Canary Cry

Chapter 8: Home

The door stayed closed, but wasn't locked. Dinah slowly turning the handle and peaking into the room, the only light in the room being the LED strips along the ceiling glowing a soft yellow. Kate buried under her covers, the lump breathing softly. Dinah sighed and sat gently on the foot of the bed and placed a hand on Kate's leg over the covers. Shaking her with care as to not startle her. The girl's eyes opened with ease, looking to the woman blankly.

"Skoot over." Dinah motioned and Kate simply rolled over, letting the woman crawl under the covers with the minimal space given to her. Laying a hand on Kate's shoulder for a second before moving to her hair and petting the strands, twisting locks between her fingers and uncoiling the waves.

"She's better than I am." The words were muffled and overpronounced. Dinah catching a glimpse of the devices on the nightstand on the opposite side of the bed. Dinah pulled on the girl's shoulder gently to get her to look at her.

"She's had more time to train. A lot more time. She's taller and older. The facts that you were able to hold your own for as long as you did says a lot about how far you've come. You did a good job today." Dinah punctuated her signs with sure movements of her fingers and soft eyes.

"I don't like her." Kate signed with a smack of her hands, frustration easy to see. Dinah huffed a laugh and pulled the girl into her side.

"You don't know her." Dinah playfully signed with a grin. Amused at the girl's jealousy.

"I don't need to know that-" Kate cut herself off, hands stilling.

"To know what?" Dinah asked in concern, hands slow.

"I want to be left alone." Kate rolled over again, back facing Dinah. The woman frowning and attempting to pull Kate towards her again only for Kate to Jerk her shoulder away and verbally shout, "Just leave me alone!"

Dinah was taken aback but took it, nodding to herself and getting out from under the covers. Looking over her shoulder one last time before shutting the door. Leaning back on it after it clicked shut, screwing her eyes shut and taking a breath. Pushing off once she had collected herself and going to make dinner, hoping the smell of food would draw Kate out of her room.

~~*~~

"Hey Katie, dinner's ready." Dinah attempted, knocking solidly before waiting for a response. Not getting one and assuming that Kate still had her hearing aids off, Dinah slowly opened her door and peaked in, waving her hand noticeably to get the attention of the lump in the middle of the bed. Something wasn't right though, there was a feeling crawling up from Dinah's stomach, into her throat as her eyes wandered. Seeing the closet door slightly ajar, some clothes on the floor, a couple drawers of her dresser not closed all the way.

Dinah slowly moved to the bed, pulling the covers away and finding pillows in Kate's place and her heart dropped. It felt like she couldn't breathe. A million bricks had been placed on her chest and the past replayed itself in front of her.

"Sarah! Come on, how long are you gonna be mad?" Dinah, barely twenty, pounded on her little sister's door. The sixteen year old having gone to bed without dinner, being angry over getting grounded after sneaking out the night before to go see someone she still refuses to talk about.

"Leave it D. She'll come out when she get's hungry or bored. You know her." Quintin Lance spoke from the stairwell, leaning against the wall that opened into the hallway, arms crossed over his chest. A hand coming up to scratch at the salt and pepper five o' clock shadow on his face. Matching his neatly trimmed hair.