The "Treehouse"

David kept his pace, but the wolves were slowing down. They had still made good time however. Amazingly, they had reached the thick of the forest in a few minutes of running. David shook hi shead at Sessi's question. "Later," he panted. He stopped running as soon as the wolves did, and bent over, clutching his knees and breathing heavily. He wasn't sure how to respond to Sessi, so he just smiled. When he was recovered from the run, he looked up to find that they were standing between the trees, a perfectly ordinary patch of trees except...they were huge. THe trees must gradually get bigger and bigger towards the middle because of the spreading of the forest. Steven and Megan studied the tree trunks for a moment. Steven nodded to Megan who backed off a little. The alpha jumped at the trre, extended his claws, and dug them deep into the park. He got a good grip and began climbing the tree, but it appeared more like running straight up it. He was fast. No more than 10 seconds had passed when he disappeared, probably into some sort of hole in the trunk. Megan sauntered up to David, but instead looked at Megan. "Will you carry him or shall I?" she asked sneeringly, knowing he would not be able to get up himself.

Looking up Sessi stared at the top of the tree. and then stared at the female wolf with a frown. "I'll carry him." She said standing near David. Her feet had carried her this far, and she isn't about to let a wolf show her up even if they do rival her speed and strength. honey eyes looking up while holding both her and David's bag now. She looked at the wolf as though not bothered of threatened by the female; but in truth she was a little annoyed with her choice of words before.

David watched the exchange between Sessi and Megan nervously. He was nervous that they weren't getting along, but mostly he was anticipating being carried who knows how high, vertically up a gigantic tree. He glanced between Sessi and Megan once more, not even ab;e to think of something comedic to break the tension. Megan finally turned away. David heard her chuckle to herself as she jumped at the tree and scaled it in a perfect image of Steven. David looked at Sessi. "So, erm..." He stared at the tall swaying branches of the tree behind him and then back at Sessi.

"Wrap your arms around my neck. I may be stiff but I'm not weak." Sessi said looking at David with a smile. She was trying to make a little smile appear on his face since she saw the way he looked when he thought she was dead. The smell of pine and wolves filled her nose, she didn't mind them as long as there wasn't a large cat. Looking over to David she held his hand for a moment. "It's ok. I haev never dropped anyone. And I carried Anna from Russia to Rome in two days not stopping." Sessi explained trying to push the bad days aside to at least cheer David up a little. Bottling up feelings is something she does best.

He grinned at her. "I know you won't drop me." He slung his arms around her neck, careful not to strangle her even though it would probably do nothing to a vampire anyway. "When will I be the one who can do something that everyone else can't?" he grumbled to himself. "You sure you're alright, Ses?" he asked.

Sessi smiles at David as she spoke, his arms wrapped around her neck as she stared up the tree. "I'm fine. Just need to sit for a while or something. Hang on." Sessi said as she dug her nails into the tree and flung them up towards the only branch. From there she climbed. "You can. First one ever to block me out. You can keep secrets, no one else can." Sessi winked at him when she turned her head for a second. Climbing up and up she found where they were going.

David rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the fact that they were several stories above the ground. "That hardly counts for anything." He was trying to push away thoughts of everything until he could sit by himself and think about them. Now was not the time for a mental breakdown. Eventually they reached a branch that sprouted from the trunk just below a large opening. This is where they'd been before. Now that David was fully conscious, he could see that the structure was not completely a part of the tree. It had been built skillfully and he could see that there were other similar structures in the surrounding trees, all at various altitudes. When Sessi got to the branch, David let go of her and balanced carefully. He tumbled into the opening and landed in the room. It was still night, but David would guess it was past midnight by now. He was tired after such a long day. Steven and Megan were in one corner of the room, keeping watchful eyes on Sessi. They weren't happy with heaving her here. Showing her their makeshift home. Adam was on the other side of the room, a large cluster of items at his feet. David squinted and saw that they were his belongings that hadn;t fit in his duffel bag. Adam must have gone into his room and gotten them.

entering the make shift home, she looked at everything and then at the owners at the lovely home. Bowing her head in respect like she always did normally when entering someone's home, she treated this the same since they were the hosts and she was the guest. Picking up little bits and pieces of not being wanted, she wasn't going to leave DAvid. Placing their bags near the wall, she sat against a certain wall this way she couldn't get in trouble. Keeping her eyes on david, she put her head on her knees just pushing away everything that has happened that day and the day before. It was not the best week of her life, losing her family having david's mother die she just pushed it aside.

David was about to go comfort Sessi when Steven spoke. "David. Now is time to rest." There was a finality in his tone that David could not ignore. "Come," said the wolf and exited the room through a similar opening on the other side. David looked back at Sessi, inviting her to come with his eyes. he followed Steven out of the tree onto a branch that was worn flat on top. It was wide enough to stand on, but up here, the wind was strong. David shrank back against the trunk so he wouldn't fall. Steven stood on four paws near the end of the branch, fur blowing in the wind. "You can make it," he said and trotted the remainder of the branch, leaping through an opening in an adjacent tree. David didn't believe him until he remembered Megan's words in his ear. He frowned and set his shoulders. Glancing to see if Sessi had followed, he walked along the branch without looking down. He swayed a little near the end, but made it nonetheless. he dove through the opening and landed on his stomach in the next room. It was a pathetic landing, but at least he'd made it. Steven was looking down at him with satisfaction.

Hearing one speak, Sessi looked up to David leaving the room. Grabbing David and her's bag she didn't know if he would need them or not. Following him, she made sure not to frown or seem disrespectful in the house of wolves. But in her head from what Vladimir was thinking, it made her worry about David. How they never age after they are bitten by their kind, like vampires except able to hide behind the fur. Following David she stayed a little behind him incase the wolves told her to leave. which she would not. Jumping over the area she landed a little behind David. "May I ask wolf? Your name? Who is the alpha of this pack?" She asked with such respect people would think she was a servant.

David pushed himself up and turned to see Sessi beside him. He was glad she had come. Steven was not looking at David anymore, now he was looking at Sessi and thinking about her questions. "My name is Steven. I am Alpha." Then he walked right past them without so much as a passing glance and disappeared into the darkness of the intertwined branches. David smiled weakly at Sessi and then turned his attention to the room they stood in. This one was darker, with only one opening. The ceiling was lower, though high enough to stand in. The wooden walls had been worn to the point that it was difficult to tell what was tree and what was built. He was amazed byt he spectacle, but too tired to wonder about it more. "I need sleep," he said, yawning. David saw his bag in Sessi's hand. "Thanks," he breathed gratefully and took it from her. One area of the room was hollowed out a bit with a blanket and pillow lying in the middle. he wondered if the wolves slept in these as well. For some reason, the thought saddened him. Suddenly he wasn't tired anymore. He stood fully upright and spoke quietly and hesitantly. "What do you think of all this?"

Sessi bowed to Steven with a calm look on her face. "Pleasure Steven. I look forward to spending time with everyone here. Though I know you wolves must not be fond of vampires, as long as David is happy and safe. I will do what I can to help." Sessi promised as she walked into the small room where David stood. He took the bag from her as she sat on down looking at David. When he asked the question, she looked around the room and smile. "Free and nice. anywhere is great as long as I'm with you." She smiled, but deep inside she wanted to go kill Maria for what she had done and well as her old friend. She couldn't believe that her own sister turned on her like that, and almost got David killed. With everything that has happened, she just wanted to curl up somewhere and sleep but she can't sleep. Vampire's never rest. Looking at David she put her false smile back on. "You sleep. I'll just sit here and probably hum." She said thinking about what is going to be happening.

David didn't quite believe that she was satisfied with this, but decided not to press the point. If she wanted to say more ont he subject, she would. David wasn't quite happy at this outcome either. He would have given anything to- Don't think about it, he scolded himself. "Alright," he finally answered. He still didn't feel tired, but perhaps her hum would act as a lulluby. Just as he had settled down into the hollow and pulled the blanket over himself, Adam entered the room, a man entered the room. Well, a boy really. David was shocked, but then he saw that the boy had all of his stuff with him. He dropped it in a heap on the floor of what David supposed was his bedroom. A call echoed through the room, coming from somewhere outside. "Adam!" it called again. The boy turned and made a signal with his hands in response. That's Adam? he'd forgotten they all had human forms as well. Relieved, he nodded to Adam, but Adam didn't go. Instead, he pulled something from behind his back. In amazement, David realized it was his guitar. "Thank you!" he exclaimed. How could he have forgotten it! Adam smiled a little and leaned the guitar against the wall/trunk and exited. He gave Sessi an annoyed look before he left.

Seeing what happened, Sessi's eyes looked at all the stuff and the two leaving. The glance made her feel more unwelcomed than anything; standing up she went to the side of where David was going to sleep, sitting down in a traditional japanese still as though she was waiting. "I guess they got to get use to me. I'm so out of my element." Sessi said looking at the stuff on the floor again and then at DAvid. she felt so out of place with the wolves, but did her best to show respect in the house of wolves. "Glad you got some of your items still." Looking at her bracelet she remembered a lullaby that one of her old brother's made her. "We can sit up a while if you are not tired." She told him as her voice became like a serene angel as she hummed a sweet lullaby that sounded so nice to anyones ears that normally heard it.

David pulled himself into more of a sitting position and rested on his elbows. "Something you want to talk about?" he asked. He knew it must be hard for her, same as it was for him. They'd both lost their family today. At least he knew his mother would have stuck up for him and been there for him. He listened to her singing for a minute, waiting for her answer peacefully.

"Yes." Sessi told him as she looked at him sadly. "I want to say, I know its hard to see what you have seen. And know how it feels to lose what you love so much. Seeing your mother like that, reminded me of when I watched mine die." Sessi sat close to him putting her head on his arm while playing with her bracelet, taking it off. she had heard his mother's mind many times worried and always thinking about her son when she wasn't thinking about her job. She didn't really know what to say, but it kept what else was btohering her bottle up inside as she looked at the bracelet in her hands. "Like a person along time ago said to me. Stand strong, stand tall, and never give up. When the darkness holds you down, find what brings in the light and never let go." She forced a smile as she put her bracelet in her bag in its case. "you are the only light right now keeping me sane." Sessi told him trying to push the others back in her head as she didn't want to think about really what has been going on.

He didn't really want to talk about his mom, but after hearing her words, he felt better. He knew he would probably be in an awful state tomorrow and then next day and probably the next, but he had Sessi here. it made all the difference. he watched her play with her bracelet in her hands when he listened. He lifted his arm from under her head and wrapped it around her shoulder instead. He squeezed her against him for a moment and then just let his arm lie across her shoulder. "I wish I were brighter..." he said softly, following her analogy.

Sessi hugged him with one arm and smiled at the last part. "To me you are brighter than anything. But right now, things have happened. So like Hiro said, when in the dark search for a light. Even if it seems impossible you'll find something." Sessi winks pulling a cd out of her bag and giving it to David. It was some things she made for him, if she could blush her face would be like a cherry right now. She enjoyed his hug after what happened earlier, but his sad and scared face still shot in her head once in a while when he thought she was dead. "At least this time when all had been lost, we're not alone. I am happy right here. Even surrounded by people who don't like me." She meant that towards the wolves as her black hair was now almost straight from not curling it for a few days. She didn't mind, it wasn't like anyone cared about what her hair looked like anyway. She gave David a kiss on the cheek and then smiled "Even if I got to do it alone, I'll fight Maria and Julian."

David smiled hearing that he was her light in the darkness, but couldn't think of a way to follow that up. He let the cd rest in his hand as he looked at it. He would have listened to it then and there, but he didn't have a player with him. "WHat's this?" he asked curiously. He listened to her again, loving her voice. He chuckled at her assessment of the wolves' opinion. "If they don't like you, they'll just have to get used to it if they want me here." He frowned when she brought up Maria and Julian. "You won't go alone."

Sessi looked away with an almost blushing kind of look on her face. "A few songs I wrote for you." Sessi said as she looked at David trying not to seem embarrassed, but the other comments she didn't know what he meant by she isn't going to fight alone. but smirked when she heard that the wolves have to deal with her being there if they want him to stay. Though her mind began to wonder why they wanted him; she couldn't read his mind to find out but she was curious to why he was so important to the werewolves. "I made it the night before the theatre." she put two fingers on the ends of his lips and pushed up making a smile appear. "There's David." She tapped his nose with her finger not thinking about the problems mainly right now as she pushed them aside in her head. Remembering that she is not going to twirl his hair anymore, she forced herself not to reach for his hair. "I love your expressions."

He looked at the cd in his hand again. "Thank you," he said, astonished. He didn't know she'd done that. He walked over to his guitar case and opened it, finding the cd case inside with all his music. He slid the cd in and placed the guitar case back against the wall gingerly. He returned to the other side of the room and sat down by Sessi again. he pulled away from her hand when she made him smile and blushed, an actual smile on his face. The smile faded quickly though, with the weight of the day's events on his shoulders. He looked away from her and sighed. "I probably should sleep," he said, disappointed.

Seeing him smile for just a moment made her happy that she could at least bring a little joy to him during this dark day. Nodding her head, she knew that humans had to sleep. "I'll stay right here. Still a little stiff from that (insert bad word) shock." Sessi said as she leaned back looking at David with Honey eyes. The animals that she had caught would sustain her for a couple of days as long as she doesn't see human blood or do anything too stupid. turning her head, she remembered that he couldn't sleep with someone watching.

David chuckled. Sessi didn't seem much the swearing type. He kissed her on the cheek quickly saying, "Goodnight Sessi," and moved over to the blankets and pillow. He stretched out in the hollow and pulled the blanket over himself. Then again, she didn't seem much the vampire type either. Smiling to himself, he rolled onto his side. Weird how he kept ending up sleeping in his clothes. He at least pulled his sweatshirt off, laying it next to his strange new bed. It was difficult to sleep here, knowing he was high in the air and in a strange place with wolves capable of eating people and a vampire beside his bed. Nevertheless, he closed his eyes and drifted off eventually.

As soon as David was asleep, she went into her bag and played with the charms on her bracelet singing quiet lullabies in japanese. After a while she put it away wondering what to do next. Going into her bag, cause she isn't keen on going through David's stuff she found a photo album and decided to take a look at it. There were funny moments like went Wesley discovered his hair had gone from straight to curly. Where Julian had gotten covered in flour when he tried to help Anna make a cake. All the happy moments flowed back to her, but then she pushed them aside and put the album away. Still singing quietly in japanese as she heard some voices in town and vague thoughts from the wolves in the rest of the house. She knew that they didn't want her there, but they would have to deal with it. She wouldn't harm them unless David was harmed by one. finding a book in a pile on the floor of David's stuff she picked it up and began reading it.

((Time Skip)

David awoke the next morning to a dark room. he had not slept well. Nightmares of wolves, vampires, and death haunted him throughout his sleep. It took him a few seconds to remember where he was and why he was so sore. Stupid wooden floors. He sat up and blinked a few times, his weak night vision slowly kicking in. "Sessi?" he whispered, unable to see her in the tree room. What if the wolves had done something to her? He kicked the blankets off of himself and stood up, but it was too fast. The floor felt like it wobbled underneath him. He had to put a hand to his touseled head to regain his balance.