Author's Note : Each chapter is written in the POV of either, Dinah or Laurel.
Laurels POV :
I've got to stop doing this, I tell myself while using the back of my hand to wipe the blood off my chin. I try to steady my weary legs as the elevator ascends to the apartment. I can already hear Dinah in the back of my mind. She's going to be on my case like a Parole Officer, and I'm on my last strike. It's become a task for her to nag me for being irresponsible and reckless, then scold me for going off without backup. Burying my chin into my chest I close my eyes and breath deep,then the elevator door opens.
"Surprise!" simultaneous voices shout.
My ears are assaulted by the noise of screaming young adults. I scan the room and almost recognize everyone present; well, except for the couple of faces I can't place. Dinah is standing in the middle of the room with a huge smile on her face; and I'm obliged to return the gesture. She walks over and places an arm around my shoulder. I shrink at her touch and a light groan escapes my clenched teeth.
Dinah examines me discreetly, then says, "William and Mia thought it'd be nice to throw a surprise birthday party for you."
I straighten up when I notice the kids approaching me. "So what do you think?" William asks.
"I think... I don't recognize a lot of these people," I reply. I inconspicuously pull my leather jacket closed.
"Well... it was supposed to be just us and the canaries, but William invited a bunch of dudes so the girls could release some pent-up energy," Mia says, while leaning into her brother.
She squints at him, "Just for the girls huh?" Dinah asks.
I playfully tap his stomach, "Well, go have fun then," I tell him. "You too kid, go mingle," I tell Mia. Once they are distracted, I collapse backward as I'd been fighting back the sharp pain that sears through my side.
Dinah grabs hold of me before I topple over and drags me into the bathroom. She shakes her head as she eases me onto the toilet seat. Never one to let her disapproval go unnoticed, she lets out a dramatic sigh and reaches for the first aid kit tucked under the sink. She signals for me to remove my shirt; then drops to her knees in front of me.
I carefully start to remove my shirt, but it gets stuck half-way over my face. She rolls her eyes and harshly pulls the shirt over my head. There's an annoyed look on her face as she pours the alcohol onto a towel, then presses it gently against my wound. My body slumps into the back of the toilet, and I bite my lip to keep from screaming.
"I swear you do this on purpose," Dinah says, while maintaining her focus on my torso.
"What prey-tell is it that I do on purpose?" I ask, staring at the top of her head.
"You go out and yourself get hurt. It's becoming slightly inconvenient," she replies, with a hefty sarcasm in her tone.
"Okay-" I sit up slowly,"lets get the lecture over with," I insist.
She rises to her feet. "What's left to say that you haven't already heard?" she asks, before going silent. She leans over the sink and starts soaking the bloody towel in water.
"Good..." I say, firmly. I reach down to pick my shirt up from the floor.
"Laurel, seriously?!" she snaps. She snatches the shirt before I can then flails it in my face. "Are you trying to reopen your wound?" she asks in protest.
"Oh come on, it's not that bad," I reply, plucking my shirt from her grasp. I'm lying of course, because my entire body hurts like hell. I refuse to let her know that though, otherwise she might make me go to bed without supper. There's a smug look on her face as she watches me agonizingly put on my shirt. "What- I'm fine," I say, before finally getting it back on.
"You're like a child," she tells me. She's about to walk out then stops in her tracks. "No!" she exclaims, then turns to me, "because even Mia and William know not to go into the field without backup." There's a knock on the bathroom door, but it doesn't deter from her rant. "We're in here -" she says, without looking away, " -this will be the last time I bandage you're ass up. You do it again and you can get someone else to play nurse."
There's another knock. "There's another one upstairs!" I shout at the closed door. I stand firmly and stare her in the eye. "You said that last time and the time before that," I remind her, "so you'll forgive me if I don't believe you."
She leans in with a smirk on her face, "I guess we'll just have to see when the time comes then..." she says; but her eyes exude the conviction of her words. They knock on the door again.
"What!" we shout in unison. Dinah swings the door open and finds Mia standing there with an embarrassed expression on her face.
"Um... William wants to know if you're ready for cake?" she asks, hesitantly.
I snap at her, "Kid, read the room."
Dinah shoots me a look. "We'll be out in a minute," she says softly. Her tone shifting from stern to sweet in seconds. "Let's go," she says, directing the demand to me.
"Really... a cake," I scowl, walking pass her and following behind Mia.
"Take it up with the kids," she replies.
We return to the festivities and William quickly hands me a tequila shot. Just as one of the canaries staggers out from the kitchen with the cake. I try to recall her name, as she struggles to hold the large cake steady in her thin arms. The candle lights accentuate her bronze skin and brighten the brown of her pupils. I'm about to give up remembering her name when Dinah leans toward me and whispers, "That's Riley." I glare at her but she shrugs if off.
"Thank you- Riley," I say, as she holds the cake out in front of me. I gather from her intense grin that she's never had anyone give her even a modicum of attention.
"You remember my name," she says gleefully. I can feel her gaze on me as I lean in to blow out the candles. "Aren't you gonna make a wish?" she asks; before I can even muster up enough oxygen.
In the moment, I wish she'd give me some space, but I reply, "Wishes are for chumps." A uproar of applause happens after I blow out the candles, then they quickly start up the music. I take continual shot of tequila to ease my pain. Then soon realize I'm taking in more than I can sustain, yet that doesn't give me pause.
Dinah is watching me closely from across the room, concern visible on her face. I deliberately take in more liquid pain relief to provoke an irritable response. It works, and she storms through the hormonal sea of bodies just to snatch my drink from me. "Maybe you wanna slow down,seeing as you're hurt and all," she says.
I go to grab my stolen shot, but she pulls her arm away from me. "It's a party Dinah-" I remind her, "-everyone is drinking and having a good time, except you." We both take a gaze around the room, and I ask, "So what's it gonna be?"
She contemplates the shot in her hand momentarily before tossing it back without warning. Thereby initiating the real beginning of the party. She starts by egging me into a drinking match, which turns risqué once the intimacy deprived young adults join. In minutes, we consume a copious amount of liquor courtesy of our generous hostess and her bar. The rest of the night is spent in a haze of drunken games and dancing.
As the night winds to its end, Mia is the only one of us not inebriated. She attends to the guests travel needs, then insists on staying to helping clean. "No, no I'll clean up," Dinah insists, "you just get your brother home safe." She points to William who is lying face down in the couch cushion.
"Are you sure?" Mia asks, "I feel bad leaving you with our mess."
"Don't worry about it, Laurel will help me clean." Dinah says. She looks over at me and I lift my head off the marble island.
"Oh yeah, that makes me feel better," Mia replies.
Dinah nudges her in the direction of her brother, then they assist him to his feet. He makes a small fuss insisting that he can walk on his own. She walks them to the elevator and they exchange their good nights. My head is resting in the palm of my hand as I fade in and out of sleep.
Suddenly, my arm is slapped from underneath me and my head falls onto the counter top. My chin taps the marble and I wind up biting into my bottom lip. A few profane words fly out my mouth. I sit upright and throw a glare in her direction. She playfully shrugs it off, then a guilty look comes across her face. I place my hand on my lip to find blood dripping from my finger. "It's nothing," I say; hoping to assuage her guilt.
"It's not nothing- come here," she demands, walking toward me. She takes my chin and assesses the damage before pressing a wet cloth on my lip.
I tilt my head back. "Why says come here if yours just gonna come here?" I ask.
"You're drunk," she says. She removes the rag from my mouth and it's soaked in blood. "Oh yeah, that nothing," she says, rolling her eyes at me.
Once my brain has time to process her words, I say, "You're drunk too." I grab the rag from her hand. "I thought you said next time I'd have to find another nurse," I repeat in a mocking tone.
She stares at my mouth, "That only applies if I'm not the one who hurt you," she says, while lingering over me. But I'm drunk, and objects may be closer then they appear. Her eyes are locked on me. I know for sure because I'm staring right at them, and they're looking back at me. "What?" she asks, softly.
I gaze into her eyes as I rise to my feet. She smiles coyly as she scans my face, and I make sure to keep a serious tone through my drunken haze. "You don't have to fix me," I whisper.
She tilts her head slightly, "I don't trust anyone else to handle you," she replies. There's a dire but fleeting longing in her eyes until she pulls away, tossing the towel in my face. "If you can find someone else to put up with your whining, please let me know. I'd be happy to-" She slips backwards on an empty beer can and I swiftly grab hold of her arms. Her body collides into mines, "- let you live with them," she says softly.
I realize our arms are entangled when she abruptly clears her throat. "And I'm the one who's drunk," I say, before drawing back. She blushes from what I assume is bought on by embarrassment. "I'm gonna walk you up stairs," I tell her.
It's obvious from her expression that she takes offense. "No thank you. I can take myself upstairs," she says, before pushing me aside. Her shaky swagger makes me doubt her judgment. I find myself leaping in front of her. "I don't doubt your ability to walk," I say sternly, "but I would prefer to escort you. It's my birthday after all." I put my hand over my heart and take the sincerest stance I can.
She wraps her arm in mine and I carefully guide her upstairs. When we reach her bedroom I bow dramatically and push the door wide open. She glares and twists her lips at me before passing through the threshold. As she turns around half her body leans out of the doorframe, and she squints curiously at me. It's the look she usually get when she's about to say something sarcastic.
"I think I could get use to this considerate side of you," she says. Proving that my skills of observation are alway intact no matter the amount alcohol flowing through my bloodstream.
"This is a one time deal-" I reply, leaning into her space, "-don't get use to it," I say. I pull away but she quickly grabs hold of my jacket collar. She draws me to her and presses our lips together. There's no hesitation, no regard for propriety, but its definitely Dinah kissing me, passionately and unceasingly. There's no doubt that she is very drunk.
Its exactly what I imagined it to be. Her lips as soft as marshmallow and me engulfed in her scent. This fantasy has been etched onto my list of impossible things. A dream that could never happen on any Earth in any universe. Our lips linger for a while until she draws back with a nondescript look on her face. I start to ask, "Are you-" but she lowers her eyes and ducks into her room, shutting the door behind her.
"-okay," I continue, talking to the closed door. I stagger left to right before making my way back downstairs. My eyes pass over the messy living area, and a better part of me thinks that maybe I should clean. It's fleeting thought that lasts as long as it takes for my butt to touch the couch.
I lay out across the cushions and began to meditate. I run through a set of concocted affirmations. She's drunk, it meant nothing. It was just me, I'm a friendly face. There's a lot of liquor in her system, it could've been anyone. I repeat this until the fluttering in my chest goes away, then I fall asleep.
My eyes widen to the brightness of the morning sun beaming on my face. I'm standing in a large field, and there are two long section of people staring at me. These rows of people seem to stretch out to some infinite number. They're dressed in white with tears streaming down their cheeks. My entire family is seated in the front row with bright smiles on their faces. Mia, William, and the canaries are sitting in the adjacent row but their eyes are focused elsewhere.
I get the urge to glance downward and find that I'm wearing a wedding dress. "You may now kiss the bride," a husky resonant voice says. It's Oliver, he's officiating the wedding, my wedding. To whom I wonder as I glance over at the veiled person that appears in front of me. "Before you can kiss the bride. You have to lift the veil," Oliver says.
I anxiously take hold of the hem of soft lace and lift it over my bride's face. "Dinah..." I exhale, while staring into her hazel eyes. "What's going on?" I ask. Though it's apparent from the glow of happiness in her cheeks.
"We've come this far. Don't get cold feet now," she says. In seconds my feet change into literal ice cubes. I look into the crowd and notice Caitlin, who appears as surprised as I am. My panic begins to set in just as a slow clap starts up in the middle of the aisle. There's a shadowy apparition floating toward the alter, it's features too shrouded to make out.
"I object," the hoarse specter says. He gradually step into view and I can finally see his face. My heart pounds against my chest at the sight of his short dirty blonde hair and stubble beard.
"Your objection to this union is?" Oliver asks.
"Vincent..." Dinah whimpers.
"She killed me," he responds, directing his ire at me. There's a collective gasp from our guest, and Dinah pulls away in disgust. I try to follow her but my feet are still stuck inside the ice. Vincent suddenly takes my bride's place on the alter.
"Do you think that this could ever happen?" he says, harshly, "I would never let this happen." I don't flinch as he scowls at me, because I know its what I deserve. "You should be on the other side with me. In fact -" he says. Within a blink of an eye I am standing in the aisle, and he's taken my place. "- I'm supposed to be here," he finishes. He lifts the veil from Dinah's face; and I'm forced to watch as he receives the kiss that is meant for me.