Shortly after Slater left the Stables, Dom was sitting at his desk..

He needed to speak to Kim, but had also sent her to see if the girls had come back yet...

Until she returned, he simply sat, his eyes transfixed on the map before him, a cigarette poised between his lips.

*Kim silently walks back into the room, closing the door ever so softly behind her, both hands on the knob, her back leaning against it* Just you and me...alone....*she teases in a mock-seductive tone, trying to make light of this whole screwed up situation they keep getting deeper and deeper into.*

He looks up.. and Kim knows that look... He's so overwhelmed.. And only she gets to see it.. he rakes a hand through his hair...

"Were the girls there?"

*Her mood seams to mold because of his, sometimes she feels as though she is a leach feeding off his emotions...no matter how hard she tries to break free sometimes she cannot and that drives her batty!* They are safe and sound, Dominic...all tucked up in their beds. I even read them a story. *Inside she feels his overwhelmed bewilderment.*

They are fine...*She moves to his desk and slithers atop it.* But you are not...*she says softly* speak to me Dominic...

He actually leans foreward at that moment, laying his head in Kim's lap for just a second.. Before sitting up again and rubbing his eyes.

"Its just so much bullshit on top of so much bullshit. We're nothing to anyone. We might end up as meat shields to the Sabbat, and if we make it through that, we'll wind up as playtoys and prey to the Cam.. I want to keep everyone safe, but I don't know if I can this time. Its not even happening yet, and its still overwhelming me... I'm just.. Tired of this, Kim..."

He rests his elbows on the desk, his head hanging low in his hands...

*She lifts a slender hand and caresses his head, from crown to the back of his skull, gently.* We are something to the girls...*she whispers softly* and we are something to each other. That may not be much but it's not nothing at all, Dominic.

*She draws in a deep breath then sighs, her eyes closing as she exhails...*How can we still breathe if we are fucking dead? *she murrmers to herself as if thinking outloud. Eye-lids flutter, then open and are cast upon the worried man.* You're not giving up on us, Dominic, are you? *her voice grows taunt, like a rubber band about to snap. If he gives up on them then they will begin to crumble, she cannot do this without him, it's too much of a weight for them to bare alone...they need each other...she needs them.*

He shakes his head fiercly at the question from Kim.

"Fuck no. You know me. You guys here are the only family I have. The only family I have had in YEARS."

He sighs, lighting up a cig, taking a drag from it before speaking again.

"I just.. I don't know.. I need to clear my head and deal with the stress of all of this on my own and then I'll deal with this better."

And his head moves to her lap again for a moment, the cig resting in the ash tray.

"None of this gets past us.. I can't lose the tough exterior.. but I love you guys. Every single person here and I would give my life in a heartbeat to save any of you.. I don't want it to come to that, but I worry that it might this time."

*Kim nods, they too are the only family she has had in so long, she's not giving up easily on them.*

You are overwhelmed right now, you need to let it settle...then you will know what to do... *she lets him place his head on her lap, her fingers comb though his dark hair trying in desperation to sooth him, then she adds in a whisper* you always know what to do. I have faith in you.

*Kim's lush lips curve into a feather-soft smile* I know Dominic...*another sigh, eyes closing as she drinks in his words* I know...

*Ever so slowly she leans down and brushes her lips across the top of his head* We care for you, as well you big brute.

*She feels as if she's been stuck with thorns, when it does settle in Dom's mind, what then? Where doe they go from there?*

Suddenly he sits up, shaking his head and taking a drag of his cig before talking.

"What the fuck am I doing... Sorry... Just overwhelmed or something... But this isn't it for us, I know it isn't. And for now, nothing is happening, so no sense in worrying about it, we just have to be cautious, right?"

Its kind of typical of Dom.. maybe its the malk blood in him... or just being bipolar in general... down one second, and up the next...

Relax...I have seen you at your worse. I don't judge you. *She offers him a reassuring smile* And fuck no, this is not the end...perhaps this is the beginning of something good to come out of it for us *fat chance, she thinks but she will not say it, he needs a shit-load of encouragement now and if she must lie sometimes she will lie.*

He actually laughs at that.

"Yeah fucking right.... Something good will come out of this? If by that you mean that we MIGHT get out of this with only one or two more of us dead, I'd say we have about a fifty percent chance at that, if we're lucky."

He scoffs and shakes his head.

"But we're no better than them if we don't fight for our family. I'm not getting knocked down just by a fucking threat."

*She knows Dominic is probably right. They are so fucked and they know it but they will not go down without at least taking some of theirs, as well.* We will fight, you know we will...have we got a plan? *hope springs eternal*

He shakes his head with a grin.

"No doll, we don't have a plan. We don't need one right now. Nothing is happening yet. I guess if we need a plan, the plan is to keep enjoying what we have. We'll deal with the shit when it comes, but no sense in stressing over it yet."

*Kim smiles* So for now...we still have our skins, far out. *As long as they are awaiting the storm the sun is still shining, or some crap like that.

She slithers around on his desk until one foot is planted on either side of his armrests.* So, where did you meet Slater, hmm? *She reaches for his pack of cigs and slips one out of the pack. It's placed between lush lips and lit with the aid of a crappy orange lighter.* Wanna fill me in on how you two met? *Her lids close sultery, a stream of pale grey smoke is exhailed right into Domonic's face playfully.*

He shakes his head.

"No, not really. All you need to know is that he's Slater and he's on our side. For your sake and his, nothing else matters."

*That was not the answer Kim wanted. She quickly snaps* Look here Dommy *Body arched to him, eyes narrowed into slits* If I were to keep secrets like that from you you'd try to chop me in two.

You and I work in unison, do we not? You trying to keep stuff to yourself, and leave me in the dark does not help our fucked up situation. *Suddenly the cig tastes gross, she hurls it on the ground and watches it burn. Her brows furrow in worry and anger...why won't he tell her, are they not a unit?*

He shakes his head.

"Kim, he's the one person who will actually tell us shit thats going on with us... And all I know is that he's putting himself at risk by doing that. I'm not gonna make it worse. He talks to me, I'll talk to you. Thats all you need."

*A furrow of brows as she lowers her voice* You better keep me filled in on everything *she looks like she suddenly had the stuffing sucked out of her, she's real worried and it's worse because she doesn't know exactly what she's worried about! She won't relax till she's had a name...a face to the worry*

*She slithers off the desk and heads towards the door.* If there's nothing more Dominic I need to get ready for a visitor. *A sigh*