Checking You Out ( Tag: Hal )

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ The drive from the Black Woods to Saints City was a silent one. Nik was sulking in the back, and whenever he opened his mouth to ask one of what Hope could presume was a ridiculous question, she cut him off with a glare. She needed the peace to figure out what she was going to do. She had her own questions for Hal but wouldn't voice them. They barely knew each other when she got pregnant, and he died. She wasn't about to presume that he wanted to move in and play happy families. But one phrase kept repeating in her mind, " I came back for you. " Pulling up outside St Eugene's, Hope looked over her shoulder at Nik. " Out. Go rest up. " Hope said, and Nik tried to argue with her. " You don't need to go to the clinic Nik; you need to rest. Now go! " there was a firmness in her tone that Nik knew not to test. He looked at Hal once more and then slid out of the car. The car didn't move as Hope watched Nik head towards the building. She didn't pull off until he entered the lobby, and the door locked behind him. She imagined him running up the stairs to tell Mori about everything that had just happened and felt a pain in her chest. How would Mori feel that Nik's dad was back and Hope had failed to bring Marcus back? Hope sighed and then pulled away, heading for the city centre and the clinic. " A lot's changed, Hal. " Hope said, wondering if he realised just how much. She didn't want to tell him everything right now; she didn't need to overwhelm with information. He seemed shocked just seeing Nik; it was probably enough for one day. " I own a clinic; it's like a hospital. That's where we are headed. " Hope explained as she quickly drove through the streets, driving fast as she weaved in and out of traffic. Other road users blew their horns, but she ignored them as she proceeded to their destination. " We'll get you a check-up; you need one after being dead for five years. " Hope said, hiding the hurt that fact has caused her. They didn't take long to arrive and pull up at the back door. She stepped out of the car and looked up at the clinic. She could smell her mother all over the place, and it suddenly dawned on her that her mother would probably wonder who Hal was. That was all she needed, her nosey inquisitive mother prying into business. Maybe if they were quick, she could avoid her, but she knew that no one came in and out of this place without her mother knowing. She inhaled the fresh air and rubbed her gums with her tongue. The aroma of Hal's blood had filled the car, driving her crazy the whole drive. Her fangs were practically throbbing, but she was trying to keep her composure. She wasn't some fledgling and could keep her fangs to herself. She slipped the car key into her back pocket and pulled a card out. She pressed it to a panel at the back door and led Hal inside. She led him down a corridor, picking up on Coran's scent that lingered in the air. She wondered what had happened and made a mental note to check in with him, but now her focus was on Hal. She found a treatment room that she hoped would give them some privacy. " Lay down. " Hope said, directing Hal to the bed. She entered the room and set up some equipment to take his vitals. Grabbing a BP Cuff, she walked to Hal's side and was going to wrap the plastic around his arm when she sighed. " Your arm is too big. " she sighed, finally making eye contact with him again as she held the cuff against his arm, not wanting to take her hand away from the source of the comforting heat of his skin. Word Count: 685

Halvar did not like traveling by car. They were pollutive and uncomfortable for someone as broad as him, but he did not complain, even when the cold leather stuck to his back like tar. He had to remind himself that modern times called for modern solutions. A car was the easiest and least attention-drawing method of travel now, and he knew he would have to get used to it.
The journey was a silent one. Nikolai had numerous questions; they all did. But Hope kept Nik from speaking them, and Halvar was thankful for that. He didn't have the energy for endless questioning. He hardly had the energy to keep his head from bobbing. He was tired and confused, though he would not let the boy see such weakness easily shown by his father. He instead turned his eyes to the thick glass; to watch the world go by.

Saint's Stand was a far cry from The Blackwoods. It was a dilapidated city with dingy-looking buildings and flickering streetlights. He could see why Immortal types liked it. It looked like a place that could swallow a person up without a trace. Halvar did not like built-up modernistic structures, but Saints would do. Anything was better than waking up to the pure white walls of the laboratory.
Hope drove the car to a large building and pulled up beside it, which made Halvar twist in his seat, intrigued eyes scouring the building he learned was their current home. It looked nothing like Death Manor, and Halvar hoped he would get a chance to explore it.
Hope and Nik's interaction was a short one, and Halvar moved his eyes to his son, following him out of the car.
"We will talk later. I will tell you all I know," he called, his voice trailing after the boy as both parents watched him reach safety.

" A lot's changed, Hal. I own a clinic; it's like a hospital. That's where we are headed," Hope spoke for the first time, and Halvar was uncharacteristically silent. Their situation was overwhelming in his current state of weariness, and he found himself still reeling from the sight of his fully grown child.
" We'll get you a check-up; you need one after being dead for five years." She dropped the comment with ease however, Halvar didn't receive the news with the same abandon.
His jaw slackened and dropped for a brief pause while he tried to process what she said, but he didn't speak, his mouth closing again as he attempted to digest the information. Five years? That was impossible. Five whole years?

The car ride felt like a blink of an eye. Suddenly the car stopped, and he climbed out of it, following Hope into the unfamiliar building. Halvar had never been in a medical facility until his awakening, and the sight and smell of it made him feel on edge. He looked around cautiously. Yet followed Hope without question. He trusted her, and time did not change that.
He followed her into a side room and ducked his head to step into the room as she instructed him to get onto the bed.
Hope was keeping things formal, and Halvar did not like it.
He climbed onto the bed and rested with care to avoid the wound to his back as his eyes scanned his lover's shadowed features.

She lifted a device to his arm, and it didn't fit. Halvar couldn't help but smile then, particularly when Hope ultimately looked at him with frustrated eyes. "No, it doesn't," he smiled, chewing on the corner of his lip to keep his smile at a minimum. "Stop worrying. I am alright. I will heal. I am just tired," she was doing her best tough-girl act, but the Viking saw through that and saw the concern hidden behind her eyes. He lifted a large hand from the edge of the bed, slowly easing it to the side of her face with caution in case she chose to pull away from him.
"I do not understand how this is all happening. I am lost," he admitted with a hint of sadness, though he did not have the energy to trawl through all that happened. "You are still as beautiful as you are strong. That I do understand."

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ Hal seemed amused as the cuff clearly didn't fit his arm. In fact, Hope wasn't sure they even made cuffs to fit an arm that size. Most humans didn't have arms as thick as tree trunks; then again, very little of Hal could be comparable to a human. Sighing, she wondered if her mother had managed to wrangle one or hacked one together, but Hope was trying to fly under her mothers' radar and didn't want to go looking to ask a favour. She wasn't ready to share him with anybody just yet. She was still trying to wrap her head around his being here. She accepted years ago that she would probably never see him again, even in death and having him here, feeling his heat, seeing him bite on his lip, was frustratingly surreal. " Worried? Yes, why would I be worried? People resurrect every day and are just fine. " Hope said sarcastically. Maybe this was normal where Hal came from, but the last person who resurrected was her mother; she was a human now. From Hal's display in the Woods, it was clear he wasn't human, but maybe there was something else. Perhaps, Loki had brought him back temporarily and would take him back now he had failed to kill Nik. What if Loki decided to take matters into his hand and came for Nik and Hal? Despite her calm facade, her mind was reeling with the possible scenarios, none of them good. Hal's hand brushed her cheek, and the warmth snapped her out of her spiral. She almost instinctively pulled away from his touch, her head turning to look at his hand and returning to its original position. Hal was as clueless as she was, which didn't instil much confidence or ease her concern, but she couldn't help feeling better with his hand on her face, his heat permeating through her skin. "You are still as beautiful as you are strong. That I do understand." Hope stared into Hal's eyes as her mouth parted to speak, but no words came out. She didn't know how to process the compliment or her feelings. Part of her wanted to push him away, distance herself from him the same way she had the rest of her family. That was the safer bet. Hal was being targeted by a literal god, and he had already died once; she had already grieved him. Why would she want to put herself through that all over again? " Hal... " Hope looked for the words to say how she felt, but they wouldn't come. Her broken heart wouldn't allow her to put it in a position where it could be hurt again. She blinked, trying to snap herself out of the hold Hal had on her. She was letting herself fall for his charms again, and she was secretly terrified. Everyone she cared for, particularly the men in her life, disappeared or died, and she was not setting herself up to be brokenhearted again, not if she couldn't survive it. Hope desperately tried to think of any reason to put some distance between her and Hal. She pulled away from him, an act that was harder than she portrayed as she walked around to the other side of the bed. " I should let you rest," she said pathetically, knowing it wasn't a good enough reason to leave, but she was so flustered it was the best she could come up with as she fought her conflicting emotions but the instinct to run was stronger than the one to stay. Still, she found herself lingering at his side, her actions betraying her words as she failed at escaping the hold he had over her. Word Count: 622

Hope always knew what to do when it came to their sexual encounters, yet she was never able to take any form of compliment or affection from him without feeling uncomfortable. That had not changed. He saw the same discomfort in her as his hand hovered beside her cool face, and he let his shoulders droop against the softness of the bed until he sank against it, with his hand slipping back to his side.
Becoming disheartened by Hope would have been easy for a weaker man, but not for Halvar. He could see the real Hope behind her carefully set concrete expressions and stern eyes. Cold Hope was a challenge, and Halvar liked being challenged. He lived for it.

She was looking for a way to block him out. That was not new for Halvar. He expected it, but he could not deny the pain he felt from her continued attempts at rejection.
He relaxed his neck until his head lolled onto the pluffed pillow at his back, enjoying their softness while he watched Hope wrestle with herself.
"You should?" he chuckled, copying her usual reaction by rolling his eyes, "Who said you should? I don't see anyone else in here. Who speaks such lies to you?" He chuckled on the back of a sigh, his voice softened by fatigue.

"I have been alone for such a long time, Hope. You would leave me alone and in pain once more?" a bushy eyebrow lifted as the man looked at her with a questioning gaze. "Do I mean so little to you? That you would leave me to dream all alone again?"
Of course, he was teasing. Yet there was also a hint of truth in his words. Halvar's dark prison had driven him half mad, and he feared the possibility of returning to that dark jail alone without so much as a comforting embrace. Loki's torment was well executed, and The Viking was far more shaken by it than he seemed, especially since realizing Loki nearly made him kill his only living son.

"I will only succumb to sleep with you beside me, my Valykarie. I need you," he lifted his hand to her again, hoping his words would warm the ice inside her veins.
"Come, I need you to chase away the darkness. All had been black in your absence."

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ Halvar's head relaxed into the pillow behind him, his neck relaxed and stretched, and Hope wondered if he was purposely exposing his artery to her to lure her. Did he know his pulse was hammering in her head as her fangs longed to sink into his skin? How she had craved the heat and the rush that only his blood could give her? Was he aware of just how close she was to unleashing her inner predator on him, or was that what he wanted? Hal could play innocent, but she knew he was far from naive. Their game of cat and mouse was infuriating five years ago, and it was infuriating now. Why couldn't she just leave him there to rest? Hal mocked her as he rolled his eyes as she would. He replied in a way that reminded her of Nik. It was eerie how that pair were so alike despite having never met each other before today. It made an argument for the whole nature over-nurture debate. No one could quite believe that Nik was hers. Mori was more like Hope than Nik, and even Hope wondered how, of all of her siblings, she had managed to give birth to a blonde-haired, blue-eyed jokester. But now she had reunited Hal, she realised. Nik was more Colby than he was Death, Reign or Matashina. However, Hal's teasing soon took a different tone. " Do I mean so little to you? " Those words struck a cord as Hal raised his brow, questioning her. Hope had never been open with her feelings to anyone, and she didn't wear her heart on her sleeve. She kept it close and let her actions do the talking for her, but if she did that now, would Hal really believe she didn't care about him? She didn't know what had happened to him the last five years, but it was clear he wasn't in Valhalla like she thought. Her face remained stoic as she silently cursed Loki for what he had done to Hal, who was trying to manipulate her into staying and even joining him on the bed. She wouldn't admit it, but it was working. She folded her arms and rolled her eyes as he called her his Valkyrie. In a sense, it was accurate; she did guide souls, but where she took them was far from Valhalla. Still, seeing him lying there, his hand outstretched and that stupid smile across his face, made it difficult for Hope to refuse him, and ultimately she didn't. " By your Gods, Hal, move over," she said, sounding exasperated as she took his hand. She moved forward and sat on the edge of the bed before she swung her legs up. She lay beside him, her arm under her head like a pillow as she tried not to lay on Hal, a feat given his size in this average size hospital bed. The last time they lay like this, actually, they never lay like this. They had never been in a bed together. " Now, you can sleep, Hal. " Hope said, acting like she was doing all this for him. She wouldn't admit the comfort she got from the sheets warmed by his body or how it was nice to be close like this with somebody after five years. Although Hope had no idea what the darkness was that Hal spoke of, she had been drowning in her own darkness since the attack five years ago. She had the kids and her family, but she had pushed them all so far away. Hal seemed to be the only one who pushed back and, in turn, pulled her towards him, and once she was in those arms, the will to escape would quickly leave. He was like a venus fly trap, and she knew she was playing dangerously close to the triggers. Word Count: 648

Hope examined him with her usually cold expression, and he kept his hand in place, waiting. Hope didn't want to care about him. She believed it made her vulnerable; Halvar knew this. But he never let her cynical thinking dampen his own.
Love and pain came hand in hand. Love was all that mattered in life, even when it inevitably yielded heartbreak. Life without love was purposeless, and Hope only added to her anguish by trying to deny it.
Halvar knew of loss. All of his children were dead, except for Nik. He had loved, and he had lost. He knew the agony of grief intimately. But he didn't let fear stop him from feeling emotion, even if it hurt, and he hoped that one day Hope could learn to feel the same.

"By your Gods, Hal, move over."
He felt the coldness of her hand press against his palm and chortled softly to himself. Hope appeared to be annoyed, yet the Viking paid her aggravation little attention as he moved to rest on his side to create more room on the bed. "That is better," and it was. The Viking let his smile drop while he shifted into a comfortable position. His back still ached, but the incision wounds were now closed and healing, meaning he managed to find comfort soon enough.
"Thank you," he needed her comfort and felt himself relax against the bed more with each passing second.
"Now, you can sleep, Hal."
"Yes, sleep," he replied, trying not to overthink things. Sleep meant darkness. Halvar always welcomed the silent blackness of night, yet the past five years had changed him, and the prospect was now frightening. Yet Halvar was half-human. He needed to sleep and was exhausted, and he had little choice; He needed sleep.

"I was asleep for a long time, but I wasn't," he sighed, copper-like eyes searching Hope's smooth face as though he expected to discover an explanation written on her pale skin.
His head became heavier against the pillow as a faraway look clouded his eyes as sleep started to set in.
"It felt like forever. It felt like seconds," confusion creased his features before Halvar closed his eyes, letting the heaviness of sleep defeat tired lids.

He wanted to tell her about the darkness and how it felt to wake up to the bright room in the Laboratory, but he didn't have the energy. He had a thousand questions concerning Nik. There was so much to say. Yet he was powerless as respite wrapped its tendrils into him. "Stay with me," were his last hushed words as he fell asleep.

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ Hal moved his large body on the bed and lay on his side, making space for her to lie as he laughed at her annoyance. He really could be infuriating at times, with his bright burning eyes and broad goofy smile. Her attitude seemed like water off a duck's back, he was unflappable and Hope couldn't help but feel vulnerable around him. He had seen her at her worst in the crypts, and then there was her reaction to her pregnancy. He had every reason to want to distance himself from her, yet every time she pushed, he pulled even now when he was exhausted. Hal was drifting off to sleep quickly, and he began rambling. Hope didn't understand what he meant when he said he was asleep, but he wasn't. Hope could think of him being in some kind of limbo. She hadn't read about a Viking version of limbo, but that didn't mean it didn't exist. Hope thought of his Gods and their so-called powers, and she couldn't understand how they would let one of their own suffer like that. If Hope ever did get the opportunity to face Loki, she would find a way to make him pay for what he did to Hal and attempted to do to Nik. However, she knew the feeling of time being warped Hal spoke of. It had felt like forever since she had seen him or her brother, yet the dynamic between them was like he had never left. Part of her felt cheated; what would have been had he been here the last five years? She watched his eyes close as she forced herself not to dwell on the impossible. He hadn't been here, and she had no idea how long they would get this time. She couldn't help but take in his features, wanting to remember every line and detail so she could remember him when they were separated again. She had already accepted that their time would be limited; no one stayed in her life for very long. "Stay with me," If it weren't for her supernatural hearing, she probably wouldn't have heard Hal's hushed request that seemed to oppose her own thoughts. " Sleep, Hal; I'll be here," she promised as she listened to his breathing ease and his heart rate slow. He started snoring, and Hope rolled her eyes but softly smirked. Nik snored too. His blonde hair was matted and unkempt, and she took the opportunity to grab a piece and moved it off his face before she tucked her arm back under her head as she stared at Hal for what felt like hours. At one point, she messaged Nik and Mori and told them to order food and invite Octavian for a sleepover. Her apartment would be a mess, but the kids would be entertained and, hopefully, keep out of trouble. She slipped her phone back into her pocket and debated leaving the bed. Hal had other ideas, though, as every time she stretched or moved, his arm pulled her closer. It wasn't long before her back was against his chest, and his arm wrapped around her like she was some kind of teddy bear. It was ridiculous, but she couldn't help but begin to relax as the heat from his body surrounded her. She shouldn't be tired, Hal had given her so much energy, but his slumber must have been contagious as her eyes soon closed, and for the first time in five years, she fell into a truly deep sleep. Word Count: 590

C A S S A N D R A . B L A K E - H U M A N - - P R O F I L E - ​ -- RING RING -- Cass looked away from her screen as she stared at the caller ID that appeared on her phone. She had spent her afternoon ordering the monthly supplies and medications for the clinic. She needed to throw herself into work after dealing with Coran. He always managed to make her feel small and hurt her unintentionally; at least, she hoped it wasn't on purpose. So, she did one of her least favourite jobs, inventory. She had spent all day before counting everything she could think of and finally compiled her list. She had been given a wide birth until now, so she knew it must be important if they were calling her. " Yes, Beth? " Cass asked as she finalised the last few details as she listened. " Hope? No, I haven't seen her. " Cass explained as she changed screens. She checked the internal system and saw that Hope had entered the building via her keycard, but there was no sign that she had left. Worried, Cass checked the cameras and saw Hope's car was still in the car park almost ten hours later. Cass frowned as she scrolled through the cameras trying to spot her daughter. There was no sign of her anywhere until Cass spotted the door ajar in one of the treatment rooms in the back. " I think I found her; thanks, Beth. " Cass said, hanging up and leaving her desk. Her chest felt tight as she thought of her daughter being injured. Why hadn't she asked for help? Then she realised it was Hope she was talking about. Hope would rather bleed out than ask anyone for help, and for all Cass knew, that's what had happened. As she made her way through the clinic, she messaged Mori and Nik, ensuring they were ok. She got no reply, but they may have been sleeping in; at least, that's what she hoped. Cass walked briskly down the corridor and tried to prepare herself for the worst. ' Don't be dead... please don't be dead. ' Cass preyed silently, not prepared to lose another child. She had already lost Marcus despite Hope's little. " experiment "in the basement. She didn't know if she could lose Hope too. Approaching the door, she didn't hear anything, and she took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves; that's when she heard snoring. Looking confused, she pushed the door open the rest of the way and gasped at the sight. Hope was curled up in the bed with a man, and Cass's cheeks blushed red as she found them in a compromising position. " Sorry... sorry, sorry! " Cass said, quickly turning around and walking back into the corridor, slamming the door behind her. Cass stood mortified with her back against the door. Hope was going to kill her for invading her privacy, but her embarrassment soon became curiosity. Hope had never mentioned anyone being in her life outside of family, and they seemed very " familiar " just to be friends. He looked familiar, though Cass tried to think where she had seen him before. " Oh my God... " Cass whispered, bringing her hand to her mouth and smiling. She knew where Nik got the blonde hair from now. Word Count: 547

Halvar slept without incident, subconsciously taking comfort from Hope's cold body as it molded against his in a way that quieted the Viking's body and mind. He slept deeply for hours yet remained responsive to Hope every time she moved, never letting her put too much space between them.
He was afraid of sleep, but Hope's proximity proved to be all the protection he needed.
The morning was approaching when he stirred beneath closed eyelids. He didn't open his eyes; He didn't need to. He could feel Hope still beside him. She lay with her back pressed against his front.
Sleep was calling again, and the Viking smiled as he slid a warm hand over Hope's shoulder, slipping it beneath the material of her Tanktop, so he could splay his fingers across the coldness of her chest, warming it beneath his palm. He fell asleep again with a contented sigh, knowing Hope would be there when he woke.

Less than an hour went before he awoke to the sound of their door chafing against the linoleum flooring. Slumber still clung to Halvar, and he tightened his arm around Hope, momentarily worried she left, when he felt her still against him and smiled, his mind drifting until another sound alerted him to the fact they were no longer alone.
" Sorry... sorry, sorry! "
The voice startled him, and quickly sat up, extracting his hand from around Hope as he observed a red-haired woman rushing from the room.
Hope was stirring beside him as he climbed from the table in confusion. He knew the woman from somewhere. He was sure of it.

Halvar was still naked from the transformations the night before, but the man never cared for such things, and strode towards the door with purpose, meaning to discover who woke him, when the scent of her made him pause. Of course! He knew exactly who the red woman was.
He saw Cass plenty of times while hiding in Death Manor. She didn't know of his existence, but Halvar knew her well enough; from afar.
"Hope. Your Mother is here," he called over his shoulder, unable to suppress the smile that was stretching across his face.
"Of all the people. Your mother!" he slapped his hip, laughter bursting from him as he extended to pull the door open. Cass was still standing in the hallway, but her back was to them. And Halvar stepped into the hallway, giving her the opportunity to turn to him. "Heil!" he beamed between calming laughs, "Cass, we finally meet one another," he lifted his hand, offering it to shake in the way modern people would greet one another. "I am Halvar. I am happy to meet you!"

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ For the first time in five years, Hope had a dreamless sleep. There were no recollections of an Ox Corp attack, no images of Marcus's dead eyes staring back at her, no warped memories of Hal dying with his face being replaced by Nik or Mori's. Just sweet nothingness that allowed her mind actually to rest. Her tense muscles relaxed as the heat from Hal permeated into her core. His hand slipped under her top, nestling between her breasts. His palm was placed over her heart, surrounding it in warmth. She leaned into his hand, but as her back separated from Hal's chest, she was pushed back by the hand, keeping her pinned against him, but she wasn't complaining. She could have basked in that warmth for hours. However, her peace would be disturbed as Hal bolted from the bed, his heat leaving with him. Hope stretched and turned, taking the spot where Hal had lay as it was the hottest spot on the bed. " Hal.. come back to bed. " Hope muttered sleepily, not wanting to end her best sleep in years. " Hope your Mother is here." Hope's eyes shot open, and she sat upright in the bed. " What?! " she said, watching Hal leave the room naked. " Hal! " she called out, scrambling to go after him. She adjusted her tank top as Hal's laughter filled the corridor. " Jesus Christ... " Hope muttered as she grabbed the blanket off the bed. A few minutes ago, she was perfectly content, and now she had to follow Hal as he introduced himself to her Mother completely nude. " Mum... " Hope spoke as she watched her Mother shake Hal's hand as she tried to avoid looking down at all costs. " Hal, cover yourself. " Hope said, pushing the blanket into his chest and giving him a stern look. What was he thinking? " Mum, haven't you ever heard of knocking? " Hope asked, clearly uncomfortable. She hadn't wanted her Mother to meet Hal just yet, let alone naked in a corridor. She could see her Mother's eyes swimming with questions, but Hope wasn't prepared to answer them. She wasn't sure she had the answers, and Nik deserved to ask his questions first. Nik... Shit. Hope glanced at her watch and realised that she and Hal had been asleep all night, and she had left the kids unsupervised. She dreaded to think what trouble they had gotten into. She pulled out her phone, and there were no missed calls or messages. " I'm going to ring the kids. " Hope explained, looking between her Mother and Hal. She didn't really want to leave the pair alone, but her need to protect Nik's identity won out. She had no idea who was in the building and wouldn't risk someone overhearing. " I won't be long, Mum... just... " Hope struggled to find the words. She didn't want her Mother spilling her guts to Hal about her past, she had managed to keep a lot of history private from Hal thus far, and she hadn't had the opportunity to tell him about her present. " Be cool... " Hope said as she then turned to look at Hal. She moved to stand before him, with her back to her Mother. She reached down and grabbed the ends of the sheet and readjusted them, tightening the knot as much as she dared. " Keep this on. " Hope said, meeting Hal's rusty eyes. Her tone was almost possessive as a fingernail traced against his skin inside of the bedsheet. She hadn't forgotten where his hand had been all night. Looking between her lover and her Mother once more, she headed for the back door and already began to regret her decision. She could imagine what her Mother and Hal would get up to. Word Count: 646

C A S S A N D R A . B L A K E - H U M A N - - P R O F I L E - ​ Cass's mind was racing with questions regarding the fair-haired man she presumed was Nik's dad. Why was he here? Had he been here the whole time? Didn't Hope say he was dead? Did Nik know? She had a lot of questions but knew that her daughter would not be forthcoming with the answers. She always brushed off questions regarding Nik's parentage and sometimes refused to answer him. Cass never understood the secrecy, but Hope's resolve was steadfast, so Cass gave up asking a long time ago: accepting that Hope had her reasons and whether she liked them or not, she had to accept them. Hearty laughter surprised her as she heard the door opening behind her. She turned, expecting to be scolded by her daughter and instead was greeted by a very naked man. Cass's eyes grew wide and pierced her lips together, trying not to laugh. He greeted her enthusiastically, holding out his hand for her to take as she desperately kept her eyes on his face and only his face. She was surprised he seemed so familiar with her, but she beamed. He was practically jolly, bright and warm. He reminded her a lot of Nik, and she would have hugged him if he wasn't so exposed. She shook his hand, placing her other hand over his so his large hands were cupped between hers. " It's so good to meet you, Halvar, finally. " Cass said genuinely. He was the polar opposite of her daughter, and she was curious how they ended up together, but that would have to be a story for another day as Hope emerged from the room. She shoved a blanket into Hal's chest, allowing him to cover up and making their interaction less awkward. Hope, however, went to her default of scolding her. Cass frowned, knowing now was probably not the time to challenge Hope. It was clear to Cass that Hope was not coping well and was spiralling trying to regain control of the situation. Cass remained silent, watching Hope check the time and then panic about the kids. Cass had never seen her daughter as the maternal type; compared to a traditional mother, she wasn't. But Hope would do anything for Nik and Mori, and Cass was proud of how Hope coped but couldn't overlook what she was doing to Marcus's body in the basement. It was a sore point in their relationship, and a hurdle neither could overcome. Hope told her to " be cool " as she moved to step outside. She smiled, understanding what was written between the lines. Hope didn't want her embarrassing her or telling Hal something he didn't already know. Hope must have really liked him. Hope reinforced the knot on Hal's covering, and Cass felt like she was intruding on another private moment, but Cass's eyes brightened. It was one thing to see Hope wrapped up in his arms when unconscious, but here she was, awake and consciously looking for a reason to touch him. Hope hadn't let anyone close to her since Marcus died; whoever this Halvar was, he was important to Hope and Nik, and therefore he was important to Cass. She waited momentarily until she heard the back door closing before turning back to Hal. " You must be hungry, come on, let me get some breakfast. " Cass smiled, reaching over and looping her arm in Halvar's. He was a mammoth man and dwarfed her, but he didn't fight as he allowed her to lead him towards the staff canteen. He was warm to the touch, which made sense as Nik was a dhampir, but Hal clearly wasn't all human; no human was the size of Hal. " Do you like eggs? " she asked innocently, leading him away. Hope would be mad no matter what she did; she could at least be a good host to her daughters.... man? Cass was unsure what they were to each other, but he was her grandson's dad, which meant he was family and would be treated as such. Word Count: 677

Little warm hands wrapped around Halvar's, and his grin intensified as Hope's mother responded to him with a big smile of her own. She was nothing like Hope. It had always delighted Halvar from afar and amused him even more in person.
" It's so good to meet you, Halvar, finally." Her voice was soft and full of warmth. She immediately made him feel welcome, despite her confusion. He instantly loved her and would have happily stood holding her warm hands all day, but Hope had other plans for the pair. He could nearly taste her discomfort as she moved across the room.
" Mum, haven't you ever heard of knocking?" She was exasperated, flustered even.
"Oh, leave her alone. Meeting you is a marvelous thing!" He scoffed at Hope for ruining his fun. He winked an eye at Cass, letting go of her hand, while Hope forced him a step back so she could push a blanket against his chest.

He chuckled to himself, glancing at his exposed body. He often forgot modern times called for modesty, "Yes," he smiled, nodding in understanding. He wrapped the blanket around his waist, tieing it off at his front so the material would rest above his hips.
His russet eyes tailed along Hope as she checked her phone with a sudden hint of anxiety. He parted his lips to calm her but stopped. He wanted to reassure her that Nik was fine, he was a man now, and Halvar would have expected a son his age to be self-sufficient by now. But he didn't. His eyes became shrouded in sadness when he reminded himself that he did not know his son. His comfort would mean nothing to Hope because it meant nothing.

He could have spiraled into rueful thinking then, but Hope stopped him. He paid no attention to her words. Her hands moved low, and grabbing the blanket, she pulled it tighter against him. Yet, it was her finger that drew his attention. It slid between the material and his body, trailing a cold line along his lower abdomen. She instantly stole his attention, and he stepped closer, nearly forgetting that Hope's mother stood behind her.
"Whatever you say," he hummed with a predatory gaze. He'd missed the feel of Hope's hands against his skin. He craved for more, but he would have to wait.

Hope stepped away from the pair, and Halvar stood facing Cass. He looked at her again and couldn't help but smile. She had such a kind and friendly face. He found that both soothing and amusing at the same time.
" You must be hungry, come on, let me get some breakfast." She asked, and Halvar looked at her in shock. No one ever asked him such things. He was used to foraging for himself. Now, this hamingja wanted to feed him.
She looped her slender arm with his, and he followed her as an eager child would in search of a toy. "Do you like eggs?"
"I love eggs!" He beamed, looking down at the woman with excitement.
"You are a kind woman, Cass. I am happy that I can now speak with you."

C A S S A N D R A . B L A K E - H U M A N - - P R O F I L E - ​ Halvar was... delightful and unfazed by Hope's mood or temperament. Cass had heard that opposites attract, but this was ridiculous. He was smiling, laughing, saying how glad he was to meet her, while Hope was clearly upset that Cass knew about his existence at all. She didn't know why; he was lovely and seemed excited to meet her, so why was Hope keeping him a secret, and for how long? He didn't seem like the type to abandon his child; she couldn't see Hope allowing him to live if he had. She hadn't forgiven her father for it; she wouldn't forgive another. But as she watched the two of them exchange longing glances, she began to see what they saw in each other. He looked at her like she was the only thing in the world and went from telling her off to being completely enamoured by her with a single touch. He clearly didn't choose to leave by choice; no man who looked at a woman like that would. Cass looked up at the ceiling as it was apparent that the pair had forgotten there was anyone else in the room. It was awkward, but Cass was happy for her daughter. She had lost so much and had given up everything for the kids. She was glad that Hope had someone, and maybe by some miracle, his demeanour would rub off on her, and she may warm up. Cass couldn't help the chuckle from her chest as Hal expressed his enthusiasm about the eggs. He complimented her, which took her by surprise as all she had offered was a few eggs, but what caught her attention was that he could NOW talk to her. She shouldn't have been surprised. No doubt Hope had wanted to keep him a separate part of her life, like most things in her life. Hope never seemed to mix the different aspects of her life together—her daughters' way of trying to control the uncontrollable. Although judging Hal and their short interaction, he was about to mix everything up and send her world into a tailspin. " It's the least I can do for my grandsons' father, Halvar. " she smiled as she led him through the clinic and showed him into a small but comfortable staff room. There was a well-stocked kitchenette, a dining table and a couple of couches where staff could relax on their breaks. " Make yourself at home, " she offered as she unwrapped herself from his arm and walked toward the kitchenette. She opened the fridge and pulled out some eggs and bread. She grabbed a bowl, cracked the eggs and began whisking the eggs together. She figured scrambled eggs would be the quickest option. Knowing Hope, she would try to rush him out of there as soon as possible, so he would probably need a quick breakfast. " So, Halvar. I'm afraid I'm at a disadvantage. " Cass started probing as she poured her eggy mixture onto a frying pan. " Hope never really spoke about you; in fact, all she ever said was that you had died. " Cass said in a cheerful tone wanting to keep things light. She had no idea whether Hope believed him to be dead or whether Hope had been lying. Cass, of course, hoped that Hope hadn't been lying to her, but it wouldn't surprise her if she had. " But clearly, you're not dead now. " Cass chuckled as she grabbed a plate and poured the eggs onto the plate. She buttered and sliced the bed and placed it beside the eggs. She walked over to Hal and handed him the plate and a fork. " Enjoy. " she smiled, taking a seat next to him. She allowed him the first couple of mouthfuls uninterrupted before Cass couldn't resist doing some digging. Hope was, after all, her daughter, and she wanted to ensure that Halvar wouldn't be coming in and out of her life. She didn't think Hope could take it, she was fragile like a bomb, and everyone was just waiting for someone to tick a match. " So, how and when did you two meet? " Cass asked innocently, hoping that Halvar wouldn't prove as elusive as her daughter and she might learn something about how he and her daughter came to be. Word Count: 725

Halvar didn't particularly like the hallways they walked down. They were pristine and medical looking, which reminded him of the facility he had escaped from the night before. His back ached at the thought of it. He had no answers and no idea how he had woken up in such a place after so long. It was unnerving, and Halvar glanced down at the red lines that marked where the incisions had healed to close. He would seek answers. But not now. His expanding family was important to him now, and everything else paled in comparison to him getting to know his son. Retracing his last five years would have to wait.
" It's the least I can do for my grandson's father, Halvar."
Cass's words shook Halvar from his reminiscing. She spoke with confidence, and his eyes widened with surprise.
He didn't want to answer the unasked question just yet and did not have to.
Cass led him into a little room with a kitchen and some chairs. It was a nice change from the sterile hallways, and Halvar instantly felt at ease there. He made his way over to the seating area and sat down slowly on one of the chairs, being careful not to break it as he sat down. He was larger than most men and didn't want to start breaking things so soon after meeting Cass. It would not be a good impression to leave.

" So, Halvar. I'm afraid I'm at a disadvantage. Hope never really spoke about you; in fact, all she ever said was that you had died."
He was content to watch Cass cook, but she wanted answers. He would only offer her a gentle nod. Now was not the time for the story of his death.
He could not blame her for concealing him. Hope had kept him hidden from them all. He had never spoken to them before his death. Hope had kept him to herself. But it saddened him to hear that Hope never spoke of him, yet it did not come as a shock. He respected that Hope was fiercely protective of her privacy, and he had never questioned her about it. It did not matter to him. Not when he knew the truth she denied. She belonged to him just as much as he belonged to her. Death did not change that.
" But clearly, you're not dead now. "
She was testing him for answers but was not asking questions. He was silent in response as his eyes trailed to follow her around the room.
He was enjoying their little game but was waiting for the right time to respond.
Cass laid a plate before him, and he lowered his head, breathing in the smell of it with a sigh of contentment. "Thank you," Halvar could not remember the last time he had eaten anything, and his mouth salivated at the thought.
He was quick to dig into the meal and managed to shovel a few mouthfuls in before Cass spoke to him again.

" So, how and when did you two meet?" It was an innocent question, or at least it was posed as one. And it was the first one asked directly. He paused, turning his head towards Hope's mother as he tore his eyes away from the food before him.
"Do you remember something crashing into the house in the woods?" He paused, waiting for her response before he continued with a hearty laugh. "I do not know what Hope told you about it. I am sure she made up some story of storm damage or a fallen tree," that night was one of misery for him. His son was dead, and he was deathly injured. He could have associated the night with sadness, but he did not. It was the night he had first laid his eyes on Hope. And he was glad for each moment with her ever since, even the painful ones. "I caused the damage. I fell from the sky. And the Gods were kind to me in my dying breaths. They delivered me to your captivating daughter, and she saved me for the first time."
He smiled with fondness, recalling the first time he'd laid conscious eyes on Hope. "I lost a son that night. Valhalla was calling my name. Hope denied me entry. And I am glad that she did."

C A S S A N D R A . B L A K E - H U M A N - - P R O F I L E - ​ Halvar wasn't very forthcoming; on the one hand, she supposed that was a good thing. He respected Hope's wishes and her privacy. She felt a pang of guilt as she realised that she could have been causing problems for him with Hope by trying to get him to open up. Perhaps she shouldn't be prying into her daughter's love life but it was hard to resist. Hope had kept this man a mystery for years, and he was Nik's father. How could she not ask, especially when he seemed to know Cass so well or at least knew of her? He asked her about Death Manor, and Cass had to think momentarily. She nodded gently. " I remember there was some damage to the house before the attack. " Cass said, trying to remember what had happened. She recalled asking Hope what had happened but was being evasive as usual and said she would fix it. She thought it was strange then, but as Halvar told her about what really happened, Hope's evasiveness made sense. " You fell from the sky? " Cass repeated; the more he spoke, the more questions she had. How did he fall from the sky? Did he say Gods, as in multiple? But her questions were overshadowed by the way he spoke about her daughter. She had never heard anyone refer to her daughter as captivating, and she wouldn't have believed him if she hadn't seen how he looked at her in the corridor. He smiled, possibly reminiscing about when they first met, and it struck Cass just how much he cared about her. She didn't know much about their relationship, but given the timeline, they hadn't spent that much time together before he died, yet he was completely enamoured by her, and whether Hope would admit it or not, Cass could see she cared for him. She wouldn't sleep with just anybody besides her because she would never leave herself that vulnerable. Hope trusted him entirely enough to sleep soundly. But what he said next struck a chord with her. He had lost a son like her, and she found herself reaching for his hand and squeezing it. Marcus may technically still be alive in the basement, but Cass had accepted what Hope could not. Marcus died five years ago, and she missed her son every day. She didn't know how to feel about Hal having other children, but as a parent, she could relate to the loss of a dead child left in your life. But the rest of the sentence only puzzled her more. ' Valhalla? ' she thought. She started putting everything he had said together, the heil greeting, the Gods, Valhalla, his unusual name. ' Trust Hope to find a Viking that fell from the sky. ' Cass smirked as she realised her daughter had a type- mythological men. It explained Hope's expanding library of Nordic history and mythology. Cass had more questions than ever but couldn't bring herself to ask them after Halvar told her about his son. " I'm sorry about your son Halvar; we lost Marcus, Hope's brother, five years ago. Losing a child.. it's... " Cass's voice cracked as the pain was as fresh as the day he died. She cleared her throat, trying to remain composed. " Sorry, it never gets easier. " Cass said, giving Halvar a brief smile. " I should get you something to drink," she said, patting his hand and standing up from her seat. She walked towards the kitchenette and quickly wiped her eye, stopping the tear from rolling down her cheek. She grabbed the kettle and filled it with water from the sink. " Are you a tea or a coffee guy Halvar? " she asked as she processed everything he had said. Hope had denied him entry to Valhalla, and Hal had saved that was the first time she had saved him. Clearly, they had more of a history than she anticipated, and as much as she would love to know everything, she didn't need to know it today. Word Count: 681

Cass's small hand reached for him, wrapping around the side of his hand. It was strange to receive comfort from another, and Halvar was grateful. Halvar had lost all five of the sons he knew of, and each one still hurt him deeply. But he knew they were in Valhalla now. They were where they were supposed to be. He would see them again one day in the great halls, and they would meet him with laughter and love.
" I'm sorry about your son Halvar; we lost Marcus, Hope's brother, five years ago. Losing a child.. it's... Sorry, it never gets easier. "
Her voice was soft and full of pain, and the Viking found himself shaken by her words. Halvar had sacrificed himself to save not only Hope. But her brother as well, and he had failed.
He was speechless when Cass's hand tapped against his, and she stood to move away from him as his eyebrows drew together in remorse. They did not believe in Valhalla, and Halvar sighed to himself, cursing his strength for the first time in a long time. If only he had held on a little longer. If only he had fought back a little more. Perhaps Hope's twin, Cass's son, would still be alive.

He recalled the battle and remembered seeing Marcus there. He only knew the man from the shadows, but he knew him to be a good man. And Hope had loved him, maybe more than she had loved anyone else. His heart ached for her loss, and he longed to console her, but he knew she would never let him do such a thing. No, Hope would rather suffer her loss alone, and Halvar would respect that, even if he did not understand it.
" Are you a tea or a coffee guy Halvar?"
Cass had calmed enough to compose herself, and Halvar moved passed his thoughts to give the woman his full attention once again. Why modern people went to such lengths to hide their emotions baffled Halvar. He didn't shy from emotions. He embraced them.
"I don't know. I have never had tea or coffee," Halvar stood carefully so that he could move across the room to stand beside the much smaller woman.

He lifted his hands, gently pressing them against Cass's shoulders, as his darker eyes examined the pain in her.
"I am sorry you lost your son," He readdressed the elephant in the room, showing that her emotion did not make him uncomfortable. He wanted Cass to feel free and able to express herself around him.
"You raised a good boy. May the Gods guide him into a peaceful rest," he smiled before pulling the woman into a loose embrace. "The pain lasts forever. But so do the memories. That is the important part."

C A S S A N D R A . B L A K E - H U M A N - - P R O F I L E - ​ " Never had tea or coffee? " Cass said in genuine surprise. If she was to believe Hope, she knew the man had been dead for the last years, but if he was as old as he seemed, she wondered how he had avoided either beverage this long. But as she thought about her son, she never recalled seeing him drink either beverage. " I'll make you some tea," she said, preparing the mug and tea bag. She would have made Marcus a cup of tea right now if she could. What she wouldn't give to be able to sit down and have another conversation with him, but that was never going to happen. Marcus was gone. She heard Halvar walking toward her; she presumed he was bringing his empty plate over to the sink. He stood beside her, looming over her as she dwarfed him significantly. His hands were empty, and he placed them on her shoulders. She turned away from the cups of tea she had been brewing and looked at Halvar. He spoke highly of Marcus, and Cass could feel the tears brimming her eyes. Marcus was a good boy; he always had been. He had been their rock, hers and Hopes, and they had been floundering without him, barely keeping their heads above water for the last five years. As Halvar embraced her, she stiffened initially, not expecting warmth and compassion from a virtual stranger. As Halvar told her of the memories lasting forever, she softened, and the tears flowed freely. She leaned into Halvar and sobbed against the large man's chest. Her hands covered her face, and she allowed herself to seek solace in Halvar, who offered it so freely. It was a little strange, she had only met the man less than an hour ago, but it was hard not to feel safe in his embrace, physically and emotionally. She had cried a lot over the last five years for her son. On his and Hope's birthday every year, that Hope refused to acknowledge since his passing. Mori's birthday, her accomplishments, every day she grew, and he had missed it. Cass had always tried to smile and make the days as special as possible, but she always cried herself to sleep at night. It was a relief to have someone to share her pain with finally. At least it was till Hope arrived to see her in the half-naked arms of her baby daddy. Her stomach dropped as she realised she had messed up. Word Count: 420

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ Hope hung up the phone, frustrated but relieved. Of course, Nik wasn't awake and hadn't answered his phone, but at least Hope could count on Mori to pick up her damn phone. Mori assured her they were fine, and Hope instructed her to get her cousin out of bed by any means, as she would be home soon. Nik had probably told her about Hal's arrival, and she had some questions, but Hope shut them down. She promised to be home soon and explain everything when she got back and just to wait till she returned. Mori wasn't happy about it, but she agreed, and their conversation ended. She stood in the car park momentarily, contemplating going back inside. On the one hand, she didn't want to leave her mother and Hal together alone for an extended period, she knew what her mother was like, and she was no doubt grilling him for every detail she could get. But Hope needed to get her head on straight. Until yesterday, she had thought Hal was dead, and now he had returned, and he was picking up where he left off, and it was working. Hope hadn't slept like that in years; nightmares haunted her sleep that she couldn't escape, so she had been living off small cat naps to get by. Yet Hal had just strolled in and turned her world upside down again. It was infuriating. She paced the car park with her hands on her hip, trying to get her head on straight. She wanted to tell Hal to leave, that she had managed the last five years without and could do five more. But Nik deserved to have Hal in his life, and as much as she wanted to believe she could just push Hal away, he wouldn't make it easy. The more she tried to put distance between them, the more he reached for her, and every time he did, she took his hand. She didn't know who to be madder at, Hal or herself. She couldn't let herself be distracted; she had to focus on keeping Nik and Mori safe. Although it was hard to think about anything but Hal, as she could feel his residual heat lingering on her skin. Composing herself, trying to push the thoughts of Hal's body and blood out of her mind, she stepped back into the clinic, her tongue sweeping her aching gums. Unsurprisingly, Hal and her mother were no longer in the corridor. She hoped that her mother had the sense to find him some clothes, but she doubted her mother would have anything in the clinic that fit him. She would have to find him something to wear before bringing him back to her apartment, their apartment? Was he going to move in? Did he even want to? ' Get a grip.' she told herself, following her mother's and Hal's scent through the clinic. The smell of fresh eggs hit her nostrils, and she shook her head, managing a slight smirk. Of course, her mother cooked for him. She stepped into the staff room, expecting to see Hal devouring some food and her mother quizzing him. She was not expecting to see her mother crying in his arms, lying against his bare chest. She couldn't help the look of shock that flashed across her face as she stopped in her tracks. " Mum?! " Hope spoke, confused, wondering what her mother was thinking. Cass didn't even know Hal, and yet she felt she could nuzzle herself into his naked chest. Her face changed to one of cold fury as she looked from her mother to Hal. She had never felt more like a fool. " I'll be in the car.... " she spoke in a flat tone as she turned on her heel, ignoring her mother's call for her. It was amazing how her mother injected herself into every aspect of her life. The clinic, the kids, her alliance with the warehouse, and now she had talked her way into Hal's arms and Hal... ' Came back for you, my ass,' she thought as she stormed back down the corridor where only a few hours ago she had been sleeping soundly in his arms. She was livid with herself, Hal, and her mother, but she had no idea why she felt so angry. He hadn't even been in her life for the last five years; sleeping beside him for one night shouldn't have meant that much, but even Hope was finding it hard to deny her feelings. It wasn't just that her mother had been inappropriate, but the sight of another woman in his arms was eating away at her. Realising that she was acting like a jealous girlfriend only infuriated her more. They had known each other for a few weeks when he had died and slept together less than a handful of times. He was Nik's Dad, he wasn't her boyfriend, he wasn't her husband, he wasn't her anything, and she would have to remind herself of that before she got her already broken heart hurt again. Word Count: 851

Halvar kept his hands on the woman's shoulders as he inspected her. He could see that she was tired from trying to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.
The women in this family had the same trait. Cass would be much easier to get through too, than Hope, and Halvar gave her the space and compassion to release some of her pain.
He did not understand the mentality these people had. They let themselves fester with mental wounds without reprieve. They thought emotions made them vulnerable, yet Halvar believed the opposite.
It didn't take long for Cass to feel safe enough to express herself, and Halvar let get, his arms holding her in quiet protection as she cried for her fallen child.
Halvar would have remained in place for as long as Cass needed him to. But he could not. Hope's body silhouetted the doorway, and Halvar lifted his rusty gaze to watch a range of negative emotions cross her expression as she saw her mother in his arms.
She settled on anger; as usual. And Halver watched her in silence as she stormed from the room, upsetting her mother further.

Cass called out for her daughter as Halvar released her from his hold. "Do not worry about it, Cass. She will be fine," he reassured her with a knowing gaze. Hope liked to find any opportunity she could to try and push him away. Everyone left her, and she was waiting for him to make the same choice as so many of the men before him. Halvar didn't care for these tests, nor for the emotional roller coaster Hope wanted to put him through, but he treated it with the same compassion he had shown Cass minutes before.
He wasn't going to leave by choice. He decided that a very long time ago, and Hope could push with all of her might. She could not change his mind. No one could.
"It was very nice to meet you, Cass." He smiled, placing his hand on her shoulder again with a soft squeeze. "I hope to see you again. Very soon."

Halvar walked through the building, following the scent of his lover until he stood in the cold car park, his skin lifting in goosebumps as the air bit at him. "Your anger is misplaced," he called to the sulking woman. He stopped a few feet from the car, content to watch her from that distance. He could not pretend her sullen mood didn't hurt. Of course, it did. He was gone for so long, and only just returned to her, yet Hope already tried to drive him back with a fit of foolish anger.
"Are you eager to punish me?" he let his head tilt, she was angry with him for dying. He wouldn't deny her that emotion, unreasonable or not. "You are angry with me for dying?"

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ As Hope exited the clinic, she couldn't help but see her mother sobbing in Hal's arms. He was tender and soft with her, and Cass was a pathetic puddle against him. She didn't need to guess what she was crying about. Only one thing set her mother off like that and infuriated Hope to no end. Her mother had given up on Marcus five years ago and was acting like he was dead, but he wasn't dead; he was in the basement, alive. He wasn't back to himself, but his soul was still with them, and while it was still here, there was still hope. Hope hated to see the irony in the name her mother gave her and how lacking she was in it. Hitting the concrete, she rummaged for her keys and pointed them at the car to unlock it. She was sure she heard Halvar following her but refused to turn around to check. Her mother could act like an emotional child, but Hope refused. Halvar couldn't just swan back into her life, sweep her off her feet and expect her to swoon. Her hand wrapped around the car door handle when Hal called out to her, keeping his distance. She turned to look over her shoulder, seeing him still half naked in broad daylight in public. What was he thinking? Hope sighed as she walked to the back of the car and opened the trunk. The trunk was full but well organised, full of weapons, three "to-go bags " in case Hope needed to bring the kids out of the city in a hurry, containers of food, and a folder full of passports, ID's and various currencies. Nestled away in the back were some blankets Hope had packed should the kids and her ever need to sleep in the car, and being half-human, they felt the cold far more than her. She walked toward him, unfolding the blanket and realising that it wouldn't cover him as much as she would like, but it was the best she could do. " If I wanted to punish you, I'd let you freeze," she muttered as she held the blanket out for him to take. She preyed he would decide to cover up. She didn't know how to explain a naked goliath wandering around Saints to Coran. She turned her back to head back to the car when in his usual bluntness, he called her out. She stopped in her tracks, almost in shock. It had been years since someone had dared to try and speak to her about her emotions. They thought she had lost her sanity with Marcus, and she was happy for them to believe that. But Hal never backed down; he was infuriating. " Angry with you for dying? " she said, almost scoffing like it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. " No, I'm not angry with you for dying, Hal; I'm angry because you thought it was ok to kill yourself so you could go to your precious Valhalla and leave me here alone and pregnant with your son, who has been having those little explosions like the one in the Woods since he could walk. " Hope's outburst had been unexpected, harsh but honest. She hadn't even realised how angry she was with him for his " heroics " that day in the woods when they were doomed anyway. They should have all died that day in the woods, but she had survived and hated herself every day for it. " So yeah, I'm angry, Hal... " she said and then went to turn to end the conversation before she turned on her heel to face him again. " and you know, seeing you half-naked with another woman in your arms after we slept together isn't going to put me in a winning mood. " Hope hated herself at that moment for showing her jealousy and possessiveness of Hal. She didn't care that the other woman was her mother; if Cass wanted a shoulder to cry on, there was a warehouse full of men who would no doubt volunteer. Cass didn't need Hal, and although Hope would never admit it, even to herself, she needed Hal. Word Count: 707

Hope turned to look at him with an exasperated expression. It was enough to chafe the usually calm man as he watched the woman turn away from him with anger in her eyes. His eyes followed her as small golden speckles started to creep into his irises. Hope was a hard woman; she was unkind at times, and Halvar accepted that about her. However, this childish jealousy was unreasonable, and Halvar bristled against it, eyes following Hope as she moved to press a blanket into him.
"Then let me freeze," he snapped as he snatched the blanket from her hands. Hope had angered him for the first time, and he did not hide it. Halvar was at one with his emotions, negative as well as positive. That was where they differed. Hope only seemed capable of showing anger or lust; everything else was locked behind this hard shell she hid behind.
He slung the blanket around his shoulder, placating her desire to cover him up. It barely made a difference and would have been laughable if he wasn't so angry.

Her words were like daggers as she let loose her barbed words, Halvar wasn't easy to wound, but he immediately felt anguish. His eyes averted from her for a split second as he tried to command the rumbling power that wanted to let loose in an act of self-protection.
He looked back to her once he was sure he had control, his eyes a mixture of sad anger as she finished her verbal assault.
A tension-rich silence fell once she silenced herself, and Hope was the first to break it.
Jealousy coursed through her words as she threw him comforting her mother back at him. Halvar would have laughed, but he was still reeling from her previous words; he was fighting a losing battle with himself. He wanted to stay silent; so he could ruminate on her awful words, but he could not. His anger only grew with his silence, until the Viking broke his silence.

"Enough!" The volume of his voice betrayed the anger he was trying to control. He took a step back, wanting to distance himself from her.
"You say that I left you with my son?" his head shook with rage at the mere thought of it. "You think I would leave OUR son because of a desire to be in Valhalla? You think that I would sacrifice myself when there were other options, just so I could leave you with our child?"
He laughed now, but the sound had no happiness inside of it, only angry disbelief. "I died to make sure our son lived, Hope. To make sure that you lived. Had I not, you and Nik would be nothing but dust. You resent me for making sure our child lived? Are you really such a bitter creature?" the words left a sour taste in his mouth.
"I died because I loved you. Because I loved our son. And I will never apologize."

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ The golden speckles in Hal's eyes hadn't gone unnoticed Hope as her words reeled him. She had been watching Nik for five years for any trace of gold that appeared because she knew what happened when they did. She remembered that night in the Black Woods when Hal told her who and what he really was. How the skies had opened for him, and she anticipated hearing the thundering overhead, but Hal was doing a good job keeping control, considering he had only come back from the dead a day ago. But Hope could see the anger written all over his body as his muscles tensed, and he looked away from her. She tried to convince herself it was better not to get attached again and cut the chase before he inevitably left, but she couldn't ignore the knot in her stomach that was forming. For the first time Hope could remember, Hal raised his voice at her and stepped away from her. She showed no fear on her face; she didn't honestly believe that Hal would physically hurt her, but he must have been concerned if he felt the need to move away from her or if he started to hate her and needed to get away from her. He was shaking as he emphasised that Nik was their son, like she needed to be reminded. She had been the only parent in his life so far; if anything, he was HER son. She wanted to remind him of this, but she bit her tongue as Halvar tried to tell her he had no other choice. Of course, he had a choice; he could have continued to fight or gone after Bade before he got to Marcus, but instead, he sacrificed himself to take down some choppers. ' A bitter creature.. ' Hope wanted to laugh, but her jaw was tense; it wouldn't have escaped. She had been called many things over the last five years on hushed whispered breaths, but Hope had heard them all the same. Mad, heartless, cold, insane.. the list went on but bitter wasn't one she had heard. Did he really think she resented him for sure Nik lived? He was the one who had tried to kill him yesterday, and she was preparing to throw this fact in his face when he floored her with his following statement. Her tight jaw dropped as she went from a state of fury to complete shock as she tried to process what Hal had just admitted. Their time together had been short, full of passion and lust, but the word love had never come into play before now. Hope stared into Hal's gold-speckled eyes as she looked for any sign of a lie, and although there was a lot of anger there, there was no deception. Hope folded her arms across her body as she tried to process the turn this conversation had taken. She wished he was still yelling at her; Hope could handle anger, but what was she supposed to do with this bombshell? Hope's features were softened now as she tried to pretend she wasn't reeling from what he had said. " I didn't ask you to apologise, Hal. " Hope said; the ferocity in her voice had been dampened. " But I won't apologise either. You died, and I had to stand there and watch... " Hope's voice trembled, it was slight and barely noticeable, but she hated it and swallowed, trying to force her composure. " I'm angry, Hal, I've been angry for five years, and it's not just going just to disappear overnight. If you don't like it... " Hope's anger was flaring again, but this time she quashed it before she took it too far. She sighed, looking back at the car and then at Hal. God, she wished she was back in that bed sleeping beside him; it was a lot simpler. " I can't do this, Hal... " Hope said, sounding defeated. She couldn't fight with him after he said he loved her, but she also couldn't talk about their feelings. She was too sober for that. " I have to get back home, you're welcome to come, or you can stay. It's up to you. " Hope said, sounding exhausted as she scanned his eyes again before heading towards the car. She had no idea whether Hal would follow her after their fight. She assumed he would, not for her but for Nik. He promised to talk, and Hope knew he would keep his word. But part of her panicked at the thought. If Hal came, things would change, and Hope didn't like change. But there was no way she could keep Hal and Nik apart. Loki was starting to make moves against their son, and Hope, as hard as she tried, couldn't prepare him the same way Hal could. All she could do was support Nik and keep what little of her sanity she had left. It was a feat as Hope's vines were trying to creep down her arm and hand, but Hope stopped it in its tracks and grabbed the barbed vine in her palm, prinking her skin and drawing blood. The pain was a sweet release and distraction; the physical pain was far easier to tolerate than the emotional one. Word Count: 888

Halvar didn't regret his words, not even when he saw the conflict they caused Hope. He was gone for such a long time. Hiding the truth seemed pointless now, not when he didn't know what was around the corner. She needed to know how he felt, as did their son. However, the Viking would not force himself into their lives if he was not wanted.
The tremble in her voice was hardly detectable, but Halvar knew Hope well enough to hear the pain she tried to hide from him; it gave him hope that she still cared for him, despite her cruel attempts to push him away.
She could not let go of her anger, and Halvar let loose a sigh of frustration. He could not go back in time and change his actions. He would not change them if he could. He did what he needed to do to protect the pair, and he would do it again without hesitation. He feared Hope's resentment would push them apart, but he remained quietly unwilling to argue with her any further. Hope had to be angry. Without anger, she would have to face her other emotions, and Halvar knew she was not ready to do such a thing; he doubted she ever would be.

"Then don't do this," they were getting nowhere fast, and Halvar started to consider going back into the clinic. The night air was cold, but Hope was colder, and Halvar had much to think about. He needed to grieve losing five years of his son's life. He had missed the boy's whole childhood. He didn't have the energy to fight with Hope, not when he felt such heartache.
She moved away from him, and Halvar remained in place to think through his options. He did not particularly want to be around Hope right now, at least not in such close proximity, but he wanted to see his son. Nikalos was his priority, so with a nod of his head, he followed Hope, and climbed into the car beside her.
He had so many questions for her, he wanted to know every detail of Nik's childhood, from birth until now, yet he sat in silence, resting his hands against his knees, careful not to touch Hope.
"I would like to see the boy," he sighed, hating the feeling of not knowing one of his children. "That is all."
He couldn't go through round two with Hope, not now, not when he felt such vulnerability. Their reunion should have been a thing of beauty, but Loki had ruined it, and now Hope's anger stood just as strongly as his father, blocking any chance for Halvar to find peace in his reawakening.
"I would like to know my son." he gave a slight shake of his head, turning his face away from Hope, not wishing to share his pain with her. "I will leave once I have spoken with him, and you will not have to lay eyes on me again until you are ready."

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ " That is all. " Those words hurt more than Hope would ever admit. She didn't think it was possible. She thought her heart was broken beyond repair, and there was no way it could hurt or fracture any further. But she could feel what was left of her heart splintering. She closed her eyes and refused to allow herself the tears. She told herself that if this is how it felt now, it was better to end things now before she got in any deeper. What would it have felt like if they had rekindled their .. fling? Relationship? Hope didn't even know what they were, but she was confident that if they picked up where they left off, this would have hurt more than she could have bared. Hope sat in the car and grasped the steering wheel as she listened to him speak of Nik. He turned his head away from her as he stared out the window and spoke of her never laying eyes on him again. She remained silent as she turned the key in the ignition. She wondered why he even returned if that was how he felt. One minute he had " come back " for her, and now he was leaving, only staying for Nik. That was for the best; Nik deserved to know his father. Hope had done her best to try and learn about Vikings and their Gods, but most of it was mythology. There were stories of their powers but no mention of golden outbursts or how to stop or control them. Hal was the only person who could help Nik, and although there were many times over the last few years Hope had wished for Hal to be there to help her understand what was happening with their son, the hurt part of her wished she was grieving the memory of him whether then facing this reality. " We need to make a stop. " Hope spoke, not wanting to acknowledge his need to be away from her. " You need some clothes," she stated as she drove through the streets, trying to keep her eyes off his barely-covered torso. Her hand adjusted the dials on the dash as she turned the heating up for Hals's sake. She could see the goosebumps all over his skin, which she desperately tried to avoid looking at. A few hours ago, they were wrapped up in each other's arms, and now they couldn't feel further apart despite being so close. She gripped the wheel tighter and scolded herself for feeling bad about what had happened. She reminded herself once again this was for the best. She pulled up outside the warehouse, stopping but leaving the car running so Hal wouldn't feel the cold. " Wait here; I'll grab you some clothes. Then we can go home...back to the apartment. " Hope quickly corrected herself, realising it wasn't Hal's home, and it wasn't really hers either. Her car was evidence of that. She never got too attached to the property in Saints. She had watched every home she ever had been burned to the ground; she had been caught unaware both times, it wouldn't happen a third time, and she was prepared to take the kids and run at any moment. " Wait here," she said, shutting the door car, not wanting to bring a stranger into Coran's warehouse unannounced and then have to explain who he was. She wasn't prepared for those questions yet. She wraithed her way through the building, not wanting to interact with the humans her mother and Coran were so fond of. Hope didn't dislike them, but she wasn't trying to make any more friends, at least not fragile ones. She rummaged through the storerooms and found the biggest sizes possible in a tank top and some joggers. She grabbed a couple of pairs of trainers, unsure of his shoe size. They didn't have standard-issue underwear, so Halvar would have to go without it. She took a moment to force her fangs back into her gums at the thought of him not wearing any underwear under his clothes. The vines on her arms constricted, longing to reach up and dig into his flesh and draw his blood to the surface. She hated her body for betraying her, and she would have to really concentrate around him so that she didn't let her body leak her secret. Composed, with her body in check, she now walked through the warehouse in her true form. She got a few strange looks as the humans wondered where she had come from. Some of them were visibly tense seeing her, they remembered what she had done five years ago and Hope was happy for them to fear her. Her mother's so-called best friend appeared and called out to her, but Hope just glared at him and didn't answer his question. Her mother had been too quick to replace Knigh shaped hole that had been left in their lives, but Hope maintained her distance from her mother and everyone else who wasn't her kids. She stepped out of the building without incident and returned to the car where Hal sat. She walked to his side of the car and opened the door, holding out the clothes for him to take. " Here, you can get changed in the back. " Hope suggested, although it probably sounded like an order. She waited for Hal to take the clothes from her, and she walked towards the driver's seat and stepped in. She closed the car door and looked in her rearview mirror as always, but this time the view was very different. Hal was removing the blanket and throwing it on the tank top. He then got to work on the knot she had tied on the bed sheet. Had things been different, she would have cheekily reminded him that she told him to keep it on. Instead, she averted her eyes and began driving through the familiar streets, heading back to the apartment. She should have felt relieved going back to the kids, but she felt nothing but dread. Their whole world was about to be turned upside down, and whether she was ready, Loki was targetting Nik, and she and Mori were going to have to prepare to be caught in the crossfire. Word Count: 1060

Hope was angry with him. He could feel it bubbling from her as they drove in silence, she was often angry, but Halvar couldn't recall a time when that anger was aimed in his direction, and he did not like it. Yet he was just as angry with her, if not more so. He wanted to smooth things over, but his anger did not let him. He loved Hope and was elated to see her again, but her wrath stood in the way, and Halvar could not look past it, not so soon after returning from the dead. He didn't deserve her anger.

He was cold. Hope noticed and turned the heating on. It was a small kindness. One that The Viking would usually have acknowledged with glee, but silence remained between them as Halvar watched the world pass his window.
His grief for lost time felt like a python at his neck, constricting him, but it was nothing compared to this new pain. Hope was breaking him, and Halvar briefly lamented his return. The darkness didn't seem so bad now, not when Hope shattered his heart with her spite. The thought of Nik kept him in the car when all he wanted to do was leave, but he would not do that to his son.

They made their pitstop at a large warehouse. Halvar waited at Hope's request. He heavily sighed once alone, shaking his head to himself, trying to let go of the anger that ate away at him, without succeeding.
He wasn't alone for long before Hope returned, opening his door to present him with a small pile of clothing. "Thank you," he nodded curtly as he accepted the clothes from her. He paused to let Hope move away before he climbed out of the vehicle moving into the back seats.
The clothing was small for him, but he managed to squeeze into them. The tank top strained against his shoulders, bunching the material underneath his armpits uncomfortably, and the trousers were not better. They only covered him until mid-shin, and they bit at his hips. He didn't bother with the shoes, choosing to remain barefoot rather than hurting his feet. The whole thing was somewhat comical. He struggled into them and could have laughed at the absurdity of it all, but the humor was lost to the tension in the car.

He remained in the back of the car until they pulled up outside of a large building. Rust eyes moved to the mirror, looking at Hope for guidance before he climbed out of the vehicle, his shoulders straightening from their hunched position as he stood to full height, his eyes moving to look at the many windows that looked down onto the street.
He was surprised to see that they were living in such a central location. There were no trees to be seen and he didn't like that, but the woods were gone now, and he had to be thankful that this new location had offered their son a protected life.
"Should I wait out here?" he questioned, concerned about forcibly inserting himself into Nik's life so soon. "This is your home. I do not want to overwhelm the boy."