Hard, heavily glued pages were turned in the scrapbook that lay on the queen size canopy bed. A bed (although queen sized) was made for a princess. A modern princess. No pink frilly bows here or rainbows with unicorns prancing along the walls. Wooden book shelves lined one of the walls, packed to the brim with books. Most of which were first editions. Scrapbooks took over half of one of the shelves. A hobby that Linore had started as soon as she could write and glue things together. The first ones were all things kids found interesting. A piece of a shinny metal, glitter pens, or a leaf that was oddly shaped or duo colored. Simple things from childhood. The scrapbooks later progressed to add pictures, newspaper clippings, reports and later to what she had now. It looked like all the other scrapbooks. This one however was as detailed as she could get on Gabriel Ishmael Goldman. Having hired a private detective to get some police files. It was as detailed as a girl could get on the only living blood relative she had left. She did have Rachel, Ishmael's sister... her sister. There was so little on her that Linore couldn't get much of anything.

That scrapbook lay closed on the bed. On the cover was a design done in glitter pens. It was something of a system for only Linore to know. All her scrapbooks were done in such a way. Excessively girly but functional. Music played in the background. The iHome for her iPod sat on a dresser by the bed. Currently it was Mika Nakashima's Find the Way from the Gundam Seed soundtrack. All the lyrics were in Japanese. Linore didn't know Japanese, it however sounded really beautiful to her ears so it had been left on the playlist.

Lifting her left leg from the bed, she would rotate her ankle before setting it on the bed and repeating the action with her right leg. Another page turned. Heavy with the glue and the excess material made to make the pages thick and sturdy. Drumming her electric blue colored nails of her right hand on the page. This page had a picture of Ishmael with her parents and Rashel. Linore bit her bottom lip staring at the picture. It had been taken at winter time. There was a Christmas tree in the background and everyone was wearing something in red and black. It seemed to be the last one on record. Linore couldn't find anymore in all the Internet sites or library or even from her hired investigations. Slamming the book closed she shoved it aside.

Bare feet hit the carpeted floor after she crawled off the bed. Walking on the balls of her feet to the closet. Fingers pushed garments aside to find the right dress to see her brother in. She had a proposition for him. Taking down a pale blue dress with small gray accents to it. Boxer shorts and t-shirt were removed and tossed in the hamper. A box of gray ankle high boots were taken down as well. The dress and shoes were placed on the bed. Hanger tossed back in the closet. Linore took out a pair of earrings and a necklace. Something small and dainty to match the dress. Fingers moved to reach for a ring she had found on her adventures in Rome. Slipping it on her middle finger of her left hand. a smile formed on her lips as she turned to the dress on her bed.

Metal prong hooked to the hole on her belt. The belt broke the dress in the middle making it look like two separate pieces. The skirt flared perfectly from her hips. She looked like a mix of a child and a woman. Her features stuck in between the ages of twelve and twenty. White gold chain rested against her neck, the small charm in the shape of a heart with a tiny little diamond on the corner sat an inch below the hallow of her throat. It was child-like and still the way the dress was cut low almost showing cleavage gave the illusion of something more. Something just a tad bit sexual without going over-board. lashes were swept with eye-shadow of gray and a ting of sparkle in blue. Her whole attire seemed to be a blend of a bright blue sky with traces of storm clouds.

Earrings were a pair of Diamonds, small and cute. Shoes were last. Slipping on the boots and zipping the sides of them. Giving only a little tap of her heels together for luck. The action was very much something from The Wizard of Oz. No place like home. Now she was dressed properly for her mission. A click of her bedroom door as it closed was the last sound that she was leaving her sanctuary of her part of the house.

All that echoed behind Linore as she headed to Ishmael's office were the taps of her heels. A deep breath entered and exited her lungs. She was mustering the courage needed for her mission. No more going through Merrick to talk to her brother. He had been in and out of the mansion for days, weeks almost. Thanksgiving was spend alone. Linore was sick of it. She wanted to see her brother and she wanted a real family! Was that really so hard to have? To desire at her age?

Fear turned to a slow burn of anger. Let her anger fuel her desire and her courage to talk to Ish. With a sure nod of her head that was only for herself, Linore knocked once on that large wooden menacing door before turning the knob and walking in.

"Ish.... I...."