JP - Hiding in the Van

Riley took her hand and led her to find Klaire and the others.

They would find a few of the others in a living room type area, but Klaire was nowhere to be found. She was outside, hiding in the van.

Riley chatted with Lyle and Anna before heading to the van knowing Klaire well enough.

Klaire was just sitting alone in the back of the van, cleaning her guns to distract herself. “What do you want, Riley?” She asked.

"I can't check on my sister?" He asked climbing into the van.

“I never said that, you butthead.” Klaire said, tossing her dirty rag at him.

Riley chuckled and took a seat next to her "you alright?"

“No, I’m tired of all the arguing Tzeitel and I do…” Klaire sighed heavily. “I’m trying to tolerate everything, but she pushes me away, insults James all the time, and…the kids are both happy with her, but when she gets in her moods, they’re afraid of her…” Setting her gun aside, she leaned back against the wall of the van, watching as Anastasia got in and curled up in a corner. “I hate how she keeps accusing him of doing things he didn’t even do…sure, he might have done them in a different timeline, but this is our James…he wouldn’t do any of that to anyone…He just wants to help.”

"I know how you feel sometimes it feels like two steps forward three steps back with her" Riley sighed "I'm worried one of these days I'm going to find her dead and I can't go losing someone again."as he spoke his eyes glazed over He wasn't just talking about the people in the village but his friends and loved ones he lost throughout the several timelines. It wasn't just the ones he had told the others about He had lived through several more that they didn't know and had lost plenty of people.

Klaire’s ears twitched and she set her gun aside, pulling Riley into a tight hug. “It’s gonna be okay…” She whispered.

“I just want everyone to be ok when I go away for a bit” Riley replied, returning the hug.

“I know…” Klaire said. “James has been helping with that, honestly. I haven’t gotten kidnapped or in trouble for five years, after all.” She poked his nose.

“Good I’m going to need you to hold down the fort when I go after Esther” Riley chuckled.

"How is that going, by the way?" Klaire asked. "Figuring out the frequency to step into the Hellscape where Esther is?"

"Took five years and some experiments but yes I finally figured it out " Riley answered "I've been holding off until we found Susi and the others."

“Are you even sure she’ll willingly come back, Riley?” Klaire inquired. “I mean…it’s been five years for us, but…think about how long it’s been for her.”

"I have to try regardless" Riley answered, scared of that outcome "she's my daughter i love her just like I do Amber and Susi."

“I know…but her heart was thoroughly broken, Riley. What Shimo did…suddenly leaving her just before the assault…” Klaire shook her head and looked away. “At least V died protecting the children. Shimo made a choice to leave Esther…he made the choice to break her heart after all she’d done to prove her love for him. It disgusts me.”

"I know and I'll never forgive that bastard for hurting her" Riley replied, clenching his fists his nails drawing blood "but I'd never forgive myself if I didn't try. Even if she wants to stay there I just wanted to know that she's loved and not alone."

Klaire nodded and gently got Riley to stop. “It’ll probably do her some good to have you visit.”

Riley nodded and tried to calm down tears streaming down his face.

“Things will work out…” Klaire reminded him.

Riley sighed " I just want us all back together like how it use to be."

“I don’t know if that’ll ever happen, honestly…” She let out a heavy sigh and looked at her phone, quickly texting Frisk back. “Should we head inside? I think Tzeitel is at her antics again…”

Riley nodded "let's go find her" he sighed, opening the door for the three of them.

Klaire grabbed her guns and got out, stopping when she realized Anastasia wasn’t moving. “Uh…you coming?” She asked.

Anastasia shook her head. She didn’t want to risk running into that Tzeitel girl again. At least with Piritta it was all talk for the most part. The woman never actually got truly harsh and spoke a language she didn’t understand, so she was able to ignore the words most of the time, but she understood Tzeitel. It hurt hearing the woman get so mean with her words when she had no clue what she’d done to earn them.

Klaire looked at Riley. “I’ll let you talk to her. I’m gonna go ahead and look for Tzeitel.” She said and headed inside.