Despite the 'NO!' screaming in all of his senses, Hal found his legs had a life of their own. For some reason they were tingling in a way they had not done for months, years even, as they followed the young boy down the high street and into a narrow cobbled alleyway. Hal stopped as his nostrils filled with...

"Up here, quickly!" Bernie called, frantic and yet trying to be careful not to scare the older vampire away, so much depended on him, he could not risk losing him now.

Beckoning Hal from the top of some narrow steps, the look in Bernies' eyes snapped Hal out of his stupor into a kaleidoscope of inner turmoil...walk. away. NOW. But his legs, lightly skipping up the steps, fizzing as if filled with champagne bubbles, had a will of their own, until he was though the doorway Bernie was holding open for him.... and there she was, on the floor of the small kitchen of what looked like a small flat, cramped but immaculate, except for the fresh reservoir of blood almost entirely covering the once white and black lino.

"She came back here to find Mitchell, we couldn't cope, I just ...lost control" babbled Bernie, looking intently at Hal, helpless, small.... and desperate.

But the older vampire is staring unblinkingly at his mother's body, and as he spoke, his voice was low, soft, almost inaudible, mesmeric:

"And how did you find me?"

"A letter, she had a letter, from Mitchell, with all these names on...."

The tingling in Hals' legs has spread to his body, his arms, right to his fingertips, into his mouth, his teeth pricking on the inside of his lip, and right down deep deep into the core of him...like a vortex of energy, a turbine whizzing into action, vibrating through every cell, and it felt........good. SO so deliciously good.

"Then" he slowly intoned in the same quiet voice " I suggest you go and get this letter".

For the first time since entering, Hals' eyes flicked to the boys and watched as he walked out of the kitchen door, before returning his gaze to the body on the floor.

it is a great topic ou started and it deserved rescuscitation Sami!

I enjoyed that moment of spontaneous escapism ...it has been a long time since I have written anything so it is good practice for me. I get your addition completely, very visceral....

Me too by the way... no plans, just writing what comes out when i come to this topic!

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Hal looked from Alex to Bernie and back again as his mind lept back into action. That is how the boy had found him, he had gone to Honolulu Heights and Alex had told him. She told him...Hal's mind flashed with anger and his fists tightened, on some level still noticing his need for the habitual reassurance of his number 1 domino in the palm of his hand, the domino that Alex had made him leave behind because he was strong enough now.  Almost baring his teeth he shook his head. Just when he had finally released himself from every last toxic tendril of vampire, just when he had begun to feel a small glow of hope that anything.. anything was possible even for monsters like him..she brings him this...!

But before Hal could speak to deliver a quiet but lethal whip of his tongue towards Alex, a wave so powerful, so crushing, swept through him.

The ghost and the younger vampire watched as Hal visibly swayed on his feet, almost losing his balance, before closing his eyes.

He knew the sensation so well. Why was it so hard though, why was his every waking moment this battle of forces so elemental that he barely gripped on to any sense of centre or groundedness by his fingernails. Guilt.

Looking at Alex with apologetic eyes, Hal takes the letter from Bernie's hand.

 

Fleur, if you are reading this then it means I am gone and Bernie is in trouble. It is too late for apologies now but you know how important it is to keep Bernie safe and not to talk to ANYONE about his condition. Especially not other vampires. Take him back to Barry, to Honolulu Heights and ask George, Annie and Nina to look after him. Explain to them that he is still young, he has not done the  things I had done and he deserves a chance. But if they are not there any more, there is only one other option. There are no vampires I trust, not one. But there is one who owes me. His name is Hal Yorke, or Lord Harry, he is an Old One and as far as vampires go he is dangerous. But Bernie will be safe with him and it is his best chance. I cannot explain why now, or expect you to trust me at all, but on this I swear. I do not know where you can find him and I am sorry.

John  Mitchell

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who will take it from there? why does Lord Harry owe Mitchell? all the while I was writing that  i was thinkig of member Sangate's fan fiction about Mitchel and Hal..and that being the back story to this!!!! >>> http://damienmolony.activeboard.com/t49862823/a-transformation-in-letters-by-sangate/

sedatedsoul wrote:

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I've not seen this topic before! I need to catch up now

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 please catch up and add on!!! 

I put it all together again. and i also added abit to the end. I was thinking we could wrap up this story and start a new one , but if anyone has more they want to add to it, feel free!!

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Hal shuffled through the big supermarket in the middle of Barry alone, clamping a basket tightly to his chest. "Why on earth did I let Tom convince me to be the one to go shopping?" he thought to himself as he nervously fiddled with his domino. He walked along shelves full of bottles of different types of shampoo who weren't arranged very neatly to say the least and it annoyed Hal greatly. He could only just resist the urge to rearrange every single one of them in a way that pleased him. 

Hal hastily averted his gaze from the shampoo, searching the other side of the aisle for the toothpaste Tom had requested. Something annoyingly modern that would whiten your teeth. Hal felt a little overwhelmed by the sea of brightly colored product, most of it thank God not in disarray, but could make nothing of all the different brand names. 

As his eyes skipped a little too anxiously over the plethora of gaudy packaging, Hal suddenly froze. A sensation long forgotten creeping up his spine, crawling up his neck and over his scalp - which tightened until it hurt - Hal closed his eyes as he remembered an energy signature he had done his best to forget... for over 100 years

"....Margarita! The succubus Hal had been running away from for a very long time smiled at him. "Hello, Harry my dear", she said. He took a startled step back and knocked hundreds of toothpaste tubes off the shelves. Stammering an apology he ignored the itching craving to pick them back up and ran away down the aisle."

Margarita went to place a hand on Hal's shoulder with a cold smile. But he backed away more with a gulp. "What do you want?" He said. Margarita laughed and smiled faintly "Since when where you so frosty Harry?" Hal regained his upright posture and looked around "Please. just call me Hal" Margarita looked him up and down "Hal. Right... Long time no see" Hal looked at her "Yeah.." She smiled at him "How about we go find lunch" Hal shook his head and mumbled "I cant..." She rolled her eyes "Lord. Don’t tell me you're all puppy now" Hal growled slightly and took a breath "No Margarita I’m just not like that any more."

Suddenly, Margarita vanished. Hal's breathing was heavy and he looked around at the mess of bottles on the ground. He was very confused. Margarita was just there, keeping him from moving, and then she was gone. She hadn't run away, she had just simply vanished. Hal picked up the bottles and placed them back on the shelf. After making sure they were strait, he hurried down the aisle, frequently scanning his surroundings for the succubus from his past. The thought of the way she had called him Harry sent chills down his spine. He came to the end of the aisle and made his way to the next. He had only taken a few steps down this aisle, before his eyes met something on the shelf to his right.

It looked out of place resting there upon the smooth metallic shelf but it was as familiar to Hal as the domino clutched between his fingers. The smell of it, it curled around his senses and he could feel his latent nature fight its way to the surface. A small crystal goblet, the liquid inside of it thick tempting and deliciously dark red. It made his mouth water and his hand trembled as he reached for it. He knew somehow that it would be fresh and warm as his fingers made tentative contact. And he was right.

He could not tell if the sound of a child crying was in the next isle or in the inner wail of all that was innocent and right began to die in the shadow of his inner monster, as his trembling hand brought the glass closer to his lips. But the crying got louder, even over the pounding of his heart, the heaviness of his breathing and the buzzing in every atom of his being. He couldn't do this to them, not after their sacrifices, all that they had helped him with for that long six months to get him to this point, standing in a supermarket, alone, holding a shopping basket, buying toothpaste, being human. Blinking hard, as if trying to wipe away the images of Tom and Alex out of his mind with his eyelids, Hal licked his lips and froze, with the glass in his hand. 

The glass burned in his hand. He stared at it almost trying to taste it with his memories, but he knew that wouldn't be enough. He felt the sweat begin on the back of his neck and in the palms of his hands. He tightened his hold on the glass, scared that it would slip right out of his hands. He raised the glass a few inches with trembling hands. He knew this was wrong. He knew how out of place this glass was. He raised it a bit more. Then he felt a breath on the back of his neck. "Harry!" a voice sang into his ear. He whipped around to see who it was, dropping the glass on the ground in the process.

He recognized her as soon as he saw her. 

She didn't blink as the glass shattered between them, blood pooling around their feet, somehow uniting them in the same dark moment. 

"C.c.c.c..catherine?!" Hal stammered, instinctively recoiling, his eyes darting behind her across the almost empty supermarket, then closing them in disbelief at his own stupidity..as if anyone would help him...

"They can't see me" she slowly intoned, emphasizing each word equally while holding her steady gaze until he was forced to look her in the eyes. 

His voice came out in a whisper, "you're.............h..h..how did you........." 

"Get here? Find you?? ......... there is nothing quite like spending 100 years with a variety of traumatized vengeful spirits to come up with a few ideas, make a few contacts and..oh yes...nothing quite like having your heart ripped out to make you a bit...colder.. and wiser.."

Catherine stepped closer to Hal forcing in to the shelves behind him. "Oh, come on Harry, you know that I love you!" she whispered in his ear. 

"Catherine, please stop," he begged as she came even closer to him. 

"Oh, Harry, you've already killed me, what more harm can you do?" She moved so that she was only and inch away from his face. 

Hal squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will her to vanish like Margarita did. When he opened them, however, she was still there. 

He heard foot steps coming down the aisle, but he couldn’t move. The steps quickened in to a run, and in only second, the person was right at his side. 

"You get off him!" the person said pulling Catherine off of Hal. 

"How dare you!" Catherine scolded before vanishing in to thin air.

"Thank you," Hal said, relive to the person who had now revealed themselves as....

...."Bernie, I'm Bernie." 

A young boy, no older than 10, stood before Hal in the supermarket.

"You're Hal? They said you could help me, you're my only hope!"

Not just a boy.. a vampire...and a vampire with an aroma of death and desperation that filled Hals' senses with a heady mix of intoxication and disgust. 

"Keep away from me ...little.... boy" Hal lowered his voice and started toward the door as onlookers began to gather, startled by the blood on the floor and what appeared to be a grown man pushing away a little boy.

But Bernie couldn't keep away, he had no choice but to follow .....

The gathered group of customers gazed at the two with curiosity as they walked out of the building. Bernie followed Hal about ten feet behind. "Please sir Hal, you have to help me!" he said with a clear desperation in his voice.

Hal looked over his shoulder, not taking the time to stop. He couldn't, given the customers that were bound to follow them if they didn't get out of there quickly. 

"And who exactly was that person who said that I could help you, and what do I have to help you with?"

"I'll explain everything later, but you have to come with me, please!"

Despite the 'NO!' screaming in all of his senses, Hal found his legs had a life of their own. For some reason they were tingling in a way they had not done for months, years even, as they followed the young boy down the high street and into a narrow cobbled alleyway. Hal stopped as his nostrils filled with...

"Up here, quickly!" Bernie called, frantic and yet trying to be careful not to scare the older vampire away, so much depended on him, he could not risk losing him now.

Beckoning Hal from the top of some narrow steps, the look in Bernies' eyes snapped Hal out of his stupor into a kaleidoscope of inner turmoil...walk. away. NOW. But his legs, lightly skipping up the steps, fizzing as if filled with champagne bubbles, had a will of their own, until he was though the doorway Bernie was holding open for him.... and there she was, on the floor of the small kitchen of what looked like a small flat, cramped but immaculate, except for the fresh reservoir of blood almost entirely covering the once white and black lino.

"She came back here to find Mitchell, we couldn't cope, I just ...lost control" babbled Bernie, looking intently at Hal, helpless, small.... and desperate.

But the older vampire is staring unblinkingly at his mother's body, and as he spoke, his voice was low, soft, almost inaudible, mesmeric:

"And how did you find me?"

"A letter, she had a letter, from Mitchell, with all these names on...."

The tingling in Hals' legs has spread to his body, his arms, right to his fingertips, into his mouth, his teeth pricking on the inside of his lip, and right down deep deep into the core of him...like a vortex of energy, a turbine whizzing into action, vibrating through every cell, and it felt........good. SO so deliciously good.

"Then" he slowly intoned in the same quiet voice " I suggest you go and get this letter".

For the first time since entering, Hals' eyes flicked to the boys and watched as he walked out of the kitchen door, before returning his gaze to the body on the floor

Hal examined the blood on the floor. He couldn’t take his eyes off of it. it was too much. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. But that was a mistake. As he inhaled, the sent of blood filled his nose. His mouth began to water and he could feel his teeth extend. He was lost in thought and the forgot about the boy. He heard a faint voice come from the kitchen. 

"Hal," the voice got closer, “what are you doing?"

Hal hadn’t noticed himself kneel down next to the body. He opened his eyes to see Alex standing next to him. 

"What happened here?" her voice panicked. "Hal did you do this?"

Hal just shook his head. His eyes still locked on the puddle of blood. Alex stared at him for a moment before helping him up. Suddenly Bernie burst back into the room carrying a sheet of yellow paper.

Hal looked from Alex to Bernie and back again as his mind leapt back into action. That is how the boy had found him, he had gone to Honolulu Heights and Alex had told him. She told him...Hal's mind flashed with anger and his fists tightened, on some level still noticing his need for the habitual reassurance of his number 1 domino in the palm of his hand, the domino that Alex had made him leave behind because he was strong enough now.  Almost baring his teeth he shook his head. Just when he had finally released himself from every last toxic tendril of vampire, just when he had begun to feel a small glow of hope that anything.. anything was possible even for monsters like him. She brings him this...!

But before Hal could speak to deliver a quiet but lethal whip of his tongue towards Alex, a wave so powerful, so crushing, swept through him.

The ghost and the younger vampire watched as Hal visibly swayed on his feet, almost losing his balance, before closing his eyes.

He knew the sensation so well. Why was it so hard though, why was his every waking moment this battle of forces so elemental that he barely gripped on to any sense of centre or groundedness by his fingernails. Guilt.

Looking at Alex with apologetic eyes, Hal takes the letter from Bernie's hand.

Fleur, if you are reading this then it means I am gone and Bernie is in trouble. It is too late for apologies now but you know how important it is to keep Bernie safe and not to talk to ANYONE about his condition. Especially not other vampires. Take him back to Barry, to Honolulu Heights and ask George, Annie and Nina to look after him. Explain to them that he is still young, he has not done the  things I had done and he deserves a chance. But if they are not there any more, there is only one other option. There are no vampires I trust, not one. But there is one who owes me. His name is Hal Yorke, or Lord Harry, he is an Old One and as far as vampires go he is dangerous. But Bernie will be safe with him and it is his best chance. I cannot explain why now, or expect you to trust me at all, but on this I swear. I do not know where you can find him and I am sorry.

John  Mitchell

Hal held the page in his hand and didn’t say anything.  He had almost forgot about his time with Mitchell. He didn’t understand why Mitchell would send this boy to him. Hal looked up at Bernie for a moment and then down at his mother.

He took a deep breath before speaking, “I'm sorry.” He handed the note back to Bernie. “I don’t know how to help you. I can barely keep myself in check, let alone help you.” 

Bernie looked at the distressed face that Hal wore. He understood, but he didn’t know what to do. “Can you atleast tell me some where to go?” Bernie could feel the tears form in his eyes. This was the first time in a while that he was this scared.

Hal just looked at him apologetically. Alex looked between the two vampires. “You can stay here with us-” she started

“What?” Hal flicked his head towards her. “I'm sorry, but no he cant!”

“Oh, can it Hal!” Alex went to Bernie and kneeled down to be on his level. “You can stay here, but only for abit. Hal is right. Its enough work making sure he doesn’t go crazy.”

Bernie just nodded. “Thank you.”

Okay! I think it's time to start another one of these!! The next topic is.... Drum roll please....

Hal mysteriously finds himself on a blind date!

Begin!

His usually deft fingers were stumbling over the tie and he squeezed his eyes shut as he pulled the thing loose again.

"ALEX!" he called, so edgily that she was by his side immedately.

"What!" the ghost crisply responded with her no nonsense big wide eyes and a slight flare of her nostrils that let the vampire know she was not in the mood for even a tinge of petulance.

"Stop being such a diva for one minute will you" her voice softening slightly, seeing the fragile pain in her friends' eyes, as she knotted Hal's tie.

"I thought you were a pro at this, not needing a mirrors and all" Alex mocked, remembering the time she offered to help Hal shave and his indignant reply. Hal stretched out his fingers and was as shocked as Alex to see them shaking.

"Look this is meant to be fun Mr darkness and doom, the least you could do is look a wee bit excited!"

Hal sighed. Why was he doing this. Oh yes. He was doing this for her.

No, he was doing this for him - to appease the guilt that had been gnawing away inside of him since the day Alex died. Even if it was only his fault tangentally.

"Alex, I am not ready for...for this". The quietness in Hal's voice betrayed his innermost fear, that despite being clean for a long time now, it was still very, very, shaky ground.

"Now you know that is rubbish and how long can a man be expected to...well even a very OLD man" she giggled, "be expected to be kept away from, well, from all that!" Alex's attempt at joking him out of his almost frozen state was in vain.

"But that is how I manage my condition!" the vampire pleaded.

"Hal. She is the same as you, going through the same as you, why can't you see this as a positive thing, the beginning of something good? You two should have plenty to talk about!"

Hal smiled. Convincingly enough it appeared, as his friend breathed out a sigh of relief. Noone could ever understand. The physical 'cage' of his limited existence was the least of his worries. The emotional cage that noone can ever enter was a burden he carried with him for centuries. And maybe she was right, perhaps. there was another out there, like him. But for the past few weeks since this encounter had been arranged by Alex, he could not bring himself to tell her what had happened every time in the past he had a connection with a female vampire.

"Ok you look gorgeous, and remember you have your phone in case you need me to rentaghost you out of there."

Hal was not convinced by her fake giggle, her mask was almost as good as his. But standing to attention, he put on his best pretend smile and headed towards the door.

Simultaneously they broke their gaze, eyes glancing downwards, hers towards his jacket pocket, his towards her wrist, both agreed to wear something red (Alex's idea) in those places. Hal noted the ruby bracelet, it looked old, expensive and elegant. The long slender fingers also caught his attention - there was something assured about them, but also something..fragile and...lost in the way they touched the table. An overwhelming sense of responsibility swept over Hal as his conscience shook it's  head inside his chest. This is not just about you! 

If there was something Hal knew how to do well, it was to bury his own inner demons and take the role of the reassurer. He stepped forward with a smile that was almost too bright and held out his hand. 

"You must be Liberty? I'm Hal! Hi!"