Vincent stopped when he heard her and he turned slightly to see if she was in the hall. He walked back to the door making it sound as if he were going to his room. "Yes," he whispered when he got to her door.

She sighed "I'm not coming out but you can come in?" She asked, not wanting to sound rude.

Vincent entered slowly. "All right," he said with a sigh. "Is something bothering you?"

She sighed and lowered her head, so he couldn't see the hurt in her eyes "Not something" She said quietly, sitting on her bed.

Vincent sighed slightly and wrapped his arms around her. "It's all right," he said gently. "Whatever or who it is, we'll work through it."

She half heartedly smiled "So when did you notice you could stand the sun?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

"Today," he said bluntly. He hadn't really wanted to change the subject but he knew it was best.

"Oh..." She said quietly, looking down and avioding his eye contact. She heard Benjamen walking towards her door and sighed but didn't do anything about it, figuring Vincent would find out sooner or later. "Risa...let me in......you know I didn't mean to....it was an accident..." He mumbled pleadingly at her door. She shook her head to her left snapped "Not now." With those two simple words he walked away, crushed.

Vincent looked at the door for a moment. He heard Ben but it barely registered in his brain when he walked away. "you know you'll need to talk to him eventually," he said gently.

She grinned and tapped her head "Nope. He works from five A.M. to seven P.M. on Thursday through Wednesdays. I've got no problem." She said with a I-can-live-in-hiding-and-get-away-with-it kind of smirk.

Vincent gave her a slightly stern look of disapproval towards her actions. "So I take you'd do the same to me if you wanted to?" he said not to get on her nerves but more of of curiosity.

She thought a moment "It's not that I want to I mean he's my brother but I....can't explain. I would under the circumstances." She finished quickly and uncomfortably, unwilling to tell him, in fear of her brother's well being.

Vincent's expression didn't change and he nodded slightly. He didn't like this idea of her keeping a secret but he thought it best to keep his mouth permanently shut on that topic.

She heard the familiar click of the front door closing and grinned. "So now you wanna go outside?" She said like an excited puppy, not really asking.

"If you want," he said gently. "Whatever pleases you." He was sincere with his words now and he looked her straight in the eyes.

She looked right back at him, puzzled, and continued slowly "Didn't you want to earlier...?" She questioned, nearly speechless.

"Believe me," he said gently. "I want to go outside but you said not to earlier. You confuse me."

She grinned "only because he was home..." Then she made puppy dog eyes "I'm sorry, I just really can't go around him yet. Maybe I will tell you another day..." She said with an assuring smile, "...or he will..." She added harshly.

"Your brother doesn't seem to like me very much," Vincent admitted. "So while he is gone we'll go out."

She shook her head "He doesn't dislike you, he's just very over protective, and if you talked to him, he wouldn't want to be anywhere near me either. I guess I should tell you..." She said with a sigh, sitting down on her bed and slumping over.

"You don't have to right now," Vincent said. "Let's go outside." He was trying to get the situation more relaxed because he felt uncomfortable now.

She shook her head. "You should know. Now." She said firmly but sweetly, looking up at him, a tiny smile on her face, finally showing her cut from Benjamen slapping her. She didn't say anything, she just stared straight at him silently. She knew he would figure it out.

Vincent looked confused for a moment and when he figured it out his expression changed. He looked mad for a moment and then he looked out the window, still silent.

She sighed and walked over to him "Just please...don't hurt him..." She grabbed his arm loosely "He didn't mean it..." She finished quietly, staring at the back of his head.

Vincent shook his head slightly. "Are you sure?" he asked. His expression showed concern and his voice didn't betray the idea.