The only responsible one

James summoned up the shreds of his willpower and turned off the water, forcing himself to stand. He made his way to the closet, and took out two towels. Before he began drying himself off, he draped one towel over Sally. Aurora slept in the water, so he doubted it would bother her to be wet.

He made some coffee, and gathered their clothing from around the bathroom. It was soaked, as was the floor. While he waited for the women to wake up, he stuck several towels across the floor and tossed Sally's clothes into his drier. His own went into a hamper, and he picked a fresh set from his dresser. He'd finished, and had been staring into a cup of coffee for so long it had gone cold, by the time Sally slowly appeared from the bathroom, towel wrapped tightly around herself.

She had obviously been ready to scream and fight when she first emerged, but seeing the state James was in shocked her into a calmer state. One that had her feeling the same conflict and gravity she knew he must be feeling. She managed to say without venom, "...Where are my clothes?"

He didn't speak, and hardly moved. Only his right index finger pointed towards the open hallway closet that held the running machine that worked to dry her outfit.

She nodded. "...thanks..."

The two sat in silence for nearly an hour before Aurora emerged, happy and glowing bright blue. Up until she saw them. At first, the blue merely toned down a little bit and she chirped at them. A questioning trill followed their silence, and eventually she sat between them, flickering several colors back and forth.

"...be really handy if she could speak our language...", James mused.

Sally nodded. "...I'm getting a cup of coffee...try to make her understand? Maybe if we're all on the same page we...", she choked back some tears, "we can figure this all out."

James nodded, and left to grab a pen and piece of paper from his desk. While Sally made her coffee, he drew a diagram of a family tree. She flickered. He had to draw a crappy version of a grow man and woman, and a baby in the right place below them. She turned solid blue for a moment. He moved forward, deciding to believe she understood. He drew a second box and a second baby, and lines to indicate their being from the same parents. Again, she turned blue. Then he circled the two babies and gestures to himself, and then Sally.

She turned bright orange, and shrieked, standing with enough **** to knock over the table her knees had been under.

Sally held back her own tears, barely managing to say, "It sounds like she gets it..."

Suddenly the orange color washed over with a grey-blue. Aurora had her hands over her mouth, and ran into the bathroom. James and Sally glanced at each other and followed her. They found her glowering into the mirror, with tears streaming down her face and the colors red and orange traveling across her entire body. The room itself lit up with the intensity of the hate she threw at herself. When they came into view she slammed the door closed. They heard her body impact it, and slide down to the floor. The colors that flowed across her body shone brightly in the gap at the bottom.