"Alright, I'm gone Myrnin." Claire said
They'd managed to get the cur to all of the vampires with Sam and Myrnin's help.
"I will see you tomorrow then." He told her as he started scrawling down something on paper
"Nope." Claire said confidently "I quit. I helped you get that cure and now I'm done."
"You can't just quit." He spat, his eyes focused on her
Shane stood in the doorway watching the conversation.
"I can and did. Goodbye Myrnin." Claire said
Myrnin crinkled his nose at her.
"You'll be done when I say you are."
"Wrong. I'm done now because I did what I was told. It's over and done." Claire said
She turned and headed for the door. Even as she reached it Myrnin stayed still. It surprised Claire. He had a lot of restraint. She walked out and into the night. Shane followed behind her and put an arm around her shoulders. It was dark out and she knew what lurked in the dark, but surprisingly she felt safe. She had what she needed to protect herself. There was nothing that a little bit of silver couldn't handle not to mention the special bracelet on her other wrist.
"I would like to say that I am impressed." Shane said
"Well, I am hungry." Claire groaned
"Good because Eve has actually cooked or so she told me a few hours ago."
"Is it safe?" Claire asked
"We'll find out when we get home."
"Home? It's my home not your guy's." she said "Which means…"
Claire grinned at the realization. It was her house so that meant it was her rules and everything.
"that you all live under my roof. I have never felt more powerful."
"Oh no." Shane said "Don't let it get to your head."
"Too late!" she exclaimed as she spun around in circles
He chuckled at he watched her. She seemed free. They walked back to the house and as soon as they walked in they were bombarded. Michael and Eve hugged Claire tightly then moved onto Shane.
"I'm not dead here! I need to breathe!" he said
"I made tacos." Eve said
Shane and Claire looked at each other worriedly.
"I didn't poison it!" she shrieked
They all laughed and moved to the kitchen.
"I am so ready to sleep." Claire said as she wolfed down her third taco
Both Shane and Eve looked at her surprised.
"I second that." Michael chimed in as he grabbed for his fifth
It was like it was a race for the tow of them. Eve had only had one and Shane was just finishing his second. It was as if Michael and Claire were shoved out into the wilderness then brought back with all their survival needs.
"Hungry?" Eve asked
"Starving." Claire said
After her fourth, she laid her head on the table and belched. Eve laughed hysterically.
"Hey! Don't laugh at me! I can shove you out of here. This is my house." Claire said with a pouty face
Eve didn't stop though and Michael joined in.
"Do you feel better?" he asked
"Much." Claire said with a wide smile
She tumbled from her chair and made her way to the living room.
"So, since we've lost our house, where do we stay?" Eve said as they all piled onto the couch for tv time
"You can stay here. It's fine."Claire said
"Really!" Eve squealed "I knew there was a reason I loved you!"
Eve jumped over Shane's lap and grabbed Claire into a hug. She'd been giving out a lot of those since they had all reunited. Claire couldn't complain.
"But-"
"Here it comes." Shane groaned
"Hey, these are the same rules you laid out for me. You all pay your share of the rent along with tv and phone and internet."
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Michael asked
"Oh definitely." Claire smiled "And now I'm in deep need of a shower. I'm covered in blood, some of it my own and some of it not and lord knows what else. Not pretty. Plus, if I don't get cleaned up my neck could get infected so, do not mistake that," she pointed at her neck "for a hickey."
Getting up, she made her way for the hall then turned.
"You guys really need to get back to how you were. It wasn't me holding you together. You guys knew each other long before I ever came around. Work this shit out or get out. I won't put up with the hatred and distance." She said
Then she bounded up the stairs for the bathroom.
As she grabbed a towel from the hall closet, she heard talking downstairs.
"So who wants the boot? I vote for the goth girl." Shane said
Eve's jaw dropped.
"Eh, no use. That whole girl bonding thing gives her a pass to stay." Michael said
"I cannot believe you're on his side!" Eve shrieked and hit Michael in the arm
"Why wouldn't I be?" he chuckled
"Oh you-" she growled
The two guys laughed harder. She started laughing as well.
"It's not funny." She said
"Yeah it is. Everything is so backwards."
"No it's not." Eve disagreed "Things are…okay. Yeah, they are and if not they will be or we'll be out on our asses like vamp food."
"She wasn't serious." Shane said
"Did you not hear the seriousness in her voice? Because, I did." Eve said
"She loves us too much."Shane argued
"HA!" Michael exclaimed
Shane rolled his eyes and stood. He needed to go pick out a room before they did.
"Wait, you're not going anywhere. None of us are. Claire was right. She isn't the center of our worlds and we acted like she was. We need to fix us." Michael said motioned to the three of them
"Dude, there is no way you can be fixed unless there's a cure for vampire." Shane snarked
Michael rolled his eyes.
"Hey, he didn't have a choice. He was a weird ghost thing or whatever…right?"
"Exactly. There was nothing I could do. I couldn't leave the house I couldn't do anything." Michael said
"Okay, fine." Shane said "What do we do to fix things? Play twenty questions?"
"No smartass." Michael said "How about we actually act like we're friends…"
He trailed off realizing the stupidity of his words.
"Well, not act…"
Shane started laughing all over again.
"Dude, stop before you get ahead of yourself." Shane said
Michael smirked and scratched the back of his head.
"It'll work out alright?" Shane said "I'll try."
The two looked at eve now.
"Hey, I was the one trying to keep you two from ripping each other apart." She said defensively
"That's why we saw you around all the time." Shane said sarcastically
"Okay, fine. I didn't want to watch you two rip each other apart." She said truthfully "We all just drifted."
"Drifted we shall no longer be." Shane said
"Aight yoda." Eve smarted off
"I am off to bed." Eve said "Today's been exhausting and I've nearly died once again."
"G'night." Both of them called
She just waved and disappeared up the stairs.
"You know I was serious right?" Shane said "I do miss my friends."
"Miss ya too."
"Don't get gushy on me…please."
Michael nudged him and headed up the stairs. As he did he paused as he saw the bathroom door open and Claire walk only wrapped in a towel. She padded up the hallway a little not acknowledging his presence and walked into what he guessed was her room. Shane bumped into him from behind.
"Whoa, road block." Shane said
"Uh sorry. Claire came out of the bathroom." Michael said feeling suddenly awkward
"Ah. Well, back off. She isn't yours." Shane said
"She isn't yours either." Michael said
Shane looked at him.
"Are you seriously challenging me?"
"NO, I'm just stating a simple fact."
"Good, I'm trying to repair things with her. It's just a lot complicated than I thought." Shane said "Because she's right. She's different, but I don't think she understands the fact that I still like her either way."
"Good luck with that." Michael said "It should be an interesting reality tv show."
"Haha, bite me bird for brains."
"Ouch, that actually hurt." Michael said faking hurt feelings
Shane rolled his eyes and they both headed to their new rooms. This would be where they'd be living now. Change was good right? It was like adding the new to the old kind of thing. As soon as their doors closed though, Eve peeked out and then rushed across the hallway to Claire's room where she was getting dressed.
"Nice knocking." Claire said
"Whatever. Look, you need to… I don't know, use the female genes god gave you." Eve said as she plopped down on Claire's bed
Claire gave her a funny look.
"Oh, don't give me that. You know what I'm talking about."
"I could say the same about you and Michael and if you'd like me not to then you need to be quiet." Claire said
Eve squealed a little, but slapped a hand over her mouth. Claire shook her head surprised that the bluff worked. Some things were better off not spoken about. It was better that they were acted out and if she was torturing him it wasn't so bad.