Airlia paused before getting out of the car, glancing over at her sister. Tru had managed to convince her to join her in Tulsa for Christmas, and after having avoided her family for the last month, Airlia was a little hesitant to have too much close contact with anyone.
"He'll be glad to see you," Tru said. "Mom called and said you were back, he's been worried."
Airlia shrugged slightly. She hadn't really spoken much since she'd gotten back.
"Come on."
The pair got out of the car and headed up to the front door.
Saku
Saku made a beeline for the front door before his sisters even had a chance to knock.
"Tru! Airlia!" he exclaimed, throwing it open. "Merry Christmas!"
Tru and Airlia
"Saku!" Tru dropped her bag and gave her brother a hug, before whispering in his ear. "She's not big on touching at the moment."
Airlia waved slightly. "Hey."
Zac and Saku
" 'Kay," Saku whispered back, hugging her tightly.
"Did I hear..." Zac voice sailed in. "I did!"
He joined them in the doorway.
"Hey Airlia, Tru," he said. "How's things? Come on in, let's not stand in the doorway."
He moved slightly to let them pass. Saku followed suit.
Airlia and Tru
Airlia walked inside, careful not to accidently touch anyone as she moved with her bags.
Tru gave both Zac and Saku a look and smiled sympathetically.
Zac and Saku
"Your room's just where you left it," Zac said cheerfully. "Isn't it, House?"
Zac patted the wall, and Saku grinned.
"I swear he talks to the house more than he talks to me."
"Hey, House has missed us since we've been on tour. It's been quite lonesome with no one living in it."
"Dad, you don't know that. It's never spoken to you."
"It doesn't have to. We understand each other."
Airlia and Tru
Airlia head off to the room silently, taking their bags.
Tru waited until she was out of earshot, then turned to her father and her half brother.
"I think we might need to ask for another room. Mom and I can share... Lia... she's a bit... she wants to be alone most of the time."
Zac and Saku
"Oh sure," Zac replied. "There's a room next to Lia's you can have."
"Is there anything we can do for her?" Saku asked.
Tru
Tru shrugged.
"Don't know. Just be ready to listen if she ever decides to talk."
Saku and Zac
"I can do that," Saku replied.
"So, do you think you gals are going to come to the Christmas Show tonight?" Zac asked. "Or would you prefer to stay home?"
Tru
"Well, I can't speak for Lia, but I'd like to go."
Tru thought for a moment.
"I can't remember if Mom is going to come in tonight, or tomorrow morning. Bad communication skills run in this family, evidently."
Zac
Zac chuckled.
"You'd think with all our powers we'd be better at it, huh?" he mused.
Tru
"Yeah, you'd think."
Tru rolled ehr eyes good naturedly.
"Half the time, Uncle Angel forgets how to use his phone and so the chances of you reaching him are often slim to none."
Saku and Zac
Saku laughed.
"Half the time Dad's playing his drums so even if his phone's on he can't hear you anyway."
"Hey," Zac objected.
"Okay. Most of the time."
Tru
"Well," Tru said, brushing her hair away from her eyes. "I'm going to get settled a bit, maybe change into something comfy."
She paused.
"Then perhaps I shall raid the fridge."
Zac and Saku
"Yay! Fridge raiding!" Saku declared.
Zac chuckled.
"Okay, I'll leave you guys too it. In the meantime, I should get going. Sound check."
Tru and Airlia
Tru went upstairs to the room next to Airlia's and peeped her head in the door.
"Hey Lia, up for some quality fridge raiding?" she asked gently.
Lia looked at her for a long moment.
"Maybe."
Tru shrugged, maybe was better than a no.
Saku and Zac
"See ya tonight," Saku said to Zac.
"See you," Zac nodded. "Try not to get up to too much trouble."
"Trouble? Me?"
"Uh huh. Friday told me about the painting the town red thing."
Saku chuckled. Zac grinned at him and departed. Saku then headed to the kitchen.
Tru and Airlia
Tru changed into a pair of sweatpants and a tank top with a matching jacket, then peeped into Airlia's room again.
"Lee?"
Airlia smiled weakly. "Maybe later."
"Ok. We'll be downstairs."
Tru closed the door and head down to the kitchen.
Saku
"Hey Tru," Saku said cheerfully. "Wanna thickshake?"
He had out the milkshake maker and was busy putting ice cream into the cup.
The fact that it was the middle of winter was completely besides the point.
Tru
Tru pondered that for a moment and then nodded.
"Yes. Yes I would."
She grinned at him.
"Oh hey, I'm going to another dimension next year to speed my aging process up."
Saku
"Oh okay, cool," Saku replied.
He considered.
"But is your ageing really getting sped up?" he asked ominously. "I mean, you're still aging at the same rate, you're just going elsewhere to do it..."
Tru
"Point taken," Tru said, shrugging.
She looked at the ice cream for a moment.
"Ok, so I'll technically still be young, like Earth wise, but I'll look older. THe aging process will feel the same for me, but when I come back, it won't have been years like I'd experienced. Oh."
She paused.
"Did you know Serafina skipped through again? She's about 21 now."
Tru
"Point taken," Tru said, shrugging.
She looked at the ice cream for a moment.
"Ok, so I'll technically still be young, like Earth wise, but I'll look older. THe aging process will feel the same for me, but when I come back, it won't have been years like I'd experienced. Oh."
She paused.
"Did you know Serafina skipped through again? She's about 21 now."
Tru
"I think Sera was feeling restless as well."
Tru took a sip of the shake.
"Mmmm!"
Saku
Saku grinned.
"Oh, by the way, we have another half sib," Saku considered. "Six of them actually, but I've only met one. Dad doesn't know yet. I'm trying to get the nerve to tell him."
Tru, Faith and Airlia
"What?" Tru stared at Saku in disbelief.
"You know, the more kids he has, the more we stand out as the awesome ones, so I say, bring it on."
And on that note, Faith's car pulled up outside.
Tru and Airlia both smiled at the same time in their respective places in the house.
"Mom's here," Tru announced.
Saku
"Cool," Saku replied.
He finished making his own thickshake and started drinking it even as he went to the front door.
Airlia, Faith and Tru
Airlia made her way out of her room to greet her mother.
Faith locked the car behind her and grabbed her bag, before heading up the steps to the house and knocking on the door.
Tru grinned and went to see her mother once Saku let her in.
Saku
"Yo Faithers!" Saku greeted, opening the door. "Come on in."
He drank some more of his thickshake.
"You just missed Dad. He's gone to sound check for tonights show."
Faith, Tru and Airlia
"That's ok," Faith said, giving him a sideways hug. "I'll catch up with him later."
"Mom!" Tru padded over to greet her mother, and Airlia slowly appeared to do the same.
"Hey beauties." Faith touched their cheeks gently.
Saku
"Marvellous to see you," Saku said. "Hey do you... or Lia, want a thickshake?"
He looked between them in anticipation of their reply.
Faith, Airlia and Tru
"No thanks, gorgeous," Faith said, ruffling his hair. "I'm going to drop in on the Halliwells while I'm in town, it's been awhile since I saw them."
Airlia's mouth turned into a half smile a bit at the thought of being able to see people who were in control of their magic. "Can I come?"
"Of course. Tru, Saku?"
Tru thought for a moment. "Um, nah, I think I need to do some more last minute Christmas shopping."
Saku
"You gals go ahead," Saku replied. "When gals make plans to hang out with other gals, and not another guy in sight, I generally find it's safer for me to stay away."
He grinned broadly.
Faith, Airlia and Tru
"Alright, well - " Faith was cut off.
"I'll put them in the room," Airlia offered quietly.
"Thanks, honey."
Airlia took the bags and turned around, heading in the direction of the rooms.
"She's a little better," Tru said to her mother. "She talkeda bit on the way over here, but she's still mostly quiet."
Faith nodded. "That's ok, I don't want to push her into anything."
Saku
"Personally, I was surprised to hear her say anything," Saku said. "I think that's the first thing - okay the first two things - I've heard he say since she arrived."
He slurped up the last of his thickshake.
Tru, Faith and Airlia
"She talks to Mom a bit more than anyone else," Tru said, shrugging slightly. "We're hoping that spending time with family will help her talk a bit more."
Faith made a slight shushing noise as Airlia reappeared.
"Ready?"
Airlia nodded.
"So, we'll be back in time for the show... did you need a lift, Saku?" Faith asked.
Saku
"I won't say no," Saku replied.
He grinned at them.
"Have a great time with the girls, talking about girl stuff."
Faith, Airlia and Tru
"Will do," Faith said, leading Airlia out the door.
Airlia waved slightly and followed her.
Tru put her finger to her nose and tapped slightly. "Ok, the mall is going to be crazy with parking... I might shift into something and fly there."
Saku
"This is probably wise," Saku nodded sagely. "Also, good luck with the crowds."
He grinned at her.
Tru
"I'm still petite enough to squeeze through them," Tru said, grinning.
"Ok. I'll be back in a few hours."
Saku
"Okay, see ya," Saku said.
He waved good bye and headed back inside to do his thing.