"You're awake?"
Aryess nodded without taking her eye of the view through the floor-to-ceiling tinted windows of the sky scraper.
The man walked up and stood beside his sister, examining her out of the corner of his eye.
The teen wore loose sweat-pants and a black tank-top. She had tied her hair back in a braid, allowing full view of her storm grey irises, dark as the clouds were gathering outside. Her face was drawn and paler than usual and every muscle was tensed.
"No offense, but you look like crap," Declan stated.
"I feel like crap," she admitted. "Where's my suit?"
"Getting repaired. The entire thing was singed. It's a miracle you didn't get fried along with it."
"The magic of modern science. Do you know where the x-suit is?"
Declan stared at her for a second, not saying anything. Aryess glanced over at him.
"What?" she said.
The older male pressed his lips together tightly before answering. "What the hell, Ary?"
"What do you-"
"Three days. You were unconscious for 72 hours. If it wasn't for that suit, you would have died."
"But I didn't-"
"But you could have!" Declan exclaimed. His sky-blue eyes hardened. "You infiltrated the Empire State Building, flew through a window that Nic, damn him, shot out just on time, knocked out eight guys and killed another five, then faced off one of the most powerful men in the entire country, maybe the world, and lost."
"I know all of this already, Declan."
"But you know what bugs me the most?" he didn't give her a chance to answer. "You went without any back up. Any help. You went without me."
"I...." Aryess tailed off, unsure of what to say.
"They were my parents, too, Ary. Daemian was my big brother, too. I have just as much of a reason to want the Magistrate brought to justice. But you don't see me practically committing suicide to get to him."
Aryess suddenly hugged Declan. Her sore, battered muscles protested, but she easily ignored them in exchange for the solid, protective feel of her older brother's arms around her.
"I'm sorry," she said. "If it means anything, I'm sorry."
"Please be madami careful," almost in a whisper he added, "This family can't afford to lose anyone else."
Aryess nodded before a sudden thought struck her. She pulled back and smiled the slightest bit. "Speaking of family, where is he?"
"Aunt Ary!" A little boy ran in through the open doorway, right on cue. Declan scooped the squirming four-year-old up in his arms.
"Hey, Riley," Aryess sinabi smiling at the blue eyed, dark haired boy who looked so much like his deceased father.
"Are you all better?" Riley asked. Aryess took a moment to take in the full view of the last of her family. A 21-year-old tall, strong man and a bubbly, happy-as-could-be child, and smiled.
"I'm getting there," she answered honestly.