squee.

[x.Wolf.x]

she was standing alone in a clearing, smells of fresh blood and burning bodies assaulted the air, making her eyes water and forcing her to fight the urge to retch right there. scanning her surroundings again, she found only that she was standing on what seemed to be a recently used battlefield. bodies of her comrades, enemies and even more unknown creatures lay at her feet and around the clearing. a closer look confirmed that she was standing in what could only be described as a shallow sea of blood. a sudden searing pain burned through her entire body, making her scream in a new found agony. it took a while for her to find its source, her hand flew her her ribcage- only to be pulled away drenched in blood. she gasped as the pained seemed to increase- confused, she looked around the clearing again....and thats when she spotted him. it was peter. his eyes were glowing an ominous red, she had been about to yell at him- furious that he was evil...but something made him stop.

he was running towards her, his arms outstretched and his expression not of bloodthirst but openly concerned. he was racing to help her. she fell forward, just as he reached her making her fall into his arms. their gazes clashed then, his a glowing red that marked the evil of a vampire....hers an unusual dark crimson that marked a vampire bloodline sometime in the past. that was when it hit her, she could never have peter without accepting his other half. she, too, had a darkside....and he just willingly accepted all of her. so why was it so hard for her to do the same?



she didn't know exactly what made her stir, whether it was the sound of a nearby beeping of some annoying machine, or the searing pain in her side- she let out an inaudible grunt. she tried closing her eyes harder, trying to block out the pain and the fog of what she could only guess to be medicine. with a low moan, her eyes blinked open- though she instantly regretted her decision to open her eyes....the blindingly bright hospital room met her gaze. she blinked a few times, trying to clear her sight and her mind. she could still sense the fog that was clouding the edges of her mind-trying to lure her into a deep sleep again.

her gaze narrowed, as she began to search the room....expecting to see her captain or some other army member standing over her bed. instead she spotted peter tucked into the shadows of the room. her gaze widened as she realized what had happened. peter had saved her life....again. but she saved his too, damint! she couldn't fight the twitching at the corners of her mouth that brought a small smile. she'd force him to call it even.

she had to talk to peter. feeling the IV in her arm, the heart monitors on her chest and the breathing tubes, she scowled. damnit, she had to tell peter before she forgot. she knew who cassandra was! and she lov- wait. not. she couldn't....could she? no, she wouldn't tell him that...he would just laugh in her face for being such a fool.

gripping the tubes of the iv first, she pulled the tubes from her arm...ignoring the sudden pain shooting up her arm, taking hold the heart monitors next- ignoring the machine's screams of protest. last was the breathing tubes. she tried to move, but a heavy exhaustion fell over her...forcing her lay back into the bed. laying deathly still as she waited for her energy to return- leaving the once silent room with the screaming machines that marked the removal of her tubes................

[xXPeterxX]

inspiration - still searching


Peter knew he was dreaming. He'd already lived through this, so how could he not be? He and Autumn were standing in the clearing they'd been in only a few days before. They were barely inches apart, their eyes locked on one another and their heads bent toward each other. She squeezed his hand, as if encouraging him. He vaguely agknowledged that in the waking world, he was angry with her, but here, he couldn't remember why. Their heads touched, and they were so close Peter could feel the girl's breth on his face. There would be no interuption this time. Their eyes closed as they grew closer yet, and his lips brushed hers just barely when a piercing pain errupted from his chest.

His eyes snapped open and his hands flew to his heart, groping for the stake that had been driven through it. The boy stared down into Autumn's cold crimson eyes - eyes that had been sad, but sure, only moments ago. She twisted the stake in hand, making him gasp in pain, nearly doubling over. His jaw hung open with an unspoken question. 'Why?' "Because you're just like all the rest." She twisted it again, forcing him to his knees. He could feel the blood flowing up into his throat, dripping from his mouth and spattering onto the ground. He spat it out and looked up once more into Autumn's hearless gaze...


Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee -


The boy woke with a start to the erratic sounds of the moniters at Autumn's bedside. He had been in such a numb state the past few days, on autopilot if you will, that it took him a couple seconds to realize what was going on. The machine that monitored Autumn's heart was going crazy searching for a pulse. He stared at the girl's pale face, so still she looked as if death had already consumed her...

He bolted out of his seat, suddenly registering the sound. However, his head began spinning before he could take a step forward and fell back into the chair. "Nurse!" he cried hoarsly before leaning his head into his hand to calm the dizzyness. The blaring sound of the heart moniter was echoing in his head, making his ears ring. Surly it was a mistake Autumn couldn't really be dead, could she?

The half-breed glanced toward her, watching her hollow face through narrow eyes for any sign of life. He was suddenly glued to his seat, unable to move. He didn't know what to do. Peter always knew what to do, but not this time. And to be honest, it scared him a little.

[x.Wolf.x]

the used- men are all the same. and kissing you goodbye.

her head was throbbing, drowning in its own thoughts and worries and she tried to force herself to move. she felt as if she had been hit by a semi, then the stupid truck backed up and hit her a second time before leaving her to die. she closed her eyes tighter, her teeth grounding so tight that the muscles in her jaw ticked to the rhythm of her erratic heartbeat. an intense pain in her side seemed to throb along with her heartbeat as well, each heartbeat brought another wave of pain that seemed to wash through her entire body only to intensify with the next beat. she would have allowed the bliss of unconsciousness at the moment, even welcomed it...if it wasn't for peter sitting at the corner of her hospital room.

'nurse' at the sound of peter's voice, autumn's crimsion gaze flew open, determination flooding out the rest of her fleeting emotions. for some reason, guilt was one of those emotions floating around inside of her throbbing head....but, no matter how much she wondered on this emotion, she couldn't quite remember why. "...." she opened her mouth, trying to call to peter, or call off the stupid nurse that would soon be racing down the hallway with a crash cart but nothing came out. she felt as if her throat had turned to ash and with every breath, she was drawing in more fire to burn through her lungs.

her gaze narrowed again, her body tensing as if she was prepairing for a battle. with a soft grunt, autumn pulled herself to a sitting position, though she had to lean on the handles on the side of her bed to keep from tipping over...she was up. another grunt and her feet were dangling off the side of the bed. her gaze falling on peter once more.

he looked normal again....or at least as close to normal looking as peter could really get. for a moment, her gaze nearly narrowed to examine for any lingering effects of having seen him in his vampire state for a long while. nothing. taking a slow breath to calm herself, she put on a wicked, twisted grin as she turned her gaze to peter's face.

"wow...you look like hell....."

her voice barely a rasp, and hardly even audible over the loud noises the machines at her bedside were making. even with everything that had happened, autumn held her chin up, and the old cocky grin she used everytime she made fun of peter. if it wasn't for the hospital setting, it would have been almost like old times again.......

[xXPeterxX]

There was shuffling outside the door, but Peter kept his eyes on Autumn. That’s when her crimson eyes snapped open. She stared ahead of her, a determined expression on her face. It was a very familiar expression to Peter. She’d worn it many times before. He could do nothing but watch as she pulled herself up, slowly and painfully, and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She turned to him, her eyes searching. He stared back. And then a wicked grin, marred by her obvious exhaustion and pain, crossed her lips. “Wow… you look like hell...”

[/b] she rasped, her voice dry and scratchy.

His mind finally caught up with his eyes, which then iced over. “Like you have room to talk.” he shot back impulsively, not even sure where the retort had come from. Autumn was alive! Why was the machine still squealing? Why was the girl sitting on the edge of her bed as though she expected to get up? That’s when his body caught up to his eyes and his mind, and he could control it once more. He leapt from his chair, crossing the two steps across the room in less than a second, and pushed Autumn down with his arm quickly and firmly, but gently. His arm braced across her shoulders and breastplate, he leaned over her so she couldn’t push him away and try to sit up again. His face was no more than six or seven inches away from hers. “Stay.” he ordered quietly.

He stared into her eyes coldly, but the girl’s breath on his face seemed to melt the ice in his gaze. He soon felt that vulnerability return, and the hard mask gave way. But he couldn’t shake the nightmare, nor the sharp anger that boiled in the pit of his stomach. He blinked, his brows drawing together in resentment, and he put the mask back on. He straightened, removing his hold, only hoping she would listen to him for once. He glanced at the flat lining monitor, tracing its wires to find that Autumn had removed them, as well as her IV. He wondered if she had any idea how close she’d been. Obviously the near-death experience hadn’t affected her at all. It certainly hadn’t changed her ‘get-up-and-go’ attitude. He knew she would try to find a way out of staying in the hospital for however long it would take for them to deem her “fully-recovered.” He also knew that he would try and stop her anyway he could, even now.[/size][/blockquote]

[x.Wolf.x]

she would have said more, but the icy glare that covered peter's gaze so suddenly made her recoil emotionally, and almost physically. he was angry. or at least something very close to it. a second glance at his face told her that peter wasn't just angry, but hurt as well. it was obvious that he was hurt physically, seeings that katili had attacked them both so viscously only a few days ago...she had also been hurt- at the thought of her own physical wounds made her grind her teeth together to hold back a grunt as a new wave of pain flooded her body. peter's retort even held traces of the ice that claimed his gaze, confusing autumn further.

her gaze remained locked on peter, now understanding that his pain wasn't just physical. had something happened? her brows furrowed, her gaze falling to the floor as she tried to sort through recent events, hundreds of images flooding through her mind all at once....of peter...of their petty argument over who knows what, of the blood and of peter's eyes as he was forced to transform......and of cruel words. wait, those words, those accusations that she had muttered while she thought she was facing her nightmare peter.

her train of thought ended abruptly when a soft rustling sounded- though she wouldn't have time to investigate because just seconds later she was being forced to lay down again. at first she thought it was a doctor, her crimson glare turning murderous...furious with whoever was forcing her away peter.

it was at that moment that crimson clashed with a soft grey, her glare instantly melting away to confusion. his words brought another half grin to autumn's features. she managed a small shrug at his command...her grin spreading across her lips, one eyebrow slowly raising in the ever so cocky gesture that autumn was infamous for. "woof." she responded, her previous thoughts melting away when she notice the glimmer of warmth that had once shone through peter's gaze. though her false attitude faded the moment the cold came back and he looked furious and cold again.

as peter backed away, she had to resit the urge to pout. what the hell was going on anyway? forcing herself into a sitting position again, her gaze searched peter's...her own reflecting the confusion she was feeling now, and perhaps a tad bit of pain that was both emotional and physical. though peter's gaze was carefully guarded- which pained her even more...he was never guarded with her...... "fine.i give up. what did i do THIS time?" she snapped, her arms moving to cross her chest as she glared up at peter. anyone who knew autumn would almost have to laugh at her, seeings that she now resembled a pouting child. she had no right to be angry with peter, she knew that...and she had no right take out her frustration on peter.....but DAMNIT! she just woke up from some stupid coma (again) which had lasted for god knows how long....meaning she probably almost died....and when she finally wakes up peter's already pissed off at her. for something she wasn't even sure she deserved.....grinding her teeth, she refused to look away until he explained his attitude.

[xXPeterxX]

Autumn's crimson glare as he'd shoved her down had felt like another stake through his chest. She was looking at him as if she expected him to... as if she were going to attack him. Kill him. But what else could he expect? She was a slayer. He was a vampire. He hadn't known that it mattered so much until now. Now, he knew exactly what she thought of him, and exactly how much of a fool he'd been thinking it could be anything other than what it was. He didn't even know why he was still there anymore. Why should he care if she rushed headlong into battle again without waiting for her wounds to heal? Everything he thought he'd known about Autumn was wrong. He shouldn't care. He shouldn't care if she went out and got herself killed because of her stubbornness.

But he did.

"Fine, I give up. What did I do this time?" He looked up at her, his frosty eyes intensifying. She was sitting up again, her arms crossed over her chest. She looked like a child. Another façade. Peter clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms.

"Dammit will you just lie down!" he roared, slamming his fist against the moniter, causing it to sputter before resuming its screeching. Just then a huddle of nurses rushed in dragging some sort of machine with two paddles and an air mask attatched. God could they be any later? he thought malicely.

"She's fine." he growled, not bothering to hide his fury. He reached up to the heart moniter and fliped the switch along the top. The obnoxious noise faded as the screen blinked and died. Then he strode out of the room, shoving passed the confused-looking nurses. He needed to get away from there. He needed to breath.

The cold air was like a smack across his face as he stepped outside. The temperature had dropped dramatically in the past several days. The rain splattered against the ground, gathering in shallow puddles. The street was deserted and littered with leaves that had been torn from their branches by yesterday's gailing wind. It was dim enough that Peter couldn't see very far into the line of trees on the other side of the road. The open air worked to clear his head as he stood under the overhang. He ran his fingers through his tangled mass of hair and closed his eyes, leaning his shoulder against the wall. The cut in his throat stung because of the freezing temperature, but he welcomed the pain. It offered a distraction.

Peter honestly didn't know what he was going to do. He couldn't forget. He couldn't excuse. But he couldn't just leave her either. No matter how hard he tried. He'd wanted to leave. To just let the doctors handle it. He would disappear, and run far away. Away from the war. Away from his father. Away from her. But he couldn't. There was something holding him back.

Just then, when he'd been in her room, so close to her that he could feel her breath on his face, even knowing everything and feeling the anger burning inside of him, he'd wanted to kiss her. He'd wanted to pick up where that night had left off, and he couldn't deny it anymore. His feelings for Autumn were real, and it didn't look like he was going to be able to change that. Unfortunately for Peter, it also didn't look like she would ever be able to return them. And just when it seemed his life couldn't get anymore complicated...

[x.Wolf.x]

she hadn't missed his already frozen gaze frosting over even more...if it was even possible. it was as if he has withdrawn from her completely. they had argued before they had been attacked, but she could no longer remember what about and it seemed like months ago rather than just a few days. her gaze narrowed further, now visibly confused, she turned her glare to peter...hoping he would feel inclined to explain his sudden rage that even she could feel boiling just under his skin.

he didn't explain. instead, he exploded. and despite all of her training....despite all of the battles she had survived and the fact that she hardly even flinched when she faced full vampires and other horrific 'storybook' villains- autumn cringed away from peter and his icy rage. as his fist collided with the monitor, she had to clamp her teeth together in order to bite back something that sounded very close to a yelp of surprise. her wide gaze turned to peter, shock shining bright in her gaze...fresh, unshed tears making her gaze even brighter. even in his vampire state, autumn had never seen peter react like this.

"she's fine"

she wanted to scream, to correct him...but he was already gone and she had done nothing but stare in a frozen shock. her gaze followed a blurry peter through unshed tears. as peter turned the corner and disappeared- her tears fell freely, soaking hospital gown. shaking her head, she turned her gaze to the very confused nurses that had been watching in silence. "i- i'll be fine. you can come back in an hour." it was meant as a statement but came out as in order, one in which the nurses followed without question.

she was left alone in her empty hospital room that felt very much like a tomb. and it should be...she should be dead and would be to if peter hadn't carried her to the hospital. wait.

peter. it wasn't peter....or at least at the time....or at least it didn't look like him. there was blood and a red gaze making him look very much like the vampire he was.

and she hadn't let him forget it either. ever.

her heart fell as her mind filled with flashbacks of her fight for consciousness on the way to the hospital. she had accused him of so much, based on what he was and his parentage. she couldn't blame peter for his rage- not when she had accused him of being like his father. she had killed the last person that had accused her of being anything like her own father- so what gave her the right to reverse that pain? especially since they both had the same views on their own fathers. she had to make this right. she had to fix things. she knew damned well that she would have to return to the front lines soon but she refused to until she made things right with peter. forcing herself to turn so that her legs dangled from the side of the bed again- she took a few deep breaths before pushing herself from the safety of the bed.

the resulting pain nearly crushed her, her breathing becoming shallow in her fight to stay conscious and force herself forward. after what seemed like in eternity frozen in place- autumn forced herself forward...one staggering step at a time. nurses in the hallway paused, then started for her...though they all had been stopped by her glare.

she made it!! pushing the heavy glass doors to the hospital entrance open caused an soft pop and another sharp pain, she had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming, though she bit so hard that her mouth filled with blood, the coppery taste making her nearly gag as she forced herself to swallow.

his back was toward her, he had been watching the forest...probably getting ready to leave. her arm raised and then slowly reached for him, though she thought better of it and it fell back to her side. "i...." her raspy voice was hardly even audible over the pounding rain. "peter.........i'm sorry i-i-" she could hardly even hear herself, and at this point she was sure peter couldn't hear her either. she forced herself to take another step toward peter, she had been leaning on the open door to the hospital for support- but now she had nothing. she reached for him again...and again in vain. her vision was blurred again, with both tears and....her gaze fell, the front of her hospital gown stained with fresh blood. her gaze flew to peter once again, though he had made it obvious that he wasn't going to save her anymore. she buckled- no one to catch her this time as she collasped....her landing anything but graceful, causing her stitches to rip apart further as well as a few more minor cuts and bruises.

she hadn't had the time to say anything more because the moment she dropped she was swarmed by EMT's, already hauling her back to her room- even despite her protests........

_____________________________________________

"well, that was a dick move" a sing-song male voice rang out, before its cause stepped from the rain and under the safety of the overhang. blue grey eyes clashed with peter's grey stare, even with the bloody scene that had just played out and the half-breeds obvious rage....the figure wore a lop-sided grin. his gaze fell back to the hospital's doors, his grin turning to a small frown. "it sounded like she really meant her apology, peter...." he hinted again. then with a exaggerated sigh he shrugged "but what do I know, right? i mean i've been hanging out with you and autumn for awhile...up until you guys shoved me away. and by the way...that was rude of you guys to do." his arms crossing his chest, his expression turning to that of a forced pout.

he looked ridiculous in a while suit complete with a white top hat, however, he couldn't bring himself to care much about it. he was sent back, though only peter could see and hear him...pride had been sent back to watch over the half-breed. though pride's only purpose was to make sure he wasn't harmed......pride had also planned on saving peter's relationship (and push it further along at a faster rate). after all, he had loved to annoy peter in the past.

"so...buddy, old pal, old thing.....did you miss me?! i missed you. well, okay, i really just missed autumn.....but you were here and autumn can't see me. nobody can.....'cept you." with his last two words, another grin spread across pride's face. this was going to be fun. "so, judging by that-" be motioned to the small blood stain left behind on the concrete. "i have missed something. care to talk about it?" arms still crossed, he leaned against a pillar that held the over hang....waiting for peter's response.


_______________________________________

he had been waiting for her, autumn remarked as she spotted her captain sitting in the chair that peter had been waiting in just minutes ago. her gaze narrowed in confusion, she wasn't due back for another month....why would her captain be here now?
"sir?" her voice was still low, still raspy or perhaps even more so since being stitched back up and forced back into her hospital room.

her captain nodded, then stood, dropping a file on her hospital bed. "you're being called in for a special assignment, autumn. as soon as you're cleared to leave this hospital...you are ordered to eliminate this target. a vampire by the name of 'peter'. he's been spotted in and around towns and villages filled with humans. its obvious that he is collecting information for rasputian's army on where to attack next. he is dangerous and probably well armed, so be on alert. he's been known to kill entire villages at a time, so this assignment is of most importance." he paused, his gaze softening "i have put my best assassin on it. i would like you to finish this before the end of the month. meet up at headquarters" with that, he turned and left- giving autumn no chance to reply.

if she could even do that. her mind was reeling- a vampire by the name of peter spotted in towns nearby? she nearly choked when he had explained this to her. her hands shaking, she opened the file...only to find a blurry photo of 'her' peter glaring back. her captain believed he was looking for the next battle grounds. choking back a sob, she hid the file underneath her pillow.

she never had a problem eliminating a target before, she had even taken a sick joy in doing so....but she had never knew who they were...they had never saved her live.....she had never loved a target before. she couldn't do it, she couldn't physically harm peter...even in his vampire state. her entire body was shaking now. if she let him go and the military spotted him again, she would be named a traitor and thrown out of the army that she loved so much, she might even become a target herself.

she had lost everything today. peter. the army. soon, she would be nothing. unable to fight back the tears anymore, autumn's head bowed and silently, she released the sobs she had been holding back for over an hour now.

[xXPeterxX]

inspiration - satellite heart by anya marina

He stood in the doorway for a while, his head bowed, his eyes closed and a hand placed on the back of his neck. He just listened to the rain, letting it soothe him. There was nothing the little droplets could do to change his predicament, to fix it, but it seemed to calm him, like a cool towel pressed to a fevered forehead. What was he going to do now? He had no clue. Not even a hint. He was on his own for this one.

Peter didn't hear the door click open behind him. It was uncharacteristic of him to miss something like that, even in the pouring rain. "Peter..." His eyes snapped open, instinctively searching the trees, the road. Then he heard something slip behind him. As he turned around, the world suddenly seemed to slow. Autumn was falling in slow motion, and he couldn't seem to react any faster than a slug. He watched, gaping, as she hit the ground, staining the cement with blood. Before he could move, a dozen EMTs stormed out of the building, surrounding the girl so closely that he could no longer see her.

He could do nothing but stand and stare, eyes wide and jaw slack, as the doctors shuffled about and rushed Autumn back into the safety of the hospital.

"Well, that was a dick move." Peter blinked tearing his gaze away from the doors where the paramedics had disappeared with Autumn to see none other than Pride, ridiculously smug grin & all, step out of the rain. Completely dry, of course. He turned to face him, still slightly in shock because of what had just happened. Pride frowned. "It sounded like she really meant her apology, Peter..." The boy's eyebrows drew together in confusion. 'Peter...' Autumn's meek voice rang in his head.

What the hell had she been thinking? She'd directly defied him, climbing out of bed and going outside. But that was just it, wasn't it. She defied anything he said, no matter how small or how life-threatening. She'd come to taunt him, surely, not to apologize. 'You can't tell me what to do.' she would have said, if she hadn't collapsed first. She'd probably catch pneumonia now too because of her own stupidity. Peter's grey eyes narrowed.

"But what do I know, right?" Pride went on. "I mean, I've only been hanging out with you and Autumn for a while... up until you guys shoved me away. And by the way... that was rude of you guys to do." Peter stared at the phantom incredulously. Shoved him away? The last time he'd seen any of the 'deadliest' had been three days ago when Pride had irritated him to the point where he'd punched a tree. Peter clenched his fists, straining the little healing cuts on his right knuckle. Which had been before they'd been preoccupied with an insane killer, a near death experience and a struggle against a darker side that lay within him.

The longer Pride rambled, the angrier Peter became. Rage boiled deep in the pit of his stomach, sending adrenaline coursing through his veins. He gritted his teeth, his lip curling back as if he were going to snarl. "I have missed something. Care to talk about it?" Then he just snapped. Quick as lightning, Peter's arms were out in front of him and he shoved Pride back with all the strength he could muster. It sent them both stumbling out into the rain. He drew his fist back and sent it flying with precision toward Pride's face, the force of his blow fueled by his indescribable fury. It suddenly didn't matter if Pride was a ghost or not, he needed to punch something, and Pride just happened to be there, making matters worse.

[x.Wolf.x]

though pride had become infamous for his never stopping banter, his sarcasm and his ability to piss people off to no end- the angel missed nothing. yeah, he did take enjoyment in pissing people off- but he also took enjoyment in fixing things for people. he was here to protect peter, but he hadn't missed anything that had happened between autumn and peter (no, not even the autumn's mutterings). pride's job before this was to protect autumn, he had watched over her even after his own death. autumn had become more than just a job for pride- the angel had even developed feelings for the female....though he pushed them aside when he literally watched peter make an impact on her life. autumn loved peter- she had all but admitted it to pride on many occasions.

he also knew peter. he knew his smug grin and his cocky attitude would piss peter off- and he also knew what peter would do when he was more than pissed off. pride had been the one that made peter punch a tree earlier- and it was his own fault that he was about to get his face smashed in by the half-breed....but he understood completely. he understood peter's need to hit something, anything just to cool off some of that rage.

pride and his band of 'friends' and been savages- all falling for the sins that also claimed their names. autumn had saved them all- even with knowing what they were and what they had been capable of. the seven deadliest owe autumn more than just their own lives (seeings that they're spoused to be protecting people).

pride stumbled back a few steps, his tailored hat falling off and as peter gave chase- smashed into the mud. pride opened his mouth to shoot off another smart-ass comment about letting peter do this because he was such a nice guy or about peter owing him a new hat....but he was cut short by peter.

his fist smashed into his nose- breaking it and sending blood spurting everywhere. scowling, he turned his gaze back to peter "ow. damnit. that kinda hurt." its a good thing that he was already dead, his nose already healing...though the front of his jacket was stained with blood. he could have disappeared, even had the time to incorporeal but he understood. he had let peter hit him.

"now that you're done smashing my face in. and yes, yes you are done. you should probably good talk to autumn. she wasn't looking too good when she was out here......." pride added, wiping the remaining blood from his nose. peter would never know pride's true feelings for autumn- but it took everything he had not to punch peter back...not to go after peter for refusing to move as autumn fell to the ground. it took all of his strength not to go into the hospital room himself to check on autumn. instead, he held peter's gaze and waited for his reaction. grinning, he turned back to his sarcasm that had gotten him into this mess in the first place.

"on second thought, you stay out in the rain like a wet dog. i'll talk to autumn...." his almost innocent grin turning wicked "and by talk to- i mean make out with. because even looking like she had just been stabbed through by some psycho...autumn looks hot." he nodded, waiting for a second punch...or a scowl or perhaps peter would just ignore him. "with her...im leaning toward changing my name to lust....if ya know what i mean." he could hardly keep a straight face now. smirking, he waited, though he had turned back into his phantom state to avoid another face beating.....

[xXPeterxX]

inspiration - satellite heart by anya marina. always.

Feeling his fist collide with Pride's nose was like heaven. The phantom's nose snapped and splattered blood all over his ridiculous outfit. His top hat now lay on the ground covered in mud. Peter almost felt like laughing. "Ow. Damnit. That kinda hurt." Pride muttered, his voice coming out nasaly. His nose began healing almost immediately, however, leaving Peter feeling a little less good about his handy work. Then again, he was probably lucky he'd been able to hit Pride at all, considering he was dead. His heavy breath slowed as his anger began to subside. He stood in the rain, watching Pride wipe the blood from his broken nose.

"Now that you're done smashing my face in, and yes, yes you are done, you should probably go talk to Autumn. She wasn't looking too good when she was out here..." Pride chided. Peter narrowed his eyes and looked away, but the ghost's words tugged at his heart. As angry as he was, Autumn had looked so vulnerable, and he'd been so shocked that he hadn't done a thing to help. Not that he'd had the chance, because the EMTs had arrived practically before Autumn even hit the ground. And anyway, he'd saved her so many times before, why should he feel guilty about not getting there before the EMTs this time? A little flame of anger lit in his stomach once again.

"On second thought," Pride suddenly added. "You stay out in the rain like a wet dog. I'll talk to Autumn... and by talk to - I mean make out with. Because even looking like she had just been stabbed through by some psycho... Autumn looks hot." The little flame burst into a ball rage, and Peter's docile eyes suddenly grew wild with blood lust.

"with her... I'm leaning toward changing my name to lust... if you know what I mean."

Peter snarled and lunged for Pride, his fist drawn back again. But this time, as he swung, Pride disappeared before he could touch him. He could hear the dark angel's laughter even when he couldn't see him. The half-breed scowled, clenching and unclenching his fingers. The rain continued to soak through his clothes, his hair, his shoes. Mud covered his sneakers now as they sank into the ground under his weight. The rain dripped from his chin and his ears. He waited a few moments, calming himself, before turning and striding toward the hospital doors. He needed to see Autumn. To make sure she was okay. It was illogical, his desperate need to reassure himself of her safety, but it existed either way.

The nurse sitting behind the front desk cleared her throat as he walked by. He looked up at her face, barely registering her features. She glanced down at his shoes, and he followed her gaze. "Oh." he mumbled, though it might have come out more of a 'mm.' He wiped his feet on the rug at the entrance before trekking back to Autumn's room, still dripping wet.

When he reached the room, he hesitated beside the door and took a deep breath. Was he going to get angry all over and storm out again? He didn't want to be angry anymore. With the hurt and anger came confusion. He wasn't used to feeling so ruffled. Actually, he hadn't been used to feeling much of anything before he'd met Autumn. He still wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that she'd changed that.

He sighed and stepped inside the sterile white room, and was stopped in his tracks by an alarming sound: a sob. Peter's eyes flew to Autumn's bed, where she sat with her head bowed looking utterly distraught. His grey eyes grew wide. Autumn was crying? Oh God. Peter nearly cringed away when she sobbed again. This had only happened to the boy one time before, and the results of that night had forever changed the pair's already awkward relationship. But he couldn't just stand there and watch. He had to do something.

So Peter shoved away his confusion and doubts, sucked it up, and cautiously approached the girl's bedside. When he stood beside her, he reached out and placed his hand over hers, hoping for it to appear as a comforting gesture. What else could he do?

[x.Wolf.x]

[[inspiration - chicken hunting, great milinko, and down with the clown all from ICP.]]

she felt...broken, to say the least. autumn always had a tight grip on things, it was a mandatory talent to have when one commanded thousands of humans that had to face 'storybook' monsters everyday. many of them being led to their deaths and yet they followed her willingly, even knowing they would probably be one of the dead...that they would be leaving their family and friends behind forever. she possessed this talent, and she had even perfected it to some effect....until meeting peter. normally she would have just killed him on the spot the second she suspected he was anything but human...but he had saved her life. and she fell in love. and now she was confused and hurt because she no longer knew where she stood with peter, he was a half-breed, she a human. she no longer thought this was a big deal......

..but she tormented him. she hadn't let him forget that he was half vampire. she had focused so much on his vampire half that she nearly forgot his human half all together. she understood now, too late, but she understood. every time she accused him, every suspicious glare had been the same as a dagger. she was shaking now, sobbing so hard that she couldn't even breathe. she was to blame for his pain. if only she could have looked past his dark side, and seen all the good that he had done. after all, he had saved her life multiple times, had even taken in kat when she appeared helpless. being in the military had dulled her sense in spotting any good in anyone- and who was she to be blaming fingers anyways? it was no secret that autumn had her own darker side, seeings that she loved killing vampires, loved commanding armies and loved the thrill in planning ambushes. so what gave her the right to blame him for anything, especially when she probably killed more than he has even harmed?

she was losing everything. she loved peter, yet she had driven him away. now she was about to give up her entire life in order to save him....from herself. she shook her head, confused on how everything had just fallen apart in the last hour. she had even began to guess that she would have just been better if she would have stayed in that coma for a few more days or forever.

death would be a welcomed warmth at that moment.

with that thought, her teary gaze turned to her side- annoyed with her weakness. this would would turn into another long, twisted scar to match the others that covered her back and sides. she almost laughed at this, she was assigned to kill peter or be thrown from the only consistent thing in her life in order to save peter and here she was worrying about whether her latest stab wound would be a scar or not. she was pathetic.

she hadn't heard him enter the room, not even dripping wet. she hadn't even felt his presence as he paused, considering his options of facing her or fleeing. she was lost in her own broken world- oblivious to her surroundings as she drowned in her own newfound misery.

until a cold hand covered hers, sending goosebumps skittering across her flesh. it was as if she had been doused in cold water.

her loud, sharp intake of breath gave away the fact that he surprised her. her watery gaze flashed from the cold hand that covered her own to its source. there he was,watching her intently and soaking wet her sad gaze lifting to his face, though she was still lost and confused, the corner of her mouth slowly lifted with a small lopsided grin. he looked like a drowned pup. though fresh tears began falling again as soon as she realized that he was trying to comfort her, even after what she had said earlier. "enjoy your swim?" though she was broken now, she couldn't hold back the classic autumn response to his condition.

she turned, visibly flinching as she pulled on her new stitches. grabbing the spare blanket that lay folded on the stand next to her bed- she threw it at peter. "you should probably get dried off a bit before you give us both pneumonia" her movements had the folder containing information on peter poking her in the back- which brought a new flood of tears. she dropped her head, hiding her tears from peter the best she could...drawing her knees closer as she huddled in her misery. however much she moved, she refused to move her hand from underneath peter's, even if his own was cold, she was drawing the comfort from the gesture.

after a moment, she turned her gaze back to peter. "i- i think that we need to talk. " about the walk here, about what she said, about kat, about her assignment, about her feelings and the fact that he made wish she didn't have to rush off to the army again so soon. oh, yes, they did need to talk...about so much- though she guessed she would only make it through apologizing before he'd walk away or she'd lose her courage to talk to him further.

or perhaps she'd crash before she finished, though she forced herself to appear awake and fully alert, her vision was blurring further (and not from the tears this time) and she was beginning to feel lightheaded. "have a seat" she patted the space on the bed beside her, wanting to be closer to him when she admitted everything. perhaps even drawing further comfort from- (his arms). no. that had to be the pain medication talking now.............

[xXPeterxX]

inspiration – satellite heart by anya marina, i’m not kissing you goodbye by the used, perfect by simple plan, stand in the rain by superchick

When Autumn gasped in surprise, Peter wondered if it hadn’t really been a stupid idea to offer a comforting touch when the temperature of his skin resembled an ice cube. But she didn’t push him away. Instead, she looked up to meet his eyes, her own glistening with tears. But despite her obvious misery, she still managed to smile that goofy, twisted smile and say, “Enjoy your swim?” Only this time, Peter didn’t feel anger welling up inside the way he had before. One corner of his mouth turned up into his own crooked grin, the Peter version of hysterical laughter. To be honest, he was feeling pretty hysterical at the moment, and was just glad that his wet-dog appearance was able to cheer her up, even if only a little bit.

The girl reached her left hand out for something at the edge of the bed, and Peter noticed that she didn’t remove her right hand from under his in spite of the chilliness. He also didn’t miss her flinch in pain as she bent at the waist to retrieve… a blanket? “You should probably get dried off before you give us both pneumonia.” she said, tossing it at him. He caught it reflexively, with both hands. He smiled a quick thank you and was about to use the blanket to dry his hair when Autumn broke out into a new round of sobs, seemingly for no reason. But there had to be a reason. Autumn didn’t cry for nothing. She just wasn’t that girl.

A bit alarmed, something in Peter clicked, releasing long repressed instincts he didn’t even know he had. He threw the blanket over her shoulders and wrapped it around her, cooing softly, though his eyes were still wide with uncertainty. He looked down at his rain soaked shirt, aware that he would drip all over both Autumn and the bed if he got any closer. But he had to try to comfort her; however, he didn’t want to get her sick in the process. What else could he do?

Peter stripped off his still dripping sweater, then peeled off the soaking t-shirt underneath, dropping both garments on the floor near the closet door. He shook his head vigorously to shake the majority of water from his hair.

Of course, just then a nurse walked in. She looked up in surprise, nearly dropping the chart in her hand. She glanced from the sobbing girl on the bed to the half-naked, half-drowned boy at her bedside, a shell-shocked look plastered to her face. He realized how odd the situation must look. The nurse was staring at his upper body, probably taken back by the hollow curve of his stomach. Peter hadn’t eaten in three days, but the hunger pains had long since passed, having been left unacknowledged. However, it now left him looking even thinner than he usually did. You could barely race the outline of his abs under his protruding ribs, though they were still obviously there.

She didn’t bother hiding her nervous surprise. Her cheeks blushed scarlet, her mouth hung open, and her eyes never left his bare chest. They stood in an awkward silence for a few beats before Peter was struck with an idea. “Do you know if there are an extra pair of scrubs around?” he asked. She jumped at the sound of his voice.

“I… um… maybe?” She scuttled toward the cabinet/dresser beside the closet doors, her eyes trailing the ground. “We, uh… we usually have some… in here. But somebody might have…” Her voice trailed off as she dug through the extra blankets, pillows, etc. in the cupboard. After a minute of searching, she extracted a folded square of blue fabric and cleared her throat fretfully. “Er… there’s only the pants. Someone must have taken the top…”

“ That’s fine. I just need to get out of these wet clothes.” he replied, flashing her a grateful smile as she handed the article to him. Her eyes widened for a moment, then returned to the floor as she turned and shuffled out of the room quickly. He watched her in confusion as she left, but was interrupted by a quiet sob. Peter flew to Autumn’s side again, crouching down beside the bed and wrapping his arm around her. With the other he rubbed her arm, keeping the blanket between his hand and her skin until it could warm up so his touch wouldn’t be so cold. “Shhh…” he whispered. “It’ll be alright. Everything’s going to be fine. It might not be now but it will be.” he cooed, a very strong, protective feeling surging forth within him. He had to make things right for her. He didn’t know how he would do it, but he had to. “I promise.”

She soon quieted. Then she turned to him. “I– I think that we need to talk.” If Peter wasn’t so socially inept, and completely unbeknown to movies, books, or even real relationships for that matter, seeing as he’s never been in one or observed one that hadn’t gone horribly wrong before it even began, he might have thought something more of her statement. But because he was, he just returned her gaze solemnly. She patted the bed, moving to make room for him. “Have a seat.”

He searched her face for a moment, unsure where this was going to end. All the boy’s anger had been washed away by the rain, forgotten in the midst of Autumn’s tears. Now he didn’t know what else to feel besides concern for the girl he’d only very recently come to realize he cared for, and confusion because of her odd behavior. He nodded, standing up straight again. He stepped into the bathroom, and was gone for maybe two seconds before he returned, his sopping jeans replaced with the dry pair of scrubs. He climbed onto the bed, feeling awkward as he stretched his legs out on the almost-too-small mattress and leaned back against the headboard. His shoulder brushed Autumn’s because of the lack of space. He turned his smoldering grey eyes on her questioningly, all the while remaining silent, waiting for her to begin.

[x.Wolf.x]

at the moment, autumn felt like any regular teenage girl- bawling about some male for some reason or another. hell, at the moment she looked like just another teenage female as well- broken and appearing almost innocent as she cried. if she wasn't so upset with herself and this situation, she would have laughed at the fact that she looked so normal for once. all she ever wanted was to be normal, and now that she was...kinda....she wanted to return to being that emotionless army commander that wasn't afraid to risk everything to get what she wanted. its funny how that works, you waste your lifetime wishing you had something that you could probably never have and then when you finally get it you want to lose it.

when peter wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, her gaze snapped up to meet this again- hers slightly confused. though peter had comforted her many times before....it was never like this.....

as peter began stripping, her gaze grew wide and she had been about to protest but it was too late. by the time she realized she could even speak, he was shaking his head like a dog. she had to fight back the sudden laugh that emerged, and failed letting a small, dry laugh escape. she had been about to make another sarcastic joke when a nurse entered the room, he eyes glued on peter. her brows furrowed as she watched the other female's reaction in silence, though she had to admit...her own gaze slowly scanned down peter's body just seconds before the nurse entered. autumn found, to her surprise, that she had to grind her teeth to keep from growling aloud. this feeling....it was a burning, she wanted to slap that look off the nurse's face. could this be jealousy? she also noted the nurse was quite attractive, more so than herself (or so she thought), her gaze fell- refusing to look at either peter or the nurse again. stupid nurse. she didn't hear what either of them said, having retreated into her own thoughts again.

her thoughts filled with the fact that she had to leave, that she would never see peter after today. again, autumn broke down into quite sobs...caring not that the nurse hadn't left yet or that peter was there....or even if the entire army was standing at the door watching her, she would have cried anyways. when did everything get so complicated? why did it have to be this way? a little voice in the back of her head whispered 'it doesn't. you could run away...with peter' but she shook her head slowly, no one ran away from the army. people that ran away before the war ended were known as deserters and deserters would be hunted down and slaughtered.

she almost flinched again when peter returned to her side, wrapping her in a warm embrace despite the chill of his skin- she hadn't heard peter move or even noticed that his attention hadn't left her...even with the attractive nurse blushing and falling all over herself. despite the fact that she was shaking with her sobs, she had to resist another dry laugh...of course peter wouldn't know why the nurse had been tripping over herself. peter, though half human, didn't quite understand the ways of the humans. autumn had noticed that on many occasions, and it just now seemed almost funny. when peter spoke, autumn believed him. she didn't know how peter could fix anything at this point- but she believed him.

when peter returned and climbed into the bed beside her, autumn had to resist the sudden urge to move closer to him. she hadn't missed how thin peter looked earlier, just got distracted by the oogling nurse. her gaze narrowed as she turned to look at peter. "you need to eat something." it was meant to be a statement but it ended up sounding more like a command. "how are you spoused to sweep in and save my life next time in this condition?" she question, her half grin only a shadow of the usual trademark grin she carried. it was then that she rested her head on his shoulder, taking comfort in peter's presence.

"and speaking of saving my life..." with this, she closed her eyes as she drew in a deep breath...appearing to gather her courage. "i owe you so much. but an apology more than anything." she paused again, slowly opening her gaze that was shining with a thousand emotions. "what i said on the way here-" she choked back another wave of fresh tears "-was highly wrong and unacceptable. i cannot- should not- blame you for your parentage. i have been fighting against vampires for so long that i lost any ability to see any good coming from them." it sounded like an excuse to ears and she wished she could have hit herself for it. her gaze closed slowly, the morphine in her IV finally taking an affect. "but you are good peter." she nodded slowly "you are absolutely nothing like your father. you are good and noble and and and caring and and compassionate and- stuff and i-i really-i just really think that- " her statement slowly slurring together as more morphine mixed into her bloodstream. she had been cut off by the fact that she had slipped into a deep sleep thanks to the medication. it was lucky for her that the medicine had taken affect when it did because she had been about to admit her feelings for peter right there....and that would have ruined the plan that she had in place for tomorrow..........

[xXPeterxX]

inspiration – your guardian angel by red jumpsuit apparatus, one last breath by creed, i will not bow by breaking benjamin, river flows in you by yiruma, smile (charlie chaplin cover) sung by glee cast
( www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XObiQCS8ws )


“You need to eat something. How are you supposed to sweep in and save my life next time in this condition?” He knew she meant it as a joke, and Peter might have laughed if it weren’t for the somber, anguished feeling that her words aroused within him. He wouldn’t be there the next time, and there would surely be a next time. And, if she somehow survived, a next time after that, and another after that, until one day when no one would be there to save her. There would be no cheating death then. She would die, and there would be nothing he could do about it.

When I see your smile
Tears run down my face
I can't replace
And now that I'm stronger I've figured out

She laid her head on his shoulder, her blond hair soft against his bare skin. He maneuvered his arm around her to make it more comfortable, placing his hand gently on her arm. He didn’t quite know what to do with his other hand. It seemed idle. So he crossed it over his stomach and held his side, coincidently hiding the thin pink scars left by a wolf demon. How long ago had that battle taken place? A month or more, at the very least. Had it really been that long? Anyway, because of their close positions, his right hand, the one clutching his side, was left wedged between their bodies.

Autumn inhaled, as if bracing herself for something. It made Peter feel a bit wary. However. his concern outweighed his vigilant caution. He waited for her to speak. “And speaking of saving my life… I owe you so much. But an apology more than anything.” Well, he certainly hadn’t been expecting that. He looked down to meet her crimson gaze, confused. “What I said on the way here– ” she hesitated, appearing to be fighting back more tears. “Was highly wrong and unacceptable.” Peter’s gut tightened uncomfortably at the mention of the cruel words Autumn had uttered as she had been sinking in and out of consciousness as Peter carried her to the hospital. The half-breed hadn’t been completely in control of himself at the time, and Autumn had told him he was just like his father.

Peter looked away, his eyes narrow, trying to suppress the memory. It only made him think about the things she had said while she was asleep. It was here where Peter found his weakness: it didn’t matter that he knew what Autumn really thought about him. It didn’t matter. He still couldn’t find it in him to stay away.

How this world turns cold
And breaks through my soul
And I know, I'll find deep inside me
I can be the one

Whether or not she’d noticed the hurt momentarily reflected on his face, she went on. “I cannot – should not – blame you for your parentage. I have been fighting against vampires for so long that I lost any ability see any good coming from them. But you are good Peter.” At this, he turned to look down at her once again, not sure what to think, and not completely convinced.

He wasn't good. He was half-vampire. The son of Rasputin, most malicious of all the blood-suckers. He was cold and standoff-ish, and he was selfish, and he was a killer. Any other good he might do pales in comparison. He can't change who he is. He wished he could. He wished he could forget the dark creature inside him. To expel it from himself. How long could he put off the inevitable? The only thing holding it back was his humanity, and that part of him was only human after all. One day it would fail him, and he would be forced to succumb. He would become the monster he'd never wanted to be.

Unless someone stopped him before it happened.

Peter averted his eyes, unconsciously taking one of Autumn's hands in his own and tracing the lines on her palm with his thumb. "You are absolutely nothing like your father. You are good and noble and... and... and caring and... and compassionate and - stuff and I-I really - I just really think that- " She trailed off. The boy looked up to find Autumn's eyes closed, and her breathing evened out after a few seconds. She'd fallen asleep.

Seasons are changing and waves are crashing
And stars are falling all for us
Days grow longer and nights grow shorter
I can show you, I'll be the one

She looked so innocent, sleeping there against his shoulder. He looked down at her hand again. After a moment, he laced his fingers with hers, curling their hands together. His hand nearly engulfed hers completely. Though his hand had warmed up comparably, it's temperature was still two or three degrees below average. At least, for a human. For Peter, it was normal. And Autumn might not have been all that tan, but Peter's skin still looked almost sickly compared to hers. They were so different. An entirely different species.

He uncurled his hand, slipping it between them to rest on his side again, and gazed across the room miserably. Autumn twitched in her sleep, shifting a little closer. Peter looked down at the girl. He knew he probably ought to feel awkward. Shirtless, Autumn sleeping on his shoulder, lying in a bed that was clearly not meant to hold two people, let alone someone as tall as Peter. Instead, it felt comfortable. Natural. He and Autumn had been through far too much to feel awkward in any sort of situation, no matter what passed between them.

Without thinking, Peter leaned down and kissed her forehead, keeping his lips pressed there for a few long seconds. When he pulled away, he settled back against the headboard, resting his head against hers. The arm around her tightened protectively and he closed his eyes, trying to put everything out of mind and rest. He could stress himself out over whatever tomorrow.

I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven

'Cause you're my, you're my, my
My true love
My whole heart
Please don't through that away

'Cause I'm here for you
Please don't walk away
And please tell me you'll stay
Stay

Use me as you will
Pull my strings just for a thrill
And I know I'll be okay
Though my skies are turning grey

I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven...

[/size][/i]

[x.Wolf.x]

[[so, im makin' this the next day. seeing's that autumn is in a chemical induced sleep- she's not dreaming or thinking. trust me, i know this one from experience. ]]

autumn awoke feeling completely rested, almost as if she slept for days rather than just hours. almost immediately, her gaze shifted to the spot on the bed that peter had been laying- only to face the disappointment of an empty space. he must have left sometime after she passed out. her brows furrowed as she recalled the conversation just before she dozed off- had she? no, but she had been close. silently she thanked the morphine for cutting off her statement- admitting her feelings to peter could have been very dumb (or possibly the best thing she's ever done. a warm feeling rushed over her as she remembered laying there with peter, she felt safe with him and for once she felt like she actually belonged somewhere....

but that warm feeling was crushed by an even greater feeling of remorse. she had to leave today, she had to rejoin her platoon at headquarters. yesterday was probably the last day that she would ever see peter again, this thought brought another crushing blow to her chest. she didn't want to leave. for the first time in years, autumn wasn't in a hurry to die...peter had changed that. drawing a deep breath, she reached for the notebook and pencil that the nurses used to make notations on autumn's progress in. she owed peter a good-bye....even if she wasn't strong enough to do it in person. another deep breath and she began to write-

'dear peter, i know rushing off like this is, yet again, unacceptable for me to do. i have received word that my unit will be deployed soon and i need to get back to headquarters-'

she glared at the paper. that was a lie, she wasn't expected to be back for at least a couple weeks. but she had to go, to claim that peter was dead in order to save his life. she let out a low, menacing growl...apparently directed at the paper. her free hand shot out and viscously ripped the paper from the book, crumpling into a ball and threw it across the room. she already accused him of being like his father, why add insult to injury by lying to him. heaving a loud sigh, she started again.

'peter. i have feelings for-'

"what the hell?!" she spat, again ripping the page from the book and throwing it across the room. shaking her head, she started once again.

'peter. i need to go. i have received word that rasputian's army is on the move again and i need to lead a unit to flank him. i am sorry that i will not be here once you return, there are still some things that i would like to tell you...but i fear i no longer have time for. this will probably be the last time you hear from me, seeings that i will go undercover to face rasputain......i do not expect to return. i am very sorry for what i said, and for the nightmares. i will admit those now, when i first fell ill i had nightmares of you joining your father. i was naive to think so. you are nothing like him. you are GOOD. i thank you for your time, and your kindness. farewell- autumn.'

re-reading her work, she shrugged, refusing to spend anymore time on this. this would have to do. with that, she turned to the monitor at the side of her bed, with a grunt as she sat up, she switched the machine off. checking the door one more time, she carefully pulled the IV from her arm, then the monitor stuck to her skin. again, she glanced at the door- seeing nothing, she forced herself off the bed.

for a moment, autumn nearly collapsed once again, but fought through the vertigo that rushed over her. gritting her teeth, she forced herself to the tiny closet at the other side of the room. they had restocked the scrubs over night. good, glancing at her own bloodstained clothes. she changed right there, in the middle of her room. her gaze went to the bed once more, savoring yesterday's memories.

she went directly to the front desk and signed herself out so that the hospital wouldn't waste any time looking for her. when she made it outside, there was a large camouflaged colored jeep waiting for her. she pulled herself into the passenger seat, but not without a lot of effort and praying that her stitches held this time. and then she was gone- heading toward the headquarters.

_________________________________________________

he had to talk to her, to make sure she was okay. to make sure she wasn't going to do something stupid as a reaction to cuddling up with peter the day before. yes, pride hadn't missed the intimate scene, of course he hadn't missed it. he was going to check in on the couple to make sure the arguing was over, to stop anymore fighting between the two. as much as pride hated to admit it, peter and autumn needed each other. the two of them were such a perfect couple, it was a waste that they couldn't see it for themselves. he rolled his eyes at this, the two of them would be pussy-footing their ways around each other for the rest of their lives if someone didn't do something soon.

today, pride wore a dark pair of jeans, a black hoodie and a black dress coat that hung past his knees. if the human population could see him right now, they would have backed away at the dark look on the boy's face. it was obvious that this thoughts were troubling him. while he was in his phantom state, he could hear people's thoughts...and autumns had been very, very dark when he stepped into her room before his chat with peter.

reaching the hospital, he grinned- soon he would be annoying autumn and his mood would most definitely lighten. he walked through the doors of the hospital without having to open them- his grin widening...he loved being able to walk through things. it was so cool. it made him feel....badass. his chin lifted, he should feel like a badass all the time- because he was one.

he turned the corner and entered autumn's room, the same instant becoming 'solid'. "heeelllllloooo beautiful i-" he cut off, staring at the empty room. the bed was neatly pressed and the room had been prepared for another...all except for a small notebook sitting on the bed. grabbing the book, he read the note left behind by autumn. "oh my my my, this won't do at all." he tossed the notebook in the trash can. he refused to let autumn dismiss everything like that. if he had let peter read that stupid farewell letter, he would probably just shrug and go sulk somewhere by himself for the rest of his life. pride, being the match-maker he was, refused to let things end like this. if they tried to say goodbye face to face, things would be a lot more difficult and then they would be forced to admit their feelings.

casting a glare at room that was now completely ready for a new patient, pride disappeared, now in search of peter. he would convince the half-breed that autumn was in grave danger and force him to go talk to her.........

those two will admit their love for each other even if he had to force them!!