if these wings could fly for the rest of our lives
The silence that settled in the car at that vibrant welcome sign just outside that quaint little town was perturbing, if only for how rare it was. Arlo was rarely a silent man, not that Abigail minded such in the slightest. Quite on the contrary, she enjoyed listening to him talk, she enjoyed the buzz and activity and noise of his simple existence, if only because it chased off the very stillness and silence that beset her when she was alone without him. It made her worried...and maybe a little bit nervous at the approach of the town with it's quaint little matching houses. It was so odd to think of Arlo as growing up here. This was the sort of place that had boys with nice collared shirts and perfectly combed hair that went to school in soccer mom vans...maybe...maybe that was too high class for here? Was it? Hm, it was a conundrum she considered all the same as the car slowed along those residential streets. She could hardly help that innocent query on weather or not it was bizarre to be back here after so long. After all, Abigail had spent most of her life in one singular town, she could hardly imagine going away only to come back to everything looking so...perfectly the same.

Her head bobbed in understanding as he spoke of just how much everything resembled that very night he'd unwillingly left. It made the girl concerned about what would happen when they returned and yet, Arlo was her number one priority. She was determined to get in, get his music, and get him out and then make him feel lots better. Lots and lots and lots! It was curious, really, the idea that THIS town was too small and too slow for him, particularly when her own hometown was even smaller and slower. He would have like....died at her home. Abigail could hardly help the grin upon her lips at that sheepish look upon his features. "Well, now you're a big super star." She informed him with a teasing tone to her carefree voice. Her hazel eyes focused upon the home the vehicle slowed to a halt in front of. On the outside, there was little to differentiate that home from all the others. It was near the very stereotypical representation of what American homes were - with a white picket fence and all! She'd never even seen a home that was so...sooo....cliche. It was kind of adorable.

A soft muttered word of thanks was given to her boyfriend as Arlo opened the car door for her, the little were-panda all but enthusiastic to get out of the confined space. Cars had never really been a great love of hers, even though she owned her own. Long car rides were like the wooooorrrseeeee! She blamed it on her youth, riding a bus for like an hour to go to school every day had all but killed her patience for those long car rides. Even despite her own jubilance to have arrived, she knew well that Arlo was still all nervous like. After all, she could practically feel it coming off of him in waves. Blame those panda instincts! The young woman bounded after him as Arlo pushed open the white gate, only to follow him up towards the covered porch. She paused beside her boyfriend in front of that door, her gaze briefly shifted back and forth between the front door and Arlo's terse form. She watched as he ran his hand through his hair, that gesture a blatant display of his unease. Where his parents really that bad? Her lips pressed together ever so slightly. It was totally her job to keep him all safe through this. She could do it!

That press of the doorbell caused her hands to clap together in front of her, the young woman providing her boyfriend with a rather radiant smile at that glimpse of amusement from him. "Well, I know it's hard but you did it! That is worth celebrating!" She responded, only for her hazel eyes to turn back towards the front door with a hint of inquisitiveness. Even she could tell it was really really quiet inside, even without her animal instincts tugging at her. Her gaze shifted towards her boyfriend as he pressed the doorbell again, only for nothing at all to stir within the front of the home. She hadn't considered that the pair might have to break into that home, and yet, now that she knew Arlo had the key, maybe it was better this way. Particularly considering how perturbed Arlo seemed to be to be back. It only took her a moment to come to the conclusion that, perhaps they should just try it. At the very least they could get the whole affair over with. She trailed after Arlo as he made his way towards the flower pots on the side of the home, picking up one in particular only to find a key hidden carefully beneath it. Frankly, she was kind of surprised it was still there. Arlo wasn't kidding when he said nothing had changed.

"Maybe they went out for a late movie or dinner?" She inquired, hardly believing they were visiting neighbors at such an hour. No, it was far more likely they had purposefully made plans to be elsewhere, as much as it pained her to admit it to herself. Truly, it baffled her that his family had abandoned him - just because he was a vampire, if it was due to that. He was a nice guy and sweet and kind and carrying. Was it really so awful that he was a little bit different? The worry clawed at her as she watched Arlo fit the key into the lock, the door swinging open to reveal the interior of that otherwise still home. Her hazel eyes swept over the dated interior, glancing at the floral curtains and the linoleum floor. It definitely was far....older than her own home. A small simper fluttered across her features as Arlo's gaze turned towards her. "It seems very homely." She responded with some level of praise. She nodded ever so slightly at the mention of his bedroom and yet, apart of Abigail too could hardly deny the apprehension that had begun to tug at her. It was the whole....being somewhere she was sure she didn't belong thing. She didn't voice a word of those concerns, however, as she followed Arlo up the stairs, her hand trailing along the handrail.

The very mention of the handrail turned her gaze down towards the floor below. "How did you not fall off?" She inquired, baffled by the idea of sliding down that railing. She was fairly certain that she did not have that level of balance but....than again, it wasn't as if she had ever tried either. It sounded kind of fun though....like a slide, maybe! Abigail followed her boyfriend down the hallway and towards one of the rooms, only to pause behind him as he stopped at the door with the bedroom light on. Her head peeked around her boyfriend as he reached out to press his hand upon the wooden door, only to cause it to swing open to reveal....a nursery within. A glimpse of confusion crossed her features as she took in the contents of the room. Her hazel eyes turned upwards towards Arlo, following the baffled man into that brightly lit room. This...did not seem like what either of them were expecting! Something, at least, had finally changed about that house.

She was hardly prepared for the way her boyfriend abruptly pivoted, only to reach out and drag her backwards towards him. She hardly had a moment to question him before that piercing scream drew her gaze, causing her to press herself further against her boyfriend. Arlo's voice could be heard above that screech and, eventually, an abrupt, weary sort of silence seemed to fill the room, the very sort that made her skin crawl. Her hazel eyes met that glare of the young woman, only to turn briefly back towards Arlo as he attempted to begin those introductions. Introductions which, it seemed, were destined to be cut off short. Abigail remained silent at Arlo's side, simply watching and listening to the pair of siblings. It was strikingly clear within that moment that Arlo had certainly not kept in touch with his family over the years, particularly if his sister's marriage and daughter were such a surprise. That hurt within Arlo's voice was clear, causing her gaze to turn upwards as she nibbled on her bottom lip. Arlo's family wasn't very nice....and frankly, she felt guilty for even thinking so about her boyfriend's sister.

She watched as Addison placed that baby within the crib, only for the woman's demeanor to return to that same closed-off sort of feel. She hardly expected the conversation to stray so abruptly towards herself. That sudden demand of who she was, however, prompted a small wave from the girl, only for her to wince ever so slightly at that accusation that she was a vampire too...and a groupie....not that she knew exactly what that was....but it didn't sound like a good thing. Somehow, it didn't seem like a good idea to tell the woman that she was a were-panda. After all, if she reacted so poorly to vampires, God only knew how she was going to react to were animal! That sudden comment of how Arlo was in the bedroom, however, almost immediately brought that pink hue to her features, that very thought was one Abigail hadn't...quite considered yet. Thankfully, Arlo seemed just as willing to change the subject as abruptly as possible, only for Addison to retort with that same sharpness that they shouldn't be here either. This...was so not going well and it was totally up to her to save it. She could do this. She could do this.

Softly, the girl inhaled, as if steadying herself onto to gently pull away from her boyfriend. It was important she stand on her own during this. Body language and...all that. "It's a pleasure to meet you Addison. We won't be here long. We just want to get Arlo's things and then we'll be on our way, okay? Could you tell us where his stuff is?" It was best, she decided to stay on topic and get out of there as quick as possible, particularly with how argumentative the young woman was. Maybe it was also best to just....not tell them about Arlo becoming all famous again. Though really, how they didn't know with the whole royal wedding thing was kind of baffling. Oh well, it was best to let them handle the fall out of that themselves if they were going to be such a grumpy grump family.