Donor House: Dawn: Talking to Lewis

[k_a_webb]

When Dawn rang Lewis she wasn’t actually expecting an answer, because they often avoided talking to each other. The whole thing was a little weird, really, but understandable at the same time. She could imagine, if she’d come across a family member dying and had the ability to save them, doing exactly the same thing. It was just getting used to having a grandfather who was permanently just three years older than her, who just happened to be her vampiric father. Normally it was her doing the avoiding. He was normally just busy all the time and now that he was working on the donor house she knew he would be even more busy.

So Lewis’ reply of, “It’s been a long time,” took her by surprise and her only answer, to begin with, was silence.

“Sorry,” Dawn said, finally. “I just…”

“You don’t need to explain.”

Dawn ran a hand through her hair. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. How are you?”

The answer to that question was even harder to work out. Dawn knew she needed help, and the only person she trusted to help her was Lewis, but she didn’t know how to ask. It felt like she only ever rang him when she needed his help, and she probably did, but that wasn’t the relationship she wanted to have with him. She just didn’t know how to change things.

“Things have been better.”

“How can I help?”

“I don’t know.” Dawn tapped her fingers on the table in front of her, trying to think. “I’m not even sure I want you to help.”

“Dawn, tell me what’s happened.”

It took her a moment to realise that Lewis couldn’t see her shaking her head. “It’s not something I want to talk about right now.” Dawn sighed. “I just want to be safe for a while.”

“Come to the donor house.”

“I…” She sighed again. “Living with a group of vampires, no matter how nice they are, isn’t something I think I can deal with right now.”

“You don’t have to live here. It would just be easier to work things out face to face, and I spend pretty much all my time at the house now, so it’s the best place for you to come. When you get here ring me and I’ll come down to get you. Okay?”

“I guess.” Dawn blinked away the tears she could feel threating to fall. “I want us to have a proper relationship, Lewis. It’s time I stopped acting like a child and dealt with my problems.”

“You needed time and I was happy to give it to you. If you really want us to work things out, then I’m open to the idea, but I don’t want you to feel like my help is something you have to pay for. You’re family.”

“Lewis…” Dawn stared into the mug of coffee. “Do you ever wish you’d made a different decision when you came across me?”

“No, never. Do you ever wish I’d made a different decision?”

“Yes, sometimes, when I’m feeling at my worst. Being a vampire was never my choice.”

Mirrored from K. A. Jones Writing.

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[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

Ouchy. It's hard enough to deal with shifting family dynamics, without having vampire issues added in.

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