The Angsty Aftermath

A Hotel Somewhere

This hotel is in a good neighborhood and it's only mildly scummy. The room that occupants have currently booked is a moderate-sized one, with worn out carpet and dated floral wallpaper from the 1970s. There are two queen-sized beds in the middle of the room, pushed up against the northern most wall and separate with a cheap wooden end table that has a singular lamp on it. A small breakfast table with two rickety chairs sits adjacent from the door. There's a dresser in one corner of the room, and across from the beds is a small stand with a television on it. There are two doors near the entrance/exit; one leads to the bathroom, while the other is a small closet.


Up in the hotel room that Chloe had rented, Jo and the captive are presumably asleep. Mischa has taken the 'quiet' time to take a shower, change into the sweats that Chloe supplied for him, and take a breather. Mischa isn't accustomed to maiming people, nor killing them. So to say that he's trying to come to terms with all of this would be a vast understatement. While the girls are curled up on opposing beds, Mischa is sitting on one of the chairs in the room, drifting out. There are a million thoughts racing through his head — though it's hard telling which of the percentile make sense.

Chloe got a 'lift' here from a certain vampire rescuee. She's in a bit of shock as she opens the door, waltzes in, closes it, and leans against it. Beneath the matted blood, and the left over pieces of vampire, her skin is pale. Her hair is pasted to her face, glued down by the dried blood. She doesn't say a word, just stares straight ahead at whatever is there.

That'd probably be Mischa. The chair sits adjacent from the door, and thus when Chloe comes in, Mischa is afforded a good view of her. He rushes over to her and opens his arms, then thinks better of it for several reasons == the first one being that she's covered in vampire bits and blood. He does reach out for her hand though, keeping his voice quiet so that he doesn't wake the other two. "Chloe, I was so worried…you're alright then? I'm sorry I didn't stay…" He trails off there, obviously wanting to say more.

Chloe's hand is grabbed easily enough. She doesn't move, and doesn't say anything. She sort of just continues to stare straight ahead, completely in shock. There are /vampire/ bits in her hair. There's likely some down in her cleavage. There is no end to the copper smell, and she's been on a rather quick delivery to the room, and to safety while another war is being waged.

"Alright, Chloe…" Mischa says, starting to pull her towards the bathroom. He at least makes sure that she's a few steps closer to the bathroom when he lets go of her hand and turns the shower on for her. "You should get cleaned up. I had to call and ask for more fresh towels…" He trails off, reaching his hand into the water to test it's temperature. "The shower will make you feel better, honestly." It's not a lie for him so much as it is wishful thinking.

And she's lead toward the bathroom. The water is turned on. Still, all the red-head can manage at the moment is to stare straight ahead. Without undressing, she steps into the shower and stands there, pretty much unmoving except to breathe.

What the Hell is the protocol for these situations? Does one undress his coworker when she's catatonic and desperately needs a bath? He just lets her step into the bathtub with her clothes on, retrieving a towel and washcloth from the closet in the living room. When he steps back into the bathroom, he sets them in the sink and looks to Chloe's shirt, then her. "Chloe, if I turn around, are you going to actually shower…? At least say something. You're worrying me." The tone of his voice is fairly exhausted — but his concern for her is easily detected nonetheless. Sweat is still beading his brow, lining the underarm of his t-shirt. Whatever fever he has from ingesting the V is taking hold, and he's likely only to get worse as time progresses. But he'll recover. Chloe's state of mind? He's not so sure about that.

As he asks her to talk, she pulls a piece of gooey bone from her hair, and drops it into the tub. Then she drops down to her bottom, allowing the water to flow over her. The last time Chloe felt anything like this was years ago, her first night in the Green Oaks facility. It's the stress of it all. She will eventually be fine, she just needs to get the shock out of her system. Sadly, she doesn't say a word to Mischa, just rocks in the water.

Mischa watches Chloe. Just watches. He eventually picks the washcloth up and sets it on the edge of the tub, along with a bar of soap. He doesn't quite depart just yet, but instead is gone for a split second, then comes back with a pair of sweats he thinks are Chloe's size, laying them down with the towel in the sink. "If you're not out of here in fifteen minutes, I'm coming back to check on you. So be dressed. Preferably in the clean clothes, and dry?" Mischa asks, his tone not as friendly as normal. He's trying to be stern with her simply so she'll snap out of it.

Eyes drift to the clothing, then forward again. Chloe does nothing but rock back and forth. When he orders her about, she grabs for the bottom of her tank top, pulls it off, and flings it onto the floor. It's full of vampire, and a piece of entrails that was stuck in her bra plops out as the shirt comes off.

And that's Mischa's cue to shut the door rather hurriedly. But he remains outside of the door, listening for any sounds of distress. Whatever's going on with her, he's right there alongside her. Maybe he's doing a bit better mentally, but he was there too. He eventually moves to crouch outside the door, figuring it to be more comfortable than standing there.

Ever the gentleman, isn't he? Chloe stands there, still fully dressed, under the water. For a long time, everything in the bathroom is silent except for the water. Then, there is a crash. Followed by another. Then another. It sounds like Chloe is beating the shit out of the tub, actually.

Crashing? That's not normal and/or healthy, really. At least that's not what it sounds like when he bathes. Mischa takes in a breath before he stands erect again and peeks the door open, 'peeking' on Chloe. In the most kind, nicest of ways. Not at all like a creep stalker, honest.

Finally, her voice can be heard. "STUPID GOD DAMNED SON OF A BITCH." It's definitely not a normal Chloe at all, and the cussing is followed up with another round of beating on the tub. Eventually the sounds quiet down, the water is turned off, and a toweled Chloe emerges from the shower. Yes, there are clothes there, no she doesn't want to put them on just yet. She digs around in one of the pre-purchased bags for a brush, and sits at the table in a towel. A second towel draped about her shoulders, hand poised to brush her hair out. "Sorry you had to go through that," she mumbles at Mischa.

Quietly, she brushes her hair for a few minutes. Trying to get her thoughts in order before saying anything again. Once she does, Chloe exhales a sigh. "Mischa, it was stupid of me to even /ask/. You… you risked your life to save me, to save someone you didn't even know. I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you for that kindness, but that goes above and beyond normal friendship." Beat. "Not that I'd know about real friendship. I've never really /had/ friends."

Mischa just shakes his head for a moment, looking out the window. He adjusts his glasses and heaves a sigh. He stands up from the table and moves over to Chloe, leaning in to her. He slowly moves to attempt to wrap his arms around her in a bear hug. "It's okay, Chloe. Just let it out. Unless that's what you were doing back there in the shower." Pause. "Not that I looked."

"He went back in," is all she says as to why she was beating the living daylights out of the poor, inanimate bath tub. Chloe doesn't move at the hug, nor does she lean into it. She just sits, allowing it, trying not to break down in tears. "Mischa, they tried to /kill/ my parents… still I went to save him. The Sheriff. And now, now I don't know what's going on."

"I can't pretend to know why he did that, Chloe. But he did mention something about war. He probably felt it his duty." Mischa reaches up to stroke his fingers over the woman's hair, looking out at the window as he considers the situation. "We'll just have to wait to see what's happened. Frankly I think that he'll be alright. I wasn't entirely 'myself' during the ordeal, but… what I sensed from him was strong. Just have faith, Chloe." Mischa tries to sound reassuring about it all — after all, he doesn't want Chloe to think that her rescue mission had been in vain. He just keeps Chloe held tightly to himself, but tenderly.

The brush is put down, the woman falling silent once more. "He would," she says quietly, almost affectionately. Then Chloe gives her head a shake before dropping it to Mischa's shoulder. "You were frightening, and amazing, and Jo and I wouldn't have survived long without your help."

This causes Mischa to blush for a long few moments, averting his gaze from his reflection in the window. "Thanks. I was a little scared." Pause. "More than a little. I've never been something that big… but the animal took over soon enough." And that's what scared him the most. Save for the concern an animal would give it's owner, he wasn't the same Mischa. He frowns a little bit and gives Chloe a soft squeeze, pulling away enough to watch her. "I was sort of badass."

For a moment, it looks as Chloe is going to cling to him, as though he were her sanity. As he pulls away, her head lifts, and tears can clearly be seen in her eyes. She turns her head away, busies herself with adjusting the towel, and then says, "I owe you." Afterward, she gets up and heads to the bathroom again to throw on the sweats.

That was par for the course. Or so Mischa thinks. He's wholly confused by everything in his life right now, especially by Chloe. He moves to drop himself down into the chair across from hers when she bustles into the bathroom, groaning in exhaustion. His glasses are taken off and put on the table before he leans forward, letting his head drop down into his hands. "Chloe, Chloe, Chloe…" He mumbles quietly.

Once in the sweats, she peeks her head out the door. "You say my name?" Chloe is trying to be quiet, due to the two sleeping women on the beds. Then she sighs. "Where on earth are /we/ going to sleep? It's too late to head back to Dallas…"

Mischa points toward the bed that Josephine occupies. "I'll sleep in this chair. I don't think Jo will mind if you curl up there… I'd suggest the other bed, but considering everything that the girl has been through…" Mischa shakes his head before he slumps back in his chair, closing his eyes. For just a minute, he tells himself… before he's out like a light.

Chloe watches him, quietly. When his eyes are closed, she moves back toward the chair, then places a gentle kiss upon his brow. "Thank you, Mischa. I will never forget this." Then she grabs some extra blankets and sets them up on the bed beside Jo, curling into them trying not to disturb the woman as she drifts off into her own, fitful sleep.

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