Simple Plan Bus
7:15 AM

She was watching him warily; obviously afraid he might attack her again. Pierre couldn’t blame her for the sentiment even though it hurt him to feel her distrust of him. He sat opposite her on the edge of David’s bunk, shuffling his feet in a nervous pattern against the floor. He didn’t quite know where to begin. There were so many things he felt needed to be said, but he couldn’t voice any of them. The words were trapped at the tip of his tongue and did not want to budge. He felt that he would choke on them before he could get them out.

He could feel Lachelle’s eyes on him, watching him as he was doing the same to her. He gave a tight smile. She didn’t return it. He sighed, tilting his head back fishing around his mind for something to say. Lachelle beat him to it, though.

“You don’t have to say anything to me.” She shook her head, long blonde locks falling into her face. “There isn’t anything you could say to me to fix this. You...you hurt me.”

Pausing, she looked down at her hands; Pierre could feel the sorrow, pain, hurt, rolling off her in waves. It was a tangible emotion between them, a barrier preventing him from getting to her heart. His own ached at the pain in her voice.

“Chelle-”

“No,” her voice was forceful. “No, Pierre. Don’t. Please. You...” Lachelle’s voice tightened. “You...youraped me. I...I just can’t get my head around why you’d ever do that to me.”

Pierre opened his mouth; she held up her hand, halting him. “No. You don’t have to explain. Pat has already told me some things, and I know because you’re a vampire there are things you will do that no human ever would. But, that can not excuse the pain you caused me.”

Lachelle lifted her eyes to his; Pierre recoiled at the wounded expression in her gaze. Yet she held his steadily, obviously determined to get him to see where she was coming from. There was a long silence then where they just stared at each other.

Then Pierre said, “So, what exactly are we doing here, then?”

Lachelle began rubbing a hand against her thigh before answering in a quiet voice, “We can’t go back to the way things were.”

Pierre nodded; he had to agree with her there. There could never be any going back to their previous life. He had never expected that.

“So, what, then?”

Lachelle looked at him, hard. “You broke it off with me. Remember?”

Pierre exhaled roughly. “Yeah, I remember. But...that was a mistake. A terrible mistake. I...misjudged you. And...Matt was at fault there. Not you.” He leaned back against David’s bunk. “But, you’re right. That doesn’t excuse what I did to you after...” He looked at his shoes. “I’m kind of surprised you’re even talking to me now.”

Lachelle gave a sad little laugh. “Well, we’d have to, sooner or later. It’d be too awkward otherwise.” She laughed some more, no real amusement in the sound. “Being on this bus, and all. We couldn’t really avoid each other...it’d cause too much...tension, y’know?”

Pierre was nodding slowly, agreeing with her sentiment. However, he knew no matter what was said now, life could not go on in the same way it had done. Things had changed too much between them. Still, he didn’t want to lose her, not entirely. But, he couldn’t think how he could even get her to begin trusting him again.

He sensed that she was very nervous of him. The feeling was tangible, almost a living thing between them. In such a tense atmosphere, Pierre knew it would be difficult to rebuild trust. In fact, he wasn’t expecting it ever to occur, because it would be too hard to overcome the circumstance that they found themselves in.

Then there was the added issue of all those virgins he had drained. The guilt of his actions was vast; their deaths were weighing down on his mind, his heart, his soul. He knew there was nothing he could do to even begin to absolve himself of his crimes. Even if he decided to turn himself in, it wouldn’t bring the women back. Not that he would do that; there wasn’t any way he could go to the police and admit what he had done without having to twist the truth at least a little.

Sighing, he looked over at Lachelle. She met his gaze, tilting her head to the side. He rubbed a palm over his cheek then dropped his hand between his knees, rubbing at his thighs.

“Can we agree, at least...to share the space? Y’know...just...” Pierre paused not sure how to frame his question. Lachelle made no move to aid him, waiting for him to go on.

He scrunched up his face, before continuing. “Um. Tolerate each other, I guess.”

Lachelle lowered her eyes, staring at her feet, but gave a tiny nod in the affirmative. “Yeah. I think...I think I could handle that.”

They fell quiet once more, both pondering the decision they had just come to. It wouldn’t be easy, that was the honest conclusion that they both realised. But, then none of this had been easy from the beginning. For either of them.

“So,” Pierre said, attempting to fill the uncomfortable silence, “What now?”

Lachelle shifted on the bunk, pulling the blanket around her. He frowned, rubbing at his leg.

“Want me to let you rest for a bit?”

She nodded without answering; shuffling onto her side, so her back was to him. Pierre sighed and slid off David’s bunk, pausing to allow himself a long look at her profile, before turning for the stairs. Taking them two at a time, he made his way to one of the long couches where Pat was seated, going over the band’s final leg of the tour.

The Were glanced up as he approached, cocking his head to the side. Pierre shook his head, not wanting to talk. Pat gave a grim smile, before looking back at his lists.

“It’ll be okay, Pierre. In the end,” he said in a low voice, without removing his eyes from the laptop in front of him.

Pierre shrugged in answer, crossing his arms and leaning his head back against the wall.

“Don’t believe me?” Pat changed position, closing the lid and looking at his friend. The vampire lifted his shoulders in a noncommittal gesture, keeping his eyes glued to a point on the opposite wall.

Sighing, the Were turned to peg his friend with an empathic look. “I know you don’t. But, it will be okay. You could always ask Luna for reassurance.”

Pierre finally looked at him. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Pat tapped the side of his nose. “She sees these things.”

“What? With her nose?” His lips twitched in a tiny smirk. The Were groaned, shaking his head.

“Very funny...”

Pierre chortled, the sound almost amused. “I try.”

“Indeed...” Pat shook his head then clapped a hand to his friend’s broad shoulder. “You’ll see, though...one day...”

Pierre just nodded, closing his eyes and resting his head back against the wall. But then he opened them again, staring hard at the wall opposite.

“Pat?”

“Yeah?” The Were glanced at him.

“I’d believe you, y’know? About the whole it being okay thing.”

Pat frowned. “You’re about to say ‘but’, though?”

“Yeah. But...when I get home.” His lips tightened. “Jay...” He couldn’t go on. But there wasn’t any need. He knew Pat understood perfectly well what he must be feeling and thinking.

“Yeah, I know. Nothing’s gonna be the same again.”

They sat in silence after that, because nothing else could really be said.

Avenged Bus
Same Time

Sherry was as relaxed as she could possibly be, considering what she was doing. Thoughts floated through her mind as she rested close to the Master Vampire. Her head lay against his left thigh, a soft tremor causing her body to shift against him. Fear was emanating from her as evident as her own sweet scent. Shadows’ fingers were tracing hesitant lines through her long hair, playing with the individual strands. Neither of them spoke, just getting used to being in each other’s company, for the first time in decades.

They had never attempted to just sit and relax in silence. Life back then had not been easy, nor had it been pleasant. It might have been, but life intervened in ways that neither could have fathomed at the time. Since then, Sherry had feared the Master Vampire, the male who was her lifelong mate. And Shadows had not felt anything other than the need to dominate the female.

Turning her head a little, Sherry peered up into Shadows’ face. “Matthew?”

“Hmm?” He met her searching gaze. She closed her eyes then turned her face against his still stroking hand. A tight smile played across his features.

Nuzzling for a moment, she gathered her thoughts, before looking at him again. “Brian hates me, doesn’t he?”

Shadows’ blinked a little surprised by the question she asked. Sherry herself got a strained look on her face as if she too were shocked by her own query. He withdrew his hand, folding both arms across his chest. Trying to figure out the best way to answer her.

She waited.

And waited.

Shadows’ brushed a rough hand over his face. “Fuck, Serena...there’s no easy answer to that.” He pegged her with a sharp look. “You know he wants me to kill you. We already went through this, before.”

Sherry swallowed hard, the column of her throat flexing in discomfit. Shadows remained quiet, allowing her to take in what he had just told her. She averted her gaze for a long moment, staring at a stain on the lino. Then she peeked at him again.

“You...won’t...though, right?”

He shook his head in a firm motion. Then he stopped, frowning. “Don’t get me wrong. If you had asked me that a month ago...” He sighed. “I would have. But, you know me...homicidal vampire...”

Sherry bit at her bottom lip. “Things have changed, though. You said so yourself. After you confronted Pierre.”

“Yeah.” Shadows gave a weak smile. “I don’t feel like myself.” He looked toward the window, jaw clenching a little. “This...isn’t like me...”

She hesitated before resting a hand on one of his thick biceps. He tensed it a little, the muscle tightening beneath the ink etched into the skin. Rubbing gently, she stayed quiet, allowing him some mental space. She could see that he was a little confused by his own emotions and didn’t want to force him into a corner. Doing that to any vampire was a dangerous premise, doing it to the Master Vampire, ten times more risky.

Sighing, Shadows lowered his eyes to hers again. “But. Change is important. I can’t go on living the way I was. The same fucking circle. It just won’t work anymore.” He smiled a sad expression which held no amusement. “And, to be totally fucking honest, I don’t want to be an asshole anymore.”

“Well, that’s good.” Sherry smiled a little; her hand going still on his arm. “I mean, it’s a start, right?”

Shadows nodded. “Yeah, it is.” He closed his eyes, rubbing a knuckle in the corner of his left one. Then he heaved a sigh, before looking at her again. “It’s not going to be easy. I caused a lot of shit in the past and I can’t just...erase it all...even though, I wish I could.”

The female tilted her head to the side, squeezing his arm, her touch light, compassionate. Shadows blinked at her seeing inexplicable tenderness in her still wary gaze.

“If we stick together...it may not be as difficult as you think, Matthew.” Conviction appeared to be growing in her voice, in her demeanour, creeping cautiously from beneath her fearful exterior. Shadows grimaced, eyes narrowing a little.

“Together...” his voice trailed off on the end of the word. His brow furrowed as he contemplated the implications of her statement, but then he smiled, shifting his weight.

Sherry smiled back, running her fingers over the ink on his arm. He watched in silence, eyes tracking her movement. She traced along each design with a delicate touch, before sighing and letting her hand rest. They stayed in repose for a long while, just letting the quiet of the bus envelop them in a comfortable atmosphere.

Shadows cleared his throat, breaking the silence after many minutes had passed. “Y’know...when I first met you...?”

Sherry tensed, glancing up at him. “Yes?”

“You wanted nothing to do with me.”

“I wanted no male, Matthew. My stepmother wanted me mated off.” Her nose wrinkled in disgust.

Shadows’ gave a low chuckle. “Well, she got what she wanted.”

Sherry rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “True that...but...I she never knew what happened between us after the fact.”

The master vampire had an almost apologetic expression on his face when he replied to her statement. “That was mostly due to me being a possessive bastard.”

“How do you mean?”

“I lied to them a lot, to her and your father. They had no clue what went on in the manor. That was no one’s business but mine.” He took his bottom lip between the tips of his fangs. “And, yours, I guess.”

Sherry blinked at him, and then burst out laughing, pressing a hand to her stomach as if to try and hold herself together. Shadows stared at her a look of bewilderment in his eyes. For several moments, she was unable to respond to the incredulity on his face, she was laughing so hard. But, once she managed to calm a little, she looked up at him to try and explain.

“I am sorry for that, sire...I just...you saying that. Lord, back then you wouldn’t have cared if it were my business or no.”

The corner of the male’s lips twitched. “True. Unfortunate, but true.” He inclined his head to her, that apologetic expression still on his face. “But...now...” He paused.

She finished for him, “You do?”

“Definitely,” Shadows said, emphatically. Then he snorted. “That sounds a bit enthusiastic. Even for me.”

Sherry giggled. He smiled softly at her. “So, anyway...”

“Pierre.” She said. “What are we to do about him?”

The master vampire stretched his arms above his head before draping them along the back of the lounge. “Nothing. I mean, apart from making some sort of peace with him. I mean, he’s a grown man.”

“He’s still a young vampire, though. Considering how old we both are.”

“Age is only a number, Serena.”

“Yeah, but still, his whole transition period hasn’t been easy for him. I mean...at least for me when I turned I had people around me who understood what I was going through. He just had Patrick, who only understood through association.”

Shadows nodded. “Yes, well from now on, it’s all going to be fine. Or at least it will be after I...” He faltered, slightly.

Sherry frowned at him. “After you what?”

Closing his eyes, and shaking his head, he murmured, “It’s not something I’ve ever done before.”

“What, Matthew?” She sat up looking at him directly in the face. He avoided meeting her stare, jiggling his right knee in a nervous action, something he normally wouldn’t do.

“You remember what I did to Pierre’s brother?” Shadows asked, voice strained.

Sherry nodded slowly. She could still picture what the master vampire had done. It had been one of the most horrific things she had seen him do in a long time. Shadows grimaced.

“Well, I’m going to see if I can...” He hesitated again, uncertainty flickering over his face and causing his features to twist in a sour expression. Before he could go on, though, the door to the bus hissed open and heavy feet stomped up the stairs heralding the return of his liuetenant. Those heavy footsteps passed the others, non-committal grunts passing between the other vampires. And then the partition that led to the back room, where Shadows and Sherry were, was shoved aside.

“Oi, Shads, what the fuck are you doing?”

Shadows groaned, turning his head to look toward Synyster who was now hovering several feet away.

“What’s it look like to you?”

The brown-eyed vampire sneered. “Coddling the fucking female. Fuck, you really have gone soft, haven’t you?”

The master vampire made to move, but surprisingly, Sherry got there first. With the knowledge that Shadows was now completely behind her the female felt a surge of bravado. In a deft move, she was on her feet and in the lieutenant’s face, eyes blazing in indignation.

“First of all, Brian Haner Jr, My name is Serena Sanders. Which makes me your leader’s mate.” She stopped short of the temptation to poke a finger into his muscled chest; opting for standing on her tiptoes and breathing into his face. “Secondly, he hasn’t gone soft. I’d thank you not to suggest such a thing. I’m sure he’d still be willing to rip your throat out if you decide to continue being an insubordinate so and so.”

Synyster blinked at her, amusement and shock warring across his chiselled features. Shadows threw his head back and guffawed, slapping a palm against his thigh.

“Damn, female. I knew you still had some spark in you.”

Sherry went pink, her cheeks feeling hot. She backed up so she was standing close to the bigger vampire. Synyster gazed at her the shock having disappeared, now replaced by an expression of grudging respect. He cast a wry look toward the master vampire.

“Yeah, even I'd come close to saying you chose the perfect female for yourself.”

Shadows shrugged. “My father would have approved.”

Synyster smiled, slowly. “Indeed. Anyway, I came looking for you, because I feel we still have an issue.”

“And that would be?” The master vampire lifted an eyebrow, while wrapping an arm around Sherry’s waist, pulling her onto his lap.

“Johnny.”

Shadows muscles tightened at the back of his neck. But his lieutenant gave him no time to comment, forging on.

“I mean, fuck, Shads. All those unexplained absences and the number of times he’s disobeyed you. You can’t seriously be thinking of letting him get away with it.”

“Excuse me? When has he disobeyed me?” Shadows eyebrows crashed down over his eyes, face darkening.

Synyster folded his arms. “Whenever. It doesn’t matter. You’re too easy on him.”

Sherry tilted her head to look at him, wondering how he was going to answer to that. He squeezed her around the waist, then muttered in a low voice, “I can’t do anything to him, Brian.”

“Why the Hell not?” Synyster glowered at him.

Shadows shook his head. “It’d break my sister’s heart.”

“How is that even-?”

“He’s my fucking nephew, okay, Brian? I can’t do shit to him.” He groaned, cutting him off.

Synyster stared at him, pupils dilating. “What?”

“You heard me.” After he said that, Shadows dropped his face into Sherry’s hair, effectively blocking the other male from his view.

The silence that followed was deafening. Synyster appeared to have lost all ability to speak. Sherry shifted a little, so that both could watch as the other male backed out of the area, shaking his head in bemusement.

“Uh...right...well...I’ll leave you to it then.”

He walked away, passed the others again.

Shadows didn’t bother listening to hear if the others said anything to him; instead, he pulled Sherry closer in his arms, nuzzling into the back of her neck. She sighed, leaning back into his body, relaxing. And, they stayed like that just allowing themselves to become more comfortable with each other, and not worrying about anything else.

Notes