Near the park, Thursday evening

[allie-in-the-au.livejournal.com]

Another night of dark and fog.

Another night of keeping watch near the camp to make sure nothing too dangerous came near.

Her recent memories weren't too bad, but anything that happened more then a month or so in the past was hazy at best.

Allie remembered enough, impressions mostly - a laugh, the wind in her face as she drove down a highway - It was enough to remind her things hadn't always been so bleak.

And that she hadn't always been so hungry.

But that seemed like a lifetime ago.

[She's hungry. But harmless if you're a human or friendly sort]

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[allie-in-the-au.livejournal.com]

Allie took off at a run, leading the Gorgon away from the vulnerable residents of the village, and into the ruined streets of town. She'd paused every few blocks, just to make sure he was still following her.

[hollow-gaze.livejournal.com]

So long as he had sight of her, he'd follow her. It was the game they played, after all. Tag, since as long back as they'd known one another. Not that he remembered, of course. She ran, he gave chase. And if he could catch her, he'd savor his victory with teeth and blood and...

Of course it wouldn't work out that way. But what he didn't remember wouldn't hurt anybody, preferably.

[allie-in-the-au.livejournal.com]

Some nights Allie wondered why she tortured herself like this. Why she didn't just finish it for him. Deep in her heart she knew Nick wouldn't want to be like this. But she was afraid. She remembered him because she saw him almost daily. It helped her remember when he wasn't like this. When he'd been Nick and she'd been Allie and things had been hard, but still good. Until the night it all went to hell (http://allie-in-the-au.livejournal.com/521.html).

They were in the preserve now, safely away from town and any potential victims there. Allie scrambled through the trees, before finding one that was climbable. She clambered up and went still in the branches.

[hollow-gaze.livejournal.com]

The Gorgon ran until he was at the base of the tree himself, coming to a stop, barely getting his hands up in time to catch himself before he would have gone careening into the trunk. He stood there for a moment, indulging in a moment of pure annoyance at the tree for daring to be in the way. And then he looked up.

His lips curled back into something not unlike a snarl. Come down, little mouse...

[allie-in-the-au.livejournal.com]

If Allie could hear his inner monologue she'd point out that she was a little bird, not a little mouse. At least according to the lunatic vampire that once tried to kill her and end the world.

"You won't just walk away will you?" she muttered. After a quick glance to judge the space between Nick and the tree, Allie jumped down and punched him straight in the jaw the instant her feet hit the ground.

Sorry Nick.

[hollow-gaze.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Nick hadn't seen that one coming. He made another noise, something angry and distressed and pained, as he stumbled backward. His teeth cracked together hard with the contact, and then clacked hard again when he hit the ground.

One of these days, she was going to knock a molar out.

[allie-in-the-au.livejournal.com]

Allie would feel really bad about it if she did.

On guard, Allie approached him slowly.

Out cold or playing chicken?

[hollow-gaze.livejournal.com]

Dazed, mostly. He lay there for a few moments more before stirring, groaning in pain and trying to roll over so that he could stand up again.

A smarter man would know to stay down, Nick.

[allie-in-the-au.livejournal.com]

He was stubborn, Allie would give him that.

Knowing she only had a few seconds, she zipped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling them tight enough to cut off his airway just long enough to knock him out.

"Can you just not be stubborn for once?"

[hollow-gaze.livejournal.com]

Fat chance of that one, Allie. Stubborn was kind of Nick's thing. He put up a struggle, though he might as well have been a kitten in her arms between her strength and the smack she'd given him a moment before. And struggling didn't exactly help with the oxygen situation, either.

It wasn't long at all before he was going limp in her arms. And this time, it wasn't just because he was dazed.

[allie-in-the-au.livejournal.com]

The instant he went limp, Allie released her hold and carefully checked over the goggles Nick had fixed in place once he'd realized he was losing himself to whatever it was that caused this horror.

She couldn't help but winch at the sight of the scratches on his face, but fortunately the goggles were still secure. She could put off the inevitable one more day.

Running her fingers over the sheriff's star, she checked that it was securely fastened. It was as much a part of Nick as the goggles, and she didn't want to see it get lost somewhere in the ruins of town.

"I miss you," Allie said quietly. "And I was wrong that night. I should have let you make that big gesture that night. Say the words. I thought if you didn't, maybe it wouldn't hurt as much. I was wrong. I'm sorry about that." She pressed a gentle kiss to Nick's forehead before getting to her feet. He'd be waking up soon and it was better for them both if she was long gone.