Can You Hear Me? (Reina)

[tabby]

Reina nodded, of course he would have guessed that something had happened before his attack. He didn't seem stupid and a family problem wouldn't be a big leap for anyone to make. Though she was a little embarrased. No one liked for people to know their dirty little secrets, and her's was being advertised for all to see.

She wasn't sure how she felt about vampires being real. Part of her was scared but another part was relieved that she had at least found out when she would be able to defend herself. The more he mentioned the slice about losing control on full moon's, the more scared she got. Of course, it was kinda like being a girl, only ten times worse. Once a month you lost complete control of your mind and could end up hurting people close to you. She was also worried that she might meet one of the vampires that didn't like werewolves. She assumed that they would be able to tell.

"Oh, um, don't worry about me. My dad has a bank account set up for me, it's gotten quite fat after years of not using my allowance. So I can just take the money from that. Um, but I might have to take you up on that offer until I find a place that suits me." She thought about the fact that she was leaving her father behind, her brother she wasn't so worried about, but her father might fall even further into the darkness with her gone. She didn't realize it but tears had started to flow as she thought about her father.

[landon]

Landon felt uncomfortable watching her cry, he wasn't sure what caused it, but he was pretty sure it had something to do with now being a werewolf. He knew it wasn't the easiest thing to wrap your mind around.

He reached out and wiped her tears away, "You can stay with me as long as you need to," Landon said simply, he wouldn't mind the company on the occasions when he was home. Though he would be cancelling his next work assignment, he had to make sure he was home when the full moon came out. "I'll watch out for you, and you have a bit more time to deal with the concept.. full moon isn't for another eight days." He was all to painfully aware of moon phases.

"Besides me.. if you don't mind my asking... who hurt you?" He was almost desperate to know, sure he'd damaged her himself, taken away hopes of a normal life, but he was angered that someone else would hurt her, of their own will, to hurt a child. Perhaps it was because of his own guilt, maybe because she was kind of like his pup now. The thought bothered him a bit, he didn't think he was good enough to be someones parental figure. He dismissed it, figuring the odds of her thinking of him that way were at low odds.

[tabby]

Reina sniffed when he wiped her tears away. "I'm sorry." She was thankful that he was helping her out this way. She knew that he didn't have to and that most like him probably wouldn't do so. She relished the time before she would turn for the first time. She still needed to wrap her head fully around the concept. It really was not easy, but she figured that he knew that. So she wasn't about to point it out or make what he was doing hard for him. She would do her best not to cause him any trouble.

She blushed at his question. "Um..." She hesitated, it hurt to admit it. "My brother...he um, ever since my mom died, he's been really angry. My dad just kinda...got lost in himself, and no one could bring him back. My brother started to take his problems out on me. At first it was just verbally and emotionally, but then he started to...to hit me." Her voice got softer and softer as she spoke. "That's what happened, he gave me the bruises and a couple of the smaller wounds. Then I ran away and I guess that's when I found you. I don't really remember what happened. I think he hit my head, cause all I remember is leaving the house."

[landon]

Landon frowned, he hated men who thought they were tough, but then turned around and hurt the women in their life. He shook his head sadly, "i'm sorry to hear that." He wasn't sorry that this gave her a good excuse to start over; too keep away from that that had been hurting her.

He looked over her bandages, "it'll take a few days to heal," he murmmered, "you heal faster as a wolf, not as fast as a vampire, and mortal things can still kill you, don't start thinking you are all immortal." He didn't want her to go back to her family, they were toxic to her, he hoped she would be strong, able to let go. Even though his family only messed him up a bit emotionally he didn't want to go back, sure he occasionally wondered what they were doing, wondered if they missed him. Never had enough curiosity to go back and check. He dropped off the grid when he was eighteen. He never went back to his family, never wrote, nothing.

[tabby]

Reina nodded. She was prepared for the healing time, she'd had bad accidents before. She hadn't been exactly graceful when she was younger. There had been one instance when she had fallen down three flights of stairs. She had no idea how she'd managed it but she had. So she was no stranger to pain, or to healing from it. At least all she had was cuts and bruises, broken bones were the worst. She nodded again when he pointed out that she wasn't immortal, she hadn't even begun to think that. But she figured that it was a good thing he told her. So she would know her boundaries.

"I want to ask a favor of you. If I start saying I want to go back to my family, can you stop me? I may end up feeling like I need to see them again, but if I do that they'll draw me back in and someone will get hurt." She sighed, she hated that it was going to have to come to this, but she knew that if she didn't take percautions she would be drawn back to her old life. "Can you do that for me?" She looked him straight in the eyes. She had a good feeling he would agree, be happy to in fact, but she wanted him to know that this was her way of showing she trusted him.

[landon]

Landon was sitting uncomfortable, not his seat, but the fact of being with the girl, so young-damaged at both his hand and the hand of another. She was taking this suprisingly well. He wondered how he would take it had the werewolf that turned him had stayed; Landon wasn't much of a fighter but he had no doubts that he'd be angry, not understanding the curse himself till the full moon.

"If I ever hear you say that, I'll find a way to knock some sense into you," he said with a fleeing smile, "just don't do anything stupid while i'm working in other countries, alright?" That was the last thing he needed, to come home after all of this, after working, after horrible jet lag, and find the girl he'd changed hurt... or worse. He didn't know if she trusted him, it was probably just she didn't have anyone else; he was the option by default. It didn't really matter though he was happy she was putting a little faith in the monster that had attacked her.

[tabby]

Reina couldn't help but wince at his wording. Her brother had said that to her a lot.

Girl, you're acting stupid. I gotta knock some sense into you. Come on Reina-Bear, I know you're smarter than that. He had even used her father's nickname for her, sneered it at her before he'd struck her down. He had always hated that she was Daddy's little girl, while he had been Mom's pet. She almost put the blame on her father. Because all Laurent had ever wanted was to be loved and to feel wanted. Her father had been too busy spoiling Reina for that to happen.

She hoped he wouldn't notice her wince, she'd played up her sob story enough already, she didn't want to make him feel worse. "So umm, what is it you do exactly?" She was confused by his comment about working in other countries and she also wanted to know what kind of work was safe for werewolves, since eventually she would have to work. Her bank account might be fat but it wouldn't last forever.

[landon]

"Journalist," he replied, "travel writer, I go to tourist hot spots, test out resteraunts, hotels, bars, shops, amusment parks, all that stuff and write about it. Keeps me from... always being in the same spot when I turn," he admitted. "If you wanted, you could come with me," he said wondereing if she was asking because she had a fear of being alone.

Writing had always been easy for him, he was good with words. He could admit on good days that his parents pushing him helped him perfect his art. On bad days he could blame them for his semi-anti-social status, self-conciousness, and always thinking what he did just wasn't good enough. On bad days he thinks he should have pushed himself farther to live up to his parents acpectations. After what happened having a family seemed impossible, as much as he had disagreed with his parents, his family. No matter how much the put him down, he wouldn't wish them hurt. Especially by his own hand.

[tabby]

Reina smiled at his offer. "Really? That might be fun. I've never been out of Paris. Though, I should probably stay out of the first few." She looked down at her bruises. "Wouldn't want to slow you down. But thank you, I'm excited now!" Her grin was wide and sincere and she actually was happy. Despite everything she was glad that she had met Landon. He was nice to her, and he was staying to help her. She had to respect him for that.

She let out a yawn and snuggled back down in the bed. "Um...I'm kinda getting tired. Is there anything else you need to tell me? Any other words of wisdom to impart to me? Cause if not, I think I'll go back to sleep." Her eyes were droopy already and it probably wouldn't be long before she drifted off.

[landon]

He ran a hand over her hair before fishing out a calling card he used; it had his name, address, phone number, cell phone number, and email, "call me if you need anything at all," he said slipping it into her hand. "I mean it, and I have a spare room; you need it its yours just call me when your better and I'll pick you up alright?"

He felt odd leaving her alone in a hospital. In all actuality he wasn't her father, and most likely the hospital would eventually figure that one out. He hoped her acual father or brother would show up in his absence. "Sweet dreams," he said quietly; she looked like she was already asleep as he backed toward the door silently.

[tabby]

Reina took the card and clutched it like a lifeline in her hand. "I might even call you before than. You're basically the only person I know now. You're my only friend." She smiled groggily up at him and watched him back towards the door. "Thank you Landon, I hope so."

She closed her eyes, content to let him go or stay as he pleased. She snuggled into the bed, wrapped her arms around herself, briefly ignoring the pain. With a final sigh she slipped into a blissful, though at times painful, sleep.