Heartlessly Humane
By wired2damoon
Chapter 2: Talks And Troubles
A/N: In this chapter we will be exploring other people's POVs as well as Mitchell's so I hope you like it! ~wired2damoon~ x
- Mitchell's POV -
In life, I believe that one moment displayed by other people's perspective of it, can be turned, quite dramatically into something different. I mean, the simple rising of the sun could be morphed, disrupted and tainted by one man's perspective and yet be transformed, alienated and cherished by another.
Therefore, if this were to be so, and if I in turn believed this, why can't I get my head around the fact that even only after a mere forty-eight hours of committing murder, my friend, George Sands, seems completely at ease, sitting on our couch watching Mastermind.
I mean, after I committed murders I was…well, let's just say, I wasn't lying on the couch, feet propped up, packet of crisps in hand, munchin' away watching fuckin' Mastermind of all things.
I mean come on. If you were going to watch something to get your mind off ending another person's (if you can call Herrick a person, that is) life watch something like feckin' Top Gear, or old episodes of Only Fools And Horses or even porn for God's sake! Anything but bloody ol' fellas answering questions about some political movement that happened two million years ago on feckin' Mars or somethin'.
I think it is time I let my feelin's about this obvious travesty be known.
"George?" I asked, watching cautiously into our sitting room, my eyes darting from his position on the couch to the telly and back again.
"Yeah Mitchell?" he replied, not taking his eyes off John Humphrys for one second.
I gapped at him and his nonchalance. He truly baffles me sometimes.
"Eh…where's Annie?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck. I'm not really sure what made me back down, perhaps it was the feeling that this wasn't the particular time to discuss this. Nina had gone home earlier this morning after being all…slightly introvert and I knew beneath his seemingly steady composure, George was in fact terrified that all the recent madness had finally gone to Nina's head and she planned on doin' a runner.
"I'm in here," I heard a voice call from the kitchen before George could respond, not that he looked like he was going to say anything of particular value.
Shrugging my shoulders, I turned on my heels and made my way into the kitchen were I saw Annie, with her back to me, obviously waiting for the kettle to boil.
"Tea?" she asked when I came in and sat down heavily at the table.
"Sure," I murmured, knowing that it was pointless to say otherwise, the tea was still going to be made regardless, the many cups placed around the room spoke for themselves.
"You get much sleep last night?" she asked, her back still turned, obviously trying to coax me out of the reverie I was dangerously close to slipping into.
"Ah, you know me Annie, don't really need sleep…" I trailed off, already knowing that she knew I was avoiding the question.
"That's not what I asked Mitchell," she replied knowingly, turning around, two cups in her hands and sitting down opposite me.
"Yeah, well, I got a little, yeh know," I responded hastily, wrapping my gloved hands around the hot mug, smiling softly at the warmth now flowing through my fingers.
"What did you get up to?" I found myself asking, nearly grimacing at how phony this conversation was. We both knew we were just mindlessly rambling to fill the still slightly uneasy silence. After all, we'd been through a lot these past few days, Annie's door appearing, me getting staked through the chest, Annie choosing not to go through the door, me drinking the blood of my once lover in order to fully gain back my strength, Annie having to deal with the fact that she could lose one of her friends forever, me coming to terms with probably being lost forever…it had been a rough couple of days to say the least.
But it wasn't our own hardships we were thinking of now, as we sat here making trifling conversation.
It was George's.
He had been through so much and yet, we still failed to get a real reaction from him. Nina didn't witness any response from him either, so she said anyway.
I was growing more and more worried, and being a worrier is not really in my nature.
Annie worried, I, contemplated.
It was our thing.
But now? Now everything was all over the place.
And I don't have a clue what to do.
- Annie's POV -
I heaved a sigh as I waited for the kettle to boil. It was the second cup of tea I was making for Mitchell in the last half an hour.
"Has he said anythin' yet?" Mitchell asked quietly, and I didn't need to turn around to tell that he was sneaking glances out at George who was still curled up on the couch, his gaze focused on the idiot box.
"Nope…not to me anyway, and besides…wouldn't he talk more to you about this kind of…stuff?" I mumbled in reply, walking back over to the table and setting his mug down on front of him. He slid it towards him and offered me a small, appreciative smile, just like always…
I couldn't help but grin back. When I think of how close I…we came to losing him…it makes me shiver, and I'm a bloody ghost for Christ's sake.
He looked thoughtful for a moment, bringing his gloved hands up to stroke his chin, "I dunno, I mean, you heard him yourself, he said that a lot of things are different now…I don't want to push him into talking about it if he doesn't want to. I think, maybe, it would be best to wait and let him come to me…and hey, he talks to you too Annie, when you're not arguing that is," he finished, smiling wider this time, his cheeky eyes sparkling.
"Yeah, yeah," I smirked, "so…you looking forward to going back to work?"
The cup froze on it's way to his lips, his eyes darting back down to the table. I could sense his unease, but kept my eyes on him, frowning a little.
"I-well…I don't think I'll be going back to work, Annie," he murmured softly, taking a sip of his tea, his eyes still lowered.
I nodded slowly, I can't say I'm all that surprised really.
"So…what will you do? Get a job somewhere else? I heard Mrs. Heffernan from number twelve tell Mr. Baker from number ten that there's a job opening up down the pub…fancy being a barman?" I smiled, resting my chin in my hands and eyeing him curiously.
"I dunno…I'm not really sure what I'll be doin', I have to go over things wit' George first, and Nina now, too", he muttered, his expression hard to read.
I got the feeling that he no longer wanted to discuss it.
I could feel in my gut that things were about to drastically change around here. I mean, ever since the…Herrick incident, we knew that we were more than likely marked men, and women by every passing vampire. It just wasn't all that safe anymore…not that it ever particularly was. My troubled thoughts must have shown on my face because Mitchell had now reached forward and clasped my hand with his.
"It's goin' to be okay, Annie," he tried to reassure me. "We'll get through this, together."
I stared at our intertwined hands for a moment, the familiar, yet mysterious feeling that I've been experiencing these last few months, making another appearance. It reminded me of how he held my cheek as we sat on the kitchen floor the day before he went to meet Herrick. He has a surprisingly soft touch…not at all what I thought the touch of a vampire would be like…
What the hell am I thinking! I internally scolded myself, rolling my eyes at my own thoughts.
That caused Mitchell to stare at me with confusion, "are you alright Annie?" he asked, and I felt a little guilt seep in at his concerned tone.
I gently pulled my hand out from under his and craftily made it look like I was only freeing it so I could collect his cup.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. And yeah, you're right, we'll all get through this…somehow…together…" I mumbled, more so sounding like I was trying to convince myself and not him.
He nodded vigorously and I turned away.
So many things are being left unsaid lately…I hope, for all our sake's we somehow manage to get passed that.
- George's POV -
I know what they're doing. And I understand why they are doing it.
We do things for friends. All of us, no matter how malevolent or how remarkable or how benevolent…we all have friends in which we would do anything for. And two nights ago, I made the ultimate sacrifice.
So, yeah, I can understand why Annie and Mitchell are giving me my space, and I appreciate it. I heard them yesterday, talking with hushed tones, worrying about how I was taking the…death…of Herrick. And now, at present, they were in the kitchen, again, more than likely discussing me or the event or what exactly happens next. But I understand and am not bothered by it, not really. Considering what they both have been through, I don't blame them to have as many discussion about whatever they desire.
No, what I am currently worrying about as I try desperately to keep my mind focussed on the genius that is Mastermind is Nina. Beautiful, intelligent, stubborn, sarcastic and compassionate Nina. I haven't heard from her since early this morning and she said that she would be in touch.
I'm trying desperately to keep my cool but I'm not exactly the keep cool type. I'm just…troubled at the fact that she was hit with all this, supernatural stuff so dramatically. I fret that maybe, just maybe, she has gone completely off the rails and run off to Mexico or something.
Which is precisely why my hand keeps itching towards my phone. I'm not ashamed to say that hearing her voice right now would…put my mind at ease. Not to mention, bring a little smile to my face. She's been doing that a lot lately, you know, when she's not frustrated with me for keeping her in the dark or confused, shocked and terrified by the events that have just unfolded.
Sighing, I rub my eyes and decide to just get on with it already. We both know (Nina and I) that I'm going to call her, so why don't I just give in and do it…?
I dig my hand into my jeans pocket and pull out my phone, dialling her number within seconds.
"Hello?" I hear her voice call from the end of the line.
The little grin is already making an appearance on my face.
"Nina…hi…" I utter, a little nervously.
"Oh, George!" she exclaims and this time I can hear a little distortion in her tone, as if she had a stuffy nose or…
"Nina are you alright? You sound like you've been crying?" I asked hurriedly, panic already setting in my veins, making my voice grow an octave higher.
"I-I'm fine, George," she tries to reassure me but I can hear the falseness behind it.
"No, no, no, you're not. Nina tell me what's wrong," I'm pleading now, my voice growing louder and more frantic as horror images start flooding my brain.
I've attracted the attention of Mitchell and Annie now, who have sauntered into the sitting room, both looking at me with equal confusion etched onto their faces.
"What's-" Mitchell began to ask but I was already interrupting him.
"Look, Nina, I'm coming over to your place okay?" I rambled, already running around the room gathering my belongings.
Annie and Mitchell merely stared at me, looking a tad nervous as I threw on my coat.
"No George it-"
"-I'll be there in five minutes," I assured her, hanging up the phone and casting a look at my two friends.
"George, what's goin' on?"
I looked at Mitchell and then to Annie hurriedly, "look, I don't know, something is wrong with Nina and I'm worried so I'm going to see what's the matter. I'll be back as soon as I can…" I trailed off, turning on my heel and bolting out the front door, knowing well I just let them looking gob-smacked.
But right now, the only thing that was on my mind was Nina, and what exactly was upsetting her. Some may find it a little extreme to come bolting around to her house when she could only be a little weepy whilst watching a film, but not me.
Because I know, there are a lot of things now that could make Nina very weepy indeed.
And none of them are as simple as a soppy romantic comedy.
If only life were that simple…
A/N: There you go, the first proper chapter. I'm not 100 per cent happy with it, then again, I never am, but I hope I did okay. If so, let me know. ~wired2damoon~ x