[TW: BLOOD, NEEDLES]

The anger filled her cobalt eyes, her jaw taught with pure rage as the wall behind the girl echoed under the sudden weight. Her breath was knocked from her lungs, the girl's own gaze shocked and confused as the papers she held tumbled to the floor. They were files- files about other patients and diseases that Chloe couldn't name.

Her mouth was dry, like cotton or blood. Her mind scrambled. She didn't even know what blood would taste like. It made her stomach churn and throat tighten at the thought of it. The thought of getting an ounce of something she had only gotten when she bit the inside of her lip.

Beca had her fingers wrapped around a doctor's collar. Her knuckles were white and features contorted into pain. Urgency. She was steady in her movements, lips parted slightly as the woman under her grasp knit her eyebrows together.

"Beca," Chloe dared, not trying to get any closer to Beca than she already was. Her eyes were racing to either end of the hallway- watching those damned automatic doors for any sign of movement. None came. Not in a small town like this one. Even with flu season on its brink it was quiet.

The brunette's attention faltered, but she didn't release the woman from her grasp. "What happened to our little deal, huh?"

"It's been years, Beca." The blonde croaked out. "Regulations have changed. Everything has changed."

"For me, maybe." The smaller girl drew in a sharp breath "But for her? Gail, come on. I will teach her. I will, you know me. But I can't if she dies. Look at her."

As slow breath filled the air before the doctor's eyes slowly made their way to Chloe's. She stared for a few moments, squinting her eyes as she took the girl in. She was slumped in her stance- a hood coving up the beginning of a nasty gash on her throat. There were black veins leading away from the source, a slick coat of sweat forming on her collarbone and dripping past her temple. She was shivering like she was cold, though.

Gail shoved her counterpart off of her, Beca relenting as the woman's caring nature took over instead of her unwillingness to help an old family friend. Beca stepped aside, scratching the back of her neck as she gave a guilty look to her new companion.

The doctor stuck her chilled hand under Chloe's chin, turning her head to the side as she winced in pain. She swallowed roughly, trying to lull the burn of having someone that close once more. Instead of vanilla or cinnamon.

"Fine," She let out a long sigh, "Follow me."

Beca gave Chloe a small shrug as the doctor started to walk with a certain stride towards the edge of the hallway. There were mahogany doors with glass smoky panes of glass. Gold lettering was marked on the edge, words written and meaningless. It reminded Chloe of personal investigators or old-time legal offices. She followed regardless, trying to ignore the icy feeling in the back of her throat.

Gail Abernathy, Technetium. Was sprawled against the glass in the same blocked lettering. She struggled with her keys just like Professor Aurum did. The files were left untouched on the other end of the hallway, all three girls forgetting about the once important paperwork.

"I don't run a charity here." The woman spoke, pushing the door open with a creak. She flicked on the golden light, making Chloe squint as she let out a shuddered breath. She didn't quite understand what she was saying. Her eyes darted to the picture frames on the wall, family and a black lab that had a golden bone attached to the red leather collar. "If you want something, I get something in exchange. Sit."

Chloe didn't know what to do at first, it took a slight pressure on her shoulder from Beca for her to finally lower herself into the seat. It was cold, one of those shitty chairs that had fabric ripping at the seams and a bright splotchy yellow pattern.

"One ounce." She spoke, reaching down to a mini-fridge in the corner. It was hidden away behind some printers and a couple of other documents. She had a hand turkey painting hung on bright green construction paper. The surface scrunched where too much paint had been used- dripping and messy just like the very blood she presented a few moments later.

It was in one of the opaque plastic bags that Chloe had only seen once at a blood drive for the Red Cross, and maybe on television a couple of times. It was never a sight to get enthralled about, yet now, her jaw was aching as that same burning ignited in her throat. She felt a rough pressure behind her eyes as she stifled a cough. She hadn't realized Beca's touch growing strong enough to crack a bone. She was holding her in place.

"You can have this." Gail spoke with confidence as she let the sloshing liquid shift on the mahogany desk, "If I can have the same in return."

"Fine." Beca released her grip momentarily as she begrudgingly started to roll up her sleeve. The leather made an odd sound as it bent under he mercy. She stopped once the jacket was all the way above the fold of her elbow. "Just make it quick, please. I hate needles."

"Interesting," Gail leaned forward a bit, "But not from you, Mitchell. I have enough samples. I need the blood of someone in transition."

"She's too weak." Beca snarled, instantly becoming a form of protection again as her fingers found Chloe's shoulder again. "Taking that much will kill her."

"Waiting for the perfect opportunity to get the fresh stuff will have the same effect." Gail pointed out "Take it or leave it, Beca. It's your choice."

"I'll do it." Chloe finally spoke up, shocking the two in the room. She had been so quiet during all of this. She didn't really know how to speak her mind when it came to gambling. This wasn't for poker chips either. This was for something that Chloe couldn't quite describe. She just knew she wanted whatever was in that bag more than anything. The scent was sweet and potent, her mouth watering as she shoved up her own sleeve- skin pale as those same black veins pulsed right under a soft colored canvas.

"Mm," Gail got a mischievous smile on her pink lips as she pulled a kit from under her desk. Chloe positioned her arm right against the corner of the mahogany. Gail had lowered herself into a seat pushing the leather wheeled chair over to the girl. She wasn't gentle with her movements.

She pulled a blue rubber strip from the little plastic box, tying it tight around Chloe's upper arm. It pinched and pulled uncomfortably as the girl winced, Beca drawing in a long breath. She didn't say a word though. "This might pinch a little."

Chloe swallowed roughly as she closed her eyes and put her head back. It was something that she always did when blood was drawn. If she didn't watch the needle pierce the vein than it wasn't really there. It was just a discomfort that she could shove from her mind. This time, it felt draining though. Like her whole entire life was halting as the little glass tube filled with black blood.

"That's enough," Beca said.

Chloe was confused, it felt as if seconds had gone by, not enough time to grasp an ounce of blood from dry veins. She didn't object though, instead of opening her eyes to the doctor wiping away excess liquid to the purple top of the vile as she placed it in the fridge with her lunch.

"Chlo," Beca's voice was soothing as she knelt in front of the girl, Gail watching curiously the brunette grasped the cold bag of blood. Its contents were dark, so dark that it was almost pitch.

A little plastic tip seemed to stop the syrup from moving from the end. Beca disregarded it, taking the edge in her mouth as she bit into the malleable plastic. It ripped easily enough, filling the room with the most fragrant smell that Chloe had ever experienced.

Crimson dripped against the edge of Beca's pensive stare as she situated the small straw-like tube. She placed her free hand against Chloe's jaw, drawing the girl's attention once more. She was out of it, barely paying attention to anything that was happening in front of her. Exhaustion was racking her body, pain not a stranger.

"I need you to stay with me, alright?" Beca raised a brow as she used her thumb to part Chloe's lips slightly, the girl wanting to squirm away as the first taste of blood finally soaked into her taste buds. It was overwhelming, the copper like swallowing a penny.

She coughed, spitting it back out as she shook her head in a grumbled voice, Beca trying to steady the ginger as much as she could. The blood dripped down her chin as she shook her head.

"Hey, I know" Beca coaxed once more, Chloe hating the taste, but despising the burn that followed right after. It was enticing, her fingers finally working around the plastic bag as she grabbed it herself- starting to gulp down the blood like she had been stranded in the desert for over a month with no access to water. That's what it felt like, at this point, she didn't' care if she choked. She didn't care about the doctor or the vampire who had changed her into this. Not when she finally had the relief that she was craving.

Beca sat back on her heels, letting out a small sigh of content as she glanced back at Gail. Her expression was almost taunting as color started to return to Chloe's cheeks. The warmth never would, but at least she looked a little less like an extra from the walking dead and more like a colleges student surviving off of instant noodles.

Chloe let out a long breath as she finally pulled the bag away from her, the contents completely gone as she finally blinked her way back into some form of reality. Some form of consciousness that didn't have a strong ache attached to it.

The brunette smiled, letting out a puff of air as she wiped the bright crimson from the corner of the girl's mouth. "Welcome back, Red."

[A/N: I really can't tell if people like this on not, but I"m having fun so I'm gonna keep writing]