JP - Ami can learn without using her Powers

Cody bounced his left leg a few times, a nervous habit. He had a second key to it that he hadn’t told Tzeitel about. “She’s gonna kill me…” He muttered and pulled out the key from beneath his shirt. It was hanging from the chain necklace he wore. Pulling it off, he held the key out to her.

Tzeitel was probably going to murder him for this…

Ami accepted the key and looked hesitant. “Why did you tell me to never read her file when you read it that time?” It had been years ago but she clearly remembered how upset it had made Cody.

"There's a man it talks about in there that did things to Tzeitel…horrible things that no one should go through, Ami." He answered and looked at the floor, pushing his hands through his hair. "Just make sure you're ready to read it, okay?"

Ami was becoming afraid of reading it. She had gotten the Talk several times, and besides being told where babies come from she was also warned about abuse. She had also spent time in the Meta Underground and heard things she knew Tzeitel would not want her overhearing. Besides her powers, Ami was a smart, perceptive kid.

“Is he who put those letters on her arm?” When Ami first met her sister she always wore long sleeves that covered her arms to the wrists- which had strange scars on them. About four years ago Tzeitel had started wearing T-shirts, once she fell asleep wearing one and the sleeve had rode up enough for Ami to see the letters GCS in a scar on her bicep. She never asked Tzeitel about them because it was obvious that Tzeitel was hiding them, even without seeing how Tzeitel hastily pulled the sleeve back down when she awoke.

"Yes," Cody answered. "He was a monster…"

“Like Cain?” Ami asked, remembering the guy who seemed nice until the kidnapping and hurting Megan. She also remembered a similar name coming up among the adults. “Was it that Canestone person?”

All Cody could do now was nod to both questions. "What Cain did to Megan was unforgivable and he deserved what Tzeitel did to him." He explained after a moment.

After Megan was with Frisk, Ami had overheard enough of the adults speaking in low voices (and Tzeitel angrily screaming and crying as she vented to Klaire when she thought Ami could not hear) to have figured out that Cain had raped Megan, and that ‘hive’ had too. It made Ami feel sick. But now she was piecing together that Canestone had done the same to Tzeitel. Ami’s eyes filled with tears as she thrust the key at Cody. She did not want to absorb or even just read what was in her sister’s file anymore.

Cody took the key back. “I’ll keep it until the day you feel you’re ready to read it.” He told her. Though, he hoped that day would never come. Getting up, he pulled Ami into a tight and loving hug.

Ami hugged Cody back, breaking into sobs against his chest.

Cody rocked her gently, doing all he could to comfort Ami, the closest thing to a little sister he’d ever had. “It’ll be okay…we’re here for her. We can help.”

Ami cried, not knowing what they could possibly do to help her.

Tzeitel heard Ami crying and hurried into the room in her pajamas, sweat pants and shirt. “What’s wrong?”

“She’s just a little upset,” Cody answered. “You want to hug Tzeitel, Ami?”

Ami nodded and cannonballed into Tzeitel’s middle, arms wrapping around her. Tzeitel wound up on the floor, but at least she did not hurt herself. She rubbed Ami’s back. She felt terrible, seeing Ami this upset. She had to do something else besides drinking and hurting herself working out too hard. She was not just hurting herself, it was hurting Ami. She made up her mind to call Leimomi tomorrow, even though she did not have an appointment. She had to work out something else. She could feel her own eyes filling with tears.

Cody got up and walked over to them, picking both Tzeitel and Ami up into a big bear hug.

Tzeitel slipped an arm around Cody, hugging him and Ami. “You’re both such good kids.” Tzeitel said in a shaky voice.

Ami yawned between tears.

"We love you," Cody said with a loving smile on his face. "Never forget that."

“I love you both.” Tzeitel was all choked up, and she saw that Ami was tired. “But you all need to get to bed.”

Cody yawned. “Yeah, that’s for sure.” He said and chuckled. “Let's get you two to bed.” That natural instinct to protect them both was always driving him forward.

“Who is the grownup here?” Tzeitel asked, less than half serious but she wished Cody had not been cheated out of six years of his childhood. Tzeitel tried to step out of the hug but Ami was still clinging to her. Tzeitel sighed, stroking Ami’s hair. “I’ll be okay, I’m going to talk to Leimomi tomorrow, okay? Everything is going to be okay.”

Ami nodded, her face buried in Tzeitel’s side.

“I can’t help that I’m already legally able to buy alcohol,” Cody said with a shrug and another chuckle. “Though, I still refuse to buy it.” He looked down at Ami and ruffled up her hair gently. “I’m gonna go shower and get ready for bed.” Walking off, he grabbed some of his clean clothes and went to shower.

Tzeitel had given up on buying alcohol, the kids always found it and poured it down the drain. “Night Cody!” She called after her son. Ami refused to let Tzeitel go, so Tzeitel wound up going to bed and falling asleep with Ami still clinging to her.

Cody would finish his shower and get dressed pretty quickly before making sure both Tzeitel and Ami were asleep. Smiling, he grabbed the extra blanket and a free pillow, going to the couch where he would fall asleep while reading one of his medical textbooks that Frisk gave him all those years ago.

Ami was still not completely asleep when Cody got on the couch. She looked up at him for a moment before cuddling up close to Tzeitel and falling fast asleep. Tzeitel was sleeping like the dead.