Becky
Becky walked around the mansion as she tidied up, singing to herself. SHe loved feeling busy, at home there was always something to be done. animals to feed, dishes to wash, clothes to mend. She sang her favourite hymn in her sweet, rich voice.
"Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart.
Nought be all else to me, savew that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night.
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my Light." She stacked books and dusted shelves, as she continued to
sing, the song, and the action of keeping busy soothing her nervousness. Everything was strange to her here. It
was her fifth day at the school, and she still wasn't quite used to it. She missed her home, and her family.
Rogue
Rogue watched Becky from around the corner. Liberty was happily nestled on her shoulder. Not many people went around the school singing away like that.
Becky
Becky kept singing and tidying, oblivious that she was being watched.
"High Kink of Heaven my victory won!
May I reach Heaven's joys O Bright Heaven's Son?
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all!" Becky looked around the room, seeing that it was clean to her
satisfaction, and just then noticing Rogue
"You'd be Rogue, right? I was just about to head down to the kitchen, to do some baking, since the Professor said I may, would you like to join me?"
Rogue
Rogue was quiet for a moment. At last she nodded.
"Yes, I'm Rogue," she said tentatively. "I'd... I'd be happy to join you..."
Becky
Becky led Rogue to the smaller kitchen, which had quickly become her favorite place in the school. She tied oin her apron and got down some pans and other things.
"I thought I'd start with an apple pie, but I think I might make a spice cake too. Do you know how to bake? I'd be happy to teach you, if you'd like. I've been cooking since I was five. It feels good to do things, makes me feel useful to keep busy. Back at the farm there was always something to be done," becky said cheerfully.
Rogue
"Yeah, okay," she murmered. "Cooked a little."
She turned to Liberty.
"You best not be in here while we're cooking. Dangerous, sugar."
Becky
The first thing Becky did was mix together the pie crust, while she chattered on amiably about Sunday's on the farm. She spread the finished dough unsude the pie pan, and preheated the oven as she grabbed some apples and a pearing knife, and began to peel them.
"So tell me Rogue, what was your family like growing up? Do you miss them?" Becky asked as her skilled fingers peeled and sliced the apples into thin, uniforms slices, and set them inside the crust. Then she mixed up the rest of her ingerdients, and sprinkled the mix over the apples. Carefully, she rolled out the topd of the crust, and then made a few cut-outs for steam, gently covering her pie.
"What do you think?" she asked Rogue.
Rogue
"It was... fine," Rogue replied. "I miss them sometimes."
She looked at the pie.
"It looks good to me," she answered.
Becky
"Thanks. I love to bake, I need to feel useful," Becky replied, putting the pie to bake in the oven. "I think I may go to the market later, and pick up some things. At home we always have a big family dinner on Sundays, after church. I want to keep at least one thing the same," she said firmly. "So I'll need vegetable and baking supplies, and I want to get a turkey. I think that Nico and I are going to try and go to church, though I don't know how we'll get there."
Rogue
Rogue had nothing to say. She simply wandered over to the fridge and pulled out a drink for herself.
She regarded Becky. How lucky she was to be so innocent. Rogue hoped Becky would never fell the pain and anguish she felt.
Becky
"Rogue, I asked you to join me because you looked like you could use a friend, somebody to talk to. So if you want to talk, I'm here, okay?" Becky said, as she began mixing things for a spice cake.
Rogue
"I don't really feel like talking," Rogue replied softly. "It's... my... I... Cain was such a psycho. And he's living in my head now. I wish I never let him touch me. There's..."
She frowned.
Becky
"What, Rogue?" Becky asked, genuinely concerned. "Rogue, I may appear to be innocent and naive, but I know a lot about predators. Cain is a predator."
Rogue
"You... you don't understand... no one can ever understand. I... I... I look at people and I wonder what it would be like to kill them. To touch them and hold on and not let go. To suck their very life into myself. But where would I be then? Would I be me? Would I be them? How much of me is chipped away..."
Rogue couldnt' say any more. She turned from the room and fled in tears.
Becky and Nico
Becky's heart broke for Rogue. "Dear Lord," she prayed aloud, alniet quietly, as she mixed together her spice cake, "Please help me to be a good friend to Rogue. My heart is just breaking for her. Help her to know you love her, and to understand that she will get through this, and she can learn to control it. But mostly, Lord, I pray that you please heal her of her pain. Physical, emotional, and spiritual, I pray this in Christ's name, Amen." Becky poured her spice cake into a pan, and placed it in the oven, then proceeded to wash up as her pie and cake baked away.
"I think I smell apple pie," Nico said as he walked into the kitchen. "Smell's just like Mother's," he grinned.
"Who do you think I learned to make it from?" Becky teased. The two sat and talked about their day as the food cooked. Finally, both the pie and cake were done, and Becky removed them from the oven.
"Will you help me carry these up to the cafeteria?" she asked, slicing the pie and watching the steam rise up.
"Always, dear sister."
"Oh, I want to do your wash today, can you bring your clothes to my room later?"
"Of course. I've also noticed several fireplaces around the school, though I don't know how much use they get. There is a hearth in the recreation room. I think I'm going to chop some firewood today, and start a fire. It'sa nice, cold day, it could do us some good to have a fire to sit around," he said. As they walked into the cafeteria, Becky noticed people suddenly looking up at the smell of fresh-baked pie and spice cake. They set the baked goods on the buffet table, and Nico quickly helped himself to a slice of pie, while Becky took a small piece of cake, and they sat down at a table with some other students.
"Though I haven't noticed a washing line anywhere. I suppose I'll have to string one up."
"I'll do that for you when I bring in the wood. We can string it before the fire," Nico replied.
"Yes, that will work, although maybe you should also make a fire in teh hearth in my bedroom. Because I do not think it proper to hang my underclothes for all the boys to see." Nico immediately agreed.
"Yes, I will then get enough wood for two fire," he smiled at his sister.
"Don't you find it strange that most everybody here can find it so easy to do nothing?"
"Yes, but I suppose they have not been raised as we were, it is a comfort for us to be busy, while I suppose for others it is just a chore." Nico said, and Becky agreed.
Nathan
Nathan had seen Rogue in the hallway and all but cowered away from the vibes she was putting out. He hoped she hadn't seen him. It really wouldn't help her any. He entered the room, hands busy with his cards as usual. "Hello." He nodded at Becky and Nico, smiling, then he blinked and looked harder at Nico, then laughed. "Oh goodness. I wish I could be around to see the look on your face when *that* happens." He shook his head, grinning. "And no, I'm not telling you what I saw. It would ruin the surprise."
Becky and Nico
NIco and Becky looked at each other confused as Nathan walked away.
"Don't mine him, Rebeca, I think he's touched in the head." NIco said.
Well, Nicodemus," she responded, using the full name he hated, "I thin he's just sad and hurting. Anyways, we have things to do." they quickly put away their plates, and then went upstairs. Nico got his laundry and gave it to Becky, who decided that since it was an unusally warm day for March, she would do the laundry outside. She took her washboard and a tub and went to fill the tub with hot, soapy water.
Sitting out in the courtyard, she was able to watch her brother chop firewood at the same time. To do such trivial tasks made them feel comfortable, as if they were back home. After washing the clothing, she made sure to starch Nico's collars, and then followed her brotherr inside. He had already began a fire in her bedroom. She quickly strung up a line, and hung their clothes. Then she went down to see if Nico had started a fire in the common room yet.