It's time for an intervention

[Stephanie Taylor]

Stephanie had been at the Sokolov residences for a few days. There was a large downstairs where she could have her own space which was nice. Though Stephanie wasn't too fond of places she wasn't all that familiar with, and as a result never slept well. This was the second night and she still hadn't figured out the basic sounds of the house. So when the dryer door slammed shut she found herself shooting straight up and looking around the room. Rubbing her eyes she wasn't really awake, had she just heard? No, no it couldn't be that? Her breathing picked up and a blood curling scream let forth as she scampered out of the bedroom and into the kitchenette area of the lower.

If she was lucky, then whoever was in the laundry room on the second floor maybe hadn't heard her. No wait? Where was she? Fumbling for her phone and trying to call Ben, she had no idea where she put the phone. Okay this was NOT her house and she had no idea what the hell was going on right now. Screaming at the top of her lungs something in Bulgarian she pounded on the wall. Stephanie had mostly lost her sanity while the nightmare had hold of her. The panicked breathing continued even as the pounding on the walls stopped. Stephanie had nothing familiar to grasp her reality right now. Nothing at all.

SQUAD 3

HOUSE 51

Esau Sokolov

callmekitty at adoxography

[Esau Sokolov]

[attr="class","esaunah"]

[attr="class","esauleft"] [attr="class","esauleft2"]

[attr="class","esauright"] Esau had always been a light sleeper. The slightest movement—the slightest noise—could disturb him. But he had also learned to grab sleep whenever and wherever he could. When he and Ziva had welcomed Josiah into their lives, his old military habits had once again proven to be useful. So a bloodcurdling scream from downstairs instantly had Esau on high alert. The voice, he knew, did not belong to his son, but neither did that stop him from jumping out of bed, the sidearm from his nightstand in hand. The scene downstairs hadn't been the one he'd expected to find. Josiah was staring wide-eyed at their guest and chattering away in Hebrew, as he clutched his favorite blanket close to his chest. Stephanie looked about ready to bolt. But no one appeared to be in life-threatening danger and he tucked the weapon away. Though this went beyond simply being startled—at least for her. Just by the way Stephanie carried herself, Esau had been able to tell from their first meeting: she was former military. There were deeper issues lurking beneath the surface. Things that Esau had seen all too often. Things that no person should have to face—alone or otherwise. "Josiah was cold," Esau explained. "He went looking for his favorite blanket." Changing to Hebrew, Esau assured Josiah that no one was upset with him. "Go back upstairs. I will be up soon to tuck you in. I want to spend some time with Stephanie first." When Josiah disappeared up the stairs, heading back to his bedroom, Esau used English to try and reassure the panicked woman—the Israeli able to switch comfortably between multiple languages. His wasn't a familiar face—he knew that. But hopefully the tone of his voice would help to calm her. "Take deep breaths. As many as you need. No one is going to hurt you, Stephanie. I promise." Stephanie Taylor [attr="class","esauright2"]

deltra of gangnam style

[newclass=.esaunah]width:450px;height:350px;border:solid 5px #644646;[/newclass]
[newclass=.esauleft]width:150px;height:350px;background-color:#71c7ba;margin-left:-3px;margin-top:-17px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.esauleft2]width:150px;height:350px;background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/ArthOOu.png?1);margin-top:-14px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.esauright]width:300px;height:350px;background-color:#f1f1f1;margin-left:-78px;margin-top:-17px;overflow:hidden;[/newclass]
[newclass=.esauright2]width:300px;height:350px;background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/FgdwSdu.png?1);margin-top:-357px;-webkit-transition: all 1s ease; -moz-transition: all 1s ease; -o-transition: all 1s ease;position:relative;z-index:2;[/newclass]
[newclass=.esaunah:hover .esauright2]margin-top:-7px;-webkit-transition: all 1s ease; -moz-transition: all 1s ease; -o-transition: all 1s ease;[/newclass]

[Stephanie Taylor]

Stephanie was greeted first by the toddler who was gripping his blanket. Right, she was at the Sokolov residence and they had a younger kid. Teenagers she was used to having around, there were two of them in her house. However, Zach had been that age once. All she could do was smile and realize where she was. Right, she was safe somewhere. She took a few deep breathes.

“It is his house.” Stephanie pointed out smiling towards the child before looking towards Esau. Stephanie rubbed her face. She hadn’t meant to frighten the child and now look where the night had gotten her. Stephanie took a while to get used to unfamiliar sounds in places. The small room downstairs felt crowded as she felt like she was being scrutinized.

When Josiah had disappeared Stephanie just sat rubbing the bridge of her nose. This whole thing had been a crazy idea in the first place. Esau didn’t look like he belonged in her nightmare. The last thing she wanted to do was talk. Her family was about the only one she opened up to about anything. Even then it was in different ways but she didn’t know Esau any better than just someone passing by on the street.

Trust for her was difficult and Esau had given her no reason to distrust or to trust him. So right now she was in her ‘trust no one until you know they can be trusted’ mode. Manners weren’t exactly Stephanie’s forte either. Stephanie just sighed and tried to work things out. She thought about getting up and pacing the downstairs but what good would that do?

SQUAD 3

HOUSE 51

Esau Sokolov

callmekitty at adoxography

[Esau Sokolov]

[attr="class","esaunah"]

[attr="class","esauleft"] [attr="class","esauleft2"]

[attr="class","esauright"] Esau took a seat beside Stephanie—an action that could be interpreted as putting them on the same level. Standing while she remained sitting had the unfortunate consequence of coming across as too dominant. Too controlling. Esau had no intentions of making her talk about what had just happened—it would be too sudden, too soon of someone she had only just met—but neither could he leave her alone. Though he would make sure Stephanie was actually okay and not just saying that. Esau found himself letting down his guard—the sidearm he'd carried downstairs tucked away out of sight and out of mind. Something he had grown more comfortable with since Josiah had been born. Having a child changed things, but letting an almost total stranger see this more relaxed side of himself? Esau said nothing for several minutes, uncertain how to proceed. His sentiment had not changed: he didn't want to force Stephanie into anything, but he wished to express the earnestness he felt. "Ani mitstaer meod." Esau translated his son's earlier words from Hebrew to English. Despite Stephanie's military background--she'd even woken up, screaming in another language—he was quite certain she didn't speak his mother tongue. "It means, more or less, 'I am sorry for a mistake.' Josiah did not intend to startle you. The fault is, perhaps, my own. I should have pulled the blanket from the dryer for him this evening." The spare clock Esau had set up in the downstairs space for Stephanie read 11:38, but the late hour wouldn't deter him from continuing to sit with her. Or getting anything she wanted. In fact, if it helped to calm her, he considered it worth his time. "Do you need anything?" Esau asked in his heavily accented English. Their communication hadn't suffered for it though. "Water, perhaps?" Stephanie Taylor [attr="class","esauright2"]

deltra of gangnam style

[newclass=.esaunah]width:450px;height:350px;border:solid 5px #644646;[/newclass]
[newclass=.esauleft]width:150px;height:350px;background-color:#71c7ba;margin-left:-3px;margin-top:-17px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.esauleft2]width:150px;height:350px;background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/ArthOOu.png?1);margin-top:-14px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.esauright]width:300px;height:350px;background-color:#f1f1f1;margin-left:-78px;margin-top:-17px;overflow:hidden;[/newclass]
[newclass=.esauright2]width:300px;height:350px;background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/FgdwSdu.png?1);margin-top:-357px;-webkit-transition: all 1s ease; -moz-transition: all 1s ease; -o-transition: all 1s ease;position:relative;z-index:2;[/newclass]
[newclass=.esaunah:hover .esauright2]margin-top:-7px;-webkit-transition: all 1s ease; -moz-transition: all 1s ease; -o-transition: all 1s ease;[/newclass]