---Chapter 7---
you can not live
and you can not die
.
what to do when the whole world
is drowning you?
.
what to feel, where to look, how to say-
what you can't?
.
how can you cry without the tears?
Be terrified without showing your fears?
.
a white blossom grown beautiful
in the darkness of the night
in your eyes the pain is truthful
behind those pools, a never-ending fight
.
what to feel, where to look, how to say-
what you can't?
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
[Sparky's, late Friday Night]
Victoria was at Sparky's, a small pub on the outskirts of Roswell. SheâEd come here with a couple of girls but they left with some guys and she stayed.
Adam gave her a 'bit' of freedom tonight, he was busy at the base and most especially because she'd been such a "good" girl as he'd said. What she'd really done was take the "treatments" well which Adam was satisfied with presently. But she just wanted to forget. And she was, with all the people who wanted to dance with her. She could absorb herself in the music so well. The rhythms, the flashing little lights, the noise- so loud, it could drown out her sorrows if she just let it. She did. Two guys were dancing with her, one on either side. She didn't know them, but who cared- all the better. She didn't have to think.
Michael Guerin walked into Sparky's at almost 1:00 am. He got in since he was 18, but of course he couldn't drink, which was no problem for him. He'd learned his lesson on that. He had found he couldn't sleep and he wanted a bit of distraction against whatever was bugging him, so he'd found himself wandering in here. Maria didn't know he was here. She was in bed asleep. It was harmless, probably. And besides, it's not like they kept tabs on one another, well mostly not.
Michael made his way to the bar, noticing it was more rowdy and packed then the other few times he'd been in here.
Victoria was abruptly lifted onto a table near the back while she had been dancing, so she continued on the table. Who knew where her shoes were. The mood was high, she couldn't think about anything bad, it was okay-- she was in the moment.
Michael's attention was drawn to the back where there were crashing chairs, cat calls and the loudest noises of the bar. He sees a woman standing on one of the tables, dancing. He was about to turn back around when he sees her face. It couldn't be. . . ..
Victoria was swept off the table and crushed along the crowd until she was against the wall. Some guys were so close, she thought it was the ones dancing with her before, but she couldn't tell. She couldn't tell anything for sure. The crowd was blinding, blending in with the music and she swayed, not quite hearing the music so loudly.
Michael saw her swept off the table and disappear into the crowd. He starts to make his way to the back, still not seeing her again until he pushes into the crowd. Then he sees her blouse about to be pulled off by two guys, who looked to be around their early or mid-20âEs in age.
Victoria felt crowded, and not quite aware anymore except to know that these guys wouldn't back off. She pushes at them.
Michael pushes almost violently through the crowd and jerks the closest guy back from her. The crowd parts a little when the other guy steps away from her and starts towards Michael.
"Get away from her," Michael says.
"Hey man, there'll be enough of her to go around," one of them says.
"I said get away from her," Michael says, his eyes hard.
One man advances on Michael and starts to punch him, be he was drunk and Michael easily sidestepped and punched him instead. After being punched, the man falls to the floor, knocked out cold.
Victoria starts to slide along the wall to the floor. She thinks she sees somebody she recognizes but she can't quite comprehend.
The other man steps up to Michael with a broken bottle and lunges toward him. Michael sidesteps but the man grazes him with a punch. The bar erupts into chaos, starting with the back and working its way towards the front. Michael almost loses the man in the crowd, but not before he crashed a beer bottle hard on top of the man's head, knocking him out.
Michael looks around for Victoria and sees her slumped against the wall. He runs over to her. "Victoria!" She doesn't seem to hear him, but when he stoops down in front of her and raises her chin, she looks at him vaguely.
"We gotta get out of here before the cops come!" -Michael.
No answer.
"Are you alone here?" -Michael.
She doesn't respond, although she looks at him still.
"Victoria, are you alone?!" Michael grabs her. She nods.
He pulls her p and along with him as he pushes a way for them through the crowd and out the back door. They had just exited when they hear the sirens. Michael half drags her over to his motorcycle. He sits her down on it and then gets in front of her. He puts her arms around him tightly, one hand half holding her arms there. "Don't let go!" He yells back to her as they speed off.
Michael stops at his apartment. By this time Victoria is slumped against his back, so he picked her up and carries her to his door. He holds one hand halfway out and uses his powers to open the door, because he can't put her down to find his key.
He kicks the door closed behind him and lays Victoria on the couch. He looks down at her. Victoria Winthrop was in his house. Now what was he going to do? And how was he going to wake her up? He tries shaking her, but it doesn't work and he knows she has to be awakened. Therefore, he picks her back up goes to the bathroom. He sits her down in the tub and turns on the cold shower knob.
Almost instantly, Victoria starts to rouse. She screams half-heartedly with a protest and then opens her eyes. She starts to rise, but sinks back into the tub. After turning the water off, Michael picks up the soaking wet girl and takes her to his bedroom. He sits her on the bed.
"What-Why---Why are you here?!" -Victoria. "And what are you doing?! You--- "
She looks around, not knowing where she is, a great ache in her head. Dreaming, she could be. ...
Michael throws some towels at her. "Saving your ass is what I have been doing." He looks down at her.
"What are you *talking* about? Is that what you are supposed to do--- Yes, remember. I think."
She wasn't making any sense, which was no surprise to him since she was so clearly on something.
Victoria looks at the light blue towels as if she doesn't understand. She starts to shake, so Michael utters a curse, grabs the towels from her hands and begins drying her hair off, which he wraps in a towel and then he quickly dries her arms, legs and feet, being certain not to linger anywhere.
Michael drops the wet towels on the floor and goes over to his dresser, fumbling around until he pulls out one of his white button-down shirts. He sighs when he turns back around and sees that she hadn't even attempted to take her wet clothes off. Instead she stared at him vaguely. "Damn! Must I do everything myself?" He closes his eyes deliberately after he went over to her. He was a guy damnit, why wouldn't he look while he ripped her clothes off? He didn't know but he wouldn't look at *her*. He jerks her blouse over her head, his hands brush rounded curved and he pulls his hands back as if they'd been burnt. He fumbles around on the bed for his shirt and drops it over her head, stuffing her arms into the sleeves. Then he quickly, as if his life depended on his swiftness, jerks her skirt down and lets it fall to the floor. He pulls his shirt down decently to where it hangs to her thighs.
Only then does he open his eyes. When he does, he is surprised to see her staring at him. "This is a dream, isn't it?" She says as she looks at him with a vague look while he sits in front of her. "It has to be. Nothing makes sense. Or maybe it does. I'm not sure yet. Oh yes, it is a dream."
Victoria continues, "Does this mean *he'll* be here soon? I have to see him. I need him." She looks sad at her last words.
Who is this 'he'? Michael wonders. But then she could be just saying nonsense, because of her state, which it deduced all of her nonsense speech to that.
Victoria reaches out and touches his lips. Michael is so surprised at the light, soft touch that he doesn't move. He only looks at her as if she has two heads.
"Tell me, why did you try to drown me?" -Victoria.
"Victoria, you- I didn't.You've taken something, you're not yourself." -Michael.
"I would drown for you." Victoria says as she smiles almost softly. Michael sucks in his breath at how innocent and beautiful she looks doing that. "... ..him, you, whatever. Does it matter. Ophelia, remember Ophelia." She laughs.
"You don't know what you're saying." Michael says gruffly as he pushes her around, winging her legs onto the bed and beneath the sheet. "You need to sleep. You just- you're not yourself."
"Of course I am. This is me." She looks up at him as he comes around to the other side of the bed and sits down at the edge. She smiles in that same vague way and pulls his arm, bringing him close. "Do you know my secret?" She whispers, almost in his ear. Her words trail off, becoming even softer. She starts to close her eyes, and Michael has to lean down closer to hear her last words before she sleeps. "Bring him to me.. You..." Her words trail off. Michael stares down at her for a few long moments, disturbed a moment at her not being herself and her words, but then he finally shrugs, reducing her words to nonsense again because of her state. He closes the door quietly behind him as he leaves his bedroom and heads to the couch to sleep.
you can not live
and you can not die
.
what to do when the whole world
is drowning you?
.
what to feel, where to look, how to say-
what you can't?
.
how can you cry without the tears?
Be terrified without showing your fears?
.
a white blossom grown beautiful
in the darkness of the night
in your eyes the pain is truthful
behind those pools, a never-ending fight
.
what to feel, where to look, how to say-
what you can't?
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
[Sparky's, late Friday Night]
Victoria was at Sparky's, a small pub on the outskirts of Roswell. SheâEd come here with a couple of girls but they left with some guys and she stayed.
Adam gave her a 'bit' of freedom tonight, he was busy at the base and most especially because she'd been such a "good" girl as he'd said. What she'd really done was take the "treatments" well which Adam was satisfied with presently. But she just wanted to forget. And she was, with all the people who wanted to dance with her. She could absorb herself in the music so well. The rhythms, the flashing little lights, the noise- so loud, it could drown out her sorrows if she just let it. She did. Two guys were dancing with her, one on either side. She didn't know them, but who cared- all the better. She didn't have to think.
Michael Guerin walked into Sparky's at almost 1:00 am. He got in since he was 18, but of course he couldn't drink, which was no problem for him. He'd learned his lesson on that. He had found he couldn't sleep and he wanted a bit of distraction against whatever was bugging him, so he'd found himself wandering in here. Maria didn't know he was here. She was in bed asleep. It was harmless, probably. And besides, it's not like they kept tabs on one another, well mostly not.
Michael made his way to the bar, noticing it was more rowdy and packed then the other few times he'd been in here.
Victoria was abruptly lifted onto a table near the back while she had been dancing, so she continued on the table. Who knew where her shoes were. The mood was high, she couldn't think about anything bad, it was okay-- she was in the moment.
Michael's attention was drawn to the back where there were crashing chairs, cat calls and the loudest noises of the bar. He sees a woman standing on one of the tables, dancing. He was about to turn back around when he sees her face. It couldn't be. . . ..
Victoria was swept off the table and crushed along the crowd until she was against the wall. Some guys were so close, she thought it was the ones dancing with her before, but she couldn't tell. She couldn't tell anything for sure. The crowd was blinding, blending in with the music and she swayed, not quite hearing the music so loudly.
Michael saw her swept off the table and disappear into the crowd. He starts to make his way to the back, still not seeing her again until he pushes into the crowd. Then he sees her blouse about to be pulled off by two guys, who looked to be around their early or mid-20âEs in age.
Victoria felt crowded, and not quite aware anymore except to know that these guys wouldn't back off. She pushes at them.
Michael pushes almost violently through the crowd and jerks the closest guy back from her. The crowd parts a little when the other guy steps away from her and starts towards Michael.
"Get away from her," Michael says.
"Hey man, there'll be enough of her to go around," one of them says.
"I said get away from her," Michael says, his eyes hard.
One man advances on Michael and starts to punch him, be he was drunk and Michael easily sidestepped and punched him instead. After being punched, the man falls to the floor, knocked out cold.
Victoria starts to slide along the wall to the floor. She thinks she sees somebody she recognizes but she can't quite comprehend.
The other man steps up to Michael with a broken bottle and lunges toward him. Michael sidesteps but the man grazes him with a punch. The bar erupts into chaos, starting with the back and working its way towards the front. Michael almost loses the man in the crowd, but not before he crashed a beer bottle hard on top of the man's head, knocking him out.
Michael looks around for Victoria and sees her slumped against the wall. He runs over to her. "Victoria!" She doesn't seem to hear him, but when he stoops down in front of her and raises her chin, she looks at him vaguely.
"We gotta get out of here before the cops come!" -Michael.
No answer.
"Are you alone here?" -Michael.
She doesn't respond, although she looks at him still.
"Victoria, are you alone?!" Michael grabs her. She nods.
He pulls her p and along with him as he pushes a way for them through the crowd and out the back door. They had just exited when they hear the sirens. Michael half drags her over to his motorcycle. He sits her down on it and then gets in front of her. He puts her arms around him tightly, one hand half holding her arms there. "Don't let go!" He yells back to her as they speed off.
Michael stops at his apartment. By this time Victoria is slumped against his back, so he picked her up and carries her to his door. He holds one hand halfway out and uses his powers to open the door, because he can't put her down to find his key.
He kicks the door closed behind him and lays Victoria on the couch. He looks down at her. Victoria Winthrop was in his house. Now what was he going to do? And how was he going to wake her up? He tries shaking her, but it doesn't work and he knows she has to be awakened. Therefore, he picks her back up goes to the bathroom. He sits her down in the tub and turns on the cold shower knob.
Almost instantly, Victoria starts to rouse. She screams half-heartedly with a protest and then opens her eyes. She starts to rise, but sinks back into the tub. After turning the water off, Michael picks up the soaking wet girl and takes her to his bedroom. He sits her on the bed.
"What-Why---Why are you here?!" -Victoria. "And what are you doing?! You--- "
She looks around, not knowing where she is, a great ache in her head. Dreaming, she could be. ...
Michael throws some towels at her. "Saving your ass is what I have been doing." He looks down at her.
"What are you *talking* about? Is that what you are supposed to do--- Yes, remember. I think."
She wasn't making any sense, which was no surprise to him since she was so clearly on something.
Victoria looks at the light blue towels as if she doesn't understand. She starts to shake, so Michael utters a curse, grabs the towels from her hands and begins drying her hair off, which he wraps in a towel and then he quickly dries her arms, legs and feet, being certain not to linger anywhere.
Michael drops the wet towels on the floor and goes over to his dresser, fumbling around until he pulls out one of his white button-down shirts. He sighs when he turns back around and sees that she hadn't even attempted to take her wet clothes off. Instead she stared at him vaguely. "Damn! Must I do everything myself?" He closes his eyes deliberately after he went over to her. He was a guy damnit, why wouldn't he look while he ripped her clothes off? He didn't know but he wouldn't look at *her*. He jerks her blouse over her head, his hands brush rounded curved and he pulls his hands back as if they'd been burnt. He fumbles around on the bed for his shirt and drops it over her head, stuffing her arms into the sleeves. Then he quickly, as if his life depended on his swiftness, jerks her skirt down and lets it fall to the floor. He pulls his shirt down decently to where it hangs to her thighs.
Only then does he open his eyes. When he does, he is surprised to see her staring at him. "This is a dream, isn't it?" She says as she looks at him with a vague look while he sits in front of her. "It has to be. Nothing makes sense. Or maybe it does. I'm not sure yet. Oh yes, it is a dream."
Victoria continues, "Does this mean *he'll* be here soon? I have to see him. I need him." She looks sad at her last words.
Who is this 'he'? Michael wonders. But then she could be just saying nonsense, because of her state, which it deduced all of her nonsense speech to that.
Victoria reaches out and touches his lips. Michael is so surprised at the light, soft touch that he doesn't move. He only looks at her as if she has two heads.
"Tell me, why did you try to drown me?" -Victoria.
"Victoria, you- I didn't.You've taken something, you're not yourself." -Michael.
"I would drown for you." Victoria says as she smiles almost softly. Michael sucks in his breath at how innocent and beautiful she looks doing that. "... ..him, you, whatever. Does it matter. Ophelia, remember Ophelia." She laughs.
"You don't know what you're saying." Michael says gruffly as he pushes her around, winging her legs onto the bed and beneath the sheet. "You need to sleep. You just- you're not yourself."
"Of course I am. This is me." She looks up at him as he comes around to the other side of the bed and sits down at the edge. She smiles in that same vague way and pulls his arm, bringing him close. "Do you know my secret?" She whispers, almost in his ear. Her words trail off, becoming even softer. She starts to close her eyes, and Michael has to lean down closer to hear her last words before she sleeps. "Bring him to me.. You..." Her words trail off. Michael stares down at her for a few long moments, disturbed a moment at her not being herself and her words, but then he finally shrugs, reducing her words to nonsense again because of her state. He closes the door quietly behind him as he leaves his bedroom and heads to the couch to sleep.