Claire set her keys down on the small table as she closed the door behind her. She looked at her bracelet. She knew what these bracelets really meant. Sam wasn't completely wrong, but he wasn't completely forward either. Sure, it guaranteed protection, but it also meant she'd have to do whatever Amelie told her to do.
She wanted to sleep, but after what had happened she knew it wouldn't be happening. So, she just went upstairs to her mess of a room where she had a wall full of papers with different symbols on them. Her desk was scattered with books that had their own catalog of dust and were extremely old as well as other papers. It showed that she worked too much.
Like she'd been doing it a dozen times, she moved over to her laptop on her bed and opened it. She had the application that she'd been using earlier was still up and continued. She got up and looked at it over again as she walked over to the bulletin board. Her room was starting to look like Myrnin's lab. After a while, she grabbed her hot pink iPod and plugged it in. She zigzagged through the room.
"Ada!" Claire called
There was nothing. Claire turned around to walk off, but jumped when I saw her two dimensional form standing there with her hands on her hips.
"What?" she hissed at Claire using the earbuds that were plugged into Claire's ears to speak.
"I need to get to Myrnin's lab. I might have a formula that will extend the period of time for Myrnin to be lucid." Claire said
Ada didn't waste time. A portal opened before Claire finished. Granted, Ada didn't like Claire very much, but she loved Myrnin.
Claire walked through and ended up in the dark of Myrnin's lab. It was dark. Claire pulled out her cell phone and used it to get around the room to light up a few of the oil lamps. As she did she noticed Myrnin in his cage. He seemed to be sleeping or so it looked. He was also locked in.
"You just stay there, don't strain yourself." Claire muttered to herself as she started to move around the place
It felt strange and yet not strange as she moved around the place. All the blanks had filled in so it wasn't so frustrating that people were walking on eggshells around her.
"There is something different about you."
Claire jumped and turned. Myrnin was sitting up in his cage.
"Things are always different when you remember things. Things that happened at seventeen no less." Claire sighed
"Ah. Such a young age." He said
"Yeah. Advanced placement put me here and then I got shoved out by my parents. I could handle vampires, but apparently I couldn't handle guys." Claire huffed
She mixed a few more ingredient together.
"Alright. In a few hours that will be ready. It should help you stick around longer." Claire said
She looked back at Myrnin. He was looking at her as if he was seeing someone else. Claire didn't leave right away. It probably would've been a good idea if she did, but she didn't. She sat down on the floor and grabbed a book. She handed it to Myrnin then grabbed one for herself.
"You are not going to sleep? I prefer my students to be in top shape." Myrnin said a bit coldly
"Trust me, I couldn't sleep if my life depended on it at the moment." She said "I just figured I could work for a while."
Myrnin did not complain. He just opened the book and started to read. For hours even after the sun came up, she read. It wasn't as if she had classes anymore. Because a college graduate at twenty years old meant that she basically was still a freak. She was too smart for her own good.
"I don't get it." Claire said after a few hours of reading that could've put anyone to sleep. "There's something missing and yet I don't know what."
Claire sighed irritated and Myrnin just chuckled as he took some of what Claire had contructed hours before. Claire bit her tongue and said nothing. She didn't want to be filleted today. There was something missing though. it was a big freakin something.
"You know what? I'm going to head up to the university to see if I can't use one of their labs." Claire said matter of factly
She wasn't sure why, but she felt that if she just went there and was in the environment she knew best. It all gave her a headache period, but she didn't get to quit this job. It was under Amelie's orders.
"Who said you could leave." He said coldy "You are here to work and you can leave when I say you can."
"I came on my own accord I can leave on my own accord." Claire shot back
Reaching up, she ripped the key that always hung around her neck now and put it in the lock. She left and locked the door behind her.
Myrnin scowled and went back to reading his book while mumbling something incoherent.
Shane saw her walking across the street towards the university.
"Figured she couldn't stay away from the place. She's a freak for learning." He smirked
She had a serious look on her face. He followed behind her to see where she was going. She stopped in one of the physics rooms. He watched her pause then walk up to the young man at the desk. She could hear the conversation.
"I don't know if you remember me-" she started
"You were one of my best students who also happened to get acid spilt on her." He said not looking up
"Right." She said biting her bottom lip
"Plus, you're surprisingly popular around here Miss Danvers." He added "What can I do for you?"
He looked up at her with a slight smile.
"I was wondering if I could use the lab." She said
"For?" he asked
Shane was a little curious himself. Why did she need the lab? School was out for her. Claire just sighed.
"Your job?" he asked
Claire nodded.
"Then I guess you may. I will even be your assistant." He smirked
Claire giggled a little. The TA was different than she remembered. He seemed more laid back.
"So I imagine you have a full time job now?" Claire pried
"The professor died two years ago so, they handed me the job without so much as a word. I couldn't really complain though, it has its perks."
"Except for vampires." Claire muttered
"Yep. Except for vampires." He agreed
Claire looked at him. She didn't think he heard it and was surprised.
"So, what are we doing here in the lab."
"I'm looking for a component that will work with a mixture I've made. It's supposed to help people." She replied
"I'm Jake by the way." He said and held a hand out
It surprised Claire. Nobody had really done much introducing to her. She'd kept to herself. She never even knew his name.
"Nice to meet you Jake." She said taking his hand and shaking it
Then again she still had trouble tellingherself that she was no longer a student. Well, in a sense she was being she was an apprentice to Myrnin, but did that count? Ugh, she didn't know anymore. His hand didn't completely leave hers right away. It lingered there then they parted. He wasn't that much older than her anyway. Oh god, Claire thought, I did not just think that. A cough interrupted the two and they both looked up. Shane stood in the doorway.
"I saw you coming into the building and thought that you were getting g yourself into trouble." He said
Claire's heart skipped slightly.
"Just work." She said
He nodded and stepped further into the room.
"Can I help?" he offered
Claire held her breath for a moment. She knew, she should say no so that he didn't get involved. He hated vampires, but the words came out before she could even stop them.
"Sure. The more the merrier?" she half laughed
It suddenly felt wrong and an awkward tension rose. Maybe, she was just making it up. Nope, she thought as she looked up at Shane who was looking at the TA with a harsh look like he was taking something that was his. Claire moved from in between them and over to the shelves. Being able to be a double major in Caltech gave her one heck of an advantage though and that was one of the pluses to remembering being seventeen because she'd taken advanced legends and myths and was never quite sure as to why till now.
"Let's get started." Shane said
"Yeah…" Claire trailed off
"Now, what does your boss have you doing that you need to be here?" Jake asked
Shane had a confused look.
"It's just chemistry stuff." That's what Claire told herself anyway
She didn't like to believe it was magic so, she just called it chemistry.
"Well, it seems a little more complicated than that." He said
"I can't explain at the moment. They just need it is all."
"You're helping them." Shane said seeming like he was trying to take it in
"I can't explain."
"Well, try Claire. Why would you help them? They don't need it. They're blood sucking leeches." He spat
Because they're dying. She didn't say it out loud, but she thought about it and one name hit her, Michael. She'd noticed it quickly and he was her friend. They were all her friends, but everything she remembered was years ago. It was all just so complicated. She looked at Shane coldly now.
"Some of them are my friends too, like Michael for instance. I care about my friends okay? So either help me or get the hell out of my way. I don't have time for your whining or…whatever." Claire stuttered out the last part
Shane chuckled at the last part too and nodded. She knew she must not have been too convincing. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her.
"Alright." He said "Just don't beat me up okay?"
Claire rolled her eyes and tried to fight him off, but he didn't let go. She stopped and looked up at him.
"I'm sorry. I just don't like seeing you working for them. Not that I really knew anyways."
"I didn't want you involved. Hence I'm…all...alone."
The last parts kind of drew out in her own realization.
"You, alone? No, I don't think so. I've been stalking you since you left the house. Well, sort of. You disappeared from you're apartment. You didn't even walk out the front door…"
"Don't hurt yourself." Claire piped up
She could tell he was thinking like crazy. He just nudged her and pulled her into a hug.
"I'm not letting you do this alone."
Claire's smile on her face fell. If he knew what she was doing this for he'd hate her for life. She pulled away and faked a smile. He must've bought it too being they started up work. She even taught him a few things he didn't know, which was a lot of things.
