I don't own True Blood.

REVIEWS

CaptainPorkChop: Thank you! Don't break your phone. ʕ •́؈•̀ ₎

RenTenTen: Britney is so awesome. She's over here helping our boy. ヽ(ˇ∀ˇ )ゞ

Nurisiliel: I don't mean to cliffhang you. ʘ‿ʘ Sorry for the typos.

Shamelessly Reckless: One more chapter. Just. One. More. Without Godric. (ಥ⌣ಥ)

NotFamous: Yes they will! (っ▀¯▀)つ

A/N: This chapter was really hard to write. ಥ_ಥ I discarded the previous before rewriting the entire chapter. I'm still not entirely satisfied with it but I'm ready to move on to chapter 15.

I have a surprise for you. :D


"I said, I prefer the ocean when it's gray. Or not really gray. A pale, in-between color. It reminds me of waiting for something good to happen."

-Lauren Oliver


~Callum~


Britney was kind and that was unexpected. She remained gracious even when they entered the bright clinic, shooing the orderly away to stand outside of the glass doors, giving Callum the privacy he desperately craved. She directed him to take a seat on a lowered gurney next to a medical cart and she shielded them from the curious eyes of the orderly watching from the other side of the door, with a white curtain.

Hazel eyes watched her slip blue gloves over feminine hands before her serene blue eyes turned to peer at his seated form, he watched her arrange the stethoscope aural tube that was wrapped around her neck, moving it to place the ear tips into her ears, holding the chest piece in her hand, the nurse approached him and Callum reached up to pull his shirt collar down, giving her access.

Britney got to work immediately, slipping the cold cheat piece and her hand into his collar, she placed the icy diagram against his heart.

"Deep breaths, Callum." She ordered and he followed her instructions without comment. She shifted the diagram a few times over his skin before ultimately pulling away, "Lift your shirt."

Brown eyebrows raised over hazel eyes and he gripped the hem of his shirt, lifting it while Britney wrapped the stethoscope back in place, around her neck, and she was leaning forward and down, a gloved hand was running up his ribcage. Then she was poking and prodding at his ribs, Callum twitched uncomfortably under her ministrations and her finger was pushing into his flesh. White-hot pain burst from behind his eyes and he was plummeting into agony.

Arms were instantly wrapping around his midsection, keeping him from toppling off the gurney and he trembled until the pain died down, with clenched teeth and resentment for this fucking prison.

"Bruised ribs are the worst." Britney's voice was reaching him over the drowning static that roared in his ears. Hands were rubbing his lower back, if the nurse was expecting it to comfort him, she'd be disappointed. It only infuriated him instead. "Get off me." He was hissing, fingers digging into the blue cushion surface of the gurney, and she was backing away, allowing his shirt to fall back over his abdomen. Nausea churning his stomach subsided enough for Callum to turn back to confront serene blue eyes with a blurry vision.

And he was thinking back to the same eyes, brunette hair, and same short stature two days before. Callum's breath hitched and he blinked away the tears, leaning forward with fingers clenching the edge of blue fabric. "You! It's you, the one that attacked me in the hospital!"

Suddenly, Britney was scowling with annoyance, "I didn't attack you, you're the one who acted like a maniac."

"Get away from me!"

Her hands were coming up, palms facing him, appearing like she was trying to settle down a wild animal from lashing out and he grew feverish with resentment. Eyes glaring daggers, he lifted to his feet unsteadily, facing her with neck cords and jaw rigid. "Callum, don't."

He ignored her command, stepping forward before recoiling when the sound of the glass door opened and footsteps stormed toward him. Britney was whirling to face the approaching figure. "Stop! I have everything under control!"

Hazel eyes veered to the left, falling on the figure of the charging orderly, and Callum released a gasp, stumbling back into a medical cart before a large hand was grabbing a fistful of his shirt, pulling him forward, into a forceful fist. Stars exploded from behind his eyes and he was plummeting with the audible noise of a crash.


~Britney~


Britney was furiously storming up the flight of stairs that led to the third floor, her shoulders tense and hands assembling fists. She marched for the office of Eugene Smith. The woman was so furious, she didn't wait to knock. Usually, she did. The professional unnerved her during their short meetings.

But her patient couldn't take another beating! It would kill him, the staff was too rough with the mentally ill and she was sick of it. Furious, blue eyes promptly fell on the dark-haired form of the doctor. He was facing the large window, behind his dark steel desk, holding a half-glass of rum while lost in his thinkings.

Dark-eyes, wicked and cruel, were turning to glance at her with a raised eyebrow, amusement materializing from her bursting into his office. "What have you learned from our mysterious patient?"

"Nothing!" She was snarling, "Your employees keep assaulting him. He will die from the beatings if he doesn't from pneumonia!"

Eugene, the blackmailing bastard was probing her with calculating eyes.

"I will put a stop to that immediately. Callum will be confined to his room twenty-four-seven, sedated so his body will be allowed to heal, and you will care for him around the clock. You will have full control over his daily activities and who is allowed around him,"

"That wasn't the deal!" Britney was shouting with frustration but Eugene was ignoring her outburst.

"Earn his trust and report to me everything you learn."

"No." She was shaking her head.

"If you don't do what I ask, you'll never work in a hospital again. I could also declare you mentally insane, place you in the padded room across from Callum, you could lose your daughter to the state. How old is Gracie now? Eight?"

And she blinking away the pooling tears, turning her gaze away from the psychopath, not preferring to glimpse the winning smirk that he was likely sporting.


~Callum~


Callum was exhausted. He suffered endless nightmares and bouts of insomnia without Godric next to him. His lungs were healing with the number of tranquilizers and medication they fed him daily but Callum didn't sleep. His mind was an infinite, restless sea and if he was not aware and furious, he was sluggish and forgetful.

When he was able to listen and watch his surroundings of the padded room he was confined to, he heard whispers of a new unstable patient and the trouble he didn't cause. Nurses spoke that the criminal was as gentle as a lamb and as quiet as a mouse. Opposite of Callum, who continuously fought and cursed the staff when he wasn't sedated during rare times.

He recalled Britney sitting next to him most days, she seemed exhausted, and sometimes, in his delirium, he'd glimpse her sleeping in the chair beside him, her head resting on his bed with her arms curled under her skull, next to his curled form.

Time had merged into melting colors and brief visions of Britney and other nurses leaned over him. He called for Godric, didn't cease even when the impression of a hand brushed down his upper arm with soothing strokes.

Callum was torn out of restless sleep, releasing moans when fingers caressed the mating bite located in the junction of his neck, and he was attentive enough to understand it wasn't Godric touching him. Callum immediately reached up with a heavy arm, searching, and snagged a thin wrist. He squeezed with a dangerous warning as the electricity from the touch traveled down his body and roused his cock. "No." He was protesting through the pleasure, imprisoned behind heavy eyelids.

A gasp was sounding beside his ear and the wrist was yanked out of his grip, confusion was pulling his brows down and he hummed with question. Footsteps were running from one side of him to the other and the nosy footsteps irritated him. He was blinking up into bright lights when hands were pushing his body to roll over onto his side and Callum groaned with annoyance when he was covered with heavy coatings by frantic hands while the room swayed dangerously.

"Shit, you're hard, Callum. He can't see." The breezy voice hissed before, "You have some explaining to do." The same voice was speaking behind the thick veil and he batted hands away that stuffed a pillow, under his head, to rest entirely against his sensitive mark. "Shhh," The voice was shushing him, fingers scratching across his scalp, and he drifted, half aroused and grumbling.

"Have you learned anything?" Callum shifted slightly to the deeper tone of the new voice.

"...No." And the hand was tensing in his short hair.

"Tick tock, Britney."


"Britney?" Callum was laying in the bed, facing the exhausted woman with troubled features and she leaned forward in her seat. "How do you feel?"

"There's something in my—" Callum was whispering with expanding eyes attached to an alarmed expression. And the nurse was emitting a sleepy laugh, "That would be a catheter, Callum."

"It's uncomfortable."

"Well, it's a more favorable outcome than peeing yourself."

"I might have preferred the latter." He was retorting with a strangled tone and Britney laughed again, skin crinkling in each corner of serene blue eyes. She shifted before, "I need to ask you something."

Hazel eyes stared at the nurse from his curled position, waiting for her question and she hesitated before reaching for him. Immediately, a finger was touching his scarred neck, and Callum choked on a inhale, pulling out of her touch with a shiver, glaring daggers at the nurse with a frown.

She chewed on her bottom lips awkwardly while pulling her hand back, an inquisitive blue gaze was staring right at him, analyzing his reaction.

"What is that?" She asked after an uneasy moment.

"A scar." He dodged the question but she shook her head with a disbelieving chuckle, "No, scars don't react like yours."

"Mind your own business." Callum was growling, turning his gaze down, curling to hide his face away from Britney, and ignoring her depleted sigh.


After the uncomfortable catheter was removed and a tense, blushing awkwardness passed between Britney and him, she helped him to the showers and was kind enough to give him privacy to wash the filth away from his skin, he dressed in clean clothes and was taken to the cafeteria, thankfully, untouched by the guards watching him with narrowed gazes. Britney glared them away as they entered the nosy room of the cafeteria. The meddlesome clatter and screeches of chairs bothered him while he was directed to one of the tables.

"I'll go get us food." Britney was speaking by his side and he nodded before walking barefoot, down the long table aisle, and taking a seat away from all the ill patients. Sitting down, he lifted his head and presently came into contact with icy blue eyes gazing at him from the table, opposite of his. Callum froze, scanning the blond across from him.

The man peered at him with unsettling scrutiny. Icy blue eyes, similar to glaciers in the deep north, lowered to examine his shoulder and Callum swallowed with unease, from the intimidating, steely gaze that pierced through him. The blond was looking at his mating mark and subconsciously, Callum reached to cover the pale scarring with his shirt as much as he was able. When he glanced back up to eye the stranger, icy glaciers were turned away from him, peering through the window instead.

"Here you go." The cheerful voice of Britney caused him to flinch and the clatter of a food tray was placed in front of him. She set her lunch down on the table next, sitting so close to Callum that their shoulders brushed together. "The food here usually sucks but right now, I could probably eat roadkill," Britney stated, even though her nose scrunched up with disgust and Callum chuckled at her expression before reaching for his fork. He could definitely understand. He was starving.

Glancing up to sneak another peek at the strange man, he immediately found the blond still seated across from him. The man paused with alarm when icy glaciers glared daggers and a dark scowl was twisting attractive features, aimed for Britney, sitting next to him. Pale hands were clenched into fists, straining against the table, and Callum waited for the icy eyes to connect with his.

He held his fork, idling until the glare veered to fall back over him and he glared daggers back, barring his blunt teeth toward the stranger. Surprise flickered over the attractive features of the blond and pale eyebrows raised before a dulled-fanged, satisfied smile was sent his way and Callum's breath hitched with astonishment.

"That's the new patient that arrived a week ago. I'm not surprised you didn't hear about that. You've been out of it for most of the week. Judge Davis wants him analyzed for insanity. If he isn't mentally unstable, he'll be charged and transported to the state prison and placed on death row.

Britney explained while hazel eyes swerved to the side to examine her. "What did he do?"

"He murdered government officials during some kind of party. Stay away from him, Callum." Britney replied before digging back into her lunch with her plastic fork.

Hazel eyes turned to meet the calculating gaze of ice. "What's your name?" He inquired with a whisper, Britney was glancing up at Callum with a confused expression but he ignored her, waiting to see if his suspicions were confirmed.

"Eric."

And the 'man' was responding, loud enough to reach Callum's ears while a teasing smirk was pulling at pale lips. Britney was frozen, unbreathing by his side with wide blues, and Callum chuckled darkly, dropping his fork down on his tray before resting his elbows on the table and concealing his features in his hands.

Across from him wasn't a man, it was a creature like Godric...but missing deadly shark teeth and humanlike nails were in place of sharp claws.

Little love.

And behind his hands, hot liquid forced themselves from his tear ducts. He needed to get out of here, he was done waiting.

He'd needed to find allies that craved the same freedom and he wouldn't ask Britney or Eric. She was a staff member, not reliable and if the not-man; Eric did snap and slaughter a bunch of people, maybe it would be in Callum's best interest to avoid him.

Behind closed eyes, he could imagine the smell of sea breeze and Godric pressed against him with naked warm skin. Callum inhaled chilly air that filled his lungs, and he calmed at the cognitive fantasy of his lover.

'I'm going to make it back to you, little love.'


~Eugene~


Eugene was fed up with Callum's unbreakable will. Weeks passed and the boy's pneumonia had long since evaporated, leaving behind a fighting, snarling beast. Strong desperation remained in those cold, hazel eyes and he wouldn't speak about this Godric to Eugene during their time together. Even when he was drugged and out of his mind, he only mumbled the name of Godric repeatedly, and Eugene was to the point of ripping his hair out with aggravation.

Britney remained mute, didn't answer any of his questions but Eugene knew that she protected Callum's secrets. He could glimpse them whispering and laughing with each other from the recreation room and cafeteria, multiple times over the weeks. The nurse guarded secrets and she had certainly gained trust. She could be seen, departing her shift during the afternoons, waving and blowing kisses to the boy and Eugene watched with awe when Callum chuckled and grinned in the direction of the short woman, healed of bruises and remained friendly toward her only. The two were friends and Eugene's threats against her weren't working anymore. She was a traitor.

It was the evening that Callum and two other patients nearly escaped the facility when Eugene had enough. Finding the orderlies quarreling with the mentally ill, his dark eyes ignored the other two dark-haired escapees and directed straight for Callum. The boy was snarling, hands clawing as he struggled against the hold of the bigger man, and Eugene stormed forward, shouting with fingers gripping the front of Callum's shirt. "I'm sick of your—"

Callum growled and with a head twist and a blur, blunt teeth were sinking into the lob of the psychologist's ear. Eugene shouted as flesh ripped and he stumbled away, warm liquid trickled down his neck, he reached up, fingers finding the torn injury while wide eyes watched the boy spit out the earlobe from a bloody mouth. Hands were grabbing him by his arm and he was gazing down at the head nurse, Martha with a stunned expression. Her pale brows were furrowed and she was shouting. Fingers pulling his hand away to check his injury and then he was led away. Dark eyes veered around to the orderly. "Strip him, bind him, and throw him in solitary confinement!"

Rage was swallowing him, leaving him with red sweeping over his vision while his wound was cleaned and covered with padded gauze, held against his mauled ear with tape.

Eugene would have his revenge. He would strip the flesh off of the useless boy's bones, he would beat him black and blue. Resentment had him grinding his teeth together behind tight lips and ideas of payback orbited his rage-inflamed thoughts.


A/N: Eric! (ʃƪ ˘ ³˘)

...The next chapter will include bad things. The warnings will be posted in the note at the top of the chapter.

(︶︿︶)