Hallows: Duets

You're Coming Back, Right?

Silverstein- Smile In Your Sleep

Ashley:

"Have you seen this?" Tam rushes into our room and turns the T.V. on Lily's side of the room.

"The Attack on New City Royale is still happening as police try to get into the building," the reporter says panicked.

Behind her, the police are firing into the front door. There are people firing back at the cops. The others rush into the room as we watch the people inside face off with the cops. I look away sitting on the bed. I felt his pain inside of me. It was so hot. It felt like my insides were on fire. Like flames were going to burst out of me. With just the memory of it, I get up and run into the bathroom to throw up.

Carter comes in after me and shuts us in. He holds my hair back for me as I spill everything I've eaten today. I sit back on my calves and just completely lose it. The last person I want to fall apart in front of is Carter but I don't have the strength to hold it back. He goes to the sink and gets me some water and a hand towel.

"Here," he says taking a seat next to me. I look up at him and take it.

"Why are you here?" I ask taking some water in my mouth to rinse out my mouth. I spit it into the toilet and flush.

"I know exactly what it feels like to be connected to a heartbroken Hallow," he shrugs.

"Thanks," I choke out. He just nods without looking at me.

He doesn't say anything to me and I don't press for details not that I think he would answer me anyway. Once I calm down enough he rudely tells me I look like s**t. I get up and reach for the makeup remover and start to wash my face. The tears don't stop as I clean myself up.

That was f*****g horrible.

My mind is racing. I don't understand what happened. David's sudden change-no. I think he's been like that from the beginning. I look down at Carter who is texting away on his phone. I crouch down in front of him.

"What happened?" he asks.

"Car, I don't know," I admit. His eyes come over to me and I start to cry again. "Car, I don't know what to think but there's no other explanation,"

"f**k," he sighs. "Please, don't say that. Please, don't say what I think you're going to say, Ashley,"

"I think it's David,"

"No," he wraps his hand around my throat and pulls me into him rough enough to bring me to my knees. "Don't,"

"You should have seen him, Carter," I cry feeling the ache in my belly takes my breath away. "I don't want to believe it but I can't ignore it,"

"Are you f*****g sure? It could be-"

"Carter," I smack my forehead to his. "Carter, listen to me, please,"

"No," he shoves me. I stumble back and fall on my ass. "You don't know what the f**k you're saying," he crouches down in front of me. "There is no f*****g way. No. f*****g. Way. Ashley. He's just mad because you're taking up all of Dante's attention,"

"Carter,"

"f**k no!" he roars. "No, Ashley. Never f*****g repeat that s**t,"

He rips the door open and storms out. He slams the door shut leaving me in here alone. I pull my legs up and wrap my arms around my knees crying into them because come on. That looks exactly as it does. David deliberately killed that guy. He was upset because of the girl we killed in that subbasement. He was upset because of the meeting and he has that f*****g information now. I don't want to believe in the attack on my senses but there is no other explanation. What excuse could he have for that?

"Ash?" I look up when Lily opens the door. Behind her is Kelly.

"Please, go away," I cry.

Kelly comes over to me and kneels down in front of me. She places her hand on my head and leans into me without saying anything. She waves Lily out. Lily shut the door behind her.

"Carter-"

"I don't want to believe it either, Kels. I know how it sounds," I cry. She wipes my face.

"Ash, we've known David since we were kids. We grew up together," she shakes her head.

"Kelly, I know what I saw," I insist.

"Ash, you and Dante are taking this break up really hard," she shakes her head giving me an actual pity expression.

"No, Kels. No. I mean yeah. But you had to be there. Please, please believe me,"

"Sweetheart, this is David we're talking about," she shakes her head. "We know everything about him. His family. His people. Everything. We wouldn't have let him in if we didn't. Just the same way we know everything about you, love. I think this thing between you and Dante got a little too much for him,"

"Kels," I shake my head.

I look up at her and I see it in her eyes. She doesn't believe me either. I know if I bring it up with the others it'll be the same thing. David is too tied up with all of them for them to suspect foul play and I don't blame them. He's been with Dante for a long f*****g time. Maybe she's right. Maybe David saw that Dante was serious and it scared him. Not to mention with all the s**t going on with his family. Reluctantly, I nod.

"I know this hurts," she places her hand on my chest. "It hurts as much as it does because you feel Dante's pain as well. You want a reason and it's really a simple one. It usually is with mortals. Espinosa is not a complicated guy. He's always had fits over the women Danny's had over the years. It was only a matter of time before he snapped, baby face. It's how humans are. Especially human men,"

"He told me he loved me," I shake my head.

"He told Danny it would be forever and now Dan's enslaved everyone in that casino and is going to burn it down. We told Dante it was going to end badly but he didn't listen to us. You were different from the start, sweetie. You've been ride or die from day one. David has always looked down on everything we do. He wasn't the one. You are. Come on. Let's get you out of these clothes and cleaned up properly. Dante is going to come back and I think is best if you wait for him in his room. Yeah?"

"Okay," I agree.

She helps me up to my feet and gets some shorts and a T-shirt. I take a shower and after she escorts me to Dante's room. I don't know how long I sit there in the dark waiting for him to come back. The window behind me opens and he comes inside. He's covered in blood when I look up at him. He falls to his knees in front of me. Tears streaming down his face.

"I don't know what to do," he breathes in shakingly. "Help me,"

"We're going to be okay, Danny," I cry wrapping my arms around him.

He pulls me to him so I'm straddling his lap. His body trembles as he cries quietly into my shoulder. I run my fingers through his stick hair and quietly sing the words of A Letter From Janelle for him. His arms around me tighten and he lightly rocks us back and forth. My legs get numb from how long we sat there. I don't know what to do or what to think anymore. I've never been good at dealing with pain. The scars on my body are proof enough of how f*****g helpless I am. But I can't stand to see him like this. Not again. Not when he's been doing so well.

I help him up and take him with me into his bathroom and run the water. I help him out of his bloodied clothes and then remove my own before I take us into the shower. I set the water to hot the way he likes it and we sit there for a bit before I wash the blood away.

"I don't feel him anymore," he whispers after a long while. He places his hand on his chest. "I won't ever feel him again, Ashley. I rejected his essence," he growls digging his fingers into his chest. I pull his hand away from him and sit between his legs. "Why did he do that? Why did he make me do that?"

"I don't know," I kiss the top of his head.

I lie keeping my assumption to myself. If Carter who is a complete s**t head reacted the way he did, I don't know how Dante will react. I haven't been very religious as of late but God, I hope I'm wrong. I pray that I am because if I'm right, not only has David betrayed me and Dante but all of them. All of us. I might be angry and hurt but I know that if it's true, they're going to tear him apart. It won't be a swift death it'll be slow and painful. Whatever kindness they feel toward humans will be extinguished along with David.

"I'm sorry I left you alone," he says pushing my wet hair back.

"No, don't apologize. You have every right to be upset, sweetie. I'm okay. I promise," I gently press my lips to his.

He kisses me back. The kiss is tender, gentle even. So unlike him. I reach between us taking him in my hand and gently stroking him until he gets hard for me. I lift my hips without breaking our kiss and then I lower myself onto him. He pulls away closing his eyes as I take him into me.

"Ashley," he whispers.

"Shhh," nudge him back up and kiss him again.

I gently roll my hips against him. I push him back keeping him covered from the spray of water beating down on my back. I cover his eyes as I kiss his face, and his neck, just loving him in hopes to make him forget for a brief moment. To give him relief from the anger and pain he's desperately trying to fight away and he lets me. He lets me give him whatever I have to offer and he doesn't take anything. He doesn't feed on me.

"Don't stop," he whispers when I clench tightly around him. His hands go to my hips. He keeps me moving as the orgasm rocks through me. When it passes, sits up and turns the water off. Without ever pulling us apart he takes us into his room.

We stay in this room for days. I don't know what the others told the teachers but no one bothers us. Except for Carter who brings food and asks me how he's doing. When we're not in the bed f*****g he's at his desk writing. No music or sounds other than the sound of pencils scribbling on paper.

"Dante, I have to go to class today," I tell him on Wednesday after Lily texts me that Mrs. Dubois is worried.

"Okay, baby. Come back when you're done," Is all he says.

"I can't convince you to go to class too?" I ask.

"No," he shakes his head.

"Okay," I kiss the back of his neck. "I love you,"

"Hey," he grabs my hand when I head for the door. I look back at him. "You're coming back, right?"

"Yes, as soon as I'm done. I swear," I nod. He pulls me to him and kisses me. This time I feel the tug at the warmth inside of me. It leaves me a little breathless.

"I love you too," he whispers as if it hurts him to say the words.

I pressed my lips to his forehead and walked out of his room. I stay outside the door for a moment only to hear the way he finally comes apart. The sound of things being thrown around. Yeah, there is no way in hell I can bring this up with him. I can't hurt him any more than he is already but I can't just drop it. Our judicial system has taught me a couple of things. One, plead the fifth. Two, guilty until proven innocent and I f*****g hope David is just having a hard time with me. I'd gladly take responsibility for this and figure out a way to make it up to the big guy.