Andromeda's Penthouse: Sunday Afternoon

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Buffy had arranged everything and gave Bella the key. Buffy must have sensed that this reunion should be a private one because she muttered something about going grocery shopping and cooking a meal to welcome Andromeda to the Towers. Bella had kissed her goodbye and then let herself into the penthouse to get it ready for Andy's arrival

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[bellasforever]

Black smoke came swirling into the penthouse bedroom as Andromeda appeared. With time seemingly standing still in that instant, Andromeda steadied herself from her apparation and raised up. She caught sight of her sister. Tears welled up in her eyes and she closed them to let them fall.

Thoughts completely not focused on the tiny house elf that had appeared in the room with her, Tinky gave a huff and disapparated. Andromeda, feeling as though the entire world had disappeared, opened her eyes again and gazed at Bella, holding back sobs of relief that threatened to overwhelm her.

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Bella did not even jump at the sound, her eyes fell on Andromeda, the crack of the house elf did not even disturb her silent reverence of her sister standing in front of her. Her own eyes blurred with unfallen tears, taking a slow step towards her blood, she held her arms out to pull Andromeda into her.

"Dearest love." She whispered wrapping her arms tightly, trying to pull Andromeda's very soul into her own. "My love." She pressed soft kisses to her head and mouth. "Love." She whispered again.

[bellasforever]

Andromeda felt something break and heal in her as her sister enveloped her. Her own dark, precious, guardian angel shrouding her from the cruel world she knew. As Bella pulled her in tighter she felt a lighting bolt of pain shoot through her entire being. Her back, her fresh wounds. She arched up in Bella's arms and burst into racking sobs. "Bella," she whispered, her voice full of pain and relief all at once. "My only One."

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Bella felt Andromeda arch and she lightened her grip on her. A cold stone dropped into the pit of Bella's stomach even as she heard Andromeda's beautiful words. Their mother, her mother, had beaten Andromeda, Bella knew it as the cold stone fell even deeper.

"What did she do to you?" Bella whispered against Andy's words. "My beautiful sister, what did she do?" Bella's voice was full of sorrow. She knew the pain all too well. She felt sick to know what her sisters back was going to look like. Her sisters beautiful, perfect skin.

[bellasforever]

Andromeda felt as though she could barely breath as the memory of her mother's brutality flooded her mind at Bella's question. She swallowed hard and shook her head. "Bella", her voice shuddering, "Come, lets forget that now. It only matters that I am here with you."

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Bella's eyes showed sympathy for Andromeda, but she was set on seeing the damage that had been inflicted on her beautiful angel. "Let me see it." She whispered, fury in her words. She reached her hand to undo Andromeda's buttoned shirt. "She isn't human when she does this Andy." Tears filled Bella's eyes again, "Let me see my love." She nodded at her, her hands moved as slowly as possible, dread filling every movement of her hands on the buttons as she slowly worked the shirt open. "She won't hurt you again." Was the whispered promise when at last she had unfastened the last of the buttons.

Leading Andromeda to the bed, Bella stepped back to let Andromeda lower the shirt to fall away from the wounds. Bella took a breath to brace herself for the sight of the beautiful skin ravaged by their hateful mother.

[bellasforever]

Andromeda, taking a last pleading, pained look at her sister, turned slowly around on the bed. She lowered her head into her hands as shame forced its way up from the very abyss of her soul. She took another shuddered breath, "Bella, the pain, its not nearly as unbearable as it was to be without you."

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"I know my dear one. I am so sorry that we were apart." She said in a gentle voice. "Come now, let me see love." She coaxed lovingly to encourage Andromeda to drop the shirt all the way down. "We will never be apart again. I promise, as long as it is possible. We will be together."

Bella approached her now, her hands resting gently on Andromeda's hips. "Show me." She implored again. Her voice low and tender.

[bellasforever]

Andromeda, feeling the safety promised in Bella's voice, nodded in silent acquiescence. As the rain began to fall harder outside, mirroring the release she felt within, she began slowly to pull her shirt down, grimacing in agony as the fabric, tearing away, reopened the wounds. Vulnerable and exposed, she reached back for her sister's hand.

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Bella held her breath, a cry ripped at her throat. The rage tore her insides apart as her eyes drank in the sight of Andromeda's beaten and bloody back. The black and blue bruises forming around the blood encrusted lines that crisscrossed her back from her neck to well below the line of her skirt.

"Andy." Bella choked as tears began to escape her eyes. She took Andy's extended hand and glanced at it, seeing it's deep cut and bruised flesh that looked nearly as mangled as Andy's back she asked, "Did she get your hands too my love?" Bella pictured Andy fighting the blows off only to get her hand caught in the worst of it.

[bellasforever]

Andromeda took a sharp intake of breath. She had forgotten about her hand, how she had pushed the glass into it. She closed it tightly and brought it back, holding it against her chest. She felt her tears hot on her cheeks again and shook her head. "I did that, Bella," she said, in a soft voice, barely audible.

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Bella shook her head and pulled Andromeda's injured hand back into her own and then lifted it to her lips and pressed a soft kiss against the cut. "My darling little one, why didn't you come to me sooner?" She brushed back some of Andy's fallen hair. "I would have taken you away from all that madness if I had known she was really going to hurt you my love. I'm so sorry I didn't protect you." Shame tightened the words in Bella's throat as she looked down at Andromeda's hand clasped in hers.

[bellasforever]

Andromeda turned on the bed to face Bella, wincing slightly as her back twisted. She gazed deeply into Bella's eyes, opening her hand to hold her sister's tightly, not giving any mind to the pain. She gently caressed Bella's face, softly touching two fingers to her lips. "Bella don't, don't feel bad. I was at school," she swallowed hard, forcing herself from crying. "You didn't know. We didn't know.. she.." her words trailed off as she fell into her sisters arms, holding her as tightly as she could. She breathed in her sister's exquisite and familiar scent and began to feel her tension ease. She moved down to rest her head on Bella's lap, tracing gentle patterns on her thigh. "Safe," she whispered, closing her eyes, feeling sleep coming quickly.

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Bella stroked Andromeda's hair gently. "Shhh. Just rest now. I've got you." Bella cooed as she drew her wand out and very gently traced over the lines on Andromeda's back. The delicate creamy flesh glowing slightly on each blood encrusted line before sealing back seamlessly.

"You're safe now my lamb." Bella said working very slowly and carefully to make certain she closed every cut and faded every bruise.

[bellasforever]

Andromeda, in a blissful halk-awake state allowed herself to absorb the love she felt in Bella's healing. She murmured a soft 'I love you' as she felt her pain dissipating and gently squeezed Bella's thigh

[truest_black]

Bella smiled gently at the words. "I love you too." She whispered as she healed the last cut on Andromeda's back. "Come." She whispered, sliding up into the bed still holding Andy's hand. Pulling back the blankets, she guided Andromeda's head onto her chest. "Sleep my love, you're exhausted." She said pressing a kiss to the top of her sister's head.

Bella felt Andromeda's breath grow deeper and easier. "I've got you." She whispered, looking at Andy's hand. Very softly she took her wand again and ran it along the cut on Andy's palm. "You're never going back there again." She laid the wand on the nightstand. "Ever." Bella's words had a finality to them, a promise of their future together held in the words.