trashed and scattered again

[ravyn]

Everything was falling apart as she knew it. A small note on her table beside her bed, saying she was going out and not to stay up. Nevi would see it, he always saw misplaced things on her table, especially then. And he was the only one to actually go in there, especially if she wasn't home. There was a reason she had left him a key. Instead, the woman leaned back in the seat, staring out the window as the hills rolled by. There hadn't been many words spoken between her and her uncles. Her father's younger brother, Aedan had always been closer to her father, the two more similar to each other. Cian, on the other hand, had been the one to keep them in line, the middle boy who was the proper gentlemen. It was amazing that the three of them could run a business together. Aoife leaned her head against her hand, which was resting against the side of the car. She was surprised her father hadn't come to meet her, though that's where her suspicious were being perked to the forefront. Eventually, as the rather large house that housed the Whelan family came into view, she snapped, her eyes moving towards her uncle as her father's temper came out. " What he hell did you guys bring me out here, on within weeks of finals coming up " She demanded.

The men exchanged a look, Cian reaching out and taking her hand in his, bringing it slowly to his lips, eyes never leaving hers. Now, that made her uneasy. Unless something bad really happened, Cian never did something like that. " Uncail, you're making me nervous. It's like I don't even know you guys. Why didn't athair meet me at the airport? " She questioned, her eyes narrowing down. Neither of them spoke, Aedan reaching forwards himself and resting his hand on top of both theirs. An uneasy feeling passed over her, and as the car stopped at the house, Aoife rushed out, refusing to listen as the two of them sat, sharing concerned looks. What she was about to see would forever change the fiery red-head. She burst through the doors, holding them open as people turned to look. Her aunts, that never liked her much, cousins that all respected her as being the heir. But none of them would never hold her title. She was the Heiress to the Whelan fortune, the fortune her father started and invited his brothers into. while everyone lived on the estate, not everyone lived in the house they were currently in. This was mainly reserved for her father and herself. To have everyone there was annoying, and made everything feel cramped. But this was big if the whole family was piled inside.

" Someone, right now, tell me what the hell is going on! " Aoife yelled, turning as she heard her uncles coming up, stepping inside around her. They both took her hands, one on each side, and wordlessly, led her into the far room, instead of going up the stairs. It felt like death in the house, and the only thing she could think of was her grandfather dying. The old man had passed away years ago, but this felt very similar. And she really disliked it. She figured her uncles were just going to show her. Shaking her hands from their rather large grips, watching as they exchanged a look, before leading her into the back room, opening it slowly. The first thing she saw was a nurse, and then the doctor leaning over the still figure on the bed, the while sheet over his chest as the beeping of a machine went slowly out. Aoife's eyes widened as she lifted her gaze, seeing the face of the person on the bed. Her heart stopped, her eyes staring like a deer in the headlights, and then she was racing across the room, shoving the poor nurse aside, her body being thrown across the bed. His body was freezing, her father's face as cold as an ice cube. She was wordless, though the only thing she heard was the machine that connected to his heart flatline, and the doctor instructing to shut everything down.

Hands pried at her, holding her close as whoever it was picked her up, cradling the small girl in his arms, eyes never leaving the form of the cooling body. Everything came crashing down as the girl turned her face against the wide chest, hot tears escaping her eyes. She never cried, not when she mother left, or her grandfather died. But this, this was a man that had watched her grown, taught her to ride both a horse and a motorcycle, taught her the mechanics of their business. A man who defended her against her cousins' claims. Before she knew it, she was pulled from the room. Words were spoken to her softly, but she heard nothing. Just the whispers in her head. Everything felt numb to her, seeing the life fade from her father. It would be a few days later, after the shock had passed and the tears had dried, that Cian and Aedan would sit down with her, telling her what happened, how it happened, and why everything had to be so discrete.

" We were meeting a client, but the client wasn't interested in what we were selling. Instead, he had a sniper waiting, and shot your father through the heart. " Cian had said, hand resting on hers. Aeaden had been quiet through it all, eyes watching her carefully. She couldn't look at him, the exact same as her father, not yet at least. Instead, she focused her eyes on her older uncle, the man's eyes full of pain and sorrow, along with sympathy for how only niece. Her eyes gazed away as the new processed through her mind. She didn't speak for a long moment after lowering her gaze once more, not wanting for them to see her pain. " Ean beag, we need your answer on this. Are you ready to take over your father's duties? " He asked softly, eyes prying as he watched her. Through her haze, she had over-heard them speaking, saying to each other that they could take over, until she reached a time she was ready. She closed her eyes as she began to speak. " I would like some time, until after I graduate. Between the two of you, I'm sure you both can take care of things while i'm away " She informed the men, watching their surprised features. It was there, that she had sealed her fate. Her father's last wishes for her to live the life she wanted, but her whole life, she had been trained for this position.

The days seemed to pass quickly as Aoife shook off her shock, and while she still mourned her father, in secret, never to the public eye. It would mean they were a weak family, that some other mob could step up to take over their clients. With the passing of the funeral, came the paperwork. Piles of paperwork her father had neglected. About a month her father's funeral, she was still going through everything. A sort of darkness had settled in Aoife's heart, since meeting her father's main clients, seeing what this sort of life could do for her, to her. She had made herself a deadline, of course, one where she needed to return once more to Japan. She was already behind in her studies, and she was sure at least some people had noticed her absence. Within the next few days, she was back on the plan, instructions left for her uncles, reports to be sent to her every month. Leaving Japan, she had been more like an innocent bird. Returning, a darkness had settled down in her heart, spreading through her. It was time to face reality for her, time to return to school.