A/N: Hello my beautiful readers, how are you guys? So here is chapter 26 like I promised. God, it was such a hard chapter to write, I kept getting stuck after every paragraph. Anyways, I hope you like it. I will try not to take to long in my next update. Oh, I almost forgot, please read the important note at the bottom because if I write it here, it would kind of give away this chapter.
I will like to say thank you too all my sweet reviewers, ShiloCoulter, msjackson, KigekiRyuu483, Somphiana, princess moon shadow, Rose, mixmatched9, Nocturnal Rose, Wicken25, Mystic-realm, midnightquiver, DarkAngel620, wolviegurl, BerNorthman, Britny88, DrSweetnSour, decorusvita. I also want to say thank you to all my readers as well. Thanks for all the support, you guys are the best!
Disclaimer: Nothing you read here belongs to me except for some of the plot and unknown characters you will meet. All belongs to True Blood, an American television drama series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris.
enjoy!
If I don't say this now I will surely break
As I'm leaving the one I want to take
Forgive the urgency but hurry up and wait
My heart has started to separate
There now, steady love, so few come and don't go
Will you won't you, be the one I'll always know
When I'm losing my control, the city spins around
You're the only one who knows, you slow it down
It's always have and never hold
You've begun to feel like home
What's mine is yours to leave or take
What's mine is yours to make your own
Look After You - The Fray
Chapter Twenty Six - You Feel Like Home
For a moment we both stared at the serene, winding smoke that commenced from the scraggy candles. I picked up my fork and plunged through my Double Fudge Chocolate Cake. I hummed to myself in delight, enjoying the sweet chocolate flavor. That's when I noticed, in the far corner of my eyes, the vampire pulling some unknown object out of his pocket. I sat my fork down, watching his hesitated moves, as he vigilantly placed the object in front of me.
Hmm, if I didn't know better, I would say he was nervous.
I looked down, finally giving the item my full attention. It was a chic black box, about five inches long. I stared at it for a moment, almost afraid to open it, before moving my gaze to Godric's face. "What is it?" I murmured in a low voice, slowly running my fingers over the delicately beautiful box. "If I'm not mistaken, it's humans' custom to offer present on their birthday, is it not?" He questioned, nudging his head toward the box, his eyes requesting me to open it.
"I wasn't expecting anything to be honest…" I muttered softly picking up the box and opening it with a shaky hand. I seriously didn't think he got me anything at all, I wasn't expecting him to either. But the moment I opened it, I could feel the lungful air vanish from my throat at the sight of what it held inside. With a timid hand, I picked up the exquisite looking Charm Bracelet that sat subtlety inside. The lovely jewelry was made out of the purest white gold, with sands like diamonds embedded all over it, as If it was dipped in small pieces of shattered glass. There was four large, heart shaped, emerald stones connected to it, and in between, little charms of a Book, a queen chess piece, a star and a guitar were attached.
My fingers slowly grazed over it, my heart growing in size at the sight of those charms, as it was a reminder of our time together in the fellowship basement not so long ago, even though it felt like it has been forever since. "Wow…," was all I could utter, as I gazed at the breathtaking jewelry, and from the looks of it, it seemed pretty expansive, probably a few thousand dollars. Even though, his thoughtfulness warms my heart, I couldn't accept such a gift. "I'm sorry Godric, but I can't accept this." I placed the charm bracelet back into the box, before pushing it toward him.
"Is it not to your liking?" He questioned staring down at the gift he presented in pondering manner. "Isabel was sure you would be pleased with it…" He mumbled making me smile. I could see the thwarted look gracing his beautiful face, disappointed by his choice of gift. It was not my intention at all to make him feel like I was dissatisfied by what he got me. After all, he had gone through the trouble asking his ex-subordinate, now the new sheriff, and I felt horrible for returning it.
"No, no, I love it. In fact, this got to be the most thoughtful gift anyone ever given to me. It's just… this is too much. I would have been happy with just a book, really." I don't want him to spend this much amount of money on me. Specially, after all the expenses he has, with his nest being rebuilt and the five star hotel, it was a bit of expenditure. Besides, it's the thought that counts anyways.
He seemed to understand where I was coming from, guessing from the soft, lovely smile slowly spread across his face. Raising his fingers, he grasped the jewelry out of the box, before he dawdlingly reached for my hand with his other one. "Nothing is ever too much for you," he voiced like he was stating the most obvious fact in the world, as he cautiously fastened the bracelet around my wrist, his cool fingers brushing against my skin adoringly. Under the candles light, he looked so…
Oh god… be still my heart.
"Thank you, Godric; it's beautiful." I voiced breathlessly, watching how the bracelet fit around my wrist. He attentively touched the charms, his recreation of a little momentous of our time together in that dreadful cage at the basement of the fellowship, yet it had been the best time of my life.
My body seemed to move on its own according, sliding across the booth, closer to him, being pulled to him like magnets. My hand thrived up; my fingers brushing the back of his head, feeling his soft locks as I pulled him to me. His eyes were imbedded onto mine, as if his soul was searching its other half. I didn't know who moved first, but our lips met almost in a shy manner, as he took my bottom lips, his eyelashes fluttering against my cheeks like butterfly wings.
Just before I could pull him closer, deepen the kiss further, someone cleared there throat loudly, breaking our intense moment. It was our waitress that interrupted us, holding the check with a shaky hand. "P… please, co—come again." She said stuttering her words out, before placing the tiny paper that held our bill on the table. This girl is really starting to get on my nerves. With a huff, I quickly grabbed my purse that was on the table and took out fifty bucks, placing it on the table, before grabbing the vampire's hand in mine.
"Come on, let's get out of here." I swiftly moved out of the booth, not giving the vampire a chance to argue with me about paying for my dinner. When we stepped out of the restaurant the air seemed a bit cooler. Instead of walking toward the parking lot, we started down the street. "Where to now?" He questioned, dropping his arm over my shoulder like a normal couple, as we calmly strolled down on the slightly crowded street.
"Well, I have a surprise for you too, you see?" I voiced teasingly, lightly jabbing his ribs lightheartedly. Having a good food wasn't the only reason I picked the restaurant, it was because it happens to be a block away from where his surprise was placed.
"Oh, is that so?" He replied with a mischievous smirk playing across his face, as he took part in going along to my playfulness. We didn't walk too far, as I stood a block away from the restaurant. The vampire paused also, looking at me questioningly "Yep, your surprised happens to be in the building." I stated, pointing to the high structure across the street. His eyes drifted to what I was pointing, the five-story building with an egg shaped roof top, before his eyebrow slowly rose.
"The University of Dallas Astronomy Tower?" He questioned, reading the sign that crowned the gated door. His voice saying what could possibly be here for me. With a hummed yes, I grasped his hand, moving toward the building. As we got closer, I could see a security cubicle behind the gate, with almost asleep security guard seated within it. Once we approached the main gate, I tapped on the bars loud enough to alert the man behind the booth. He was a flabby man, dressed in his uniform, as he quickly got out of his seat, gauchely coming closer to us. "Damn kids, cant you guys read, our office hour is from 8 to 7, it's closed now, so come back tomorrow." He voiced grumpily huffing with frustration. He must have thought we were some annoying students or something from the way he was acting.
Straightening myself up; I proceeded in a very Godric like manner, sounding calm and collected. "I believe you have me confused with someone else, my name is Annabel Coleman, and I'm here to see…" before I could finish my sentence, I was interrupted by the security guard, whose demeanor immediately converted to friendliness. "Oh, yes, my apologies. Mr. Lopez has been expecting you for almost an hour now. Give me a second, I'll buzz you in." He said rushing toward back to his booth.
I could see the confused look growing by the second on Godric's face, as the gate slowly slid open, giving us an excess to enter. As we stride down the courtyard, I could hear the flabby security guard on his walkie talkie, informing Mr. Lopez that we were here. I held tighter on Godric's hand, smiling up at him, reassuringly. Before we even got to it, the building's double doors were barged open by a tall, bald Latino man in his early fifties, dressed in an expansive looking dark suit.
"Hey, Uncle Patrick." I called out smiling brightly at the sight of the man I haven't seen in a little over two years. Patrick Lopez wasn't really my uncle, but he might as well be. He was our long time next-door-neighbor in my old home, as well as, my father's childhood friend. He grew up with my father, gone high school with him; he was even the best man at my parents wedding. But after Sarah got married to Steve, and moved way to the Newlin manner, we kind of lost in touch with him and his family. It wasn't until yesterday, when I remembered that Uncle Patrick was the Vice director of this facility that I made a little phone call, asking him for a favor, to organize Godric's surprise.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Tinkerbell." He called out, with a wide smile. He had always called me Tinkerbell, ever since I was a little girl; I guess that's what I get for being tiny and blonde. I released the vampire's hand before jogging up the steps to the older man. He let out a hearty laugh, engulfing my petite self into a bear hug. "Look at you all grown up." He said as he released me from squeezing the life out of me. He ushered us, as well as the vampire, into the building, chattering up about how he and his daughter, Jenny, my long time friend that I haven't seen since high school graduation, were watching Sarah on TV and talking about us just a few days ago.
"So, this is your friend." He said with an obvious wink, smacking Godric, who had stayed quiet throughout our prattle, on the back. Over the phone I had informed him I was bringing a friend for especial occasion, but I'm not sure if he realized that my friend was a vampire. But I'm certain even if he did, he is not one to discriminate, nor feel intimidate.
"Well son, I'm sure you're going to love it." The Latino man said addressing Godric in his cheerful voice, his merrily personality coming out, as he walked us into the elevator, pressing the top floor. I couldn't help but smile at him, he was one of the happiest men I have ever met, nothing gets him down, and seeing his happy beaming eyes brings back so much memory.
When the elevator reached the top floor, Uncle Patrick pulled out a little white card out of his shirt pocket, scanning it on a little monitor by the door. The door swished open and the vampire and I stepped out, leaving the Spanish man behind. "Well, here you go darling; I did everything as you asked, and I left the thing on the table." He said pressing his hand by the door, preventing it from closing on him. "Just don't break anything, or my ass is fired." He added stepping back, letting the door slid back closed.
The inside was breathtaking and awe-inspiring beautiful, as we both silently stared at it in admiration. The high egg shaped ceiling was decorated with a sort of very close-up 3D type of pictures of the stars, making it look like we were so much closer, that it was easily and physically touchable.
"What is this place?" It was Godric who spoke first, sounding as esteem as I was. I knew exactly how he felt; after all I was a freshman in high school when I first came to the Astronomy Tower on a school fieldtrip. And the moment I stepped into the loom room, I fell in love with it. In here, the world feels smaller, yet at the same time, so much bigger. Everything feels reachable, accessible, the stars, the galaxy, the universe. "It's magical, isn't it?" I reply elatedly.
Compared to all universities and other academic school, this place is still in the top twenty for the largest and best telescope in the country. While Galileo's small looking glass was capable of magnifying objects about 20 to 30 times, Today's best telescopes have astounding feats—and astronomers are improving them constantly, making them capable of measuring radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, using gamma rays emitted by pulsars radio waves from the deepest regions of space. And even though, huge lenses like those in the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona and the Hubble Space Telescope could orbit and probe the deepest reaches of the universe, this school's telescope preeminent performance is very well known among its close educational institution for its overall light gathering power of the optical system. And I wanted Godric to see that, knowing how he sort of feels connected and fascinated with the stars, but that wasn't why I brought him here, even though it was part of it.
"Come on, there is more." I grasped his arm, pulling him for the hundred times today, toward the large table that was by the computer. There was a dark plastic bag sitting on the deluxe looking glass table top. My fingers carefully picked up the item, before turning toward Godric. "I know you said, you never celebrated your birthday, and I really wish for you to experience and enjoy your birthday each and every year, so from now on, July 29 would not just be my birthday, it would be ours. I am happily willing to share." If I have known the exact date he was born, without a doubt, I would have celebrate it for him, but for now sharing my day is all I can do.
"Anna, you must know that I'm far too old for birthdays, but I appreciate your thought, my little human." He replied his face breaking out in his rare warm smile. "Godric, I know you are far shrewd than I am, but let me tell you, that you are never too old for birthdays." I believe each and every year should be counted, even if it was the worst year of your life. I knew he was going to squabble about this, I could almost see the words forming in his vivid eyes, and so I quickly interrupted him.
"Happy birthday, Godric." I voiced with a cheerful smile, my hands thrusting the dark bag in my hand to him. With his lips tagged up, he accepted hesitantly, His hand cautiously digging into the bag, to pull out a medium size skillfully wrapped present. Uncle Patrick truly had done himself with the wrapping because it looked absolutely marvelous. It seemed like Godric was feeling the same, for he reached to open it, only to stop half way. Like the moment his hand touches it, the whole thing would break apart.
"What is it?" He questioned looking up, making me let out a giggle. "Well, open it up, see." I stated laughing at his childish question. It was really hard to shop for a 2000 year old vampire. Well, I could buy him a good book, or an expansive chess set, but it wouldn't mean much. I wanted something that would remind him of me every time he sees it, even long after I'm gone, hundreds of years from now, something that holds strong emotion.
With a low sigh, he pulled on the pink ribbon, his fingers softly undoing the silky paper and pulling out two framed items. I moved closer, standing by his side to get a better look at it myself. "It's the ultimate star kit." I voiced pulling the second frame out. "I named a star after you." I let out excitedly, not letting him read and find out himself. It wasn't until Sarah's ex-boyfriend, before she married Steve, named a star after her, that I found out that this facility has a license to name a star through the International Star Registry. I didn't even have to make an appointment to do this, thanks to Uncle Patrick.
"You named… an actual star… after me?" He questioned sounding quite astonished, his eyes looking at me in a soft and warm way that made my stomach flicker like there were thousands of butterflies in it. I nodded, knowing he would like something like this, to have his own star named after him. The International Star Registry gift package includes a beautiful 16" x 12" parchment certificate, which comes in a beautifully double matted frame. The outer mat is a cream colored flannel and the inner mat is a dark delft blue which matches the colors in the certificate. The second frame was the Sky Chart, which contained the star name, star date, the constellation and the telescopic coordinates of the star.
His hand traced the beautiful frame, his eyes set on his first birthday gift. It was almost sweet and sad to see some one who lived on this earth for over two thousand years, and not ones have a birthday present. Seeing this, it disappoints me that we, human beings, take the simplest thing for granted. "There is a card." It was the vampire's voice that broke my thought. Oh it seemed like he found my card that was stashed with the frames. I could feel my face heat up, as he picked up the tiny card and started reading my uncle neat handwriting.
Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-browed night;
Give me my Romeo; and, when I shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine,
That all the world will be in love with night...
—Romeo and Juliet Act III scene ii
It seemed like uncle got everything word to word, or he must have googled it out. I looked up catching the vampire's gaze, the look in his eyes, I wasn't sure what it was, but it was making my heart thumb against my ribs. His hand reached out cupping my cheek, feeling the warmth of my blush. My chest was rising and falling with increasing frequency, as the hand that was cupping my face slid downward, stroking across the flesh of my neck, drawing out shivers.
my heartbeat fluttered like wings beneath of his palm, a flickering 'thumpthumpthump' that almost mirrored the unsteadiness of my breathing; Everything felt hot, even my skin was radiating a sort of heat that I'm sure he could feel from where he stood… so close to me now. His head bent down to slowly capture my lips in a soft, sensual kiss, his sweet lips tasting mine. My own heart beat seemed louder and faster than anything against my ear. My tongue moved everywhere, greedily savoring his taste. I couldn't get enough. Everything about him was intoxicating like a drug, making me want more and more, and each time I taste him, I was be coming overly addicted to him.
He was the one to pull back, seemingly letting out a shaky breath that fanned out across my face, sweet and soft and cool. Mugginess hung in the air, which was ostensibly born from physical attraction alone. I knew what this was, I could see the longing now—I could see it so clearly reflecting in his silver-blue eyes, could feel it brushing over my skin; could hear it as he exhaled; could savor it on the air. It tasted raw, sweet and sinful, the way addiction would taste if you could drink it in a glass.
God help me, I'm madly in love.
I shook my head, clearing my throat loudly, hoping he won't notice the blush that covered my face, before turning toward the frame in my hand. "See this," I spoke forcing my voice to cooperate, my shaky fingers tapping on the framed Sky Chart. "This star over here," I pointed with my finger, locating the star on the chart that was pointed out in a red circle, "used to be Hercules RA 17h 36m 47s D 36' 18' 27, but from this day on, it will be named Godric,?" I stated my voice losing its power.
"You wanna see it." I questioned hoping to distract myself. He simply nodded as if he himself had lost his own vocal cord as well.
That was how we spent the night, watching the stars through the huge, built into the ceiling, telescope. Godric's star was slightly secluded, sheltered away from the others. It looked a bit small, like a diminutive diamond, yet it was unique, as it glowed with strong power and supremacy. Just like Godric.
Important note – so I got the Idea of naming the star after Godric because my cousin's boyfriend named a star after her. So I took her certificate, with her permission of course, and alter it a bit to make it look like the actual present that Anna got for Godric. So for those of you who wants to see what his present look like, follow the link and check it out. just take out the (dot) and replace it with a real dot.
http:/i815(dot)photobucket(dot)com/albums/zz72/yifrodit/godricsstar(dot)jpg
Thanks for reading, please review and let me know what you think. oh, and I just posted my two favorite banners, so go head and check that out too.
Disclaimer: I do not own the star, or The International Star Registry. I'm simply using it for entertainment purpose only.