Sorrow and Hope

Arabella woke to a sound she had never heard before. Ugh...her head was throbbing. She made a mental note to stay away from cheap blood wine from now on. Her mind finally placed the sound. Cassia was crying. Why was she crying. Her eyelids felt like lead as she opened them to see Cassia's tear filled eyes looking down at her.

"Cas, what's wrong?"

Cassia pointed at her arm. Arabella lifted her arms and her eyes traced the heavy black veins decorating them. She looked down and saw that a lot of her body looked like this, then the reality hit. She knew these marks...Hep V.

"Oh shit!"

Arabella rolled out of the bed and was astonished when her legs gave out on her and she hit the floor. Using the bed, she rose to her feet and motioned for Cassia. As they walked toward the door, she called for Jonathan, but heard no response. She stumbled a few times but they made it into Jonathan's room. He was tossing and turning, drenched in sweat. Trails of blood led from his nose and the corners of his eyes. What was happening to him?

Vincent was out of commission, Jonathan would not wake up, Arabella was simply lost at the moment. She felt drugged, her movements sluggish. Even thinking set her mind on fire. Cassia pressed something to her hands. She looked down to see Jonathan's cell phone. Cassia looked to her with hope in her eyes.

"Ari, maybe someone on there can help. He knew what was happening, and maybe he can help you too."

She looked at the phone and hit the first speed dial, waiting for someone to pick up..
"Hey, this is Sookie. I might can read minds, but can't do it over the phone. So leave a message."

"Shit. Um...you don't know me but I am Jonathan's progeny, Arabella. He is in a bad way. I think he might be dying. I don't know what to do. Please help. Hurry."

She hung up and went to the next number, dialing it. Her eyes could not focus on the name so she had to hope that this one picked up...

She heard her phone ringing and jumped, she was staring into space and had been for a while. Strange pains coming and going, she could only assume it was Bill. Looking at her phone she saw it was Quinn calling and she felt her heart plummet. Sliding it to answer, she said "Hello" in a shaky voice curious as to why he was calling her.

Her voice froze for a moment as she realized who was on the line. She had no choice though and swallowed deep.

"Shit. Um...you don't know me but I am Jonathan's progeny, Arabella. He is in a bad way. I think he might be dying. He won't wake up and is bleeding from his face. I don't know what to do. Please help. Hurry."

She stared at the phone. Had she done right in calling the redhead? She had no options, and could only hope that she would be able to help him. Arabella laid her head on his chest while she listened for a response.

Hearing a female's voice, she tensed up and knew it was Arabella. The one who held his heart now, the one whose bond outweighed her own. She stood at the news and her grip loosened on her phone.

"I'm on my way." She said before hanging up. Without a word to James who was in the shower, or to the guards, she rushed past them all and out the door. Foot was faster, especially since she was running towards Quinn. When she arrived at the gate and was stopped, she growled and snapped their necks, making her way in. She was slowed down by getting shot in the leg with silver no doubt. Ignoring the pain, she rushed inside and called out not knowing where to go. "QUINN!! QUINN IT'S ME! ARABELLA?"

Arabella saw the guards fall and felt guilty for their deaths but this was more important. She sent Cassia to open the sealed wing, explaining how to open the door as she was afraid to leave his side. Her body felt weak but she would defend him if the redhead tried to harm him. She waited until Jessica was inside before moving back. She wrapped her arms around her body and fell into the chair in the corner, exhausted. She looked to Jessica with blood tears streaking down her face.

"I didn't know how to help him...and I can't give him my blood."

A door opened and she snapped her head that way, rushing into the room to take in the sight. Quinn, barely responsive...Arabella covered in what looked like deep colored veins. Hep V...the only explanation. Her eyes went between them, she didn't know what to do herself. Did she give him her blood? True Blood? A donor?

"I--I don't know what to do either but you're just gonna have to trust me. Do you trust me?"

She was going out on a limb here and maybe it would be the right thing to do, maybe not.

Arabella looked at her through tear stained eyes and whispered.

"I don't care. Just help him. please....he is all I have..."

She felt Cassia's hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently.

Giving a small nod, she moved over to where he lay sweating, blood stained pillows and sheets. He tossed and turned, seemed like he was in pain and she felt the same pain. Was it...no it couldn't be. She thought about what to do...really he was in no state to drink her blood. It would be faster if...of course! Vincent, you genius! She rushed out of the room and into the room she remembered he kept his medical things. Finding an IV tubing with a needle, she quickly opened the package and put it together all the while fighting her own tears.

Rushing back into the room, she gently sat on the side of the bed and took his arm, draping it over her lap. She had only seen this on Grey's Anatomy so it was guessing at this point but that's all she had. What if her blood killed him...what if...

She had to try at the very least. She found the blue lines in the crook of his elbow under his olive skin and slowly slid the needle into the vein. Praying that was right, she bit down on her wrist and pushed the small opening through the open wound that was normally hooked to an IV bag. She watched the blood slowly fill the tube and go straight into his arm. He moved and she placed her free hand on his arm to keep the needle in place. "Quinn...can you hear me? It's Jessica...Quinn....please answer me...." Her tears fell slowly down her cheek, thankfully her back was to Arabella. Her words were barely a whisper. "Please come back..."

Arabella watched in silence as Jessica tried to help him. She watched his body relax and settle to the bed. Perhaps she had been wrong about the redhead. If she somehow survived this ordeal, she had to remember to apologize.

"Is he..OK?"

She heard Arabella speak and wiped at her eyes. He seemed to be relaxing, maybe it helped? There was no way to really tell. She shrugged and tried to speak with an easy voice "I--I don't know." Running a gentle hand along his face, she willed him to come back, to wake up, to reassure her things would be okay like he always did.

"Quinn...can you hear me?"

She could see him stir, his eyes slowly opening as he looked up at the ceiling. She moved slightly and gasped at seeing him awake. Thank God...

His pulse was uneven and thready and he seemed...off? "Quinn?" Her voice full of concern.

Quinn's mind was flooded with confusion. Scents and sounds from the waking world swirled in his mind. His memories seemed to come an go at random. He could remember the smell of Jessica's hair, then it was the feeling of pain as he was stabbed so long ago. Nothing seemed to make sense until a sing thread carved it's way through his jumbled mind. The scent he knew so well. Jessica. He felt pressure on his arm, but a sense of vertigo kept his body still as he opened his eyes to see Jessica standing over him. He blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision.

"Quinn!" She smiled and looked over at Arabella, then back to him. "Are you okay?" She asked him anxiously. Seeing him open his eyes to look at her relieved her slightly but he wasn't out of the woods just yet. And then when he was awake enough to realize Arabella had hep V, yeah she didn't want to be here for that. Plus, she was sure he'd want to be alone with his progeny.

Suddenly, she felt like she didn't quite belong here and had no right to be here. She moved her hand and stood from his bed, swallowing hard not really knowing if she should leave or what she should say.

Quinn felt her rise and gripped her hand loosely and tried to shake his head. Fresh pain and tears came from the movement, then he saw Arabella curled up on the chair. Something was wrong. Her skin looked strange, but his eyes would not focus.

"Jessica...stay."

She felt him grip her arm and looked from his weak hand and to his eyes. Nodding slowly, she moved to sit back beside him and waited. Still unsure of what to do she gave him a soft smile. "Hi..."

Quinn felt her sit as his unfocused eyes searched around him.

"Arabella?"

His body clenched as he turned his head, the blood from his lips staining the sheet as he coughed. He turned back to look across the room, then at Jessica again.

"What is wrong with her? She smells....off. Ari, come here."

He held an empty hand out in the direction she seemed to be.

Hearing his weak voice call out for Arabella, she looked over her shoulder at the girl. Knowing she was weak just by her appearance, she reluctantly stood and slowly pulled her arm free from his weak grasp. His question nearly made her freeze, knowing he would not like the answer. It wasn't her place to say, so instead she moved over to where Arabella sat and knelt before her.

"Would you like me to move you to the bed?"

Arabella motioned behind her for Cassia who brought her a damn cloth. She wiped her face clean and tried to stand. Her leg began to buckle, Cassia catching her. She looked at Jessica and nodded wordlessly. The sorrow and pain was plainly written on her face, as was the pain of her condition.

Jessica stood and watched as she tried to stand on her own, ultimately failing. She caught her and held her up. "It's okay, I have you." She held her arm across her back and slowly led her to the bed to sit next to Quinn. When she was seated safely, she moved across the room to wait until she was needed, or he wanted her to leave. Which ever came first. Her head went down and she knew this would be a difficult conversation.

Quinn's fingers traced the dark veins along her skin, knowing their meaning. He smiled at the irony that it seemed they shared the same timing. His fingers traced the curve of her cheek and he tried to smile. Her gentle hands took the cloth from Cassia, dabbing his lips gently.

"Arabella. How? We have been so careful. I don't understand..."

Something was screaming in the back of his mind, it had been for quite some time now and he had been pushing it down. It's song was renewed with conviction when he saw Arabella.

As she dabbed away the blood at his lips, she whispered.

"The visit to her family. The blood at dinner was bottled, but I thought it would be safe. It seems I was wrong. Oh, Jonathan, I hate you seeing me this weak, but I had to try to help."

She gently kissed his cheek.

"She did what she could, and at least gave us a chance for goodbyes."

He looked distracted for a moment, then seemed to refocus his eyes.

"What is it?"

He smiled at the caring gesture as he searched his mind for an answer to her question. That voice screamed at him with a single image. A point of light. A tongue of flame sitting on his travel pack. Of Course! He took a few deep breaths and whispered. He looked to Arabella being held up by Cassia and then to Jessica.

"My field pack, the one I brought home with me. I need something from it. It is in the common room."

She heard his request and moved to the commons room in the blink of an eye. Shifting through things searching for a field pack, she finally found it and grabbed it. With a swift movement she was back in the bedroom he lay in, extending her hand with his field pack. "Is this it?" What could possibly be in here that could help this situation?

He reached for the pack, pulling it to him. His mind mapped where he needed to go, and he yanked the small pouch from the bag, letting the pack fall from the bed. His eyes flickered with hope and he looked to Jessica.

"I need a knife. Something sharp."

Vincent's prized knife collection that she had once watched him use as he cut up fruit. She gave one small nod and rushed out of the room in search of one of those knives. It took a few drawers and cabinets to find the right thing. Grabbing one of the sharpest knives in the drawer, she made it back in record time and held the sharper end in her hand as she went to hand it to Quinn. "Wait, are you sure you're strong enough to use this?" She hated to ask but maybe she could help instead of him hurting himself.