[06] Mending Fences & Finding Closure - Part I

[callmeles]

Mending Fences & Finding Closure
Part One



"I need a favor."

It was the first sentence that Alessandra De Luca, formally known as Piper Allison, had spoken to Adonis in what felt like years. It had been at least since that day they put down that last blood sucking vampire who had been responsible for Their deaths.

There was a long stretch of silence on the other end before she heard him clear his throat. "P - Lesandra?"

Les felt her heartbeat quicken, thankful that he hadn’t chosen to simply hang up on her for whatever reason.

“Yeah, look -,” she paused before exhaling a deep breath. “I know it’s been a while…”

“What do you need?”

Les blinked. She hadn’t expected that. It was asked in an almost… caring manner. One that she hadn’t always associated with that man – at least toward her. It was, she realized, the first time that she called him for something other than a job. Not that… he knew that exactly. It took her a minute to put into words what she needed but it had been long enough for this to happen. Far too long. “I… I need you to come with me.”

It was Adonis’ turn for silence. “Where?”

Her grip tightened on the phone – thinner, smarter and filled with far more technology than anything They had seen before they’d died – and swallowed a lump forming in her throat. “Toseethem,” Les finally whispered. “IfyoucantIunderstandIjustthought –“

“Repeat that… slower, please.”

She wanted to be annoyed and to hang up – it was easier to run. Always had been. She was done with that – the hanging up and running part that was. “I haven’t gone to see them since…,” she said, her voice tight. “If you can’t… I get it. I just thought…” There was the hint of uncertainty, of that girl who had lost so much all those years ago. Just as much as the man on the other end of the phone had.

“When? When do you want to go?”

“Um… tomorrow? Look, I know you’re busy these days. I’m… fuck, London feels the fucking same and not the same and I went to the house and…” she swallowed again and took a moment to just breath.

“Piper… where are you? Specifically?”

Les wanted to say something to him about using her birthname but she didn’t. “Inside of your penthouse in London. Your security is atrocious.”

Adonis chuckled and nodded to the demon he was meeting with before he stood from the table, dismissing him. “That’s because you were added to the list of those allowed in; it’s a very exclusive list so feel blessed. Aside from your home, I’m certain it’s one of the safest places you can be in. I’ll be there in ten minutes, okay?”

“Yeah - yeah, okay. Bring whiskey. And chocolate…”

“And ice cream?”

“Yeah, and that,” she said with a forced laugh, pacing up and down the length of the floor to ceiling windows that made up a portion of his penthouse. “For a vampire, you have far too many damn windows.”

Adonis smirked, that was like the girl he knew. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Whatever,” she said and hung up, throwing her phone onto the end table. Les had felt that sensation again to up and leave, run as far as she could and to not do this now, but she pushed that down as deep as she could. She needed to do this.

Had to finally do this.

Pushing open the balcony doors, she stepped outside and took a breath in. She missed London. Les tried to never take a job or spend much time in the city. It was where They had spent most of their time after traveling and completing course work. It was the first place they could call home after leaving New Orleans in high school.

“I have a great bottle of scotch, cigars, chocolate and ice cream.”

It said a lot more about Les’ state of mind that she hadn’t sensed him appear in and step onto the balcony. A little smile tugged on her mouth as she turned to face him, leaning against the railing. “I’d have been okay with a decent bottle of scotch. It’d be a damn shame to not savor a great bottle as it was intended to be.”

“Then we’ll savor this one and open a bottle of Jameson I’ve been holding onto for awhile,” Adonis said before handing over a glass.

Les took it and brought it up to her nose to smell. “Damn,” she said before tapping her glass against his and bringing it up to her mouth, taking a small drink. “If you’re not careful, I’ll be taking that with me.”

“It’s yours. Let’s get inside and I can change and then we can talk, yeah?”

Les took a moment to look the other man over, noting the bespoke dark suit that he wore and allowed herself a little smile. “Yeah, I can’t have you more dressed up than me when I spill my feelings.”

Making light of the situation and teasing was her method of coping. She was thankful though that he was here and welcoming her in like this.

Part II