a return home

[Payne Blackwood-Corbin]

She rolls her eyes at Staver, then half grins as her cousin. Tempest always did have a way making someone look really stupid. Shaking her head, she took a step forward.

"Put your damn wings away and look at me. Stop being such a coward and stand up for yourself for shit's sake, Staver! When was the last time you did that?? When was the last time you fought for what you wanted?? When was the last time you stood your ground instead of running away or simply giving in to the one standing before you?? When will you learn?"

By now tears had started to form, old feelings were stirring, the love that was buried years ago trying to bubble to the surface.

"I loved you, Staver, because you stood for something. What do you stand for now acting like this? You used to have a spine. Guts. Now you come back here, expecting an open arm welcome, smiles and hugs, when you should have known down deep that I was still around and that eventually a confrontation would take place. You were the only man that I was willing to spend eternity with. To have children with. To give my heart to. However, I don't think that when you left, you ever gave it back."

Sighing, she looks at her cousin over her shoulder and gives her a small smile. "I have some other things to tend to. Do what you will, cousin."

Then she looks back at Staver with those big dark brown eyes for a moment. She opens her mouth to say something, then simply closes it again and walks past him, shaking her long dark hair out of her face, pulling the ni-fallen tears back, refusing to let them leave her eyes, and walks out the door of the castle.

[Staver]

::He turns and as he does he wraps his wing back around himself. He knew turning his back on Tempest when she was angry wasn't very smart but right now he didn't care.::

"Payne Wait!"

::He knew it wasn't gonna be a warm welcome. But he needed to regain his old life. He didn't care if it killed him. He hopped calling out would stop Payne. He turned around to face Tempest again. He knew the old adage divide and conquer.::

"And you, you just had to show up and open your mouth? Do you think I would have left if I had a choice?! Do you honestly think I was or am that uncaring? YOU NEED TO LEARN TO BACK OFF TEMPEST! I was sick of your attitude years ago and I have yet to acquire a taste for it now. I need to face my demons yes, that is true. But I DON'T need you walking into this and putting your opinions in when they aren't wanted. If you want to risk getting banished fine by me.

::He takes a fighting stance. Granted he didn't have a weapon that anyone could see. He holds his right hand out and a grotesquely long Masamune sword materializes. Yes he was risking getting banished again but to hell with it. He was sick of running, he was gonna stand his ground. He hoped he just didn't piss off Payne even more.::

[Payne Blackwood-Corbin]

Hearing him call out her name, she stops in the doorway, her back still to him. Her name on his lips was the most beautiful thing she's heard in a long time. Her heart wanted to melt. But she held firm, nails digging into the wood of the doorframe as she refrains from letting any emotion flow forth. She lowers her head as she stands there for a moment.

Then she heard him turn on Tempest.

Whirling around in the doorway, she stares at him, slightly slack-jawed as he... stood his ground. Her heart fluttered. Her throat tightened and she swallowed hard.

He didn't and wasn't pissing her off. Not at all. Seeing him stand up like this was exactly what she wanted. She wanted to see if he still cared. She wanted proof. And now she had it.

But what did that mean for her? What if he turned on her too? She was frozen in the doorway as that question ran through her mind. The last thing she wanted anymore was to fight with the man she loved. Not that she would ever admit it.

[Staver]

::He was still focused on Tempest. He would not turn his back to her now. Not since he drew his weapon. He simply stared at Tempest waiting for her to make the first move.::

"Payne, I would like you to leave, if you are even still there. I don't want you to get hurt. We will need to discuss things. And no not worry about anything. I am not mad at you, and I do not hold you responsable for this. This is all on Tempest. If you want to get in the middle of this I will not stip you but I will not harm you. I have hurt you enough and I am sorry.

::He takes a deep breath and takes a tighter grip onto his sword.::

[Tempest]

She stared at him as he made his little speech and then actually started laughing. She was now doubled over, she was laughing so hard. When she finally caught her breath, she stood and wiped the tears off of her cheek with the back of her hand. Now it was her turn.

"First of all I am amazed. Shocked. Stunned. You actually have balls in those pants. Unfortunately you grew them with wrong person, you stupid son of a bitch. Yes I needed to open my mouth. Because you are so stupid it actually makes me gag. And yes I honestly feel you are that uncaring and me back off? Whatever. And I don't give a rats ass if you don't like my attitude. Never did. And since she is MY cousin I will say and do whatever I want."

She watched the sword appear and started laughing again.

"You better not hold her responsible for anything. Since when do you think her or anyone else can control me? Only two men in this world can and your not one of them. And tell me what are you going to discuss? How you left her? Oh and guess what? You did have a choice. Your the one who fucked up and now you want everyone to go "Oh poor baby" AND DON'T YOU EVEN THINK OF BLAMING ANYTHING ON ME!"

She glances at her cousin who has suddenly stopped. Tempest knew that look. She has seen that look before. She groaned and threw up her hands.

"You know what, if you want to go back to this low life, snake then by all means go right ahead but I am telling you this right now Payne Blackwood if you decide make that mistake again, you will loose the two people in this world who love you unconditionally."

She moved to the bar, oh yes she was turning her back on Staver. Let him attack her. She knew three people who would have his ass. Sliding on to the stool she looked at the woman standing there looking like a bigger idiot then Staver.

"What?"

[Payne Blackwood-Corbin]

Now all she could do was stare at her cousin. It was a long stare before she finally blinks, realizing what's happening here. Pulling her nails from the doorframe, she walks back towards them, waving her hands.

"Alright, alright, enough! Both of you!" Utohhhh....now ya all did it.

"What in the hell is wrong with you two? This isn't what anyone wanted. It's not what I wanted! Ohhh...and YES! This IS all about ME! Not you!" Points to her cousin. "And it sure as hell is not about you!" Points to Staver. "I was the one that was hurt! I was the one that was carrying the baby and lost it!. I was the one that was left alone and scared in that huge estate waiting for you to come back! I was the one that had to endure starting all over again with NOTHING!" Yeah, she was screaming at the top of her lungs now. Her voice echoing throughout the main hall of the castle. But she wasn't done...

She turns to her cousin. "You are the only constant in my life. And I love you for that more than anything. That uncondtional love that you speak of is NOT taken for granted I assure you, dear cousin. So do not presume to know what I am thinking or feeling."

Then she whirls on Staver. "And you! You son of a bitch! I loved you with everything I was. I still do. There I said it. You happy now? But I can't trust you! Just as I laid my trust in you all those years ago, you shattered it. I have never been able to get that back. God damnit, Staver! I have been with no one since you!" Her dark eyes flash red then fade quickly, replaced by tears that couldn't be held back anymore.

"You have no idea what I went through after you left. You know who was there, Staver? Do you?" Points behind her. "She was! She was there when your child died inside me. She was there holding me when I cried for days on end. She was the one that picked me up and put me back together again. So don't you dare blame anything on her! She picked up the pieces that YOU left behind. I know you two have never liked each other. And that's fine, you don't have too! But neither of you will throw me in the middle of this so I can be bombarded with the pain all over again! So just stop! Just stop!"

The last two phrases came out in choked sobs. Sobs caused by anger, pain, love, and whatever else you want to throw into the mix. Realizing that she'd finally lost it after all these years, she looks at them both then runs out of the castle. This time, there was no stopping, no matter who called out her name.

[phoenixmcmahonn]

She blinked as Tempest said what to her. She was still in a little bit of shock. She clamped her hands over her ears and winced as Payne started screaming. The screaming echoed thru the main hall. Finally Payne ran out of the castle. Leaving Staver and Tempest. Oh hell no she was out of here. Reaching over the bar, she grabbed the bottle of juice and looked to Tempest and then Staver and then back to Tempest again.

"Well I will just leave you two be. If you decide to kill each other, please do it outside. I really don't want to clean up the mess."

She went up the stairs and into her room. Closing the door, she sat on her bed and waited for hell to break loose. Again.

[Staver]

::Staver stood there and watched Tempest walk away. How he wanted to drive his sword through her right now. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. He holds his sword out to his side and it slowly disappears. He then turns and looks at the door.::

Payne wait, please!

::He takes off into a full run. He had no idea where she went or where she was going but he was going to find her and apologize the best he could. He had messed up and knew it. He regretted leaving GoldenMyst, and if he could do it again he wouldn't have. But that was the past. As soon as he breached the doorway he jumped into the air and took flight. The air was always a better way to search. And if need be he could transform into anything he wanted. His black dragon form came to mind but he held the transformation back. He would change only if he needed, and not a moment before. His eyes scanned the area looking for Payne.::

PAYNE! I KNOW I HURT YOU, I AM SORRY, PLEASE LET ME TALK TO YOU!

::A futile attempt he knew but it was worth a try. To reclaim his old live and his old happiness he would walk to the ends of the realm and into hell and back.::

[Payne Blackwood-Corbin]

She ran. Hard. Out of the castle, through the courtyard, out the gates, through the fields and into the forest. Her legs burning, her heart pumping, her breathing heavy as she tries to dodge branches and bushes that are ripping at her flesh as she moves. Blood trickling down her arms, legs and sides. Tears streaming down her face, streaking with dirt and dust. Her hair suddenly tangles in a branch that she didn't duck low enough for, and she yelps. She yanks it free, leaving some strands behind to hang from the branch.

Her mind was reeling, thoughts and images racing through so fast that it did nothing but confuse her more. The tears blur her vision and she trips over a large tree root sticking up through the earth. She sails through the air a few feet then lands face first into the dirt. Too tired and hurt to get up, she just lays there, more dirt sticking to her wet face. Her long hair completely tangled, dirty and leaf ridden.

One would think a vampire would have more strength than this, but she wasn't an ordinary vampire. She knew she wasn't. They knew she wasn't. Even to this day, she doesn't think it fully took when she was sired. There's still something very human and mortal about her.

She didn't know how long she had laid there and cried before hearing her name. Slowly lifting her head, she looks up hearing Staver's voice from above. Hearing him say he was sorry and that he wanted to talk to, along with the fact that he came after her, was more than she could take. Burying her head in her hands in the dirt again, she begins to sob, not bothering to even try and get up.

Maybe I can just lay here and bleed to death... She thought. However, that wasn't an option. Even with the little bit of human in there, she was still immortal. And didn't that just make her day don't ya know. Knowing you are immortal and having to carry around this kind of emotion for eternity was not the way she wanted spend the rest of her life.

Hearing him call out again, she rolls over and looks up through the trees to the sky. Part of her wanted to scream out to him, the other part, the untrusting and wounded part, was scared to death to have him so close.

Lifting her arm to wipe her face with the back of her hand, she smears blood on her face mixing it with the dirt and tears. She was sure she looked just stunning in this condition. With a deep breath to fill her lungs, she rests her bleeding arm over her closed eyes and just lays there on the ground. Never calling back to him.

[Staver]

::Staver continues his flight over the forest. His eyes keen as ever scan the darkness. Finally he stops and starts to hover. He closes his eyes and focuses. He pours every ouch of available energy into his mind. He even unlocks his old memories. His love for Payne, the time they shared. The elation that she held his child, even for the briefest of time. He focuses on Payne, trying to find her energy. Below him he spots a faint glow, and he knows without a doubt that it is her. He would never forget the Inger of his wife for as long as he lived. He opens his eyes and sees the outline through the trees. He slowly descends and touches down gently near her. He slowly walks up to her and kneels next to her.::

"Payne... I am so sorry for hurting you. Let me take you back to your home, clean you up, and we can talk. I really think we need to talk about this."

::He looks down at her. Nothing but love and concern pouring from every ounce of his being. He holds his hand out and waits for her response. Waiting weather it is good or an out lash of violence. He stood up to Tempest but if she wanted to punish him for his actions she had every right too. But he would stand his ground and not flee from her wrath should it come.::

"Payne, I always have and Always will love you..."