Cold February Evenings

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin's black Subaru Legacy burbled quietly outside Northwestern's Arts building. Snow flurried, and at 9 o'clock, much of the city had decided it was done for the night. Martin had the heat on, and the leather passenger seat was warm to the touch. Ordinarily, Martin might not bother. Students moved hurriedly between buildings, not eager to be snowed on. It was going to get worse, too. There was a front crossing Lake Michigan, and the wind was shifting to the North.

Martin had not seen Michele in two months. A combination of curiosity and concern had pushed him into action, so he'd gotten ahold of Michele's schedule. Long legs emerged from the building, five minutes after the class was supposed to be over. A cup of coffee sat in the cupholder. Martin flashed his lights at her.

[Michele Hawkins]

The snot in my nostrils froze upon impact. No seriously. It did! I can feel the nose hairs clumped together by snot ice, all prickly and rough. It's nasty. Course, I should have known better then to walk outside in this weather without a scarf on. I was fishing it out of my pocket too when I saw someone flash their brights at me.

Squinting through the crowd, I recognized the vehicle instantly. One of Martin's 'babies' shall we say? I bet it was squeaky clean pretty in this shitty Chicago weather. No mud or salt to be found on that exterior.

The ground was covered in fresh snow, making it slippery to walk. I tip toe my way over and knock on the window. He rolled it down and I poked my head in and smelled coffee.

My thoughts strayed to Fiona for a moment but I looked to Martin. "What's up?"

[Martin Le Roux]

"I thought you might want a ride in the poor weather." Michele could feel the warm air in the car against her face. Martin unlocked the doors with a synchronized click. He tapped on the passenger seat.

"Come, sit." The unwisely scarfless Michele only hesistated a moment. Both knew a friendly car ride wasn't everything. The door clunked shut, and Martin eased the car away from the curb. Michele, nose burried in the coffee cup, nodded apreciatively. Her snot was starting to thaw.

"How are you?" Martin asked while he navigated the campus.

[Michele Hawkins]

"Good, actually." It was the truth too! Things weren't perfect still, but at least my head was above water instead of drowning in despair. Kassandra was been an awesome listener and teacher, able to partially fill the void left by Fiona.

Course Brigid had to ruin things a couple months back. Actually implicating that Kassandra had something to do about her disappearance. She had the audacity to attack her too! Without any proof, Brigid's been a walking time bomb since Nara threw her to the curb. Can't trust shit coming outta her mouth anymore. Some friend she turned out to be ...

"I'm actually taking a pedagogy class. The school's interested in having me as a student teacher."

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin nodded.

"That is good. You have the patience for it."

I worry about you. And the stupid Game." Martin sighed and waived a dismissive hand that implied he was worried about more than Michele: he was also worried about Fiona and Brigid.

[Michele Hawkins]

"Yeah, it is stoopid," I reply with a grumble. It's the rather inconveint thing about being Immortal. You kinda, sorta, haveta learn how to fight with sharp shiny things so you can keep your head. Loose your head, your dead. For good. We fight for this whothehellknowswhatthefuckprize is, and we become more powerful after each kill. It makes certain weak minded people thirsty for more power.

Or in other cases, weeding out the bad apples that don't deserve the power.

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin half grinned.

"Speaking of stupid, have you seen Brigid lately?" he asked. Martin knew Brigid was far from stupid, just incredibly emotional.

[Michele Hawkins]

"No idea," I said crossly. "She's long gone far as I know."

Remembering the incident two months ago still left a bad taste in her mouth.

[Martin Le Roux]

"Oh." Martin said. She hadn't returned any of his letters, even from "other" places. It was worrying.

"She'll come back, wimpering like a lonely pup." Martin said. Michele hurummphed. Brigid had done something dramatic.

[Michele Hawkins]

"Yeah, maybe." I shrink into the seat and sigh. If she does come back and she starts that crap again about Kassandra, our previous fight is gonna look like foreplay.

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin paused. He turned off the campus, and shifted the car into third.

"What did you fight about?" He asked.

[Michele Hawkins]

I scrunch my eyes and shake my head. "It was her and Nara that fought."

Why am I lying? I don't do that. I'm not ashamed at what happened between me and Brigid. So why the subterfuge?

[Martin Le Roux]

"So you live alone?" Martin asked. He smelled bullshit. For an Immortal as young as Michele, living alone could be extremely dangerous. He was still... upset, he supposed, with Bella. His first Childe and she runs back off to France.

[Michele Hawkins]

"Yes. Well, no." I look towards Martin who was patiently waiting for me to make up my mind in answering. "Kinda?"

And I failed. How do I explain my relationship with Kassandra without pissing off Martin too. Maybe he was just as angry and suspicious as Brigid.

[Martin Le Roux]

She was spooked. Why didn't she want to talk about the pale blonde woman?

"I'm sorry. This isn't an interrogation. I worry too much about my friends."

[Michele Hawkins]

"Really?" I cluck my tongue and snap back. "You coulda fool me with the bribing of coffee and a warm car."

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin ran his tounge across his top row of teeth. Trying not to spooks the bees and he found the hornets.

"Have you had dinner?"

[Michele Hawkins]

"No, not yet." My eyes divert outside, away from nosy Vampire eyes. "All I had was a snickers bar."

Wait, did I even have that? I do remember eating some offered chips before class, but was there an actual candy bar bought?

I sigh and rub my eyes. I'm so damn tired lately that I think time is just smashing together like one big car wreck. Everything sorta just blends into each other, all the memories of the past week really. Like I'm just playing out a finished script of monotony.

[Martin Le Roux]

Oh Michele. Martin could smell peanuts and chocolate on her breath.

"We can go out to eat, and you can not talk. I'll have a glass of wine." Martin wanted to nudge her playfully but was half-afraid she'd stab him.

[Michele Hawkins]

My lopsided grin says it all, that and a rumbling belly. "Deal."

I shake a stern finger at him, warning Martin that if my request is not fulfilled, there'll be hell to pay. AKA - Sorry for being a bitch, in other words. "I want chinese."

Has to be me being tired and freaking out over, well everything. Why I'm acting this way. Last semester of school too before I graduate and no Fiona.

Stop that! I know better then to dwell on it every waking moment, and I won't slip up. Not when things were finally settling down and I've got so much going for me now.

[Martin Le Roux]

"There are some decent places in Chinatown." It was sort of stating the obvious, but you never really knew.

"Want to see how fast we can get there?" He asked. The Legacy was shod with excellent Nokian snow tires. Martin would behave if Michele told him to.

[Michele Hawkins]

Ooooooh! This is exactly what I need. A little bit of danger to make me feel alive. Fast and snow is gonna be slippery fun! We might get into an accident, but seriously, who the hell cares? We're both Immortal. Why not have some fun.

I slam my hand down on door rest in immature excitement. "Hell yeah!"

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin shifted into neutral, kicked the clutch again, revved the motor, and shifted into second. The turbo screamed it's high-pitched song, and the boxer motor growled. Michele could feel the car searching for grip with all four wheels, and then the car caught. Both were shoved into their seats. Rooster tails of snow were thrown into the air behind them.

Martin flicked the the car suddenly left, and then right. The nose of the car nearly kissed the curb. With only 3 inches of snow of the road, the Subaru made short work of it. They came up on a car, but Martin eased the car into the opposite lane and passed them. Sixty miles per hour, in the snow, in downtown Chicago. The light turned red. Martin shifted into third. Martin's eyes rapidly flicked back and forth. He feathered the throttle, each car crossing missed them by inches. The boxer motor howled.

Martin looked focused. He slowed a little, from 60 to 70 as a tributary road came up, and red and blue lights flashed.

"Huh." He said.

[Michele Hawkins]

I shift in my seat and the damn seat belt chokes me. "Urk!"

Pulling the strap down, I look out the back window and sigh. But then a thought hits me. A most uncharacteristic thought of pure and utter joy. "You know what?"

I flash Martin and devilish grin. "Let's see if we can out run 'em!"

[Martin Le Roux]

Put simply, the police were outmatched. A 4100 lb, rear-wheel drive car on all seasons with 280 horsepower against a 3400 lb, all-wheel drive, snow tire shod, 400 horsepower turbo with modified suspension.

"I know I can outrun them. They're still on all season tires." Martin said, and slowed the car down more. The police car was gradually accellerating. When it got close enough to read the plate, Martin put the car into a drift, tail toward the curb so he could not. Michelle turned around, grinned at the cursing patrol, and stuck out her tongue.

The back end of the Crown Vic Police Interceptor began to swish as the angry cop accellerated as hard as he could. He'd had enough. Martin tapped the brakes, clutched in, and yanked the handbrake while he turned the wheel straight. The Subaru's weight shifted to the front, and the locked rear wheels swung in a 140 deg. arc around the fronts. The police car sailed past.

[Michele Hawkins]

"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" I'm slamming the palm of my hand against the top of the car. The adrenaline is all kinds of AWESOME!!

Course I was just slapped into reality when I saw the cop car slam on his brakes, but it was too late. His car slammed into a Mercedes that was parked on the street.

"Ohmyfuckinggod!" I look at Martin with big pleading eyes. "Let's get the hell outta here!"

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin shrugged. Michele felt guilty. Martin felt only a little. If the officer had any sort of thought in his head, he would have put together that he was utterly outclassed.

"As you wish." He pointed the car into a smaller back road. After a few seemingly random turns, they were back on a thoroughfare.

"Do you want dinner?"

[Michele Hawkins]

"Hah!" My heart is surging through adrenaline and I feel like I'mma gonna crash at any minute. "You mean, do I still want dinner, Mr. Le Roux. And the answer is an emphatic HELLZ YES!"

[Martin Le Roux]

"Fine, fine." Martin smiled and rolled his eyes. He was hopeful that Michele would relax some now. Perhaps they could talk after the meal, and he could find out who the mystery woman was.

They pulled up to the chinese resteraunt. It wasn't empty, but given the recent snowfall, it wasn't full, either. The hostest seated them in a corner, three tables away from any other patrons. Most of the conversation was at low volume, except for an occasional laugh.

After they had settled in, a waiter arrived with the wine list.

"I'll have a glass of 2000 Turnbull Merlot." Martin said. "And the lady may have whatever pleases her."

[Michele Hawkins]

"I'll just have a Diet ..." I stop, frown and then pucker my lips. "You know what, I could really use a beer. Any Sam Adam's on tap?"

"We have the Winter Lager if that's all right."

"Perfect! I'll take that."

"I.D. please," he asked with a smile. I don't mind. I do look like I belong in High School. I give him my driver's license all proud that the under 21 crap is gone! Finally legal to drink!

"Ok, I'll get those ready while you look over then menu."

SHRIIIIIIIIIMP! I want shrimp. I scour the menu for shrimp with the top of my head barely peeking over the menu. I mean, this is a serious decision. Shrimp Lo Mein? Sweet and Sour Shrimp? Subgum Shrimp Chop Suey?! Sea Food Combo! Shrimp Almond Ding! Help! Going into shrimp brain overload!!!

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin watched Michele deliberate over what to order. The waiter returned a few minutes later, beer and wine in hand. Martin ran his glass under his nose. Excellent. He gave the waiter a sympathetic shrug.

Much hrming and hmm and umm came from behind the open menu.

"I want... no... I want sweet and sour shrimp!" Michele declared. Martin gave another smile and a shrug.

"For you, sir?" The waiter asked.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Michele was on the last bit of energy one had before they either ate or became very tired. He watched her fidget with the utensils, and then see the beer.

[Michele Hawkins]

My eyes linger on the blessed alcohol a bit dreamily and then feel my head jerk. That kinda jerk that tells you, hey dumb ass! Stay awake before you faceplant into the table!

Yawning, I stretch my arms and arch my back. It felt so good to wake up them tired muscles. Martin's watching my every move like I was a specimen. I hate it when he does that.

"What?" I say bringing my arms and sipping the beer.

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin shrugged.

"I haven't seen you in a while." That was supposed to explain everything. When you're around for 300 years, you get odd habbits. For those who knew what he actually was, that was good enough. The rest of his body language said that he was a bit worried.

[Michele Hawkins]

"Yeah, but I dunno." I lick my lips and prop my head on the counter with a hand. "You have this thing I can't quite place. Like something's up."