Living in the Past

@ dancingskiingwriter

[It's alright! I've been pretty busy, too.]

"Ugh.. You know.. Nevermind." She shook her head thinking that her idea of his IQ had just dropped again. He couldn't understand any of her jokes and she didn't even make them that often! "Just... Just drive already. I don't want to waste anymore time." Veronica rested her head in one head as she continued to beckon him to move.

--

Nick let out the tense in his muscles once she had finally agreed to let him be apart of the baby's life. Phew, that was another expense he no longer had to pay. "Sure, that's fine. You just have to let me be a part of its life though. Remember, this is an agreement that we can't go back on. You have to promise me that." He looked down at her stomach where he was child was growing inside of before letting them flicker back to her face. "Can I touch?"

Sam looked at her and started to chuckle slightly as she seemed so annoyed with him. She didn't think he was serious, did she? He wasn't that dumb! He knew what it meant. "Vampires don't really get sarcasm, do they?" He said with a chuckle. "I was completely being sarcastic - you'll get used to it. I'm usually sarcastic about things."

Emma gulped a little as he said that she couldn't go back on this. What was she supposed to do if it didn't work on? She couldn't even think about it... It scared her... When he asked about touching her stomach, she blushed and then bit her lip. "Yes..." She said timidly. She couldn't deny him of that. The baby was his as much as hers. That thought didn't make her feel any less awkward though.

@ dancingskiingwriter

In turn, she was the one who felt a bit dumb at the moment for not picking it up. Her serious persona didn't quite understand the idea of 'sarcasm' unless she was the one who was using it herself. "O-Of course I knew that. I just don't want to waste any time, like I said." Veronica quickly covered it up not wanting her flaw to show.

--

He reached forward against the gap between them before settling his hand on her stomach where the baby was growing inside. Of course, it wasn't too noticeable yet but he could still feel the bump starting to form and it amazed him that it was even possible to have something grow inside. Nick had barely passed Biology his freshman year to begin with. "You already have a small bump.." He mindlessly started not sure what else to say about it.

Sam smiled and nodded his head. "Of course - of course you knew it." He said with a chuckle and then went out to the car, getting in. "Sorry about that." He smiled lightly. He liked knowing that he could tease her like that. It would certainly make this job a bit more fun. "You'll catch on to my sarcasm at some point - otherwise it's going to be a long case..."

Emma looked away from him, anywhere but him, as he placed his hand on her stomach. It felt weird to have anyone other than her accepting mother touching her stomach already - even though she knew this would probably be the first of many. "Yeah... Im only two months though... Hopefully it's a while before it's really noticeable." She sighed, pulling away. "Listen - what are you doing for housing? I'm certainly not letting my child visit you outside a store... Anyways - at some point you need to provide for this baby too!"

@ dancingskiingwriter

She nodded pretending that she had known, once again not sensing his sarcasm. "That's okay." Veronica slightly frowned at him since she did know what sarcasm was and wasn't about to let him think otherwise. "I do know sarcasm. I will catch onto it every single time you say it."

--

"I think you should be fine. We only have a few months before we graduate anyway." Nick told her as he finally pulled his hand away still a little bewildered by it. He glanced at the ground knowing that it wasn't a good thing that he was in this position. "I know.. I know. It's just.. my mom keeps kicking me out of the house and I don't know what to do."

Sam smirked slightly and nodded his head. "Of course you do." He said with a serious tone. He thought it was slightly funny that the vampire didn't catch on to these things. He was going to try to not be sarcastic - at least to give her a chance to be nice about it. He ended up at the first close club and stopped the car. "Ready?"

Emma blushed and nodded her head. Her own hand replaced the spot of her stomach that his hand had once been touching. It was just a natural thing... It made her feel safer. "Right." She said softly and then sighed at his words. "Maybe... Maybe - you should move in. We have a spare room... Not forever - just until you can get an apartment or something - but I'm not having the father of my child sleeping on a street corner..."

@ dancingskiingwriter

Veronica felt accomplished since they had finally agreed upon something for once. Although, she couldn't sense that he had been joking again. "More than ever." She said as she slid out of the passenger's seat to size up the first club. It was pretty shabby like the rest in the downtown area. Veronica thought it was pretty obvious that the club had a lower class of people attending every night.

--

Glancing up at her from the ground, Nick couldn't help but be taken aback by her suggestion. Had she actually offered him a place to stay until he got a job? This was definitely not the Emma he had been with. It was actually pleasant to him. "Yeah. That may be a good idea.. Thanks. I need some space from my family."

Sam was still just finding all of this so entertaining. At least if he had to work with a partner - it was mostly fun getting to work with a vampire one. She was so oblivious to his joking and seriousness, so he could really mess with her. He had always thought they were like mind readers or something... Not so dumb. "I don't think it's this one." He said as soon as they were out of the car, but they might as well go in.

As soon as she had said it, she regretted it. That was giving him too much room to mess around... She needed him to be serious for their child - and honestly, she didn't know if she could handle it. If they were still together she would've done it without question, but she didn't know now. "Just for the time being," she repeated. "Until you get a job."

@ dancingskiingwriter

She had her doubts as well but they couldn't just rule out a place just based upon its looks. "I say we have a look just in case. We should stick together though. This place doesn't seem... friendly." Veronica couldn't think of a better word to fit the eerie atmosphere that emitted from the building. There were no windows except for the one near the entrance that was encased in metal bars. It seemed quite dead for the time of day.

--

Nick nodded his head understanding that it wouldn't be permanent, "I know. I appreciate it though. It will ease the burden off of my back for a little while." The next step was to actually find a job that he could keep for more than two weeks. Every time his anger always got the best of him resulting in the loss of a job.

Sam felt accomplished that she seemed to agree. That meant that they might finally get along about something! "It's just not the right place - too dingy for our victims I suppose." He said softly, but he nodded. "Yeah - I need you to be my vampire body guard!" He teased, nudging her in the side lightly.

Emma felt a little better. Well, this wasn't the way she had expected to have a child - but they would deal with it... "I know - now I've got to shop." She said softly. "I need chocolate - cravings are...terrible already." She wished she would have a stable boyfriend who would be there for all of that with her - but she didn't see it in Nick...and he hated her anyway.

@ dancingskiingwriter

"Exactly. It seems to shady... too obvious." She narrowed her eyes slightly as she started towards the door and cracked it open to peer on the inside. It was dark except for the flickering light that tried to illuminate against the darkness. Veronica glanced towards to the bar to see a bartender looking like he might die from the bore of the job. "Remember, we aren't supposed to see each other as a vampire or human."

--

Nick gave a small nod not exactly sure what else to talk about. The conversation was taking a turn for the awkward as he moved over to allow her to pass. "Emma... Thanks.. really. I mean it." He did truly admire the fact that she was allowing him to sleepover despite their history. If it had been reversed, he couldn't have promised that he would have done the same.

Sam was happy they were being agreeable with one another. That was a nice thing. He nodded his head in agreement. "It's just not the right place. It seems too low-key for your victims, I imagine." He said, and then he chuckled as he heard her complain about his words. "Then fine - just be my plain, old bodyguard, I don't care!" He teased.

Emma sighed and bit her lip as she started to walk away to go into the store. She felt so awkward with him... Why did he have to make things so complicated? Sure, she hated everyday when she had to remember that this was his child, but she felt even more responsible if he was going to abuse her baby. "It's just temporary, Nick..." She said softly, shaking her head. "Please tell me you're serious about raising this child. I already love him or her... And I need you to be serious too."

@ dancingskiingwriter

"Well, what other clubs are around this area?" She asked since this one seemed like a no-go on the lead that they had received. Victoria gave a frown since he was being too loud and his voice bounced off of the walls of the club. "Shhh. I don't exactly want to attract unwanted attention."

--

He felt the anger start to bubble inside of him again. He had already given her his promise and she was still trying to question him? Involuntarily, Nick frowned at Emma as he was trying to make it more obvious that he was serious about it,"Yes, Emma. I am serious. I wouldn't joke around about something like this."

Sam rolled his eyes at her teasingly as she scolded him for being "too loud". It was a club. Most people were loud anyways - and he certainly didn't care. He could take anyone who was going to cause some troubles. He was trained to fight - and he had a vampire partner! "There are three all in type of triangular pattern around the town. They're all close to where they were killed, so we can check all of them."

Emma breathed a sigh, not knowing if it was smart to really trust him or not. She wanted to, but it was impossible to completely believe him with his track record. "Fine - I'm sorry... It's just really important to me - and I don't want you to hurt my - our... Child." She had to add it... Maybe it would make him feel more strongly about it if he realized it was his too.

@ dancingskiingwriter

Victoria nodded her head as she glided back from the door, letting it fall behind her softly. "You're the driver so I'm going to assume you know where your going. After you." She gestured to the car before following shortly behind him.

--

"And this is important to me. People change all the time and, maybe, it will occur to you that I have changed. It's been months." Nick pointed out to her as he fought back the urge to glare at her. The hostility he felt would just hinder his chances of getting away with paying the child support.

Sam chuckled and nodded his head. "I do indeed!" He said with a sarcastically dry tone as they climbed into the car. "Now where to first - club a or club b? Both seem to have equal potential in my book!"

Emma sighed and nodded her head. "I just... Why couldn't you change for me?" She asked in a broken tone. "You were so certain I only wanted to hurt you, and that I was some monster - I don't know what part you want in a child that will be half like me too."

@ dancingskiingwriter

"No idea. My first guess turned about to be a complete miss.." She sighed as she fastened in seat belt.

--

Nick sighed as he started to feel his head swimming with so many questions. Why did she always have so many questions for him about what he was doing or why? "Emma, it isn't that simple. I can't just 'change for you'. I had some problems that I was dealing with. The child isn't automatically like the parents."

Sam chuckled. "Aw - no reason to be sour! I'm sure you'll figure out the next clue!" He smiled over at her and shrugged. "Fine - then we'll start at the one designated as club a and then go to club b afterwards!" He teased.

Emma frowned and nodded her head. He couldn't change for her... He had never felt anything for her, so he couldn't change for her. She was always stupid to think that he would... "You're right... Maybe it won't be anything like me at all..." She said softly. She just wished he knew she was sincere. She was in love with him.

@ dancingskiingwriter

"I am not being 'sour'." She insisted as she crossed her arms over her chest and glanced out off the window. Veronica was not used to be wrong about her instincts. It was unusual for her to be off about certain things, but it might have just been the fact that Sam was there. "Yeah, that sounds fine."

He wished that he could mimic the frown that had spread across her face since her request had been ridiculous. Change for her? She should have changed for him! "Just as the child may not be anything like me neither. Alright?" Nick glanced over at the supermarket before looking back at her. "So, do you need some help with carrying stuff? I figured that I might as well be useful to you if I am getting a roof over my head."

Sam chuckled at her. He had to admit - she was quite cute when she was pouting the way that she was. He would never admit that to her, but it was rather cute. "If you say so," he shrugged as he drove to the club that seemed the most eligible in his opinion.

Emma sighed and looked down from him. Saying that wasn't getting them anywhere. No - the baby would be like both of them, because they were both the biological parents. "Sure, that sounds fine." She said as she walked away from him, into the market. In the back of her mind, she made a list. All of the things that would need to be done - including the nursery.