Keeps Oxygen

Summary: Graduation has been known to separate people. But this? This is a little extreme.

Disclaimer:

One shoe
Two shoe
Don't own
Don't sue

Chapter 4

"-Mommy and Daddy need to discuss some things."

The District Sleeps Alone Tonight.

"Birdie, Birdie, Birdie..."

"KORSO HADEON-!"

"Is it really so wrong that I found beauty in humanity?"

The the land of the killers, a sinner's mind is a sanctum.

No sooner had the question crossed his mind, the door that had just been closed swung open again. Two figures slipped through, one after the other.

"What did you do!?" The first to enter snarled, sliding off her coat. The woman possessed kind features, with a mottled purple for eye colour, and hair the colour of dark chocolate. She wore an androgynous pantsuit, and her dark locks were slipping out of a tightly-wound chignon. You would never know she had such beauty, though, were you to see her face contorted into such an ugly glare.

She repeated herself.

"What did you do?! We were only gone for half the hour!"

"Well, Katryn, I-" But the woman ignored Korso's attempt to explain, and followed the noise she was hearing. The second to enter the house, another woman, slid off her shawl and patted Korso on the arm as she followed.

The contrast between the two women was striking - while the first was long and agressive, the second was petite and delicate. She was blessed with the features of a doll, with auburn eyes that could burn a soul inside out at one glance. Her dark hair was styled in fingerwaves, and her outfit - which could be described more as a costume - seemed to suit that of an upperclass woman of the 1930's.

Korso sighed and followed the two down the hall and into the small room where the girl was still convulsing in pain.

Katherine was already by her side, stroking the hair out of her face. The other girl sat on the other side, an expression only describable as grief gracing her delicate face.

"She's so young," She murmured mournfully.

Katherine glanced briefly at her. "She's a year and a half older than you, Maren."

"That doesn't make it right."

Korso cleared his throat, letting his presence be known.

Katherine's eyes flashed black. "Maren," She spooke icily, "You stay with the girl; Mommy and Daddy need to discuss some things."

Once they were both out of the room, Katharine whirled around.

"What were you thinking?!" She half-shrieked, shoving a finger into his face. "We have enough on our plates as it is without another addition to our 'family.' Maren and I go out for the first time in two months to hunt, and we go home to find that-"

Korso held up his hands. "Easy, Katharine," a deep tone of warning in his voice quieted said woman. He folded his arms. "Look, the only reason I have the girl here is because a former acquaintance of mine."

Katharine had been fervently passing the floors, and accelerated her pace when she heard this reply."Another acquaintance, Korso? Really, it must be wonderful to be as popular as you are. Pray tell the name of todays acquaintance?"

Korso suddenly became very interested with the tile flooring. "Katryn, have you ever noticed that not all of the tiles on the floor are terra cota coloured? Doesn't that one tile right there look a little salmon-y? Fascinating-" He turned to glance at Katharine, only to realise that the distance between his face and her face was approximately 3 inches. And the judgemental pointing finger was back in his face too.

"Korso Hadeon Bezraodka You Don't Give Me This Nonsense About Tiling I Know Exactly What Colour Our Tiling Is I Picked It Out Myself Now Tell Me Where You Got The Screaming Body From Or So Help Me God. In. Heaven!"

Korso pushed the her hand away, and took a quick step back. He took a deep unneccessary breath. "Well... My friend from Denali-"

Korso could see Katharine grow even more pale than her 'natural complexion.' "Korso," She groaned, her teeth gritted, eyes locked shut, "Please tell me that I haven't had one of those blood yuppies in my home today." When she was met with silence, her eyes shot open, raw fury radiating from them. "KORSO HADEON-!"

"In my defence," Korso quipped up, "It was Iri-"

Katharine waved her hand impatiently, "Ahh, yes, yes, I know, the ancient whore-" A crystal wall-hanging shattered within inches of her ear: she paid no attention, "-Now, if you're going to give me some pitiful excuse as to why we are in this predicament, you may as well give it a good effort.

So Korso gave the woman his 'pitiful excuse.' Katherine listened intently, making no noise, no acknowledgement to what was coming out of his mouth, save for the mention of Carlisle Cullen ("The prodigy child of the Volturi," Korso spat out); was it all in his imagination, or did Katharine's eyes sparkle a bit brighter than usual as the doctor's name entered the conversation?

Korso couldn't let it go - any chance to take the mickey out of her was glorious. "What don't tell me Aro's brainwashed you to love The Good Doctor as well?"

When Katharine met his gaze, Korso almost ate his words. He was stunned to see such an air of warmth and compassion in her eyes: so un-natural. "No, no - I just...remember a Dr. Cullen coming to my hometown when I was in my youth...back home in Columbus. He was very good to my family." Katharine's memories filled her eyes for a few moments, and Korso would later swear that he'd never seen such a peaceful look on a vampire.

After briefly shutting them, Katharine's eyes shot open, and the peace that had momentarily rested on her face vanished instantly. "Whether we are speaking of the same doctor is as likely as my getting a sunburn, " She shook her head, and, more to herself than Korso, muttered, "'s more than likely a half-rotted corpse six feet under somewhere...she'd would love..."

Katharine looked up at Korso. "The girl, what's her name?

The latter opened his mouth, only to soon shut it. Irina never mentioned an exact name; She had only referred to the girl as 'birdie.' Korso voiced this.

"Well," Katharine said briskly as she turned to leave the entrance hall, "You best inform Maren that 'Birdie' will be rooming with us here until your little girlfriend the succubus returns. After that, well...," She trailed off. "I'll be in my office if I'm needed." Katharine smiled. "If my May knew I was being so...hospitable...she would fall out of a tree."

Korso half-near ran back to Maren as he tried not to wonder what Katharine was finding to be so blindingly hilarious.

Birdie, He thought to himself, Well, it suits her squawking.

If she was still alive, her heart would have been pounding out of her chest.

Irina ran as fast as she could (which truly said something). The stress that had accumulated from the past 24 hours had strained her body and mind, and after teleporting back to America, she was too mentally exhausted to focus on her destination.

Please let me get to them, she prayed. The thought of the Cullens sharing the same fate as her family-

Irina took an unneccessary breath. Everything will be fine, she tried to assure herself, though the what-ifs flooded her mind at an alarming rate.

Her first thoughts were of the girl- Bella. What if the Cullens did share the fate of the Denali coven? Irina had just damned a poor, innocent girl to a dark, bleak life: a half-life without the ones she loved. The road Bella would have to face. . .

And if I do return in time? Will I be prepared for what I may see?

Ta-da!

After sitting in my folder for weeks, I finally received a wave of inspiration (Ahh, nothing gets the juices flowing like sitting in the blistering sun for hours). I'm finally starting to get the ball rolling a bit more, so it should start to get a bit more interesting from here on in.

Thank you everyone for adding me to your 'Story Alert' and 'Author Alert' lists, and for reviewing. It's terribly cliche to say on this site, but reviews really DO get the chapters done sooner. Any support is awesome, though, so thank you if you've already reviewed.

So, here I go! One chapter done, another one to start!

Love Lots,

//N-S//