The Ties That Bind

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Yvaine Bardwin

"He is getting my brother and sister something to eat." she replied to Iris. The woman was sucking down drinks like they were water. It was kind of uncomfortable! "Um. I'm 15." Yvaine wanted to correct the woman about her hair - she looked more like her mother! - but that wasn't a topic she wanted to bring up.

Yvaine was disappointed when Iris couldn't seem to get Iann on the phone. Seems he really did want to avoid dinner!

That was when Mr. Mackintosh appeared! She didn't want to be rude and duck out of dinner, so she eased in to a chair. Waving shyly at Mrs. Mackintosh, she repeated the answer she gave to Iris! "Feeding my siblings at the moment."

Soooo, awkward! Yvaine waited patiently for her Dad to show up... or an excuse to escape!
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[bg=#2F2B30][dash=#5D4463]Violet Stilwell

Violet did the proper thing of looking totally shocked and appalled by Rachel's behaving! Oh my, what a strange lady! But when Rachel was out of sight and Gunther the bodyguard handed her a tape, Violet couldn't help but crack a wide self-satisfied grin.

"Honestly, I've been waited for her to flip out like that for weeks. This is the best day of my life!" Violet admitted, slipped the videotape in to her purse. Now pleased as a cat, she picked up a glass of water to take a sip, and all of those very reporter-like questions she was supposed to ask flew out the window.

"I guess you must get a lot of us reporters and journalists harassing you all the time, huh? Although watching them get thrown out must be kind of fun."
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<fieldset>
<legend>
<b>Shades Hotel:</b> late afternoon / early evening
</legend>
“It does get tiring, and it especially fierce this time. Something to do with the civil disobedience at home.” he shrugged, and picked up him before blowing on it and took a sip, “If I may ask you a question Violet. Why do you think my uncle would allow this interview? Foreign press relations is not his department.” he sat back, the mug held in both hands just under his nose, its sweet scent wafting into his nostrils.</fieldset>
 
Iris was all smiles and very little attention span at this point and with more and more people showing up she hardly even noticed her driver walking toward them. He looked uneasy and like he was up to something. He walked over to Iris but she waved him off, she was clearly drunk as her long time friend Bernice introduced herself to Willis.

"Hello, Im Bernice, nice to meet all of you." she then turned her attention to Wilks before he walked away again. "Have you seen Iann, its not like him to miss a meal."

Wilks just shook his head and then turned to leave, but Iris grabbed him by his coat and laughed. "Well now where are you heading off too so fast" she cackled.

Bernice tried to act like Iris wasnt being a damn fool but it was getting harder and harder to do. "Ah Iris darling would you call Iann just once more for me please.."

Her soft tone and warm smile got Iris to comply and again she dialed Iann. To her surprise a phone rang in Wilks pocket. He jumped and tried to shut it off but the damange was done. He thought he had shut off the phone but he didnt know the buttons. Seems he just set the ringer to the loudest settling and it rang and rang in his coat pocket.

Iris let go like something had just bitten her and she glared at Wilks. "Where is my Iann!" she snapped. Her drunken silliness gone in a flash. Bernice grabbed Iris's hand and tried to calm her down before people started to stare. The resturant had enough of that already.

"I.." Wilks was trying to think of what to say.

"What have you done to my Iann" she damaned again her tone filled with rage as she slowly rose from her seat.

A terrifed Wilks stuttered under the pressure.. "He he... he.. he ran away.. I cant find him" he stammered as her eyes bore into him like hot spikes.

Bernice let out a small gasp as Iris shot her a *shut up look* Iris was shaking with anger as she moved away from the table with great hast.

"Willis darling I must leave you now, family matters come first, goodnight to you all, my grandson is missing" she snapped and hurried to the exit with a fumlbing Wilks trying to hold her elbow and grab her mink wrap as they went toward the front doors.
 
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Flarecia Jennifer Walker

"Iann!" Flareica bounded through the door to his hospital room like one of those action film heroines running from the bad guys. She was breathless, her cheeks red and her hair windblown, but she still looked as always, considering she'd run up the stairs to get to his floor. She looked at him, her eyes wide and watery. Flarecia knew Iann from school. They weren't great friends, but that was only because her own social crowd buzzed about her like a swarm of bees that wouldn't shoo if you fed them honey. She would've liked to spend time with him, but his dreary grandmother was such a character that Flarecia couldn't stand her.

She closed the door gently, as she realized that bursting into a room on a patient the way she just did wasn't the best way to ensure a quick recovery. She sighed sheepishly, giggling a little, "S-Sorreh. I didn't mean to rush and give you a heart attack like that. I'm sure you're exhausted..." Flarecia told him cheerfully. She shuffled through her messenger bag purse for the pastry treat she'd picked up on the way. She had been planning to go to her friend's house, but the traffic on the street nearby was bustling with rumours about a teenager being hit by a truck. Flarecia was sure she knew everyone by now, so she had hurried over to check up on who it was.

She felt a tad bit guilty telling the guard outside that she was going in to see her brother, but she had to tell him something! She coudln't have said girlfriend, because that would ruin Iann's reputation. And she couldn't have said son, because...Flarecia giggled at the thought, that would just be weird. No one believed cousin anymore, so Flarecia took the high road and proclaimed the Fletcher heir her sibling. She thought of it and seemed likely. If you looked long enough, you could match their hair colors and possibly their eyes. Flarecia rolled her eyes in amusement. She was so crazy.

She was surprised to see that it was Iann Fletcher. From afar, he always seemed like the sweet, caring type. She hadn't thought someone like him would be suicidal, but she put no thought to it now. Stepping closer to the bed, she put the brown bakery bag on the side of his bed and sat down.

"I hope you don't mind. I just nearly escaped my mother and her social buisness at Jeremiah's funeral, but when I heard about the accident I came to see who it was. How are you feeling ?" Flarecia was sure this would be kind of awkward for him. It was strange of her to want to stay and talk to him a while, but she wanted him to feel better. He looked so sad and lonely that it made her want to cry. Usually, if her friends were here, they'd drag her out after putting roses on the counter, but she was glad she do what she wanted for a change.

"It's a chocolate filled pastry from my favourite bakery. You should eat it, you'll need the flavour," she smiled, "The food they serve in hospitals always makes me want to go home," she laughed.

Poor Iann...I wonder what happened...? Flarecia tried to remember what she'd seen of him at the funeral, but her mind was drawing a blank. He'd been with his grandmother, talking to the Bardwins. Flarecia had always thought Yvaine was so pretty. Trying to focus on what was important, she didn't remember anything else. She wondered if his grandmother knew what had happened....

Why wasn't she here ?

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Iann jumped and nearly screamed with Flarecia Jennifer Walker busting in the room. He smiled and let his guard down a bit more once he realized that it wasnt his grandmother.

"Um hi.." Iann was shy but trying to warm up to her as he eyed the small brown bag. He was hungry and the stress from the woman earlie had made him not want to eat his dinner. It sat on the bed side table, cold and gross.

Iann moved his arm in the pale green sling and let out a sigh. "Yeah Im in big trouble I know.. some woman tried to say she was my mother and came in her not to long ago calling me Armondo or something all weird and then the guards came in here and that nurse is all hitler like.. " Iann rubbed his eyes and then his face and neck.

"Sorry Im sure you dont want to be bothered with me and my stupid issues, are you here to get a juicy story for the school paper or something..?" Iann was trying to watch his tone but his shame and anger seemed to mix into one as he spoke. He thought it best to try and do some damge control since he could tell that he might have hurt her feelings.

"No Im sorry I didnt mean that.. Im sorry.. " He looked at her and tried to smile.. "So is that from Masterson on 8th..? I love their apple crumpets and oh their sugar cookies are the best, I made myself sick when I ate a whole bakers dozen once.." Iann smiled and looked at her. She was pretty and he was touched that someone had come to see him even if it was for other reason he didnt understand.

"You can sit if you want to, that chair rocks and that one has some heater thing in it that warms your back or something" Iann was trying his best to be nice to her and show her the room with his good arm but his habit of talking with his hands was coming back to get him in the gut when he moved his left arm to point to the other chair he winched in pain and held his arm.

"Oh... god.." he laid back and felt sick from the pain. The pain meds they had given him were waring off and he could feel everything. "Oh god... please Flarecia sweetie please..." Iann held his arm to him as the throbing pain rolled in his stomach and into his head. He felt like he might throw up or passout.

"Please pleas.. get me more meds please.. something not right my arm it hurts oh god dont look at it.. its a mess oh god.."

Trying not to be sick he laid back into the pillows.. "Flarecia, dont tell them its me please... I cant have her see me like this.. please..dont let her see me like this, shes mean and she will send me back to boarding school please.."

Iann begged her before the room started to spin on him.

____________________________________________________________________

Back at the resturant Iris was ripping Wilks a new one as the valet brought the car around..

"How could you NOT tell me! What the hell is wrong with you and wait a minute you LIED to me and told me you took him home.." Iris hit his side and then his stomach with her purse. "Damn you, now we have no idea where he is.. for all we know he is at the Grayhound station trying to get a ticket to LA to try and fins his worthless mother.. damn you Wilks... danm it...damn it.. This is uncalled for, you are very lucky that you are still emplyoeed but that is subject to change you damn fool... now get me to the bus depot and then the train station.. who knows where Iann ran off too."
 
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Willis frowned but nodded understandingly as Iris bade them goodbye. The thought of Iann going missing piqued his worries about Amelia. It was characteristic of her to run off without telling either Chanelle or himself but the day was growing dark and the fact that he didn't know her whereabouts at all was disconcerting.

He sat in thought for a moment and didn't realise Yvette was sitting awkwardly beside him. Immediately, he flashed her a wide, bright smile and asked, "So, Yvette, is it? I didn't realise that your father was the head chef of this restaurant. You and your siblings must be so lucky to have delicious meals every day."

Willlis paused, then looked around. The prince was still being interviewed, Iris could be seen on the other side of the glass pane growling at her driver and Chanelle, strangely, had approached a man who looked slightly familiar to him. Where had he seen him before?

"Well," He continued, turning his attention back to young Yvette, "I'll tell you what. I hate to see a young lady like yourself riddled with concern. I don't know if you know of this but I deal with a lot of programming software, and through that I have a lot of connections within the security circuit so..." Willis flipped out his cell phone and dialled one of his contacts, "Lets see where Master Fletcher is and why he's missing out on a lovely dinner."

The phone only rang twice before it was picked up. Willis relayed his name and credentials and began speaking to the CEO of the said security company. At first Willis' smile was wide and bright, having been sure that Iann had merely gotten lost, but then his smile began to fade and his expression changed into a look of utmost concern.

"Good lord," Willis breathed as he got off the phone, "I don't want to worry you too much but... Iann may be in a little trouble. How about we head over to him right this minute?"
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Iris was busy yelling at Wilks that she didnt even notice the car arrive. "Ah the car..has.. I mean.." Wilks side stepped her to open the door for her and took the keys from the valet. The kid smirked and stepped away from the woman. He had been yelled at by her before and wanted no part of her rant.

Once inside the car the first call Iris made was to her lawyer. It wasnt to any local police or anyting like that, her first thought was her money.

"Al, yes darling its me, yeas I know its late but would you just listen to me, no I dont care about your portly wife, her pug can wait for its walk. Listen to me!" she snapped as Wilks drove to the bus station. He looked back at her in the rear view mirror but said nothing. She felt his stare and glared back.

"Just drive you!" she snapped. "no not you, you dip, now listen Iann has run off, I dont know what he wants from me I have given the child everything I have and now this.. I mean honestly, what am I to do? " Iris was complaining and not really looking for advice as the man on the other end tried to interject a few words.

"No no.. now listen has sums of money been withdrawn from his account? I want to know if that little rat has cashed out his petty cash and run off to LA or some such foolishness." Iris waited as Wilks stopped the car in the loading zone and looked around. There were two buses loading one said MEMPHIS and the other read TORONTO. He let out a sigh and waited for her orders.

"What? You mean nothing has been taken out not even twenty dollars in the last week! Are you sure, check again! No I said check it dont argue with me.. "Oh my god.. then where is he, he just cant walk off the face of the earth. No I havent call the police do you really think I need that damn report Stillwell or whats her face Rachel buzzing aroung our estate. No no this is a private matter and it will be handled as such.. yeas thank you. Thats very kind of you.. please call me the moment any money is spent."

With that Iris sat back in the seat and let out a sigh. "Wilks I need a drink and then go see where that bus is going would you.. and no dont argue just do it" nodding to her request Wilks made her a quick drink and set it on the armrest. Closing the door he walked around and acted like he cared.
 
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Flarecia Jennifer Walker


Flarecia understood Iann's initial bitterness towards her. She couldn't really expect anything less. If you just came from a elite private school, shuffled as a part time model and had the most expensive, snobbish group of friends, anyone would treat you like the dirt that smugged up their carpets. She hoped to fix that, but now wasn't the time to play the holy knight. She watched him and smiled as he told her about the chairs, nodding eagerly.

"Don't worry. I'm just here to see you, simple as that. People in the hospital deserve visitors that they might actually be able to talk to." Flarecia tried to explain her vague reasons for coming. She herself knew it wasn't an easy task.

When Iann started to moan from the pain, Flarecia hurried to his bedside, worried. She listened to his pleas, eyes frantic with confusion. She figured that his arm was injured. She turned to the table, hitting the call button for the nurses or doctors before leaning forward.

"Hey, it's okay, you'll be okay. Just be strong." Flarecia told him softly. It was odd, though, as she listened to his words, she somehow had a feeling that the fur coated monster of a grandmother was who he was referring to. She felt a bit of anger rise inside her as she brushed aside his bangs gently, trying to calm him a bit. The nurses came rushing in at that moment.

Flarecia had to think quickly, but that was one of her talents, after all. She sighed, rubbing her eyes. The tears that she had been holding back after Iann suddenly screamed of pain dripped down her cheeks slowly. "Armondo, Armondo, hang in there. You're going to be fine! Be strong," she spoke a little louder as the nurses gently pushed away to check the patient.

As she was forced to retreat to a corner of the room, Flarecia placed her clasped hands at her chest, surprised to find herself trembling. She wasn't sure if she was scared for him or so terribly worried that it had emotionally affected her. Perhaps it was being involved in someone's problems for the first time. Perhaps it was because all of this, compared to her parents' socially elite lifestyle, was so tragic and at the same time, unlike film dramas, so real.

Flarecia prodded the arm of a nurse who came close to her, putting the last bit of her lightening fast plan into action, "Please, can you help my brother ? Is he going to be okay ? Is there anything I can do ? He's my only brother, you know." Flarecia found herself dissolving into the act. She didn't feel guilty for lying, instead, her tears fell because she felt some kind of raw pain inside her, thinking of what Iann had said. How cruel was his grandmother, really ? The pieces of the puzzle were slowy forming in her mind. Iann, his personality, his lifestyle. Flarecia had always been the thinker type, the super sleuth that would do Sudoku puzzles as a hobby; analyzing people's lives and putting together clues was second nature to her.

And, thinking of Iann and his circumstances, Flarecia felt absolutely helpless. His begging echoed in her mind as the nurse had her sit down. She was given a clipboard of medical forms and a pen. They explained that they hadn't known who he was and she would have to sign him into the hospital.

Twirling the pen in her hand before brushing away her tears on her sleeve, Flarecia watched as Iann was given painkillers and helped. Then, looking down at the forms, she quickly filled in the information that her parents normally put for her and signed the name Armando J. Walker in the designated places. She made sure to do the entire thing quickly before his grandmother or anyone might come in search of him.

Once the nurse had taken the forms outside, Flarecia let out a small sigh.
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Iann was drugged heavily as a nurse stepped away from the bed and smiled. "thank you sweet heart, he will rest better now, we had to reset his cast ourselves since the medics that brought him in only made things worse and all be damned if our own Dr. Coleman is in the Hamptons, his time is impecable as usual."

The nurse looked at Iann. "now just let him rest, that cast is dry but make sure he doesnt try to take it off, we had to restset his arm in that pink quick set wrap it was all we had on hand. Poor thing will hate us for sure now.. oh here is a sharpie maybe you can draw all over it and hide some of the pink."

She smiled again as Iann blinked and tried to say something as the images he saw blurred in and out of focus. "Flarecia, Flarecia.. dont go please.. Mom? Iann blinked at the nurse and she just smiled.

"Ill leave you to it then and thank god someone cares about this poor boy, we were really starting to think that Armondo didnt have a family." The nurse collected the papers and chatted in the hall with the other nurse.

"Oh and like Im going to say no to letting her stay... I mean really the boys parents should be here but they arent and Im not going to let him suffer at the price of thers being to damn stubborn." the older nurse said to the younger one as they put up charts for the night.

"Well they dont look all that alike the younger nurse retorted. "But whatever, around here the gardner might be the kids papa, but if momma aint sayin, hell i anit either, shoot.." The nures chatted back and forth as the light in the hallway dimmed for the night.


________________________________________________
(forgot this part before sorry)

Iris was busy at the bus station with Wilks. They had no luck and so they departed for the airport and train station. Iris was doing her best to keep things as mum as possible. She knew her family name was on the line and if Iann had acted like a fool and done major damage their would be hell to pay. She sat in the back of the bentley and worried over how others might see her as in the street lights her reflection shown back at her and she wasnt at all happy with the way things looked. On either side of the glass.

"Drive faster Wilks" she snapped and then sat back and stared out the window.
 
Location: Vargas' residence, mid-afternoon
Vincent stared out his window, and observed the people passing by the streets. A part of him longed to go out and just walk, perhaps running into an adventure or two. Majority of him wanted to simply sit there and watch those adventures happen.

He took a puff off his cigarette, only to find out that it has already burned through. He threw the butt outside the window, following with his eyes the burned out cigarette as it falls down into the grass below.

He stood up and went to his computer. He sat down on the chair in front of the computer table and took in a sigh. Again, he stared into the dead monitor and his reflection stared back at him. Dead eyes stared back at dead eyes.

Without breaking the stare, he reached for the AVR below the monitor and turned on the computer.

But it did not turn on. Before Vincent got the urge to kick his CPU beside the AVR, he found a note on his keyboard: 'Sorry, I spilled some coffee over the CPU this morning. I'll have this brought to the technician tommorrow. -- Kuya __________'

"Oh great! My only friend, fried!" Vincent thought as he lightly touched his palm over the CPU. "What am I to do now!"

He was answered by another note placed above the speakers: "Here's twenty bucks if ever you wanted to go out. There's also a change of clothes waiting in the bathroom. Just don't forget to lock the doors when you go out. -- Mama" And tucked underneath the note, was a twenty dollar bill.

"Is this some consipracy between the two?" he thought as he stood up and started walking towards the bathroom. "Nothing much to do here anyways. Perhaps I should go."

He went towards the bathroom and took a bath without any incident. He then found the change of clothes his mother mentioned in the note. It was a set of new clothes, a black t-shirt and some dark-blue jeans. There was also a set of clean underwear neatly placed beside the clothes.

"Indeed, this is a conspiracy!" Vincent thought as he dressed up, "They wanted me to get out of the house! But WHY?"
 
[bg=#2F2B30][dash=#5D4463]Violet Stilwell

"Frankly, I have no idea." Violet replied to Hans, seeming to have no ill-feelings about the thought. "I'm not even officially a reporter for the station yet. I'm more like... an upstart intern?" she cast a wicked smile, remembering Rachel's comments at her.

"If you ask me, he's probably trying to make sure you only talk to someone without any real credentials. So I can make you look like a complete idiot just to make me look better for my career oooor... the other way around if you said something stupid. Like, it's easier to silence an unknown compared to a popular reporter, you know?" If she thought about it long enough, Violet could probably think of a dozen reasons. That's why investigative reporting was so much fun.

"Either way, here we are having a nice little dinner with the entire world to chat about! What is this little trip to the states for, anyway. Business or pleasure?"
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Yvaine Bardwin

"It's Yvaine." she corrected. "It is pretty cool having a chef for a Dad. Except for when he's trying out new recipes." Yvaine responded half distractedly. Sitting and chit-chatting with adults wasn't exactly fun. Arrgh! She could kick herself for being so eager to invite herself!

But when Mr. Mackintosh offered to use his connections to see what was going on, Yvaine sat on the edge of her seat, eagerly awaiting what he'd find out. Yet, as his expression changed, Yvaine too was starting to get really worried.

"What's the matter?" Her first thoughts was that Iris found him and possibly beat the stuffing out of him. It was probably rude of her to assume the old woman was that evil. Yvaine was already rising from her seat, though, digging in to her pocket to pull out a small cellphone. She quickly texted a note to her Dad 'Dinner's canceled! Sorry! BH@8!' so he'd know where she ran off to.

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Willis got up from his seat and slid his phone into his breast pocket before turning to Yvaine, whose name he embarrassingly forgot. He made a note in his head not to forget it again. A good businessman always remembers names, no matter who they are.

"My wife will need the car to go home, so shall we take a taxi? I'll explain on the way out," he said as he bade a departing goodbye and short explanation to where he and Yvaine were heading.

On the way out of the restaurant and onto the sidewalk where they both waited for a taxi, Willis explained his findings on the whereabouts of Iann. He took in a deep breath before he started, fearing the young girl will become hysterical at the news or worse.

"Now, Yve-er-Yvaine, I want you to listen closely and not to worry too much with regards to what I'm saying," Willis began, "Iann may have had an accident just before our arrival to the restaurant... now, now... not to worry," he held his hands up to reassure her, "It could just be someone else but I have a young man who fits the description of Iann to a 'T' in one of the bays at the hospital. Let's not jump to conclusions just yet... we'll just take this one step at a time."

Willis looked around and his arm shot up into the air as soon as he spied a taxi coming their way. Hurriedly, he ushered Yvaine into the backseat while he took the front. To the taxi driver he offered a hundred dollar bill and said sternly, "To the hospital, and step on it."

The driver eyed the note suspiciously but took it anyway and drove like a bat out of hell towards his customer's intended location. Willis sank back in his seat and thought worriedly to himself. Was this why Iris had abruptly stepped out of their intended dinner? Was Iann okay? And most of all, where was Amelia?
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<fieldset>
<legend>
<b>Shades Hotel</b>
</legend>

Hans glanced at his bodyguard, but Gunther was busy putting sauce the steak that had just been slid in front of him so the prince remained silent until Violet's salad and his own meal had been set and the waiter, satisfied be Hans' insistence that everything was alright for the moment moved off.

“I always take it as a sign of a well-run kitchen if everyone gets their food at the same time.” He said avoiding the question long enough to think.“And a very good answer Violet. Neutral, the press are goot at sitting on the fence.” He paused, “Strictly pleasure, though it was under the encouragement of palace security. over violet's shoulder he noticed a young girl sitting near the opposite end of the restaurant, she seemed to be busy with a mobile phone, he didn't know why but he watched her for a short time before turning to and taking a small sample of the meat in front of him.
</fieldset>
 
Location: Downtown Emerson, early evening
Vincent aimlessly walked the relatively empty streets of Emerson until he found himself in the downtown area. He walked on further, until he saw the same convenience store in his dream.

The same kids he saw in his dream were also there, doing the exact same things they did in the dream. "Not exactly deja vú, isn't it?" he asked himself, in a vain attempt to calm down. And yet, as in his dream, he couldn't stop himself from shaking and sweating profusely.

By the time he realized it, the kids were already looking at him, with a curious, amused look on their faces, just like in his dream.

"Wha.. what's so funny?" he asked himself as he desperately tried to avoid eye contact with them. "This is certainly not funny. This is starting to be extremely creepy!"

And then, without another thought, he ran towards the darkest corner, to bide time, perhaps to think of what to do next.

"This is definitely creepy," Vincent thought as he leaned against a wall, and caught his breath. He tried to think about what happened next in his dream when he was blinded by a car's headlight.

"OH SHIT!!" Vincent exclaimed. "Was I supposed to be run over by a car?!"
 
Iann was in a sweet whirl of heavy medication as his left rest snuggly inside the safety of a pink cast. His eyes flickered open very now and then only to slowly close again. It was like he was trying to make sure that Flarecia was still there. As soon as his eyes rested on her sweet smile. He fought like hell to keep checking and opening his eyes but a long last he lost the battle. It was late but it was hard to tell the exact time since the room had no clock in it. Slowly the lights in the hallway dimmed out and the noise beyond died down as people went home.

___________________________________________________________________

Iris was beside herself as she checked all the departing flights and not a single one had a passenger named Iann Flecther. It took some doing and some threat making but she was able to find out what she wanted, when she wanted. On the silent drive home Iris looked at her cellphone in hopes that someone would call. Most of all she hoped that Iann would call. Even if he tried to tell her off, she would at least know he was alright. But it was silent

Wilks drove off toward home and didnt say a word. He knew that Iris was angry with him but mostly worried about Iann and for now that bought him enough time to try and find him on his own and save his own skin. As soon as they got to the huge estate, Wilks helped Iris inside and a very pleasant maid took over from their and helped Iris inside for the night. Wilks remained outside to have a smoke.

This freshly polished black shoes reflected the pale moon as he paced and puffed away into the lonely night. A soft breeze carried his smoke off into the folds of blackness beyond the orchard and gardens. Wilks was going for another smoke, since he chain smoked when he was worried about something his fingers came across Ianns cellphone tucked away in his pocket. He had forgotten all about it. He instantly had an idea, he would call everyone in his phonebook and track the brat down. He smirked as he flipped it open and started to scroll.

His thick fingers had a little trouble with the sleek buttons but soon enough he found a name. He couldnt even make it out. Taking a deep breath he pressed SEND. The phone rang a few times and no one picked up. It was late after all and he had no idea who Flarecia was but it was the only name in their was wasnt linked to Iris. It was a long shot, but he had to save his job somehow.
 
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"Stop the car! Stop the car!" Shouted Willis as they raced down a 'short cut', which was actually a long narrow deserted alley save for the young man standing at the end of it. "STOP!! STOP!!"

Willis braced himself with his hands against the dashboard as the brakes screeched loudly, the sound smashing off the walls and tearing the silence around them. The smell of burnt rubber invaded the inner sanctum of the taxi as Willis hastily opened the door and hurried to the front to see if the young man at the end of the alley was all right.

"Hello!" He shouted into cupped hands then coughed as he inhaled some of the smoke that billowed from the tires. Willis noted the long, black skid marks on the ground and wondered how fast the taxi driver had actually been going. "Hello!"

At first, he saw nothing. Just a haze through the bitter smoke. And then, he thought he saw a figure. "Hello, are you alright?" The millionaire programmer asked, waving his hand about to keep the haze away, "Are you there...?"
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Location: Alley somewhere in Downtown Emerson, sometime in the evening
"Stop the car! Stop the car!" a passenger inside the car shouted.

"I'm done for..." Vincent muttered to himself as he leaned against the wall.

There was a loud screeching of tires, eeriely echoed by the narrow alley. Vincent expected a blackout, and then waking up in his bed, but he didn't. The scent of freshly burnt rubber tires brought him back to reality.

"Oh.... So that's what is supposed to happen next..." Vincent said to himself as he got up.

"Hello!" the voice, the same one that shouted earlier, yelled.

As the smoke cleared a bit, a figure began to be seen thru the haze. "Hello!" the voice called out again. It seemed to have come from the figure in the haze.

"Hello, are you alright?" the figure said as it drew closer. "Are you there...?" it asked.

"I'm here!" Vincent said, as he walked towards the figure.
 
[bg=#2F2B30][dash=#5D4463]Violet Stilwell

Violet was chewing a bite of salad, not neglected to follow the prince's glance across the room. Was that Willis Mackintosh, the computer guy and his model wife? Ah, but she didn't think Hans was staring at them. Must have been - Ah! It was the little Miss she pestered at the Jeremiah Douglas funeral! Well, well. Violet might have thought to introduce the Prince to the little door mouse of a girl, but it seemed their group exited pretty quick.

Her dinner with Hans was pleasant, and nothing like a TV news interview. Violet kept her questions light, frivolous. Completely harmless. It wasn't to spare the Prince from the tough questions, Violet had bigger things in mind. ...like building up a decent relationship and being able to get away with real questions so his big mean body guard would toss her out on her ass!

With the majority of dinner finished, Violet was sipping her drink in a companionable silence. "I hear you're a real playboy. Do you ever really date girls or is it all part of the foriegn prince image?"
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Yvaine Bardwin

Yvaine was taking the ride with Mr. Mackintosh with a worried silence, when the taxi driver nearly hit someone! Willis ordered the man to stop and out was of the car in a flash to speak with the guy that nearly got hit.

Remaining in the taxi, Yvaine rolled down the window so she could lean out and see what was going on. Today was really proving to be the worse day ever. Everything was going from bad to worse!

"Is he okay?" she asked softly, afraid to speak to loudly, just in case someone really was hurt!
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<b>Shades Hotel</b>Interview
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Hans eyed Violet for a second, ”Its like you said, every small thing I do is international news, and the press loves to over-dramatize things.”He said before sipping some tea, “I do see girls but I don't think I'd call myself a playboy.” he finished before looking down at him near-empty plate. He was surprised at how pleasant the interview had been, more like a conversation than a one-sided debate.
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Flarecia Jennifer Walker


Flarecia watched as Iann struggled in and out of sleep. She didn't know what else to do. She'd plopped down onto the chair that he'd suggested was a better rocker and let it sway back and forth gently, a small smile on her face. For some odd reason, she felt like Iann really was her brother. She felt like she'd accomplished something by actually shooing away his grandmother, even if it was just for the time being.

Flarecia was starting to fall asleep herself, her eyes slipping shut every once and in a while as the chair rocked her into slumber. One of the nurses glanced into the room through a small crack in the opening of the door & left. Flarecia figured she'd thought they were both asleep. She waited until the nurse's footsteps faded away before sitting up in her chair and pulling out her cell phone. She skipped through her contacts, landing on her mother and then, licking her lips and dialing her father instead.

When he picked up he sounded a little worried. They both knew it wasn't like her to stay out late and not call home. And of course, the driver had probably told them they were at the local hospital. Her father didn't ask any questions. He simply waited for her to explain, "Sorry daddy. A friend of mine got into an accident. I want to stay here just for the sake of moral support. I'm sure mom won't mind, right ?" Flarecia used her own fatigue to her advantage. Her father could tell that she was exhausted as it was. He agreed to let her stay overnight and promised to console her mother into not worrying. Flarecia smiled, "Thanks daddy. Oh and I wanted to ask you something else...If you get a call..." she started, wondering how she could explain the situation where she'd put Iann down as her own brother. Under parent's cell, she had put her own, but who knew how smart nurses were these days. It wasn't hard to track down Mr. and Mrs. Walker's actual cell numbers.

She was about to compose her sentence when her phone made a small beeping sound. She glanced at the screen momentarily, surprised to see Iann's number on her call waiting. She looked over at the boy sleeping in the hospital bed and frowned. Could it be his grandmother ? She sighed, "Actually Dad, it's not all that important. I'm tired so I think I'll go to sleep now. See you tomorrow. Love you. Bye." She hung up with her dad and picked up the other call, which had been ringing for quite a while. Who would be so persistent ?

Flarecia stared at the number for a couple of seconds before putting the phone to her ear. She had to act quickly. Iann was depending on her.

"Heyy, Iann, how are you ? Didn't you say you'd be coming to Jeremiah's funeral ? I didn't see you there," If there was one thing aside from modelling that Flarecia could flawlessly, it would probably be acting. It came with the package, after all. A model was expected to behave in certain ways and while Flarecia didn't generally want to incorporate that into her personality, she had learned to adapt quickly to situations.

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