darker_london | Angel Eyes (Anna, Aly)

Aly was curled up on the sofa in her living room, arms wrapped tightly around the bump that was her daughter. It was good to see that Peter was doing so much better these days. It was almost as if he was back to his old self again, just slightly slower moving because his body hadn't completely recovered yet. But his willpower of steel had returned ten-fold. Aly's relief in seeing him recovered was diminished by seeing how broken her older brother was. He'd been forced to do terrible things to the girl he thought of as his daughter, and then his wife and child had been taken from him. Through the unfortunate pairing of the person who had poisoned his sister, and Brian, their own brother. It was unimaginable. Absolutely horrible. And it made Aly ache inside.

Ever cognizant of the emotions and even sometimes of the thoughts of those around her, Anna had been keeping an eye on Aly all day. Showing empathy and wisdom beyond her mere 9 years, Anna approached Aly and she climbed up on the sofa next to her step-mother. Wordlessly, she placed her hand on Aly's cheek and she kissed her forehead. "They won't always hurt." Anna said softly.

Aly smiled at Anna and she reached out to hug the small girl. "I hope you're right, Annabanana."

Anna grinned and she leaned up to kiss Aly's nose. "Things will be okay. You'll see!"

Aly giggled and she nuzzled the Anna's cheek with her nose. "I suppose I will then, won't I? Anything else you know in all your infinite wisdom that I should be aware of?"

"My daddy totally loves you. He's not angry with you." Anna said firmly, cutting right to the heart of something Aly had been trying to push out of her mind for a very long time. That her actions while Peter was 'dead' might have changed his feelings for her, no matter how he denied it. They still were not completely okay, and it worried her.

"And how do you know that?" Aly asked, though she was fully aware that if Anna said it, she knew it was true.

"I just do. When Daddy is mad at people, he talks to them with clenchy teeth like this. Rrrr rr rrrrrr. Raa raaa Rrrr." Anna demonstrated and Aly laughed because it was uncanny. "And when he talks to you his eyes go all moony."

"Do they?" Aly sounded beyond pleased.

"Mmhmm! And his voice goes all mooshy and it's very gross." Anna said, matter-of-factly. "You shouldn't be afraid anymore." Anna reached up to touch Aly's forehead. "You didn't lose anything."

As used to Anna pulling this kind of thing out of nowhere as Aly was, it was still remarkable every time she did it. And Aly knew it was because of Anna's angelic nature that she was able to. But she couldn't help but be fascinated at the details Anna was able to ascertain, especially when Aly and Peter had gone to great lengths to keep those details hidden away from their children. Obviously Anna wasn't harmed by the knowledge, which was fortuitous. It seemed that nothing got past her. "Thank you, Angelface." Aly whispered. "I'll keep that in mind. And I'll be sure to tease your father about his moony eyes next time he makes them."

"Maybe you could have a tickle fight!?"

Aly laughed. That wasn't exactly what she had in mind...but it was a start.