Day at home;;{{Briar

[Riley Pearson]

The girls were once again in their room and I had Justin with me, downstairs in the living room. He was sitting in his play pen, playing with a few toys and giggling, while I messed around with my guitar. I still had only played it a couple times since I tuned it the other day and I, surprisingly, to me at least, I could still play. It had actually made me slightly less depressed. Not completely happy, I didn't think that was possible, but definitely made me feel slightly better.

I was still a bit depressed due to many circumstances which I would rather not think about. Including, Riyann, Arden and Logan, all those jobs, taking care of the kids... mainly though that just nothing was going right lately. I still thought that I needed a vacation, but I wasn't going to get one of those. Especially this close to Christmas. At least I'd get a few days off of work.

[[ blah, sorry.. is crappy ]]

[Briar Holmes]

{| Tis not crappy. It's fine. Mine is sucky since I haven't RPed in a while.|}

'Okay..so if I leave him, I have no where else to go. I'll have to find a job... somehow, and I'll have no idea how to take care of the kids when I'm not there. But, Molly may come back?' The graduated Ravenclaw was thinking out what may happen if she left her boyfriend of 10 years, Alexander Crescent. She was positive that some of the family (ei. Shelby and her kids) would be happier. She was currently walking towards the house of Riley Pearson, long-time friend.

Briar has never had to decide things like this. Well, that was a lie. When she was thinking about leaving Logan to be with Alex, but she regrets that choice now. She'd stayed locked up in her room for a while now, not even leaving the house. The house-elves would bring her food and the only time she left was to go to the bathroom. Other than that, she stayed hidden from everyone. Except her 'son' Brendyn.

With a small sigh, she walked up to the door of the house and knocked on it. The cold wind made her shiver and dig herself even more into her coat.

'Hurry up Riley, before I start screaming.' Was all she thought through the freezing cold.

[Riley Pearson]

There was a knock at the door and wondering who it was, I glanced over to it before setting my guitar down and standing up from where I was. Just to be safe, I picked up Justin from his play pen. "Who could be visiting us today?" I asked Justin with a small smile, Justin replying with a small gah, making me laugh a little bit. He always found a way to make me feel a bit better. Plus, he didn't look much like Riyann, which made it slightly easier for me to look at him. Which sounds horrible, but was completely true. He had my hair and well, he had our eyes technically since they were blue, but I didn't have to admit that they were hers.

I got a better hold of Justin and then opened the door to see Briar standing infront of me. "Briar, hey." I said with a small grin to her. I noticed that she looked completely frozen so I moved out of the way. "Come on in. You look frozen.." I added with a small chuckle.

[[ nah, yours was still good and thankies you ]]

[Briar Holmes]

Briar was grateful when she seen the door open. To tell you the truth, she wasn't sure if she could move she was so cold. She smiled at Riley, something she hasn't done in a while, and slowly walked inside, very thankful it was warm. "Hey, Ri," She said thoughtfully, looking at Justin. This was the first time she'd seen the small boy. He was going to look just like Riley, she could already tell that.

She moved over to the sofa and sat down, looking over at Riley. "Hope I wasn't interuppting bonding time with the kids. I thought you might need a break though," She said with a small smile towards him.

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[Riley Pearson]

I shut the door lightly behind her when she walked in the house and followed her into the living room where she sat down on the sofa. I smiled over to her and sat down next to her after setting Justin back in his play pen. "Nah.. It's alright.. we were just hanging out in here..." I said with a small shrug, looking over to her from Justin. "And you are very right.. I could always use a break." I said with a small laugh.
I couldn't remember how much Briar knew.. but was I almost certain that she didn't know about Lilian.
"So how're you then?" I asked a few moments later. "It's been a long time."

[Briar Holmes]

Briar stood up and walked over to the playpen, picking the small boy up. She couldn't help it. She had to hold him, having all of her kids in their double-digit years, it felt good to have a baby in her arms. She walked back over to the sofa and sat down, Justin in her lap. She started tickling his sides, making the boy laugh and squirm. "I wish I could have seen him when he was smaller," She said with a small smile, "Not any better, not any worse though. Still trying to decide what to do with my life. What have I missed?"

She had no idea what had been going on in the outside world, she wanted to catch up.

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[Riley Pearson]

I smiled and watched as Briar walked over to the play pen, picking up Justin and sitting back down with him. I chuckled a little bit when he started to laugh and squirmed from the tickling and smiling lightly at him before looking back up to Briar.
"Eh.. He looks pretty much the same.. just more hair." I smiled. I nodded what she said next. "Hope you get it worked out soon then." I commented with a faint nod.
She asked what she missed and I shrugged faintly. The question was bound to come up.. maybe I should've had an answer ready.. but that didn't mean that I actually did have one ready.
"Short one wife and short one sister." I said frowning slightly with a faint shrug, looking down to the floor for a moment. The only difference between the two was that Riyann was still alive.. and Lilian wasn't. But I was just assuming that Briar would understand that, since you techincially can't lose a sister. But seeing as my wedding ring was missing, I thought that one was alright to get. "Haven't really missed anything good."

[Briar Holmes]

Briar looked down at Justin and grinned a little before leaning him back, and giving him a raspberry on his stomach, making him laugh again. She was always good with kids, except her twins. They were so rebellious that she couldn't handle them hardly. "Nah, he looks way different than a newborn," She commented, "Thanks. I will, soon."

She frowned at the man infront of her and shook her head, "I'm so sorry, Ri." That's all she could say. She looked down at his left hand and sure enough his wedding ring was gone. Losing a sister and Riyann had to be terrible.

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[Riley Pearson]

I laughed a little, "Well, course not.. but you know what I mean I think." I said with a small smile, watching as Briar blew a raspberry in Justin's stomach. I nodded again when she said that she would soon and smiled a bit to her.

I shrugged faintly with a small frown. "Thanks.. that's life though, right?" I asked, glancing over to her, not bothering to mention why I got divorced, since that reason was that Riyann murdered my sister.

[Briar Holmes]

Briar chuckled a bit as Justin began to play with her necklace and looked up at Riley, nodding her head. "I know what you mean, Riley Pearson. It's good to finally be able to hold a baby in my arms again, though." Having older kids were... well... annoying sometimes. They always fought back, always had to get their way. Well, with her kids atleast. And look what happened to Molly, she ran away.

"Yeah... and life sucks ass. BUT you've got to live through it, you can't just give up. I learned that the hard way," She said with a small smile, trying to get him to smile back. Briar knew that life was bad, but she tried not to let things get to her friends like they did her. She should take her own advice, but she never does. "I'm leaving Alex.. finally. You're the first person to know, surprisingly."

[/blockquote]

[Riley Pearson]

I nodded a little bit. "Yeah.. that's understandable." I said with a small smile. "And good thing you're here now becuase I'm not sure how much long he's gonna be this small." I added with a small chuckle. "He's growing up fast.." I said a few moments later, smiling a bit with a small sigh.

I nodded again. "Yeah.. I guess that you're right there, Briar.." I said with another small sigh and shrug. I wished I could give up, but I knew that I couldn't becuase I had three kids that depended on me. And since they just lost an aunt and a mum, it was probably best to not have them lose a dad too.

I smiled a little. "That's good, Briar." I said nodding a little bit. "If you need anything, you just let me know, okay?"

[Briar Holmes]

Briar smiled and let out a yelp as he pulled on her long black hair, "No, Justin. I need my hair, thank you," She said with a quiet laugh, slowly pulling off his small fist from her locks. "If you ever need someone to babysit, I'm your girl.. I guess. I'm better with smaller kids than I am with teens."

She nodded, knowing she was right. "I am right. Do you have any idea how many times I've wanted to give up. Then I think of Brendyn, Dakota, and... Molly. And my friends," She said quietly. "I always think it'd be a bit selfish. You have all these people that care and love you, but you want to go and do that. Just know, I'm always here for you."

Briar smiled a little and nodded, "Thanks, Ri. I think I have it handled, I'm getting a job at the Leaky Cauldron. All I have to do is find a place to stay. That shouldn't be too hard."

[Riley Pearson]

"Whoa.. sorry 'bout that.." I said biting my lip faintly. "My hair isn't long enough for that.. so I don't think about it." I said shaking my head a little bit. "Thanks Briar.. I'll keep that in mind." I smiled.
"And I don't think that anyone is good with teens." I chuckled with a faint shrug.

I nodded a little bit, feeling sort of guilty now too. I shrugged. "Is it terrible that I want to then?" I asked frowning a bit more glancing over to her. "And thanks.. you too.."

"Alright.. that's good then." I smiled."But if you still need anything.. I'll be here."

[Briar Holmes]

Briar chuckled and shrugged, "You get used to it. They like to pull on things for some reason. One time, Dakota pulled out a few strands when he was smaller." She shook her head at the memory. It hurt, alot. But he just laughed. She doesn't see how he's not in Slytherin. "Oh really, now? I must be the worst then, Molly ran away."

Briar frowned and shook her head, "Ofcourse not, I still want to. But I talk myself out of it, for the kids."

She smiled and shook her head. He was too nice for his own good. She wanted to hug him, but she had her hands full with Justin.

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[Riley Pearson]

"Ouch.." I said with a small chuckle, biting my lip a little bit. "Glad that hasn't happened to me yet.."I smiled, glancing over to her.
I frowned slightly, shaking my head. "When did that happen? And I'm sure that you're not." I said resting a hand on her shoulder softly as I did.

I nodded a little bit with a faint smile. "Glad I'm not alone then... and same with me." I told her before taking in a sort of deep breath.

I smiled back to her. ".. If you ever get sick of holding him just let me know.." I chuckled.

[Briar Holmes]

Briar let out a small chuckle. "You can handle it, I'm sure." She looked down at Justin then over at the play pen, before standing up. He looked a little sleepy, so she was going to let him lay down.

She smiled a bit and shook her head, "You're never alone, you just feel like it sometimes. It's normal when you've had something bad happen in your life." She remembered all the times she'd felt like that, how she felt like that now. It's the most horrible feeling in the world.

She laid Justin down in the playpen then turned to looked at Riley, "He looked sleepy," She said with a slight smile.

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[Riley Pearson]

I chuckled a little bit, "Handle what exactly? A teenager?" I asked wth a small smile, watching as Briar stood up, probably to put Justin bad. He'd been up for a while, so he was probably in need of a nap.

I smiled to her and nodded a little bit. "Thanks Briar.." I said looking up to her, really wanting to hug her right now. It was good to know that it seemed like someone actually understood what I was going through.. no one else seemed to get it lately.

I amiled and nodded. "Yeah, he did look a bit sleepy..." I said looking over to him. "He's been up for a while.."

[Briar Holmes]

Briar nodded, idly playing with her curly hair. "Yes, a teenager. It depends on how they're raised. All I have to say, is never tell them your life story when they ask."

She walked back over to where Riley was and smiled, "No problem, Ri." She knew what he was going through. She lost both her mom and brother, and Logan. So she knew where he was coming from. Though, he probably knew his sister longer than she had her brother.

She nodded, "They can only handle so much.."

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[Riley Pearson]

I chuckled a little bit. "I definitely wouldn't want to tell them my life story.." I said before shrugging a little bit. "I probably won't be able to handle them either." I added wth a small smile.

"Yeah.. he's taking naps all the time.." I said with a small chuckle, smiling a bit over to him before looking up to her.

I smiled again before moving up to Briar and pulling her into a sort of tight hug. I really felt like I needed one and it just felt so good to be able to hug someone.

[Briar Holmes]

"They blackmailed me into telling them, sneaky little twins.." She mumbled with a short chuckle. "I'm sure you can handle a couple of teenagers."

Briar watched the small boy slowly fall to sleep with a soft smile on her lips. He looked so much like Riley and so peaceful, it didn't look real.

She was a bit surprised at the tight hug, and after a moment, hugged him back just as tight. Both of them needed the hug, she knew. Especially him, he probably wasn't used to so many bad things happen to him so suddenly.

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[Riley Pearson]

I laughed a little, "It'll probably happen to me too then.. the girls are pretty tricky.." I smiled a bit. "And maybe.. hopefully, at least." I chuckled.

I glanced back over Justin and smiled with a small sigh as he fell asleep, relatively quickly. He did look quite a bit like me.

I really wasn't used to this many bad things happening at once and I was slightly wondering if she needed a hug as much as I did. After a few moments of her hugging me back, pulled away slightly, looking at her for a moment, before leaning in and kissing her lips softly, still quite close to her.


[[ jourdan went to bed, so she wanted me to tell you that she did and to say goodnight ]]

[[[ but i think that you left ]]

[Briar Holmes]

Briar shook her head with a smile on her lips. All kids were tricky in some way. "You'll be fine. You still have a few years."

The next thing that happened was a complete shock to her. Of all people, Riley, RILEY kissed her. She stood there for a moment, frozen and not knowing what to do before pushing him away. What was she supposed to do? She wasn't going to slap him, that's for sure. She'd feel bad, but she wasn't going to kiss him back either. That's weird on so many levels. "Um.... What the hell?"

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{|Yeah... welll... I'm back now :]|}

[Riley Pearson]

I laughed a little, "I guess so... but yeah, hopefully I'll live." I smiled.

She pushed me away and it took me a moment or two to react. I shook my head a little bit, biting my lip. "... I don't really know.. I, um.. wasn't really thinking I guess." I said finally, looking away from her for a moment. I think that, that was a big problem of mine. I should start thinking maybe. I wasn't sure what it was, but for that split second, I just felt really close to her. But I had to admit that I was sort of regretting it now. I didn't want anything to be awkward. "Sorry."

[[ lol, then yay ]]

[Briar Holmes]

Briar smiled and nodded, "That's what I... kind of wanted to hear."

She smiled after a minute or two and shook her head, "Riley, it's okay. Things happen.. yeah, that was unexpected and strange on so many levels, but it's okay." She patted his shoulder, what else could she do? He just kissed her and now it felt a bit awkward in the air. It was okay, though. She's had worse things happen. Like, Alex for instance.

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[Riley Pearson]

I smiled and chuckled a little bit.

I nodded faintly, "Still sorry though.." I said quietly, looking at her for a moment before going to sit back down on the couch, running a hand through my hair. "I'm just.. I don't even know what I am." I said eventually, glancing back over to her.

[Briar Holmes]

Briar frowned slightly and sat down beside him. "What do you mean by that, Ri?" She asked him quietly. That coul dbe formed into many different things in her mind. Like, what I'm doing here, who I am, if I'm even human. She put her hands in her lap and looked down at them for a moment befoee looking back up at him, waiting on his answer. She wanted to help him as much as she could.

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[Riley Pearson]

I shook my head a little bit. "I don't know.." I said after a moment, realizing that, that wasn't helping her one bit with her question. I looked over to her for a moment and shrugged. "A lot of things have been going on lately and I think they just really.. wore me down or something.." I said eventually before letting out a deep breath. "I'm just depressed... and alone...." I added quietly with another small shrug.

[Briar Holmes]

Briar let a sad smile come to her lips and she nodded, kind of understanding. Well, completely understanding. She'd felt like that many times through her years. Even in school. "I think it's because you hide yourself away and try and look happy, whether for your family or your friends. So you won't worry them? Then it builds up and all of that depressed and lonlieness feeling increases. Or, in this case, wears you down. I'm not sure exactly."

Then, she thought of how one of her friends would always try and get her out of that funk. Take her out and do something. But, he had kids and no one to look after them. "Sometimes, you have to get out there and do something. It takes it off of your mind."

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[Riley Pearson]

I nodded faintly. "Probably it.. I mean.. I don't have many friends actually, but the ones I do have I really don't want to worry, or upset.. Like Arden. And then there're my kids.. they're depressed really enough.." I shrugged faintly. That really was it.. at least probably a bit part of why I felt like this. ".. I really don't think I can handle anything else.." I added quietly, letting out another deep breath.

"I've tried to.. Just doesn't work." I said shaking my head faintly. "Not usually anyway."

[Briar Holmes]

Briar nodded, staying silent. What he really needed to do is get everything off of his chest. Confess everything to someone. If he wanted to, she was just the person. He could trust her, and she hoped he knew that. She made a face all of a sudden and gently hit him upside the head, "Don't say that. That's the last thing you need to say. You will not leave me in this hell we call a world," She said sternly.

Briar simply smiled and said, "I can still be a bit immature Ri. I'm sure you don't want me taking you out."

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