Where There's a Smoke, There's Fire {Melissa}

[Michael Light]

Michael Light appeared with Melissa in his arms in, literally, a swallow of flames. The rage he'd sunken into from the previous events of the evening had not yet been quelled, and there were still trace amounts of it (obviously) in every word, every gesture he made. Fortunately for Melissa, the flames he produced somehow managed not to engulf them and so the heat merely disappated as he walked forth, kicking the door to Matthew Smoke's office open.

Matthew actually let out a little Homer-Simpson style scream as his door slung back on its hinges, which was only shortly after the burst of light from the hallway had gotten him into a slow creep towards the port out of his office. He jumped back, narrowly missing being grazed by the offending object, only to be met with Michael as the man thrust Melissa at him.

"FIX HER," was all Michael commanded, quite literally jamming the shifter into Matthew's outstretched arms.

[Melissa Arthur]

At some point in the few minutes after Michael had lifted her off of the fire escape, Melissa's consciousness had stirred back into place, just enough for her to be aware of the flames, though not worried about them.  All she knew was that she hurt everywhere, and she was quite fine where she was, even if Michael was making everyone ELSE who could possibly run into them very uncomfortable.  Laying in his arms in a pile of hurt, she could have thought of worse places to be, though she'd have much preferred less pain in the whole situation.  Michael just felt safe. 

Apparently, given the 'scream' that Matthew let loose, she was the only one who really thought that.  Being thrust at Matthew was rather unexpected, and she sucked in a sharp breath at the movement, but didn't say anything. 

Personally, she thought she'd taken the whole situation rather well.  It wasn't everyday that she had her ass so totally destroyed in a fight, or even ended UP in a fight, so the fact that she wasn't crying or freaking out was nice.  She might have just been in shock, though. 

Yep, that was a possibility.

[Matthew Smoke]

Matthew took Melissa as gently as he could, immediately thankful for the room attached to his office that doubled as an exam/sleeping room when he was too exhausted to drive home. He navigated through the doorway as carefully as he could without managing to bump Melissa any more, and lightly placed her down on the cot.

"Okay, now what happened?" he asked, switching from 'silly cool guy' mode to 'serious healer' mode. He instantly began scanning her vital signs and then going over her skeletal structure to see where he needed to mend and make adjustments. He was young, but strong, and he'd just had a nap, so his energy was definitely up for kicking around in the mud.

"We were asked to come as back-up for Jacob to do some... witness protection? I'm not honestly clear, but we got blindsided by another vampire who's a big crazy that slings a large sword and shouts about God a lot." There was a pause. "He got to Melissa, but I got 'im anyways."

There was a grim sort of satisfaction in his voice. "He isn't dead, but wherever he is, he isn't happy," he affirmed, before Matthew could inquire any further. "How is she?"

Matt looked down at Melissa, asking her things like the date, her birthday, and a few silly questions to try and keep her spirits up. "I think she'll be okay," he said honestly. "What'd you do, girl, get thrown out a window?" He didn't really actually think she had.

[Melissa Arthur]

Really, she didn't have much of anything to add to Michael's explanation, considering he had everything that really mattered in a basic summary in there.  She just focused on staying awake and answering the questions Matt asked her, even if some of them were pretty ridiculous.  She appreciated the sense of humor, and would have done more than smile if it didn't hurt.  She was actually in pretty good spirits, to be honest.  She hurt everywhere, but from the sounds of it, the job had gone well otherwise.  Michael had gotten at the guy she fought with, which was what she really cared about.  Obviously, Leah and Rae were alright, or Michael wouldn't have been as satisfied about THAT information. 

His latest question was the most interesting, actually.  It was amusing, in an ironic sort of way, and she managed a small smile.  "Shot, thrown through a ceiling, then a wall, then the window," she explained softly.  "Fire escape broke my fall, I think."

Her eyes wandered to Michael, as though for confirmation, since that bit was fuzzy.  "The girls are okay?" she asked him, just to be sure.  As long as everything went smoothly here, she was going to sleep in the next day.

[Michael Light]

While Matt set to work mending more of Melissa's more pertinent injuries, Michael put a bit of distance between himself and them, as much as he'd have preferred to have held Melissa's hand or something. He somehow doubted that she was the hand-holding type, though, and he needed to cool down anyways.

"As far as I know, they're fine," he said. "I took the crazy down and he vanished before I could do anymore damage, unfortunately. I think Jacob would have been all up on the mental buzzing if something else had happened."

Actually, Jacob had been rather unappreciative of the whole... apartment catching fire thing, but that was bygones, right? Michael was sort of outnumbered there - it wasn't anything he could have helped at the time, or so he'd like to have told them. He had an inner beast, just like everyone else, it was just angry and slept heavier than most. What sort of bothered him was the fact that it felt good to just start burning things, and that meant he needed to not lose his cool again.

"Wow, sounds like you two have had a full night. So what was that light show in the hallway, Michael?" Matthew pried, as nosy as he felt like being. He had them both in a bad position right now, and he figured it was a good time to pump them for information. "Oh yeah, and just an FYI? Melanie is not my girlfriend. I'm just going to go ahead and throw that out there now, just in case anyone had any ideas. She's just a girl that I know. And she's a friend."

[Melissa Arthur]

She may not have been a hand-holding type, but she wouldn't have said that she minded it.  Michael had his own things to worry about at the moment, however, and so did she.  Fortunately, between Matt and her own healing abilities, she was starting to feel better, or she'd have passed out again already.  She'd have been interested to hear about the apartment catching fire, though.  She hadn't been all that aware by then.

Melissa also had no answer regarding the 'light show', though she had a pretty good idea.  She'd just been swimming back to consciousness then, so she wasn't sure.  She knew enough about Light witches to guess, though.  That Matt even bothered to ask was surprising.  She chose to jump on the Melanie issue, just in case Michael really didn't care to answer.

Subject changes could be VERY good.

"If you say so, Matt.  You sound pretty defensive," she offered with a bit of a yawn, though it was accompanied by a bit of an ache.  She hadn't been kidding when she'd thought that she hurt everywhere.

[Matthew Smoke]

"I'm not being defensive," he protested, shooting a glare at Michael, who merely shrugged his shoulders at him and smirked. He looked back down at Melissa. "That is so ungrateful," he accused, though he didn't really mean it. He continued to work on her slowly, pacing himself like his mother had taught him. Riese's problem was that he had a lot of energy and willpower, but he'd just use it up too fast. Matt had perfected the art of moderation, and was able to cycle energy through without wearing himself out as quickly. Oh, he'd feel it later, but for now, a little was going a long way.

"Feeling better?" he asked her, trying to take the focus off of himself. He wished he'd never even said anything, but he felt like he needed to lighten the mood somehow, and he was the best victim in the room for jokes at the moment. As usual. Stupid.. girls.

[Melissa Arthur]

It really didn't bother her that Matt said it was ungrateful of her to tease him, since they all knew she didn't mean it in a malicious manner.  She just liked teasing him, and he made it so easy that it was impossible to resist.  Besides, they were better off focusing on Matt's attempts at a love life rather than Michael's issues.  She knew that.

Maybe she'd been lying about feeling better and not passing out, since sleeping actually seemed like a good idea right then.  She didn't know it because she didn't get hurt often, but a lot of shifters felt sleepy when their healing abilities were on overdrive.  The lack of adrenaline meant that the only thing really keeping her up was conscious effort, unless she started moving again. 

"Yes, actually," she told him, though she still stayed fairly still, just in case.  She didn't want to mess up his concentration, or discover someplace that he hadn't bothered with yet, because she was antsy and moved when she shouldn't have.  "I owe you lunch sometime for this, I think."

Not that it wasn't, like, his job, or anything.  Or like Michael wouldn't have beat him senseless if he didn't help her. 

[Michael Light]

"Light show?" Michael asked, pulling himself from his own thoughts. He was obviously off in La-La-Land when Matthew and Melissa had been speaking, and blinked a few times to try and catch up in the conversation. "Oh, that. Exactly what it sounds like. Stephen King should write a book about me," he said casually, wandering back over to where the two were fixed as Matthew worked.

"Nah, you don't owe me lunch," he said. He glanced up as Michael spoke, and gradually began pulling his power off of Melissa. "I've done all I can - her severe injuries are taken care of. You'll be happy to know there was no mortal wounding, just internal bruising and a few cracked ribs. All fixed. You will feel tired though, so if you feel like you need to rest, I suggest it. Your body has been through a lot, so give it a few days to settle down."

To Michael, he simply said, "He did. It wasn't about you, though, and it was turned into a kick-ass movie. You're not as crazy as his main character was, which I am very thankful for, considering I'm quite flammable."

Michael simply snorted in response, and then nodded to Melissa. "Want me to take you home?" he asked. "I can do the neat teleportation thing, except we'll skip the massive burst of flames. I think if I actually did that in front of someone mildly religious they might think I'm Satan." He paused and sniffed his jacket. "And I smell like a lit match."

[Melissa Arthur]

She'd just been thinking that Stephen King HAD written a book about a pyrokinetic (not to mention enjoying an internal chuckle at Michael repeating the term 'Light show', considering the pun) when Matt started giving her orders.  She knew better, even being a shifter who didn't deal with doctors often, than to ignore what the person fixing your hurts had to say.  Besides, this would give her a good reason to get into PJs and sit in front of a movie, probably with an order of take-out.  Chinese was sounding good. 

Melissa ended up sitting up and stretching a little, which proved that she was still sore, but that it wasn't bad.  Before, she'd hurt everywhere, to the point that she didn't want to move.  Now, it was far more manageable, and less urgent in her mind.  Maybe she'd get a hot bath, too. 

"Thanks, Matt," she told him, leaning up for a friendly kiss on the cheek before she slipped off of the table somewhat gingerly.  Yep, still a little sore, but Matt had definitely worked wonders.  These clothes were going to have to go in the trash as soon as she got home, which was going to mean another visit to the store.  Guh.

It was Michael, of all people, who surprised her.  She'd actually been trying to figure out how she was going to get home, as well as how up to driving she felt.  She'd have done it, without complaining as well, but she wasn't looking forward to it.  Michael's offer was delightful, though it meant she'd have to take a cab into work the next day.  Even so, she was more than willing to accept.  "That'd be amazing, Michael.  Thank you," she told him, watching him sniff his jacket and smiling.  She'd noticed the smell as well, but there was one difference.

"I actually like the smell of lit matches," she told him, and that was where Matt might actually get his OWN ammunition for teasing back.  If Michael didn't roast him first.

[Michael Light]

Michael held his arm out for Melissa to take, mostly because he was still old fashioned. He cast a warning glance at Matthew, who held his hands up and looked innocent, before beginning to clean up the small station he'd made for Melissa.

"Well then, m'dear, shall we?" he asked. With a nod from her, he sucked them both from the room to the door of her apartment. The sensation would normally have left her nauseous, possibly, even faint, but Michael had taken extra care to lay some power on her, acting as a buffer for the 'warp' he'd made. It made him a little dizzy, but it was better than the alternative, and considering Matthew couldn't zap himself around, it didn't make sense for him to put Melissa through anymore undue stress.

"That was fast," he commented comically, releasing her so she could get inside. "I suppose I'll... see you tomorrow? Unless you'd like me to hang around in case that man comes back," he added. He wasn't trying to get anything out of her, of course. Michael was a couch sort of fellow.

[Melissa Arthur]

Michael may have held his arm out for Melissa to take because he was old-fashioned, but Melissa thought it was incredibly....cute?  Well, she thought a lot of the things Michael did were cute, but in a masculine kind of way.  He was entertaining, and nice, and he did things that seemed entirely unexpected out of someone with the potential for such a severe disposition, not to mention his age and power.  Unless you knew him, you'd have no idea it was coming, and she liked that.  Though she usually refrained, he made her want to giggle sometimes, and she hadn't ever been much of a giggly girl before.

Weird.  She felt like an idiot, it was official.

She was actually a little surprised that the 'trip' was so smooth, having been in pretty bad shape the first time he'd done it, and chuckled a little at his comment before pulling a key out of a crack in the molding near the door.  Everyone put their keys in obvious places, so she tried to leave the spare somewhere a little more...unique, and her purse was in her office.  She'd known better than to take it with her to Jacob's job. 

"You can come in, if you'd like," she offered.  She didn't want to TELL him to stay, even if she was nervous about that crazy vampire.  She hadn't really seen him fall, so she only knew what she'd been told, and it HAD been a bit of a traumatic experience.  She didn't want to sound like a 'stupid girl', but she definitely wouldn't mind having Michael hang around.  Besides, she liked him, and as long as he didn't mind her changing into PJs, he was welcome to stay.

[Michael Light]

"I was actually going to suggest that I stay. It isn't like we really need to sleep, or anything," he said, though in truth, he was a little exhausted. He'd been using his power carelessly tonight, with little regard for the consequence, and that always meant he felt it a few hours later. "I can just hang out in the living room, if you want," he said, following her in.

"I forgot my pajamas, though. I didn't know we were going to have a sleepover, or I'd have invited Matthew. You know how he likes to talk about boys and do nails," he said, his voice completely deadpan. He waited a moment before cracking a smile at Melissa. He was trying to cheer her up, but he figured she was happy to still have use of her legs, so this was just a bonus.

[Melissa Arthur]

It was true, she was pretty thrilled at her ability to walk around her apartment as she lead him in, but that wasn't what was on her mind.  Sure, it was in the back of her mind, everything about the day, but it wasn't in the front.  What was?

She was going to have Michael Light staying over.

It took an effort on her part, but she resisted the urge to giggle at his deadpan joke, though she definitely laughed at it.  The idea of Matt talking about boys and doing nails?  The poor guy.  It wasn't still funny, but she did feel a short pang of sympathy.

Okay, sympathy over.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we can manage without him, and I MIGHT have something here that'll work for you.  My brother's a little disorganized, and I'm sure he left some clothes here the last time he stayed for awhile," she commented, heading for her laundry area before digging through a pile in the closet that was basically just 'extra crap I don't need'  She definitely had sweatpants and a t-shirt she'd swiped from him on purpose, and it was those that she offered to the vampire.  "Do you want a shower?  I don't mind that match-smell, but you seem to," she offered, gesturing towards the bathroom. 

Even after all that trauma, such a good hostess!

[Michael Light]

"I don't see how you don't mind it," he said, accepting the clothing she'd offered him. "Some of the humans at Single Earth think I'm a demon," he said with a laugh. "It's a novelty the first few times, but the sulfur tends to bother most people after a while," he said. "I figure it'd aggravate you more considering your sense of smell is a bit more keen than most," he gestured to her nose.

"Did you want to take a shower first? You certainly deserve it," he said with a laugh. He would rather have her fast asleep before he tended to his own needs - if she decided to go outside while he was indisposed, and that crazy priest snatched her..  He wouldn't be happy.