The last 72 hours had been hard for her, for sure. She spent the first night curled up in her new bed, weeping uncontrollably. The next day was spent locked in her room attempting to come to terms. The day after that she ha allowed herself to get busy pushing her meager belongings around. The few times that she had been able to recover from her old apartment, items that had been cleared by the investigative team as safe to remove; Her easel, some clothes, a few basic hygiene necessitates.

She had her room in order, sparse... yet functional. Her work space was set up by the only window in the room, which overlooked a parking lot outside. It was better than no window, though.

She had just slipped on a throw away, paint splattered t-shirt and sat down on the small metal stool to start a fresh piece, when she heard a knock at her door. With her hair sloppily thrown into a bun, and her glasses slipped down to the tip of her nose, she turned and blinked at the door. Who...?

After making her way over, with the paintbrush she had been using wedged into her hair, she cracked the door open and peered out. A teenager stared blankly back at her. Puzzled, Shelby opened the door further. "Can I help you?" 

The girl gave her a slow once over, clearly unimpressed for some reason. "...So, what... you my new mom? My dad sent me to get you."

Shelby blanched, brows screwing together in confusion. "Wh-...pardon?"

The girl sighed, as if her question had been unbearably stupid. "Saph? Duh. You coming or what?"

Under her breath she heard the kid mutter something gruffly, and blinked again. Saph, she knew at least. He had checked in on her a few times. This kid she had never met... but.. "...Okay, sure."

Stepping back inside real quick, she grabbed the bungee cord that held her room key. After locking her door, she turned to follow the girl, fidgeting with the cuff of her shorts. Elke huffed, stuffed her hands in her pockets, and turned to lead them back the way she had come. 

Coffee was a general theme for Saphirus lately.
When one dropped a particular vice, it was common for another to take it's place.

Saph eyed the kitchen coffee maker desperately as it slowly filled. On the table next to him was a note pad with a scribbled list. What was on it? School supplies.

Being a parent meant a lot of things. One tended to get wrapped up in general themes and long terms goals when it came to parenting, so Saph couldn't really blame himself for missing out on some of the details.

For example, Elke started school tomorrow, and she had zero school supplies.

Now, normally he would take her out school shopping with him, but he had other things to consider as well. Namely, the traumatized woman he's granted safehouse at the mansion. Shelby was her name, and he couldn't blame her for not leaving her room these past few days.

She had to get out, though; this was a chance to make that happen.

Also, she was a student, and Saph hadn't been one of those for a long time. He didn't even know what kids needed for school these days. He had a feeling she could help him as much as he could help her.

Elke wandered in looking the bright ray of sunshine like always.

"Thanks Elke. Hey Shelby... Thanks for coming out. Elke tell you what's up?"

Saph was in the kitchen, as it turned out. She raised  lazy hand to wave at him in greeting, all while angling an eyebrow up in question.

"Thanks Elke. Hey Shelby... Thanks for coming out. Elke tell you what's up?"

"yeah, yeah. Whatever. " The teen trudged over an sat down on a stool next to the counter, reaching to grab the list that Saph had been working on. She had a few things she wanted to sneak onto it.

Shelby watched the interaction with a carefully neutral expression, content to stand in the doorway and not intrude further on whatever... this... was. "Apparently i'm her mom now."  She chipped in, a sliver of humor in her voice. Too her credit, the teen didn't even flinch at the mention of what she had said.

".... and that you wanted to see me?"

Saphirus blanched at Shelby's rendition of Elke's smart assed remark.

"Oh... Eh... Sorry about that, she's kinda a douche to everyone... Something about teen angst, I dunno." Saph gave the teenager a distinctly parental look, and then turned to Shelby again.

"I gotta go get her school supplies. You don't have to go, but I figured you could use some fresh air, and... Well, hate to admit it, but if I went with the list she wrote I'd prolly end up with a bunch of inane crap that she just wanted, and nothing she actually needed."

He gave the statue of angst and mischievousness sitting near them a look again. "Like last time."

His coffee made a beeping sound, and he quickly got up to pour a cup, pausing for a moment to look back at her. "Uh... Coffee?" He filled his to the brim, and took a sip, flinching at how hot it was.

"So... Can you help with this?" It helped, he was told, for people who were traumatized to feel needed. Like they were helping.

The corner of one lip upturned slightly in amusement. The father daughter relationship they seemingly had was interesting, to say the least. Especially when the teenager in question waited for him to look away before flipping him the bird.

"I'm sure we were all in a stage like that, once." And then a much more subtle, under the counter bird was angled her way. Her smile widened softly, just a tad. After his explanation, she glanced away. She wanted to decline. To just go right back up to her room and shut the door and pretend that real life didn't exist some more. She knew that such an action wasn't generally viewed as healthy, and that she was expected to pick herself up and get on with life.

Keeping a very carefully neutral expression on her face, she weighed her options. Say no and have him pester and worry about her more, or say yes and have to work to keep her emotions in check all day.

"Sure, I guess it couldn't hurt. I'm in dire need of new paint, anyway." She nodded to his offer of coffee, heading a little closer to the counter to accept the offered cup of joe.

"I will probably need to change, before we go though. I don't normally allow people to see my in my work clothes."

Saph responded with his own finger, casually waving it to her. He didn't even have to look to know what she was doing.

Saph watched Shelby as she made her decision... It troubled him a bit; he'd seen it that night her friend died. Her face went blank, and then she spoke in an empty sort of way. He didn't know how to reply to that kinda thing, really. He only nodded a bit, and turned back to get her a cup of coffee.

"Yeah, sounds good. I'll be here."

He finished his cup quickly, and went for seconds before she even got back.

Excusing herself quietly, she took her coffee with her to her room to change. It didn't take long, she just needed to put some actual pants on, a non-destroyed shirt, and a baggy button up sweater over the top. She didn't even touch her hair, and makeup was out of the question. There was no point if she was just going to have to battle being a sloppy, sobbing mess all day long.

Snagging her makeshift wallet, with the temporary ID and the cash card her bank had been willing to send her, she locked her door and headed back down. Now fully clothes and feeling more put together, minus the fact that she had forgotten about the paint brush still lingering in her hair.

"Alright, i'm all set." She set her half empty coffee cup on the counter and folded her hands on the smooth surface. "...mind if I look at your list?"

Elke, who had yet to move, sneered at her and she slid the paper pad over to her. Shelby took it gingerly, paying the teen no attention. "Gonna grade my homework while you are at it?"

She frowned at the list and sighed quietly. "Well, guess it's a good thing i'm going." Reaching over she snatched the pen Elke had been using and began marking off items left an right. "Don't think I ever needed rubber bands in school. Or that many paperclips." The teen protested, but Shelby shifted out of her reach. "Nor is there really a use for that variety of permanent markers. You generally only need red and black."

Half of the list was gone by the time she was through, and she began adding in items she recalled being useful to her in her more resent courses.

"Gonna need a pretty good calculator for your grade. Do you have one?" She pinned a questioning eye on the girl, completely ignoring the infuriated glare she was currently being given. Elke shifted her glare between Shelby and Saph, before huffing and throwing her hands in the air. "No! I traded mine last year for a really cool pair of sneakers." She paused, then added in, "but it's okay. I've been borrowing this guy;s calculator for all of my math classes. I'm good."

Silently, Shelby glanced at Saph and scribbled 'calculator' onto the list.

He was feeling a lot better after cup number two. Elke had a cup as well; she often did. In some ways the kid was like an adult, and in some ways she was way too immature. Saph supposed that was why they complemented each other so well. He was the only one who could control her, really, and she would take care of him when he bit off more than he could chew.

All in all, she was good kid. Even if she was a pain in the ass most of the time.

When Shelby came back in she got right to work. To be honest, Saph was amazed. He would have bought all of that crap! It all looked like school supplies! He might have been caught giving her a look of awe and wonder for a moment before it became a fierce look toward Elke.

The trade thing he could get over; it was a cultural thing for her. She liked to trade. The boy...

"So who's this boy, huh?" He took a step forward. Elke's catch-up classes were almost completed; she'd been through a lot, and he didn't want any distractions. Especially if they were boys.

"You're almost all caught up, Elke, and then you can school at the mansion."

He could keep track of the kids here better. Make sure they knew how much they should fear him before thinking about taking his daughter out on dates or what ever.

He turned to Shelby. "Thanks for the help. You ready to head out?"

Shelby wisely chose to stay out that that conversation. Instead she finished what she thought would be an appropriate list, and pushed it back across the counter towards Saph.

Elke didn't seem phased by being outed, nor did she seem at all worried about the fact that she apparently had a 'boy' on the side, and her dad had just fund out. "What?" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, "I have a lot of guy friends at school who let me borrow stuff."

She paused, almost as if she were waiting for it to sink in, and then added with a sly little grin, "Almost all of them owe me a shit ton of favors, anyway. No biggie."

At being scolded by her dad, she rolled her eyes hard enough to make all teenagers proud, and stood from her stool. "Fine! Whatever! I don't know why I have have to go to this stupid school for losers anyway!" And with that, she stomped out of the kitchen.

Shebly watched her go, keeping her lips pursed in order not to say anything. Or laugh.

The expression she turned back to Saph with was one of barely constrained mirth, to the point that her cheeks had started to redden a little.

"Well..." She said, after a beat. "I'm ready when you are ready."

"Elke, don't @$@#in' cuss all the damned time, okay? You ain't an ingrate. You tell those boys I owe em a favor too. They can come by any time to collect!" Aaaand, she was gone.

He looked to Shelby, smirking a bit.

There we go... She was smiling, almost laughing. That was a good sign. Still, anything could bring her back to those terrible memories; they weren't through the woods yet.

"Alright, then! I'll drive." He knew she couldn't. It was a joke at her expense. Heh.


Within minutes they were pulling up to the local mall. He was sure they could get anything they needed there.

"Any idea where to go first? I admit I'm still new to this whole thing... I adopted Elke a couple years back. Rough past, that kid, But I saw a lot of myself in her." He nodded.

She nodded, adjusting her glasses with one hand as she followed him. "Har har." she replied dryly, half rolling her eyes at the eye comment. "Lets all make jokes about the poor college student, shall we?"

Still, it was nice to have a normal conversation. Or at least a semi normal one. The ride passed quickly, and relatively quietly. She appreciated that in some ways. He wasn't trying to awkwardly get her to talk or fill the silence.

Jen would have done the same.

"Any idea where to go first? I admit I'm still new to this whole thing... I adopted Elke a couple years back. Rough past, that kid, But I saw a lot of myself in her."

She hrmed, stepping around the vehicle. "You're in luck, I have been here shopping for my own supplies before. I know where to go for most things."

She paused then, blinking and turning to look at him. "You grabbed the note pad, right?"

Saph exited the vehicle as well; he had to slam the door shut a couple of times for it to catch. The latch was a bit busted. He was working on it.

He grinned at her expertise on the matter. He'd made a good move bringing her along after all. He stopped to look at himself in the mirror for a moment... Damn, he kinda looked rough, didn't he? He hadn't had a haircut or a shave in a while.

"I dunno if this is a strange thing to bring up, but you think I should get a haircut while I'm here? Guess I haven't really been paying attention to that stuff lately."

He froze when she brought up the pad, and then smacking himself on the forhead, rubbing a hand down his face. "I thought you grabbed it! Didn't you have it last?" He swore she did.

"Ah well... We play it by ear, then."

Blinking, she slowly shook her head. "Nope, I slid it back across the counter to you after I finished editing it. Sorry, perhaps I should have held onto it." She paused, awkwardly shifting, "But that's okay. I know what most of the things of the list are. High school supplies are pretty simple compared to what i'm used to." She attempted a small reassuring smile.

"I dunno about the haircut. It really depends on what you need it for I guess." She eyed him, critical of his slight shagginess. "Unless you are going for a younger look, a trim is all you really need in my opinion. Your not full on mountain man, yet."

She turned, starting towards the mall entrance. "If you like, I can gather the supplies for you and you can meet me after you get a trim?"

It felt a little strange, being conscious of someone looking at him with an aesthetic eye. It had been a long time since he'd really thought of what anyone saw when they looked at him. It was about time that he started, though.

"Well, if you don't mind, that works for me." He patted down his pockets, and pulled out his wallet, reaching out a hand with visa card in it. "I dunno if yer comfortable with this sorta thing, but I figure if you want we can meet at the food court after, you can get the stuff and some food if I hold you up too long. S'the least I can do, really."

He wasn't sure if she would accept it, but it could mean a lot to know that someone trusted you, and he wasn't super worried that she would abuse his card. He'd actually built up some good credit thus far, actually impressive, considering the alcohol problem he'd had.

Working all of that OT on the streets helped a lot.

Regardless of whether she took the card, he would disappear to the local barber shop.

While inside the mall, he couldn't help but notice a bit of a crowd. As he entered the haircut place he couldn't help but ask about it. Apparently one of those asinine dating shows was in town. Great. Hopefully it wouldn't get in the way of their shopping.

He left the shop with much shorter hair, and a well trimmed face. He'd thought about it, and figured a change of pace was for the best. He pulled out his personal phone, and texted Elke's phone, which he'd lent to Shelby for now. Elke was super excited about that.

She took the card hesitantly, eyeballing it with a pinched expression. Dammit, she hated holding onto other peoples stuff. What if she lost it? She barely had enough in her account to cover the paint she was about to buy. "No, that's fine. I can do that." She tugged out her own wallet, making sure to put his card somewhere safe, and awkwardly waited until he made to move before she started on her own path.

It didn't take her long to track down almost all of the supplies. She had all of the basics, the necessities, and was currently stuck trying to decipher which kind of calculator was the best. "...yes, but do you have one that comes in pink?"

The clerk helping her in the electronics section stared, before nodding and leading her to a different spot in the aisle. "Sure do! I bet your... daughter will love it?" She flashed a small strained smile and plucked the calculator off the shelf, adding it to her basket.

With a critical eye, she surveyed all of the items she had gotten so far. The bottom of her basket was a chaotic pile of glitter pink, rainbows, and as many pony themed items she could find. She nodded in satisfaction, and headed to checkout.

A few minutes later she was in the food court, nibbling on a fry as she poked through the contents of the teenagers phone. The text were... well... interesting, to say the least. Some of it almost seemed coded, like her few friends were talking to her in some secret fashion. She highly doubted that they were really always going to 'Math club' and 'Drama' after school... and she was pretty sure that the foods they were talking about were code words too.

As if on cue, the phone bleeped and a text came in. It seemed it was from Saph.

'At the food court.' She sent back, crossing one leg under her as she adjusted in her seat. She considered mentioning his daughters 'friends' but decided against it. She didn't want him thinking she was a regular snoop, anyway. When she saw him a few minutes later, all freshly trimmed up, she waved him over and scooted the bags towards him with her foot as she fished his card back out or her wallet and returned it to him. "Got everything she should need."