Nala stares at her mate, frozen. He raises an eyebrow slowly. "Sorry... Is everything okay?"
She finally manages to take a breath, nodding small. "Fine... Can I take a look?" she whispers and he nods. She looks up at him as she gently prods his wrist, watching as he winces; his skin is warm, slightly tanned. It's like she's in a dream world.
"Yeah... So the other nurse said I just needed an xray?" He says.
"Yeah, um I agree. Sorry." She forces a smile. "I'll take yoh through soon." She says, quickly closing the curtain as she runs, literally, to the staff room digging her phone out. She rushes to the familiar number.
"Nala it's been a while. I was going to send someone to check on you." Aro says.
"Not now, okay? Jasper's here." She says breathless.
Aro is a bit more alert at this. "Here? Where is here, Nala?"
"The hospital I work at, in the middle of Chicago in the middle of the summer. He's sat there and he didn't know who I was." She tears.
Aro sighs. "Oh Nala I did say... I'll be there soon, okay? Do not make any moves to make him remember, we don't know where the crawler is."
She nods shakily. "Fine fine... Aro, why is he here?"
"That's what I'm going to find out." He says before ending the call and rushing to let his brothers know hell be taking a trip alone. Aro has grown fond of that human, he must admit, though he knows its a disaster waiting to happen. Humans die, they're disposable, but he might be a bit upset if she was lost.
Nala shakily runs a hand through her hair and composes herself, heading back to Jasper. She composes herself fully and opens the curtain. "This way Mr..."
"Whitlock." He says as he stands.
"Oh how weird, that's Nallys last name." One nurse says as she passes.
Jasper frowns. "That is weird... I didn't think it was that common of a name." He says tilting his head. Just like he used to.
"It was my ex husbands name." She mutters and leads him to the xray room. She puts the file in to the clipboard. "I'll come collect you when you're done."
She tries to make a swift exit but Jasper asks another question. "Ex? What was his first name?"
"James." She lies, keeping her head down as she walks away. Aro best get here soon... She can't take this. In an odd way, Aro has been a big support system. Just after they left Forks he came by, they were in a motel on their way to Chicago at this point.
Her hate for him was strong at first but it did pass, slowly. And he's checked in on her ever since, almost every other day, but at least once a week. It's sweet really, even if she knows what he's really like. Maybe he just needed to see a human as more than just a bite to eat, who knows.
She tries to avoid jasper some more but she eventually has to take him back to his cubicle. She switches the files and leads him back. "The-"
"Sorry hang on - my wife's worrying again." He laughs as he responds to a message.
Her heart clenches. He looks up when he's done. "The doctor will be through soon and then I will put a cast on." She says before rushing off. She locks herself in a cubicle and throws up, her stomach churning. His wife?
Last time she checked, it was still her. She still wears the rings, has the dress and the photos. She takes shallow breaths as her mind floods with it all.
"Are you going to throw up again because I'm not coming in if you are."
"A b-blood thirsty vampire is afraid of-of sick?" She laughs weakly and pushes herself up, opening the cubicle. She leans her head on it as she sees Aro leant on the counter, cloak and all.
"Yes well sick is something I don't find appetising so I'd rather not see it." He smirks.
She walks into his arms as he opens them, accepting his hug. "How'd you get here so fast?" She mumbles.
"I was dealing with something in Mexico, easy run in a few hours. Is he still here?" He pulls away.
Nala nods and ties her hair back, washing her face. "Yeah... Mentioned a wife."
"That'll be the crawler..." Aro muses. "She shouldn't know who you are, but is she here?"
She shakes her head. "No."
"Right, good. Go back out there, act normal." He says.
She sighs and takes a deep breath heading out. She goes back to the cubicle just as the doctor leaves; she says to cast and discharge so Nala leads him to the cast room, hoping to sit in silence.
Jasper has other ideas. "If he's the ex, whyd you still wear the rings?" He muses.
Nala pushes her stool closer and shrugs small. "Memories I guess... I've got two little girls who'll question if I take them off and trust me, children do not stop."
"I can imagine. I'd love to have children some day." He muses. "I had a close call a few months ago that completely changed my perspective." He muses.
Nala doesn't respond, working quickly on the cast. "There Mr Whitlock, just take this to the front desk and get it signed and you're free to go. Don't get the cast wet."
Jasper takes the file nodding. He heads out but stops, looking at Nala for a moment. "I feel how sad yoh are... And I am so very sorry someone has made you feel this way. I do hope it gets sorted, ma'am." He nods his head at her before leaving.
Nala bites her lip hard to hold back the tears as she cleans up, eventually tasting blood.
-
Aro meets her outside the hospital after her shift. "This place stinks, how can you bare it." He shudders in disgust.
Nala rolls her eyes. "It's not that bad to a human."
"Where's your car then?"
"Here." She smirks as the bus pulls up as if she made it appear.
Aro laughs. "No... No, I think ill run."
She shrugs and climbs on. He groans and follows, paying his fare and sitting with her. "This is so... Ugh. Mundane." He shudders again.
Nala laughs and leans her head on him. "You're making people stare, weirdo."
"Oh honey, that's you with this bags under your eyes."
"Oh the most ruthless immortal out there has sass? Wow." She laughs, standing as her stop nears. Aro follows her off and to the apartment block, watching as she pushes the 16th floor button in the elevator.
"Why didn't you sell the house?" He asks. "You could've had the money-"
"I don't want the money. Jasper's gone, I can't change that. Money can't change that." She sighs and heads out of the elevator and to the apartment. She turns the key. "Seth?" She calls and he comes out, senses on edge.
"Why can i - oh. Aro." He says, relaxing. No other wolf would have, but he knows Aro isn't an enemy anymore. His coven, his brothers - yes. Him? No.
"Seth." He nods.
"Lilo?" Nala calls. "Someone's here for you."
Li runs down the hall and gasps. "Aro!" she shrieks and he smiles as he catches her in a hug.
"Hello, child." He pats her back. "Thought of anymore questions for me?"
Lilo smirks. "A whole page full!" she nods and runs to get it.
Seth eyes Aro. "Why are you..?"
Nala nods for him to tell Seth. "Nala bumped into Jasper today. It doesn't feel right that they're both in the same place coincidentally."
Seth glares. "He's here? In the city?"
"Or near by." Aro nods. "I tracked him so far but the crawler is careful with his scent. Nice hair by the way, pup, did you take inspiration from someone you know?" Aro teases.
Seth blushes and ties his long hair back; no longer phasing every day means he can grow it out and so far he's loving it. "Cocky aren't we." He mutters. "Anyway, back to you know who."
"Voldemort is real!?" Lilo gasps.
Nala scowls. "Seth cmon, dude. We just got rid of those nightmares." She groans as Lilo stands with wide eyes. "No baby, he isn't. Remember we talked about this?"
Seth blushes. "Sorry... Hey, Lilo, come show me those questions before you ask Aro?"
Lilo hesitantly nods and sits with Seth as Aro and Nally stay in the kitchen. "Tell me what you saw." He says.
Nala sighs. "He was warm, Aro. Like any other patient - his skin was warm, I could see his slight tan. His eyes were brown." She tears. "He had a broken wrist. He couldn't be more human. But he looked me in they eyes and didn't recognise me, he questioned me and nothing seemed to resonate with him..."
Aro sighs. "I'm sorry Nala... I will find out what's going on. I have people looking into Crawlers. There isn't much, very few are known to exist, but I will find anything I can... Pays of being me." He smirks.
Nala sighs. "How... How did they come to exist?"
"The rumours say they were just like us in how they were changed and how they were first trained. But they have gifts far more powerful than anything I own."
She sighs deeply. "Aro... I need you to be honest." She whispers. "Will I ever get him back?"
He looks into her eyes for a moment and all he can do is shake his head once. And with that Nala bursts into tears.
He's gone.