Lavinia was panting as a log house appeared as if out of nowhere. The house was two stories and beautiful. She had never seen one before, houses in UK were built completely differently to the States anyway, but this was truly lovely. She stopped crying and wiped her hand on her now free hand and looked up.
The cabin had a wrap around porch and what looked like high ceilings and a stone chimney. Large pane windows enclosed the front and there was a soft glow coming from inside.
Storm turned to Vini as she looked at him "It's beautiful" she said in a small voice. She looked so sad, her face was white but her eyes were red. Her hair was a mess having been up for ages and then taken down.
"Are you ok? What happened back there?" Storm said looking down at her and using his thumb to wipe away a stray tear.
"He just took this out of the bag. No one can touch it" Vini said holding the bag up to Storm.
He didn't pretend to understand, just nodded and led her into his home. He picked up some laundry that had been left by the front door and grabbed a stack of plates that were on the telephone table. "Can I get you a drink?" Storm said once he had seated Vini down on his plush couch.
She looked around anxiously "I don't suppose you have any tea?" She asked.
"No I don't, I have never tried it" he said apologetically. She sighed and put her head in her hands. Turning her face to look at him she rubbed her face.
"There is some Yorkshire tea in my bag back at the hut. Don't suppose someone could bring my bag please?" She needed a milky, sugary tea and a cigarette. Storm nodded and strode into another room; she heard his hushed voice asking for her things to be brought to his house.
He came back into the room and sat next to her, she had hunched over with her head on her knees. He tentatively put his hand on her lower back and rubbed in a circle. He had no experience comforting women but it felt natural to do this simple action.
It seemed like they had been in this position for a while, him rubbing and her not talking or moving, just breathing with her head on her knees.
They both jerked when a knock sounded on the door. Storm hadn't even heard anyone outside; he shook his head and walked to the door. Before he could open another knock sounded which pissed him off.
Fury and Slade stood on the other side with scowls on their faces. "Where is the human female?" Fury asked Storm in a hard tone. Fury's nose flared and he frowned. Storm knew they would be worried, that maybe Vini could be a threat and given her recent reaction to being search it was a possibility; but Storm just knew that wasn't the case. He just knew there was more to this than met the eye.
"She is here and safe; she is staying here too so don't get any ideas about taking her from me." Storm growled.
Fury and Slade looked at Storm and Fury raised an eyebrow at his possessive statement. Storm could hear Vini moving towards them and then she peered around the doors edge.
"Hi, I'm so sorry about what happened, I don't react well with stress and I can't handle anyone touching my son's blanket. Is Slash ok?" she said looking worried.
"He has a broken nose" said Slade as he pointedly looked at Storm.
"Listen I'm so sorry, I can apologise and leave. I don't think it's a good idea given what just happened that I stay" she said whilst moving passed Storm trying to get through the door.
"No" said Storm reaching out and taking hold of her hand. His hand felt really hot against hers and she looked up to his face and saw his look of panic.
She tugged her hand away and looked at him properly. He had comforted her even though she had acted like a screaming harpy. He had brought her here to calm down and had not been unkind to her.
"Why do you want me here?" Vini asked.
"I don't think it's a good idea that you leave here and be upset alone, I think you should stay here and calm down. See how you feel in the morning."
Vini decided he was probably right, she had no car, her things were still in her car, she had a commitment at Reservation tomorrow and she was drained from her blubbing session.
"Thank you Storm" she said quietly. She felt grateful to him for being so kind to her; so far she had turned his dinner offer down, screamed at this friend, cried like a weirdo and then demanded her bag and some tea. What a bitch she thought.
Slade and Fury handed her bag over to her, they eyed her suspiciously, "Please do not leave Storms cabin without an escort. We will have someone deliver your car to human housing and we will escort you to the gallery tomorrow at 9am." said Fury.
"I wont leave and I'm sorry about what happened" Vini tried to smile at them but it didn't make it to her face.
"You owe Slash and apology Storm" Slade ground out pointing an accusing finger.
"Once he apologises to Miss Cross then I will apologise to him" Storm said defiantly.
"Hmm, well we will talk tomorrow!" Slade said before they both turned and headed back to their waiting Jeep.
Storm watched Vini riffled through her bag and grab a small square pouch of some kind. It smelt foreign to him. "Tea" she said holding the bag up with a small smile.
"Can I make some please?" she said.
Storm led her through to his kitchen and got a kettle out from a cupboard. He had never had a use for the contraption and so it stayed in a cupboard, Vini was lucky he even owned one.
He watched as she poured water into the top of the kettle and turned it on, then turning and asking him if he wanted some. He nodded and she got two cups from the cup tree. She popped the weird bags into the cups and added two spoonfuls of sugar to her cup and looked to him.
"Sugar?" she asked him, he nodded again not wanting to spook her.
Once she had finished pouring the hot water she stirred the brown liquid and added some milk from his fridge. Then pressing the weird bags to the side of the cup she put them in the bin. She handed him the cup of sweet smelling drink and smiled.
Her green eyes looked bright with the overhead light shining on them, her hair had straightened out a bit and fell just past her shoulders. She looked small, fragile and very sad.
Storm took the cup from Vini's hand and she watched him take a sniff. Tea in the states wasn't very common, especially not decent tea. She loved it milky with two sugars. There was nothing that a good cup of tea couldn't help.
"I know I'm just barging in but do you mind if I have a cigarette? Obviously outside I just need some nicotine after this palaver." She said.
Storm nodded again. "Just go through there ill be with you in a minute" he said placing the cup on the side.
Vini walked to the back of the house and through sliding doors, there were various chairs on the porch and she guessed he entertained here. She looked in her bag for her pack of Marlboro Lights and her lighter. She light the cigarette, took a deep drag and blew out the smoke with a sigh.
Storm appeared next to her with the tea she had made him; he sat next to her on another comfortable looking deck chair. He had put on a shirt he must have been cold she thought.
"Look I'm sorry about earlier, I'm not usually this batty" she laughed sheepishly.
"Don't sweat it. Is the blanket your sons" he asked whilst blowing the hot liquid.
"Yes it is" she said sadly, she took another drag and looked up at the stars.
"How old is he?" Storm asked.
"He was 5, he would be 8 now" Vini said quietly. She flicked her ash into what appeared to be used by others as an ashtray.
Storm could smell pain again coming from Vini. He knew now why she was so protective of the small package.
Vini looked over at Storm again and sighed. "He died" she offered in explanation.
Storm looked at her; if she has a child then she has a mate he thought.
"Where is your mate?" he asked and he watched as her face changed into one of fury.
"You mean my husband? He is also dead" she said, whilst also thinking rotting in hell I hope.
He didn't understand her callousness but before he could ask any more she stubbed out her cigarette and glugged the last of her tea, she turned to him then "I'm really tired, are you ok with me staying here?"
"Of course, I'll show you to the guest room" he said whilst leading her upstairs.
She settled in the comfortable room and took off her yoga pants and t-shirt; she washed her face and drank some water direct from the tap. She lay down in the bed and covered her whole body with the duvet. With her face buried in the pillow she began crying. Sam's blanket was beside her as always but she daren't open the bag. She didn't want to face the fact that his smell might have disappeared after the rough handling by Slash.
Storm listened as Vini walked about the room and then running the water. As he settled into his own room he could here her quietly sobbing, his heart ached for her. He wanted to go in and comfort her again but couldn't bring himself to disturb her in this private moment.