~o~0~o~

"Come on, hold still."

"I'm sorry, I'm just so nervous. It's the first time I've done this."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine."

Jill continued to squirm in discomfort as I stood before her. She sat on a chair opposite to where I stood, her curly hair entangling her cute countenance and wore a regular set of clothes containing jeans and a sweater. Me? I had a stand in front of me with a newly started painting on it, a pencil in my hand. And, let's face it, I smiled.

"It's just a test-portrait, I'm not actually gonna show it to anyone. This is just something to get me back in the game." I said.

Her eyes met mine and a suspicious look cast upon them. "You promise?"

I held up my right hand to my heart "I swear on my life, that this painting will not be seen by anyone without your approval."

"Ok, then." Her mood lifted and I smiled as she started to smile, but then she suddenly stopped. I watched her aura and its colours showed concern.

"What's wrong?"

The jade green that had met my emerald turned away and met the carpeted floor instead.
Jill shook her head and murmured something inaudible even to my advanced vampire hearing.
I repeated my question and she whispered "I don't want you to swear your life on it. It's too sad for me even to think about."

I dropped my pencil on my stand and walked slowly toward her, afraid that the fragile girl in front of me would break if I didn't.

'She's so small…' Everything about her told me so.

Her little body was hunched forwards as her arms leaned on her knees, her eyes facing the floor while her head rested in the firm grips of her hands. She was the complete opposite to Rose or any dhampir woman in general, for that matter. Her curly hair and petite-ness only amplified her close resemblance to a porcelain doll.

'If I touched her she could easily break…' But as those words formed in my head my own voice countered: 'Yes, but she is also strong. She has been through a lot, but still, she is here isn't she? She is supporting Lissa, she is supporting me…So maybe behind the porcelain a stronger material is hiding inside, protecting her good heart…'

This sudden revelation seemed to have taken an eternity for me to get, but in reality, I'd only taken one single step. Perhaps, if you saw this symbolically, you could say that the step symbolized one step closer to Jill and her heart. That kind of emotional crap wasn't something for me to be thinking about though, as she happened to be almost seven years younger than me. Ironically, about the same age difference it was between Rose and Dimitri. 'And I sure as hell won't be a paedophile like him.'

But, hugging Jill was okay. Right? I could be like a caring older brother. And didn't brothers comfort their sisters in times like these?

Making up my mind, I continued to walk the few feet that parted us. Kneeling down in front of her, I was determined to make her feel better. Just as she had done for me two days earlier. Since that day, all I could do was to smile whenever I'd been around her. Not just smile, twitching my lips up in a grimace, but really smile.

The hardest part of the process of my recovering (that involved getting over the several messed up cases containing betrayal, murder and lies) was over, I guess. All thanks to her. My own little baby-sister, porcelain therapist. What I hoped for now was to help with her problems in return. 'Although, it's kinda weird that the thing I'm trying to help her with is her concern for me…'

Shaking my head and sighing, while kneeling, I said "You are unbelievable."

After her head had lifted enough for us to make eye-contact and before she was able to determine if I'd been insulting or complementing her, I pulled her in my arms. I can barely describe it; all I can say is that pulling away would take a hell lot of effort…

She gasped, startled, clearly taken aback. Nonetheless, her arms were soon joining mine, completing our embrace. Her curls were everywhere, spreading their strawberry scent, intoxicating me. I seemed to be clinging on to her for comfort not the other way around.

I couldn't help but to feel a little smug inside. Her little crush on me (Yeah, I knew about it. She might be the kindest person I knew, but not the most discreet) might make her think that this was nothing more than a hug to me, not wanting to get her hopes up. That was what I hoped for at least.

Because otherwise, it wouldn't take much for her to persuade me into doing something stupid. Something really, really stupid. Something that brothers should not be doing with their sisters…

"Adrian, why did you stop painting?"

Turning my head a bit, I caught a glimpse of the stand with my painting that Jill had been looking at over my shoulder. We were still hugging, but apparently her thoughts hadn't taken the same direction as mine by it.

Grinning, I said" Because you can't drink paintings."

"Hey! I'm serious!" Though her tone indicated that she was, I still could feel her giggle a bit.

I shrugged" I don't really know. I've always enjoyed it; drawing, painting, making sculptures.
But as I began to develop my Spirit-powers and went to college, I just couldn't do it anymore.
It just became too…difficult." I said.

Jill gave a small "aha" and then continued "But you do love it, don't you?"

I could feel myself smiling. Just as I did every time she knew something about me, that I amazingly enough, didn't. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess I do."

"I knew it." She said, a little smug. "When you began painting today, I could see that holding paintbrush made you feel a little complete. You were practically glowing."

Astonishment made its way through me. Sure, I'd felt a kind of relief when holding the pencil, felt more like my older self again. The one before the spirit and liquor. It was starting to get kind of spooky how well Jill figured me out… My former, dangerous thoughts were emerging again.

I pulled my head back, so I could get a look on her face. It was red. I gave a small laugh. It was so typical Jill. Serious while still being nervous and so innocent.

My blood rushed and my heart thumped like crazy. The silence in that lingered in the room was interrupted by my increased breathing. She was so close. Her beautiful eyes, her curly hair that almost covered them entirely. And her lips, inches from mine. While cupping her face with my hands, I leaned forward and felt her body freeze.

"Adrian, what are you-" Midsentence, her eyes widened in surprise. My eyebrows pulled together in confusion as I watched her. Then I realized she was looking past me, at the door. Where Eddie stood.

'If looks really could kill…I'd be dead now…'

Jill immediately sprung up to her feet, so fast she almost knocked me down as she did, and sped towards him. "Eddie. Hi. Is it already time for my meeting with Lissa?" She'd spoken hastily and was obviously trying to keep a casual tone to hide her embarrassment, but failed.

Eddie, however, acted cool. "Yes, your sister is waiting for you in the eastern wing."

"Oh, you mean by the-"

"Yes."

She gave him a small smile which he (to my amazement) returned.

"Ok, I'll be going then." She turned to me. "Um, sorry, Adrian, I really have to go.
Maybe I can help you with your painting some other time maybe?" She gave me one of her nervous smiles.

I stood up and lightly brushed off the tiny specks off dust that plastered against my pants when I'd kneeled down next to Jill. "Sure." I said. "Whatever time is appropriate for you to help me paint is okay." , I said to tease Eddie (Which he obviously noticed, since he cleared his throat, clearly stating that whatever it had looked like we'd been doing had been anything but painting)

Jill, oblivious to mine and Eddie's exchange, relaxed a bit. "Good. I hope I'll have time soon."

I nodded." Me too. "

Smiling, she waved us goodbye and exited out of the door, leaving me and Eddie alone.

An awkward silence lingered in the room. I decided to not pay any attention to him. If he had anything to comment, he should just spit it out. As I began to put my painting things away, Eddie finally decided to break the silence.

"I really meant what I said the other day. You know, about you not being a bad guy. I really meant it. Even though you looked like hell at the time. But, this" he motioned with his arm at me. "What you're doing right now with Jill; that really made me reconsider."

I felt my temper rising. "Hey, man. I didn't do anything-"

Eddie glared at me, his brows pulling closer, almost forming into one. "One second later and it could've been." He said. "For God's sake, Adrian, it's Jill! She's been through more than you know, but she is too good to admit it to anyone. She doesn't need this. So, just try to back off."

Spirit or no spirit, I still think I would've answered the same, stupid way. "Make me."

Eddie walked towards the door, stood by it for a while. Not even looking back. "Do something to hurt her, and I will." And without another word he gently closed the door behind him as he walked out. Eddie's reaction hadn't been what I'd expected. In my imagination, his response would've been a fist in my face...

~o~0~o~

A/N: End of ch 3!
I hope you're enjoying the tales of Adrian and hold on until the next one, cause it might take a while for the next chapter :'(
I'm so sorry! But I have a test coming up and piles of homework, but if I have any time over, I'll spend it on writing!
So, will Adrian leave Jill be, after having been warned by Eddie? Find out in the next chapter!
See you and please review!