Robyn.
Robyn had stayed up all night, waiting for Sophie to stumble in the door, half dead on her feet, bleeding and bruised. She'd been losing a lot more fights lately. Especially since she'd found out Heath had been vamped.
She was sorry about that. She'd liked Heath, even though he treated her like a nuisance. Sean wasn't home, he was out on an overnight business trip. But he'd be back in a few hours.
As it got on to 9 o'clock, Robyn began to get even more worried, swaying with tiredness. She didn't want to go to sleep until Sophioe got home.
A thought struck her, not for the first time. What if Sophie wasn't coming home? She decided to go ask Mrs Braddock what she should do. Since Dad wouldn't be home until 3 or later.
She put one some clothes and walked over next door and knocked on the door, deep violet shadows under her eyes anda worried expression on her face. She'd bitten her lip till it was bloody, and she scratched the back of her leg with her shoe as she waited for someone to open the door.
Duke
Rowena was feeding Billy when she heard the knock on the door.
"Duke? Can you get that?"
There was an irritated mumble in response, but soon Duke went thumping over to the door.
"Hey Robyn," he said. "Whatcha doing?"
Robyn.
"Sophie didn't come home last night," Robyn said in a small voice.
"And I think she's not going to either. And Dad's not coming home until this afternoon."
Duke
"That's not good," Duke said.
He stepped aside so she could come in.
"I hope she's okay."
Robyn
"Me too," Robyn said.
She walked into the house.
"I should probably tell your mum...or something."
Duke
"Yeah," Duke nodded. "Mum! Robyn's here!"
"Hi Robyn," Rowena said as they entered the room.
Robyn
"Hey, Mrs Braddock," Robyn said.
"I came over cos Sophie didn;t come home last night from patrolling, and I'm really, really worried cos there's this vampire who used to be her best friend from Oz, and then he got turned into a vampire and he's been hunting Sophie and now I'm really frightened and I don't think she's going to come home and Dad's not getting back from his business thing until this afternoon."
Duke
"Oh, poor dear," Rowena replied sympathetically. "Well, hopefully Sophie just got held up somewhere and will be back soon. You can stay here of course. I'm sure Duke will be willing to play a game or something with you."
Duke gave a mock sigh as if this was going to be way too much for him.
Robyn
Robyn fixed a stare on him.
"So much concern and sympathy, Duke."
Duke
"I'm a man, not a wimpering simperton," Duke declared.
Rowena raised an eyebrow.
"I hope you haven't been getting bad habits off Jason," she said, then turned back to Robyn for an explanation: "I'm not sure if you've met Jason, or not... he's my oldest. He's moved out and he's... well the way he treat women..."
"He's a womaniser," Duke nodded.
"Where did you hear that?" Rowena frowned.
"Mi said so."
Rowena was silent for a moment.
"It's hard to argue with another woman on that."
Robyn
"It is," Robyn said.
"But you know, guys like that are stupid. Obviously, females are the more highly advanced gender."
Duke
"Oh," Duke said thoughtfully. "So when other people call me a girl, it's really a compliment? Wow, and here I was thinking they were insulting me."
Robyn
"They think it's an insult because they're stupid," Robyn said firmly.
"I hope Sophie's alright."
Duke
"I'm sure she's fine," Duke said.
"Yes," Rowena agreed.
"C'mon, lets go play a game," Duke went on.
Robyn
"Alright, what?" Robyn asked.
"PS2?"
Duke
"Okay!" Duke agreed cheerfully.
He bounded into the lounge room and began to set it up.
"Which game do you want to play?" he asked, gesturing to their collection.
Robyn
Robyn picked one out and handed it to him.
"'Scuse me if I play badly. I haven't actually slept since yesterday."
Duke
"Aww, that's not good," Duke said sympathetically.
He loaded the game and set it up, then he paused.
"Would you rather watch a movie then?"
Robyn
"No, see! Game is Van Helsing. I get to kill vampires," Robyn explained.
"I want to kill a lot of vampires. I'm in the mood for cartoon violence."
Duke
Duke grinned.
"Okay," he said cheerfully. "Death to the vampires!"
He handed her a console.
Robyn.
Robyn grinned back slightly.
"Fun."
She started to move through the levels, killing a lot of vampires.
Duke
"I bet I can kill more than you," Duke challenged.
He staked all the vampires in a room and ran on to the next.
Robyn
Robyn yawned, then sent her character careering through the levels, staking vampires as she went.
"Beating you by ten."
Duke
"Not for long," Duke replied.
He destroyed a few more vampires.
"Now you're only beating me by five. Ha!"
Robyn
They staked vampires solidly until they reached the end of the game. Robyn ran a hand across her face and yawned as she dropped her console.
"I'm so tired I can barely see straight, and I still beat you."
Duke and Miette
"Only because I let you win," Duke joked. "Hey I wonder what's food. Hey Mum! What's food?"
"A substance that you require to sustain oneself," Miette replied, having arrived home just in time to catch that remark.
"You're not Mum. I asked Mum," Duke objected.
"Too bad."
Robyn
"I won because I'm just better then you are," Robyn retorted.
"Hey Mi."
Duke and Miette
"You are not better than me," Duke objected.
"If she won. then she is," Miette said.
"You don't even know what we're talking about."
"Your point?"
Robyn
"And also, I'm just better cos I'm a girl," Robyn said.
"Boys have cooties."
Duke and Miette
"Cooties isn't limited to boys you know," Duke said. "Girls can get it too. It's a real disease called mono- mono- monosomething anyway. So there. Ha!"
Miette took that moment to sneak upstairs.
Robyn
"I'm still better then you anyday, anytime and most willing to prove it, Duke."
Robyn yawned again.
"What time is it?"
Duke
"Umm," Duke said, looking at his watch. "It's seven minutes to three. Yep, I'm being pidantic, but who cares?"
He grinned broadly.
Robyn
"Dad'll be home soon then," Robyn said in relief.
"And Soph's still not home. I left a note, she would have come here if she had."
Duke
"I'm sure she's okay," Duke said firmly. "She's the invincible Sophie!"
Robyn
"Yeah..." Robyn said quietly, but the worried expression didn't shift off her face.
There was a knock at the door, and she looked up.
Duke
"I can get this one," Rowena said walking over to the door.
"Okay," Duke said.
Rowena opened it.
Robyn and Sean
"Hello, Ro," Sean said, smiling at her faintly but looking puzzled.
"There was a note on the kitchen table for me or Sophie from Robyn..."
"Dad!"
Robyn squeezed past Rowena and latched her arms around his waist, before starting to cry. Sean patted her head and looked even more bewildered.
"Sophie didn't come home last night from patrol, and I'm really, really worried and I think something really bad happened!"
Duke
Rowena moved out of the doorway, sympathetic eyes on Robyn.
"I bet I know what happened!" Duke said triumphantly in an attempt to cheer her up. "Sophie found a whole bunch of vampires last night, and then discovered that they were going to have this huge party where vampires froma ll around were going to celebrate something that only happens once a year. So she decided to take advantage of it and destroy them all at once."
He nodded.
Robyn and Sean
"And she's still not home?" Robyn said in a hysterical voice.
"I think she's over tired," Sean said diplomatically and picked her up.
"Thanks for looking after her, Ro."
Duke
"Well, it's a big party. Lots of vampires..." Duke trailed off.
"It's okay," Rowena replied. "She's always welcome here."
Sean
"I think I'm going to take her home, and wait for Sophie to call...or something," Sean said.
"Thanks again, Ro."
He turned to go.
Duke
"No problem. Have a good afternoon," Rowena replied, watching them leave.
"By Roby-Robyn!" Duke said.