(A/N - extra special thanks to all of me reviewers. Big love to all of you
^-^ I really hope you enjoyed reading my fic as much as I enjoyed writing
it. This was my first shot at quasi-serious fan fiction and I'm glad it got
the responses it did. Enjoy the finale!)
PART I
Town Hall had been completely transformed into a beautifully decorated ballroom. The pews had been removed and placed in the Mayors house temporarily, leaving the floor open and available to use as a dance floor. The musical trio was up on stage playing a haunting tune and couples were waltzing in perfect time to the music.
Lock leaned against the back wall and crossed his arms over his chest. The halls doors were left open to let the beautiful night air into room and he was enjoying the typical smell of dry leaves. It was a welcome change from the usual stench of death that still lingered in his nostrils from the night before. He cast a look down at his tail, which was splinted and slightly swollen. He didn't know for sure what he was doing at the Ball. They all nearly died last night, yet Jack insisted that he, Shock and barrel go to "take their minds off of the events."
"Whole lot of good it's doing." He muttered. He spotted Barrel through the crowd; his arms wrapped around the slender frame of Melicia the Vampire. Lock gave a brief snort and exited the hall. He sat down on the edge of the fountain and looked at his reflection. Frowning, he absently reached up to fix his hair, tugging the loose strands into his gelled up horns. Lock found his thoughts drifting to Shock, the way they always did. She hadn't been in the crowd and he wondered if she was going to show up.
"Doubt it." He thought, "Why would she? After last night." his thoughts trailed off and he looked down at himself. Clean red sweater, red leather pants, black shoes. He tried to make himself look so nice. Just for her. Lock wasn't going to lie to himself; the real reason he was at the Ball was Shock. He wasn't going to beat around the bush anymore - he had to tell her the way he felt. Lock wasn't so afraid to do it anymore since he wasn't an idiot and knew she felt the same. He just felt that it would be appropriate for him to tell her instead of biting or kissing her again.
The events of Valentines Land were still a mystery to him. Was it a spell? Maybe. Probably? Who gives a shit - whatever it was, it didn't fade away and its effects were still there. He wasn't one to complain, either. Lock frowned at his reflection. He looked pale - more so than usual, and his eyes had large dark circles under them. At least his eyes didn't look as yellow as they did when he was younger. Now they just looked.dead. Light blue and dead.
"Forget this shit." He muttered standing quickly and walking towards home. There was a light clicking noise behind him and Lock turned back towards Town Hall. Shock slowly descended the stairs and gave him a small wave. She was dressed in a dark violet and lavender corset-style dress. It was very long in the back and rather short - just above the knees in the front. She wore black elegant dress shoes, the straps wrapped up her calves like a ballet slipper. Her hair tumbled down her shoulders and blew gently in the evening breeze. He took a few tentative steps towards her and smiled weakly.
"I thought you weren't going to show up." He said softly. She shook her head.
"I was..looking for you." Shock took another step forward. "Barrel looks like he's having a good time. I didn't know he hooked up with Melicia."
"Me neither." There was another awkward pause between them. Lock cleared his throat. "You look great..Shock." He blushed and said the last few words in a low voice. She tilted her head.
"What was that?"
"I uh said you looked great." Shock let a laugh escape her throat.
"I heard what you said. I just wanted to hear it again." She blushed. "You look very formal tonight, Lock, I'm not used to you looking so."
"Clean?"
"Handsome."
"Oh. Yeah well..thanks." He scratched the back of his neck and jammed his hands into his pockets. Shock shifted her weight uneasily. She didn't understand why she felt so nervous. She never felt this way around anyone, and she would be damned if her first awkward moment was around Lock.
The haunting tunes of the band floated outside of the hall and hung heavy in the air. Shock brightened a little.
"Oh, I was hoping they would play this song. It's my favorite." Lock seized the moment and extended his hand to her.
"Want to dance then? It's not as crowded out here.." Shock took his hand and smiled. He led her to the center of Town Square and to a spot to where the moonlight seemed to shine the brightest. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned her head on his chest. Shock took in his familiar spicy scent and breathed him in deep. She adjusted herself until her body was snugly against his before linking her fingers behind his neck. Wordlessly, they began to move with the slow flow of the music. Lock stroked her soft hair rhythmaticly, a gesture he found both soothing and instinctual. He knew the song well, as he had often heard Shock humming the tune as she puttered about the house of prepared pranks. He was also thankful for the song being a long one. It was one of those rare moments that Lock didn't want to end.
"Shock." He paused and held her tighter. "I love you."
"I love you, Lock. I always have." Shock could hear Lock's heart thundering within his chest and he let his breath out slowly. Shock felt him rest his head on her head and he placed a light kiss on her hair.
The song droned on and consumed the two of them in its' air of haunting grace. Lock's fingers traced small circles on the bare skin of Shock's arms and back, causing shivers down her body.
"Are you cold?" He whispered.
"..Not really. But, I kind of want to..get out of here." Shock replied cautiously. Lock stared deeply into her eyes and traced her neckline with his finger. He examined her skin closely.
"Shock, your neck-"
"It healed. I know. I don't know how, but when I checked myself in the mirror earlier, I noticed it. All I have left now are little scars." Lock thought about the spirit of the young girl and the way she had touched Shock's neck. The sound of laughter broke the silence and the song had ended. Lock nodded his head towards home.
"Let's get out of here, ah?"
"Yeah."
~ ~ ~
(Part II coming soon ~_^ Just be patient.)
PART I
Town Hall had been completely transformed into a beautifully decorated ballroom. The pews had been removed and placed in the Mayors house temporarily, leaving the floor open and available to use as a dance floor. The musical trio was up on stage playing a haunting tune and couples were waltzing in perfect time to the music.
Lock leaned against the back wall and crossed his arms over his chest. The halls doors were left open to let the beautiful night air into room and he was enjoying the typical smell of dry leaves. It was a welcome change from the usual stench of death that still lingered in his nostrils from the night before. He cast a look down at his tail, which was splinted and slightly swollen. He didn't know for sure what he was doing at the Ball. They all nearly died last night, yet Jack insisted that he, Shock and barrel go to "take their minds off of the events."
"Whole lot of good it's doing." He muttered. He spotted Barrel through the crowd; his arms wrapped around the slender frame of Melicia the Vampire. Lock gave a brief snort and exited the hall. He sat down on the edge of the fountain and looked at his reflection. Frowning, he absently reached up to fix his hair, tugging the loose strands into his gelled up horns. Lock found his thoughts drifting to Shock, the way they always did. She hadn't been in the crowd and he wondered if she was going to show up.
"Doubt it." He thought, "Why would she? After last night." his thoughts trailed off and he looked down at himself. Clean red sweater, red leather pants, black shoes. He tried to make himself look so nice. Just for her. Lock wasn't going to lie to himself; the real reason he was at the Ball was Shock. He wasn't going to beat around the bush anymore - he had to tell her the way he felt. Lock wasn't so afraid to do it anymore since he wasn't an idiot and knew she felt the same. He just felt that it would be appropriate for him to tell her instead of biting or kissing her again.
The events of Valentines Land were still a mystery to him. Was it a spell? Maybe. Probably? Who gives a shit - whatever it was, it didn't fade away and its effects were still there. He wasn't one to complain, either. Lock frowned at his reflection. He looked pale - more so than usual, and his eyes had large dark circles under them. At least his eyes didn't look as yellow as they did when he was younger. Now they just looked.dead. Light blue and dead.
"Forget this shit." He muttered standing quickly and walking towards home. There was a light clicking noise behind him and Lock turned back towards Town Hall. Shock slowly descended the stairs and gave him a small wave. She was dressed in a dark violet and lavender corset-style dress. It was very long in the back and rather short - just above the knees in the front. She wore black elegant dress shoes, the straps wrapped up her calves like a ballet slipper. Her hair tumbled down her shoulders and blew gently in the evening breeze. He took a few tentative steps towards her and smiled weakly.
"I thought you weren't going to show up." He said softly. She shook her head.
"I was..looking for you." Shock took another step forward. "Barrel looks like he's having a good time. I didn't know he hooked up with Melicia."
"Me neither." There was another awkward pause between them. Lock cleared his throat. "You look great..Shock." He blushed and said the last few words in a low voice. She tilted her head.
"What was that?"
"I uh said you looked great." Shock let a laugh escape her throat.
"I heard what you said. I just wanted to hear it again." She blushed. "You look very formal tonight, Lock, I'm not used to you looking so."
"Clean?"
"Handsome."
"Oh. Yeah well..thanks." He scratched the back of his neck and jammed his hands into his pockets. Shock shifted her weight uneasily. She didn't understand why she felt so nervous. She never felt this way around anyone, and she would be damned if her first awkward moment was around Lock.
The haunting tunes of the band floated outside of the hall and hung heavy in the air. Shock brightened a little.
"Oh, I was hoping they would play this song. It's my favorite." Lock seized the moment and extended his hand to her.
"Want to dance then? It's not as crowded out here.." Shock took his hand and smiled. He led her to the center of Town Square and to a spot to where the moonlight seemed to shine the brightest. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned her head on his chest. Shock took in his familiar spicy scent and breathed him in deep. She adjusted herself until her body was snugly against his before linking her fingers behind his neck. Wordlessly, they began to move with the slow flow of the music. Lock stroked her soft hair rhythmaticly, a gesture he found both soothing and instinctual. He knew the song well, as he had often heard Shock humming the tune as she puttered about the house of prepared pranks. He was also thankful for the song being a long one. It was one of those rare moments that Lock didn't want to end.
"Shock." He paused and held her tighter. "I love you."
"I love you, Lock. I always have." Shock could hear Lock's heart thundering within his chest and he let his breath out slowly. Shock felt him rest his head on her head and he placed a light kiss on her hair.
The song droned on and consumed the two of them in its' air of haunting grace. Lock's fingers traced small circles on the bare skin of Shock's arms and back, causing shivers down her body.
"Are you cold?" He whispered.
"..Not really. But, I kind of want to..get out of here." Shock replied cautiously. Lock stared deeply into her eyes and traced her neckline with his finger. He examined her skin closely.
"Shock, your neck-"
"It healed. I know. I don't know how, but when I checked myself in the mirror earlier, I noticed it. All I have left now are little scars." Lock thought about the spirit of the young girl and the way she had touched Shock's neck. The sound of laughter broke the silence and the song had ended. Lock nodded his head towards home.
"Let's get out of here, ah?"
"Yeah."
~ ~ ~
(Part II coming soon ~_^ Just be patient.)