Ryleigh was fairly silent as the kids got ready and Aren took them out the door. She waved goodbye to her sister and then sat at the table as Derck had asked of her. She saw the chocolates, she loved them but she could wait to tear into them. Derck made sure to put plenty of food on each plate, Ryleigh was sure she could eat every bite of it too. After Derck set the food down and took his own seat Ryleigh began to take bites of the roast, she was pretty proud of herself. The couple made small talk all throughout dinner and once they were done Ryleigh stood and picked up both plates. She placed them in the sink and then quietly walked - no more like tip-toed - back over to the table where Derck was sitting. Before he could say a word to her she swung her leg over his thighs and sat down on his lap facing him. She planted a long kiss on his lips and ran her hands through his hair. Fifteen years they'd been together and she had loved every day even more than the last. 

"I bought something special for tonight. Wanna come see?" Ryleigh asked. Just as she stood up the lights in the kitchen flickered and then shut off all at once. She looked around, shocked for a minute before approaching the switch and flipping it up and down. "Tha-..." She started to speak but was cut off by a deafeningly loud monstrous grumble, it sounded like a highly over-powered bass system. It lasted a few seconds before being followed by a loud thrash and a shaking in the ground that sent Ryleigh to the floor. Mere moments later she heard a low-pitched screeching noise and looking out the window across the apartment showed a vast red beam entering the Committee tower. Were they under attack? She looked up to Derck, speechless and terrified. Her primary thoughts consisted of:

 [i]Kids!

Kids!

Kids...[/i]