Fuel

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," Caleb answered, responding to her look with, "No, seriously. I'd have to kill you. It really is a national security thing."

Caleb was desperate to find anywhere to stop and release the tension, but more desperate to get back to Tex's and lay low. He contented himself with having her body next to his. He was tempted to suggest removing shirts for some kind of skin contact, but that wouldn't have been a great idea with State Lines to be crossed on the journey.

Aly squirmed against him. This wasn't fair. His hand slipped into the back of her jeans.

She scooted back.

"Distracting me won't work, hun. I think my security clearance is high enough--and if you were so interested in national security you would have handed your rogue FBI agent into the police."

She gently scraped her nails over his thigh.

"Please, Cal? You know my story but I know nothing about you except that you were in the army."

"Fifty years of hunting, son. It's hard not to care about your own."

Theo picked up his cane and pushed to his feet.

"But I guess if you're fine, I'll just go downstairs and check on Elenna." He started towards the door.

"My unit got eaten by the Werewolf we were supposed to capture," Caleb sighed, "I was handed an OTH Discharge and I've been hunting down anything that can't control itself or actively commits evil ever since. I teach piano on the side."

"Um!" Rome said, stalling, but the father proceeded toward the door, unconcerned. "Wait. Please. I'm sorry. I didn't mean...uh."

Now Father Theo stopped, and turned around, a forgiving smile on his face. Rome couldn't look at him.

"I'm sorry," he said again, looking at his hands. "I...I'm an ass. I mean, a dick. I mean, you know, whatever. I...you could stay, if you wanted. Or I could go crash on the couch. I just--if I'm gonna sleep, you know, I want--I need someone to wake me up in case I--if I..."

Was it just him, or was he ready to cry? And since when was he so damn needy?

The bit about the piano almost made her laugh...almost. Her hand movements turned from tantalizing to comforting, resting lightly on his knee.

"I'm sorry, Cal. I thought you looked uncomfortable with the whole ghost-werewolf thing. I didn't think you'd...I'm sorry."

He sighed. She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Did you get it? The one that killed your unit?"

Georgina pulled her car over while the voice of her GPS monotonously said: You have reached your destination.
She grabbed her purse, got off the car, locked it and walked to the door. She was exhausted from the long and rather quiet drive and the only thing she really longed for was a shower. She rang the bell two times and waited patiently.
"Who's there?" She heard a woman's voice from the other side of the door.

"It's Georgina."

Tex opened the door, in her hand both salt and holy water. She scrutinized Georgie intensely, then smiled. "Sorry, but you know the procedure." She handed her the bottle with holy water.
Georgie understood. She quickly drank some of the holy water while pulling a face, then looked at the salt in Tex's other hand.
"You want to sprinkle me with that like a cake or..."
Before she could finish her sentence Tex spread some salt over her. "Just in case." She stepped back to make her room. "Welcome, Georgina, to our humble home". She grinned. "You can drop your stuff in the living room and make yourself comfortable. I'm just quickly checking on Elenna."

"Okay..." Georgie yawned.

With a calm smile, Theo returned to the chair.

"Why don't we get started on that confession hmm?"

Rome nodded, his eyes getting heavy.

It didn't take long before the young man was sleeping soundly. He'd stopped mid sentence, somewhere around the twenty-fifth "and then father, I met this really hot girl."

Theo sighed and shook his head. The gifted ones always rebelled the hardest. A wrinkled hand reached into a pocket and fingered the silver rosary inside while he prayed quietly.

It hadn't been long when the softest knocking caught his attention and a small, tired face appeared.

"Father?"

"Come on in Elenna." Theo said with a quiet smile.

The pushed open farther, and she padded in softly. "You got him to sleep?"

"A long winded confession is often a good way to put someone to sleep...even yourself." She laughed quietly before glancing at the old man with a slightly anxious look.

"Would it be okay...I mean, would you be upset if..." Elenna stumbled over her words tiredly.

"If you crawled into bed and slept next to him?" Theo finished for her. Elenna nodded and the priest smiled kindly. "Of course not child. In this line of work, people you can feel safe around are few and far between."

He moved around to the other side of the bed and tugged down the covers, pulling them back up after she'd climbed in.

"Father?" She asked, her voice fading.

"Yes Elenna?"

"Would you stay? For a little while anyway?"

"Of course. Close your eyes now." He settled back into the chair and continued his silent prayers.

"Riddled the bastard," Caleb answered flatly, squeezing her closer to his side.

Caleb turned the radio on as he went silent, resting his head against Aly's. He sighed heavily and squeezed her closer again.

"Had to have felt good."

He tensed.

"It wasn't a werewolf, but there was this time my partner and I were used as bait for a serial rapist/murderer. He killed Sandra. I killed him. Felt good--as good as things after that could feel."

She shuddered.

Everything will be alright. All they need is some sleep and rest and then she would be back on the road. She smiled when she remembered that Rome had promised her that she could drive Vera. Lenna felt Rome next to her, and the priest close by. She was safe; nothing could harm her in this house. She could sleep, really sleep. And as soon she had time she would go hiding in the library and get over loosing Nick a second time. The books wouldn’t laugh, when they see her crying because a ghost that wanted to kill her is dead and she feels lonelier then ever in her live. And then she would be herself again.

"It felt good. It felt damn good. I'd do it again, if given the choice. I'd bring that thing back to life and do it slower this time," Caleb answered, his voice a low, feral growl.

Something in his growl chilled her, but she shrugged it off.

Aly nuzzled into his arms tighter. He kissed her before turning his attention back to the highway. There was really nothing to talk about after that, so she closed her eyes and got some more sleep.

When she opened her eyes he was leaning over her, the truck still, kissing her gently.

"We're here."

She sat up and stretched, smiling at him. Her finger curled up, beckoning him to her. They were both unbuckled in a second, with her back pressed against the passenger door. His lips fastened onto her neck making her gasp. Her hands wrapped around his neck and her fingers dug into his hair.

The truck rocked with the intensity of their kisses. The moment they started reaching for clothing though the enormous truck suddenly seemed a lot smaller.

Aly cracked her head against the passenger window as the horn broke the silence of the night.

"Ugh. Inside?" She grinned at him, hopefully.

"Lead the way."

"I can't...I'm stuck between you and the dashboard."

He chuckled and let her up, grabbing their stuff and helping her out of the truck. He kissed her forehead and steered them to the front door.

"What was that racket?! You know the drill--holy water and silver before you're through my door!"

Aly groaned but took the shot.

"Oh, god--I need a beer or something strong--can't you like I don't know--use less salt? It's like drinking beach sand!"

After taking a shower and changing her clothes Georgie lay down on the couch in the living room but she had troubles falling asleep when the sun was up. It was so quiet that she could hear a pin dropping. Lenna and Rome were sleeping as well, and just as Georgie decided to give it another try she heard Tex's voice. Then another familiar one. It was Aly. Obviously Aly and Caleb had arrived and were now forced to drink a delicious Holy-Water-Salt-Cocktail. Georgie tried to sit upright but every inch of her body was too exhausted, so she remained lying on the couch while watching the light of the early morning sun falling through the windows.

Lenna woke up abruptly. She was heavily breathing. It was a long time ago she dreamed of the moment she killed Nick, but the nightmare was back. With just one different, when she now woke up she didn’t felt Nick around. She looked at the sleeping Rome. Luckily she didn’t wake him up.

He needs his sleep. He was worried enough about me.

Lenna climbed out of the bed, glad Father Theo wasn’t here anymore. She went silently to the only room she felt nearly as safe as she felt with Rome. The library smelled of old books and leather. It was calming her down, for a moment. In one corner was a pile of old books. She sat down and looked through them, but she didn’t see the letters. Tears were streaming down her face and it seemed she couldn’t stop crying. She was a hugging herself and felt more lost than ever. She was an orphan, not one of her family was alive. She was the last Fee living. How is she supposed to carry this burden? How is she supposed to go on? She knew she has all her friends, but it was still different what if she needs a kidney who would help her than? She was a picture of misery in the farthest corner of the library and hoped that she would get the grief out of the system before anyone would find her.

Morrigan finally arrived outside Tex's place. She'd taken more detours than she should have, but she'd needed the time alone. She hadn't expected to want to be alone, but that had been what she needed.

She parked Shane's car next to the other hugely expensive vehicles that were so out of place here and walked up to the door. She wasn't sure what to expect. She'd never been inside a hunter's hideout before. She noticed the salted windows and doubted very much that was all the protection this place had.

"Hey guys, it's Morrigan," she called out. "Someone want to come to the door and let me in?" She felt like a complete moron. "I'd like to keep my head if there are any traps."

Georgina was just heading to the kitchen when she heard Morrigan outside. She grabbed some of the holy water and salt that was in the kitchen right next to the flour and opened the door.
Morrigan raised one eyebrow while scrutinizing Georgie in her denim shorts and a pink shirt.
"Hi Morrigan, nice of you to joing us!" Georgie handed her the holy water drink with a grin.

"What's this?"

"Just holy water and salt. We have to make sure that you're not a shape shifter or demon before you enter this house."

Morrigan pulled a face while choking down the drink that Georgie gave her. "That's disgusting!"

"You'll get used to it." Georgina gave her a wink, then turned around and threw her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "How was your drive? Are you tired?"

"Pretty much exhausted, yes." Morrigan followed her into the house. "Am I the last one who arrived?"

"Yes, I think so." Georgie turned around. "Are you hungry? I can't cook, but Tex makes excellent pancakes."

Morrigan smiled gratefully. "Breakfast wouldn't be bad."

Six hours. A new record. Might almost have been normal if he hadn't been so sleep-deprived to start with.

Elenna.

Holed up in the library. She had chained the door shut, and sat in a dark corner, pretending to read. Her skinny legs stuck out from behind a pile of books. She looked like a child, holding up a huge manuscript in front of her so that it almost covered her entire body.

The book was shaking. And she was squeaking. Trembling. Gasping.

Crying?

It struck Rome to the core: Elenna didn't cry. She got mad. She hit stuff. She hit him. The last time he'd seen her cry was the first time they had met. Rome approached cautiously, nudged down the book, ready to gather her into his arms to--

Blood. There was blood everywhere. Running down her face. She was crying blood. Blood poured, dark and warm, from empty eye sockets that stared up at him and--

Rome jerked awake, slammed by terror and pain as his limbs went in every direction, tangled by blankets. It was dark, but that didn't mean anything. The bed was empty. But someone had been sleeping here. It smelled like Elenna.

Who was gone.

Rome didn't check the clock. He didn't look for clothes to get dressed with. He tugged the blanket free of the bed, wrapped it around him, and padded down the hallway to the library.

The door wasn't chained shut, and that gave him hope, but he discovered her in the classics section, just like in his dream, and he could hear her crying. He rushed across the room and tore the book from her hands, eliciting a shriek from her.

But they were normal tears.

Half-relieved, half-dismayed, Rome dropped to his knees and pulled Elenna into a hug. "Chica, what the hell? Who cries in a library?"

Lenna looked up; she didn’t want anyone to find her and especially him. He was enough worried about her. He looked as if something happened why did he look so relieved? Did something happen?

Oh maybe he had a vision, but about me?

Lenna leaned against him, he was nice warm and she felt more than safe in his arm. Maybe it wasn’t so bad that he found her. He wouldn’t laugh he never did.

“I cry in the library, it is safe here.” Lenna tried to speak clearly but she got a hiccup from the crying not that she stopped. “Rome he is really gone right? Nick left this time really, I don’t feel him around anymore. I know you are here and everyone else but still I lost my whole family. What if I need a kidney, or I dunno. I never wanted him to go, I never wanted him to turn into a monster and he did, because I shot him. Rome I shot my brothers and he turned into a monster anyway. I did nothing right. Everything is wrong, what am I doing here?” Lenna gasped for breath.

Theo came out of the kitchen, a towel over his shoulder, his cane in hand.

"Well, well. Looks like you've a party going on in the entry way. I'm Father Theo. I'm a friend of Texas." He said with a smile. The older two of the three looked like children with their hands caught in the cookie jar, the young brunette however looked more than a little bewildered.

"Can I interest anyone in some pancakes? It's Texas' recipe, but I'm handling the flipping right now."

They stared quietly, so he began shooing them into the kitchen.

"Can't have you all starve to death in the foyer. In you go. Sit down and have some juice. I'll have food for you in a minute." He said as he walked back to the stove, leaning heavily on his cane.

Morrigan took Theo's hand when he offered it and looked longlingly at the food. She missed home cooked meals with a passion.

"Sit down," he repeated. "I'll bring it to you."

Morrigan and Georgie headed back to the table and sat down with their fresh squeezed orange juice.

"So, I don't know if Rome or Lenna told you, but I'm heading out tomorow. We've got Shane's service in a few days and I need to go home. I'd like it if you'd join me, I don't have many friends that would understand what my family is going through."

Georgina scrutinized Morrigan with a warm smile. "You can count on me. After all the stuff that happened the last few days I wouldn't let you drive around all alone." She took a sip of the orange juice which was so much better than the sugary stuff you would normally get in one of these plastic containers.
"So, how are you holding up? Attending your brother's funeral must be hard."

Morrigan bit her lip. "It feels like there's a whole part missing, you know..."

Georgie nodded. "It is weird but when I went to my parents' funeral I didn't feel anything, and this strange feeling of emptiness lasted at least two years."

"How old were you?"

"I just turned nine." Georgie's glance briefly met with Father Theo's who listened quietly. "Believe me or not, but I didn't cry. It was like I was too empty for any kind of sad emotions. After I turned eleven I suddenly woke up and just knew that I had to fill my parents' shoes."

"So they were hunters as well?"

"Yes. However, they didn't raise me this way. Neither did my uncle, a former hunter. I went to college and all, was pretty much influenced by him being a public prosecutor, so I got into law school, but I remembered the fact that I didn't feel anything at my parents' funeral and I kind of felt like I owed them..."

"By following their footsteps?"

"Pretty much." Georgie smiled. "You should have seen the look on my uncle's face when I told him I would leave Yale for hunting. That was probably the first time Mr. Public Prosecutor didn't have any words to argue."

Morrigan smiled and drank the rest of her orange juice. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you...ahm, possess anything black? You know, for the service?"

Georgie chuckled. "Yes, there is such a thing as black in my wardrobe. Not much, I have to admit, but at least something."

Caleb could feel his blood burning as he followed the priest into the room, sitting down before anyone got a chance to look him head to toe. He smiled and nodded his thanks as Father Cock Blocker handed him a stack of pancakes he was sure a small child could hide behind. Followed by the mug he kept here - which was more like a pitcher - full of orange juice. He suppressed a groan. Apparently, breakfast was going to take a while.

"Sooo ... Father ... we've never met before but we both know Tex well. You come in as I walk out sorta deal?" Caleb joked.

Aly was famished, but other needs were taking precedent. His hand on her ass as they walked to the kitchen didn't help her condition. It only made the ache stronger. If the man had been anything other than a priest she would have grabbed Cal and ran upstairs with him--or lay down on the dining table and ruin everyone's breakfast.

Aly looked down at herself after smoothing her hair down. She crossed her arms over her chest as she sat down to hide the more obvious signs of her distress. The table hid his very obvious sign.

The pancakes were good and she didn't know anyone really so she kept to herself eating quietly while never taking her mind off her greater hunger.

Okay, she may not be crying blood but now she's hyperventilating. Not good. Rome pulled her as tight against him as his straining muscles and bruised body would allow. "Hey, hey, now. Take it easy, there, chica, I can't understand you when you're crying so hard."

Rome wrapped his hand around the back of her skull and started running his hand through her hair as the sobbing tapered off but the tears still flowed, sending a wet river down his chest. For the first time he felt slightly awkward embracing her in this state of undress, but she didn't seem to notice or mind, so he said nothing.

When she had quieted enough for him to talk, he shifted her to his shoulder so he could look down at her.

"Nothing is wrong, Elenna, you understand me? Nothing. You're here because we need you. All of us. The whole world, Lennie, you hear me? You save the world, one supernatural S-O-B at a time. You save--" Rome choked on the word, wondering how saptastic he wanted to be, before deciding he should be honest with her: "you save me. You know, like, all the time. There isn't a day goes by that I don't thank God that since he's fresh out of angels upstairs that he sent me you instead. You're..." Rome stopped. Enough with the touchy-feely crap. "And that's why I'm here, too, okay? That's why Nick didn't actually kill me, even though he wanted to. You know he talked to me before he went, right?"

Elenna sniffled and sat up a little. "What?"

Rome took a deep breath. "Nick and me...argued, when I was...possessed, if you want to call it that. We hated each other's guts--his memory be damned, I still hate the bastard--but we both wanted the same thing: we both wanted you safe and looked after and happy. He was just going about it the completely bass-ackwards way, and that's what I told him. But that's why he let you go, because he loved you. Even in his psycho twisted ghost-brain he loved you, you were the most important thing to him. And even though he hated me, I think that's why he let me go. So I could look after you. Or, you know, he just died before he got the chance, I don't know, but that's what I'm taking it as. Not that I wasn't going to look after you, anyways."

"But, Rome, I--"

"No, buts, chica, you're the only one in this whole mess who wasn't a complete douchenozzle, so don't you dare try to apologize for something. You did the right thing. You always have."

Rome chuckled into her hair.

"Well, except maybe for getting mixed up with me in the first place."

She laughed a little at that, and Rome continued to hold her as the silence lengthened. He wrapped the blanket around both of them and shifted her to a more comfortable position that wasn't against the broken bone.

"Rome," she said forlornly. "I'm an orphan now."

"The hell you are, kiddo. You're an honorary Remington, now. And, seriously, if you're worried about kidneys, you know I'd sell my soul in a heartbeat to get you one if you needed it, right?" Rome winked.

Elenna hit him, only pulling the punch at the last second, remembering his injuries, but it still hurt. "You shouldn't joke about that, Rome!"

"Why not?" He laughed. "Anyway, it's not like I was using it."