She knew something was wrong when he came back to the boat, the moment his arms were around her. So much anger, so much hurt in those blue eyes. No where near the smiles and love she expected from him coming home.
When he gave them all the news, she understood the heavy heart. Roxy felt her own fall out of her chest. They lost Raph. They lost Knucks. Family was taken from them.
She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. Bro was yelling and something got thrown before he stormed off from the dinner table and up onto the deck. Normal, yet not.
She wanted to go after him, make sure he was ok. But her chest was too tight.
Next to her she saw Spero stiffen and a dark sorrowful look cross her little brothers features as he looked to her.
“We knew Roxy, we knew what he was trying to do…” he was right. They kept saying how Yorker was just trying to get himself killed so he could join the woman he loved.
The young Rover was just foolish thinking maybe the older would wake up and see what was there for him in the land of the living.
“Maybe he found her” Spero added softly taking her hand, and she could see that controlled tremble as he held in his feelings. “And maybe mom will pour them a drink” she gave a shaky laugh and nod holding back her tears even as they burned at her eyes.
“Yeah. nice little Court party…” the idea stung as much as if comforted her. “And maybe Raph found his husband, and they’re fighting side by side...happy together once again.” and then the damn broke and she couldn’t stop the sobbing shaking her, the tightness in her chest making it impossible to breath.
She didn’t even get to say goodbye.
Maybe that was the part that hurt the most.
“Stupid ass Yorker” she heard Brenda mutter under her breath as she stood. “Getting himself killed. Such a moron”
“Ahm fine” with that the Baywalker headed after the Wave Runner, slamming the door behind her. Leaving a haze of silence and pain as the oldest Star Chaser tried to remember how to breath.
“It’s part of the tides Roxy” came Galen's quiet voice, utterly calm as he stood up and began to clear the table. She wanted to be angry. To scream and yell and tell him and The Mother to go fuck themselves, but she didn’t have it in her. It took her a moment to realise her free hand had been taken, but she knew without looking or thought that it was Logan trying to keep her sane.
Looking to her brother, thoughts were exchanged before he kissed her cheek and stood up to go above deck.
“He’s checking on them” she replied quietly to Logan's questioning gaze. “I wanna laydown. Chest hurts” the normally loud and cheerful girl whispered before leaving the table herself in favor of the comfort of her nest. It didn’t take long for him to follow, somehow it helped, just laying there with her Moon and Stars holding her as she stared at the wall in a numb trance.
She must have fallen asleep, because she woke with a start. Gasping in air as panic filled her blood. Her mother’s words echoing in her ears, promised made only a year ago.
Logan was asleep, passed out from travel and fighting. She couldn’t resist the urge to run her fingers through his hair and to steal a kiss before she slid out of their bed.
Barefeet on old creaky wood that she knew better than any song. Too many nights as a kid spent sneaking out for her to be tricked into a wrong step.
Galen and Spero were in their beds. Whether they were actually asleep or not she wasn’t sure. Those two had always been good at faking. It gave her comfort to be able to set eyes on them though.
Bro was curled up on the couch, weapon gripped tight and a bottle of hooch on the floor. The younger took the time to pull a blanket over her cousin and carefully set his hat aside. It was amazing how much younger and relaxed Bro looked when he slept. With a small smile Roxy felt herself starting to calm down. Then she saw it.
Brenda was missing from her bed.
Maybe she should just practice not breathing more often so this would feel normal.
She rushed above deck shoving the door open, the weak moonlight giving her just enough to see, a breath of fresh air in her lungs as she spotted her friend, but it left as soon as it came.
Seeing Brenda cry was something she never wanted to see again.
It broke her heart just as much as the news did.
Roxy didn’t remember moving to the older girls side, but there she was holding onto her bigs sister as the older’s light sobs broke into harder ones clinging onto the Rover. When Spero and Galen appeared she wasn’t sure. But soon it was all three of the Starchaser children hugging onto their guardian and Roxy was pretty sure she saw her littlest brother crying as well, but it was hard to see around her own tears.
“You’re all amazing, i love you all so much” Mumbled the Tinker as she held onto her friends.
“Ohana means family Brendr” Roxy replied softly, before she could finish Spero’s voice added
“Family means no one gets left behind.”
A few days later they had made port in the Trap, With a smile Roxy was handing the ships paperwork to the dock worker and letting him scribble away about their cargo and crew. This was their last chance. All of their resources and people had pointed them to the Trap.
They couldn’t leave Fileaf behind. There was no chance in hell. They had lost too many already.
“What brings your crew here?” The Baywalker working asked looking at the Rovers ragtag group skeptically.
“Nothing major, just wanted to trade some our fish and see if you had any work for a Tinker and Engineer.” Roxy flashed a reassuring smile looking as innocent and happy as she could. He nodded slowly in reply signing off something before handing her papers over “kinda like a little vacation! Isn’t that wonderful?”
“You aren’t from Gatorland correct?” He added still seeming slightly unsure of the bouncy little Rover. Roxy was used to that though.
“Where?” that perfect little head tilt. That slow confused blink and frown. It was an art she perfected years ago. Her mother used to be so proud of it.
“Nothing, your papers check out Miss…..i’m sorry what was your name again?” oh that smile that crossed her face. She knew better than to fall for that, not when she still wasn’t sure those House Devill people hadn’t heard Syracuse yell her name that one time.
“Mercy, Mercy Creed. Nice to meet you. I’m excited to see all that the happiest place on earth has to offer”
