But Baby it's Cold Outside (Red and Gem)

[RED]

Ara

I gasped feeling the ache and the fire in me that was just tearing me apart inside. I look at James just shrugging his shoulders when his father is the one that intervenes at the moment.

"Something that will be very useful in their marriage. Vervain is like poison to their kind. It won't kill her but it's going to be a pain for about an hour or so." His father says when he looks at his other son.

"Anthony, i cannot tell you how proud i am for being a good sport in all this. James, please take your fiance away. I still have a couple of businesses to attend to." His father fixes his tie and walks away before James comes over to me and yanks me away from Tony

[Gemma]

Tony

He tells me it is something that will be useful in their marriage and Vervain is like poison to them. My father tells me he is so proud of me being a good sport in this and tells James to take Ara away. He straightens his ties saying he has business to attend to.

James comes over and yanks her out of my arms. I stand there gritting my teeth with my fists clenched.

"No." I say and look at them. "I won't play along to this. You were going to force me to marry her and now you are pawning her off to James like she is a fucking show horse because her family is dead. Fuck that! She is my fiancée and I am marrying her." I say raising my voice to my father for the first time in my life.

[RED]

Klaus

It was already half through the middle of the day when poor Clara barely managed to contact her friends to let them know that she was fine when the signal got cut off because the battery ran out. I groaned and i felt so bad

"I really really am sorry about that Clara, I swear i thought i had enough battery." I said feeling like a total loser. Getting stuck here until the snow fades away.

Ara

I am only feeling the rush of fire in my veins but i could still hear everything that was happening even if my freaking legs felt like noodles or something. BUt i could hear... Toni...he really wants to marry me?

I see his father turn around glaring at Anthony when he looks over at James.

"These are my orders Anthony, and unless you want to challenge your brother for the title of being the successor of this family. I suggest you stand down, we both know that you can't beat him. Even as kids you were weak." His father snarls at him and James laughs

"I don't know dad, it be fun to watch him bleed for a reason now." He grins and i don't like it I'm hissing and growling but my body is in so much pain

[Gemma]

Clara

"It's alright. My hopes weren't too high with how far out we are and the weather. It would have been nice but I'll just have to find another way." I tell him with a little smile not wanting him to feel bad about.

"Thanks for trying though. It means a lot." I tell him with a smile.

Tony

Father looks at me and snarls that those are his orders and unless I want challenge my brother for the title of being the successor of this family. He suggest I stand down, since we both know that I can't beat him. Even as kids I was weak.

I slump my shoulders a little, knowing it was true. I was born with a weak constitution and I could never fight back against them.

James grins saying it would be fun to watch me bleed for a reason now. "I... I challenge him." I tell them seriously. "I challenge him for Ara. I don't want to be the successor of this family. I wish I was never born into it. But I want her and I'm not just going to let you push me around this time."

[RED]

Klaus

"I mean on the bright side at least they know you're okay and they sounded fine as well so that's one worry off your back right?" I smiled at her but i really did feel bad that there was nothing else i could've done for her.

"I hope being with me in here doesn't make you any more nervous, i swear i'm not going to hurt youi." I tell her not wanting her to worry.

Ara

I looked up and see the determined look on his face. He was not bluffing he wanted to fight against them for me. There was a brief moment of pause and the father just let out a sigh.

"Alright if you want her and only her you can fight for it. Tomorrow you may duel together and for tonight she remains to be by James side." The father just wanted the matter about me to be put to bed already. James grins and he slaps my ass and all i could do is hiss.

"Well all i need is a night." He whispers to me and i am grossed out

[Gemma]

Clara

He tells me that on the bright side at least they know I'm okay. He adds that he hopes I am not nervous being around him. "I know you aren't. I mean I feel like if you where going to do something to me you would have done it." I say ad smile a little.

"Sorry for having to be stuck with me for until the snow melts. I know you wanted to be alone to think about things with your sister."

Tony

I growl and glare at James before I look at my father. "I don't want him to touch her. That is my request for this agreement. She can stay with him but if he touches her inappropriately or does anything to her then I'm calling off the fight and taking her." I tell him deadly seriously not backing down. I wouldn't let him screw with her. She was mine.

[RED]

Ara

I hear James protesting about him not being able to touch me what so ever. “What the hell. Who died and made you her man?” He growled at Tony putting me down in ththe floor before he glared at him. Then he turned to look at me and grinned.

“No offense toots.” He grins and I swear as soon as this vervain fades I’m making him my bitch.

“Fine. She will remain in her own room. James go to the town house until this issue is resolved.” The fathers voice was very authoritarian but James complied and left the room first.

Klaus.

“It’s jot a bother at all clara you’re really fun to talk to. Besides I’d like to think of other things other than my sister hating my guts.” I explained to her and just smiled when I thought about something.

“You want to maybe play some card games just to make time pass by?” I offered her.

[Gemma]

Tony

I glare at him as he growls about who died and made me her man. He sets her down and father agrees to let her remain in her own room and James would stay somewhere else. James seems to agree and leaves first.

"Thank you, father." I say quietly glad he had agreed. I was really sure he wouldn't but I was thankful.

Clara

He tells me that I was fun to talk to and he was glad to have something to think about besides his sister hating his guts. He offers to play some card games with me to make the time pass by.

"Sure, sounds like fun. What do you want to play?" I ask him.

[RED]

Ara

I looked at the men slowly leaving me in peace. I didn’t remember that head of household ass being this much of a stick up his ass. But eventually they both leave us until I’m trying to get back to some reasonable mentality here.

“Tony... are you okay?” I managed to get out of my mouth even if it was more of a slur than anything.

Klaus

I looked at her and smiled a little bit. “Well I am pretty sure I have a poker game set around here. Or do you prefer this game that’s called Uno or something.” I asked her. Going over to a closet and looked at all the games we had available

[Gemma]

Tony

Father leaves and Ara and I are left alone. She slurs a little as she asks me if I am okay. "I'll be fine." I tell her and hug her close to me, needing to hold her for a moment.

"I'm not letting them take you from me." I mumble against her hair softly. I wouldn't let her be a plaything for my brother or just a warm body to produce an heir.

Clara

"Hmm well I am kind of rusty on poker. If you are willing to help refresh me on the rules then I would be down to play." I say with a smile as he goes to dig out some games.

[RED]

Klaus

“Well poker is a real hard thing to explain. You have to have this emotionless face to just give it some chance to win. But you know what. We can play bullshit and that’s easier to explain.” I tell her grabbing out the deck of cards and just started shuffling them.

Ara

I just held him close. Well more like clenched his shirt afraid that he’ll disappear again. I lost my brother.. and I was about to lose him too. I felt tears brimming and I was trying not to completely lose it right now.

“You had a chance to be free of me. To no longer be forced to marry someone... why did you just challenge an asshole like him?” I asked him clearly my voice breaking.

[Gemma]

Clara

I chuckle as she tells me that poker is hard to explain and that you have to have an emotionless face. He suggest we play bullshit instead.

"Sure, I know how to play that one." I tell him with a smile as he starts to shuffle the cards.

Tony

She clings to me and tears well up in her eyes. She asks me why did I just challenge an asshole like him. I look at her confused. "Why wouldn't I? I like you a lot, Ara. I didn't want to see you pawned off like that to him." I say with a little face. My brother was an ass. I didn't want her to be stuck with someone like him.

"I'm sorry about your family." I whisper softly rubbing her back.

[RED]

Ara

I never had someone fight for me that hard. The only man that ever fought like this was my brother... and he was gone. I wrapped my arms aroud him and i just kissed his cheek. "I... I never got to tell him that i was lying. I don't hate him." I whispered to him feeling myself just cry so hard.

Klaus

"Cool." I tell her when i start dealing the cards a little when i look back at him and i just give her a slight smile. "How about we make it more interesting? Whoever gets caught in a bullshit has to say the first embarrassing thing that comes to mind?" I asked her

[Gemma]

Tony

She wraps her arms around me and kisses my cheek before she whispers that she never got to tell him that she was lying about hating him. I stroke my hand over her hair softly holding her close to me.

"I'm sure he knew you didn't really mean it." I whisper softly trying to comfort her the best I can.

Clara

I chuckle a little as his suggestion of making things more interesting. "You sure you want to do that? I mean you seem to blurt out some embarrassing things." I tease him with a smile.

[RED]

Ara

I sniffles a little when he tries his best to comfort me. But honestly I never felt as heart broken as I do now. I mean I was little when my parents passed but now... I’ve lived my whole life with my brother. I clung to my fiancé like a life line.

“I can’t lose you Toni. I just can’t. Not when I’ve met you and grown to like you. Want to be with you until we grow old.” I said wiping my tears away when I look at him.

Klaus

“Exactly don’t you want to know more embarrassing things about me.” I said smiling at her when I even out the deck and help bring a nice huge coffee pot filled with hot chocolate when I looked at her. “Why miss Clara are you afraid of giving me any embarrassing details about you?”

[Gemma]

Tony

She sniffles and clings to me. She says she can't lose me, that she can't. She wants to be with me until we grow old. She wipes her tears as she looks up at me. I hold her close and kiss her forehead.

"You won't. I'm not going down without at fight. I am going to get you out of this and my family isn't going to bother us anymore." I tell her.

Clara

I chuckle as he says exactly don’t I want to know more embarrassing things about him. He brings over a big coffee pot full of what smells like hot chocolate. He asks me if I am afraid of giving him any embarrassing details about myself.

"Nope, just don't be surprised when you are the one losing." I tease serving myself a cup of cocoa. I plop down so we can play.

[RED]

[Gemma]

(Nothing posted??

[RED]

Ara

I didn't know exactly what he meant by that. I mean how on earth was he going to get his family to leave us alone. It looked like they had a pretty strong hold on us both. I just held him to me as much as i could

"I don't want to lose you ... as in please don't fight your brother." I whispered to him. If i had to marry that guy in order for him to be alive then so be it

[Gemma]

Tony

She whispers she doesn't want to lose me and doesn't want me to fight my brother. I sigh a little. "I don't want to fight him but I said I would. If I go back on that now. My father will force you to marry James." I tell her.

"I'll be fine. I'm not a kid anymore and James may be stronger then me but I've learned his tricks over the years." I assure her and cup her face. "I won't let you be a pawn to my family."

[RED]

Ara

I was desperate right now he promises that he will make it out. That he knows his brothers tactics and schemes and tricks. I am just hoping that everything will be okay. But I just. “If I have to marry him for you to be alive then so be it. I can’t let them hurt you. And I rather live in a loveless marriage than you die.” I tell him just not baring to go through it again

[Gemma]

Tony

She tells me if she has to marry him for me to be alive then so be it. She wouldn’t let them hurt me and she'd rather live in a loveless marriage than have me die.

I shake my head. "No, I couldn't leave with that. It would kill me to see you trapped like that." I whisper and look at her before I kiss her softly. "I'm going to be fine."

[RED]

Ara

I looked up at him and just smiled at him softly before I kissed him again. I tried to keep it together when I pulled away and looked at his eyes. He was dead serious. He wasn’t going to let me go and just sacrifice myself.

“Then... let me turn you? I mean you want be a vampire if I turn you but you’d be like me?” I asked trying to just give him options here so he comes back to me

[Gemma]

Tony

She asks me to let her turn me then so I could be like her. I look at that surprised. "Would that work? I mean with you being only half? Would that make me a whole vampire or something in between?" I ask her.

[RED]

Ara

i looked back at him and just gave him a soft smile and just bit my lip. "It would work, you'd be immortal but you wouldn't age and you wouldn't... be able to nurture yourself the same way. Blood will be in your diet. You'd be like me." I explained to him

[Gemma]

Tony

She gives me a soft smile and bites her lip. She explains that I would be immortal and that I won't age. That I wouldn't be able to eat the same way. I would have to have blood in my diet.

"Then I want to do it." I tell her. "I want to be like you."

[RED]

Ara

I bit my lip a little when i cupped his face in my hands and i just tried to keep some breathing exercise again when i looked back at him. "Wait you can't just say yes without a second thought. You have to think it through at least five minutes or so." I tell him

"The life you've had is not going to be available for you. I mean you'll have the same weaknesses as me. If i die... you'll keep on living until someone..."

[Gemma]

Tony

She bites her lip a little and cups my face telling me I can't just say yes with a second thought. "As long as I have you that's all that matters. Beside I can still paint as a vampire. I'll just have to have a mug of blood instead of coffee in the morning." I tell her.

"I want to be with you, Ara. This could help me win the fight or at least come close. Besides you'd have to turn me at some time because I would grow old and die long before you."

[RED]

Ara

I looked at him and just bite my lipa little bit when he tells me that he would want to be like me eventually. That he would grow old and die before me and i just bite my cheeks.

"I don't want you to regret it Tony, I mean I want to be by your side forever but... are you sure you see a forever with me?" I asked him feeling so vulnerable to him right now.

[Gemma]

Tony

She tells me she doesn't want me to regret it and that she wants to be by my side forever but was I sure I see a forever with her. I nod softly as I look at her.

"I've never felt like this before about anyone. I want to be with you, Ara and if forever is what it takes then I want that."

[RED]

ara

I cupped his face in my hands when i leaned in and pressed my lips to his and i just held him to me. Just looking into his eyes as i take a couple of seconds to readjust my thought process. Is it okay to do this?

"How about... we runaway together?" I whispered to him, looking into his eyes as i bite my lip. "If we runaway and i turn you... will it be okay to do that?"

[Gemma]

Tony

She cups my face in her hands and presses her lips to mine. She just holds me to her and then looks at me. She whispers how about we run away together. She says if we runaway and she turns me. If that will be okay to do.

"I don't know... my father... he'd hunt us down. We'd never have a moment of peace with that threat looming over our head." I tell her. "If I can win this fight then you are mine and he can't force you to marry anyone else. After that we can run away to wherever."

[RED]

Ara

I look at him and his eyes and just kept myself at bay when he tells me that if he wins this fight that i was going to be his. I gave myself a moment and just cupped his face. Leaning in and i kissed him again just nodding my head.

"i trust you... i have faith in you." I whispered to him and i brought my hands to my lips and bit on my hand. Making me bleed when i looked at him.

"Once you drink from my blood, i have to kill you. It's a process vampire blood can be a great healing factor but if in your system when you die you become a vampire." I whispered to him.

"Well in my case a dhampire ... but ultimately it's your choice."

[Gemma]

Tony

She kisses me again and nods a little. She whispers she trusts me and has faith in me. I smile softly glad that she felt she could trust me. She bites her hand, making herself bleed and explains that once I drink her blood she has to kill me. That it will turn me.

I look at her and nod. "I want to be with you and I want us to be in peace. Not in fear that my family will do something." I tell her and cup her face to kiss her deeply before I pull away to draw her hand to my mouth.

"I choose you to be by your side, forever." I suck on her wound swallowing her blood.

[RED]

Ara

I looked back at him when he kisses me again and i just let my lips mold against his. Sighing and just leaning into his touch when i tried to close my eyes a little bit. Just really tasting him when he pulls away and tells me that he chooses me.

He takes my hands and he starts sucking on my blood. I gasp a little because it was a wound. But i tried my best not to moan or anything until he breaks away from me.

"I don't think i ever asked anyone this but... how do you want to die?" I asked him tearing up a bit. When i wipe the blood off his lips

[Gemma]

Tony

She gasps a little as I suck on the wound until I pull away letting her hand go. She asks me about how I wanted to did and that she doesn't think she had ever asked anyone that before. She tears up a little as she wipes my lips a little.

"No tears, muse." I whisper softly and hug her to me tightly. "However is going to be the easiest for you to handle. Preferablely quick though."

[RED]

Ara

I looked at him and just felt my eyes still tearing up when he calls me his muse. I chuckled a little and just leaned in to kiss him, tasting my blood when i bit my lip.

"Of course you'd call me your muse." I bite my lip and just cupped his face in my hands and just felt tears coming down.

"I love you." I whispered to him and without a second to lose i close my eyes and i snapped his neck. Hearing the pop as i held his limp body in my arms. Pleading that he's okay

[Gemma]

Tony

She looks at me and chuckles a little as she tears up some more. She kisses me one last time and tells me of course I'd call her my muse. She cups my face in her hands as tears roll down her cheeks as she whispers she loves me.

I don't get to reply before there is a sharp pain and then nothing. I feel like I am floating in nothingness. A blank space with no sound or light.

Hours pass before my fingers start to twitch a little and my eyes open, glowing a little. "Ara?" I get out. My throat burning, so thirsty. Like my throat was on fire.

[RED]

Ara

You wouldn't pay me to leave his side. All i could do was hold him in my arms and just cradle him waiting and just praying that he's okay. I try to think that htis is going to work, that i didn't lose my brother and anyone else.

Until he finally wakes up and i feel this breath of relief when he calls out my name and I am literally helping him. "It's okay love, feed from me." I whispered to him biting my hand again and brought it to his lips. I heal fast and well i had enough to share for him

[Gemma]

Tony

She whispers it is okay and to feed from her. She bites her hand and brings it to my lips. I latch onto her hand sucking and gulping down her blood. I drink until I can pull away and rest my head against her chest.

"Made it." I mumble out tiredly. My throat no longer burned but my body was exhausted. I guess that was because of the whole change thing. "Love you too." I add remembering I didn't get to say it back before she did it.

[RED]

Ara

I groan a little it... was kind of pleasurable. Like this sweet pain that just lingers on almost when i fed from him but it was a different degree. I let him finish until he pulls away and he tells me that he made it.

"Yeah you did." I said trying to stop crying but now... there's this blanket of warmth and security. A blanket of forever with him and now we don't get to grow old but... we get to grow together. He tells me he loves me and i scoff

"had to tell you before the whole neck thing... give you a reason to come back." I said smiling.

[Gemma]

Tony

She is crying as she tells me that I did. I reach my hand up to stroke away her tears softy. She says that she had to tell me she loves me before the whole neck thing so I would have a reason to come back.

"I was coming back either way, muse. I wasn't going to leave you alone." I tell her and snuggle her close to me, resting my head in the crook of her neck.

[RED]

Ara

He snuggles closer to me and he rests his head on the crook of my neck. I closed my eyes and just loosely wrap my arms around him. Just really feeling him a little when I hear the slow beating of his heart. I can’t make him a full vampire but when he’s like me we’re more alike than anything.

“I know.. but after what I went through. Part of me was just so scared.” I whispered to him. Just holding him in the middle of the study’s floor.

[Gemma]

Tony

She wraps her arms around me and whispers she knows but after what she went through. She was just so scared. I draw her hand up to my lips and kiss her palm softly.

"I'm not leaving you, Ara. I promise I am going to be right here for you." I tell her. I was going to try my hardest to win this fight and then I was going to take her away from here. Go somewhere were no one will bother us.

[RED]

Ara

I smiled and let my fingers lace with his when I looked at him in the eyes. Just seeing the fight between his normal eye color and the fluorescent blue of a vampire. It usually comes out in moments of blood lust or just plainly lust.

“I believe you. You and I together against all odds.” I whispered to him cupping his face and kissing him once more.

[Gemma]

Tony

She smiles and laces her fingers through mine. She whisper she believes me and that we are together against all odds. She cups my face and kisses me once more. I kiss her back softly with a smile.

"You and I no matter what." I whisper and rest my forehead against hers.

[RED]

Ara

I smile a little even if the ghost of my brothers death still lingered in my heart. I would just fall apart if anything were to happen to Toni and I did what I had to do to keep him alive.

“Come on let’s go to your room.”

[Gemma]

Tony

She smiles a little and tells me let's go to my room. I nod and get up, scooping her up in my arms before she argue. I carry her back to my room holding her close to me. I kiss her head knowing she was still hurting from the news of her brother.

"Maybe he is alive? I mean it didn't say they found a body. So maybe he got out of there." I whisper softly.

[RED]

Ara

I looked at him hearing that he was being hopeful about whatever happened to my brother. I tried to remain as calm as possible when I held his hand in mine. “I want to believe it. But the news cast said no survivors! That’s what no survivors means!” I tell him trying not to panic but I still manage to get up a bit.

“Come on you need rest. Tonight I’ll show you some quirks for your challenge with your brother.” I tell him.

[Gemma]

Tony

She looks at me and tells me she wants to believe it but the news cast said no survivors. I can tell she is trying not to freak out. She tells me to rest and she'll so me some quirks to help with my fight.

"Alright, but you need to rest too. You've had a hard day." I tell her as I sit down on my bed.