<div style="text-align: justify;">Jill reminded Alannah of her own father in a lot of ways. The teasing, the proud way she held herself, the efficient and purposeful walk. It was clear why she would be a weak point in Dimitri's defenses. She was just one of those people you could not help but like a little bit, even if they initially put you off. But she was here, she was safe, and she certainly seemed happy. They had spent hours on the road for nothing, save to reassure Dimitri that everything was still fine. Alannah threw a sideways glance at him. Walking hand in hand with him towards his childhood home, it became clear how much he felt at ease here compared to Boston. His shoulders were lowered, he walked in just a slightly different, more relaxed way, and there was an eagerness on his face she had not seen before. Alannah smiled at the three steps the lead up to the narrow porch, and stepped inside the Midnight home along with its occupants.<br/><br/>Dark beige panels met treated wooden floors in the large, open space that served as both kitchen and living room. Alannah's eyes darted from the white, wooden furniture to the red and green threadbare rug by the rocking chair which was standing by several large windows, giving whoever sat there an excellent view of everything outside. Little paintings adorned the walls, all depicting various oceanic scenes. She slid away from Dimitri to take a closer look at the one next to the only visible door in the room. It was a lighthouse whose beam shone across the dark, acrylic waves. Alannah turned around, one hand trailing down the wall. There was a staircase leading up at the far left of the room, where a fridge and a stove had been trapped between wooden counters, also white, albeit somewhat stained from things that had proven too touch to get rid of entirely. A vague smell of flowers and old house hung in the air, but not even the low, wide bookcase that stood against the front door wall had a speck of dust on it.<br/><br/>Alannah had never seen anything like it. She turned back towards the little family. <span style="color: #4080FF">"What a beautiful home,"</span> she said, politely but honestly.</div>