"Merry Christmas!" Caroline beams as she walks in, carrying a plate of cookies.
His eye flutter open from the rare moment of sleep his body forces when it gets to be to much. He must have been in a deep sleep, which explains both the memories drudged up from the past by the demons that live within him and his inability to sense Caroline before she announced her presence.
He lies still, calming his mind and breathing in the smell of sugar cookies, slightly burnt, if his nose doesn't deceive him.
"Well it's technically not Christmas, it's the 23rd, but I thought I would make bring you some cookies!" Caroline says with rosy read cheeks.
He lets out a soft chuckle, "Why thank you, but I don't think sugar cookies are part of my diet."
Caroline tilts her head, her long blonde waves roll off her shoulder and he briefly wonder's if they are as soft as they look, but he pushes the thought aside as he takes in the curiosity that shines through her blue eyes. "Can you eat food?" She asks the question as if afraid of being chastise for something that seems so obvious.
"Yes, but it doesn't do much to sate the hunger that growls in my stomach that makes me want to rip your throat out with every fiber of my being." He simply states, his stare turning into one of a predator. It's better having her fear him than doing small things that slowly chips away at his walls.
But then she puts a hand on the soft flesh of her neck and he loses his resolve with a chuckle, "Gorgeous, you have blood flowing through your entire body, from the very tip of your nose to your toes, you can't cover it up." He gently teases.
Caroline blushes to her roots, and he smiles at her adorableness.
He decides to give her a break, "I didn't know you baked."
"I don't, baked goods aren't good for the figure, but my mother always says the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and she encouraged me to try some baking. I made a ton for James and thought I would spread the Christmas cheer." Caroline hastily explains.
He rolls his eyes at her vanity, but then pokes some fun, "Whitmore's has been in my stomach countless times, is he trying to get my heart?"
It's Caroline's turn to roll her eyes at his sadistic humor, but she can't keep the small smile off her face. "Would you like one?" She effectively changes the conversation.
He can't refuse her, especially when she looks at him with wide innocent baby blue's that are framed by dark lashes with a shinning smile to add to the effect, "Save me one, Whitmore doesn't fancy his slaves eating before cutting their stomachs out of their abdomen."
Caroline looks a little green at the thought, and is slow to the reply, "Okay then, I'll go put them out and hope nobody eats them."
He watches her long legs as she leaves, thinking about how hard she tries when she's already imperfectly beautiful. His train of thought is cut off when Paul and Billy walk in.
Today Dr. Whitmore does not touch the stomach, and most of his cuts are calculated but lazy, it's almost as if he's ready to go on holiday.
Whitmore slowly pulls back the skin, trying to unlock the secrets of the largest organ of the body. The skin that doesn't age, no matter how much time passes. The skin that leaves not a blemish, no matter how deep the cut.
After cutting the skin, taking samples, and watching Whitmore watch him heal, he becomes bored.
He spoke to soon, now Whitmore is pealing the skin back to time how long it will take for him to burn. Apparently his skin offers minuscule protection from the sun, because before he would feel a burning sensation before the skin burst into a life ending flame, but now the burning sensation is skipped in favor of simply lighting a flame that spreads rapidly. Whitmore blocks the sun, putting the flame out, to observe the healing of the muscles and skin. The stench of burning flesh spreads throughout the room as every nerve on his forearm slowly gains back feeling, but the feeling brought is one of immense pain.
The combustion point of his skin, muscles, and bones are tested throughout the day, each session varying in time but feeling like an eternity. His nerves are burnt to the point where he doesn't feel, and even though he knows this will be a killer later when he is healing, he lets the absolute painlessness of not being able to feel wash over him. Throughout each experiment he waits eagerly for his nerves to be burnt, to lose feeling, to be free of pain. It's sick, he knows, but there's so little time in this existence to enjoy a pain free moment, so he relishes in any he can take.
The hours stretch on, despite Whitmore's earlier appearance of a certain laziness that only thought of a break can bring.
Not soon enough, his nerves are healing, bringing the pain of the burns to the forefront of his mind as the rest of his body heals.
"Clean this up." Whitmore instructs as he takes his gloves off and disposes of them. He just hears Whitmore's voice above his own screams, the brief thought of burnt cookies pass through his mind before the pain forces everything out.
The room stays still, sans his thrashing against his restraints to run from the pain, until the only thing left of Whitmore is the echoing of his shoes as they hit the concrete floor.
Paul and Billy make quick work of his restraints and travel back to his cell, both ready for their upcoming paid break.
Moments later, all that's left is his raged breathing and a girl who writes down everything but their shared conversations.
He wants to look at her, to take his mind off the pain, but the sunshine of Caroline's hair brings a memory of a burning sensation, he can't imagine what the sight of the actual sun will bring him, that's all contingent on the fact he will get to see the sun again.
So instead he croaks out, "I think I could use a cookie now." to get her away so the memory can fade into his mind and his pain can subside.
Caroline jumps up, eager to help in any and every way. Normally her presence soothes him, and takes his mind off of what's left of his life, if one could even call this existence living, but right now she brings him pain. He is too busy breathing to waste a breath on a hallow laugh at the thought of the one thing that brings him a small solace is also the thing that brings him pain.
He pushes those thoughts aside, knowing they will just give the demons the pressure him to give up more fuel, and sits up.
Caroline walks in, with a few smuggled cookies, Whitmore can't know after all, and a hesitant smile adorns her face. She's so eager to please, that if he tells her how awful the cookies are she will probably deflate into a husk of what she is right now.
"I'm sorry gorgeous, but your service is horrible and I will not be paying for it." He teases.
It works, Caroline relaxes as she slides the napkin with cookies on it into his cell. He's starving, but not for this, nevertheless, he takes the cookies and is dramatic about taking a bite.
Not surprisingly they are the best cookies he's had in a while; they are overcooked like he initially thought, and a little too sweet, but all in all there is potential to make her an expert baker and this is the first thing he's tasted, aside from his blood amount, in years.
She looks at him expectantly, waiting on the edge of her stool with her fingers wrapped around her notebook as her to bright blue eyes stare at him.
He eats the rest of it in one bite, not caring about the crumbs that fall to the ground, and smiles at her with food in his mouth. She recoils slightly, due to the unusual lack of manners from him, but still waits for his response.
He swallows, "I'm a little parched," cue Caroline's eye roll and his smirk, "but they were sweet, just like you."
Caroline blushes at the compliment and says, "Honestly, how can I improve?"
"Take them out sooner, and don't go over board with the sugar. But your decorations are perfect." He gives her his honest opinion without being hurtful.
She looks doubtful, so he adds on to his compliment, knowing she will need the confidence if her family and soon-to-be family are as judgmental as she describes, "Your cookies look like perfect trees, right down to the garland and ornaments."
Caroline gives him the brightest smile he has ever seen on a human and says, "Thank you!"
He laughs, she's just so simple to please, it's endearing. "You're welcome gorgeous, now tell me about your holiday plans."
Caroline begins to rattle off, with extreme detail, her plans for the next few days, involving her family and her fiancé's family. He smiles, not really listening, basking in her presence.
She takes a deep breath before asking, "What about you?"
It takes him a moment to realize, but once he does he smiles, "I'll be enjoying my days off of human interaction, by simply being grateful that I won't be in pain."
Her smile is sad, and he speaks before she can, "Don't be sorry. This," he pauses, trying to find the right word, "experience has helped me appreciate the small things. Now go, enjoy your family."
She nods, and throws him one more 'Merry Christmas' before leaving.
He eases into the wall, ready to enjoy his mini holiday from pain.
"Merry Christmas, Caroline." his voice is too soft to reach her ears as she walks out.
A/N unfortunately this will probably be the last chapter of the year, the next one is mapped out but not finished. I hope you enjoyed this and have a wonderful end to this spectacular year!
Thank you so much for reading, I will probably see you in 2017!
Loveklaroline: I should be thanking you, you read my stories and always take the time to review. Your reviews are some of the nicest ones I have ever received, and I look forward to seeing them (: I think I understand, and I do agree! When you find out who the vampire is then you will know exactly when he escapes ;) I think I can do that, probably in Somebody Catch My Breath, I'm a Goner, or I could do a one shot. If it is a one shot, are there any particular characters you would like to see (Or I can do a one shot that is set before A Drop in the Ocean of Caroline in District 4 before the reaping)? Thanks any way. Until next time!