Sorry for the wait, but hey, this one is longer! See notes at bottom!
WARNING: This chapter has attempted suicide in it. Please use discretion when reading.
Moonbroch: A halo around the moon which presages an approaching storm.
Steve and Sara were coming home tomorrow. This week had passed by far too fast, and not fast enough all at the same time. Days went by slowly and agonizingly, usually with me never leaving bed. Nights were filled with Godric. After that first night of leaving the basement, I managed to get him to come back to the house and spend time with me there every night. Tonight would be the same, though it would be the last. I didn't quite know how I would go see him once Steve was back, but I was sure I could make it work.
It was near sundown and I was just finishing setting up the theatre room. I'd set up our food (Tru Blood for him and a box of pizza for me) on the coffee table in front of one of the love seats. I had an array of DVD's waiting to be picked from, ranging from Thor to how to lose a guy in 10 days. Godric usually insisted I pick the movie, but I was determined to make him choose this time. Afterall, I still knew very little about him. I knew he was over two thousand years old and that he had two vampire children, but not very much else. He was always very elusive about who he was, and that was fine, I understood not wanting to open about painful past experiences. Still, I wanted to know something about him, even if it was what his favorite genre of movie was.
The only thing that alerted me to Godric's sudden presence was the slight brushing of air against my back. I turned, Godric standing in the doorway of the room patiently. I grinned at the sight of him, practically skipping my way over to him. "How was your daily rest?" I asked, grabbing his hand in mind and leading him into the room. Even though I had long since invited him into the house, and he always appeared in the doorway of whatever room I was in, he always waited for me to invite him in. It was almost like he still thought I was frightened by him, which I wasn't. Still, the thought that he cared enough to make sure I was comfortable with his presence made my chest fill with warmth.
"Uneventful." He gave me the same answer every time I asked that question. It was kind of like a dumb joke between us; he had once explained that sleeping during the day for vampires was more like 'being dead for the day'. It seemed odd to me, but I hadn't stopped asking the question regardless of this information.
I pulled him towards the sofa where I'd set up our stuff, and then made a motion of my hand sweeping towards the coffee table where the movies were. "Since this is the last night we get to do this, you pick the movie." I told him. He met my gaze with his mercury eyes, his expression hesitant. I crossed my arms and gave him a stubborn look. He sighed playfully at my stubbornness, and then moved his eyes to scan over the movies I'd laid out. He seems uninterested in most of the movies laid out, only eyeing each one for a second. Then, his eyes stop on a particular movie I have not watched since I was a child.
"The Princess bride," I murmured, picking up the dvd and smiling down at it fondly. It had been one of my favorite movies as a child, though I hadn't watched it in years. I'd put it out with the movies because of nostalgia, not actually expecting him to be interested in it. "Have you seen it before?" I asked him curiously. He shook his head.
"No, but I have heard of it before." He mentioned, sounding intrigued. I shrugged, smiling lightly. I opened the case and pulled out the disc. I moved towards the Tv and opened the player, placing the disc inside and starting the movie. I turned to him.
"I must warn you, you can't watch this movie without quoting it afterwards." The credits started, and I took a seat next to him, opening up the box of pizza and picking up a slice. Godric started on the bottle of Trublood. (though he always tried to convince me he wasn't hungry, I still made him drink them. A deal was a deal.) It didn't take long for the movie to start, and we watched in silence until the scene where Buttercup discovers who Westley is.
"She just throws herself down the hill after him?" He asked calmly, though he sounded thoroughly confused. I shrugged, setting down the crust of my unfinished pizza on the coffee table.
"She just found out she threw her soul mate down a hill." I answered, glancing at his face. He truly looked puzzled by Buttercup's actions, his lips pulled together in a frown and his brows drawn together. I fought down my smile.
"Wouldn't it have made more sense to take the paths down the hill?" He replied.
"Maybe," I hummed, and caught his eye. "Love makes people…" I trailed off, trying to find the right word for it.
"Irrational?" He offered. I shook my head, laughing slightly at his response. It seemed to be a very vampire thing to say.
"Bold." I corrected in offering. He looked at me like he wanted me to elaborate. "Have you never been in love?" I asked. His frown deepened, and he shook his head.
"The only people I've ever loved are my children, even then, the word doesn't seem quite...correct." He answered carefully.
"Well, I suppose love does make people irrational, but I've always found that to just make the feeling more beautiful." I murmured thoughtfully. He sent me a look, lip quirking up by my statement.
"Explain?" He asked gently. I leaned back against the couch, humming to myself as I got comfortable and thought about it. It was hard to explain love, especially when you've never actually been 'in' love. Still, I think I had a close enough concept of the feeling to explain it, and the loss of it.
"I just imagine it's a powerful feeling. For a person to be so overcome by love for another that it makes them bold… To kill and die for a person other than yourself. It just seems to be an amazing way to live, you know? Lots of people will tell you it's an awful way to live actually, but I've never thought that way...even before. I just...I see it in color. Just an array of fireworks and a garden full of exotic flowers. It may be overpowering, but god, your life would just be filled with beauty." I'd gone off on a rant. Recognizing my blunder, I coughed into my hand, trying to hide my blush. I needed to turn the conversation around onto him, now. "Do...vampires not feel things like that?" I asked curiously.
"...I suppose we can, or at the very least that we could." He seemed as thoughtful as I on the subject, and he didn't seem bothered by my ramblings at all. "Vampires live for so long that I don't imagine we feel any need to desire someone so much. We have forever." He was so quiet, it was almost like he was whispering. I wondered if perhaps I had upset him, as if my words could mindlessly cut so deep into such an ancient creature.
"Humans only have so long to love someone." I whispered in response, leaning forward so I could see him more clearly. He looked lost in thought, and I didn't think he had heard me. I grabbed his hand, and he stiffened, suddenly coming back to the room. He looked to me expectantly.
"Did I make you sad?" I asked quietly. He relaxed, and shook his head, giving me one of his gentle smiles.
"No." He answered simply. I nodded. He returned his attention to the movie, and I tried to as well, but quickly found myself feeling anxious. I was still holding his hand, and so I held it closer to me, cradling it with my other hand. I began to play with his fingers as a way to soothe myself. He didn't seem to mind either, his gaze focused solely ahead on the tv.
The movie went on, to Westley being captured by Humperdink and tortured. I couldn't actually tell if Godric was all that interested in the movie, but he was watching the screen. I had a feeling he just humored me sometimes, watching movies with me because I enjoyed it. Still, even though I wanted him to enjoy the movies too, the sentiment warmed my heart. I smiled to myself, running my fingers over the lines of his palm. I traced the cool skin, curling his fingers and brushing my thumb over his knuckles.
I had the sudden urge to brush my lips across his cool skin, to discover what it would feel like. Would he feel cold against my lips? Would his skin be smooth and hard, like marble? Without thinking, I brought his hand up, lowering my head to press my lips against his knuckles. He suddenly went rigid, his head snapping to look over at me.
Some sense seemed to come back to me. I flushed, dropping his hand and giving a sheepish smile. "Sorry." I murmured, shaking my head and trying to fight off the awkwardness with a laugh. I looked up to find his eyes watching me, searching my face with a fathomless expression. The strength of his gaze had me squirming and I gulped, giving another small laugh in hopes it would diffuse the tension. I turned my head towards the tv after that didn't work. His hand came up abruptly, resting gently against my cheek. The sudden movement made me jump in place, my heart hammering in my ear.
He gently turned my face back to his. He was still wearing that unreadable expression, but it was gentler now, probably in the hopes of not scaring me off. His demeanor reminded me that of a person approaching a wounded rabbit. The brush of his hand against my cheek was nothing but a whisper of a touch, barely there at all. Still, the touch had adrenaline racing through my veins, though I couldn't tell with what. Fear? No, I didn't fear Godric, at least not anymore. It's also hard to be scared of someone that can kill you when you don't fear death.
"Don't be sorry." He sighed finally, brushing his thumb against the sensitive skin under my eye. His touch was so gentle and careful, like he was terrified he would hurt me with the slightest pressure or movement. The single thought was heart-warming. Here was a being who had lived for two thousand years, touching me as if I were made of glass. He watched me a few seconds longer, as if considering something. He seemed to decide, brushing his thumb against my cheek once more and then letting his hand drop.
…
"Aw, Darlin' I am so happy to see you!" Sarah squealed. She raced out of the van before it had even finished parking, racing across the grass to get to me. It was early morning, around nine, and I'd been waiting on the porch for their return. I knew that Steve dealt with a lot of my lazing around and not leaving my room, but he would expect me to greet him when he returned from a week long trip. It was what my parents would expect.
Sarah practically threw herself at me, throwing her arms around my shoulders and pulling me tightly against her. I heaved as she forced the air from my lungs, and then laughed. I patted her back, and then pulled back from her hold. "It's good to see you too, Sarah." I responded, and I was. A part of me had missed the last of my family. They drove me crazy and were terribly ignorant, but they were still my family. She grinned at me brightly, and then turned when another door slammed shut.
Two people started walking towards the house. The first was Steve, obviously, but the second was someone I did not know. The closer he got, the more I started to think he was familiar, but I still couldn't quite place a name to a face. "Danielle, you remember Jason? We met him at the banquet in Louisiana?" Steve indicated towards the handsome blonde man besides him. The way Steve's eyes sparkled looking at him made me think he might be fighting off some feelings for the man. Unwittingly, of course. Steve was as unaware of his own sexual desires as Sarah was of reality.
"It's nice to see you again, Jason." I took his outstretched hand, returning his smile to the best of my ability. I didn't like new people as much as I used to, but I could still fake as if I did, to some extent.
"Ah, you too Danielle. Steve and Sarah talk 'bout you a lot. Say you're a smart girl, all science-y and stuff." He responded politely. I shrugged.
"Well I could probably recite the periodic table to you backwards, but I hardly think that makes a person smart,just knowledgeable." I was mostly being honest. As a child, I'd always had a good memory. By no means eidetic, but it was fairly good. So, I retained information easily. It helped that I took an interest in Science, so I considered myself knowledgeable on Chemistry and Physics. I didn't consider being knowledgeable technically 'smart' though. Though I certainly didn't think I was stupid, I just didn't imagine I was really worthy of praise for the talent.
"Well I know I certainly couldn't do that." He laughed, scratching the back of his head. I shrugged, glancing between Sarah and Steve playfully.
"I'm sure Steve and Sarah exaggerated my abilities." That was about all of the socializing I could do. I could already hear my bed calling to me, seductively listing all of the reasons why I should crawl back into it. My smile dropped, and I looked between Steve and Sarah. "Do you need me for anything else?" I asked. Immediately, their faces dropped. The two of them shared a look, having a silent conversation I couldn't figure out.
"Actually, we wanted to go out to dinner tonight. What do you say, Dani? We can go to Marlow's, your favorite." Steve enticed. I knew that despite his persuasive tone, I didn't really have a choice in going. Steve only ever offered we go out to dinner when he had something to announce, or he wanted to have a serious conversation. Whichever it was, I didn't think I'd enjoy it.
"I'll be ready at five?" I offered, trying not to sound tired. Steve would only take offense if I sounded resigned. He grinned brightly, and went on about how he excited he was to be back home and get started on some projects. I didn't bother asking what those projects were, because I probably wouldn't care. I headed back inside and lounged around in my room, satisfied that I'd done my job in greeting them.
Five o'clock was coming all too soon, and at four I realized I needed to get up and change. I begrudgingly got out of bed and took a quick shower, changing into one of the few of my vintage dresses I still liked. It was a yellow sun dress that hit my knees and hugged my waist. It was simple and comfortable. I paired it with simple white heels and pulled my hair up into a high ponytail. I forewent makeup and headed downstairs fifteen minutes early.
"You look lovely, Dani!" Sarah cooed, rushing over to hug me for the second time that day. I loved her, but I wasn't a fan of her aggressive hugging habits. I thanked her quickly and turned to see Steve and Jason enter the kitchen. They were laughing and joking about something, seeming to be the best of friends. Steve wore his one million watts smile, turning to face Sarah and I.
"Ladies! Shall we head out?" He asked. We nodded and the four of us headed out of the house together, Sarah and I taking seats next to each other in the back of the car while Steve and Jason got to sit up front. The two boys continued to talk, mostly about stuff I didn't really have an interest in. About halfway through the ride Sarah turned to me, smiling sweetly.
"It looks like your alone time has really done wonders for you." She raised a hand, tracing her fingers through my ponytail. "Your hair is shinier and well, you got a healthy look about you." What Sarah meant was that I didn't look as gaunt as I had before. The deal with Godric about eating together helped me keep up a better diet. I still wasn't back to my original weight, but wasn't completely skin and bones anymore.
"I've been feeling a bit better." I admitted. No one needed to know I was feeling better because of Godric. That would just cause a whole bunch of problems I didn't want to deal with.
"Well you certainly look it." Sarah complemented, pinching my cheek playfully. We soon pulled into the parking lot of Marlow's, the best Burger place in all of Dallas, and that's saying something considering we lived in Texas. Despite my lack of appetite lately, I couldn't help my mouth watering as we walked through the double doors leading inside the food joint. As frequent customers we were greeted by name by the hostess Charlotte, and quickly seated at our favorite booth.
Sarah crawled into the seat next to mine, Steve and Jason taking the opposite side. A waitress, one I was unfamiliar with, approached the table and took drink orders. After that, Steve immediately launched into a new topic of conversation with Jason. Sarah and I spoke occasionally, but I wasn't really up for chatting. I had a feeling I was going to need my energy for whatever Steve wanted to talk about.
Fortunately, he at least waited until we'd finished our entrees. It was then that the air at our table became tense. Sarah and Steve shared a look, and then both of them glanced at me. Jason looked lost, but I suspected that wasn't unusual for him. I sat up straight, angling my chin up and waiting for the lecture or scolding I was about to get.
"Dani," Steve started. He chanced another glance at Sarah. "You know I love you, and I know that things have been difficult since the car crash. Sarah has convince me to give you some time to recover, but we've talked about it. We think it's time for you to start participating in life again." Steve finished off his peace, and Silence engulfed the table.
"We were thinking you could sing at Church next week." Sarah interjected, to end the awkward pause in conversation. "You haven't sang with the choir since the wreck, and we were thinking maybe you could even do a solo." She offered, trying not to let her optimistic tone drop when my facial expression didn't change.
I had known this would come at some point, so it didn't surprise me that this was the topic of our conversation. Still, I had been dreading it since the very beginning. They wanted me to be return to my old self, to get over the death and destruction I saw.
I couldn't. I would not let go of my grief. I couldn't explain it, to Sarah or Steve, or even Godric, but my grief felt like it was the only thing keeping me whole. It felt like the second I let it go, I would blow away like dirt in the wind.
I tried to control the irrational anger I felt, I tried so hard, but I couldn't stop the shaking of my hands. I set down my glass as gently as I could, trying to keep the emotions running rampant inside of me contained.
"Steve, maybe-" Sarah started, noticing the way I started to tremble. Steve cut her off.
"I know it's hard sugarpie, but you can't let sadness hold onto you forever. You can work with me, leading the church and fighting vampires, one at a time."
That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I slammed my hands down on the table, so loud that several heads turned to stare in our direction. I narrowed my gaze on my brother, fixing him with the coldest glare I could muster.
"Fighting vampires, right?" I seethed, clenching my jaw so tightly it hurt. "You mean killing vampires. Like the one you have locked up in the church's basement?" I hadn't meant to say that, but the words poured out of like the crashing of a river, and I couldn't control it. Steve had the gall to look at me in surprise.
"Wh-how-how did you know about that?" He demanded, his own tone turning angry.
"I went down there looking for Dad's old sermons. I saw him. He was sitting in a cage. What are you? Are you a barbarian, Steve? We don't lock people in cages!" My voice raised pitch with every word, until I was shouting. Steve stood up quickly, glaring down at me heatedly.
"Be quiet." He hissed at me. I stood as well, fists clenched at my sides.
"No!" I yelled. "You are ignorant, and filled with so much hatred! I can't stand it! All I hear you talking about is how evil vampires are and how much you hate them-Hate is a sin, Steve!" Steve's nostrils flared, a murderous expression crossing his normally cheery features. He stood out from the booth and grabbed hold of my arm. He gripped my arm tightly and began to half drag me outside of the building.
"What in tarnation do you think you're doing?" Steve yelled as soon as we were safely outside the restaurant.
"Finally telling you the truth!" I retorted, crossing my arms stubbornly.
"You listen here, Danielle Nicole Newlin, you are my little sister and I am your guardian, and you do not talk to me that way! Secondly, hating what god hates is not a sin, and god hates vampires!"
"Why would he allow them to exist if he hated them so much?" I hissed back at him.
"Because it is our job as his loyal servants to eradicate them from the earth. It is our duty to our lord." I stared at Steve, unsure of how to respond to that lunacy. Was he serious? I couldn't tell if he actually believed his own bullshit or not. It certainly seemed like it, and that was perhaps even more terrifying than anything. "And that vampire in the basement is none of your concern! He's an abomination, they all are. I can't believe you would defend them after they killed our family, they almost killed you!" Spit was flying from lips now, his voice above shouting and now hitting screaming.
"You're ridiculous!" I threw my hands up in the air. "Aren't you tired of hating things? 'Cause I am. I am so sick and tired of everything, but especially that! And, I'm tired of going to church, and singing songs, and wearing silly little dresses! I'm tired of having nightmares and feeling exhausted all of the damn time! I'm tired of everything!" I was screaming now too, though my voice was starting to break. I rapidly blinked back tears. I would not cry, no way in hell. Not in front of him. Steve stormed up to me, pointing his finger in my face.
"You are grounded, young lady! You will not leave the house except for church for a month!" He then pointed towards the restaurant, gesturing for me to walk back inside. I took a step backward, trying and failing to blink back more tears.
"Fine." I answered, swallowing thickly. More tears fell. "You can ground me. I don't care anymore." I turned and ran.
Steve called out after me, yelling and screaming about how much trouble I was in, and how father would be disappointed in me. I didn't care. I was overwhelmed by this feeling of stark realization. Nothing was going to change. This was my life now. Perhaps it was my punishment. I would forever be sad and misunderstood by everyone around me. Somehow the thought made me feel...numb.
It was stifling.
If this was my punishment for being a bad person, I deserved it. Still, it was unbearable. I wasn't strong enough, and even if I was, I wouldn't want to be. It's too painful, too lonely.
Somehow, I found myself miles away from Marlow's, in Abbey Park. It was the park nearest to my house and the church. I used to play there as a kid with Steve. My parents would watch, talk about whatever was on their minds at the time as Steve would be the overprotective big brother. Being ten years older than me, he had felt like it was his job to protect me from any wound. That stopped around the time he became an adult. Our lives seemed to become lead by pretenses, all wrapped up in the fantasy that God loved us and that everything was right in the world. Things had been simpler back then, as it usually is when you're close-minded.
The sun was hanging low on the horizon, and I had to imagine it was nearing nine. Steve and Sarah must be looking for me. I couldn't find it in myself to care. Let them worry, if they even were.
The park was mostly empty, only a few passersby still lingering. I approached the rusty old playground seated nearing the middle of the large park. I sat down upon the swing, drawing back and forth slowly. I watched the sunset, letting my mind drift back and forth between my thoughts. No matter where my thoughts went, I couldn't get rid of the sense of emptiness centered in my heart.
I sat for hours, until the sky was dark, the only light being the lamp posts from the streets. The park was long since deserted. The only noise was the wind making gentle waves of the lake in the center of the park. The lake was perhaps one of the most protected lakes in Texas. It was completely pure of trash or pollutants, and people could actually be fined for tossing in any garbage.
It was beautiful. It was so dark, but I could still see the reflection of the moon on the water. It was so...peaceful. I was jealous. I wanted to be the lake, to be clear and pure, and peaceful. To be something real and tangible, but not be...me. To not have thoughts or feelings or people to judge me. The thought seemed ludicrous, and that wasn't lost on me. It was crazy to be jealous of a lake, of something that wasn't living, but I was. To exist without pain was everything I wanted.
I stood from the swing and approached the bridge over the lake connecting the two sides of the park. The bridge was fairly large and high up, the very center of the bridge being at least ten feet above the surface of the water. I stood at the top of the bridge, watching the gentle waves below. The wind was cool, but it didn't bother me. I was enjoying the rare peace I was experiencing.
The bridge was high above the lake. If I were to jump from here, I would certainly die, whether by the fall or drowning. I imagined I wouldn't even feel how cold the water was. I'd probably be unconscious from the fall, wouldn't even feel myself drowning. I could do it, it would be so quick. I could die like I was supposed to that night over a month ago…
My feet started to move without my permission. I began to climb the wooden fence separating me from the water. I climbed, one foot after the other, until I stood at the very top of the fence. The wind blew gently against my chilled skin, almost as if it were pushing me towards the fall.
I closed my eyes, and let my body fall.
Godric:
He'd felt her pain. The overwhelming feeling of desperation and sadness, the devastating loneliness that consumed her. He felt it as if it were his own pain, though two thousand years had taught him to learn the difference between the two. He hadn't realized what she was about to do though. Not until her body started to fall, and her pain was replaced with two distinctly contradictory feelings; the first was fear. The feeling was so powerful it hit him like a punch to the gut, and it sent him flying to his feet. She was in danger. Perhaps she had run into a vampire or some human predator. He didn't know, but he knew he had to help her.
The second feeling stopped him in his tracks. The fear was quickly soothed by an emotion that was strange to him; almost like acceptance. Did she believe her situation was so helpless that she had resigned herself to death. He was confused.
It all made sense when she hit the water. He could feel the icy chill as though he had fallen with her. The stark realization of what she had done sent him into a frenzy. He couldn't quite decide which emotion to settle on; the burning anger coiling in his gut was powerful, and it certainly demanded to be felt. The icy wave of fear that crawled through his veins was surprising, but even stronger than the anger. It was the feeling of desperation that made him rip the door of his cage off its hinges though.
It was an all consuming feeling. Every other emotion had a way of targeting a certain part of his body, like anger in his gut or hunger in his throat. The desperate need to get to her before it was too late had no center. It coursed throughout his body like an electric current. It made him run so fast his feet hardly touched the ground. It was so intense that he was sure if he were human it would have made him stagger back like he had been pushed.
Their connection was strong enough that he could pinpoint her exact location. She was at a park not far from the church. A lake sat in the center of the lush green hills, and a bridge had been built over its center to make getting around the park easier. That was where she had jumped. He wasted no more time taking in his surroundings, and jumped into the water.
She was fading. He had arrived quickly, but humans could not hold their breath for long. He searched the murky water, finding himself thankful for the first time in decades that he was a vampire. If he wasn't he wouldn't be able to see as clearly or feel her presence in the water. She was drifting downward to the bottom of the lake, eyes closed as she welcomed her fate. Godric would not accept that.
He wrapped an arm around her waist and secured her body close to his. He propelled them through the water and up towards the surface. When they hit air Godric flew them out of the water and up onto the bridge, lying her limp body on the wood gently. Her heart thumped weakly, clinging to life though she was not breathing.
With no knowledge of CPR or any other idea of how to save her, Godric unsheathed his fangs and bit into his wrist. Blood welled at the bite, and he pressed his wound to her mouth, prying open her lips to allow the blood to flow into her mouth.
At first, there was nothing.
Abruptly Danielle jerked, her eyes snapping open and pushing Godric's wrist away from her mouth. She coughed out water onto the bridge, gasping and heaving. Godric nearly sighed in relief. She was alive. Danielle looked to Godric, eyes wide and lips blue. She was shivering violently, clutching her arms around herself. Her soaked flimsy dress did little to protect her from cold. Godric wished he could provide her some warmth.
"W-what d-did you d-d-do?" She stuttered. Godric watched her expression closely, not sure what she was asking. Her eyes narrowed at his confusion, and she pressed her hand against his shoulder and shoved him angrily. "I-I w-wanted to d-die! W-why? You kn-know what it-it's like!" She shouted the best she could with a hoarse throat, shoving against his shoulder again.
"You're young. It is not your time." He answered her calmly. Inside, the fear he felt was quickly fading and his anger was taking control. She had tried to kill herself, and she would have succeeded if he had not felt her. He wanted to yell at her, grab her by the shoulders and shake her and ask her why she was ready to die when she had lived so little. He did none of those things.
"T-that's not for you to de-decide!" She yelled, eyes fierce despite the pallor of her skin and the violent shivering racking her body. Tears started to build in her eyes. She reached out, grabbing hold of his soaked cotton shirt and meeting his gaze. "I wanted to die!" She tried to shake him, but he was an immovable object. She swayed in her spot, and he had a second of warning before her eyes closed and she fell against his shoulder.
He sighed, speaking a few choice words in his native language. He wound a hand into her wet hair, his other hand gripping his waist gently. He pulled her closer, letting her limp body rest against him.
"Godric! I've found you!" His focus on Danielle had kept him from sensing his daughter. He turned to face Nora, keeping Danielle clutched against him. His progeny had eyes alight with joy, but they were quickly filled with scrutiny as she took in the situation before her. She frowned, looking between Godric and then Danielle. Her eyes lit up with recognition. "I knew I smelled you on her! It was so faint though, I couldn't tell…" She trailed off unsurely. She shook her head. "It doesn't matter, I'm just so happy that you are safe father."
"What are you doing here, my child?" Godric asked. He gathered Danielle against his chest and stood up to face Nora. Nora frowned again.
"Looking for you. Eric called me after Isabel told him you were missing. He told me he would take care of it, but I was worried about you. I've been searching Dallas for you for a week now." She explained softly. Godric shook his head.
"You must leave, Nora." He told her. Nora's face fell.
"But-" Godric approached her, cradling Danielle with one hand so he could reach up and place a hand against her cheek. He leaned towards her, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"As your maker, I command you to leave Dallas and tell no one you saw me." He ordered, stepping back from Nora.
"Please at least tell me that you are safe, Godric." She pleaded, fighting the pull of his command. He smiled smally.
"I am safe. You must go, daughter." Nora still looked reluctant to leave, but the command of her maker was too powerful to ignore. With one final, meaningful look at Godric, she turned to ran.
Godric turned back and took off in flight, travelling the small distance to Danielle's home. The lights in the house were off, making it easy for Godric to enter the house undetected. He moved quickly up the stairs up to her room. Her room was dark and cold, and Godric frowned. He wasn't sure, but he believed the cold could cause humans to become ill, and she was already covered in wet clothing.
He set her down on the bed, keeping her leaning against his side. She would surely become sick if he left her in the soaked dress. He found the zipper on the back of her dress and pulled it down. The dress loosened around her shoulders, the straps falling down her arms. He peeled the dress from her body and threw it to the floor. He left her wet underclothes and picked up and placed her under the thick covers of her bed. He tucked her in, pushing her wet hair to the side and out of her face. Color was slowly returning to her face, but she was still shivering lightly. He wished there was more he could do, but he could feel the sun rising and he didn't know what else to do.
He brushed his fingers across her chilled cheek, and pressed a kiss against her temple. Reluctantly, he was forced to flee the house and return to the basement of the church.
...
Sorry for the long wait! I had to update my other story Two Souls first, and then I've been planning a trip and so I've been focused on that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was fun (and also difficult) to write. Now, I'm super tired so responses will be short this chapter, but please know I appreciate them very much!
Reviews:
wikked: Thanks so much! Glad you're enjoying the story! Hope this chapter didn't disappoint! Yeah, chapters in the basement are more sparse, and will continue to be. She will interract with Jason more, though she won't really take part in the training as that's not really her storyline. I have a lot planned though so hope you enjoy!
kykyxstandler: Yep, that's Nora, as I revealed this chapter! :) I'm glad you recognized her! Thanks for reviewing, please let me know what you think of this chapter!
permisable: Glad you enjoyed! :)
angel897: Thanks for reviewing! I think you might be right. :) Also, she will meet Nan later and the two will NOT get along, haha. Thanks for reading!
