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Hal Yorke was involved tagentially ([info]needstheroutine) wrote in [info]wariscoming,
@ 2013-03-23 21:18:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:alex millar, hal yorke

Who: Hal Yorke and Alex Miller
What: Hal needed some insta courage for meeting her again. In the absensce of blood. He found his other vice
Where: An Internet cafe
When: About an hour after Alex arrived
Rating: K for Kia Ora!
Status: In progress



It wasn't like it was bad. Just having one...half a bottle of the stuff. It wasn't blood. And besides he felt fine. Didn't know what they were blathering on about. Anyway Mitchell smoked, he was sure everyone else had a vice too. His was mixed fruit Kia Ora and god did it taste good. It helped that it was a lovely day. Blustery, cold but then he was already dead so what was cold to him. He laughed, couldn't help it. It was funny to think about the weather sometimes.

And Alex was here. Alex was here and that was wonderful, apart of course from when she was in the future he'd reverted, betrayed them, killed again, probably drank more blood than he had in the previous 50 years in a single day, probably recruited. It wouldn't have been fun, but he could see exactly how it would have gone. How it could go and probably would again. That was of course why the Kia Ora. He'd tried a cigarette. Mitchell had lent him one, but no, no it was boring. There was no substance to it, it was just dull.

He strolled through Lawrence, trying desperately to focus on something other than the necks of the passers by, veins, veins obvious veins. God he could just...

He sipped a little more from the small bottle he'd kept in his coat having hidden the rest by the complex. He'd go back for it later and when it was gone Kat could get more. Dammit if he was bound to revert eventually he'd need a vice other than blood. He was allowed a vice. If Mitchell could smoke then he could do this. So there, he thought to no one in particular. Probably a judgy afterlife Leo and Pearl.

Well let them judge, they'd left him.

No no, that wasn't how it had happened. And Annie had tried, and Tom, and Alex. But it obviously hadn't been enough. He needed to know how, exactly how. Alex said he hadn't asked for help and that, well he supposed that made a sad kind of sense. Asking for help would have meant no more blood.

Fuck he really was a coward. One more sip. One more and then he nodded, hiding the bottle again and opening the door to the internet cafe and smiling at the owner as he spotted Alex at Computer 14.

"14 please, Just for a minute, you know how it is, busy busy" he told the man, placing a dollar on the counter before walking toward the computer in question. "Alex" he said, his voice low so as not to appear, well, barking mad. He lifted her hand giving it a quick kiss as he helped her to her feet and sat down at the computer. Keeping up appearances and all, that was what one was supposed to do after all.

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-23 10:12 pm UTC (link)
Alex had spent her time flitting from terminal to terminal, grabbing those free minutes left over as people had moved on and left computers open. It was a bloody pain in the arse, not being seen by anyone, not being able to just use the computer like any normal person. Like a living person.

Hal's accent stood out a mile away, the clear Britishness over the sea of American drawls, making her look around sharply. And she tensed, of course she did. Moments before she had been about to watch the two people who meant the world to her squaring up to fight to the death. One of them, maybe both of them, would have died in front of her. And Hal had been so cruel, such an absolute dick, knowing just what to say to hurt her, to hurt them both.

Oh and the whole being a bastard when it came to the ritual to destroy the Devil, that wasn't great either.

Seeing him in front of her brought a whole rush of emotions out, which wasn't really fair because she was dead, she was supposed to be past all of that stupid girly shite and god, she wanted to get out of these fucking boots and....

And he was kissing her hand and helping her up and being all Hal. Proper Hal.

Alex let him sit, so no one else would question things, glancing around to see if anyone was paying them attention. Satisfied that no one would notice, she flung her arms around his shoulders, burying her face against his neck. "You bastard," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion as she clung on tightly for several long seconds, her fingers curling into fists in his jacket. The scent that was just so uniquely his, without the taint of the blood, was so damn welcome.

Eventually she let go and just Looked at him for a few moments before leaning over and punching him hard in the arm. Well, she had told him she would do both. And she was a Scot who stuck to her word.

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-03-23 10:27 pm UTC (link)
Having her that close was in many ways difficult and in many ways confusing. What must have happened in those months in between. Those months where she's lived with him, the him not drawn in by bloodlust. Had they grown closer, did she care for him. It was easier to deal with when he could relax a bit though, so he let her hug him, let her give in to her emotions, just for a little while. Let her call him a bastard, because well, he was, and he expected it was well deserved. He must have been terrible, worse every time, he always did think so. Okay so he didn't end up as the poster boy for vampires but he was probably the oldest one left since Annie had gone and exploded herself, bit of a definitive answer really. Exploding herself.

"I expect I am." he agreed, tilting his head toward hers, almost close enough that if she wanted to lean in just a little then they would...

No, no, she wanted to punch him. Which she had also said she'd do so he really should have expected it. At attempted muffled 'Ow' later, Hal stood up and shot her a slight grin before logging out of the computer and walking toward the door knowing she'd follow. Too many people anyway, too many bodies, too many temptations. Better it was just them for a while, then them and the friends he'd made here. What was it she'd once told him, he should wear a sign and a bell and live in a cave?

But once they were free of the place he lifted the ghost girl up and swung her around "Alex! God I've missed you, really have, I mean I thought, I did think that it would be awkward because, really, where does one go from evil bastard alter ego. But its not is it, its not awkward at all its great, I could fucking kiss you right now you wonderful wonderful woman you."

He put her down and started to walk in the direction of the house before laughing

"Can you rentaghost if I know where we're going? That whole not a living thing business I mean, how far does that stretch. I never did consider that, I should have!"

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-23 10:41 pm UTC (link)
God, she was so close to just leaning forward that bit and closing the gap between them and they never had gotten around to talking about them and quite what them actually entailed and...

It was probably a really good idea that he'd logged out and gotten up to move to the outside, away from people. So he could talk to her without people thinking he was some kind of crazy person on day release and holy fucking shiteballs, was he swinging her around?

She actually staggered when he put her down, losing her footing in a way that wasn't to do with the fucking stupid boots as she looked at him, just simply dumbfounded. "Are you high? You're not on the fucking blood, are you, fuck, what?" When he got this.... hyper it meant one of two things.

Leaning forward, she grabbed his jacket roughly and tugged him close, and pressed in as though she was about to actually kiss him, if it wasn't for the way her nose crinkled up as she sniffed his breath. None of that coppery scent of blood, and he wasn't acting like a cold arsehole with the cutting comments and snide eye rolls so that meant...

"Oh fucking hell." There it was. That sugary sweet smell. Alex stepped back, a look of faint horror in her eyes as she stared up at him.

"Who in the name of sodding stupidity gave you Kia Ora?"

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-03-23 11:15 pm UTC (link)
Was he high? That was ridiculous. Of course not. And on the blood, well obviously not, no one was dead. Except them. Hah. God he was hilarious sometimes. But no he wasn't high, Kia Ora wasn't that bad. And she'd never figure it out because how could she, how could she possibly know that he'd gotten some in America of all places. She was not some amazing detective after all she was Scottish. And they didn't always know things.

So he decided he would go with denial.

"Alex. You are being silly. For one, how would I have even gotten some in America. They don't make it here!" he said, far too proudly for his own good and with that same almost prissy expression that said he'd already won the argument so there was no point in having one.

"Can't I just express some emotion without you assuming its that? I mean yes, seeing you was sort of terrifying me because you're sort of the walking proof it all goes wrong and I revert and cause god knows what horrors. AND I know you won't stake me cause I'm not him, even though frankly I think you should. So if I had. IF I had had some I think it would be considered entirely acceptable and can I just kiss you a little bit?"

He didn't know where it had come from.

But if she said yes he'd do it, right there in the street.

And if she said no and took his Kia Ora. Well she didn't know he had more. One point to him!

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-23 11:45 pm UTC (link)
Oh what the fucking fuckity fuck? Alex was severely tempted to bang her head against a desk. Not that there were any desks around. A symbolic desk! Because the last time he had babbled like that had been when the kitchens at the hotel had ordered in some of that horrid drink and Hal had gotten to some before Tom had managed to throw it all out.

And he was using logic at her. Really, it was not fair to use logic on her. "I don't know how you got it, but you clearly did and don't you give me that look, mister, I know you far too well for that one and I know your Kia Ora face and this is it. This is most definitely it."

But then he was babbling again at her and it was annoyingly easy for him to break her heart all over again. Seeing her terrified him. He thought she should stake him. She was walking proof. And hold on a fucking minute did he just ask if he could kiss her?

Alex arched one elegant and extremely pointed eyebrow at Hal. "Seriously? Seriously? You can't just ask a girl if you can.... and really not like.... and you were... and are... Oh fucking hell, Hal."

Because she wanted to kiss him. And wanted to run a mile from him, all at the same time because she had seen Him, Him who needed the fucking capitalization because he was just that level of fucked up and He had scared the crap out of her, and yet this right here was her Hal again, just fucking high on Kai-fucking-Ora.

"Give me the Kia Ora," she held her hand out. "I know you've got some and we can discuss any kissing arrangements when you're not all high off your tits on processed sugars. Because no one is kissing me if there's going to be a fucking crashing sugar coma happening right after, we clear? Any kissing must be actually wanted kissing."

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-03-24 12:02 am UTC (link)
What the... He did not have a Kia Ora face. "I do not have a Kia Ora Face!" He was frankly offended by the insinuation. He had no such thing as a Kia Ora face, he was an expert when it came to deceit and tricking his way out of many a situation. "We are in America Miss Know it All Ghost, and in America they do not even sell Kia Ora. So how do you think I would get my hands on some. And even if I did have some I would not feel the need to hand it over to you because in spite of what everyone thinks about it, I think its perfectly lovely and that Leo and Pearl over exaggerated. I do not by any manner of means have a 'problem' God the way they were about one incident. One incident Alex."

Okay two incidents, three. And he hadn't even been on Kia Ora during the whole Miniature Circus thing. Stupid budgies.

"But, you want to don't you, to kiss me I mean. That's why this is hard on us, and why I was so worried about coming here. Because you were getting to want to kiss me and then He ruined it all. Because he always does, he always ruins everything I learn to care about. Don't you see, you were right. I should be kept away from the world. I shouldn't walk around looking like...whatever I look like that seems asthetically pleasing. But you're lovely you see and so there should be kissing."

She was holding her hand out and Hal narrowed his eyes.

"No. Not that I have any. You'd have to take it if I did and you're little."

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-24 12:34 am UTC (link)
"Actually," Alex took a very unneeded breath as she prepared for the retort of a rant. "You do have a Kia Ora Face, Mr Hasn't Seen His Own Face In Centuries, so how would you even know about your own face anyway, and I've seen you on the Kia Ora before, just the once, because some sodding moron got some in the hotel before Tom got rid of it all and that one time was enough to fucking scar me and Tom for life."

There was been singing. Which had been surprisingly good. And, well, nudity. Which had been interesting.

She had been poised to simply keep the banter-slash-argument going when he said that. About how she wanted to kiss him. Because she did and that was just such a Harry thing to say and Alex stepped back as though she'd actually been slapped.

"Don't." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Don't say the kinds of things that validates the fucking bullshit that he said, the last shit he said to me before he tried to leave and I had to stop him. Don't you get it? I was about to watch you and Tom fight to the fucking death, Hal. So don't talk to me about how I want to kiss you, I just want you to not be dead because it seems that that's a lot to fucking hope for as it is." And god, she'd been moments away from losing him, losing both of them for good. Because even if Tom had survived the fight, he'd never have been the same, not after killing his best friend like that.

Why did ghosts have to still bloody cry? It was so fucking unfair. Alex just tilted her head with a glare as she held out her hand at a slightly different angle, and with a push of energy she made Hal's jacket flare open. "I'm not that little."

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-03-24 09:33 am UTC (link)
God she was probably right. No, no there was no probably about it was there. She was right and he was a fucking idiot. "I didn't know how to deal with it. With you, being here from when it seems you are. You've met Him now, dealt with all of that, you were cleaning up a mess I made a century ago and was happy to make again it seems and yet you wouldn't just end it, no one will, everyone seems to see me as this fucking perfect example. Mitchell, god Alex I'm like some goal he needs to reach. He looks at me, the Old One who got clean and for a while I thought I could help him, but how can I when you know exactly what the inevitable outcome is."

There it was, ghostly power and he shrugged, after all she'd said, she was right to say it. "I know what you were about to see, and no, I don't know who'd have won. He's very very good at killing us and I'm very very good at killing. When you told me, when I knew what I become I needed to see you, of course I needed to see you, but it was this or the blood Alex. It was this or find someone on the street and drain them dry. Or worse, a friend, someone who'd invite me in, trust me, one of the humans that's decided I'm worth a damn. So this, yeah its probably making me say things I wouldn't. It's probably made me all misappropriate but it also...its not blood."

With that, he lashed out, his hand meeting the cold brick of the nearest wall, cracking it of course, he was stronger than most. He wanted to do more than crack it though. He wanted to shatter it, tear it down. Destroy it.

"Jesus, Alex it's simple isn't it? Why will no one just do it, why does no one see its the only possible win scenario here. Its not that hard, just a stake and how many lives saved. Tell me that Alex. Tell me how many lives you'd save by just being brave enough to kill me"

He took the bottle and flung it to the ground furiously, turning on his heel to run from her futile as that was.

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-24 09:57 am UTC (link)
Alex didn't feel any kind of victory when she saw the bottle on the ground, rolling a few feet before it stopped against a wall. She just felt hollow. Worn down. And god she wanted to somehow fix this.

So when he turned to walk away, her reaction was a muttered 'oh really' before she rentaghosted to appear right in front of him, her face an expression of stubbornness and frustration.

"Don't. You. Give. Me. That. BULLSHIT." Every word was punctuated by a sharp jab of her finger against his chest. "You don't get to act like a victim when I'm the one who just came from all that fucking shiteing crap. I'm the one who just had to resist temptation from the Devil and watch my best friends fight so you are going to be the one who shuts up and listens this time."

There was a pause as she glared, almost daring him to say something, to interrupt when she was just getting warmed up. Because oh boy, was she just getting warmed up. All the frustration, all the pain that had been building up since she had appeared in front of him feeding from Natasha, that was about to come pouring out.

"Are you Lord fucking Harry right now? Hm? Right at this very fucking second of this very fucking time, are you the bastard who cares not a fucking thing for anyone but his own survival? Are you drinking from anyone? Any blood? From the vein or from a bottle, all secretive bullshit because you're too fucking scared to talk to any of us about it? All those temptations that Rook put in front of you because he was so fucking determined to break you to prove his department was worth saving."

And god, she hated that man so much. So very very much.

"I don't know this Mitchell guy but hey, maybe the fact that it's not just fucking about you any more might actually be a good thing and fuck...." She looked up at him, her expression broken. "Don't tell me what I'm brave enough to do or not. I was the one talking Tom into fighting you and that hurt me more than Cutler ever did, so fuck you, Mr Angst."

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-03-24 10:36 am UTC (link)
He couldn't run. Ghosts were annoying like that and she was probably the most stubborn of any he'd known. And god was she actually, prodding him? It seemed that she was, as entirely barbaric an outcome as that was. Prodding him in the chest and yelling at him because he apparently wasn't listening. No no, he was listening, she was not. She never listened, looked good, good enough to kiss anyway Why wouldn't she let him just kiss her, would have been so much simpler. He wondered if she'd shut up if he did that? Unlikely of course, he'd get slapped and have to listen anyway.

And why of all things was she asking him was he Lord Harry now? Of course he wasn't, this city would have burned long ago, drained it dry and moved East, killing a swathe through the America's. He might hit the Confederacy again. God it had been years.

"If I was him again Alex we wouldn't be here, so no, no I'm not. I'm not drinking blood, I'm not doing anything like that but I will, don't you see that I will. Its not being the victim, its preventative. For once, for once Alex, I'm saying do it, but you never will, will you. You'll never do it unless you see him, do you want to? You must, or else why are you pursuing this."

"Mitchell, Annie's Mitchell actually, vampire, a lot younger than me, obviously. But he tried to come off the blood, tried to live a normal life. And well it all got rather sideways when he massacred a train car full of humans. Box Tunnel 20, Yeah, you probably heard of it. Caused such an outrage, well that, that was nothing to the things I could do. And he knows that, he heard rumours of me and he's stuck on this idea that if I can do it, so can he, and I hope he can, god I hope he can. I just think he could do with a better role model."

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-24 05:40 pm UTC (link)
Oh god, he was giving her that look, like he wanted to lecture her on being all Scottish and shite, rather than a proper lady like the kinds of women he was used to. Well screw that, Alex wasn't going to apologise for being who she was. Attitude and all. Including the finger pointing.

"I'm not going to fucking stake you for something you're not doing yet." She wanted, fuck she wanted to say might never do, but that was a lie. They both knew it. But she had to cling on to hope.

"So fine, I'm going to be fucking selfish because you know what? I deserve it. I don't want to lose you. And I'm going to take what I know about what made you revert in my time and I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen and I'm going to have whatever time I do have with you so you can shut the fuck up right the hell now, mister. You hear me? Because I'm having my own way on this one." And she knew it was selfish. One day he would revert and he would kill people, and that would be on her conscience, but fucking hell, she just wanted more time with him.

"So be a better role model." She shrugged. "Seems dead simple to me. You're not just staying clean for yourself, not just for me, but for him too. Because I really don't want Lord Harry and Box Tunnel Dude running around at the same time, that would just be more than this particular ghost girl can handle."

She stepped in closer, looking up at him, her expression pleading. "Hal, please. I just came from the end of the fucking world, can we just, fuck, can we just can the angst for a bit? You're here and you're you and I want to just enjoy that for a moment."

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-03-24 07:18 pm UTC (link)
Hal wasn't quite sure what to do with that information. "I'm that important to you. Keeping me alive, trying to help me, trying to hold Him back. You know its dangerous and yet you're still going to try and save me." She was selfish then. She wasn't going to kill him because she didn't have the strength to see her friend die at her hand in spite of knowing what he would do. Knowing that eventually one day she'd have blood on her hands because he'd finally given in to the stuff, and god it could be so damn intoxicating. Even now, the people around them, the ones that couldn't see her and probably thought him mad. He could take this whole street, whole town probably, starting with the blonde coming toward them.

"I shouldn't be anyone's hero. I should never be the reason someone does this. He knows who I was, god, he must have heard the stories over and over. You understand don't you, now, you understand why they were so fucking scared of him?"

It was funny to him in some ways that Mitchell was coping better than he was. Or maybe Hal had been coping until he'd found out how everything panned out in the future. Found out that really, what was the point in fighting. What would ever be the point in fighting besides that she wanted him to, her, and Katherine, and Lydia and the friends he'd made here, Tom, Annie, Leo, Pearl, they'd want it too wherever they were. Because the lot of them were bloody fools.

The blonde had stopped, on her phone, just feet from them and Hal was fighting to keep his eyes human. Maybe it was the blood, maybe it was the Kia Ora, maybe it was the futility of this whole exercise. But he knew how this ended, how it always ended. "Alex we need to go. We need to, I need to be inside now. Please." he said looking back at her eyes pleading and finally giving in, just burying his head in her shoulder and letting his eyes change, it was easier than holding on. "If you want me to stay as I am then that's what we need to do."

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-24 07:54 pm UTC (link)
What could she say? Yes, he was that important to her. And it was stupid and it was selfish and it was her being a coward, she knew all of that. But in this scary new place, where he was her only connection, Alex wasn't prepared to let that go. What happened to ghosts if they had no connections anyway? Did they still exist? Or just drift away?

But oh yes, she understood. Understood the fear, understood why Snow had wanted Hal back, why Hal had been so determined to be chained up, why Cutler had gone to such sadistic lengths to impress his former idol. She had seen it and she was terrified of it, but that still wasn't enough to push her over into doing anything about it.

Anything other than wrapping her arms around him and pulling him closer to her, letting him use her to shield himself from the people around them. Murmured comments that it was going to be okay, somehow it all would be alright, that she wasn't going anywhere, that they were going to get through it together. Most people would have probably flinched at a black eyed vampire burying their faces against their shoulders, but hey, she was already dead anyway.

Since her appearance in Lawrence, Alex had poked around a few of the buildings, trying to figure out where she was and where was safe, and she knew the place across the street was deserted. It would have to do for the moment, since she had no clue where Hal actually lived anyway. So she tightened her arms around him, and concentrated a moment, teleporting them both into the abandoned space. Away from humans. Still, she didn't let go of him, just loosened her hold a little bit. "Okay, no one else is around now. Not sure where we are, but we're alone."

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-03-24 08:09 pm UTC (link)
He couldn't hear the blood anymore. He couldn't smell it as closely as before and that was because of her. She'd rentaghosted them somewhere quiet, abandoned, alone. And yet he didn't look up right away. Her arms were still locked around him, less than when she'd rentaghosted but still a comfort. "...the last time we were this close I believe I was telling you your neck looked nice. I've had better dates." he commented, allowing himself a bitter laugh tinged with relief now he was away from the living.

"I apologise for my impropriety I just need a moment to...calm myself." he told her and took a few calming breaths before lifting his head, having managed to push the bloodlust back a sufficient amount. Immediately his hand went to his jacket pocket, not for anything untoward of course. Just for the domino. The gift from Leo that still meant so much to him. He twirled it between his fingers, trying to regain focus.

"You should not have had to see that again, I'll be fine after a time, and then I can bring you back with me. I should never have been so stupid Alex, I just got so caught up in what you told me. I lost track of everything else, everything I accomplished at home, or even here. Its a weakness of character. One I suppose I have always had. But that should be no excuse for how I've behaved."

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-24 08:24 pm UTC (link)
"Most guys just go straight for the tits and arse compliments, neck was a new one at least." There was a trace of amusement in her tone as she let him just stay there, as long as he needed. Hey, it wasn't as though she got tired or anything, in theory she could have stood there for days just holding him and steadying him until he felt better.

And there he was using words like 'impropriety' and sounding like Hal again and she smiled, a genuinely relieved smile. And the sight of the domino which was so incredibly familiar to her now. Seeing him twirling it between his fingers, things felt more normal again.

"You got hit with some crazy fucking news," she offered him a half smile, tinged with sadness. "Think it would have sent anyone a bit crazy. It's okay, Hal. You're okay and no one's been hurt and you can be right on track with the doing well again." He was talking about the things he had accomplished in this place and Alex tilted her head a little, looking at him. "How long have you been here anyway? And tell me about this Katherine." And there, no hint of jealousy in her voice. Maybe. Mostly.

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-03-24 09:23 pm UTC (link)
"Most men today know nothing of decorum or civility. Perhaps no one courts anymore...besides I suppose Tom, but they should. You are so much more than just your...assets." he said blushing slightly as he did so, as much as it was possible for a vampire mostly blood free for half a century to do so. "Still, I was 'blooded up' as Tom calls it, and didn't have much of a say in matters."

That little half smile, he was never sure if it was pity or not, but he appreciated that she was here for him, that she could have just staked him, or left him there and run from him but she was here. And he believed she would always be here for him. So many people were giving him this chance to be better, and he could do worse than try, for their sake, and for the sake of the countless he would save by giving it a chance. By trying to be better than he was.

"A while. Weeks, perhaps a month or so. I've locked myself away mostly, you understand why of course. And Lady Katherine is like me, a vampire. But her kind don't have the addiction we do. Oh they feed of course but with them its almost like there is a switch in their minds, for their humanity. She spent a lot of time ignoring her humanity but she's let it all back in now. Its a hard thing to deal with. She's of an age with me and a Bulgarian Lady. You'll like her I believe. And then of course there is Mitchell. I...rather believe he'll have a hard time with you for a while. You'll remind him of Annie."

He'd only thought about it now but it was probably very true. Hal would just have to step up the routine somewhat.

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-24 10:55 pm UTC (link)
"Well, Tom's special," Alex smiled fondly. Tom was a massive contradiction in so many ways. The rough werewolf, who had been raised as a fighter and knew more about bombs than GCSEs, and yet was still this amazingly sweet and kind gentleman, who treated women like proper ladies. And if it had been possible for her to blush, she would have. "I'm glad someone sees me as more than assets anyway." Awww, 'assets'. When Hal brought out his gentlemanly side it was really quite charming.

She nodded, of course she understood why. Hell, she was surprised he hadn't tied himself down the way they had had him at home. Until he'd begged for release. And for the marigolds.

Of course 'Lady' Katherine was a vampire, just like him. And one who was dealing with being all humanified, just like him. Sounded like Hal had made the perfect connection. "So, is she hot? Katherine, I mean. She sounds like she should be hot, being all Bulgarian and vampire lady and all of that." Not that she was jealous. Not at all.

She did wince slightly for Mitchell though. "Does he know yet? What happened to Annie?"

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-03-24 11:06 pm UTC (link)
Tom was special yes. And if he could be here, Him and Leo and Pearl and Annie, then this place would be perfect. George and Nina and the tiny baby that hated him too he supposed. He'd grown fond of Eve. Still mostly resented being used as a potential weapon by older her. But overall, he understood why she'd done it. Hal could so easily have gone the other way, disrupted from his routine, disrupted from the life he'd gotten so very used to living. But he'd persevered as he would here.

"You are far more than you appear. And let no man ever tell you otherwise because the one that is finally worthy of you, the one that you let yourself fall for. He will see the real you and you will see the real him, and it will be in every way perfect. And you'll know that its the truest love you could ever feel. Don't ever let anyone see you just as assets."

When she asked about Katherine Hal wasn't sure if he'd heard the tone in her voice he thought he had. Surely not.

"She is attractive yes." he answered simply, not quite grasping why Alex would be so focused on that. "She has adapted to the world without having to hide from it for 50 years at a time over and over. She's helping me quite a lot as it happens. I owe her."

As for Mitchell, Hal wasn't even sure where to begin. "What on earth do I even start to say, she blew herself and the infant up to save the world from the vampires, all your friends are dead? How do you even begin Alex? No, no he doesn't know."

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-25 12:53 am UTC (link)
It was sweet, the way Hal spoke about her, to her. Sweet and sad because as much as she knew he meant well, Alex just couldn't let herself think about stuff like that, not for herself.

"I'm a ghost, Hal," she smiled somewhat sadly. "I don't think grand love stories and perfect, true, movie style love is exactly in my future what with the whole dead thing." Stuck in the same clothes permanently, unable to be seen by most people. "Pretty sure the only one seeing the real me is going to be you, since most people won't be seeing any kind of me, real or not." And he'd seen her breaking down after her death. Didn't get much more real than that.

But still. How could she compete with some hot lady vampire?

"Well, then I'm very glad you've met her," she managed to keep her tone even. "Hopefully she can keep helping you." Succeed where she and Tom hadn't been enough. God, that was a fucked up swirl of emotions, jealousy that someone else might be what Hal needed combined with relief that maybe, just maybe, there was still hope.

"Okay, fuck, if you put it that way," she frowned, trying to put herself in Mitchell's shoes. She so nearly had been. "What actually happened to Annie though? I mean she was a ghost too, the explosion couldn't have killed her. Do you know? What happens to ghost after I mean." The men with sticks and rope. The doors. Evil fucking Morris dancers. Scared the shit out of her and still she'd been prepared to take Oliver's place with them.

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-03-25 01:29 am UTC (link)
It was true of course. She was a ghost, and he'd caused it, tangentially more than anything else but he had. If Cutler hadn't been trying so hard to impress him and drag him back, hell, if he'd never recruited Cutler, if he'd never killed the man's wife to prove a point and win a bet. Well, things might have turned out very differently for them. Maybe he'd actually have gotten through the date, maybe she wouldn't have ended up drained of her blood and a ghost with it. "You deserve the grand love story though" he said softly, more guilt than anything else, there was always guilt when it came to Alex. "The real you, she deserves that. I'm sorry for my part in taking all those chances from you."

He'd said it before, but never completely took blame for it, not really. But it was his fault. Why should he not just admit it.

The strange tone of her voice though as she talked about Katherine gave Hal pause, had things changed between them since, Oh god had something been going on, had he reverted in spite of that?

"Alex were we..." he began but the sentance turned into a sort of half sigh half flailing hand gesture before he reverted to the safer topic of Annie.

"I believe she must have passed over. Perhaps that was her unfinished business. Because if it had not been I think she'd have returned to us. To Tom and I, we were probably the closest links she had. I don't believe she faded or anything, she's too strong for that, and people had tried in the past, to separate us all. I think she saw her door. And I think she went through it."

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-25 02:07 pm UTC (link)
Life- and death- wasn't about what was deserved or not. It just was how it was, and there was nothing either of them could do about it. "You didn't make Cutler take me," she sighed. It was weird, she'd spent time blaming him for his part in things, wanting him to accept the responsibility for his part, but now that he had, she didn't feel any victory from it. "You didn't know he'd pull a stunt like that." How could anyone have foreseen that the wacko bastard would see her in a bar with Hal and figure out she was a way to get to him.

"And hey, I was never the giant romantic anyway. So I guess it doesn't really matter at the end of the day." At least that was what she tried to tell herself.

She froze a little at his question, the not actually entirely asked question, admittedly. Still, she knew exactly what he was getting at, the hand gesture said it all. "I don't know." Her answer was quiet and she looked at the floor for a while before glancing up at him again. "I don't, yeah, I don't know." Maybe. They still had to talk about it. Him and her, them.

"But her proper door, right? No men with sticks and rope, none of that." Which scared the shit out of her. One of the things that could still scare the dead. "Do ghosts do that? Fade? Will that, like, happen to me some time or something?"

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-03-25 07:32 pm UTC (link)
She shouldn't do that. She shouldn't be so alright with what he'd finally come to terms with. He'd done that to her. Gotten her killed, drank her blood. That had been him. "No I didn't make Cutler do it but I did recruit him. And I made him into the kind of man he became. He went for you, specifically because of something I'd done to him long ago. He thought he was helping me by killing you, did you know? Bringing me back into the fold. He saw me with you and it reminded him of something."

It mattered, Alex was far from as good a liar as he was, even this him, and Hal could spot a lie a mile off. She'd wanted the date to go well, even if it hadn't led anywhere she'd wanted to enjoy her night, meet someone who could matter to her, meet someone special who would treat her like a lady and instead she'd gotten him, high on blood and a mess. And then she'd died, because of him.

"You don't know, so, something had changed?" he commented, the domino coming to a stop and his eyes returning to focus on her. "Something had changed, and He used it against you, didn't he?"

Hal shook his head, unwilling to let her be hurt by him anymore, either him. "You won't fade. I can assure you, you won't fade, and they won't get to you and I truly believe Annie found her door. Her own."

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-03-25 08:38 pm UTC (link)
She tilted her head a little, looking at him. "Want me to yell at you? Curse you, scream that it's all your fault? Cutler killed me. Yeah, because he wanted to screw you over every which way, but he came up with that plan, he sent his guys after me. His choices. Not yours. But, you know, I can yell if you want. Punch you even. If it would make you feel better." It wouldn't make her any less dead though, so why would it really help either of them?

Alex wondered if he'd seen right through her lie. It was annoying with him, for someone who sometimes really sucked at people skills, he could often read her so fucking well, it was infuriating.

Her first instinct was to back track, to deny things, to evade. But hadn't she been going on at him about being honest with her? So Alex took a long and unneeded sigh. "Things were in the vague process of changing," she eventually said, staring at the floor for a moment before looking back up at him. "Don't think either of us really knew what was going on or going to go on or anything, but there was stuff and we were going to talk about it and then.... then He happened. And he enjoyed flaunting it in my face that whatever had been changing was really and truly stopped."

She didn't know for sure if it was just words he was using, but she appreciated it anyway, appreciated how vehemently he spoke them. "Good. Because really, can you imagine me fading anywhere? Way too weird a concept."

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[info]needstheroutine
2013-04-03 01:29 pm UTC (link)

As it happened, yes, he did. “It would be right if you did you know. But you never ever do. You always just so wonderfully gloss over all those things I’ve done. Which has to stop Alex, it’s dangerous to assume I’m always going to be anything other than what I was. “ And everything, every move Cutler had made was designed to impress him. Make his maker proud. He’d been given some kind of glorious reprieve to have Hal back, or so he believed anyway.

When he’d found out he’d died though, it had actually stung a little. Not that he’d ever bring that up with Alex. There were some things that just weren’t done.

Especially if he was right, and they’d begun to express feelings for each other. Those were dangerous too of course. He’d fall for her, it’d be lovely for a while, then he’d hurt her, just like he’d hurt so many before. Oh he couldn’t kill her as he’d done Sylvie. But ghosts were far from invincible and there were ways to make them hurt.

“In the process. I see, so you’d forgiven me for my part in it all, we’d become closer friends, one thing had lead to another and then…what, one day it wasn’t me anymore. And of course he’d use it. He’d love it. Every second of it. He’d find it hilarious to tear it apart. Tell you just how good it could have been but never would be now. Or he’d have done…worse. But at least you could prevent that if…”

God, the conversations he had to have. The things he had to think about when he thought about the future. Because this was all ahead of them. But there was one thing he was sure of. “I won’t let you fade Alex. You know I won’t. But for now, you have some people to meet. Lets get out of here”

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[info]stucklikethis
2013-04-03 04:05 pm UTC (link)
That made her shove him. Hard. "Don't. Don't you tell me what I gloss over or whatever, because you have no idea." He didn't. He couldn't. Not with everything that had happened by her time. Hal. Lord Harry. The Devil. All that blood and death and pain. Alex just shook her head sadly and half shrugged. "Believe me, I know the things you've done. What you're capable of. I've seen them. First hand and in glorious fucking technicolor." All those horrid little details. Cutler had just been the tip of the sordid iceberg.

She hated how he could just guess so easily what had happened between them. How Lord Harry had reacted.

"Yeah." One word. That was all she could actually manage. Because those words from him still stung, Harry gloating at everything she had lost, her friend, the guy she was falling for. Those taunts and knowing that so much death was just inevitable.

"Alright," she half smiled, wanting to get away from the drama filled conversation that had been going on. "Tell me where I'm going."

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