TIME WARP: This Isn't Happening...(Craven)

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Set the night before Amelia Carstyn dies, June 28, 2013


Dealing with graduation had been, well tiring. It had come fast and the end had simply crushed her because she was parting ways with so many good friends. Unfortunately, she hadn't had much time to dwell on that. A few weeks after grad, she'd been contacted by the nurse that lived with her mother. It was earlier than usual that nurse was calling, but it wasn't unusual. Since her mother had stopped responding to treatments and had allergic reactions to some of her medications, things had been spiraling downward. Adri knew it would only get worse, but she hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

The call consisted of the nurse telling Adri that she needed to leave for California that night because her mother needed her. Also, the nurse pointed out that this could be her last run. The words left Adrianna hollow, hurt and afraid. She had been cleaning out her dorm room once the call had been made, and she was supposed to be going home to Cali a few days later. Now she was being told that her mother could die at any moment and she needed to leave then.

The fact was, Adrianna was terrified of going alone. No support system to get her through it would never go over well, so instead of one ticket she asked the nurse if she could email her two. Who did she have in mind for the second passenger? One person and one person alone. The one guy in her life that knew her mother well and that her mother adored.

Craven Grimley, best friend, crush, and Mom's favorite.

They were still as close ad ever, he was still with Gia and she was still waiting for her chance, though she doubted she'd ever get one. Yeah, it was complicated, but they had been through worse. She had called him right after and he'd accepted her invite, the worry in his tone painfully clear. Later that night, they'd met at the airport and made their way to Cali.

That had been 6 days before and Adrian had spent her whole time in the hospital with her mother and Craven. Amelia wasn't acting like herself and every time she talked in that soft, raspy voice, Adri nearly broke down in tears. Luckily, she had Craven to make it better, she didn't want to make her mother worry more than was necessary.

Amelia would push through this. She just had to.

Adri sat in the chair next to her mother's bed, curled up in a ball, unable to sleep. Crave had gone out to get drinks and scour for food. Amelia was asleep, the monitor making the only noise as Adrian stared at it, willing for it to get stronger. Unfortunately, the woman in the hospital bed had only gotten worse. Weaker.

[Craven Grimley]

Since Tanner's graduation in June the year before, Craven had moved out of his dorm room and into the tiny house their father had bought for them in Vermont near the University Tanner attended. Without a full grasp on his power, Tanner had insisted on staying close to Hammel but Craven knew this was not the full reason. The reason Tanner stayed was not because of his powers but because of Craven. The two were once again insperable and it all stemmed from coming clean to Tanner.

Of course, now Tanner had an obsession with finding his real mother and father. Gia had been dragged along to move in with then, naturally and Craven had decided that he'd get engaged to her during the weekend. He'd planned this whole big thing with crows swooping in and balloons flying into the air and just all around romance. Now he doubted any of that would happen. It could wait. Adrianna's mom was dying and he would sure as hell be there. He'd be there, not only because Adrianna was his best friend but more importantly, because he saw his mother in Amelia.

His mother had died like Amelia would so he simply had to be there. He simply had to support Adrianna in this. On the trip to the airport there was silence in the normally noisy black porche convertable. The mood was heavy with unspoken words and when Tanner pulled up to the curb his eyes flashed to Craven.
"Why don't you want me to come with you? I'm not a jackass all of the time and you're gonna need a... a hug..."

Tanner rolled his eyes at the thought even as he said it. It was a sweet gesture that made Craven smile at his older brother.
"Because I need you here to look after Gia. LOOK after not touch."
Tanner pulled his handsome face into one of disregard.
"I wouldn't touch it with a six foot pole. Always told you she's your trophy wife and that's it."

Craven shoved his brother and got out of the car pulling his big backpack over his shoulder.
"Cravie..."
Craven ducked his head back into the car.
"I love you. I'm here."
Craven's lips curved into a sad smile and he nodded.
"Thanks. I love you too Tan. See ya."

Tanner nodded and Craven closed the door. The car sped off with an enormous growl like a tiger charging in to attack and Craven slumped. God... He wanted to be back in that car with Tanner already. Both boys knew what this was. This was Rose dying. He'd experience his mother dying and Craven didn't know if he was strong enough without Tanner by his side screaming at him to stop crying like a fag boy or some other hideous insult. Craven had spent that whole week with Adrianna and each time he'd convinced her to go home and sleep, he'd be holding her as she sobbed into his chest until she finally was drained enough to drift off.

It was hard and Gia was also suffering without him there. Tanner said she was extra quiet now and wouldn't even award Tanner a glare when he insulted her in passing. Craven instructed Tanner to tell his future fiance that it wasn't long now and the converstation turned to grim between him and his older brother to be called a conversation anymore so they'd eventually have to hand up on one another.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take..."
Craven said into the speaker then brought the cigarette up to his lips to take a long drag.
"Yeah me neither. Your shorty's become part of the furniture. Dude, she's freaking me out."
Craven gave a half hearted snort as he flicked ash from the tip of the cigarette.
"I'm being serious."

"So come home. "
Craven sighed and rubbed at his eyes.
"Tanner no. Geez. The woman... I wish... I wish she'd just die already. She's suffering so bad and Adrianna's watching this and I ... I don't know how to fix it..."
There was a pause on the end of the line.
"Cravie? You're amazing. You can do this okay?"

Craven nodded and took one last drag killing the cigarette before pushing himself off the wall to collect the food and coffee he'd scouted. Back to hell then. He'd said his goodbyes and promised he'd phone Gia later. His poor girlfriend. The amount of things she had to put up with was unbelievable. Craven entered the room again where Adrianna sat by the bedside, unmoving, just staring. He didn't bother even saying 'No change?'. He knew the answer to that one. He could see his father sitting beside his mother's hospital bed stroking her hand over and over and over again.

Staring at her face, simply staring. Craven had hovered on the brink of running away and screaming long enough. He walked inside and moved over to sit on his couch. It had an indent from his butt so it was his couch.
"Hey, I got some cinnamon buns and coffee if you wanted it... Or I could add it to the pile of winter food you're saving up there on your mom's table."
Burger King, Starbucks, Mcdonalds, Subway... it was all mounting up.

Paper bag after paper bag with food that had not been consumed. Craven sighed and watched the floor for a moment.
"Amelia wouldn't have wanted you starving yourself. I bet if she woke up now and was all strong and healthy she'd be like 'Adrian! Eat! Sleep! Go! Both of you! Sitting here like the world's ending!' "
Craven licked his limps and bit into his bottom lips to keep away the tears but they were hovering at the edge of his eyes.

My God. He'd cried a lot these last few days. Tanner would have had a field day with it.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Adri barely heard him come in, she was too lost in thought. Thinking always seemed to make her more upset, but she was trying hard to think of what would happen once her mother got through this. And she would get through this. It was just a speed bump, like when they'd first been told she was sick. Soon, the doctors would put her on new medication and she'd be back to normal. She had to be. The thought of losing Amelia was simply unbearable and Adrian wouldn't dare think of it. Of what her life would be without the woman who'd not only taught her everything she knew, but had also been there forever to talk. The woman she was closest to.

And where was the man that was supposed to be beside her too? A total no-show. One would think after his highschool sweetheart got sick, maybe he'd make a damn appearance. No. He was too low for that. The man she'd never call a father still hadn't shown up and she was glad he hadn't. He'd never been there for support before, what made this any different? Oh right. Someone was dying!

Adrianna took a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm herself. The more she thought of the miserable excuse of a man, the more irritated she got. When Craven spoke she sighed lightly with relief, but not very audibly. She kept her eyes on her mother for a short period of time, then stood and walked over to the couch that he was sitting at. She curled up next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

Being around him so much, she didn't need to look to see that he was on the brink of tears. She knew him. She knew it was taking as much out of him being here as it was out of her. And for that she felt more than guilty. He'd left Gia and Tanner to watch a woman that resembled his mother die in front of his eyes slowly. She buried her face in his shoulder and took a steadying breath so she didn't end up crying again.

She pulled back and rested her hand on his leg in a soothing gesture, "You're right, y'know. That's exactly what she'd be saying. I can almost hear it coming out of her mouth." She had a ghost of a smile playing at her lips. "She wouldn't want us to feel so bad, but she never did understand how much either of us care about her." Adri's lip quivered and she bit down hard.

Adrianna looked up at his face and reached up with her right hand to brush her thumb across his cheek where a tear had escaped, "We'll be okay. You don't have to stay here with me and suffer Crave. You know that right? I mean I feel horrible for holding you hostage from Tan and Gia..." She cut off short and took a ragged breath. It wasn't from talking about Gia, it was thinking of him leaving that made her want to start bawling.

Would she really be able to handle things if he left? The answer was a definite no. She'd be an emotional wreck without him, but she'd never admit that to him. Even though she didn't have to because he knew her so well.

[Craven Grimley]

It was automatic. The arm opening to comfort Adrianna. It was automactic to hug her close when she came to him. She was a mess. Hygiene had taken a back seat in favour of her mother's death bed. Craven set aside the food and snuggled her into his chest when she curled up beside him. Her head had always fit perfectly under his chin and it did now too. His finger tips smoothed, lovingly across her dark chocolate hair to try and keep her from crying. It had been a futile action. She cried all the time.

All the time until she ran out of tears and simply stared like she was finally numb. It was an akward time. Healing this wound would be impossible. His own vision was blurred when he thought back on Amelia who'd been a sort of mother figure to him too. Diane could never be that. Diane, Gia's mother, was the house keep. Not the nanny. Diane never spoke to Craven much. Cooper would be on a war path were he to hear it. Cooper and Craven hadn't kissed and made up.

Craven doubted they ever would. Craven felt Adrianna nuzzle her face into his shoulder and winced. Sometimes he wished he had Dilan's wings. Wrapping them around her right then would have felt sooo good. To both of them it would have been heaven. A small spark of heaven in a room full of hell. That was what it truely felt like. Like Hell. Craven was watching someone he cared about, suffer, someone he love, die. It was like, watching something you treasure... burn... slowly.

You couldn't stop the fire and each time you tried it hurt more, made the wounds raw all over again. Craven's eyes locked on Adrianna jumping when she sat up. Not because she startled him. The hand on his leg...Craven licked at his lips and dropped his eyes attempting to not even look at her. What the hell was wrong with him? He was in a woman's dying hospital room. He could not do this... This was bad. Craven slowly shifted to the side away from Adri leaning in to get the coffee.

Sometimes, Adrianna didn't pay attention to what she was doing. He could hold her, that was fine but when she pressed really close to him and put her hand so high on his leg, breathed into his neck.... not cool. Then her hand came up to brush at his tears and Craven froze mid reach. When she reached to brush the other tears away he yerked his head away from her hand and pulled his arm from around her shoulder so he could get up, get away from her, just for a bit of air.

He scooped up his coffee and put the cup to his lips sipping a bit as he dug his free hand in his pocket. As was his habbit now, Craven moved to the window, to stare out it, like a cage bird would out of the cage bars. Craven's face was etched in thought while cars and people flitted across his vision range. After a little of silence he turned his face to her, half a smile settled on his lips to show that he wasn't angry or anything, just pondering.

"You need me. I'm here. Someday, I'll need you and I hope you'll be there for me too...."
Craven lifted his hand and pulled the silver heart from its hiding place under his shirt, fidgetting with it for a little while before wrapping it up tightly in his hand. It was a bigger gesture then just words. It was to show her his loyalty to her, that he hadn't forgot forever. He took another sip of his coffee, letting the heart fall against his chest. His hand shoved back in his pocket and his eyes fell back to the outside world.

Adrianna wasn't all there anyway. He only saw 15 % of her ever since they arrived. The Adrianna he knew wasn't there. He didn't know if he'd ever see her again. He was careful what he did around this Adrianna. She was capable of anything.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

His touch was still just as soothing as it had always been. Ever since they met at the young age of 12, he'd been there to calm her. Whether she was furious with someone, which was rare, or if she was heart-broken, not so rare. He'd stood there and watched her cry so many times that it was embarrassing, but Adri did it anyway. He didn't like seeing her cry, but he never pushed her away out of fear of tears. It had been nearly six years since they met, and nothing had pulled them apart. And she hoped nothing ever would.

She wasn't really paying attention to where her hand had gone until he got up and she realized he'd reached his limit of intimacy. Touching like that wasn't okay. She knew it, but she wasn't focused on being careful, she was focused on too much to realize that. When he turned away she felt her heart squeeze painfully, but she ignored it and looked away from him as he walked to the window. Her eyes focused back on Amelia and she winced at the sight of the sickly woman. Amelia was too young for this. How could she be so frail at only 36? It wasn't right.

Adrian felt his eyes back on her and she looked up at him to see half a smile on his face. She felt relieved, if only for a moment that he wasn't angry with her unthinking stupidity. She knew he was thinking. Of course she didn't know what he was thinking, there were no telepaths close enough to know that. But Adri had a few ideas. Either it was about her or it was about Amelia. Those were the two things at hand that he'd been dealing with.

His words made her relax further and she curled up in a ball on the couch. When she noticed the heart around his neck she couldn't keep the small smile from spreading on her lips. Automatically, she reached to her own neck and held the matching necklace between her fingertips. She looked into his eyes as she thought back to the day he'd given it to her. After a fight they'd had, their biggest fight at that, he'd come to her dorm and given her a necklace and white rose. Both were symbols of how close they were and how close they would always be.

He looked back out the window and she looked down at the necklace. She'd changed. That much was clear. She'd grown distant and hollow. It was depressing because before she'd been so happy and out-going. Part of her hoped she'd return to that once she got over the shock of her mother... The thought was shut off and she squeezed her eyes shut, whimpering quietly.

Adrian hugged her knees to her chest and shuddered at the thought. The finishing word to that thought....

Dying.

[Craven Grimley]

Craven was too lost in his own thoughts to pay too much attention to the girl on the couch. After all, she'd been like this for quite some time. He remembered when he had first arrived at Hammel. He was followed a few months later by Gia but that first day he'd been there he'd met Adrianna when Jet had made a scene in the hallway and stole something shiny off a girl. Jet had taken time to find him here in California. She followed her senses and had eventually, three days later found her owner.

She stayed away most of the time for which Craven was gratefull. Adrianna didn't deserved to be attacked by his crow right then. Adrianna deserved peace and quiet. Adrianna deserved much better. Adrianna, his Adrianna needed his undevoted attention. Craven glanced over when he heard her whimpering and sighed moving back over to the couch to sit on one of the arm of the couch near her and his eyes also glided over the woman in the bed. Craven had seen death.

With his power, he'd seen a lot of death while working with the crows. He'd come to an understanding about death. Death was a natural part of life but it was still hard to loose someone to death. It was hard to bury someone. Craven knew it was and yet something in him was cold toward the feelings of loss. Craven licked at his lips and glanced down at his friend reaching over to squeeze her shoulder. There were so many things he could say, so many things he wanted to say but none of them would make her feel any better.

So finally he settled on...
"When it finally happens, her suffering will end."
It wasn't comforting at all but it was true.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Part of her had already come to terms with the fact that her mother could die any moment. Yes, it was hard to accept, but half of her mind knew it was bound and determined to happen sooner or later. But the other half of her couldn't just sit back and watch it happen. She'd thought back to telling Talen that her mother was sick. At the time, he'd felt sorry for her, wanted to help, but was unable to due to lack of control with his powers. Even now, she knew no metas would be able to save her mother from this impending doom.

When Adrian had first arrived at Hammel, her mother had been sick for a few years, but no one really knew Amelia was sick unless they were told. She was always so vibrant and fun to talk to. She never led on that she was sick or in pain. It was her strength that had made Adrian okay with leaving. Adrian was young, she knew her mother was sick, but she hadn't known to what extent. She'd left California a happy child, leaving her home only to meet new people like her. It was something that had excited her. And when she'd met the crow boy, she knew things would be alright in this new place she'd call home.

Craven had been through everything with her. Everything good, everything bad. And she knew that she owed him a lot. All the tears she'd shed were things that she owed him for. He'd seen her cry far too many times and it had sparked an inner irritation at herself. Her mother having been so strong, only cried in front of Adrian if her strength had momentarily slipped. Adrian wasn't strong like her mother, she cried every time something bad happened. She was pathetic in her own eyes.

Craven sat on the arm of the couch and squeezed her shoulder. Adrianna closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying hard to find the strength that would pull her mother through this. She wouldn't let Amelia die with the image of her daughter showing how weak she was. Adri opened her eyes and nodded slightly, "I've disappointed her so much Crave. Compared to her, I'm a failure and she won't live to see me succeed. She'll die with the thought of her daughter the failure."

Adrian stood up and walked out of the room, in need of air. She couldn't even look at her mother.

[Craven Grimley]

Craven let his eyes flick to Adrianna when she said those words and she pulled from him. His lips parted to speak but he couldn't bring himself to say anything. She was already pulling away and out the door before he got a single word out. Craven moved over to the brown paper package deciding it was better to eat some of it to make not all of it go to waste. Craven slowly sat on the edge of the bed chewing on the pastry he'd bought. It felt awefully strange eating in front of someone unconcious so he slowly set the pastry down again.

Craven slowly let his eyes glide over her face then down her body, so fragile and tattered now. The beep beep beep slowed and Craven frowned flicking his eyes to the heart monitor. His hand came to take Amelia's wrist in his own as he tried to feel the pulse. Then the monitor began to screech and Craven's eyes widened. The long line made him drop Amelia's hand and jump to his feet. He started backing away from the bed, eyes widened and a cold sensation wrapping around every single limb in his body.

Craven's head began to shake slowly.
"Nonononono..."
People began rushing into the room screaming for this that and the other. Craven was taken by the shoulder, guided backward. He put up half a struggle only when he was outside the room.
"Sir, it's best you let the doctors do their best. "
Craven barely heard the words. His mouth opened and closed like a fish without air. His stomach turned and he twisted to the nearest waist bin, wrenching into it.

Adrianna... he had to stop her... He couldn't let her see. Craven lifted his eyes in time to see her coming and he wiped his mouth quickly scrambling towards her, sliding across the linoleum floor but he caught himself in time. He grabbed her around the waist, his other arm wrapping around her back and shoulder as he held her against his shoulder. He put his ear close to hers.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Baby girl. I'm so sorry."
He repeated over and over and over again pressing her head into her shoulder to keep her from screaming which was an inevitability.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Once out of the room, Adrian had gone down the hall to get a drink and then headed outside for fresh air. Things had gotten pretty crazy. She was filled with so much emotion, but she kept trying to push it back. She couldn't keep crying at every sign of something bad happening. For all she knew, her mother could make it. Her mother was strong and always pulled through the horrible things they'd gone through together. As long as Adri stayed close by, they would both get through it together.

And she had Craven to help. She didn't need a shoulder to cry on now, she needed a strong hand to keep her feet planted on the ground and her mind completely focused. She needed him to make it possible for her to stay strong. Once her mother recovered, she would make a life for herself. She would become successful and accomplished before losing her mother. She just wanted Amelia to have a reason to be proud of her.

With her thoughts organized and her strength back, Adrianna headed back inside to sit with her mother and talk to Craven. Apologize for everything he'd had to deal with for her. She was just starting down the hall when she noticed a bunch of doctor's and nurses running towards the same direction. Her heart leaped once, but she calmed herself. There were so many other patients in the hospital, it wasn't possible for them to be running to her mother's...

But the thought never finished.

Craven came barreling down the hallway looking frantic and scared. Something in her mind clicked, but her reaction time was still slow. She looked up at him and her eyebrows pulled together, "Crave? What's wrong? Is she okay? Did she wake up?" The hope in her voice was almost painful to hear. She actually was excited to see Amelia now, she could finally talk her mother through it, but he didn't say what she expected. If Amelia was conscious, why was he keeping her away? Why was he holding her back?

She shook her head and her breathing picked up. She struggled against him and finally broke away. Before she got inside the room a nurse pushed her back. But she'd still seen the one image that she had never wanted to see. Her mother's lifeless body with a doctor trying to restart her heart. The doctor stopped and Adrian's knees hit the floor.

Her eyes were wide and filled with tears and she screamed, "Mommy no!" Tears flooded down her face and her fingers pulled her hair back from her face. "No...Mommy don't leave me!"

[Craven Grimley]

The more Craven held, the more Adrianna struggled against him untill eventually she got free. Craven twisted round and watched her run towards the entrance of her mothers room. He knew what she'd see. He knew she'd be broken up about it. He could almost see pieces of her falling appart to the ground until she came crashing down like a fragile tower of cards. It horrified him to see his best friend like this. His eyes snapped shut and his head inclined downward. Automatically his hand slipped into his pocket,reaching for his phone.

Some form of strength was what he needed. Some way to handle this. Some advice. He was at a loss for what to do. His stomach turned a second time. Craven pulled his hand from his pocket and slowly moved to her side. He didn't want to look. He avoided looking. He avoided seeing the lifeless body. Craven crouched down beside Adrianna and placed a hand on her back rubbing gently in hopes that he could stop some of the pain bubbling over inside of her. He didn't know what to do.

How was he supposed to know when his family had been so cold since his own mother's death?
"Adri. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
He whispered repeatedly. Oh if only Gia was here. She'd know how to handle this. She was his heart. She was his soft tenderness and he was ... well... Craven. The son of a stoney millionaire. Poor Adrianna. He'd come here with her, ill-prepared for this... the worst possible outcome.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Adrianna was lost. Utterly lost. It was like losing a part of her, half of her DNA was gone. The other half was unknown. She couldn't handle it, she couldn't face anyone without her mother. She could barely look at Craven, the boy that tried keeping her away, tried protecting her from what he knew would tear her apart from the inside out. It was the outcome she'd feared since Amelia had been diagnosed.

Eight years it had been eating away at Amelia, killing her slowly. Eight years to prepare for the outcome, and Adrian still wasn't ready to deal with it. She was vaguely aware of her surroundings and she curled up in a ball on the cold hospital floor. She could feel multiple pairs of eyes on her, but she couldn't get control. Not even five minutes ago had she said she wouldn't cry in front of Craven any longer. That she would prove to her mother that she could be successful. Now she wouldn't even have the chance.

His soft touch soothed a bit of the pain, but not enough to make her stop crying. Whimpering. The screaming stopped, but she kept whispering, "Mommy come back." This was the worst Adrian had ever been in terms of being upset. She was the girl that only cried in front of people she could count on, people she could trust. Now here she was, bawling in front of a hospital of strangers. No one understood.

Slowly, Adrian calmed herself. Just enough so that she could stand up and stare blankly ahead. She wanted to run, disappear and never be seen or heard from again. But she couldn't just leave Craven to deal with her problem. She hugged herself and closed her eyes. What could she say to him? What would make him not feel so guilty because he couldn't subside the hurt?

Nothing she would say could take that away. She just had to show him that she was thankful he'd come and that he'd done everything he could to help. It was the best she could come up with. "Crave..." She whispered his name and it came out in a tone that was no longer hollow or bitter because of her failure. It was now filled with pain and relief that Amelia was no longer suffering.

[Craven Grimley]

People were starting to stare. Her screams were echoing down the hallways and people were starting to stare. Adrianna had decided to curl into a ball. Her screams had died though into wretched sobs. Eventually she quieted down and Craven was certain he'd rubbed a hole through her clothes when she finally had the strength to stand. He stood back, allowing her the space he thought she needed. She grew numb. He could see it on her face. The way a person became numb from being out in the snow of Vermont too long.

When your muscles became stiff from standing too still and you found it harder to walk in the cold. Craven gulped and watched her worriedly. He was ready to catch her if she fell. If she needed him he'd be there for her. He was so utterly worried about her that his heart skipped a beat every time she twitched. Her pained whisper made him realize that she knew of his pressence where previously he believed he'd suddenly become invisible to her. Her whisper made him quickly wrap his arms around her.

He kissed into her hair and whispered into her ear while holding her.
"Come with me. Let me hold you tonight and sleep in my arms against my chest and I promise I won't let go..."
Craven waited for her to say something, anything.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

His arms wrapped around her and she seemed to fall into him. It hadn't occurred to her before then that she needed him a lot more now. She needed his level-headed calming comfort. The soothing words. Her rock. She needed his attention, but she felt guilty for needing it so much. She was keeping him away from Gia and Tanner. Was she a horrible person for that? She believed so.

But it didn't matter now. He was there, holding her close, focusing on her. Deep down she knew that was why she'd always gone to him. He was always there, even when he didn't need to be. He kept her from going completely insane when she was on the brink of snapping. She didn't understand how he managed to make her feel so much better just by being there. It was because he hadn't abandoned her. The one guy in her life that had stayed with her even after they'd fought so horribly.

Adrianna wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tighter, "Is it bad that I'm happy it's over?" She asked quietly as she buried her face in the side of his neck. His words struck her and she was surprised. As surprised as she was, she didn't show it. She pulled back slightly and rested her forehead against his chest, "I don't want to be alone tonight...are you sure you want me to come with you?" She looked up at him, her dark eyes filled with caution and hope. She wanted nothing more than to stay with him, at least for tonight. Just to get her through the pain of her loss.

The small part of her conscious questioned it. What was she really agreeing to? But the majority of her thoughts pushed it back and away for the time being.

[Craven Grimley]

Craven shook his head at her first question and kissed her forehead gently when she looked up at him before she pressed her forehead into his chest.
"No. You're not bad. You're relieved. It's okay. I understand it. "
He whispered back to her as he began leading her out the hospital away from the doctors who would tell her that they had tried everything, that they were sorry for the loss. Away from the papers that would require her signature for some or other reason.

Away from all the pain and hurt so she could just be happy for a little while, with him. He wanted to sweep her away. He wanted to make it better. Just for an instant e wanted to be there to make everything better. Craven smiled down at her when she asked him if he was sure about this. He cupped the side of her face and pressed it to his shoulder.
"You are the one and only thing in the world right now. For this one night you are my world and I'll be anything you want me to be for you. "

He said as they exited the hospital. He threw his hand out for a taxi parked across the way and the car quickly pulled up to the curb. Craven opened the door for Adrianna to get in stroking his hand along her cheek. She seemed so weary and drained and empty. He had a double bed they could share in his hotel room anyway. He'd make sure she got some sleep tonight... or just some comfort in his arms. Which ever was the most neccesary.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Craven's response soothed some of her guilt and the pressure of his lips against her forehead helped clear the rest away. He led her away from the chaos and for that she was thankful. Things were so crazy as the hospital tried to get to Adrian in order for her to sign whatever papers they had and tell her a bunch of things that she didn't particularly want to hear.

She wasn't paying much attention to anyone else besides Crave. Her eyes were locked on him as he spoke. He was hers for the night. For whatever she wanted. Which was a lot of things, but her conscience was still keeping her desires at bay. She couldn't let him cheat on Gia no matter how willing either of them were. Yes, she wanted him, and she would enjoy it, but the guilt would slowly get to her. And she wouldn't ever be able to look Gia in the eye without crumbling.

She curled up in his side as they walked out and clung desperately to him. Just having his arms around her made the pain subside slowly. "I'm glad you're here Crave, I don't know what I'd do if you weren't." She felt his fingers brush against her cheek and her eyelids fluttered. She climbed into the taxi and pulled him in after her so that she didn't have to lose contact for long.

Once they were both inside, she curled up next to him and took his hand in hers. Her mind told her to keep the physical intimacy at a minimum, but her heart told her she wasn't close enough. So, as a compromise, she rested her head against his shoulder and held his hand, that was as close as she'd get.

For now.