Who: Mia and Eric What: Rescuing Mia/escaping the hunters When: Backdated to the night of the attack Where: SPN grounds/tunnels Rating: PG-13 for violence
In Eric's reclusive state he'd been avoiding the world, trying to understand all of the feelings and hurt coursing through him, but right now only one word echoed in his mind.
Mia
All of his choices and worried centered in on this moment. In all honesty he had been pouting and nurturing his wounded pride from Jenna, though if you asked him he was brooding. Maybe sulking. But never pouting. Rarely talking, Eric kept a low profile. He barely made eye contact as he worked on his studies and spoke to near no one. For weeks he had taken on this self vow of solitude. And what had his reclusiveness gotten him, not noticing that the woman he loved was missing.
Had he just allowed himself to think those words? Stuffing rope, tape, and his switchblade in a knapsack, though with a change of heart he pulled that item out and put it in his pocket. The thought that she could be hurt or worse worried him. More than that he was sick to his stomach over it. How could he have been so selfish? So clueless. Growling at himself he grabbed a flashlight and then headed out of his dorm.
Walking fast, he had searched most of the school all evening trying to find some information at least. Not that he did, but something kept telling him to go to the woods. So with his backpack, once the teachers were gone and done checking the beds, he slipped out into the darkness and made his way outside. His heart thundered in his ears as every step brought him closer to his destination. Fear seemed to shake him as a cold sweat broke out over his body and he tried to be quiet. Shivering he tried to hold his coat closer as he walked into the trees, trying to remember spots Mia had talked to him about, one in particular. God how could he be so stupid? She could be hurt. She could be killed. She could be... He didn't want to think anymore as he pushed a heavy branch out of the way and turned on the flashlight.
Using his sense of smell, he tried to follow something to lead him to her. Stepping into a clearing he his senses were on fire. Turning the flashlight he saw a glint of something and reached down into the snow. A little mug laid abandoned on the ground, surrounded by some broken glass. Picking it up he looked up into the trees and set off fast into the forest.
Following the scent, since it was old, was difficult, but it was nothing compared to the eerie presence he felt surrounding him. Slowing, he smelt something, but before he could place it something hit him behind the head. Turning fast he grabbed the hunter and flipped them over, stepping on his back and breaking his neck without a second thought, the wolf in him surging as his adrenaline did.
Without much of a second thought he moved through the woods very aware of the presences around him. A gunshot went off next to his head, sending bark flying through the air as Eric dives to grab the hunters arm, slamming it into the tree and then knocking him to the ground next to a large crate, or what he things is a crate as the flashlight spins away from him. Struggling for the gun, the hunter pulls the trigger sending flares shooting out in every direction. Before one could hit him Eric scrambled behind a tree as the hunter shot at him. A scream tore through him as pain seared through his arm. Why did it hurt so bad.
Silver.
Realization washed over him as he realized these prowlers really were aware and after them. Without thinking he kicked a foot out and sent the man falling back into the box of flares, sending sparks flying into the dried brush. Staggering away he picked up the flashlight and pulled out his switchblade as his instincts took over and he dodged what looked like raiding parties and took down hunter after hunter. Proud of his stealth, everything was fine until three of them jumped him in the dark, their silver blades tearing into his tender flesh, one in his thigh another in his side. The pain felt like fire and electricity as the knife moved what into his flesh, almost in slow motion. Eric screamed out in agony from the flat of his back as he reached for the huge man that had overpowered him. Grabbing onto his neck, his nails somehow felt sharper, stronger, as the need to survive filled him and he tore his throat from him and used his flailing carcass to block another blow then to smother the huntress behind him. Her squeaks for help lost to the night air as the third ran into the night.
Eric stayed on his knees for a long while, clutching his side, surprised at his own blood. The warmth was biting against his cold fingers as he gasped for air and felt the pain moving through him, his vision sort of blurry as he blinked furiously. Instantly he thought of Kandy and how she offered to come with him. Her healing abilities really would have come in handy, but even more now he was glad he didn't have to look out for her. Taking several deep breaths as he tried to center himself like he was taught when he was in the foster home to handle his pain and anger. Letting his heart slow he felt like the fire subsided enough for him to stand slowly, gingerly, though his legs shook a little. After a few more moments, the thought of these monsters having their hands on his Mia returned the adrenaline to his system and sent him back into his search.
Hiding from the silver laden hunters, he stalked through the forest, following the trail until he stood in the edge of a small clearing. A rustle in the trees left him frozen, clutching his switchblade as he waited for the sound to take shape in front of his eyes, fire filling them as he let go of his side, unaware of the blood filling his shoes as his muscles spasmed and the rest of his body stood ready to spring ignoring the pain.
*
Mia awoke in the dark, groggy and disoriented. Her wrists throbbed where plastic cords bit into them, and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could discern a few shapes moving through it. It didn't take long for her captors to discover she was awake, and one of them waved a gun in her face, grinning at her like it was a joke.
"Don't even think about moving or screaming," the mid-30s, thuggish looking boy told her. He looked like one of those guys who still lived with his parents and enjoyed first-person shooters a little too much. "I'll blow your head off."
"I doubt that," Mia drawled, doing her best to calm her hammering pulse. The words stuck to her dry throat. "Why bother taking me if you're just going to--"
"Kill you? Oh, don't worry, we will. But we'll probably use you a little first. You know, tell us lottery numbers and shit."
Mia grimaced. "It doesn't work like that," she informed him quietly.
"Oh, we know all about it. You even tell futures and shit. If you don't know, you'll learn. And if you don't learn..." He pushed the cold barrel of the gun against Mia's forehead, his finger on the trigger.
Mia barely fought down a wave of nausea. I should let him, she thought. People who spied on and kidnapped supernaturals couldn't have pure motives, and with a gift like hers... well. It would almost be better to--
"Ah FUCK!"
Mia looked up and followed her guard's gaze, her eyes widening as she caught sight of the burning trees over the ridge.
"Little pieces of deviant shit," he spat at her, as if it was her fault. "Don't you fucking move while I deal with this, or I'll shoot you." He moved through the trees, out of her sight line.
So she must still be near the school. This, these people, it wasn't just about her. It had to be the school. Everything she'd seen was true. That's why they took me, she thought. They didn't want her giving anything away.
Shuddering, Mia wiggled in her restraints, checking to make sure no one was watching before she stood up. She wasn't sure how well-planned the attack was, but from what she could remember from her visions, there were at least thirty of them, maybe more, all with weapons designed to take out supernaturals. But that wouldn't be enough, or at least, Mia hoped it wouldn't be. They had to be underestimating the power of the students. They had to.
Mia kept her eyes trained on the spots of light on the horizon. She was still too far away from everything to hear anything other than the scuffling of feet and the muffled orders barked at the other invaders.
Run toward the fire. She pulled herself to her feet, one foot slipped dizzily in front of the other, toward the beacon that burned like a lighthouse, calling her home.
"HEY! STOP!"
Three steps in, Mia froze. Stay on your feet, she commanded herself, turning to face the fouthmouthed thug. He was brandishing the gun again. He could see his finger on the trigger, see it rise to point at her, the air crackling around it as the barrel exploded with force. Mia drew back, lifted her bound hands as the snap of the gun shattered around her--
And stopped.
It's a strange thing to hear a boom cut off before it's finished; like a novel finishing midsentence. Mia lowered her hands and blinked. Everything was still. The thugs. The flames on the horizon. The bullet. It hung in the air, still and fragile, just as the almost-spilled tea had done the first time she'd seen this.
But there wasn't time for shock. Ducking beneath the suspended bullet, Mia scraped together just enough bravery to slip the gun from her captor's hand before she took off into the woods. Last time this had happened the effects hadn't lasted too long (could anything be long or short if it was outside of time?), and she needed to put as much distance as possible between herself and those hunters as she could.
She'd run for almost a mile before she heard any kind of movement or sound behind her, but the increased urgency and her general grogginess made a bad combination. A few more steps and Mia missed her footing and tumbled over the rocky ground. She still had the sense to curl into a ball as she rolled down a little hill and into the ditch at the bottom, but her head had caught a rock and her ears were ringing louder than before.
A sound pricked in her ears: movement, something close to her. Close enough that whoever it was must've heard her fall. Mia closed her eyes. She was just one person. Even if she could manage to pull her time-freezing trick again, there was no way she could fend off all of them, and she certainly couldn't allow them to take her back to wherever they wanted her so they could run their experiments.
Her fingers closed around the butt of the gun. If they overtook her, she though, she'd have to use it. But not on them. She breathed shallowly as she waited for the assumed hunter to find her, her eyes fluttering shut to minimize the dizzy spinning of the sky above her.
*
Looking up, Eric heard something moving. Something was in the ditch.
A deep growl rumbled from his throat as he stepped closer. There was something... Familiar about the scent that he noticed as every hair rose on the back of his neck. Suddenly nothing mattered and with a burst of adrenaline it was like everything hurting in him went away, totally unaware of the blood pouring from him.
"Mia?" he whispered as he walked down the hill into the ditch. Seeing her bound hands he started to pull his switchblade back out to free her, but was staring down the nose of a gun. He couldn't be sure, but he had the feeling that those bullets would do a lot more harm to him than the average gun. "Mia, it's me." Stepping forward, he moved to her, hoping she wasn't so delirious as to not realize that he wasn't going to hurt her.
*
As the assumed threat drew closer, Mia's fingers clenched tightly, her muscles going rigid with each step that crunched over the ground, especially when the pace changed from a rustle to a deliberate run. This is it, she thought. It was difficult to turn the gun with her hands still tied, but she managed to point it vaguely in what she hoped was the right direction. She watched, trembling, as the shadow drew closer, closer, and then...
Her name.
Mia was so startled she almost jostled the gun in exactly the wrong way, but when Eric drew close enough that she could blurrily make out his face, the weapon slipped from her fingers immediately.
"Eric?" her voice was a thin rasp. There was blood in her mouth, she realized. She must've bitten her tongue. Her eyes fluttered closed again, but her body relaxed slightly. It was Eric. She was okay, at least for now.
"What are you... do... ing here?" A deep breath. She swallowed some blood. "Are you... okay?" Another breath. Open eyes. Stay conscious. Her voice was breathy, distant. "I was... taken." A grimace. "I'm sorry."
*
Eric froze, watching the gun move, but as she spoke he surged forward. Down on his knees he pulled his switchblade from his pants and cut at her bonds. "I came looking for you. I had a bad feeling. We got to get you to a healer. Why are you apologizing, Mia? God I was so worried. I'm just so glad you're safe. Don't apologize. You didn't do anything. I'm just so glad you're safe."
Without thinking about it Eric sort of surged forward, wrapping her in his arms and kissing her deep, full of emotion, for a couple long moments then hugged her to him. "Can you walk? I can carry you..." He said, trailing off, wondering if he could really carry her. If he could get them out. In his heart he knew he could. It didn't matter at what cost he would get her safe, even with his body broken and bleeding he would find a way, above all costs even himself.
*
The world was still swimming above her, and Mia let her eyes fall shut once again, too dizzy and nauseated to keep them open. Still, even if she couldn't see him, Eric's scent and weight was grounding, and although she knew intellectually that neither of them were truly safe during this hellish night, she still felt safer having him there. In the brief flashes she'd seen of him, she'd managed to make out that he was pretty beaten up, too, but even so, she wasn't alone. Neither of them were. Maybe, maybe, they could protect each other. Maybe they could survive.
When Eric's knife flicked over the ties on her wrist, Mia opened her eyes, forcing them to stay that way. If this was going to work, she needed to be aware, she needed to be--
And his lips were pressed against hers and her breath was on his, deep and powerful and electric. She slumped against him as he pulled her to him, trying her best to return his hug, despite being weak and dizzy.
"I think so," she murmured. Eyes open. Eyes open. Stay alert, stay awake. She gave him a closer look, trying to force her vision to clear. "You're hurt," she reached toward one of the more noticeable gunshot wounds, but knew better than to touch. "I can walk," she said, sounding more confident than she felt. "But I don't.... know where to go. The... people that got me were back that way," she waved with her hand, indicating the direction she'd run from, "but by now they must be swarming the school. We wouldn't be safe there."
*
Standing cautiously, Eric wrapped an arm around her as he tried to gage her injuries, painfully aware of the beating of her heart and the way her breath seemed strained or ragged. With his injuries it was hard to tell, but the sensations were there. Along with the pit in his stomach about what did he just do without thinking. Was it the wrong time? Would it change things? God he hoped so. But did she? He knew his reclusiveness was probably weighing on her, but maybe his confusion and worry could be discussed and worked past. In all honesty, though he acted like he didn't care, Eric cared deeply for things and was scared of being hurt. So often he'd been hurt in his past. So often he'd felt abandoned and alone. And here was an opportunity to maybe find more in life, if he would stop holding back and let himself move forward.
Right now all Eric could focus on was Mia. He had to get her to safety. "I know the way. I can smell them. Werewolf bonuses right?" Carefully he set off down the hill. "If we get to the lake we can take the back route into the tunnels. Let us get into school easy. Hell, maybe people are down there. I'm sure we could find a place to hide, at least be a little safer than some cave." Trying to be gentle and support her weight, he made his way away from the noises and shouts behind them, into the darkness as his adrenaline surged.