Shattering as you watch (Darius) - Darius and Crew

She was crawling through the house, bits of her now broken phone stuck in her hand, leaving a light blood trail behind her.  The tears streaming down her face made her blind, and she was a right mess of a crying human being.

Which was, of course, how he found her when he got home. He looked around at the damage to the house, then at the way she was crawling through the house -- at least it was away from the front door. He didn't close the door behind him. He slammed it. Not enough to make anyone think he was angry -- but loud enough to make a noise, to get her attention.

"Elizabeth!"

His voice was sharp. Not angry, by any stretch. But sharp and commanding. It didn't take a brain surgeon to figure out something seriously fucked up had happened, and he was going to fix that shit right quick.

She stopped, and instinctively turned towards his voice. And she began crawling towards him, still completely unable to speak. Something was obviously wrong.

He crouched. Just sank to his haunches right where he stood, to be more on a level with her. He held out a hand for her as she came closer, the hand moving to her cheek. He caressed the side of her face, then his fingers slipped into her hair. His voice turned gentle, soft.

"Baby, what happened?"

She pushed until most of her was touching him, curling up into him.

"Chet called."

As she pressed herself against him, he heard her speak. He heard those two words. And immediately, he pulled her up and into his arms. He pressed her against his chest, cradled her close to him. He started walking with her, locking the door to the house behind him. And the door between this house and Savannah's apartment. He locked each and every door that he passed, still with Elizabeth cradled in his arms.

And into his bedroom he went, locking that door as well. He didn't speak, not until he had sat down on the bed and pulled her fully into his lap. Once there, he held her close against him, one hand reaching up to start petting her hair.

"Oh, baby. What did he say?"

Her crying had slowed as she was in his arms. By the time they got to the bedroom she was sniffling, but there was snot all over his shirt.

"He wants me back."

Please. He plays with dead things that are gooey for fun. A little snot wasn't going to bother him. He held her close and rocked her back and forth.

"I'm sorry he did that. Do you want to go back to him, Elizabeth?"

She shook her head.

"No, but yes. I belong here, want you, but..."

He was still gentle with her.

"But what?"

She sniffed and wiped her nose on the back of her hand.

"I love him, and I'm still bound. I'm fighting, but that will take time."

He nodded.

"You know that every time you talk to him, it sets you back."

She laughed at that. It was a snotty snort, but it was a laugh.

"But it doesn't. Not for me. Not for ghouls."

He smiled.

"Yes, it does. Look at how you were when I got home."

She nodded.

"Can you tell me not to talk to him again? Get me a new phone number?"

He frowned.

"I will get you a new telephone number, certainly. But no, Elizabeth -- I'm not going to tell you not to talk to him. That is a decision that you need to make on your own."

She nodded. It would be easier if he didn't know her number.

"Okay."

She sniffed again, wiping her nose. She really was a mess. And there were still bits of of plastic and computer chip in her hand.

He nodded and wiped her tears. Then, just as gentle as you please -- he kissed her. His lips moved over hers, his body so close to hers. But there wasn't anything sexual in the kiss -- not really. His hands moved to take hers in them. When he pulled away, he looked down at her palms.

"What have you done to yourself? Come now, We'll get these cleaned up."

She returned his kiss just as gently, and when he took her hands she sniffed.

"I couldn't hang up on him. Had to crush the phone."

With a slight sigh -- he wasn't a fan of it when she hurt herself due to hardship -- he rose to his feet. He tugged her with him, taking her toward the bathroom. Oh, he knew she could heal herself. But he was going to need to dig plastic and metal out of her palms first. For that, he needed light... and tweezers. So he tugged her with him, but he moved slowly, making sure she was able to keep up.

He pointed to the countertop for her to sit while he rummaged through the medicine cabinet.

"The next time something like this happens, Elizabeth, call me immediately, please."

She easily hopped up next to the sink, turning on the water to gently wash the dried blood from her hand.

"I would have, but I crushed the phone, and couldn't find the land line."

He smiled.

"We don't have a land line. I'll make sure you have two phones, then."

She nodded, then looked to her hand.

"I'm sorry I damaged myself."

He smiled as he found the tweezers and came back, taking her hands in his own. He was pulling them under the light, so he could go about digging out the leftover phone from her palms.

"This time, I'll forgive you. Next time, there's going to be something done about it."

She bit her lip and gasped as the bits began to be pulled from her hand.

"Of course, Master. I won't pick up for him again."