Paint the town Red (Vicy)

[Ali Ambrose]

Pack faster Ali! I know you can! Go go go go!

Ali's mind was a mess right now. Everything coming and going at a hundred miles per hour and faster. She was currently shoving things back into her suit case with rapid speed, letting the vampire power for once, flow all the way into her. She was barely a blur as she zoomed around the house and room for her things. One minute she would be by the bag and the next down the hall in the bathroom, snatching up her things. Why did she have to be so messy? And in her hurry she kept dropping things. Then she would have to flash back to the item she had dropped and continue on her way. She was dropping things as much as carrying. So it was taking double the time. And she just wanted to get out of there as fast as unhumanly possible. Which was exactly what she was doing. When she glanced around and saw that no more of her stuff was out of the suit case she nodded, her brown curls flying into her face as she whipped back into the hall and down to the bathroom because she had left her mothers locket in there.

Even though she was moving over speeds of light, she felt like she was running in slow motion. That everything was slowed down to torture her more. And that it was only affecting her. The clock on the wall chimed the hour and her eyes that were starting to turn red from panic snapped to the chime. She needed to get out of there and fast. Closing her hand on her mothers locket and spinning on her heel, she breathed heavily as her dead heart pounded and she thought back to what had brought this on. What events had led her to this panic stricken run. To make her pack away everything and want to leave one of her best friends......What had happened?.......

-flash back, a day or so before-
"Yo Vic! Pick up your phone! I know you know its me!"

The little vampires voice was light and soft with happiness. She was in one of her happier moods. Glancing back at the mansion where Stephan still slept she chuckled and shook her head. She had just got home truthfully, but she had a gut feeling that she needed to move. And she wasnt sure if someone was following her or not, but if they were, at least it was her and Stephan wasnt in trouble. She wasnt to worried for Vic. That boy could take care of himself. Once the taxi pulled up she got in and told them to head towards the airport. "Well when you get this message call me back all right?" She told him through the phone he had gotten for her and snapped the thing shut and then leaned her head back against the leather seats of the cab. Her dark brown curls were smushed up and a little disheveled. It had been a long day. One where she couldnt shake the feeling that something was coming her way. And her instincts were always sharp. So she got out of there to protect Stephan.

Having been worried all day while she waited for the sun to set enough for her to leave, she hadnt gotten a wink of sleep. And she hadnt gotten much the day before either. Closing her brown eyes slightly she took in deep breaths and then yawned. Which made a hiss of pain slice through her teeth that were clamped together tightly. That didnt help her aching jaw, but it was her normal reaction to hiss at pain. Unless of course she wanted to irke the person torturing her. She would never give someone satisfaction of seeing her in pain. Just like the first time Adam had left, she had forsworn off crying. And she hadnt cried a single tear since. That was months ago. Some may call that heartless but she called it becoming stronger. Crying had gotten her no where in life. And sure there had been many occasions since Adam that she could have cried about, but she hadnt. And she planned to never cry again.

But the jaw was a whole other incident. She had Sevanni to thank for that. "Thank you mister fucking Black." She muttered under her breath and then she sat up slightly as the cab arrived at the airport. She knew this place like the back of her hand. The ladies at every desk knew her by name and were always so friendly to her. This was earlier then what she normally flew out on, but they would help her get tickets. She needed to get to Vegas before Stephan came after her. Because there was no way in hell he was going to let her go again. Not so soon anyway. Walking up to the desk she smiled. "Hey Tory. I need a flight out to Vegas. One way like always." The little blonde nodded and then typed away in her computer and soon she was handing a single ticket for her. The plane was leaving in fifteen minutes and normally someone would freak out, but not Ali. She knew she could make it.

The whole reason for going to Vegas was because she wanted to go see Victor. They hadnt talked in a while and she thought it would be good to check up on her friend when right now things were crumbling around her. In a way, she needed to make sure he was okay. With Sevanni back, she didnt want him in danger. She planned to check up on him and say hi and then leave on another flight the next night to New York in the Bronx area. Looking at the timing on the ticket she realized she would be arriving around sunset in Vegas. "Damn." She muttered. She would have to be careful on the plane and getting off as well. Or she might just change into long sleeved clothes to make sure she didnt burn. Her current clothes really wouldnt cut it. Black jeans shorts and a gray tank top with heels. Said heels were clicking against the ground as she walked towards the terminal she needed. But she would try Vic once more. Opening the phone she dialed the number. "Come on Vicy...Pick up the phone." She whispered under her breath as she heard the other end of the phone start to ring.

[Victor Ambrose]

-FlashBack-

This world will never be what I expected
And if I don't belong who would have guessed it
I will not leave alone everything that I own
To make you feel like it's not too late, it's never too late

The sound of Never Too Late by Three Days Grace woke him up.

Even if I say it'll be alright
Still I hear you say you want to end your life
Now and again we try to just stay alive
Maybe we'll turn it around 'cause it's not too late
It's never too late.

‘Not now! It’s fucking too early for this…seriously! Who can be calling me at a time like this! Inconsiderate fucking a…’

As he was about to finish that sentence, he heard the one voice that probably meant more to him than his own life.

"Yo Vic! Pick up your phone! I know you know it’s me!”[/color]

He jumped out of bed and ran to the phone… but where is it?
He turned his room into a war zone, looking left and right for the phone.

’Come on Victor?! Where is the phone?! Where the fuck did you put that cell phone?!’

Well when you get this message call me back all right?" [/color]

And then the flat tone came. The sound of the beeps just put him down with every pulse. He felt bad for not answering the phone. It was Ali… The one person who he would do anything for. He would amputate his own arm for her! GAH! How could he do that?!

Oh well, he was up, and now was time for him to start cleaning up.
’Okay. Just relax Victor. It’s not the end of the world. It’s going to be okay. First pick up all the cloths you threw on the floor… Oh great. You don’t know what color is which! Fucking fantastic. What else can go worse?! Breath Victor… You can distinguish shades of grey. Just combine the shades, and just place them on your bed. So, first, redo your bed…’

He walks over to his bed. He removed the blanket. Folded it. Corner with corner. Now fold. Corner with corner one more time. And now fold. Place it to the side. Remove pillow covers, and placed the pillows on the floor. He threw the pillow covers in the hamper that was next to the closet, which was next to the bathroom.

’SWISH! Yeah! Still got it! Now… time to remove the bed covers…’

And he did just that. It is a ritual. Every morning, Victor changes the bed and pillow covering. It was something he developed because he found it to wake him up faster. If his mind worked, so would his body, and that was what he wanted. After he changed his bed, he would start a morning warm up

’One, two, three, four, five, six,… this usually goes on to a hundred, so (FAST FORWARD!) ninety-nine, one hundred… Time to hit the showers.’

His mornings usually consist of no sound, except the sound of his own thoughts. Again, something for Victor to keep busy with. Anyway…as much as we all enjoy his morning routines…(FAST FORWARD!)

Damn… time flies. Anyway, back to the story.

Victor had finished everything he does in the morning. He double checked his pockets.
Cell phone, wallet, keys, and knife… Guess I am ready to leave.

This world will never be what I expected
And if I don't belong who would have guessed it
I will not leave alone everything that I own
To make you feel like it's not too late, it's never too late

And the sound hit him again… but this time he was ready. He wouldn’t let the phone elude him again.
’Thank god for Cell phone duplication programming!’

He flipped his cell phone open and with a sense of humor ready, he answered, “Jimmy Johns, how may I help you?”

-FlashForward-

”ALI! Calm down! Ali!! Ali!!! ALI!!!
Well yelling wasn’t going to get him anywhere, so he would have to try the direct approach… force. He was going to hate himself in the morning.

”Ali!”
He grabbed her arm, and with the speed he could do and the time he gained with her body instinctually halting, he twisted her right arm so it would bend down and behind her back. With equal speed and force, he grabbed her left arm and slid his arm through it, and cupped his around her neck.
”The more you struggle, the more this is going to hurt. Please, just relax. Look, it was an accident. Don’t go. Please. I’m begging you. It won’t happen again.”
He looked at the mirror across from them, and he could see her eyes… crimson red. Her mind was in vampire mode, trying to protect her body from harm. He decided to take one more measure to insure both their safety. He pressed her against the wall.
”Ali… please… calm down.”
He was on the verge of breaking… He was about to cry… and he knew it…

A tear rolled from his eyes, and off his chin.
”Look. It won’t happen again. Just calm down. Let’s just talk it over. I’m sure nothing happened. Relax. Please… I don’t want to hurt you.”

Another tear streamed off his face. It was too much for him. First that, and now this. What else could go wrong…
’Her body if you don’t do something to calm her down.

One more tear was let loose…
”Ali… please…” His voice was starting to become weak and desperate. ”Ali… please… Relax and stay…”

[Ali Ambrose]

Right as Ali could see the room where her suit case was packed and ready for her to sprint out the front door, she felt something lock on her arm. And the grip wasnt going to let go. Her crimson red eyes widened and instinctively her body halted so she wouldnt drag the person holding her while she was going at speeds that would make anyone dizzy with confusion. But she kept forgetting that vic was just as strong as her. And that he could bring her to a halt. And not to mention that he was just as strong as her and took her momentary lapse in self preservation and locked her arms. She cried out in surprise mostly and the words he was saying were lost to her ears as she panicked. Him pressing her to the wall didnt help. She jerked to the right and the locket that had been in her hand tumbled to the floor and rolled across the carpet of the hallway. Her eyes werent on that though as she jerked back to the left, trying to loosen his hold.

Gritting her teeth in pain she forced back wails of agony from both her arms and from her jaw. It still wasnt healed over and she had never taken the easy road to recovery. Her injuries always tended to take a little longer and she was one of the only vampires she knew that still felt pain from some things days after the incident. A normal vampires jaw would have been fine by now but hers still hurt like hell. And being pressed up against the wall made her dead heart pound. She was so panicked her heart was beating! And that made some of the blood in her body run through her system, changing her ice cold skin to a look warm temperature. And her skin tone took a slight olive shine as she continued to struggle, only increasing the heart rate. "Let me go! Please let me go!" She wailed and thrashed like a shark in the water. It was hurting her sure, but she wanted out of there.

And then suddenly the thrashing stopped and her head slumped on to the wall, her forehead pressing against the pale white paint. This was just to much for her brain to handle. It was still whizzing and whirring at speeds she couldnt comprehend. Faster then what she had been running at. And that was saying something. As defeat swept over her body and mind, she slumped more against Vic until her body was only being held up by him alone. Her head was no longer on the wall, but slumped forward where her dark curls formed a curtain to where her features werent seen. A small sniffle came from her and her body shuddered. "Please let me go." She whispered and a single tear dropped from her cheek and to the floor. But Vic wouldnt have been able to see that. Maybe smell it..but not see it. Just like she could tell he was crying as well without looking at him.

How had things gone so wrong? It had been fine and happy up until now. Even now, she could still hear him answering his phone as she walked on to the plane to head towards Vegas.....

-Flash back-

“Jimmy Johns, how may I help you?”

Brown eyes rolled and she laughed slightly. "You are such a dork you know that?" She told him over the phone as she took her seat on the plane and took her window seat, closing the shade to make sure the sun wouldnt be coming anytime soon. Not that she had to worry. She had changed already into black jeans and a black sweater hoodie with the hood on over her head. When sh got off she would just have to keep her face downcast until the sun set. "But since I have your attention now. Guess where Im going?" She chewed on her lower lip as she waited for a guess from him. But of course she was an impatient person and before he could utter a word she squealed, "Vegas! Im coming to visit you Vicy! So you better get that guest room ready." She told him and laughed. She was positive he would do more then that. He was one of those people that was always prepared. Always ready. And she respected that.

When the flight attendant came over and told her she needed to turn the phone off and get ready for the flight she nodded and then said to Vic, "Pick me up from the airport at 7 pm! Thats when the flight lands. Cant wait to see ya Vicy! Bye!" once the phone was shut she tucked it back into her pocket and leaned back against the seat of the airplane. This was going to be one of those longgg ass flights. And so thankfully, she had brought her Ipod with her. Putting the headphones in, she closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep after a few songs being played....

Waking up to a plane landing is not the best wake up call. In fact, Ali yelped slightly and then groaned as she realized the sun was streaming in and people were whispering to themselves. But at least she was here! And she could see Vic in a few minutes. Getting off the plane wasnt to hard as it was long and rolling her eyes she let the hood down and stayed near the shadows of the airport since the sun was almost down anyway. The baggage claim didnt take long surprisingly since her luggage, or one suit case, was the first thing off the run way. She snatched it up and then sauntered off towards the exit. She was safe now, since the sun was long gone. Leaning against a wall pillar that was outside where people picked up family members she waited for Vic. She wasnt sure if he had a car or not and so she was prepared for anything. A little walking didnt hurt.

[Victor Ambrose]

-FlashBack-

"You are such a dork you know that?"[/color]
”A) It’s a good sub place. B) You love me for it. C) What’s up gorgeous?”
“Guess where I’m going?"[/color]
”Um…You are going to be…”
"Vegas! I’m coming to visit you Vicy! So you better get that guest room ready."
”HOLYSHIT! Really?! That sounds…”
He heard the flight attendant tell her that she had to turn her phone off.
"Pick me up from the airport at 7 pm! That’s when the flight lands. Can’t wait to see ya Vicy! Bye!"[/color]

Click, and flat line.
He wanted to talk to her and hear her voice for as long as he could, but he would have the rest of today and probably tomorrow. For now, he would have to forget what he was about to do, and get the place ready for a second mouth and body. He was so excited, he was ready to do everything himself. He would have to clean the apartment from top to bottom, dusting anything that seemed dusty, cleaning any surface, moping the floor, and trying to remove any and all stains, etc.… He took out the Windex, Lysol, Glade Air Refresheners, Mops, Brooms, Buckets, Vacuums, Toilet Detergent and Brushes, and anything else he could find. Yeah, he was going all out. He wanted to make sure that when she got here, it would be spotless and clean to the point where she could see her own reflection off the floor. Yeah, he was going to go that far. He was only about an hour and half from the airport, so he had about fourteen hours. Which made sense, because that is how long it took to get from England to the United States.

’Well, I better get cracking. If I want to do everything, I will have to start now, start fast, and start hard. It’s been a while since I have had a guest, and this place doesn’t look really inviting.’
And he wasn’t kidding. It wasn’t atrocious, but it wasn’t a five star hotel either… but that was about to change. When Victor set his mind on something, it will happen. He could even distinguish shades of grey so well if he wanted to that he could paint you a picture with the right colors. Yeah, he could do almost anything if he set his mind to it. ’Thank you training.’

(Fast Forward)

By hour number seven, he had finished the windows, the mirrors, the surfaces and desks, the bathroom, the walls, the kitchen, and the couch. All he needed to do now was to empty the closet in the other room, clean it out, and make sure that room was as spotless as a new piece of paper. That, and he needed to do all the floors, except the bathroom. That one is so clean, you could eat off of it. Not that he tried… then he would have to clean it up again. Right now, he was getting the living room cleaned up. It had been four scores and forever ago since he even did anything there besides throw away what he had in his hand and pick up what was off the floor. He had to get down and dirty to get that place clean and sparkling. And that was no small feat. It was probably going to be the third most challenging thing to take care of, behind the bathroom, which was behind her room… no, not behind… the bathroom and her room were both priority number one. But right now, he had to take care of the simple small tasks, so he would have the rest of the time to take care of the big tasks.

(Fast Forward)

His wrist watch rang… one more hour until he would have to leave to be at the airport.

’Well, I’m almost done, so it shouldn’t be long now. Just set my watch to go off at five minutes before I have to leave, and then continue doing this floor. I just finished everything except the floor, and I have to admit, I’m going blind by how clean and shiny this room is.’

(Fast Forward)

’Who ever said men couldn’t clean to save their lives was fucking wrong. Haha! And I have about…’ He looked at his watch… and was about to freak out.

’What the fuck?! How could have worked through my alarm! It’s only ten minutes, but traffic is going to be a killer! FUCK!’

He grabbed his shirt and his keys and ran for his car as fast as he could.
’Shit shit shit!!! How can I be this late?!?! SHIT!’

He didn’t care who saw him or what people thought. He was running down the stairs of his apartment building (even thought there is an elevator) half naked with a shirt and keys in his hand. He got in his car, started it, and put the pedal to the metal. ’Come on. Come on Baby. Work for me.’

-FlashForward-

"Please let me go."[/color]
He didn’t have to look or even ask. He could smell the tears and could feel the body instinctually work against Victor to fight back the pain she must have been going through. It went against his better judgment, but he let her go. With a single motion, he released her from his hold. Her hair flowed over his arm as he moved away from her, and he almost wanted to move toward her and hug her. He hated himself right now, more than anyone possibly could. He told himself that it would be a cold day in hell before he would hurt her… well, the thermostat in hell just broke a fuse, and hell is starting to freeze over. He needed to vent… He needed to release some of his energy… But he couldn’t leave her alone… She would run the first chance she got.

He finally removed his hands fully from her body, and she fell… like a stone. Before she could hit rock bottom, he grabbed her arm and waist, and let her down slowly. He knew she would want to be as far as she could from him right now, so he didn’t even bother taking her to the couch that was only a couple of steps away from them.

This stress was starting to get to him. He was starting to do his habits. Scratching his head, putting both hands behind his head, breathing problems, and increased heart rate. It was so obvious, but at that moment, he didn’t try to hide it… he had to calm down as soon as possible. He was more worried about her. He could feel his wolf try to take over. Instincts. His body was relaying signs of struggle and fighting, so his mind did what it thought best, which was to turn. He suppressed it as much as he could. He really had to calm down right now before he kills her, and does something very harsh.

’Breath Victor. Breath. Breath. Breath. Breath. Breath. Breath. Breath. Breath’
He knew the breathing wasn’t going to be what was going to help him. He had to talk to her. Even if she was crying, he just had to hear her voice. It was hard to say it, but he asked her,
”You okay?”

With that simple question, he could feel his body start to reduce the stress. He just had to know if she was okay. If she wasn’t hurt. He just needed to hear her voice. He knew Ali better than anyone, and he knew what was coming next, and he didn’t care if was going to hurt him… as long as she was okay, he would take whatever was thrown at him… Anything for the girl he knew he loved…

He looked at her one more time. Although he couldn’t see colors, he still knew that if he could see it, it would be the best moment of his life. Her hair was smooth as silk, and they curled in ways that made his heart practically jump whenever she would turn her head. Her hands were a thing of magic that could make the breath from his body leave and never return.
The one thing that scared him more than ever was the colors he could see… red. Her eyes, cheeks, part of her skin… it was all red. Not bleeding red… but the blood was rushing through her body.

’I’m sorry Ali… I truly am.’

[Ali Ambrose]

Shallow breathing was coming from her body. A body that hadnt had to breathe and most definitely didnt have the heart pumping for over seven years. She may have had the face of a teenager, but her mind wasnt and her body was trying to adjust to everything that was going on. She couldnt understand how this had happened. Why her skin suddenly felt warm, and her heart was pumping out of control and her skin was no longer pale white but the lovely olive skin tone she used to have when she human. What was happening to her? She could barely function right now out of the shock her body was going through. She needed to make herself go back to the vampire state. Not a vampire that was temporarily feeling like a human. The tears that she had swore to never cry were there on the tips of her eyelashes and made her eyes dazzle with water. The only tear she had let drop was going to start a waterfall.

And just when she thought she would have to struggle again to make him set her free, his arms left her side and her eyes widened in shock. All of her weight had been leaned up against his chest and so when he suddenly let go, even though she didnt weigh all that much, she still felt gravity tug at her limbs and try to drag her down. Her body just started to drop like a heavy rock in water. She had been expecting to feel a slight pain when she hit, but something grabbed her in the last minute right before she did and eased her down to the floor. In the back part of her mind, she knew that it had been Vic that had helped her. That he still cared and was taking this in stride. But her mind was almost shut down and she needed to focus. Her tears that she hadnt wanted to come at all then started to pour out of her.

Huddling over into a small ball, her arms tucked under her stomach and her forehead on the floor, her dark curls creating a curtain around her face once more, she began to sob. Heart wrenching sobs that shook her whole body. It wasnt all just from this one little mistake. It was months worth of crying. Everything that she had held in. Everything that had made her want to crumble and cry was coming out now. And she knew it wasnt going to stop until she was spent with the tears. She wasnt sure if it had been his question that had triggered her off, or that her body was trying to take things into control now. But she most definitely wasnt okay. And she wasnt even sure how long it would take to be okay again. She may just be stuck here for a few days, letting her body cry over everything and just let her mind rest. The mind that always had to be one step ahead of everything to keep her alive.

In a way, she was tired of her life. Tired of how she got called out for work, having to hurt people. What kind of a person was she? And yet on top of that, she was being hunted by Sevanni and Hyde and everyone else. Even her best friend Rose was having problems she couldnt help. Her life was one hell after another. And she just wanted it to end. She was just running now. She had been running ever sense Russia. Ali could feel that the answer to her troubles lay beyond her life. There was no point in this little vampire staying in this world and just causing more trouble. Because thats all she had ever done. Cause trouble. For Vic, Nix, Rose, Adam, you name it. But another part of her mind refused to let herself die. It was that nasty little monster inside of her. The vampire that had the self preservation mode. And even now, it was telling her to stop being an idiot.

As the tears coursing down her cheeks subsided to her utter amazement, the sadness was starting to get soaked up by anger. A pure unrivaled hatred. Not that she actually felt that toward Vic, she loved Vic to death, but her mind was crazy and all she could think about was that he had made her cry. That he had made her break her promise to herself to never be that weak again. That he had started all of this. It was his fault. Back in her mind, she knew her accusations werent his fault, that they were both to blame, but she just wanted to be angry. Wanted to throw things and curse at him. So swiftly, she wiped away the tear stains from her cheek and raised her head to look him in the eyes. Her eyes burned with guilt, sadness and hatred and she bared her fangs at him. "Damn you!"She yelled at him and then before he could say anything she was up on her feet.

Grabbing him by his collar she slammed him into the wall and snarled at him. "Damn you to hell! Damn you!" Her voice was laced with sadness, showing her anger was mostly at herself. "I swore I would never cry again. I swore I would never be that weak and helpless. I swore I would never be stupid!" Her grip tightened only slightly and then a rational part of her mind kicked in and her eyes widened in horror at what she was doing. She back away from him once she released him and then kept moving backwards until her back was to the wall again. Sliding down the cool paint she stared ahead with a blank look, half horrified and half confused. She had never blown up like that. Well, only once when she had first been turned but never ever at someone she loved. And she had thought it was a fluke that she had blown up the first time. Apparently, she had a temper.

Finally her eyes went back up to him and her eyes filled with tears again. She let her body fall to the side and noticing her mothers locket she grasped it in her hands tightly and let the necklace bite into her skin. "Oh god. Im so sorry Vicy. Im so so sorry. I dont know what the hell is wrong with me. I dont want this life anymore. I dont want to be a killer. I dont want to be a vampire or an assassin. I just want to be human again. Anything but this." Her eyes closed and once again her body shook with silent sobs. Her stomach was on the floor, her right arm stretched out with the locket in hand. Her left arm was by her side, bent slightly and her legs slightly curled. She looked weak and vulnerable. And in reality, she was.......

-flash back-

Leaning against the outside pillar she hummed quietly and kept mostly to herself. She didnt want to attract attention to herself and she didnt want to be bored either. And she was one of those people that could get bored quit easily if she didnt entertain herself. Which was part of the whole, immature state of mind. The fifteen year old teenager that wanted to just roam around screaming and dancing. But her mind was starting to mature a bit and she had a little more self control on herself then she used to. And so she was proud of herself that she didnt burst into dance and song right there on the spot. Not like it would be to abnormal. There were street performers all around Vegas. People putting their talents to good use and earning some extra cash. Some people of course, she knew did the street performing because they lived on the street and what ever penny they could gain was what they needed to live by.

She could remember a time in her life where she had lived on the streets just like those people. It had been right after she had been changed and only at fifteen years old, it had scared her. So she had run away from what she had thought to be her home. Which she would later find out her true history and fill in the blanks. But when she had run away, she had actually come here to Vegas. So the thrum of the streets and the music littering the walks was like a sweet melody of home. Back then she, had learned to lie about her age and had even went as far as getting a fake ID since she looked fifteen. Living here for a few years on her own had hardened her up. And only when she was really old enough to work, did her life finally start to look up. She no longer had to wear the same bunch of clothes and didnt have to sleep in an alley all huddled up.

Having a home and a job now made her see he was lucky. And of course, she had been more of a drinker back then. Her ID had said she was 21 even when she only 17 or 18. Sure her life hadnt all been roses and diamonds but she wouldnt change it now. It had made her who she was. Maybe she could have done without the vampire part, but that was all apart of the plan the fates had obviously set out for her. But as she looked over and noticed a teen aged boy playing a guitar something pulled at her heart strings. She used to be that little boy. So glancing around briefly, she went over to him and dropped a 20 dollar bill into his case. "Spend it wisely. And make sure to believe you can make it. I used to be just like you." Giving him a friendly smile and a wink she left the open mouthed youth and went back to her pillar.

The clock on the wall on the pillar next to her told her that Vic was late. Of course she didnt expect any less. He had probably gotten caught up in his cleaning and preparing that he had forgotten about the time. More then likely, he would be rushing out the door to try and get here as fast as possible. But the traffic would be clogged up right now. It would be killer and unless he took a back route, it would take him a while. So, she sat herself on the floor and leaned back against the pillar to wait. Listening to the boy strum his guitar and listening to the distant sound of people talking, and the blaring of horns and the swoosh of water and the sound of more music. Sometimes hearing things with vampire hearing was a pain. Hers was extra sensitive for some reason and so it made it even more a pain. But tonight, hearing all the sounds of the city was comforting.

It felt like home. She knew that London would always be her one true home. But Vegas came in a close second. She loved the city and even now, she could look over the building tops in front of her and see the light glow of the lights within the inner part of the city. The Strip to be more exact. Where all the shows, casinos and parties were. She may have to get Vic to take them to one of the casinos. She owed one of the dealers a visit and rematch for black jack.

Count: 1944
Lyrics: Last Night by Skillet
Credit: Mercer
Notes: I didnt think I had typed that much. No wonder my wrists hurt XD And you dont have to match it.

[Victor Ambrose]

-Flash Back-
The machine roared to life as he turned the key. The sound of the beautiful engine of the old model Chevrolet Impala with black paint all over… strong, reliable, and downright beautiful… the pride of Victor’s hard work. It was his dream car. He bought it off some stupid bum who didn’t see the beauty of such a machine. The power, the speed, the sound, the look, the style… the bum couldn’t see that this car beyond what it was to an average person. Victor bought the car completely wasted and practically torn to pieces. For a 1976 model, the owner didn’t take care of it. It was a vintage classic… magnificent even for an old model… or it would have been if the guy didn’t trash it. The engine was shot. The muffler was broken. There was something wrong with the doors and the glass. Side mirrors hung off by only one nail. The trunk was held by an elastic luggage rope used for roof racks. Backlights weren’t working. Front lights were dim, but working to a tenth of their potential. Yeah… it was a mess.
Victor worked on that car non-stop for about two months… not counting all the part hunting he had to do. It was a classic… so finding parts on its own took forever and an eternity. But, determination and stubbornness were on his side, and he did find all the parts he wanted. He replaced the engine with a new stronger and faster engine that fit his needs… his thirst for speed. He took all the seats out, and replaced them with some great brown leather seats… and they fit well with the new interior he had to hunt down for two weeks. A new dashboard, a new radio (one of those state of the art ones that can plug into an iPod and is compatible with Bluetooth and USB sticks), and a new passenger side dash… all in brown leather. He also had to replace the inside door covers as well. He took the car apart to get the shell back to normal, replace the lights, get the hand break and park break fixed, change the suspension, hydraulics, air bags (he added some inside the seats for those riding in the back), air conditioning (as well as adding them in the back)… everything. He practically built the car from scratch… minus the chassis. This car was his first car ever, and he would be damned if something happened to it… especially after all that work. He almost killed his old roommate for coughing and accidentally spitting on the dash. In Victor’s defense for blowing up, the tissues were right in front of the kid on the dash.

“YES! God I love you!” He leaned in and kissed the steering wheel. The car never let him down when he needed her most. She was his pride and joy, and third only to a couple people in his life… Ali and Basset. And obviously he was above the Impala as well. Him as in his life. He would choose his life over the car if he had to choose. Not him as in he finds himself the sexiest thing alive and more valuable than anything (behind Ali and Basset).
He pushed the pedal to the metal and tried his best to avoid any road with street lights, traffic, and cops with radars. It would save him about half the time it would take to go through all those. Normally those roads would be faster if there was no traffic… but at this time… there was no way in hell, heaven, or anywhere else to find NO traffic on the streets of Las Vegas. It was a miracle if you could! The streets Victor took had traffic in them, but not as much as the others would, and it gave him weaving room, and the ability to have his Impala push the limits. Windows down, and the wind in his face. Amazing. He was in a rush to make it to Ali, but he still could enjoy the simple pleasures of his Impala.
He picked up his cell phone and rang up Ali. It was pretty simple because she was the first speed-dial on the phone, and while it was connecting to Ali, he connected the phone to the hands free system he installed in the car so he wouldn’t get in trouble with the cops… if he ever got caught. HA! When the phone made the connection complete and he heard the dial tone sound to signify that the other side was ringing, he closed the windows. It’s hard to talk with rushing wind in your ears and in the microphone. Once she picked up, he replied:
“Hey Ali. Sorry I’m late. I’m about ten minutes from the airport. Just be a little more patient and I will be there.”
As he called her, he had the strange feeling he hasn’t felt in a long time. A happiness he hasn’t felt in a while… It put a smile on his face that could stretched from ear to ear and went from his nose to his chin. Yeah… he was happy. Ecstatic.
He couldn’t wait to have her hang out with him without the presence of that freak of a partner, Stephan. That guy hated Victor ever since they met. Just thinking about him gave him a reason to get angry. But right now, he couldn’t get angry. Ali was going to be living with him. And the thought of that was going to make his life a lot more enjoyable… even if it was for a couple of days.

-Fast Forward-

It all happened so fast that Victor didn’t realize what happened. He asked her if she was alright and the next he was against the wall and on the floor panting for sweet air. As he recollected his thoughts, he heard a faint and scared voice in the room.
"Oh god. Im so sorry Vicy. Im so so sorry. I dont know what the hell is wrong with me. I dont want this life anymore. I dont want to be a killer. I dont want to be a vampire or an assassin. I just want to be human again. Anything but this."
His mind went back to what had just happened. As to why he was on the floor and panting. The sound of the same fragile voice being loud and cold as steel…
"Damn you! Damn you to hell! Damn you! I swore I would never cry again. I swore I would never be that weak and helpless. I swore I would never be stupid!" He heard those words as her grip around his throat tightened… legs off the ground struggling to find some sort of footing… his hands squeezing her wrists as his arms tried so hard to force the grip apart… And his eyes stared deep into the fires of her soul… through her crimson red eyes…

He shook his head and put his mind back into the present. Her eyes closed and once again her body shook with silent sobs. Her stomach was on the floor, her right arm stretched out with the locket in hand. Her left arm was by her side, bent slightly and her legs slightly curled. She looked weak and vulnerable. He ran to her side, pulled her into his chest, and held her. He knew it was probably a stupid move, but he didn’t care. He held her and wanted her to feel safe. He pushed everything aside except his love for her. His caution, his conscience, his fear, his doubt, his insecurity, his self-pity and self-loathing, his logic and reasoning… he pushed everything aside and held her in his arms.

“Shhh… Shhh… It’s okay. Everything is okay…” He held her and rubbed her back. It was instinctual to him to do that. He kissed her head, and held her close… That was all he could do… And he hated himself for not being able to do more.

[Ali Ambrose]

How could one simple tear start a waterfall of them? It was something Ali wasnt really able to explain. She wasnt really mad at Vic. She was more or less mad at herself for being stupid. She had to learn to just calm down, which had never been one of her best traits. But the traitorous tears on her cheeks and lashes were enough to make her want to scream in anger. How could she be so weak? And how could she do this? There was no clear answer in front of her and there was no easy road back now. She would have to stop crying eventually and then try and figure out what was going on. But for now, this little incident was enough to push her over the edge. She had been holding back way to long. And since she gave her body one little inch, it took a mile and poured out everything she regretted and wanted changed.

Her sobs made her small little body shake and shudder and her brown curls were in her face. She had expected to cry out the last of her tears on the floor, but then suddenly warm arms wrapped around her and instead of being vertical, she was sitting up. It took her mind a minute to register that this was Vic who was holding her up. Rubbing her back and trying to comfort her when he was probably just as freaked out. What they had done, couldnt be easily explained away. But Ali was never a person to refuse comfort. She rarely got it from anyone. She was always the one comforting others and so she never worried about herself. When comfort was given to her, she clung to it like a life line. And so when Vic was there, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held tight.

Her head was leaning up against his stomach and her arms remained wrapped around his waist. She continued to cry and take small comfort from him but knew she had to help herself if she wanted to stop crying. But her mind was so out of whack that she didnt know what was left and right. Turning her face into his shirt she shook her head and then coughed slightly from crying so much. "I-Im so sorry Vicy. For more then this. For making your life difficult, for killing Travis, for loving you." But right as those words came out, her eyes widened. Had she just admitted the two things she never wanted him to know? Her tears stopped instantly and before he could grab her she let him go and then got to her feet. She glanced at him briefly and was slightly horrified with herself. He was going to hate her now for sure.

So without another word, she turned and used that vampire speed to rush out of his home. She left everything behind, her clothes, her brush, and even her locket. There wouldnt have been time to grab anything. He would have grabbed her arm again and stopped her and she didnt want to answer questions. And she didnt want him to hate her. But thats the only conclusion she could see. She had killed his best friend. And she had told him she loved him. Deep in her heart she had known all along. Since the first time she had met him. The love had just grown over time, and there was nothing she could do about it. Even looking at Stephan who she did love as well, she knew the love for Vic was stronger. What was she going to do? The man she loved was now going to hate her guts and the one she was currently with would throw her out on the street if he found out.

The lights blurred past her as she ran as fast as she could. Letting the full vampire speed kick in. At times she did this just to feel the wind whip through her hair, but this time was for running purposes. She knew Vic was fast, and that werewolves could outrun a vampire. But maybe she had enough of a head start. Thats if he came after her. After what she had just told him, she wouldnt be surprised if he never spoke to her again. It would break her heart if that happened, but she couldnt change what was said and she sure as hell couldnt go back in time. If she could, she would change so much more then just this one moment. She would go back and change her parents death if she could. Make herself not a vampire. But then again, maybe not. Mistake were a way of learning your lesson. And even if that lesson wasnt clear at first, there always was one.

But why did the Fates hate her so badly? They always seemed to love to mess with her. Make her life wonderful and then pull everything down. Make her want to die and hide away from everyone. Her friends meant the world to her and that was another reason she would more then likely never change her past if she could. Her friends. She would never have met them. Because each one was met through the events that had happened after being changed. Could she live without having met Rose? Nixie? Inora? Adam? Vic? And the answer was as clear as ever. No. No she couldnt. She would never be able to live without them. So thinking of Vic hating her, hurt even more. With all of this thinking though, she didnt realize she had made it to the airport until she heard a large plane pass over her head.

Slowing down, she walked to her terminal that she needed. She would need another ticket, but that wasnt the problem. The plane didnt leave for another twenty minutes. To her, that was way to much time to think over things and way to much time that she had to spend in Vegas. So, needing a breather she sat down on one of the chairs that was placed in rows for waiting passengers. Her head was pounding and her heart was just now stopping its horrible beating. The warmth that had flooded her system and the color, vanished in seconds and she was back to that icy beauty that no human could ever explain or understand. Her brown eyes closed gently and she took in a deep breath. She needed to calm down and just think about this. The plane would be there soon and she would be back in London.

But right as she was going to get up to get her ticket changed for this flight, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She never put it on ring unless she was someplace loud. And that was only if she remembered to put it on ring. Grabbing the phone out of her pocket she looked at the caller ID and didnt recognize it. But she answered none the less. "Hello?" She said. And then it was Crapgame who answered her. Ali knew that the other woman on the line was a friend of Adams and that he worked with her. Her panic rose and she asked, "Is Adam okay?!" What if Sevanni had gotten to him because of her? Sev knew how close they were. But Crapgame went on to explain how Adam was missing. They suspected he was fine since Connie was gone to and there was no sign of a struggle within their home. They just, got up and left.

It was a relief and terrible news at the same time. After everything that was happening, she didnt want to hear that her brother figure was missing. She more then likely would never see him again. Closing the phone after the call, her eyes closed and tears threatened to fall again. But she was going to be strong. She wasnt going to become a mess here in front of other people when there was no need. Maybe this was better. Adam and Connie and their children would be safe from harm. Nothing and no one would know where they were. Not even her and so they couldnt torture it out of her. Not that torturing her had ever worked. When she took a deep breath, she took one step towards the ticket counter and then once again, her phone went off. Did everyone want her attention tonight?

Answering the phone without looking at the number, she answered somewhat snippy. She wasnt in a good mood. "What?" She asked with a snap. But the voice that answered her made her blood run colder then her skin. "Why hello there little Ali." The voice was recognizable. She knew it was the butler from Stephans home. Why was he calling her? Was this some sick joke? "What do you want? Im coming home anyway, so tell Stephan not to worry." She told him, but chilling laughter was her response. "Oh no no no. Stephan is a bit....fried." He said to her in a cool tone. She didnt understand and then he added something else to that sentence. "I set the mansion on fire. Tired of working for that brat. And for you. Poor master was stuck inside. Didnt stand a chance. Later ma'dear." He said and then the phone went dead.

The phone remained in her hands for a few minutes and then she let it clatter to the floor. It of course shattered into pieces and wouldnt be able to be put back together. But her eyes were staring forward and not at the phone. She didnt know what to do. People were staring at her but she didnt care. Her weight fell out from under her again and she fell to the floor and knocked her head on the hard marble floor. The pain was welcomed and then the blackness consumed her. Her last thoughts swirling through her mind were not happy ones. I have nothing. No home, no clothes, no love. Nothing......And then the darkness came up and swallowed her........

-Flash Back-

Ali's eyes were closed and she was just listening to the sounds around her. But her eyes snapped open when she heard the buzzing her pocket. She chuckled and answered it. "Hello?" Of course, it was Vic and she smiled as she heard his voice. He was so sweet. She could tell he was trying to get there as fast as possible to pick her up. "Dont worry about it Vicy. Im a patient person. You know this. And I knew it would be rush hour here in Sin City. So dont worry about it. Take your time." She knew he would still rush though and by the sounds of things, he had his own car. When she had first met him back in Hollywood, she had met him in a gym. And he had walked her back to her hotel. What ever little stroke of luck had brought them together that day had let them not stray to far apart.

She hung up the phone when Vic was done relaying his message back to her and then leaned back against the pillar once again. The concrete was a little cold on her butt, but she didnt mind. It was different to have something else be cold for a change. As the guitar stopped she looked back at the boy and saw him packing up and leaving. She waved to him and he smiled back and she chuckled. Lots of people didnt realize that Vegas wasnt just a gambling city. It held family and caring to. It was just hard to see. And having lived here, it took her a long time to find it herself. And she had only found it because she had lived on the streets. Even after she had gotten a job she had to save up to live somewhere. Thinking about a year back, she remembered meeting Landon. He had taken her out and helped her a bit and bought her a dress even. That had been one of her hard times. When she didnt have a dime to her name.

She didnt need to worry about that now though. With her current employment, she could retire right now and still have enough money to live for a good ten years before she was broke once more. Which she may just do that. Live off of the money for a while and then when she had to, go look for a job again. This job of hers put her life in danger more so then Sevanni did. And she didnt like killing people all that much. So at the first chance, she decided, she would quit and look for a different job. One that she would enjoy. Sure this job had sharpened her senses, but she didnt need them as much anymore. As long as she stayed away from New York and away from Hyde. And even quitting didnt mean she would go back to being helpless. No way. As Vic had seen the first day they met, she was a force to be reckoned with. Even when she was happy. Which was most of the time. She was a happy go lucky person.

Looking out over the road, she waited for Vic to come and get her. She had to admit she was really excited to see him. They hadnt seen each other in a while. And her thoughts drifted off to wondering what would happen on this adventure this time.

Count: 2256 (Holy crap. X.X)
Lyrics: Last Night- Skillet
Credit: Mercer
Notes: I figured I would just add in Stephan's death here. Saves us time. Haha.

[Victor Ambrose]

Flash back
“Dont worry about it Vicy. Im a patient person. You know this. And I knew it would be rush hour here in Sin City. So dont worry about it. Take your time.”[/color]
”Yeah Yeah… I know… but you know me… I hate being late. Punctuality is key. Anyway. I’ll be there in about five minutes. Just wait for me. Bye!

He was determined, having the pedal to the metal. ”Come on baby! Work with me! Work with me! You’ve always been fast, now show me what you got!”
He heard the roar of the engine. He felt the car run on the pavement. The car was an extension of him, and he could feel his baby make him proud. His pride and joy. It was like his little girl that he nurtured and raised… took care of it when it was broken and needed tuning or repairs. In turn, it treated him well, and it just clicked. Now, the Impala was making good on its repairs.
’Five minutes. Ha! I’ll do it in half that time! My baby can do it! Oh yeah. She is that good!’
He smiled as the car turned the corner, and the airport came into view. He couldn’t help but think about her reaction when she sees him. That smile, that voice, that beautiful face. God, she was amazing…
And the smile on his face just got bigger. He just wanted to see her. It’s been so long since he has seen her, and he doesn’t know why this happened, but the moment he saw her… he fell in love with her. It was love at first sight…
Not to use a Stephenie Meyer expression, but it just as the time when Jacob Black saw Renesmee for the first time… When Victor saw Ali for the first time… He felt suspended… but he felt whole… alive… full of purpose… but the feeling wasn’t mutual… she thought of him as a friend and a brother… a guardian watch dog who was there for her…
………………………………………………………………
That was all he was to her… he had to live with that knowledge…
’Oh shit! Almost missed the entrance! And this is a one way road! Got to make a circle drive! Fuck! This is what I get for getting caught in my thoughts. Well, might as well tell her that I am going to be there in about thirty seconds.
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Ali’s number. The dial tone soon came as the cold phone touched his ear. He waited and waited… and when she picked up he wanted to smile at her greeting.
”Hey Ali! It’s Victor. I missed the entrance, but I am making a U Turn. Meet me outside. I’ll meet you once I make the turn. Can’t wait to see you. Oh, here comes the turn! Hold on.”
He slowed down as there was one person ahead of him. If Victor didn’t know any better, it was like waiting for a grandma to make a turn…
”MOVE IT GRANDMA!”
He picked up the phone once the turn was made and he got ahead of the slow driver.
”Sorry… anyway. Give me about a minute, and I will be there. Okay?
Even though he was in Vegas, it seemed like he was living a New York Minute. His heart raced and his breath quickened. He wanted to be next to her…
The last turn, completing a three hundred and sixty (360) degree turn, and this time he kept his eye on the terminal title.
’Local departure. Local arrival. International departure… Here we are. International arrival.’
He parked the car, and got out… scoping the crowd for the girl that made his heart race…

Fast Forward
His body froze in shock. He couldn’t believe what he just heard. The phrase played in his head…
"I-Im so sorry Vicy. For more then this. For making your life difficult, for killing Travis, for loving you."[/color]
It wasn’t the fact that Travis died that shocked him… He couldn’t care less about that back stabbing traitor. Yeah… he found out about him. He framed Victor… His own brother and partner framed him for the theft of all that money… Fucking traitor…
No… what shocked him was the last part…
"…for loving you …for loving you …for loving you …for loving you …for loving you "[/color]
It just kept playing in his head.
’She… loves me?’
In a flash, it was all gone… not the feeling of her love… but her. She flashed off his lap and on her feet… next to the door… with horror in her eyes. Before he could react… she was gone… but not before she looked back one more time.
“ALI! NO!”
It was too late.
”FUCK! Okay Victor… Just calm down. Breath. Breath. Just think things carefull…”
He saw something from his peripheral vision shine. Turning to see what it was, he saw Ali’s locket. The one thing she could never leave… and she left it for fear of him. Without thinking… without even knowing what he was doing… he grabbed the locket, his car keys, and ran out the door as fast as his body could take him. He pushed the pedal to the metal and didn’t care about traffic. If he got a ticket or even caught, getting out was easy. Hack his way in into the system and erase all the charges. He just wanted Ali back.
Weaving through traffic and keeping his senses sharp and ready, he drove as fast as he could. Ali wouldn’t take the back streets… she would take the shortest distance there… and being a vampire, she couldn’t be seen if she ran as fast as she could… and that was pretty fucking fast for a vampire who felt in danger.
Her scent was strong. And his senses were picking them up just as fast.
He didn’t care what happens… as long as he found her… told her he didn’t care about the death of his so called friend… told her that he was in love with her beyond the description of words, pictures, music, or more. She meant the world to him… She was the only one Victor wanted… And now he had to find her to tell her all that…
Her scent stopped near the Air Port Terminal near the international section… but he doubted she was waiting for someone.
He got out of the car, and ran as fast as he could to the international departure terminal… trying to pick her scent among the many that surrounded him. It wasn’t hard, as hers was embedded into him, but the others made it hard to keep it. So he would have to just use his instincts…
”Excuse me Ma’am… which gate goes to London?”
”I believe that is at gate number four sir. It leaves at… HEY!.”
Before she could finish that statement, he ran for the hills.
”ALI!”
He ran and ran and ran until he found her… on the floor… Passed out.
”Oh my god. Ali! Ali! Wake up!” He held her in his arms, panic and alarm visible on his usual calm face. He shook her slightly, trying to jolt her back to reality.
”Please Ali… Come back… Come back to me. I need you… I love you…”
A tear rolled off his face… and landed on her cheek…
He pulled her closer to him, and he then began to cry.

[Ali Ambrose]

Sound. Thats all that Ali was aware of. She wasnt sure how much time had passed, how much the pain hurt, or where the hell she was. Was she still at the airport? It really didnt matter now did it? If she wasnt it would be easy enough to get out. But then again...she could be in a morgue because she had no pulse or heart beat. Any doctor would call her dead. Was she buried alive? No...there was to much noise for that. People gasping and calling for help. She wanted to tell them, no, she didnt need help. She didnt WANT help. She just wanted to go home. But where was home anymore? There was no such thing as home. It was burned down to the ground. Along with everything she had ever owened. Once again, a fire had taken her things and life. Would her bad luck never end?

Or was she destined to relive one horror after another? Never be happy? Always make others happy but not herself? She wasnt sure, but in a way, she hoped she was dead. So the pain could be over. But she was positive death wouldnt be this loud..or painful. There was a sharp ache on the back of her head. No doubt from where she had fallen on the ground and cracked it over the hard floor. Everything was coming back slowly. She had gotten the call, she had felt her world spin, and then black. But she was now coming back. And she could hear a frantic voice being added to the callings. This voice she recognized though. Adored in fact. The one voice she wanted to hear for the rest of eternity. Not that her wishes ever came true. Life was harsh that way. But she couldnt ignore this voice.

So her eyelids fluttered open and she groaned softly as the pain in her head became more apparent. As well as her surroundings. Her face flushed with heat at the people standing by and watching what was going on and she wanted to crawl into a hole and die. But there were more pressing matters that made her own petty wants be pushed aside. She saw Vic there, holding her actually, and he was crying. Heart wrenching sobs that made her ache. "Dont cry! Oh gods d-dont cry! Ill do anything to make you stop crying." She told him, her voice faint and slightly raspy from having just woke up. But he was her main concern. Nothing else was. With a small hand, she reached up and touched his cheek and wiped away the tears she caught there. The tear on her cheek was still there, slightly frozen in place from her cold skin.

Her eyes were filled with worry, and she sat up so he didnt have to keep holding her up. She knew that he would want to know what had happened. But she didnt know how to tell him. So she glanced at her hands that were in her lap. She didnt really want to explain right now, so she would tell him later. She also wanted to make sure he was okay first.

-flash back-

Her eyes went to the phone in her hand and she had to laugh. Of course it was Vic once more. She opened the phone and greeted him in a sing songy kind of voice. "Helllloooo?" She teased and chuckled at the end of it. She was just to much in a good mood. And she didnt mind it in the least. And she could tell he was close because she could hear the engine revving and of course he then shouted into the phone. It made her pull it away from ear and wince slightly, poking a finger into her now temporarily deaf ear. "Well, I think you have accomlished making me deaf!" She teased and then smiled. "No problem Vicy. You know Ill be here. And Ill see ya soon." She told him and hung up to wait for him. But of course, it wouldnt take long.

In fact, she could hear the engine now. She saw him park the car and she let a small playful grin play across her beautiful face. She then blended into the crowd, knowing that would help hide her scent. She wasnt to worried about her stuff. For some odd reason though, a lot more people had arrived at this time. But she spotted him easily and went around the back way to where she was behind him in the crowd. She then snuck up to him and at the last minute she tossed herself at him and landed on his back, her legs wrapping around his stomach and waist, while her arms were around his neck. Her chin rested on top of his head and she giggled. "Hey Vicy! You werent looking for lil ole me were you?" Even though she knew he very well had been.

[Victor Ambrose]

-Flash Back-
"Hey Vicy! You weren’t looking for lil ole me were you?"[/color]
”Yes I was!” He ruffled her hair while she was still on his back. He saw her bag was on the floor, and he picked it up and took both Ali and the bag to the car. He knew Ali didn’t like cars, but he would take her mind off of the car and the driving by talking to her. She liked to talk when she was nervous… that and biting her thumb… but once she calms down, she would stop the biting and relax… and when she is relaxed, she was a lot… A LOT more easier to deal with. Not that she wasn’t easy to deal with before, but you know how people are when they are nervous and freaking out.
And Ali was a worrier…
”Come on Ms. Shadings, let me take you to your temporary home, after that, we can do whatever you want. Today is about you. Let’s see if we can give you a night to remember. Come on Ms. Shadings, let’s paint the town murder red!”
He laughed a little. Pulling the keys out of his pocket, he popped the trunk open and put the bag in. After closing the trunk, he turned his head a little and asked her. ”Ready to get the hell out of here.”
As he finished that sentence, he breathed in, and for a second there, he was stunned.
She smelled… like flowers… beautiful small flowers. It took his breath away, and he felt like turning his head more… meeting her gaze… and…
’STOP! STOP VICTOR! No! Just get her home…’
He sighed a bit, and took her to the passenger side.
”Here we are… Let’s go home.”

-Flash Forward-
"Don’t cry! Oh gods d-don’t cry! I’ll do anything to make you stop crying."[/color]
He heard the voice, and was automatically relieved.
”OH MY GOD! ALI!”
He hugged her one more time, relieved that she was okay. He held on to her… He didn’t care what was going on around him. He was glad she was okay. He went against his judgment, and kissed her. It was brief, but he made it count.
”Don’t ever run from me again. Please…”
He then remembered that he had her locket in his pant pocket. He pulled it out and placed it in her hand.
”I believe this belongs to you…” after she took it, he couldn’t help but pull her back into a hug. ”Oh Ali! I’m so relieved you are okay!.
Again, he felt tears flood his eyes. He never cried as hard as he did now. He was on the floor, holding Ali, crying, and desperate to know what was going on through her mind.
He held on… and he wasn’t going to let her go… He was going to stay by her side… If he had to… he would find a way to be with her for eternity…
He finally got her into his life… he wasn’t going to lose her… not even to the reaper…

[Ali Ambrose]

Everything was spinning and not really making sense to her at the moment. Of course, hitting your head wasnt the funniest of things and even if she was vampire and could easily take that, it still hurt. And made her confused. But there was one thing she was positive about. Looking at Vic crying broke her heart and she needed to make sure he was okay. To dry his tears and keep him happy. She had always been someone that wanted everyone else happy. Even if it meant giving up her on happiness. And she would do it to. Do it in a heart beat. This situation however, was different. Yes she wanted to make him happy, but not just because she was a kind person. No, she wanted to make him happy because it caused her pain to see him so sad. It actually caused her more pain then the blow to the head. More pain then she was capable of holding on to. So she kept her tiny hand on his cheek and frantically wiped away the tears.

He noticed she was awake though and he seemed pleased that she was okay. Did he not hate her? Surely her mind was being cruel and playing a mean trick on her. If this was a mean trick played by her mind, then she would rather be dead. And she knew how to kill herself easily. There were three possible ways. The sun, fire and Sevanni Black. She was positive Sevanni would enjoy adding her head to his little collection. But before she could say anything he kissed her. And it was a tender kiss that she felt all the way down to the tips of her toes. When he broke the kiss she wanted to pull him back but he was speaking again in a frightened tone and she tilted her head slightly. "I wont..." She whispered to his comment about running away again. Never would she run away from him, only towards. If he wanted her of course. With the way he held her though, she had no doubt her affections were mutual.

Her locket was pressed into her hand and her fingers curled around the little gold pendant instinctively. He had brought it back to her. So now she had two things she cherished with her. And one of them was going to hug her to death. "Im fine Vic. I promise." She whispered to him. But her voice wasnt like her own. It was a little dead in tone. She was still crushed over everything that had just happened in the past ten minutes. Or had it been longer? How long had she been passed out? She could have asked any of the people crowded around them, but she decided to just pay attention to Vic. And Vic alone. Once his tears started again, her hands were quickly back to work, wiping he tears away from his cheeks and eyes. "Dont cry. Im fine. And im sorry for causing you so much trouble. I dont see how you could ever forgive me." She was praying that he would forgive her though. And that he would help her through this little bump in her life.

-flash back-

Her smiled flashed brightly as he ruffled her hair up and she couldnt help but chuckle. He knew how to get her laughing. That was for sure. But this was going to be a fun trip none the less. "Well then. Im afraid you slacked on your job. I had to find you." She teased him. She knew he was happy to see her because it was pouring off of him in waves. Just like she was ecstatic to see him. He grabbed her bag and she stayed up on his back and let her chin stay on top of his head, just breathing gently and letting him take her where ever. Of course, that where ever was to a car. She didnt like cars all that much, especially since she couldnt drive one. It wasnt as bad as her fear of water, but still bad. How ever, she was starting to work on overcoming that fear. Staying inside the cars and taxis without screaming in panic and jumping out. She considered this an improvement.

When they reached the car she chewed on her bottom lip and she was going to speak up, but he did before her. Obviously to try and distract her. He knew her all to well. She smiled back at him and chuckled gently. "Murder red huh? Well that sounds just so appealing. And you know me. I go with the flow. And I dont like to pick, butttt...hmm...How about we go dancing? You owe me one and I still need to learn more. And from there we can maybe get a few drinks. Stay out late and just have fun." That was her idea of a fun night. She had done that with Rose once. And of course had a blast with it all. Ali wasnt hard to please though, so most of the time she had a blast at what ever they were doing. Plus, Vic knew how to have fun. They had gone out partying before. It was good to get away. Stephan only ever worked it seemed now a days. And Landon before him was also a work a holic and far to gentle and sweet for a club.

When he took her over to the passenger side of his car she hopped down from his back and then placed her hands on her hips and let her head tilt to the side. "Let me get a good look at you. I havent seen you in a while!" She beamed and gazed at him. He was still so handsome as ever. A real heart breaker. "Yep. Still dazzling as always." She told him and raised up on her tip toes and gave his cheek another kiss. When ever she saw her friends that could change in appearance she always liked to see how they had changed. Grown older, more mature. Since, she herself would never look any different. She would always have the mass of curly brown hair, and dark brown eyes set into a pale china doll face. The face of a fifteen year old, taken right before her prime. But she didnt ponder on that and just got into the car with a slight sigh. When the door closed though, some of the panic set in. She started to chew on her thumbnail and top of the flesh there on her left hand and her right was clenching the side handle with a deathly grip.

[Victor Ambrose]

-Flash Back-

"Well then. Im afraid you slacked on your job. I had to find you." [/color]
"Well, I just got here, so you really can't say I slacked off."
"Murder red huh? Well that sounds just so appealing. And you know me. I go with the flow. And I dont like to pick, butttt...hmm...How about we go dancing? You owe me one and I still need to learn more. And from there we can maybe get a few drinks. Stay out late and just have fun."[/color]
"Dancing it is. I need to brush up on my dancing. Besides, you are the guest, you are the one who is going to choose all the activities. Today, and for as long as you are staying, you are going to decide what to do and when to do it. Okay?"
"Let me get a good look at you. I havent seen you in a while!"[/color]
He posed for her, him looking at an angle, hand on his chin where his fore finger and his thumb made a check mark and the rest of his fingers curled into his palm. His other arm wrapped his body, his hand holding the sunglasses he just took off. The rest of his body he tried to make it all sexy by flexing. His black jeans were lose, but his shirt hugged his body tightly, revealing the body that was hidden underneath a couple of seconds earlier.
"Yep. Still dazzling as always."[/color]
"Thank you, and you, still as amazing, stunning, and astounding as ever."
She kissed him on the cheek, and he hugged her, and spun her.
"I can't believe you are back! Oh, it's been so long since I've seen you. As crazy as this sounds, you look different. You look more mature." He took a step back and looked at her one more time. "Mature and more beautiful as ever."
He took the step towards her, opened the door for her. "Come on, lets get you out of this place. I'm sure you are dying to see where I live." He walked around the car when he closed the door, and when he walked in, he could hear the sound of the steel handle bend and twist under the death grip of Ali's fear. He chuckled a bit, and he reached over and put her seat belt on. Her floral fragrance flooded his car, and he couldn't help but smile. "Ali, don't worry with me, you are perfectly safe. And speaking of safe, where would you like to go? We can go to my place right now, or we can go to my bar, or we can go to a nice little café close by the Airport." He knew those choices would be the best places for her. His apartment was in the center of the city, so from there, everything was a walk away. His bar was a spot where he could introduce her to a lot of very nice people, and give her the feeling of comfort. Lastly, the café was close by, so the drive was short, and with that, he could show her she was in good hands, and maybe just relax just a tiny bit.
'Let us hope for the best.'

-Flash Forward-

"I can. If I can forgive you for what happened in the past with Travis, I can forgive you for this. It is because I love you that I can forgive you."
He picked her up and pulled her closer to him. It was a scene out of a movie. The guy chased the girl, and walks out of wherever he found her in his arms. The only difference is that this story wasn't going to end here. This is where the story begins.
He walked her over to the car. He was about to unlock it to put her into the passenger seat, but then turned around, and started walking towards the city. It was a long walk for a human, but for a werewolf, it wasn't that long. He had her in his arms, he wasn't going to let her go.
"It's going to be a long walk, so just rest and take it easy."
He pushed a small nerve point in her neck that put her to sleep. She was going to need it.
"I'm sorry Ali."

[Ali Ambrose]

His words were comforting to her. She could relax slightly with him telling her he loved her and telling her she was going to be safe and in his arms. She only wanted to stay with him. Her brain was on minimal function and she knew that she probably sounded drunk when she talked since she was still a bit confused. She tried to recall everything that was going on, from the way she had run away from him to why she had let herself knock her head in the first place. Then it hit her again, Stephan was dead and Adam was missing. And those were two hard blows that she had to deal with at one time. And within minutes of each other she recalled. At least she was with Vic. And she realized as well, that she hadnt truly been fair to Stephan. She hadnt loved him like he deserved. Her heart had always belonged to Vic. Ever since she had met him at the gym and he had taken an interest in her. She would always loved Vic more then Stephan.

Her heart soared as well, he loved her back! She wondered how long he had loved her. If they had loved each other at the same time and just hadnt realized it. She knew she had been oblivious and out of it and not knowing her true feelings. But now she did know. Now she knew she couldnt live without Vic. Thats why she always came back to Vegas for some sort of reason. Even the times that she had come here to Vegas she would think about Vic and wonder why she couldnt just go see him. it had always been Vic. Ever failed relationship was leading her to him. And who would have ever thought that her love was going to be a werewolf? Her first love had been a werewolf and now her final love was a werewolf. Because he was her final love. She doubted she would love anyone as strongly as she did him. And that made her smile up at him softly.

As he picked her up and pulled her closer to him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and made sure to hold on. She felt weak and tired but she didnt want to miss a moment with him. Not now that they had their future ahead of them. She would of course have to tell him about Stephan and Adam. Since after all, that had been the reason for her whole knock out. But it could wait for now. When they approached the car, her grip tightened slightly and she wanted to protest that maybe the car wasnt a good idea. She wasnt in the mood for a car drive. She couldnt calm herself down and control herself at the moment. Her emotions were all over the place and she didnt want to make things worse for him. But he must have sensed that because he turned away from the car then and started to just walk towards the direction his home was. At his words though she looked at him startled. "N-" She started to protest and then her eyes closed slowly as she fell asleep and saw Vics face as the last thing before her vision blacked.

-Flash back-

She tilted her head to the side gently and smiled at him. "I guess thats true. Okay fine. You didnt slack off. But I still think its sad I had ti find you." She gave him a small wink and hummed to herself and then scowled gently when he said she would be choosing everything. "Why do I gotta choose everything. You know I dont like to choose. How about we both choose? Even share?" She told him and looked at him with her dark brown eyes and battered thick lashes. "Please Vicy?" She told him and smiled. She was having fun just being here. Just being with him. He could always make her smile and make her happy. He was one of the only people that no matter what happened he was always making her laugh and smile. He was a good protector and she was protective of him to. They were a good little pair and she was pleased she had such a good friend. There wasnt anything she wouldnt do for him.

When he said she was looking more mature and beautiful she blushed and looked down at the ground and laughed. "More mature isnt possible. You of all people know that." She told him with a small grin. "And beauty is as beauty does. I dont do beauty." She told him cheekily and then smiled. But that smile wasnt there long. His words were the only thing that made her let her death grip go on the car. She thought for a minute and then she chuckled. "I trust you to not kill me. And how about...Lets go the cafe and then we can go to your bar and dance some and then home?" She asked him, hoping he would agree to the plan. Even just sitting in a non-moving car was awful and she wanted out of there. But she trusted him and he would keep her safe. She would bet her very life on that.

[Victor Ambrose]

-FlashBack-

"Why do I gotta choose everything. You know I dont like to choose. How about we both choose? Even share? Please Vicy?"[/color]
He laughed as she did her little cute begging face that he somehow couldn't seem to resist.
"Alright, even share. You got to stop doing that to me. You know I can't resist that pretty little face of yours."

"More mature isnt possible. You of all people know that. And beauty is as beauty does. I dont do beauty."[/color]
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so don't make fun of my eyes. Also, maturity isn't just the way your face looks. It's body posture, walk, talk, and even the way your eyes look. You may not be able to grow physically, but there are other things that grow. You are beautiful just the way you are, and you are mature in your own way. So stop putting yourself down." He pulled her closer to him and kissed her forehead. It was something he loved doing, kissing her forehead.

"I trust you to not kill me. And how about...Lets go the cafe and then we can go to your bar and dance some and then home?"[/color]
"Excellent choice. Now, buckle up for safety.
He pointed to the seat belt behind her shoulder, and strapped himself in. He knew it would calm her down MINUTELY, but it was better than nothing.
"Don't worry, I know some short cuts that are practically void of any other vehicle. Oh, and speaking of vehicles, how was your flight? Any connections? Any delays? Did you run into some snags at airport security?"
He slowly put the car into motion. It was slow enough that Ali wouldn't notice if she was focusing on his voice and keeping her eyes on him, which is what he was hoping she would do, since he was talking.
"I'm sure you had to have run into some trouble. I always get caught because some stupid baggage arrangement looked funny in the X-Ray machine. I swear. Those people have no idea what they are doing or looking for. It's ridiculous I tell you! Anyway, sorry… I didn't give you a chance to answer any of the questions… How was your flight? Any connections? Any delays? Did you run into some snags at airport security?"
By the time he had finished his rambling and asking, he already was moving the car at highway speed and was halfway there. The thing is, Victor had moved at a rate that was barely noticeable, and he modified his car to make the ride as smooth as possible, so a distracted Ali probably wouldn't notice anything unless she turned her head and saw the world move before her. In either case, he was closing in on the café.
'Stay focused on me. Not the steering wheel. Not my legs. Not my hand. Me. Me and only me.'

-Flash Forward-

He held on to here like she was his life line.
Who was he kidding. She was.
She meant more to him that he did to himself.
As he held her, sleeping in his arms, he couldn't help but kiss her forehead.
She looked so peaceful.
She looked like an angel…
And he loved her…
When the love started, he didn't know. It could have that night he met her at the gym. Could have been after that at the party. Or it could have been after that on the numerous times they ran into each other here and there.
As he was thinking, he noticed that he was standing in front of his apartment door… which was wide open.
Did he leave it open? Did he open it just now out of reflex?
He'd have to find out later.
As he walked in, he felt his hand out of reflex put the key back into his pocket. He walked toward her room and placed her on the bed.
He could feel his body tense as he placed her on the bed and started to walk away, heading toward the fridge and pulling out the ice bag he usually kept for when he came back sore from the gym. He put it on her head to make sure the fall she had didn't swell up any more than it did.
As he did that, he thought to himself that she would need something to drink…
He moved to his computer, and did something he hasn't done in the longest time ever…
He began hacking again…
He started off from ground zero, making the necessary connections and setting up all the security protocols to ensure tracing his signal back to him was not going to happen. He then connected himself to several computers around the world, to make tracing, if it ever happened, harder for those doing the trace. Lastly, he hacked into the nearest blood bank and requested a transfer of five to ten blood packets to be delivered to his house for medical reasons under the name of a doctor Victor knew of who was on vacation. Once it was complete. He changed the IP number to make the transaction legitimate. He disconnected all connections, but kept the security protocols still running. He cleaned out his cache, formatted his hack drive, changed the computer IP completely, shut down the computer, and disconnected it from the power. It was risky, but it was for her, and that was something he was willing to risk anything for.

[Ali Ambrose]

Tick. Tick. Tick.

That was the first amount of noise that her hearing picked up. Just the level and calm ticking of a clock. Her eyes were still closed and she didnt know where she was. She was trying to process everything before she opened her eyes even though instinct told her it was better to have a look at your surroundings so you know where you are then to be blind to the area when you awake. But something told her she was safe that she didnt need to worry about being hurt or having a look on her surroundings so she could have the upper hand. The surface beneath her felt soft anyway. And if someone had meant her ill will then she wouldnt be on something soft. So slowly, she opened her large brown eyes and took in what was around her. The surroundings of the place she found herself in. It took her a few minutes to realize that everything was familiar around her. She knew every single thing.

In fact, she could have told you where everything was with her eyes closed. This was her second home. The place she felt the safest though to be honest. This was Vic's house. Her brown eyes were staring at the ceiling and she groaned as she realized she was getting a headache. From falling to the floor and fainting. After the phone call. So she was still in Vegas. And Vic had found her. He must have brought her back here. Thats right...he had hit a nerve in her neck to make her sleep. She would have a talk about that later with him but for now, she just felt like thinking things through. Sitting up, the ice pack fell into her lap and she tilted her head with a sigh. She hadnt even felt that. The ice pack felt warm to her icy skin. But then again, how long had she been passed out? Looking around her she saw she was on the bed in her room. But where was Vic himself? That was a question she was going to find out.

Sliding off the bed she placed the ice pack on the covers and then walked out into the hall. She didnt have to go very far seeing as he was in the living room and her room was the first one to the left. He was there in front of the computer, pacing back and forth. What was he doing? She walked in a little further but felt a little lightheaded still and so she sat down in one of the three chairs that was located in the living room. "Vic? You okay?" She asked him softly. His safety and feelings always came before her own. She always made sure of that. She was a kind hearted person to begin with, but she wanted to make sure he was okay more so because she loved him so much. If anyone ever hurt him, they would pay dearly. She would use her training to make sure they didnt dare think of doing it again.

-flash back-

With a dazzling grin she chuckled at him. "Oh but why would I stop when I know you cant resist it?" She winked at him and then sighed jokingly. "Fine. Ill try and not do that anymore. But no promises. You know me." She told him and chuckled once more. Her mood was already very much improved. Even though she was in a car. Which she hated those blasted things, but knowing Vic he had a plan to make things better. He always did. At his second comment though she rolled her eyes. "You always know silly little quotes. Your so damn stubborn. But thats why we get along so well. You actually push back. Not like the others." She told him. She wasnt going on the beauty and mature subject. She had seen a lot of things that made her grow up a bit. Maybe thats what he was talking about. But she wasnt going on to that subject either. Happy subjects were her preferred topic for discussion.

Listening to him rant on made a smile appear on her face and her grip loosened only slightly after she had placed her seat belt on. Vic was a good driver. She was sure he would keep her alive. Not that a car crash would actually kill her. But she laughed and then sighed. "One, you repeated the same question twice. Trying to distract me are we?" She told him jokingly. "Two, of course there were problems. When do you ever go to an airport and not have some sort of problem? I just had pure bad luck. They stopped me in London for a full body check. Apparently I look like I could be smuggling on a bomb." She said and rolled her eyes. "But thats not the worst part. One guard brushed against me and felt my cold skin and then asked me why I was so cold when the night was warm. And then he checked for a pulse. What a nightmare that was. I was able to pull it off as heart problems though."

When her answer to his question was done she couldnt help herself, she glanced to the right of her and noticed the things zipping by. She closed her eyes instantly at that point and sucked in a deep breath. Trying to calm herself down. She kept telling herself that Vic wouldnt let anything happen to her. He was a good driver. Not to mention they had to be close to the cafe itself. Or else he wouldnt have recommended it since he knew she hated cars so much. Opening her eyes though she looked back at him and smiled, trying to pull off she was fine. "So. What have you been up to lately?" She asked him. But they hit a bump in the road and she wasnt expecting it. Her hand hit the release button for her seat belt and she tipped to the left with a yelp. She ended up in his lap, her hands on his left thigh and her stomach spread across his legs. Her face flushed with color for a reason she didnt know, and she swallowed. "I...uhh...Sorry?" She whispered.