Waiting

[Saiketsu]

In the moment she hesitated a great swell of warmth flooded him as she stumbled through her words, only to be left aching at the end of them. He had thought - no, hoped - that she would tell him in that moment what three words plagued him too. I love you, Damien. He hadn't realized how sincerely he wanted to hear it before he imagined the words coming from her mouth. But she chose her words differently - I'll miss you - and he wondered how much she meant one and not the other.

Foolish, really. There was no room for the philosophy of love now, not when they had so much on their plates. Proclamations of love would do nothing but cloud the mind and make tonight harder. Besides, they weren't supposed to be in love.

"I will be," he promised with as much security as he could muster, resting his forehead against hers. He breathed in her scent and blocked out everything but the sped up beating of her heart as he held her. Damien worried less about himself than for Pierre and Rachel. To fight off his fear, he thought of Lisa-Joe, and the other Anarchs who called this place headquarters, the mysterious witch whose magic kept it safe, and even the stoic Sheriff Luke, whom was built more solidly than Pierre. He needed to be out there helping Jake. "You stay safe. Stay away from all the doors until I get back. Keep your phone and your tracker on. You can watch where I am on that app, okay?" He wrapped her in his arms again and gave her his last kiss of the night. "I will be back. With Jake and Sam."

When she had given him her goodbye, he kissed her hand and turned towards the door. With difficulty, he didn't turn back and made his way to the Lexus outside and headed east.

[The Cedar Witch]

With blurred vision she watched him leave, the pull in her chest following him straight out the door and straining tremendously against the distance between them.  Blinking, she turned back to the others and steeled herself against the urge to cry. 

He's going to be okay.  He said to watch the app.  It's going to be fine, everything's going to be fine.

After a few shallow breaths, she shuffled back to the bar despite the sensation like lead that glued her feet to the floor.  "Can--"  she cleared her throat, making her best efforts to not sound so squeaky or too quiet-- "can I get a glass of water?"  Her gaze fell on Quinn, right hand fumbling for her phone so she could pull up the tracking app that Damien showed her before they went into the Rabbit.  Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry.  She glanced down and made four unsuccessful attempts to unlock her phone with her fingerprint before slamming it down on the bar, desperate whine caught in her throat.

[Saiketsu]

"Yeah, of course." Quinn moved briskly back behind the bar, dug up a glass from beneath the counter and made her an ice-water from the tap. Instinctively, he placed a napkin down under the glass like he would any other drink. He watched silently as she slammed her phone down on the bar, feeling like he were interrupting something. He wanted to know what happened, what exactly had been done to cause all the turmoil and chaos but didn't know where to begin, or even if it was appropriate to ask at that very moment. He gathered not, so his intense curiosity and prickling fear remained blended together in his chest as he gave her a moment with her thoughts.

---

Pierre watched Damien leave with a growing sense of trepidation, but said and did nothing. Instead he turned back to his drink and eyed Rachel as she became a mess on the chair. He reached out and rubbed her shoulder in a brotherly kind of way, something that felt as comforting to him as he meant for her. Damien was his sire, after all, and he was the only one alive who had supported Pierre through thick and thin. The idea of him running into a trap and meeting a permanent end sat uncomfortably within him. He, however, wasn't able to show such things around Rachel, the only person who knew Damien better than he did. No, for Rachel he had to be stoic, calm, and controlled like always. It would be Pierre's job to keep her safe, should something happen to Damien.

But he didn't want to think about that right now.

"Come on, Rache," he encouraged softly. "We can't dwell on this. The night will never end." He smiled but it felt fake and he doubted Rachel would fall for it now.

"Do you want something harder than that?" Quinn suggested cautiously from behind the bar, a ribbon of subtle humor in his tone. Pierre frowned, unsure that drinking would be a wise decision, considering the circumstances. He looked at Rachel with a furrowed brow.

"I don't know if that's a good idea..." He wasn't fully convinced it wasn't, either.

"Just something to take the edge off," the human bartender replied, his attention pointed at Rachel. Pierre watched as his face lit up and he ducked in closer to Rachel to speak, though Pierre could clearly hear him in a room so quiet. Fortunately there were only humans down here, two old ones at the opposite end of the bar who sipped beer from frosted mugs and watched whatever sport was on the television. "I have a bit of Northern Lights packed, too, if you're interested."

Pierre's frown deepened as he eyed Quinn. Drinking was one thing, but smoking? Damien had specifically stated not to leave the Rabbit under any circumstances. Pierre had seen an inebriated Rachel and wasn't keen on babysitting like that again tonight, especially not under such circumstances. He said nothing more, pretending not to have heard Quinn until Rachel made it clear in what direction she was willing to go.

[The Cedar Witch]

Pierre's touch was comforting, and she responded with a half-hearted smile equally as ingenuine.  His words felt obligatory.  How could she not dwell?  How could he not dwell? 

To Quinn's first question, Rachel shook her head and sipped slowly at the water.  All current nausea aside, alcohol wasn't something she typically reached for to cope.  Pierre's comment made her flush hotly behind the glass, anger flaring into her expression for the briefest of moments.  The memory of her getting trashed when Jake and Lisa-Joe were over was still fresh in her mind, and in his no doubt.  Did he think that she'd have a repeat of that now? 

Rachel said nothing, glancing up as Quinn came closer to talk (did he forget that vampires had ridiculously heightened hearing?).  "No," she answered softly, "I'm not in the right headspace for that."  She didn't want to risk heightening her sense of paranoia.  Grimacing, she looked down at her phone again.  "Thanks though," she added quickly, looking back up at her friend briefly to offer a tight apologetic smile.  This time when she attempted to unlock her phone, it worked despite the slight tremor in her hands.  Shoulders dropping in silent relief, she pulled up the app to verify it was working (which it was).  She ran a hand through her hair and sighed through her nose. 

"I fucking hate this right now," she clutched the phone in her hand, glanced down again at the app, set it down on the bar and looked to Pierre.  Dark thoughts pressed in, reminding her that Pierre had almost died because of her, that Damien was probably walking into the same exact situation because of her.  The need to apologize to him again overwhelmed her, but she squeezed her lips into a tight squiggle instead. 

[Black Philip]

A guttural scream came from Lisa-Joe's office, followed by a loud bang that could only be wall breaking. Then there was silence. The voice had clearly been her own, but now it was so quiet it was like nothing happened at all.

[Saiketsu]

He was on his feet between Rachel and the noise issuing from the office before the humans in the bar even registered it happening. Pierre instinctually put his back against Rachel, blocking her from any would-be threats while the skin on the back of his neck prickled and his eyes fixated in the direction of the office.

"What the hell was that?" Quinn asked worriedly and made to go around the bar to investigate. Behind him, Pierre could hear both of the humans' hearts pounding in their chests. Even the old humans at the other end of the bar, who had been wrapped up in the watching of a basketball game and sipping their beers, looked up and towards the office with an expression and mumble of concern.

Pierre threw out an open palm at the bartender, glancing sideways at him but keeping Rachel within his peripheral view, his back against her shoulder as she cowered in the chair. "Don't go anywhere," Pierre commanded and thankfully the human stopped mid stride. Quinn's expression read of concern and debate, and even without being able to read the human's mind his body language told Pierre that he was considering disobeying. "Get someone else to check it out." His tone left no room for debate and he watched as the human returned to his place behind the bar.

---

He could feel his blood in his ears, hot in his skin despite the chills that ran down his spine. Now something was happening with Lisa-Joe? Quinn looked from Pierre to a terrified Rachel and back. Was Pierre serious? He couldn't just leave her if she was in trouble... But what good was he if this was that demon? The threat towards Rachel was forced into a sharp relief of realness now that there was a vampire guarding Rachel, telling him what to do as he stood helpless behind the bar. If he left to go check on LJ, would he fall into some master villainous plan and end up causing Rachel more pain? Or end up dead? He swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, his thoughts flickering briefly over the people he would be leaving behind if he made such a decision. Or would he have to leave Lisa-Joe to potentially handle herself?

But she was a vampire. He had watched her put grown men and many a young vampire in their place without breaking the proverbial sweat. What the hell could he do to help her if she was in trouble? It was this Pierre who had a better chance at actually doing something to help her if she needed it. But Pierre's leaving would make him and Rachel vulnerable to mayhem if it was all just a distraction to get Rachel.

What should he do? Manuel and Tyler had gone to the Carnival and to hell if he knew where Amy or Fat Tony were...

Thinking fast he picked up the phone behind the bar and dialed her office number, looking towards the doorway to see if she would emerge. Quinn could hear the phone ring in the other room and suddenly his mouth was too dry. What if it didn't stop ringing? No, that was dumb. This was Lisa-Joe they were talking about. No one was able to fuck with Lisa-Joe Hampton.

[The Cedar Witch]

What the fuck was that

She barely had enough time to react before Pierre moved with a speed she still wasn't used to seeing him move with.  Her muscles froze and she trained her hearing on the direction where that sound came from.  A tightening sensation in her temples narrowed her visual focus until it seemed like she were looking through the bottom of a glass.  Being pinned between the bar and Pierre left her no room to twist around and look - something that increased the feeling of urgency surging through her veins.  She leaned gently against Pierre's back - for support or comfort she didn't know - battling with everything internal screaming that she was trapped. 

Did He lure Jake and Damien away while He waited here?  Did He know that she would be brought to the Rabbit - had He been hiding in the office the entire time?  Was He trying to lure Pierre away from her now so He could --

Anxiously she looked to Quinn while he picked up the phone, sharing a look of mute panic while they both heard it ring through the quiet bar.

[Black Philip]

The phone was picked up clumsily, providing Quinn with a fair amount of static as the receiver found it's way to Lisa-Joe's ear. "What," she said dryly, a hot temper mixed with something more anxious than mean. Lisa-Joe was sitting in her desk chair, eyes moving from the phone, to her broken shoe, and finally to the wall she'd just kicked a hole through. The vampire sighed into the phone, but didn't regret the venting at all. That little burst of anger would've come out somehow, and better the wall than a patron.

She was furious she had to stay behind, and that everyone else was looking for Sam. She hated that Jake insisted on running the district like a business and that meant not just closing when convenient. To make matters worse, Rachel was now being hunted too. She tried not to resent what she knew was guard duty, but she was bitter that she'd been left behind. In those early days of Sam's addition to the family, Jake and her had been at constant odds. It had been Lisa-Joe who was the girl's first mentor. Sam was family for a vampire who didn't wish to sire again, and now she was gone. She suspected Ben. It was at his carnival. Reports indicated it might be Zoheret, and she cracked her knuckles as she thought of getting to tussle with the winged bitch.

"What," she said again, not hearing a reply the first time. She had almost no patience left at this point.

[Saiketsu]

At the sound of her voice, despite her initial annoyance, Quinn sighed with relief. It was Lisa-Joe, alright. He had learned to avoid her on the nights where she had her rampages, knowing she would chew out anyone in her path - customers and co-workers alike. Now, he was just happy to hear the lack of strain in her voice that indicated actual distress. He sagged noticeably until she demanded his words again.

"Oh," Quinn said, jumping a little and losing any words he had intended to say. "Uh... Are you... okay?" He threw a look at Rachel and Pierre, who both looked at him confused. "Because you just scared the ever-living shit out of me, Rachel, a few customers and," he waved his hand, figuring that she would know who the vampire guarding Rachel was, "...Pierre, I guess."

[Black Philip]

Lisa-Joe felt slightly embarrassed, which was a new feeling, and sighed as she realized what a fool she just made of herself. Attempting to save face, she muttered, "I saw a bug," and presently hung up the phone. She pulled out a compact and looked herself over. Ugly. Her mascara had ran down her face with her tears, and her hair was askew. There would be no time to wash her face properly, but she had makeup wipes at the ready. Using her Celerity, she wiped her face clean in moments, and applied a new set of eyes, cheeks and lips. When she was satisfied she no longer looked like a feral raccoon, she stood from her desk and exited the office to greet her guests.

She crossed to the bar, and embraced Rachel first, a deep and loving hug. "How ya doing Shugah," she asked, before greeting Quinn and Pierre in similar manners, although Quinn didn't get the hugs that Rachel and Pierre shared.

"I suppose ya'll have heard about Sam," she asked, not sure how much Damien had been able to tell them in the chaos that was the moments directly after. She was happier to see Pierre than she should've been, and for some reason stood as close to him as possible without sitting in his lap.

[The Cedar Witch]

The relief she felt when it was confirmed that Lisa-Joe was okay only brushed the surface of Rachel's tension.  It was better when Pierre moved away so she wasn't trapped at the bar stool, and better still when Lisa-Joe appeared in the bar and greeted them.  Hugs were nice - her body melted in the brief moment of contact to absorb what comfort she could.  The under-water feeling clouding her perception still lingered, and she gripped the edge of the bar for support.

"Uh-- Okay," she lied, averting her eyes and taking a sip from the glass of water.  To the next question, Rache nodded solemnly and drew her arms tightly around herself.  Everything still felt too surreal to adequately process.  One arm slipped from its position to reach for her phone again, refreshing the tracking app.

[Saiketsu]

He had forgotten how much smaller she was in real life, that big attitude playing a role to boost her height in his head when he remembered her. He had to almost bend for their hug, a touch of humor in his eyes as he pulled away from her, murmuring a greeting. Everything still felt tense in his body, despite his relaxed stance and release of Rachel. For Pierre, Lisa-Joe's presence allowed him the headspace to breathe for a moment - she was strong, fiery, and new how to handle herself should the need arise. She also knew how to protect the people she loved - Pierre had seen that plain enough at Charon's big gala when she stepped in front of Jake to protect him (from what, he couldn't remember exactly, having not seen what happened).

And she was skilled in all those clan disciplines that the Clanned vampires had, most of which he would always lack. Pierre considered it a fortunate thing to have her so close by on a night he wasn't at his best.

"Any new developments from Jake or Tyler?" Pierre asked, hopeful that this entire ordeal would be wrapped up quickly. His gaze flicked over to Rachel as she checked the tracking app for Damien's blip on the screen again, but he said nothing, content that the dot was at the very least moving.

[Black Philip]

Lisa-Joe smiled softly at Pierre as he asked his questions, but couldn't stop staring at Rachel. The way she was wrapped up in herself made Lisa-Joe sick. Men had been doing this to women for all time, and she was tired of it. She thought back to her own mortality, and why she'd worked so hard to become someone else. All those nights on her knees serving her master had made her swear to never get on her knees for any man ever again. Men had taken so much from her, and she'd resolved to spend eternity taking it back.

"Tyler is talking to the ward director," she explained. "I think we have confirmation of the perp. We should know soon. Jake is searching the grounds outside the carnival. He said... He said his blood bond to Sam has been weakened. I don't know much about magic, but that shouldn't be possible."

She turned now to Rachel and tried to open her arms back to the world. "This is how Laurent wants you to feel," she said softly. "So fuck him. Don't let him turn you into this. Look at me."

Now she gently guided Rachel's eyes to her own. "If a man ever tries to do to you what he did to you again, you think of me and you go silent and spit in his eye. He only wins if you're sacred. He only wins if you cry."

She was hoping on some level Sam could hear this too, although she knew it wasn't possible. She thought Quinn or Pierre might disapprove of her words, and that she shouldn't be scaring Rachel anymore than she already was, but the world didn't always allow for such protections. If this Laurent did nab her again one day, refusing to break would keep her alive longer than submitting.

[The Cedar Witch]

Her head was buried in her phone while Pierre and Lisa-Joe spoke, refreshing the app over and over and watching the little dot move slowly across the map.  It wasn't enough to give her comfort.  It wasn't enough to still the questions spinning circles in her brain, the uncertainties that threatened to overshadow tendrils of hope.

Hope that this had nothing to do with Him.  That whoever took Sam was just some angry demon unrelated to the one she knew.  Was that selfish?  Maybe.

Lisa-Joe's touch made her jump, eyes hardening reflexively.  Her limbs were stiff to the prodding, but she reluctantly allowed herself to move, arms dropping to her sides.  If it were anyone else, if it were any other time, she would've taken more offense to being moved like some kind of doll, gentle as it was.  It took an effort to swallow, but there were more pressing things to focus on now. 

The conviction in Lisa-Joe's voice had her almost entranced by the woman.  Some words resonated deeply within the wellspring of rage that had begun to rise up her throat earlier that evening.  She didn't need to think of Lisa-Joe for that, she had her own fire enough to spit.  She didn't want to run anymore or dissolve into a mess whenever danger reared its head.  It wasn't fair - life was too fucking short and she was only just getting around to enjoying it again.

But He would win no matter what.  Fighting back only made Him hungrier.  Harder to--

Her stomach churned at the thought, pushing back memories she didn't want to relive.  Not here.  Not now.  Rachel took a slow breath and refreshed the app again before placing her phone face-down on the bar.  She smiled tightly at Lisa-Joe, both as thanks and to demonstrate that she'd Heard but was still tired.  Her hand slid into the vampire's, their hands almost the same temperature because she was so damn cold, and she gave it a gentle squeeze before releasing.

She turned to Quinn.  "You have anything I could eat?  Like a protein bar or something?"  As soon as the words were out of her mouth she hated how week they sounded. 

[Saiketsu]

He didn't need to be a vampire to feel the storm gathering within and between the two women, his eyes darting between the two of them as he returned to wiping the bar absently for something to do with his anxious hands. He didn't like how Rachel jumped, or looked stiff when LJ touched her. Had she been anyone else and had they been talking about anything else, Quinn would have jumped into his usual protective nature regarding Rachel. He glanced at Pierre, who seemed uncomfortable as well, the casual bomb of sexual assaults dropped on the floor for both of them to see and accept. It was sobering for Quinn, but not entirely unexpected given the nature of men, and he looked down at an old stain on the bar. A slow-drip of associative guilt kept his eyes on the bar as he tried not to feel awkward about the topic discussed.

When Rachel asked him for a protein bar, he could have kissed her. "Yeah, babe." He scurried away automatically, taking it as permission to leave briefly. Quinn ducked into the small backroom and dug around in the bag that he had slung onto the ground near one of the stacks of beer cases. A pack of cigarettes, a small pipe loaded with weed, a bunch of lose singles, a thin sweatshirt -- no protein bar. Fuck.

"No dice, Rache." Quinn answered as he lingered in the doorway to the backroom. "Have you eaten at all tonight?" When she shook her head, he suspected as much. "So... Chinese food? The usual?" He smirked, remembering what she would order everytime they did take out back home. Veggie pad thai with extra sauce, nim chow, and crab rangoon. Quinn knew just the place to order as well.

-----

When Rachel had turned her attention to Quinn, Pierre furrowed his brow at Lisa-Joe. "What do you mean 'his blood bond weakened'? How is that even possible?"

From what he understood about normal blood bonds, they were either there or they were not. For Pierre, the bonds with his sire and his fledges were cloudy and more distant than what everyone else described. In his long years, he knew of no reason why a bond would weaken. According to Damien, even when the fledge (or sire) was dying, there was an increase in intensity, like a warning or an alarm to the kin. Not a fade. Perhaps it was different with the clanned vampires.