The Devil's Got Your Number

[Paddy O'Sullivan]

Finally alone, Paddy picked his discarded clothes off the floor and crossed the room into a narrow hall. Behind him he could hear Fiona bellowing away in the neighbouring apartment. He thought about barricading the front door. He had a good idea which room was Bella's and stayed away from it. Several doors down he found a guest room without a window. A heavy thud came from next door, followed by another muffled string of expletives. He shook his head and went inside, closing the door behind him.

[Arabella Balfour]

She lowered the tube, suddenly feeling ridiculous and not seeing Fiona's return yet anyway.

"I let him stay, in return the deal is, he helps me.....", she grew quiet a moment, then figured what was the point in leaving out anything?

"I'm sick. He's going to try and help me. That's really all there is to it.."

The tube dropped from her hands to the floor. She leaned back against the closed door and sighed.

[Martin Le Roux]

"How?" Martin asked, though he already guessed at the answer. Perhaps Bella was starting to go. She was around 200, a little younger than he was. Ghouls don't last forever.

[Arabella Balfour]

'Bella shrugged one shoulder. "It's just been.. a long time. Maybe too long."

Fiona still had not emerged, maybe Michele was talking sense into her. Or maybe she was getting some more impressive weaponry than a cardboard tube. Who could say?

She heard the sound of a door close, from within the apartment behind her. Her conspirator had just deserted her. It was probably for the best, for tonight. Tomorrow maybe, she would try to smooth over that little wrinkle.

"Under less peculiar circumstances, it would have been a lovely surprise.."

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona shuffled through the drawers, searching for the proper implement to slay paddy with. Eventually, she sent down in frustration and held her face in her hands. Martin could deal with it now. She began to brood, and eventually fell asleep at the kitchen table ::

[Martin Le Roux]

"You traded space for blood." Martin said. It wasn't a question. Martin stared at the floor and put a hand over his face.

"Bella."

[Arabella Balfour]

Guilt dumped itself over her head, much like a glass of ice water.

"I.. did.. not!" She sounded slightly indignant.

Groaning, she bent to retrieve the cardboard tube. "It wasn't like that.. he said he knew someone, that knew someone, that might be able to help me."

It sounded weak, even to her, but it was the truth.

"He did just show some initiative and save my life, though. Which was not part of the deal."

[Martin Le Roux]

"Paddy must have been... convincing." Surely she couldn't have been that desperate. Every sign said otherwise. It was also possible he was persausive enough that Bella wasn't left with much of a choice.

[Arabella Balfour]

Arabella had been opening the door so that they could go back inside, figuring there was no further point to blockading the hall. Something in Martin's statement caused her to peek over her shoulder. "It's been a weird few hours knowing him, I'll say that for Paddy."

Stepping inside she just shook her head, scanning the room, recalling to mind everything that had happened.

She glanced at her watch. "Three hours ago, I'd never heard of him either." The fact that he was absent now, showed that he did have some sense, or at least that he was done being beaten up on for one night.