great."

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Cleo sighed deeply, following Rhys into the kitchen.

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"Karsi?" Ronan called as he wandered into her home.

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"Hibernating sounds amazing, always been jealous of bears and things."

“Hey, hi…” Karsi greeted softly, heading down the stairs to meet him. Hesitating before gently pulling him into a hug.

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Caliban did as asked, gently shutting the door and sitting down beside him.

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“I have a feeling we’re all going to be needing a lot of it over the next few weeks.” Odette whispered as she made her a drink.

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“Maybe… maybe we should get a nanny for a few days… just until things settle down…” Rhys murmured as he poured himself a drink. “Since the girls aren’t sleeping so we’ll with the teething…”

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“Me too, can just sleep their problems away.”

"I think that is a really great idea," Cleo agreed gently, leaning forward against the kitchen counter as she watched him closely. "It's just a little extra help, hm?"

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"You could still give it a go," She mused softly, "Close your eyes, let yourself get some sleep."

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"I'm sure I am immune to it by now," Marlowe laughed. "The amount it has been a crutch over the years is ridiculous."

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"I don't know where to start," Dorian admitted quietly then. "Too much to say, too much to feel... too much to unpack."

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"I- I'm sorry. I'd normally go to her but I - I can't do that anymore and - and fuck..." Ronan hissed, voice trembling as he hugged her back gently.

“You’ve lost a sister too huh? And a great friend in Kadir. And Bella can’t be there for you cause you have to be there for her right now… I understand, you don’t need to apologise.” Karsi assured as she held him close, rubbing his back gently.

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“You don’t have to say anything Dorian… I can just sit with you for a while if you need me to”

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“I’ve tried sleeping… it’s not happening right now. Tried all night with Lucia and then when they got home…”

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“Think we’re going to need it… and if someone’s helping with the girls then we can help elsewhere.”

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“I’m not supposed to have too much caffeine so I hate to think how it’s gonna be when I hit the limit.”

"Just took a load of sleeping pills and blacked out," Ronan sobbed then, "Didn't even say she was going to sleep, just fucking done it and I hate it. Ridiculous, isn't it? That's the thing that gets to me the most but it's just like - it - like their dead when they do that. Erratic, pills, bang - nothing as limp as a damn doll and I swear sometimes they make her heart slow so much that sometimes it does stop. Fucking freaks me out, didn't even say night or that she loved me or shit like that just-"

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"She said she forgave me." Dorian whispered, staring at the floor quietly.

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"Give it one more go, Henry."

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"No, no. If they are helping with the then you can start looking after yourself."

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"It'll probably do you good, help you sleep."

“Serena did? That’s… that was nice of her. I’m… im glad she took the time to do so…”

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“She does love you, just not thinking straight right now. No excuse but I’m sure she does.” Karsi soothed, “Not helpful when you want to be held mm? Not helpful at all.”

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“I feel guilty… I ran and hid Marley…”

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Henry rolled onto his side to face her, opening his mouth as if to say something before shaking his head with a sigh and closing his eyes.

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Rhys sighed softly, offering her up a drink.

"Louis ever done it to you - been there and then - bam - like a light may aswell be? Then your just stood in this sickening silence and... and...." Ronan shook his head, moving away from her and leaning his head back against the wall to close his eyes.

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"Not until you agree to take time for yourself, Rhys." Cleo whispered, shaking her head at the drink offering. "You've got to agree."

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"Your pregnant, with a young baby. You had to, you were sensible, Odette. You being there wouldn't of done anything to change what happened."

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"I do love you, I just... I just don't know how." Tesni whispered, tracing his cheekbones gently with her fingertips. "It's hard... life is always so hard, it never let's up."

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"Mm." Dorian mumbled, swallowing thickly. "I uh - yeah I don't know."

“When my dad died he broke. He drank himself stupid when we got home and I had to put him to bed… it was like losing his own father all over and and it nearly sent him over the edge. He pulled himself together after a few days…”

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“I just… feel sick knowing I was hiding in a wardrobe whilst my husband and stepdaughter were held at gunpoint…”

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“Fine, fine Cleo. I’ll take some time for myself whatever that means.”

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“You love me, but you’re in love with the other guy aren’t you?” Henry whispered sadly, opening his eyes to look at her.

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“You were there for her Dorian. She didn’t die alone. She died being held by someone she knew loved her too. Died knowing her daughter was okay.”

"I don't know, Henry." Tesni whispered, "Too much is going on, has gone on. Work, your family, Wren's breakdown, Cain getting engaged and now this. It is a roller coaster, one thing after another and I - I'm the background character. Background character to everything going on with your family because I was uh... I was only there a couple of months and what right does that give me but- I don't want to think about being 'in love'. I just want... a break."

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"Loved her..." Dorian echoed quietly, inhaling sharply to try and stop himself choking on a sob.

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"It means; time you'd normally be feeding the girls, or putting the girls down or.. whatever it is the nanny does for us you don't look after anyone. You go for a drive, or a drink, or a nap. Whatever your body and your mind needs."

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"You were keeping your babies safe, you done the right thing."

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Ronan shook his head, muttering, "Doesn't effect how that shit makes me feel to see. I - don't need damn advice or whatever this is meant to be. It doesn't - this was a bad idea. You and I - your not great at.. don't get me. I'm going to go.."

“I know you did, do. I know.” Caliban whispered, pulling him into a hug. “I’ve been here… and it’s the worst pain, I know.”

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“Run away with me? Book a flight somewhere random and let’s just… go somewhere for a few weeks? For a break…?”

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“Wasn’t advice, sorry.” Karsi shook her head, taking his hand. “Don’t go, I’ve got alcohol. We can talk or… not talk. Or talk about something different. Shouldn’t be on your own right now Ronan… trust me to be here for you? As your sister… let me take care of you like you need right now.”

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“Okay Cleo… I don’t want to argue. Okay…”

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“Would you have done the same?”

"Two people that know how to do that shit are cold on a hospital slab or have taken drugs to knock themselves out." Ronan hissed, witnessing Bella's reaction disturbing him as much as Serena's death had.

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"I can't.... Erin and Elliot have started talking to me, she came and drove me here actually which was nice. They need me, or - or I need them?"

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"Probably, I wouldn't of wanted to but if I had to keep a baby safe then..." Marlowe shrugged. "It's more than just about you isn't it? Babies change things."

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"Good," Cleo whispered.

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"And Kadir was nice, like genuinely fucking nice. Your meant to hate your exes new partner but I liked him. The four of us were all fucking laughing together in the kitchen like something out of those 'the modern family looks different' ads."

“Yeah so I’m all you have right now.” Karsi levelled, grabbing the decanter from the side table and pouring him a glass before handing it to him. “You came here because you know that. Your instincts told you you were safe here, with me because you are. If you have to hide away in the back of your head for a bit then do that. If you try storm out I’m following you because you shouldn’t be alone right now. You wanted me as your sister,  well now you’re gonna learn how much I embody the annoying little sister stereotype. Drink up.” She added, firmly but not unkindly.

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“It’s good Dorian, that you were all like that. It’s good… it means the last moments you have with her were happy memories. All together for that little girl you all adore. And it will mean the world to her when she’s able to process it that her mom and dad didn’t fight, that her dad was there for her mom in her last few minutes. That her dad could put everything aside and make her mom feel loved before she passed. You’re a good dad Dorian, a great one.”

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Henry nodded in understanding. “Okay…”

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“They change everything.”

Tesni brushed her thumb against his cheeks, "You should go though, it'd be good for you - travelling alone. You'll love it."

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Marlowe nodded, "Will do for the rest of your life. Theo has his first girlfriend, he keeps telling me not to interrogate her whenever she visits but I never think I am." she laughed quietly. "Theo is extra special too, which is bad to say, I know but... his twin died and he nearly did too so... and Sienna, thought she'd be ripped from my arms as soon as I had he'd at first so again, special. Not that Chris and Faye are any less special but they were... how it was meant to be - if that makes sense?"

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"Good, fucking hurts though."

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"I don't feel like drinking right now," Ronan mumbled, offering the drink back.

“Words I never thought I’d hear you say.” Karsi laughed softly, putting the glass down before pulling him into another hug.

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“You trying to get rid of me mm? Caught you out.” Henry snorted, gently rubbing his nose against hers. “Your master plan to get me to leave, ship me off on some round the world trip.”

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“I know… and it’ll never fully go away. But you’ll learn to function despite the ache. You’ll get you and your baby through this.”

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“I know what I went through is no way comparable to you delivering Theo’s twin… but Luce is special to me in the same way.” Odette nodded sadly.

"She always will be, even when she is grown." Marlowe whispered with a warm smile. "Peolle even look at Teddy the wrong way and I can rip out their eyes. I love Maddox to the moon and back, but the day he threw Teddy out I wanted to kill him. He was lucky I was in a hospital bed." She laughed weakly. "My point is, you werent a coward; you were being a good mother to Lucia and to your unborn little one. You done amazing, Odette... you have a habit of doing amazing."

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"I never wanted Lux to feel it, what me and Marlowe did. I never wanted her to lose two people so important to her in such a traumatic way."

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"Don't be silly," Tesni whispered, closing her eyes. "Just think it'd be fun, think you deserve a bit of adventure after such a bad year."

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Ronan burid his face in her hair.

“Lux has the advantage of having a loving family… it won’t be easy, but it’ll be easier for her. She has you and Odette. Me and Darya, Bella and Ronan, she has her family. She won’t struggle. She won’t have to worry about feeding herself first and grief later… she won’t have to bench all that hurt to survive. She still has her dad, she’s gonna be okay Dorian.”

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“My mom believed in heaven… and though I don’t think you or I will ever be there I do believe if there is one Serena will be. She was a good person and I know you’re suffering. Bella let it all out… you’re safe to do the same here. To scream or cry… do whatever you need.”

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“Been trying to have fun these last few months, appears I’ve been going around it all the wrong way if travelling is the right.” Henry murmured, glancing back up at the ceiling.

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“I just feel like I keep trying to do the right thing and end up failing in the process… don’t know what to do with myself right now Marlowe.”

"Can I have a nap in the spare room? Cat nap... wake me up in an hour so I can go home and check on Rhys, Esme and Eric?" Ronan whispered. "Too tired to scream."

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"I understand that, everyone's constantly sad or dying and you just want to take all the pain away." Marlowe laughed humourlessly, offering her arms out to her for a hug then.

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"How have yo- Oh... oh, good for you."

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"I hope so..."

“None of it was particularly good. Felt nothing, meant nothing… no connection with any of them… makes me feel a bit sick thinking about how I got, actually.”

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“I think you need a bit more than a catnap… but if you really want me to wake you up in an hour I will do… do you want me to come lay with you?”

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Odette hugged her tightly, burying her face in his neck.

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“You’ll get through it together. You’ve done good raising her Dorian. She’s a tough little cookie.”

"I know you've lost so much, know your focus isn't you right now but when you give yourself the luxury of that then I am here if you don't want to put it on Dorian or your Aunt Bella." Marlowe promised, holding her close. "Your my sister after all, right?"

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"I don't think I can take the credit for her resilience." Dorian laughed humourlessly. "She gets that from Serena."

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Ronan paused at the offer, watching her closely before letting out a tired sigh and nodding a confirmation.

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"If its what you had to do then... it's what you had to do, right?"