Surprise

[Alistair Ryder]

He was somewhat relieved when she took the pack of blood back and re-wrapped it. It took some of the trouble of making decision off of his mind for now and he wouldn't have to worry about not being able to handle it very well. Trying it out alone would be the best way to make sure no one could possibly get hurt.

What was she doing talking about the weather? But then she asked where he lived and he smiled a little. "I figured since none of you never really knew where I lived, I might as well just stay where I was, because I knew I would be left alone." He couldn't help but grin a little.

When she hugged him, he hugged her back. "I'm just glad you haven't gotten yourself hurt. Running around with vampires..." he laughed, but he was still being friendly. "Lets just not make a habit out of meeting in the blood bank," he joked. "It could get rather awkward."

"How's Jeremy and Luke been doing since I left?" he had chosen not to ask about Seth on purpose: he was avoiding a topic that could make him angry to make sure they at least got comfortable with eachother before he started scaring her again.

[Lilah Wilkins]

"I'm just glad you haven't gotten yourself hurt. Running around with vampires..." he laughed, but he was still being friendly. "Let's just not make a habit out of meeting in the blood bank. It could get rather awkward."

"Deal," She agreed.

"How have Jeremy and Luke been doing since I left?"

Why didn't he ask about Seth?

"They're okay. Jeremy's going to be the best man at his sister's wedding; Alice and Mark are getting married, so he's excited about that. Um, Luke's been all right, his mother got sick recently, though, so he's been worrying about that. We do some charity gigs now, which I think motivates Luke. Se-- Uh, so yeah, that's how they've been."

She had to forcibly stop herself from going on about how serious she and Seth were, and that he even took her to meet his family. She wasn't sure that would go over well.

"Seth forgives you, you know, for the gun incident..."

[Alistair Ryder]

"Deal,"

Good. No more meeting in the blood bank. That would make his problem seem less of a thing he needed friends' help dealing with. And she would never have to see him feed.

"How have Jeremy and Luke been doing since I left?"

He was pleased to hear that they were both doing good, though it was sad about Luke's mother she had been like a mother to him as well for a while. But hopefully she'd get through it and everyone would be happy again. If he had missed his friends before, it was nothing to how he wanted to see them now, after asking about them and learning that they'd been mostly good.

"Charity is good. I haven't really been to listen in a while, I had some things to sort out for myself, but I can't wait to hear you guys again. And not hiding this time."

"Seth forgives you, you know, for the gun incident..."

"That's good to know," he said smiling a little to himself when he thought about that night. "I just wonder if they'll all forgive me for disappearing off the map like this again." He couldn't bring himself to tell Lilah why he hadn't just told the guys the truth right away, couldn't bring himself to say he hadn't taken the change very lightly. In fact, he had hated it and what he was becoming for a very long time before coming to terms with it.

"If you just give me a little more time, I'll come around to the whole Seth thing and you can tell me all about it. I'm sure you're dying to talk about your boyfriend and everything."

[Lilah Wilkins]

"That's good to know. I just wonder if they'll all forgive me for disappearing off the map like this again."

"They should, I mean, I did, and I was the one hurt the most."

"If you just give me a little more time, I'll come around to the whole Seth thing and you can tell me all about it. I'm sure you're dying to talk about your boyfriend and everything."

She smiled. "I kind of am, but that's what girlfriends are for. So I can just talk to Chloe about it so you don't have to suffer through it." She grinned playfully, "I know guys don't like hearing about girl stuff."

Right as she said that, some random guy walked in and froze, staring at her and her bag. She didn't notice him eyeing her from head to toe like a pervert, her attention was focused on Ryder.

[Alistair Ryder]

"They should, I mean, I did, and I was the one hurt the most."

She did have a point there. And he was sort of glad she thought Chloe would be a better match for the girl stuff. As if things hadn't been bad enough, some random guy walked in and as Ryder watched his, he allowed himself to eye Lilah in the wrong way.

Snering, he got himself between Lilah and the guy, in a defensive position. "Keep moving and go do what you came here to do," he was clearly telling the other guy to get a move on and Lilah, well, she hopefully knew he meant her no harm.

When the guy finally passed, Ryder grabbed Lilah's hand and started to walk towards where it would be safer for her to be. Anywhere was safer than the Bank at the moment. "Let's go home," he finally decided, letting go of her hand again because he felt awkward, instead he put his hands in his pockets.

Only good thing about going away was that he'd tidied up again from that incident where he'd tried to lie to his friends.

[Lilah Wilkins]

Suddenly, Ryder was sneering at something behind her. She whirled around in time to see a vampire boy eying her like meat. She shivered as her friend got in between them.

"Keep moving and go do what you came here to do,"

"Thanks," She whispered when the other vampire disappeared.

He took her hand and started walking. She obediently followed, her hand still in his. Then he let go. She was only mildly disappointed.

"Let's go home,"

"Okay."

((Let's continue in 'Home'. I'll start.))