New Years Day (Panne/Closed)

[Alex Stone]

January 1st, nightime, 2012

It was New Years Day and it was not pleasant. Rain was pouring down as it usually did this time of year, and Alex could see his breath in the cold night air. It was about 41 degrees out here, which was not unusual for January. All in all, it was pretty miserable out. Alex held a black umbrella over his head, rubbing his right hand over his left that held it in an attempt to get warmer. He had black gloves on, but it didn't seem they were working. The umbrella itself was barely big enough for Alex as it was. His thick coat was pretty bright, being white and all. Sadly, it looked a little worse for wear. Alex had been using that same coat for a long time. He didn't feel the need to replace it, after all.

Still, he was in a hurry to go home. He had just finished treating himself to a nice dinner on his usual route home. Some nice Spicy restaurant. It was pretty fancy, and Alex rarely ever treated himself like that. But now? Now he was hurrying home. He hadn't brought his bike with him tonight, so he had to walk. By now, he was about 10 minutes away.

[Xerath]

New Years.. did it mean anything? The droplets fell from the sky and pelted the ground. This year was to wash away the year before? But what was time? It was a vague void that blurred each day into the next. Even as the moon peaked up behind the raining clouds, Panne felt nothing. As long as she could remember, she had spent New Years alone. NO friends, no family. There was NOTHING.

She sought shelter within the confines of an alley, beside a dumpster. The roof edge above her gave little to know help in evading the rain. In the end she had ended up soaked, wither way. A coat on her lap tried to help and keep her warm and yet- Nothing could come. Of all the pain in her chest, the swelling pressure that made it hard to breathe wouldn't release. It haunted her; taunted her by pulling her down into the abyss of void and giving nothing but the pangs of jealousy and sadness.

Shadows passed; laughing and enjoying the night. Elsewhere, people set off small firecrackers (probably on their porches). Her dark eyes looked away and she returned her stares to the empty alleyway, where her only company was that of stray dogs and cats. Not hospitable but better than other humans. At least the animals realized she was alive and addressed her half of the time. The rain kept falling. Life kept rushing by and she couldn't care less.

[Alex Stone]

As Alex made his way down the road, something caught his eyes. Down in the ally across from him, was a girl. Not just any girl, but there was something familiar about her. So hauntingly familiar. She didn't seem to see him- didn't seem to see anything for that matter, Her eyes drifting sightlessly, dead to the world. He was drifting in a sea of hate and despair, and would eventually die in it.

Alex couldn't have that. He remembered being where she was, at the point of no return. However, he put a smile on, the same smile that followed him even now. Her eyes had by now turned back to the rubbish around her, the poor filthy animals living in there. He walked forward, his steps quick and graceful.

Suddenly, the rain wasn't pouring on Panne's head anymore.

If she were to look up, she'd see a now soaking wet, smiling face beaming at her, holding the umbrella over her head with his other hand offered for here."Why are you out here all alone? You'll die in this weather."

[Xerath]

The rain had stopped.. oddly enough only over her own head. Panne was no idiot so to think that rain would stop in just one small island in the alley, she was sure there ha to be a better reason. "Why are you out here all alone? You'll die in this weather." There was a voice, that beckoned to her, only to attract the sour look from her dark eyes. She looked clearly displeased at the man, not thankful. A vast majority would be grateful for such a thing, but instead, she stared with her suspicious eyes. Indeed, she wasn't too kind to the nice man.

"What do you care?" She snorted and glared away. "If I vanish, it'll just be another statistic on the boards. Besides you're a hypocrite saying that, while letting the rain soak you. Hurry home to your family. I'm sure they miss you on such a glorious New Years." Sarcasm flooded her words like a vast ocean from her mouth. She didn't want anything to do with some strange man who just offered his hand to some stranger on a holiday. He probably was going to go home and drink. Or was this some sick resolution some people had?

[Alex Stone]

A laugh escaped the lips of Alexander Stone. Go home to family? A hypocrite? Why, Alex was none of those things. Had none of those things. His smile seemed to get even bigger as he replied to the girl, "I have no family. They're all dead. But that's okay. If you died tonight, [i[I'd[/i] miss you. So come one." With that, he grabs her hand, pulling her up gently. He smiled sweetly at her, portraying his intent and want to help her. "New Years means nothing to me. I just want to help you."

[Xerath]

"I have no family. They're all dead. But that's okay. If you died tonight, I'd miss you. So come on."

Wh-what? Panne was instantly dumbfounded. Her eyes wide as saucers when she looked at him and a sting of tears pulled at her. W-what was that? A hand pressed to hers and she could feel something. If only for a minute.

Panne, I'd miss you if I died. A voice called to her from the back of her mind from an unrecognizable voice. A blur flashed through her mind of someone she must've known... but nothing normal by any means. Her head ached dully and she grimaced at the oncoming headache, but a tear came to her face. Damn, crying- she thought she was unable to? It vanished just as soon as it started, but her voice betrayed her.

"How- can you say something like that? I'm just a street urchin without a past or future." She ran a wet sleeve over her eyes and tried hard to hide the fact she was feeling anything. "You don't know anything about me, you can't miss something you don't know." She paused and tried hard to look angry, but look more hurt. "In fact if I had died tonight you wouldn't have even known me!"

[Alex Stone]

Slipping off his coat, he slipped it around the shivering girl to give her more body warmth. She needed it bad. He'd press himself against her but that would be a bad idea. She needed a little space, but some comfort. She was standing down, and walking with him and dry, even though he was wet. That was fine, though. He was okay with that.

She felt she had no past or future? Alex would show her otherwise. "That..." He began, pointing at the allyway far back, "Is your past. This..." Here, he flourished to show himself and his apartment complex, which looked nice enough, "Is your future. There you have one!" He sounded so happy and sincere, anyone could tell he honestly meant every word.

"I know you thought you had no past or future. I know that you were sitting on the cold, unforgiving floor in the rain and cold all alone. I know that you're afraid of me helping you... Then vanishing from your life. I can see these thing in your eyes... They reflect the ones I used to have." His apartment is now unlocked, and he helped the girl inside, closing the door behind them.

"I miss my parents... But I barely remember them at all. I know more about you than I do them. They died when I was four... And my aunt lied to me about it all until I was 8, when I figured it out. Then, she betrayed me, and abandoned me to the streets. I've had this apartment since I was 13. If I had died back then, then no one would have cared. So now I care. I survived, so I'll help you thrive. I'll get you a job where I work. We can split rent, and you can live again. Make a life yourself!" Alex was so passionate, so happy and expressional. His words filled the air, pumped the atmosphere with positive energy.

"I believe in you."

[Xerath]

Hos coat was around her, which was strange. Why was he offering so much to someone he didn't know? Her eyes were blank and clueless. She really was just dumb-stricken with the dull contusion the man managed to cause in her. Like ripples in a stagnant pond. Something was stirring in her, which made a sort of hiccup in her throat. She followed him silently. Her hand remained in his hand and he explained to her. That was her past, then this apartment was her future. It was foreign; strange, almost like a dream.

"I can see these thing in your eyes... They reflect the ones I used to have."

My eyes are so boring..

No, Panne, your eyes are beautiful. Stop being so jealous.

Jealousy? The voice was there again; paining in her stomach. She recognized it, but it vanished just as quickly. The thought dispersed into the headache she had. God why did that always happen? Her eye twitched some from the pain and her face twisted to the pain. Why- did she feel so much pain? Just from trying to recall, her head began to pound heavily. His life story was a sad one, but she couldn't really relate. His kind words were nearly on deaf ears. "I remember nothing." She spoke softly: barely audible above the rain. "My parents, friends, family. Nothing. I have nothing and came from nothing." She spoke darkly and looked at him pathetically.

"You can believe in something that doesn't even exist?"

[Alex Stone]

Alex, full of concern and care, hugged her dripping wet body to his dripping wet body. It wasn't an intimate hug between lover, or a hug between family. It was a simple, comforting hug, that silently begged her to open up, that it was alright to cry and trust in Alex. It was a special sort of hug. A hug of healing.

So Alex hugged this poor, broken girl, hugged her with all he had. Tears dripped from his eyes for HER sake. He cried for her. As he cried and hugged her with this special hug, he replied. It was simple, but profound, and he meant it all.

"Just because you don't remember it, doesn't mean it didn't exist. Sometimes, I loose things too. Eventually, they get found. Your memories are gone forever- you just lost them I'll help you find them, if you want. You can always make new memories to replace what you miss."

[Xerath]

Arms warmly wrapped around her. She was unsure how to react or respond. In instinct, she tensed and looked away. Why was he hugging her? Nobody had hugged her as long as she lived. Or at least.. as long as she could recall. Her eyes looked at him with both interest and confusion. What man simply brought a woman to his home- then hugged her and tried to push away any foul memories? Why was he being so kind. Nevertheless she was hugged and she in turn returned such affection.. somewhat.

"I.. guess.." was all she could really manage.

[Alex Stone]

Then, he released the poor girl. Putting his right hand on her left upper arm, he smiled down on her, and then walked over to his kitchen. Surprisingly, it was well stocked. Alex had a good number of groceries, and started to make spaghetti and meatballs. Panne was about to get a taste of some of the best homemade cooking out there.

"So," Alex began while chopping up some fresh basil he had gathered the other day, "What's your name. I'm Alexander Stone, but you can call me Alex." He then went on to preo more ingredients, getting it all ready. He'd barely even started, but it already smelled good.

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