There was his dad on the couch, sewing away at another one of his projects, though the look on his face lacked any former joy the activity once brought.

And next to his father was his sister, sprawled out with a book in hand, appearing totally absorbed, though her eyes were blank and never once moved across the page.

Somewhere upstairs was his mother, perhaps cleaning his room yet again, though he found it safe to assume she was just wandering the area eerily seeing as she'd gone over it several times in the weeks before.

He himself leaned back in to a chair across from Jazz and Jack, idly watching them as he rested his cheek on his hand.

Not a word passed among them, and as the silence continued he felt as though it were an unseen force enclosing them in a suffocating grip. Fingers curling tighter and tighter together with each tick from the kitchen's clock, crushing him with every tock.

Icy blue eyes flickered to the window, wondering if life outside his family's home was moving as slow as it was inside, or if those beyond the walls rushed through their daily lives with ease.

He envied them if that was so.

Every day he came home, and every day he took his place in the living room among his family for a few hours, never moving from his place-and they remaining in theirs for the most part. Never a word passed between them, nor sound except the spontaneous turning of pages.

His mood darkened and he took to glaring at the capret, a specific patch if truth be told.

There he fell and was caught, and there he lost his life to his love. There his family found his body as they returned home, and there was where it all began with a blade.

It always came back to that.

"Daniel?"

Said male glanced over his shoulder, sparing a blank glance towards the speaker before resuming the watching of his father's stitching.

"It's time to go now." the speaker said, trying to once more get the other's attention.

But neither Danny nor the other's in the room paid him any heed.

"Daniel..." this time the tone took on a clear warning.

He sighed, closing his eyes and leaning back in to the chair, hand falling across his lap, "I don't want to." he mumbled after a moment.

"You have to." the other chided, walking around the chair to face him. He paused for a moment-awaiting a response-and upon recieveing none repeated in a firm tone, "Daniel."

"What?" the dark haired male snapped, blue eyes opening to lock a glare on emerald ones.

Staring silently a moment the other sighed, shaking his head so snowy bangs temporarily shadowed his face, "Why do you do this every time Daniel?"

Fidgetting at the downcast tone said male glanced away, crossing his arms in a silent act of defiance.

Sighing once more the other reached out to lightly brush his cheek, "You know we-you-can't just stay here Danny."

"I know..." he queitly relented, still refusing to meet the other's pleading gaze.

"Then lets go." here he moved his hand to the other's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly.

Allowing himself to be pulled to his feet Danny cast one more look at his present family. Phantom told him he would need to let go soon. That things would be so much easier if he did. But he couldn't, this was his home, his family. It had been hard enough to resist seeing his friends, but this...

Cool lips brushed over his cheek and he sent the white haired male a small smile before silently bidding his family goodbye for the night.

He paused as his father leaned forward, placing his project on the table with a sad sigh.

Looking closer Danny felt his stomach knot at the words so painstakingly stitched into the fabric.

Sensing the other's hesitance Phantom lightly tugged him to his side, wrapping a secure arm about the other's waist. Danny complied with the action, leaning in to the white haired male's frame as he was escorted away because this was now all he had.

Long after the two were gone, their presence marked by no one, a family was still shattered and four words in black thread made it all the more real.