Porrig sat up as soon as the morning rays shone into the cave they'd officially dubbed home, Van was already up probably off somewhere treating his hang over. Porrig gazed wistfully at their wooden wagon, with no horse to pull it. Soon, he thought, Red had told him that the horses were pregnant now ready to pop at any moment. The two brown flying lizards at least would fight the snakes, that's what Sean had told him, the two creatures were snuggled up to him one on each side of his neck.
He saw Bridget sleeping quietly at the back of the cave, she'd sneaked in late last night, probably with those mutants, as if reading his thoughts a large blue shape appeared in the mouth of the cave.
"Mr. Connell, may I have a word with you if its not to much to ask?" came the polite voice of the large beastly man.
Porrig frowned in discontent, but nonetheless followed him outside of their home.
"Mr. Connell, I've noticed something about Van that causes me a considerable amount of concern and I thought I should speak with you first and foremost…" Hank said quietly paying close attention to his surroundings.
"Yeah?" Porrig raised an uninterested eyebrow.
"He seems…very…hands on? I guess one could say, with your teenage niece and while it could be just that he is overly affectionate…she doesn't want him to be, and that is a problem that you should address," Hank told him.
Porrig's eyes narrowed, "She tell ya that? He's family he loves her despite how much of a daft cow she acts like. If that's all ya came for get out."
"Mr. Connell?!" Hank was both surprised and angry at his response, "Has she came to you at all about this issue?"
"Once, I told her just that…he's being friendly that's how he is…she needs to get over it…now get out mutant…" Porrig snapped.
Hank growled involuntarily before jumping straight up into the trees and swinging through the trees lightly back to landing. Ice blue eyes watched him go narrowing ever so slightly. Sean Connell slipped out of the cave with his two dragonets firmly tucked into his shirt. He had some business to discuss, but he didn't think Hank was the one to talk to, he seemed way too polite, though the last growl he'd given his dad seemed savage enough, he wanted to talk to Logan.
Hunting Logan down proved to be challenging enough, because he'd quickly emptied his place at Landing. According to Dr. McCoy's Fiancé, the man had little staying power and probably decided he'd rather live in the woods. Sean had learned to track people well enough but tracking this man was like trying to find the proverbial needle in a hay stack…if the needle had stealth mode. It turned out to be his Dragonet's that found him, chirping encouragement when Sean was going the right why until finally they flew ahead of him.
To Sean's surprise he found him deep in the woods, but not with a camp as he'd expected. He'd found a clearing, and had several multi-colored bricks laid out in a huge rectangle. At the outer edges the bricks were stacked on top of one and other. Sean suddenly realized what he was doing. He was building a house out of those strange bricks. Logan was carrying a new large stack of them easily to the center of what would later be his floor.
"Never seen bricks like that…" Sean commented as his Dragonets announced his presence.
"Cut 'em out of some stones from here," Logan answered., "Almost as hard as granite, luckily not nearly as shiny…"
"What on earth did ya cut 'em with?" Sean asked in surprise.
Logan only smiled, right before three claws sprang from the back of his hand. Sean's eyes widened in surprise and awe.
"Whoa…I heard you were a bit different…like my cousin but…wow…must be useful if they can cut through hard rock like that…" Sean exclaimed as he sheathed his claws.
"Whose Kodo and Podo here?" Logan asked making a reference he knew the boy wouldn't get.
"Oh them Sorka and I found them, we fed the babes and they just kinda stuck…You haven't heard? She calls them Dragonets…" Sean told him.
"Been here…aptly namely…" Logan nodded, "You're coming to school tomorrow…right?"
"Maybe…" Sean replied defensively.
"Maybe?" Logan raised a single eyebrow.
"If you do something for me…it's kind of important…" Sean responded.
Logan sighed heavily, "Okay I'll bite…What ya need kid?"
"Dr. McCoy came by this morning to talk to my dad about Bridget and Van…" Sean told him carefully eye him.
"Go on…" Logan prodded him.
"My dad's not really concerned, thinks he's just being affectionate, he actually kicked the Doctor out…" Sean continued.
"And what do you think?" Logan asked crossing his arms.
"I didn't really over think it, until I heard McCoy talking to my da," Sean said, "That's how they've been for a while, I thought they were just real close when I was younger, and then I started to notice she didn't seem to be all that fond of him…My Da said she was just being a bitch, but I noticed Van was always touching her, hands on her waist, her shoulders, her legs, kissing her on the cheek, the neck, if they were ever alone together she'd come back more pissed off then when she left…and the other day wasn't the first time he'd come in with a bruised face from her punching him…but my Da won't hear it…at all…"
Every muscle in Logan's body was taut, his teeth clamped shut. His eyes were focused intently on the boy in a way that made most kids uncomfortable but Sean stared him dead in the eye.
"Anything else?" Logan forced out swallowing a snarl.
"I don't like him touching my cousin, and neither does she…and I think McCoy's to polite to deal with it…" Sean told him.
"That fur ball would surprise you, but he'll probably try to handle it diplomatically first…go to the Admiral…" Logan told him.
"And you?' Sean asked,.
"I won't bother…tell her I want to talk to her…now…" Logan snapped inadvertently, "Please…" he added in a softer tone.
"yeah sure…I think she was sleeping…" Sean started not at all surprised by the man's anger, he actually welcomed it, that kind of anger got things done.
"I don't care, wake her up,"
"Aye, Whatever ya say," Sean shrugged.
Waking Bridget didn't prove to be an issue like he'd expected it to be. Van had already awakened her. He sat casually with his hand laying on her thigh talking low. She seemed to pay him no attention, but didn't move away from him. Sean wondered if his dad had ripped her a new one because of Hank. Probably he decided, as he walked up and abruptly interrupted Van by kicking his hand off of her. His Browns multi-faceted eyes taking on angry red and orange colors as the chirped a lecture that the man.
"Mr. Logan wants to talk to ya," he told Bridget.
"Can't ya see grown folks are talkin' here lad?" Van demanded.
"No you were talking, she was pretending you don't exist…" Sean shrugged, then continued to talk to Bridget, "He said it was real important…but he moved…he's in the woods about 30 kilometer's northwest near the River, these little guys'll show ya exactly where."
Bridget jumped up quickly, "Ya know what he wants?"
"Nope…I found him on accident while I was exploring, I guess the little guys must've known he was there the whole time…" Sean told her.
"He probably just wants a roll around in the dirt…" Van grumbled angrily.
Sean gave him a dirty look and bit his tongue. The Dragonet's chirped at Van disapprovingly.
"Ya need help finding him…?"Sean asked.
"No…I can manage…" she replied completely ignoring Van.
Bridget found herself at the edge of the woods that Sean had told her Logan was in. She adjusted the heavy boots she had requisitioned, along with the leather fingerless gloves she wore. She had a tendency of climbing trees if she didn't just grow them herself, and she preferred to wear gloves with some of the trees she was unfamiliar with. She stood just at the edge of the wooded area, and listened to the wind flowing through the trees. Little did most people know, the trees spoke constantly, they whispered things. It wasn't as if she could speak to them, like you could carry on an intelligent conversation with a tree, they were still only plants but they did carry information. Like a book you can 'read' their information but not really ask them questions. She listened carefully before continuing, Logan was here…now she knew exactly where.
Bridget nimbly moved through the forest not making a sound as far as she could tell. Coming up on the house Logan was building she slowed down, hoping to catch him off guard…no such luck.
"Darlin' I knew you were there before you actually started through the trees," Logan said simply using his metal claws to shellac and some odd foreign looking paste on top of some crude looking bricks. He wiped off his claws and gestured to an intricately carved chair, sitting in the middle of the floor in the partially built house, "Sit down…"
She shifted nervously, normally she was completely comfortable with the man, but two people had told her that he wanted to talk to her, and he seemed abnormally tense.
"I ain't gonna bite ya, sit…" he told her sharply.
"Woof…" she replied flatly.
"Please…" he forced out but it was just as sharp if not more so.
She complied cautiously, he leg shaking nervously. He tossed her a bottle from the corner and grabbed another matching chair from outside and set it down in front of her lowering himself into it. She took a swig from the bottle like it was water, though she knew full and well the only liquids this man would keep around were alcoholic. She handed it back to Logan who did the same then set it between his feet, he laced his fingers together and proceeded to lean forward resting his forearms on his knees.
"So how long's it been goin' on?" Logan asked her after looking her in the eye for a good minute.
"What?" she asked wrinkling her head.
Logan made a noise that was somewhere between a quiet growl and a sigh of discontent, "The bullshit between you and Van?"
Logan watched her visibly pale, then look down at her lap, "I don't know what yer talking about…" she mumbled.
Logan reached over and tilted her head back up forcing her to look at him, her eyes darted away from him, "Look at me…" he snapped a little harsher than he'd intended to, his voice softened as her eyes darted back to him, "I don't care who else you lie to…but don't lie to me…I hate being lied to…especially when I can hear your heart beat change…"
She defensively crossed her arms and looked away again muttering an apology.
"How long?" he repeated.
"Since I was thirteen…" she admitted reluctantly.
Logan flexed his jaw, "He ain't just bein' friendly…is he?"
She shook her head avoiding eye contact.
"I'll take care of it…" Logan replied shortly.
"Logan I have enough family issues, if ya hadn't noticed, please leave it alone…" she told him quietly.
"Darlin' if you don't want him touchin' you…or anyone else for that matter…then they don't touch you…period…there's no discussion about that…" Logan all but growled causing her to recoil farther, he sighed reaching out to stroke her hair, "Look if it makes ya feel better, I'll tell him nicely and privately…but if he doesn't listen the first time…I'm gonna put him down…hard."
"Logan…" she started.
"He ain't got no right to have his hands on you…I've heard you tell him not to touch you…" Logan growled again his voice raising in frustration, "I'll tell him nicely…first…if he don't get it the first time…I'm gonna pound it into his skull…"
"Logan not that I don't appreciate your concern…but it's okay…its fi…" Logan cut her off abruptly.
"The fuck it is!" the words were barely understandable through his snarl.
Bridget sunk down in the chair, with her head down. She looked up at him from under her thick eyelashes. The human version of a submissive posture, Logan recognized, he sighed heavily…that wasn't healthy, and he automatically wondered how many times she'd done that with him and was pissed off all over again. This time he squelched the reaction and stood up. He put a hand on the side of her face and tilted her head upward.
"Don't do that…" he told he gently.
"What?" she asked lowering her head again.
"That…" Logan responded tilting her head back up at him again, he gently stroked the side of her face with his thump, suddenly realizing how young she looked at the moment, "Its not okay… it never will be…it needs to be dealt with…and it will be…"
She started to protest again, and he put his thump over her lips…"No arguments."
She sighed subserviently, and leaned back in her chair her muscles still taunt with anxiety.
"And you better believe darlin' I'm gonna make sure the next time you throw a punch, he ain't getting up…." Logan smiled
Before Logan got a chance to speak to the man it was announced that they were to have a Thanksgiving dinner. Logan sighed heavily he really wanted to catch him before then but he had a slight inkling of a feeling that he wasn't going to. Maybe Porrig had told Van to avoid him and Hank after Hank's appearance at their camp.
At the Thanksgiving celebration everyone was dressed in their best, even Logan had managed to find himself a suit, though he'd gone to the local seamstress and informed her he needed an entire wardrobe. She'd given him an exasperated look that turned into one of sympathy as he explained his situation. He told her just simple jeans and shirts would do but she'd insisted on making sure he had nice clothes to wear.
Logan's eyes scanned Bonfire Square looking for a familiar face. There were fire pits dug to roast Wherries, and smaller pits with the last bits of frozen meat from earth, along with many other things. There were fruits and vegetables he knew full and well they hadn't been able to grown here on Pern yet they were fresh so he knew Bridget had a lot to do with those.
His eyes found that of Betsy's but instead of Hank on her arm it was Bridget. While Betsy wore a deep plum skirt accented with tiny beads and a white velvet A-symmetrical tank top splashed with tiny mother of pearl beads, Bridget wore a simple black satin dress that just brushed her knees, with a slit on either side that ran up her thigh stopping just before it became obnoxious.
"One foot in front of the other, and walk on you toes love," Betsy instructed her gently.
Logan suddenly realized as his eyes fell to her black strappy heels that laced up muscular calves like ballet slippers, that they weren't necessarily walking arm and arm like he'd thought. Betsy was actually holding her up since as he got closer it was very apparent the child had never worn heels before.
"You girls look good," Logan smiled evenly.
"Don't have to sound so surprised," Bridget accused playfully glaring at him.
"I'm not…" Logan replied still smiling, "Where's the fur ball?"
"We got a head start on him," Betsy told him tossing a glance at Bridget, "But we made progress faster than I thought we would…much more gracefully than I expected."
"Not surprised," Logan laughed a bit, "she seems to be a bit more agile than most…"
"I have been wondering if that if due to her being a mutant or not…" came the articulate voice of Hank McCoy.
"Why Henry you look handsome," Betsy said her sultry lips turning upward into a smile.
"You look ravishing yourself my dear," he told her slipping his arm through her free one.
"Want me to take her off your hands darlin'?" Logan asked Betsy.
"Oh gee thanks a lot making me sound like a great burden and all…" she narrowed her eyes in mock anger.
Logan rolled his eyes taking her free arm as Betsy let her go.
"Remember one foot in front of the other, dear or you'll walk like a trucker…" Betsy reminded her.
"Got it…no trucker walk…" Bridget nodded, she instinctively went to toss her hair out of her face, but Betsy had twisted her hair up off her neck, and it was held securely in place by red chop sticks trimmed with sheer red ribbon and rhinestones, so her raven hair spilled back down from the top of the twist, her curly tresses gently kissing the base of her head.
Logan set her down in a nearby chair, before anyone could make any snide comments about his relationship with his student. He saw it coming from the blonde Svenda Olubushtu, but one dirty look from him and her comment got caught in her throat. She quickly turned back to Drake sharing with him the comment she'd been about to say allowed. Drake shrugged idly…
"I doubt it…don't let word get out but somewhere under there he's actually a nice guy…" Drake laughed idly then turned and continued to talk to Sallah only offering Logan a smile of acknowledgement knowing full and well the man could hear them.
"Do I want to ask?" She looked up at Logan from under mascara covered eyelashes.
"Nope…" Logan shook his head.
"Do I need to knock the shit out of her?" she asked.
"Wouldn't be very lady like…" Logan comment dryly.
Her cherry lips pulled into a half smile, "Do I look like a fucking lady?"
"Currently," he nodded.
She slumped her shoulders as Hank and Betsy reappeared with Sallah and Barr in tow.
"This is all your fault," she narrowed her eyes at Betsy, "Made my look all female…"
"No dear you always looked female…maybe not feminine but always female," Betsy told her smiling, holding back laughter.
"You look great," Sallah told her.
Bridget recoiled slightly and muttered a thanks, "I'm gonna go find something to drink…."
"You sure you can make it alone?" Logan asked skeptically.
"I've got it…" she nodded silently adding an 'I think.'
She carefully made her way around looking to find where they poured the drinks but it seemed to evade her. She was slightly aggravated by the way her hips switched when she wore heels, and by the fact that she felt completely unable to defend herself in such a restricting outfit.
Suddenly there was someone behind her and a drink was being held in front of her. She recognized the arm it was attached to and was suddenly leery about taking it. There was a single hand on her hip and a large body pressed against her. She could smell the Quikal on his breath, as he place a kiss on her neck.
"Drink love?" he asked.
"Don't touch me Van…" she snapped rolling her eyes.
"You look real good," he said ignoring her and resting his chin on her shoulder allowing his hand to fall to the slit in her dress, then slowly slide up her thigh.
"Van…" she started pulling away from him, she stomach turning in disgust.
"Shut up…" he snapped roughly pulling her back to him further back from the crowds, wrapping the hand with the drink in it around her neck, "Drink…"
She twisted her head away as he attempted to pour it down her throat, she batted it away with her free hand. He tightened his hold around her neck, and she gasped for air clawing at his arm. He didn't seem to notice as he slowly slid his hand back up her dress pressing her up against himself.
"Van," she croaked, "Your drunk please don't do this…"
"Shut-up and like it…" he whispered.
Sage Morrison slipped back behind one of the buildings as the music started with his friend Kayla. He had a joint in hand. He ran a hand through pale jade colored hair, he'd dyed specifically because of his name, all that time with his family was enough to make him retch. His gray eyes instantly had a look of panic in them.
"Fuck…my lighter…" he sighed then lit up when Kayla pulled it from her bra," is in your tits…yum…" he said in disdain.
Kayla wasn't unattractive by any means, hazel eyes stop sign red hair that he'd dyed for her. He'd also pierced her eyebrow three times, her tongue and her nose. She had a decent figure, but as far as Sage was concerned she was a bitch. It was funny sometimes, but at times his childhood friend could be too much.
"Damned right they are and don't you forget it," she snapped lighting the joint for him.
He inhaled deeply before passing it to her. He'd already taken off his tie and his jacket, the buttons on his sleeves were undone, as were the top to buttons of his shirt.
"Formal wear is such a drag…" he sighed, then stopped talking abruptly hearing signs of a struggle.
"Ignore it, some drunks probably got in a fight," Kayla scoffed rolling her eyes that were thickly lined in eyeliner.
"Yeah…" Sage replied but still he listened intently, taking another hit.
"Don't touch me…" Sage heard the female voice in the distance.
Sage quickly passed her the joint, "I'll be back…" he said before she could protest.
Sage found a rather large man with a girl pinned down underneath him, even in the dark he could see the bruises and scratch marks the man had from her struggling. He tackled the man off of her and started punching him. A familiar yet welcomed pain went through his hands, he stopped a half a second to smile wickedly at the man. Sixteen short thick metal spikes popped out of each hand, one behind every knuckle on all of his fingers and thumbs, and two slightly larger ones on the backs of his hands closer to his wrist. He viciously continued to punch him, feeling a type of sadistic euphoria take over him. It happened every time the spikes came out…and he couldn't stop himself…worse…he didn't want to because he wasn't himself he became a different person.
A large hand clamped onto his shoulder, when he didn't stop hitting him he found himself sailing through the air landing less than gracefully on his back a few feet away.
"Damn it kid…you didn't leave any for me…" Came a familiar voice.
"Sorry Mr. Logan…" he grinned dusting himself off.
Logan regarded the kid a moment, he was a lazy pot head as far as he could tell. He'd never really been fond of Sage up until this very moment. His eyes fell to the spikes protruding from his hands, that he quickly tried to hide.
"Easy kid…it's alright…" Logan shrugged, "You don't have to hide what you are here…"
Sage shrugged and turned and offered the girl on the ground a hand, "Just watch the spikes…I can't get rid of them…you okay?"
Bridget regarded the boy after brushing herself off. He was a good 6'2" probably about 230lbs. Van was about the same height but wider, stronger too she would've guessed…drunk though.
"Yeah…" she said looking down, "Thanks…is he…alive?"
Sage's eyes widened as if he hadn't thought to check…Logan nodded a sense of disappointment about him, "Yeah…McCoy's gonna have a hell of a time repairing his face though…"
"Oops…" Sage winced, "I'm…so…sorry…I get carried away sometimes…"
Logan laughed dryly, "It's a shame McCoy'll waste his time fixing that dick…I'd just as soon finish him off…"
"Logan…he was drunk…" Bridget told him.
"I don't give a fuck…" Logan snarled, "There ain't no fucking excuse…"
Logan's eyes slid over to the red headed girl that joined them who was obviously very high. She coughed and looked around calmly.
"What'd I miss?" she asked.
"Glad you helped yourself to the rest of my joint…" Sage rolled his eyes.
Logan narrowed his eyes.
"Hey no one said it was illegal here…" Sage snapped defensively.
"Then why'd you come all the way over here to smoke it?" Logan demanded.
"My parents would blow a gasket…" Sage shrugged, "They'd also flip if they knew I was a mutant…so could you not say anything to them?"
Logan nodded.
"Besides if I don't smoke it, I get into a lot of fights…" Sage shrugged , then suddenly with realization he looked back over at Bridget…"Sage…"
"Come again?" Bridget looked at him inquisitively.
"His name, sweetheart…it's Sage…" Kayla rolled her eyes haughtily.
"Shut up, Kay…" Sage sighed.
"Bridget…" she told him.
"That bitch over there is Kayla…" Sage nodded toward the red haired girl.
Kayla smiled bitterly and flicked off Sage, "Eat me."
"I don't eat fish…" he responded promptly.
"Come on darlin' let me get you checked out by Hank…" Logan said gently.
"He didn't…did he? Cause I'll kill him if he did…" Sage asked…Spikes popping through the bleeding circles left behind from the first time.
"Easy kid…you ever killed anyone before?" Logan asked,.
"Me?… yeah…" Sage informed him smiling wickedly again.
Logan sighed…" See me after class tomorrow…we can teach you how to control that…"
"You didn't answer me," Sage shifted ready to pounce on the man at the wrong answer.
"He tried," she muttered quietly, "But he didn't…"
"Good…" Sage nodded relaxing but the spikes still protruded from his hands, "Then we don't have to kill him…just try to…"
"Easy, Thorn…" Kayla muttered.
"I know you are Kayla." Sage snapped.
Logan raised an eyebrow, as the girl just sighed. "Quit being an asshole."
"Why don't you make me?" Came Sage's arrogant reply, a complete change in demeanor for him.
Logan smiled, "Kid you're bitin' off more than you can chew…"
"You have no idea how much I can chew…about as much as Kayla can swallow…" he retorted.
Kayla jumped in between the men, "Mr. Logan please don't…its his mutation…he's not the same person…he changes…Sage isn't mean…Sage would never kill…"
"No he wouldn't, because Sage is a big bitch…Call me Thorn…" he smiled.
Logan looked at him oddly for a minute…but then he saw it, Sage's normal smoky gray eyes were a deep green color. The boy had a mischievous gleam to his eye just ready to pounce on the next thing that moved. Logan finally nodded clearly seeing the difference.
"Interesting…" Logan muttered relaxing a bit.
"I'm stronger than Sage, Faster, more agile, better endurance…basically the up graded version, yet he likes to suppress me with weed…ain't that a bitch…" Thorn shrugged.
"Cause you're a dick…" Kayla replied.
"Then I'm a little surprised you're complaining…as much as you love dick…" Thorn retorted., "Oh wait it's because he won't let you jump on his…that's why you're bitching…"
Logan moved to shut up but Bridget was already in front of him talking to Thorn.
"I'm having a bit of trouble walking in these heels…now with me twisting my ankle and all can you please help me find Hank?" She asked him hoping to give the girl a break, since the last comment really seemed to get under her skin.
Thorn regarded her a moment before conceding. But instead of allowing her to use him like a crutch he simply scooped her up and walked back toward the people.
Logan went to go after him but Kayla stopped him, "He won't hurt her…Thorn and I just don't get along…Me and Sage on the other hand…good friends…when he comes down he'll be Sage again and apologize for everything…it may take him a bit calm down this time…attempted rape most likely pisses them both off…when Sage is pissed he's automatically Thorn…when they're both pissed…well its never good…"
"So he's only Thorn when he's pissed?" Logan asked.
"No…that's just when it happens the most frequently…sometimes they switch to give the other some down time but its rare…Thorn always gets him in trouble…so Usually Sage smokes a lot of weed to repress him…as long as Thorn's high he won't bother to try and take control…to lazy…" Kayla told him.
"Sounds like the kids could use some counseling," Logan replied raising his eyebrows and looking with disdain at Van's unconscious body, "Guess I got to take that to a medic…"
Kayla nodded, "Well…yeah…"
Thorn set her down in a chair with the intent of going to find Hank, but suddenly the ground shook and Thorn nearly fell on the girl, he caught himself on the arms of the chair and stood over her to make sure nothing fell on her, but it was over before it had started. Thorn's green eyes widened standing back up ready to hit whatever the cause, earning him an amused smile from Bridget.
"Calm yourself boyo, T'was just a wee Tremor…" She smiled.
"So Pern wants to dance does it?" Came Paul Bendon's amused voice from the musician platform.
"I think he's out of his right mind," Bridget muttered to the still tense Thorn, "I'm sure Hank's go off now…like all the other specialists…"
"Thought the fur ball was a doctor, not a geologist…" Thorn muttered still looking for a target of some sort.
"He is, he's got several doctorates actually, He's a Chemist, biologist, physicist, geologist, Medical doctor….among other things I hear…The man's a right genius…" Bridget told him.
"Guess looks are deceiving…" he replied, "Should we find another medic?"
"Don't bother…I'm fine…could just use a shower, I still feel like I smell like him…" She sighed, since being around Logan and Hank she'd become a lot more self conscious about what and who she smell like. Logan was always reading her emotions by smell alone…which made her wonder what all he could smell…and made her very self conscious.
"You do…" Thorn grumbled looking back were they'd came from as if considering going back and pounding on him some more.
She wrinkled up her head in confusion.
"Everything of mine is better than Sage's…senses included…" He told her once again picking her up.
"Where we going?" she asked looking at him oddly.
"Shower…" Thorn replied.
In the back of his head he could hear Sage protesting, You can't take her home! Mom and Dad would flip!
So what? Mom and Dad are out here dancing and drinking to this ridiculous music they won't notice, Thorn 'Replied.'
Take her to HER home, not ours dumb ass, Sage insisted.
Thorn sighed, "Where do you live?"
"In a camp out in the forest…" She told him.
Thorn looked at her oddly for a moment.
"Gypsy…" she explained.
"Really?" Thorn raised his eyebrows, "Cool…wait that means no running water…"
"We bathe in the ocean…we have soap and shampoo and everything we just use the ocean waters…" she told him shrugging idly.
Nope sorry asshole she's going to our place…ya know where there's hot water…Thorn told Sage.
Fine but don't do anything obnoxious or I'm taking over, Sage replied, unable to tell him no, after all the girl deserved a hot shower.
I'm not THAT much of an asshole, the girl almost got raped for cryin' out loud,Thorn replied angrily, pissed off that Sage thought he'd do something stupid even if it wasn't for current circumstances.
"What's wrong?" she asked looking up seeing Thorn's face twisted into an angry visage, his strong jaw flexing.
"Me and Sage were just having a conversation…" he replied, "By the way we're going to my place so you can take a hot shower."
"You really don't have to do that its ok…" she protested.
"No, no We don't have to but we will…" Thorn shrugged carrying her off.