History Replayed

In that first moment when the new Shelly wrapped her arms around Allen, he almost killed her. He tensed up, not unlike she did every time he touched her. That split half a second later he realized she was buying him and he relaxed immediately.

He kissed the top of her head and said, "Not shorter. Grow it out as long as you can stand. I do not like women with a man's haircut."

After she let go he tilted her chin up a little and stared into her eyes. "Tomorrow, after dinner we dance."
 
She barely noticed that he tensed when she wrapped her arms around him. J was too lost in her own head to even let it register. His scent was intoxicating, this is the first time that she had hugged someone in many years. The kiss on the top of her head didn't bother her. It wasn't very intrusive and was quick.

When he lifted her chin she took a deep inhale of breath releasing her hug she held on merely to his jacket.

J gave him a soft nod to his request she keep her hair long, and her eyes stayed locked with his as he talked about dinner and dancing. "I look forward to it" she said with a soft smile trying to deal with the proximity. Part of her felt safe, and the part distrusted the feeling. It would take a bit of time, but they were off to a good start.

After regaining her composure she let go of her grip and and let her hands rest lightly on his hips. "Do you have a particular color you'd like?" she questioned curious to see whether he would go traditional or out of the norm.
 
Allen looked down and smirked, "Well if you are the social media person for a vampire bar, maybe you should look it?"

He ran his fingers through her hair a moment, "Maybe black, blood red, and silver or maybe gold?"
 
She smiled back to him. "I have an idea of what will work well. There was something so alluring about standing next to him. Perhaps it was his scent, perhaps it was the way she felt protected by him and safe. I could bathe in his smell she thought causing herself to blush.

Slowly she released her hold on him and stepped back a step. "Would you like to watch a movie with me?" she questioned not quite feeling the urge to go to bed yet. She held out her hand as an offering feeling that if she could stand touching for so long that she may be able to handle this.

It was baby steps, but it was in effort to show him she was interested in him as more then a boss and friend. She would just have to take things at a snails pace.

He had been so good about being careful not to invade her space and let her work things out in her head. She was already feeling safe. But it didn't get rid of the fear something would happen to him because of her.
 
Allen looked at her and nodded, "Of course."

He led her into another room that had been set up as a movie theater for four. He looked at the remote for a minute then started pressing buttons. The projector fired up, then the stereo system and finally cable.

He handed her the remote, "Feel free to order what you want, unless you want to watch bad 197p's French vampire movies."
 
"If you can't find me, i'll probably be here" she said squeezing his cool hand. Taking a seat next to him she scrolled through some of the movies that were available. "I think we get enough vampire stuff at the club.

But we should be able to find something we'll both enjoy. I could go completely girly on you and pick a romance flick, but I don't want you to be bored. What kind of movies do you like? Other then wrestling stuff i'm pretty open. I haven't seen Assassins Creed yet, have you?"
 
He looked at her like she was speaking another language, "Sorry, I do not know what you are speaking of. I generally do not watch movies, I normally read for relaxation, and I understand that is a particularly single activity."

He squeezed her hand back, "The short of it is I don't mind what ever you want to watch, I am sure it will be fine."
 
"then why have a theater room and cable?" she questioned teasing him as she clicked on Assasins Creed. "Oh that reminds me, could you write down the wifi network and password for me? I will be working from home sometimes, as well as i need to send my resignation to my boss."

Settling back she kept her fingers entwined with his and enjoyed the time to veg out. During the movie she would glance over occasionally to study his reactions.
 
He shrugged, "For those rare times I entertain here. So about once every two years or so."

He considered the wifi situation, "I will have someone come in and build you a sub wifi network all your own. That way you can have some privacy about what you are doing."

The nice thing about being a vampire, he could watch the movie, appear completely engaged, and focus on events around Chicago, and in particular the club, the main businesses and keeping a look out for potential problem areas.

One of those problem areas he was looking for was Little Colt, and what he was up to. Allen eventually found him with a young vampire and they were discussing something heatedly, and it did not look like it was going well for the vampire. Especially when Little Colt pulled out a lighter and started smoking a cigarette. The look on the vampires face was priceless, and a dead give away.

As the movie ended, "What did you think? Not much of a plot really, mostly a chase scene from start to finish."
 
J nodded, "Yeah it kind of sucked. I'm sorry you sat through it. The previews were much better then the movie itself was. Bah, i would demand your money back" she laughed as she said it. Not even sure if that was possible.

"Really, theres no need for a sub set, but you're right you don't know me. I can understand your need for privacy. You're taking a risk just letting you in my house. Maybe i'm the stalker? she tried to make light of her situation, but she herself didn't even find it that funny. "yeah that sucked." she said refering to her effort of humor.

"Did you want to do something else, or are you tired?, Or have stuff you need to do?" She didn't want him to feel obligated to sit with her.
 
Allen glanced at his watch, "I have another hour before I have a phone meeting with one of the people that handles my Asian interests. Until that time I am all yours. After that I fear I will be working all night."

He looked at her, "What did you want to do for the next hour?"
 
"I feel like you have an unfair advantage over me." she said lightly then continued. "I mean our quid pro qo game. You asked a question and you got the whole kit and caboodle, as well as a new roommate and employee.

So I would like to continue the game. But as part of my commitment to myself of trying to get better, and redevelop the ability to trust and to work on my mild Haphephobia we have to remain touching. And i'm not allowed to break away. If your willing each day I would like you to challenge a comfort zone, and we'll stick with that one until I can deal with it.

"What do you think? and no this doesn't count as my question" she gave him a cheeky grin.
 
Allen thought about it a half moment then nodded, "Sure, though, I retain the right not to answer if I seem it necessary. "

He stood and offered her his hand, "Let's play in the library."
 
"That sounds vaguely familiar" she said softly "I approve of the pass rule" Placing her hand in his she slowly rose to follow him to the library.

He led her to the love seat where they sat next to each other. She clasped his hand tightly at first and then slowly eased the pressure on it. With a couple deep breaths she finally regained composure. This man had the patience of a saint, and to her that meant everything.

"Okay, so my question is what are your hopes regarding our friendship/relationship?"
 
Allen sat a moment and considered, then, "I do not know. There is much about me you have not learned yet. Some of those things will be very disturbing for you, others less so."

He ran his thumb across the back of her hand a moment, "And you have many issues you have to work through before you are ready for anything more than a friendship. "

He tugged on her hand lightly, "I do not say that to be mean, but in all truthfulness. "
 
She watched him carefully as he spoke. Calm and confident. To know there were things in his life that would cause her to be disturbed bothered her to the degree it was bound to make her imagine the worst possible scenarios. Was she actually strong enough to accept him for whatever he held from her? If this man was able to have the patience and put forth the effort that it would take to make her functional not only in the world, but in a potential relationship. She should be able to accept him for whatever quirks he had. Giving of course they weren't illegal or morally revolting.

He ran his thumb over the back of her hand. For a split second she held her breath and looked down to her hand then back up to him as he continued to speak.

She nodded, as he spoke of her issues and recognizing that she wasn't at the place where she could handle anything more then friendship.
He touched on her hand and again she held her breath for a moment looked at her hand and returned her eyes to his relaxing her hand and let him do as he wished with it.

"Allen, in one night you have given me hope for my life. I am so tired of being scared of everything, watching over my shoulder and waiting for that psychopath to catch me. At the same time I could have quit, given in and given him what he wanted. Which tells me that I have a strength in me. Or a stubbornness that refuses to allow me to be broken. You've given me a feeling of being safe. Each step that you've taken has allowed me to gain more hope and faith." she smiled softly.

"You didn't offend me, and I don't feel as if you were being mean. It was an honest interpretation. You didn't expect this caravan of baggage, I wouldn't have blamed you if you had just left."
 
Allen nodded, and said smiling, "Technically we are in my home and you would be the one to leave. "

He say moment consisting what he wanted to know. While he lived to have details Abbott what happened with Little Colt, he knew better than to ask. Seven touching her made J tense and react as if he wanted to harm her.

Which could not be further from the truth. His blood restricted the type of blood grew ingested, they had to be weetling participants, which was not hard to get. Given her jumpiness at mere contact, he could only guess what her reaction would be if he fed on her.

Only the times had he fed on someone without their permission, and each of the three he fully intended their death. The pain those three events caused him were a reminder to never do it again is at all possible.

"What do you believe in, " he finally settled on.
 
J rolled her eyes at him and laughed lightly. "I meant at my house, you could have said.. ok bye" She shook her head and tried to concentrate on the question he asked her while she let her fingers play with his.

"I believe that we live, we die, and if we're lucky we've made some good impact on the world. I also believe that Karma is a bitch, and what comes around goes around."

Oh how she hoped that was true.

"What is one thing that you haven't done that you would like to do?"
 
He sat a moment, considering. "There is not much left in that list."

He smiled and continued, "I have the means to do those things I wish to do. All I need, is to make up my mind that I want to, then I do it."

He focused on her eyes and asked, "What about God, the Devil, magic and so On? Believe in any of that?"
 
J looked up and then away for a moment as she contemplated his question. "I don't believe in God, or the Devil. In my opinion if one such being did exist they would be one in the same. With all the hunger, famine, disease, destitute and such in the world it seems silly to believe in something that is suppose to be 'all powerful' would allow that to happen. I understand people needing something to believe in to get through things, blame for things, and be grateful for things. It's their prerogative. I hope for them that I am wrong. But in my experience and thoughts I am a firm non believer.

As for magic, I'm not sure. I haven't really contemplated it all that much. I would like to think it's possible that vampires, and werewolves, and fairies and such did exist. I mean there has been significant stories that go back thousands of years that tell of such creatures. It had to be created from something right? she smiled and considered the next question she would ask him.

"Why did you move to the US?"
 
Allen smiled, "For the opportunity to grow of course. While I had built up substantial holdings in Europe, there is this magnificent and much larger opportunity here."

He waved a hand sound the room, "Why simply be a millionaire when you can have much more than that?"

"When is the last time you surprised yourself?"
 
"Honestly?" she said "When I told you to change the sign and i'd go on a date with you, and then again when you asked me the question in the car which resulted in me spilling out everything to you. Then again when i hugged you. It seems that you have this odd effect over me. Every rule I keep by passing, this urge to have you push my limits and help me to overcome all of these walls and boundaries. Not only to I want to overcome all of this for myself so I can finally start to live again. But I feel like I want to do this for you. It's strange, and it's confusing because I just met you."

Her face contoured as she was speaking through the confusion and trying to find the right words.

"Do you save damsals often?"
 
Allen shook his head, "No, and I try not to do so. You however fell I to my lap, and seem to have something special about you that is hard to define or find."

Allen looked at her a moment then asked, "How willing are you to change your worldview if facts prove a different scenario than what you believe to be?"
 
"I'm sure its a very comfortable lap" she teased trying her hand at flirting for a moment. Then he asked a question that she had to think about for a moment.

"That's what life is isn't it? I mean as a child your innocent and believe everything everyone tells you, Santa, the Easter bunny etc. Then you grow up and discover they were lies. What you thought was true wasn't at all. You may be upset for a moment but I think that it's inbred in us to grow, adapt and learn. Otherwise life would be quite boring.

So if tomorrow I found out Leprechauns were real, I would probably shake my head for a moment , say holy fuck.. huh., then try to learn as much about them as possible. Then I would probably evolve my thinking to wondering if anything else that suppose to be imaginary was real too." she stopped for a moment and then added

"I suppose it would be the same regardless of the situation, aliens, or if we were secretly in a bottle being watched for entertainment from giants." she laughed a little and smiled. "But then again i'm a little odd compared to most of the world that would lock and weather tape their houses. I'm not scared of something new. Thats at least one phobia I don't have. I just have a problem with being confined, being around too many people. I'm making good strides with being touched. I barely notice your hand, meaning that it doesn't intimidate or put me on edge. Talking to you like this, I don't feel the need to run."
 
Allen nodded, "Good, running is a bad habit people fall into that solves absolutely nothing. At best it can only tender ill will in one or both of the parties."

He sat a moment reflecting on a time he had ran, and all the hell it caused. Many people lost their lives from that one decision, which he thought the best at the time. Ultimately it had cost him his sire, and one hundred years to avenge her death.

Which of course has ultimately led him to the chess game he was now playing.

He was comforted knowing that she professed an open mind so maybe the secrets she would eventually learn wouldn't upset her world overly much.

He glanced at the time and said, "I must go now, I have to work. See you after dinner tomorrow night?"
 
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