Here I am with chapter 8. I was felling rather down since I hadn't gotten any reviews, so I didn't type it right away. then somebody reviewed chapter 7 and I got kinda happy. Once again, for the record, I don't own the WB folks. I just write about them.

Note- As you probably know, mental illness is sometimes a genetically inherited disorder. So when you look at Adrienne, remember that her mom's in a loony bin and her dad is Beelzebub (aka Kenneth Irons). So for her, what might at first seem out of character behavior is quite the opposite. She's definitely a little nuts.
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Adrienne surprised Ian by bursting into tears just after the car cleared the drive. Ian pulled the car over. "What is it? What's wrong?" he asked nervously. Ian was becoming painfully aware of how completely inept he was in the presence of other people when he hadn't been told or planned out what to do. Weeping young women were not something Irons had trained Ian to deal with.
"I'm sorry Ian," she spluttered, sobbing. Terrified, Ian gently took Adrienne's hands from where they covered her eyes.
"I'm so terribly sorry," she apologized again, still crying, but to his relief, allowed Ian to hold her hands.
"What is it you're sorry for? I don't understand. Ian's brown eyes searched Adrienne's face for an answer.
"For not ... cause you...If Irons had taken me, then he wouldn't have this awful hold over you. I can only imagine what he's put you through. And it should have been me. I'm his daughter. He never had any right to you. At least he had a real claim to me, but you, you could've been happy and free..."Adrienne promptly dissolved into tears again. Ian stammered slightly as he phrased his response.
"I appreciate your, um, empathy. But what's past is past and it was never in our control any way."
"No, no, it wasn't." She wipe her face off and blew her nose. "All the same, I wish I could make it up to you."
Ian shifted the car out of park and pulled away from the curb, and drove towards Sara Pezzini's apartment. After they had driven in silence for a time, Adrienne spoke up.
"Don't take me back. I...not yet. There must be clubs or something open, yeah?" Ian didn't answer, but a few minutes later he pulled the car to a stop outside a likely looking nightclub. Adrienne climbed out of the car, and Ian followed a few feet behind her. The bouncer let them in without a second glance (after all, the guy in black looked like he could've been a bouncer himself; that or secret service)
The flashing lights and throbbing music had a soothing effect on Adrienne. They had the opposite effect on Ian, but he gave no sign of his discomfort. He helped Adrienne check her coat and jacket, admiring as he did the delicate tattoo patterns on her slim white arms. He was about to find himself a place to sit when Adrienne grabbed his arm.
"Oh, come on. Lose the hat and coat. Come dance." She grinned playfully.
"I don't know-" Ian began.
"Ian Nottingham. Anyone who moves the way you do needs dancing lessons about as much as Barishnakov." Ian couldn't help smiling, and he went along with it, checking his hat and coat and then allowing himself to be led onto the crowded dance floor.
Adrienne draped one arm casually over Ian's shoulder. Eyes closed, she swayed and nodded her head in time to the music, thankful that it was too loud to think. Ian, despite his initial misgivings, found that he was relatively comfortable in the anonymous crowd of bodies. It was a chance to breathe, anyway- he didn't have to worry about watching anyone, or anyone watching him. Although, he thought, smiling inwardly, Irons would probably want him to keep an eye on Adrienne. But he didn't mind that. Ian glanced down, watching her move easily to the music. Her red-stained lips curved up in a half smile, standing out against the pallor of her skin.
Ian wasn't the only one noticing her. A tall blond woman snaked a bangled arm around Adrienne's shoulders, drawing her away from Ian.
"Hey beautiful,"the woman crooned," Where ya been?" Ian looked to Adrienne for a clue of what to do next. Adrienne just laughed and turned to take the other woman's arm.
"Wasting my time, evidently." They sidled off, dancing and laughing. Ian retreated to the bar and watched Adrienne from there. She didn't seem to care who she danced with, male or female, old or young; as long as they wanted to dance with her. Eventually, she made her way over to where Ian was sitting.
"So this is where you got to. I suppose this it where all the action's at?" Ian almost smiled. It was odd, for someone to speak to him so. Not with superiority, or disgust, or fear, but with genuine good humor. "Thanks for putting up with me. Shall we make our exit?" Nodding, Ian headed for the coat check with Adrienne at his heels.
Jake followed his partner up to her apartment for coffee after work. he was measuring out some sugar when he noticed Sara frowning at something on the table. "What's up?" He brought the steaming cups over and sat down.
"Oh. It's nothing. Just... Adrienne left a note, says she left at five to visit an acquaintance she found out lives in New York. Don't wait up. Wish she could've made it more specific."
"Hey, she probably met up with some friends and went out. No big deal."
"I guess. But she didn't mention knowing anyone."
"Sara, relax. drink your coffee. I made decaf since it's so late. Drink up before it gets cold. You'll feel better." Somehow, being mothered my Jake shook Sara out of her dismal state of mind. She smiled and tugged him out of his chair and over to the couch in front of the television.
"Come on. There's a James Bond marathon on."
Jake fell asleep halfway through 'From Russia with Love.' Sara got off the couch and lifted Jake's legs up so he could lie down properly. The movement illicited something between a grunt and a snore, but didn't wake him.
Where would Adrienne sleep? Sara thought suddenly. She turned the television off as Sean Connery was attempting to evade the poison-knife-tipped boots of a hysterical Russian hitwoman. It was nearly three thirty in the morning. Sara changed her clothes, donning pajama pants and a T-shirt, but she couldn't relax, nevermind sleep. So, she cleaned the dishes. And then the rest of the kitchen. Around four fifteen, she heard the door opening, and Adrienne speaking softly to someone outside.
"Thank you. God knows, I might have spent the whole night crying. I thought I was going to vomit when I saw him sitting there." Sara couldn't here Adrienne's companion, but Adrienne laughed quietly at whatever they said.
"Yeah, well, you should get out more. I'll see you when I see you, then."
Ian Nottingham nodded and was turning to leave when Adrienne put a hand on his shoulder, turning him toward her. She leaned down from the step she stood on and kissed him, slowly and gently. Ian was too surprised to react. He just nodded and disappeared down the dark corridor. Adrienne smiled and locked the door, trying to be as quiet as possible. She almost jumped when she saw Sara sitting at the table.
"I told you not t-" Sara cut her off, her voice tired.
"I was worried. So many things happen; I was afraid..." Relief and exhaustion swept over Sara, and she couldn't hold back the tears that came as well.
"I lose everyone. And I just found you. I couldn't bear..."
"Oh Sara, I'm so sorry. Come on, you're exhausted, get into bed." Adrienne carefully wiped the tears off Sara's face and helped her into bed. she sat on the far side, stroking Sara's hair.
"Hush. Hush Hush-a-bye
Go to sleepy little Sara." Adrienne sang the lullaby barely above a whisper, but it was how lullabies were meant to be sung, low and soothing.
"When you wake,
You shall have
All the pretty little horses.
Blacks and bays,
Dapples and grays,
Coach and six white horses." She hummed the melody again, until she was sure Sara was sleeping. It was only a minute or so before Adrienne herself had fallen asleep, fully clothed, on top of the blankets next to her sister.