brand new eyes

She took in another breath, a habit that she wasn't finding herself able to break just yet. But with each breath, she was swamped with another unique blend of smells. There was so much that she'd never noticed, not until now. Each person, each individual person had their own scent. Some smelled better than better. There was a boy down in the arena, for example, who smelled as if he'd spent the last few hours rolling around in garbage. Her nose wrinkled as he began moving towards her, and she turned around abruptly, planning on simply walking away.

But her feet had a different plan. And before she knew it, she was on the other side of the arena. Reeling to a stop, she blinked rapidly, glancing over her shoulder, a smirk flashing across her face at the confusion written over all the people she'd formerly been around.

She couldn't keep doing this, breaking into runs accidently. She'd crash straight into a wall if she couldn't walk normally anymore. A month trying to figure this all out evidently hadn't been enough.

But she had forever for that.

Lisette walked into the large arena, eyes scanning the small crowd of people gathered there in the soft lamplight. Her parents had given her free reign of the town, just as long as she stayed no more than a few blocks away. Her father had said something about showing her mom dragon statues, so she was confident it would take awhile anyway.

She looked up at the sky, her eyes glistening at the stars far above her. She didn't know why, but they reminded her of Zander, and the way he sort of... twinkled. It was so stupid. Everything reminded her of him, and every time she thought of him, that hole in the pit of her stomach just got deeper. Why couldn't he just be like the other boys? She didn't even care enough to remember most of their names.

A flicker of movement in the corner of her eye caused Lisette's head to turn. Just barely visible in the low light, she could make out a silhouette much like her own, only longer and sleeker. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but it seemed a very, very familiar.

She walked closer to the figure, who was looking at something right across the arena, so that the girl could see the woman's profile. The closer Lisette got, the more familiar the person became, until she could finally see her face. The Angelique grinned at her sister, "Juliette?"

She straightened up slightly, a new smell wafting towards her. But unlike the rest of them, this one was...different. A comforting sort of familiar, but different enough from the way she smelled to assure the newly turned vampire that someone else wasn't wandering around smelling just like her.

So that meant... did family smell alike? Of course, they'd smell more human than she did, but they should smell somewhat like her, right?

Would they even want to talk to her if they found out, if she let it slip about what she was now? She liked to think that her family, being her family, wouldn't care in the slightest, but the irrational fear didn't want to stop poisoning at her thoughts.

The voice reached her ears as clear as day, and despite the thoughts plauging her, Juliette couldn't help but grin, turning to face her little sister, praying that each of her movements were as humanlike as possible. "Lisette! How are you?" Wrapping her arms around her, she took great care not to lift her in her arms. "What have you been up to?"

Lisette hugged her sister tightly, before stepping back with a small laugh, "Really happy to see you." She looked up at her, "You've been away for so long. We all missed you." The corners of the young girl's mouth turned down just a tinge as she thought about how worried her parents had been for the last few weeks.

A grin lit up Lisette's face, "Hey, Mom and Dad are in Azorat, too! They would just love to see you." She grabbed her sister's hand, "Come on, they're just around the block," she said as she turned to leave.

"The feeling's likewise, Lis." The whole time she'd been away, she'd spent it wondering how her family and friends were doing, if they were safe or not. Knowing that they were was comforting. It made her feel as if nothing had changed, as if she'd never been hurt in a bar fight and splinched. As if she'd never been turned at all.

Juliette's expression softening, she leaned towards her sister, collecting her into a hug again. "I'm sorry. I guess I just sort of lost track of time, with life and everything." Pulling away, she met her gaze, "I promise, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

Her parents...she hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. They were her family. If anyone was going to accept her, it'd be them. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, she grinned widely, "I'd love to see them! How've they been? You still haven't told me what you've been up to, you know." Her grin widening, she nudged her shoulder, being careful to use as little strength as possible. "Don't think I haven't noticed."

Lisette sent a smile back at her sister as she led her out of the arena, "Dad's getting a lot better, and mom is... well, she's mom." The girl gave a small giggle, then sighed, "They've been worried about you though. They won't shut up about how you're growing up too fast."

She pursed her lips in an attempt to stifle a dubious smile, "I'll tell you later. It'll probably take awhile." She craned her neck around the corner, and saw a couple walking toward her.

"Mom! Dad!" Lisette looked back at Juliette again, "I can't wait to see the looks on their faces."

Juliette laughed as well, giving her head a little shake. It was good, knowing that everyone was well. If something bad had happened, she never would have been able to forgive herself for it. They were her family, and nothing in the world could excuse her not being there when they needed her.

"Oh Lis, I don't think I'll be growing up anymore." Her lips curved upwards into a secretive little smile. "I really don't think I'd mind being stuck like this forever."

She had to bite back the laughter bubbling in her throat, simply grinning widely. She'd tell them, she decided. But only once. It was easier that way.

"You're my sister. I have all the time in the world for you." She ruffled her hair, topping it off with a little pat on the head. A pair of scents drifted towards her, smelling familiar but distinct enough for her to able to tell them apart from her sister.

Their parents.

Her back going rigid, for a moment she stopped breathing. Realizing moments later that the action wasn't as important as it had been, she simply gave her head a small shake, resuming the pointless task of exhaling and inhaling.

Giving her parents a long sweeping wave, she grinned, dragging her gaze back towards Lisette. "Neither can I, honestly."

Lisette gave one last elated smile before turning back to her parents who, unsurprisingly, were standing still, stunned at the sight of their eldest daughter.

Their father was the first one to make a move, and he burst into a great big laugh, "Our Juliette's returned!" He strode towards his girls and embraced them both, taking a long moment to appraise her. "You've got to tell us all your stories- after all, you're a worldly woman now," The man said with an excited grin. He turned back to his wife with another booming chuckle, "Isn't she, love?"

Lisette's mother hadn't moved during the entire exchange. Even her facial expression was almost identical to a statue's. Then, out of nowhere, the woman gave one of her rare smiles, "It is good to see you again, my dear."

She couldn't help but giggle, entirely amused by the surprised expressions on her parents' faces. Had they expected her to leave and never come back? Even the idea made the twenty-three year old feel sad.

"Didn't think I would?" She let out a tinkling laugh, wrapping her arms around her Dad, taking great care not to use too much strength. She'd seen what she could do, and it positively terrified her. Juliette shook her head. Just now, for tonight, she wasn't going to think about it. Her grin returned as quickly as it had vanished, and she shook her head again, this time of amusement. "What can I say? There's a whole world out there to explore. You just gotta look hard enough."

She grinned, turning towards her mother. Her grin faded slightly at her expression, and she absent-mindedly bit down on her lip. What if she could see right through her? Her 'travelling' hadn't strayed her all that far from home, and what if she even - Juliette calmed down almost instantly, her grin broadening. "It's good to see you too."

"Well, not in this good of a state." He said with a grin, looking her over, "Anyone your age who's gone travelling long enough is bound to get in a couple close scrapes." The man laughed, "Glad you came out okay, Juli. You always do."

Their mother walked up to her, her eyes giving just the hint of tears. She put her hands on her shoulders, "You look so grown up, now." She gave her a gentle hug, then stepped away into her husband's arm, "I almost can't believe it," she said with a tiny smile.

"I have to admit, there were a few close scrapes." Juliette tilted her head slightly, raising an arm to rub at her right side, the memories of the bar fight and ensuing splinching still fresh in her mind. Because of them, she'd ended up like this. But being a vampire had its perks, she had to admit. "But hey, I'm here, right? Most important part." She flashed a grin, though her eyes spoke of insecurity, the need to be accepted by her own family.

She looked up at her mother, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I would stop growing if I could. Being like this forever can't be such a bad thing, can it?" She hugged her back, her smile amused as she pulled away. Stepping behind her younger sister, hid herself behind her. "If you're going to be all 'I've grown up too fast,' remember that you still have Lys here." She grinned, moving beside Lisette to link arms. "She's still a baby, aren't you?" Juliette teased, ruffling the Angelique's hair.

"Have you guys eaten yet?" she asked, looking from one family member to the other. "If you haven't, it's on me." It would be easier to tell them around food, even if she couldn't eat it. It'd be like old times.

Lisette gave a sarcastic gasp, taking a step back from Juliette. "I really resent that, but since I missed you I'm not going to argue," She said, smirking affectionately at her sister.

Their father shook his head, "No, no... We couldn't possibly ask that of you. We'll-"

"Just let her pay dear," Paloma interrupted, "She probably has more money on hand then we do, anyway." Lisette gave her father a coaxing look. It was true that Juliette somehow always seemed to have copious amounts of money with her at any given time. Plus, she couldn't let her parents spend money they could barely make.

"All right then! Let's go get some food!" Their father interjected, clapping his hands and beginning to walk towards the nearest restaurant, "Let's get you something nice- But not too nice! It's your money after all." The rest of the family followed him down the street, Lisette giving her sister a knowing smile.

"It's true, what can I say?" She spread her arms out wide, shrugging, though a grin lit up her face. "You're the baby of the family, Lis. Always will be." Though, it suddenly dawned on her that one day, Lisette would look older than she was. Shaking her head to expel that thought - it was years and years away - she glanced back up at her family.

Wincing slightly, she fiddled with the strap of her purse. Having more money than her own parents made her feel guilty and selfish, like she wouldn't help them out. But she knew her parents, and they wouldn't just take handouts.

Juliette shook her head amusedly at her father, walking after him beside her sister. She fiddled absentmindedly with the hem of her shirt, chewing on the inside of her cheek. With each step, she doubted her decision more and more. But she had to do this. They had a right to do.

Seated in the restaurant minutes later beside her sister, their parents across from them, her gaze kept flickering around the establishment from patron to patron and waiter to waiter. Each person smelled so individual and uniquely appetizing - She shoved that thought away, her gaze finally dropping to a menu of things she couldn't eat.

Now? Or once they were served? With food, they couldn't exactly run away, but seeing as she was paying... "There's something I have to tell you." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, still unable to raise her gaze, her voice quivering. "Please - just - No matter what, you'll always love me, right?" Juliette glanced up here, her green eyes stopping on each family member for a moment, her hands shaking in her lap. "Right?"

Spoiler:

The three of them went quiet at the sudden change in tone. Two pairs of eyes were brimming with concern, and the mother, who only exhibited a look of warm understanding, reached out to take Juliette's hand, "Of course we will. Always."

Their father followed up with a confident nod of the head, "You don't even have to ask."

Lisette simply smiled in agreement, a little too worried for her sister to be able to do much else. From the minute she had seen her, something had felt very off. They had all sensed it, though none of them said anything.

To set the mood.

Taking her mother's hand, she squeezed it softly, hoping that in the action her hands had slowly stopped shaking. Letting go, she clasped her hands together, staring down at them instead.

Where to begin? She couldn't even begin to wrap her head around it sometimes. The beginning. That would make sense. But how far back constituted the beginning. "Well," she said softly, flicking her gaze around the restaurant absentmindedly, chewing on her bottom lip. "Before I started travelling, I got into a fight." As she always did when thinking about the incident, she unclasped her fingers, a hand travelling to her side. "You should've seen the other guy," she added, a tiny smile worming its way across her face, even though the topic of her death was - well, deathly serious.

It disappeared as she moved on. "I got stabbed. So, I was apparating to St. Mungo's - and I splinched." Her eyes sliding closed, the memory of the incident played behind her eyelids like a film. "I almost bled out to death in that forest." Hugging herself, she let out a slow sigh. "But I didn't. Or - well, I'm here now."

A tiny smile flitted across her face, this time with a slight touch of happiness. "He saved me. He really did. He did the only thing he could." Here, her gaze dropped back down into her lap. Taking a deep breath, her hands began to shake again. "He turned me into a vampire."

Instantly, she flinched away, moving to the edge of her chair. They had to accept her. They just had. If they didn't....Merlin she'd run and she'd never stop.

One by one, the warm smiles on the faces of the family members vanished, only to be replaced by looks of absolute shock. None of them said anything as they tried to process the information. Slowly- very slowly, the father collapsed like a melting wax statue, his hands meeting the growing crinkles in his forehead with a rather awkward, choking sound.

The mother took everything in with frightening composure, set like a stone statue with her hands in her lap. For a long moment, it looked as if she might never move again. But she ended being the first one to speak,

"You know, when you were a little girl, I used to take you to my work sometimes. It was a rather long trip, so to entertain ourselves, we would play this game of yours," Her eyes began to tear up, and she had to pause for breath, "You would look up at me and whisper, 'How many lollipops are in my purse?' Or something equally silly, and I would say a random number." She laughed, "Of course, it made no sense... but it brought you so much joy. People couldn't help but smile whenever they were around you."

Lisette still hadn't taken her eyes off of the napkin in front of her, her fingers fiddling anxiously with the hem of her skirt. Her mother continued talking, forcing the tears out of her eyes,

"You can't lose contact with us again. I would never forgive myself if I lost track of you."

Their father shook his head as he lowered his hands, his voice thick, "I should have been there. I should have done something." A trace of anger grew in his tone, "I'm a trained auror, aren't I? I couldn't even protect you when it's my bloody job!"

Lisette finally wrenched her gaze from the napkin to look at her sister, this new person who was still almost exactly the same as the one she'd known all her life, except... except this one had died. "I can't believe I almost lost you."

She flinched away from their expressions. Anything - anything - was better than the shock. But the silence was worse. Couldn't they just say something? Even if they only spoke to turn their backs on her forever, Juliette just wanted them to say something.

Staring at her father, she swallowed the sudden lump forming in her throat. He looked so broken, so hurt that knowing that it was all her fault made her almost feel as if she was back in that forest before Ethon had arrived like a knight in shining armour, bloody and in more pain than she could possibly explain in words.

And that only got worse as she turned to her mother. She stared blankly at her frozen features, trying to read her. But Juliette had never been able to do it before, why should now be any different?

Letting out a little sigh of relief and allowing her eyes to flutter closed for a moment as her mother spoke, she blinked them back open, a tiny smile flitting across her face. She remebered those trips. How could she possibly have forgotten? Spending quality time with her mother had become increasingly rare as she'd grown up, and so she'd clung to the memories.

But she couldn't help the nagging question. What did that have to do with now?

"I remember it. I remember everything I did two months ago." She nodded jerkily, her voice higher pitched than usual. A by-product of her fear. "I - I'm still the same person. Just -" her voice dropped "-dead."

She nodded in agreement, her eyes glistening with tears. "I won't. I won't be able to." Her arms wrapping around herself, the vampire let out a sound the sounded suspiciously like a sob. "I - I only did be - because I had to m - make sure I wasn't going to be reckless or - or stupid and - and die again."

Her gaze slowly turning to her father, she shook her head. "It wasn't your fault. I - I shouldn't have started that fight." It all traced back there. She should've dealt with the girl without getting angry. "And it's only my fault that I splinched." She shook her head, a bubble of mirthless laughter beginning in her stomach. "Twenty-three and still can't apparate right."

Juliette looked over at Lisette, staring at her younger sister for a moment. They'd almost lost her, but she'd almost lost all of them. "But you didn't." She reached for her hand, squeezing it softly. "None of you did."

They just had to see that.

Lisette burst into a sob at the sound of that word. She shook her head, her hand held over her mouth, "Don't say that! You're here, right? You're not... not..." With a shaky breath, she shook her head again, and wrung her hands in her lap. If she spoke again, she knew she would burst into tears.

Their mother took a deep breath, her icy blue eyes constructing an answer for her daughter. "This is a second chance for you. Maybe... a chance to rethink your life so far. Rather like a near-death experience, I suppose. Except... well... except a little bit nearer."

Juliette flinched, swallowing hard, the lump in her throat getting impossibly larger. Sliding closer to her sister, she wrapped her arms around her, burying her head in her shoulder. "Hey - just ... remember that I'm technically still alive. I mean, sure ... that happened, but I'm here. I'm still here. You can't get rid of me that easily." Laughing softly, she pulled away, giving Lisette her best imitation of a smile.

She hated seeing her sad. She hated seeing any of her family sad. It hurt her, physically ached her to see them in this state, especially knowing that she was the cause.

Tearing her gaze away from her little sister, Juliette blinked up at their mother. Nodding jerkily, she hugged herself. "I know. I - I'm going to try harder to be better. This - this chance is a gift. I can't waste it." Taking a deep breath, she glanced down at her feet before slowly lifting her gaze again, a frown beginning to mar it.

"When you say rethink my life," she began slowly, unable to keep the accusatory edge out of her voice. "You make it seem like there was something wrong with it."