Trigger warning: Suicide 

Hayden

We stood in my music room, in silence. My lips tingled wanting to touch hers lightly. Maybe take some of the fear from her eyes. I let out a small breath and next thing I knew, she was gone.

I followed her out into the kitchen. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Ocean, I'm sorry."

I didn't get a response. Instead, she started pulling things out, ignoring me completely. I noticed her struggling to reach something and made a mental note to get a small stool for her. Walking up behind her I reached up and pulled down what she needed from the cupboard.

"So, this is it?" I sighed. I had so many questions. "You're just going to ignore me?"

No response.

"Ocean?" I was getting fed up. "Ocean." I yelled this time. I trapped her between my body, my arms, and the counter.

Her body immediately became ridged as we made eye contact. To anyone else this situation would have seemed very cute and sexual, but I was too frustrated to care.

"What the hell is going on?" I leaned forward, snarling slightly.

"Breakfast." Her voice was soft and weak. The look of terror on her face made me feel powerful. The bad kind of powerful.

I was stunned for a moment. Glaring at her, I let her go. I took a seat at the bar watching her with beady eyes.

Once she had finished, she set two plates out on the table. She sat down and I took the seat across from her. The meal was silent. We both were pushing our food around on our plates.

"I want the truth." I finally said. I looked at her. "There's so much you're not telling me. I can't keep our relationship the way it is Ocean."

"Ocean Akaira David-Brooks." Her voice, though soft and raspy, was sweet like a melody. She looked up at me expectantly.

"Uhhhh what?" I was confused before it dawned on me. She wanted the same info from me. "Hayden Alister Woods."

She pulled a small book from her robe pocket. Opening it to the first page, she pointed at the woman in the photo. "Delilah Brooks, my mother." She took a deep breath, and I wasn't sure I was ready to hear what was next. She shifted to point at the man. "Mason David. My Dad."

The names struck a chord. "The Mason and Delilah? From the band For Tomorrow?"

She nodded slowly, avoiding my eyes.

"Wait wait wait, hold up, Lucas isn't your father?"

"Uncle."

"So, Lucas is your uncle but your legal guardian because your parents are into music?" There were definitely some pieces missing to this puzzle.

"And they taught you to sing and play piano..."

"Guitar, piano, keyboard, base and a little drum."

"Ok but where are they now, why haven't they contacted you?"

"I was six, we were on our way home..." Ocean paused, breaking off into harsh coughing.

I got up and grabbed her a lass of water. I couldn't help it. Somehow, she'd melted though my strong defences. I just wanted to help her.

I let her drink before egging her on.

"I was in the back seat, a semi sped though a stoplight." her voice started breaking.

"Hey, its ok." I found myself saying. "Just take a deep breath."

"It killed them." she wasn't looking at me. Her body was shaking. She was crying. and it was all my fault.

"My mother was an only child." her voice broke. "Lucas took me. Stole me. I couldn't talk to anyone. Lucas is all I have."

"And you've been mute since..." I trailed off.

She shrugged. "I don't talk around people so that's now how I pass. but I always sing myself to sleep, keeps my voice trained."

"Hey, Ocean, I'm so sorry." I felt my heart ache. I wish I could comfort her. "I didn't mean too..."

"They used to sing to me." She looked up wistfully. "All the time, every night. I even went to their concerts and sang backgrounds and played keyboard with my mother." She finally looked at me. The tears running down her cheeks glistened in the soft lighting from the kitchen.

"But as far as everyone knows I am Lucas's daughter." Ocean continued. "He loved my mom. Lucas was so mad at my father because he loved my mother. But she didn't like him back. She loved my dad." With that she got up from the table and took both plates to the kitchen.

I stood up and followed her. Once her hands were empty, I found myself hugging her.

She stood motionless.

"I'm sorry. I know what its like to lose family." She looked at me curiously, returning to her quite state.

"Come." I brought her into the living room. Sitting down, she did the same.

"I was three when my little sister was born." I took a deep breath. the memory of that moment was still so clear in my mind. "From the beginning she was a strong person, always smiling and happy." I fought back another tear. "But we soon found out that it wasn't real. she was diagnosed with depression at the age of ten. she went though two years of therapy before they said she was better." I swallowed hard. "She was not. Almost a year later she committed ..." I couldn't bring myself to say it. I fought my tears.

"Suicide." Ocean finished.

I nodded, "Five years ago I lost her."

Taking a couple deep breaths, I steadied myself. My voice rose two octaves as I asked, "Ocean, can we please be friends?"

Ocean sat looking completely dumbfounded. Finally after what felt like eternity, she nodded.

"You can use the instruments whenever you want." I studied her features. Even with teary eyes and devilish hair she look beautiful. Her face was blotchy from crying but somehow, this was the most real I had seen Ocean.

"I'm sorry." The words were genuine. Never before did I think I could feel this horrible. I closed my eyes and hung my head.

Arms attempted to wrap around me. Slowly, I looked down at Ocean before pulling her closer and realizing that now I had something even more precious I could lose. I would never let anyone hurt her; I swore to myself.