Myrnin looked at the clock anxiously as another minute ticked by. What was she doing?
She'd hardly slept for the last two nights she'd been staying with him, maybe she was just asleep.
No. He shook his head, annoyed with himself at his own stupidity. He could hear her breathing, she didn't breathe in her sleep. Of course she wasn't asleep. She wasn't moving though. She hadn't hurt herself, had she? Could she?
No. He shook his head again, if she'd tried anything like that he would know.
Another minute had passed.
He drew his hands through his hair anxiously, ruffling it in agitation as he stood from his sofa, beginning to pace the length of his lab. Perhaps he should go check on her?
No. She needed her space. She needed…she needed a friend. Myrnin mused, she needed someone she could talk to.
Could he? She was safe in the lab, and he wouldn't be gone long. She probably wouldn't even notice he was gone!
Nodding to himself, Myrnin opened the door to the portal with a flourish.
A knock at the door roused Claire from her thoughts, she lifted her chin from the knees that she held to her chest with a sigh. "Not now, Myrnin." She muttered, knowing that he would hear her, regardless of how quietly she spoke.
Another knock made Claire roll her eyes. "I said not now, Myrnin!" She hissed, more volume in her voice than before.
"It's Michael." Came the unexpected reply from the other side of her bedroom door. "Can I come in?"
Her head jerked towards the door almost involuntarily. She hadn't seen anyone from the Glass House since she had tried to attack Shane, she wasn't really sure if it was her choice or Myrnin's. Claire hadn't mentioned it, so neither had he.
She voiced her permission softly, unsure of how to act around Michael now.
The door opened slowly and Michael look around the door, his blue eyes taking in Claire's position on the bed. Her knees were pulled to her chest and, even though she was a vampire, she looked frail. Her dark eyes were glistening with unshed tears, only accentuating the frailty about her person.
Michael let out a soft sigh at the sight of her, he'd expected this, but he'd really been hoping he was wrong.
Before Claire could register any movements, she found herself in Michaels arms, they wrapped around her like a vice, crushing her to him.
Michael's presence had always been comforting to Claire, he was like a big brother to her, and she found the tears she'd been holding back falling from her eyes before she could stop them.
Michael held her tighter, running his hand through his hair as she cried against him; comforting her until the tears stopped flowing.
She pulled away from him slightly, pulling the loose hair away from her face and avoiding his concerned gaze.
"Sorry." She muttered, drying her face with her sleeve.
"Don't be." Michael said softly, helping to brush the rest of the hair out of her face. He followed her gaze as it suddenly darted to the bedroom door, her eyes growing wide.
"Myrnin went out." He answered her silent question. "He thought you might want to talk." He explained at her confused look.
"Oh." She whispered, looking down and fiddling with her hands for a moment until Michael covered her hand with his own.
"He's worried about you, Claire. We all are."
"This isn't me, Michael. I can't do this." Claire whispered, staring at their hands as another tear fell from her eye.
Michael's heart broke at her pained words. "You can do anything you put your mind to, Claire."
"Not this." She croaked out, ignoring the burning sensation beginning to consume her throat.
"Why?" Michael frowned, rubbing the back of Claire's hand lightly with his thumb. "You're the strongest of us all; I've never known you to give up on anything."
"I don't know how to reconcile who I was with who I am now."
"Claire…are you afraid of turning into a bad person?"
She studiously avoided his gaze, all but voicing her confirmation. Michael took in a long breath.
"There are bad vampires, CB, but not all vampires are bad." He said softly, trying to figure out the best way to get his point across in Claire's volatile state. "Do you think I'm a bad person?"
"No!" Claire denied vehemently, her eyes shooting up to meet his. "Of course I don't think that, Mikey."
He smiled at her, squeezing her hands slightly as he continued. "Do you think Myrnin's a bad person?"
"No." She whispered, shaking her head slowly, looking away from Michael again, she knew her opinions on Myrnin had always differed to the rest of the Glass house. "He's hurt people, and made mistakes, but I don't think he's a bad person."
Claire looked up at Michael from under her eyelashes, expecting to find him disagreeing with her, confused when he smiled at her instead.
"Why, for a second, would you think that you could become a bad person? You're the kindest, sweetest person I know, Claire, vampire or not."
Michael brought a hand up to wipe a tear away from her cheek, pulling her back in for a light embrace.
"You can do this, Claire, I promise you."
She snivelled slightly against his chest, taking in a deep breath to try and calm herself down.
"He said I'd tear this town apart, Mike, I can't get it out of my head. What if he was right?"
Michael squeezed Claire tightly for a moment before releasing her and moving back slightly so that he could look at her. "As much as it annoys me sometimes, I've always admired your desire to prove people wrong."
Claire let out a soft laugh through her tears, not expecting that reply from her friend. Michael smiled at the sound, relieved to finally see something resembling happiness.
"Prove him wrong, Claire, he doesn't know you. We do."
She smiled at him brilliantly, taking in a long breath to sooth herself, wincing as the sensation reminded her of the burn in her throat.
Michael's face dropped slightly and he stood from the bed, offering a hand to Claire. "Myrnin said you hadn't had anything to drink for a while. Let's get you something."
The smile fell from Claire's face as she looked at Michael and his extended hand. A drink, she thought bitterly, blood.
She shook her head slightly, banishing the harsh thoughts from her head. Michael had given her a renewed sense of hope; she couldn't let him down before she'd even left the bed.
Releasing a low breath, she accepted Michael's hand, allowing him to help her to her feet, her stiff muscles aching in protest at the movements.
With a light hand on her back, Michael guided her from the room, sitting her on the sofa as he went to sort out some blood for her.
He returned with two sports bottles, holding one out for Claire to take. She took the bottle from him, raising an eyebrow as she did so.
He shrugged. "I figured Myrnin wouldn't have anything of the sort, and I thought you might be more comfortable if I had some too." He smiled softly, trying to comfort her again.
Claire smiled back at him, aware now of the change in her eyes as her body registered the presence of the blood. She slammed her eyes shut, not wanting Michael to have to see her like that again.
A comforting hand landed on her shoulder, squeezing slightly to show some support.
"You're still you, Claire, it's okay."
She took a long breath in, focussing everything she had on Michael; his words, his scent, his presence, knowing that he was the calm she needed at that moment. She couldn't quite put her finger on how she knew her eyes had returned to their usual brown, but somehow she did, and she opened her eyes slowly, letting out a breath as she did so.
Michael smiled at her softly, pride practically written on his face. "I told you, you got this."
She smiled back at him, tentatively taking a sip from the bottle she held.
Her eyes slammed closed again as she tried to control her body's reaction to the glorious taste of the blood. After a few moments that felt like an eternity to Claire, she took another sip, relieved when the strength of her reaction calmed slightly.
Eventually, she and Michael had both finished their bottles, and she turned her attention to the TV in front of her. "Where did that come from?"
Michael smiled to himself, shaking his head slightly. "Myrnin thought you might like it. He knows how hard this is on you."
Claire nodded vaguely, only then realising that the remote was next to the television. She frowned, that was odd for Myrnin.
Michael followed her gaze and laughed slightly. "He made sure I knew where the controller was, in case you wanted to put anything on."
Claire smiled for a moment, thinking to herself, before turning her attention back to Michael, turning to face him and tucking her legs up underneath her.
"How's Eve?"
Michael mimicked Claire, turning to face her also, his legs remaining on the floor though. "She's worried about you." He admitted. "She knows you're safe here, and she trusts Myrnin to look after you, especially after..." He trailed off, belatedly realising that he probably shouldn't mention that.
"After I tried to kill Shane." Claire supplied, looking at the floor. "How is he?"
Michael paused, searching for the right words. "He understands that none of this is what you want, but he's struggling." He ran a hand through his golden hair. "Truth be told, Eve and I haven't seen him much, he goes to work and his room, that's about it."
Claire nodded, swallowing thickly, and wiping a tear away. "Does he hate me?"
"No." Michael replied fiercely. "I don't think he could ever hate you, Claire, he's just…Shane."
She nodded sadly. "Yeah, I know what you mean."