The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Seven and a Half (Draft 3) "For a Change"

"No, he didn't! Murph, you can't be with some time traveler because they tell you that!"

"I know! Right? But he was everything I wanted in that moment. And I— think I love him!"

"Wait!" Pam sucked in a breath and held one index finger between them. "Julien is in a relationship with you, or 'Tyron'?"

"Me me. Not this form." Morpheus flopped towards the sofa back.

"Not sure I understand. Are you here so he can meet you?"

Morpheus grimaced and turned to regard Pam. "No. I can't say why I'm here, exactly, because that's not only my secret to tell. The fact that I keep running into him just seems to be reality's way of establishing opportunity exists."

"It's all accidental?"

Morpheus sat up. "If it weren't, I'd be Dracula. I'd be the stalker who doesn't let Mina choose Jonathan in this lifetime."

"But 'Johnathan' is Athen, who is a real-life vampire?"

"Yeah." Morpheus leaned forward, hands tightly clutching the catalogues.

River wound his way through the service to the edge of the chest and hopped to his knee. "You OK, Boss?"

"I didn't know it would happen this way. I knew he must be turned at some point, but I didn't know. Not why or how. What must he have been thinking or feeling? And no one there until it was too late? But it must be they turned him. He can't be dead."

Pam scooted closer to Morpheus and put an arm around his shoulders. "This OK?"

"Yeah, of course. I know I look like I'm hurting. I am. But I know it's worse for him. I want to go help somehow."

"Yeah."

"I could do it." Morpheus glanced at Pam's face. "Physically, I could go. But it would create other problems. It'd be like crossing a border or working in the wrong jurisdiction."

"Liability." Pam sighed. "Can someone else go. Tyron, or someone?"

"No. I can't even see him now. Vampyres have these senses. I had to really focus on blocking as much as I could when Athen surprised us. I don't even know if that worked."

Pam shivered. "I knew he had bad vibes."

Morpheus laughed a bit. "Humans can have it, too. It's just not as developed, usually. You don't have witches in your family, do you?"

"No more than most people." Pam shrugged. "I was in the system."

"Oh. I have parents. My father is distant, but he's good. I get along with my mom. My eldest brother is supportive about pretty much everything."

Pam didn't say a word.

"Should we talk about something else? You didn't finish saying how you met someone."

"I don't know if it's the best time, now."

Morpheus nodded.

But Pam did continue despite the doubt. "It was at the gallery. This guy was lurking in the vestibule and I thought, as we noticed each other, he was gonna get violent. But, he was just a disheveled artist going through some shit. And...I'm kind of a sucker for people who are in distress."

"I did need your help," Morpheus said quietly. "I didn't know how to do everyday Human things."

Pam laughed. "You are clueless sometimes."

"Do you think he needs you a bit more than I do, now?"

"At this moment, no." Pam hugged Morpheus closer. "But maybe soon? I've been running errands for him. He has money."