Daylight\\A.I. & C.H.

<:5:>

Claire and Veronica

"You're getting soft with your old age," Veronica teases Claire and she bears Calum's intoxicated weight while helping him to the red mustang.

"Oh like you aren't fond of him? I can see it in your smile," Claire rolls her emerald eyes as she opens the driver door and grips onto Ashton's leather jacket to keep him from sliding off the car he leans on for support.

"I like you," Ashton slurs to her, pinching her hair before she turns and smiles at him, still shocked that in all her four hundred years she's never seen anyone so handsome. She's never felt so stimulated by a simple kiss either. She knows he is something special.

"Yeah, I guess I like him," Veronica smiles wide before she looks at Calum, his eyes barely open as he stares at her and smiles back, flashing his teeth and making her giggle.

"In you go, Honey," Claire helps Ashton into the back seat where he just slumps and passes back out, a small chuckle coming from Claire as she stares at his relaxed features, deciding firmly, he is with out a doubt the most beautiful human she's ever seen.

Veronica gets Calum seated next to Ashton, his head falling to Ashton's shoulder before light snores begin to roll out from them. Claire smiles to herself as she reaches into Ashton's front pocket and pulls out his phone before using his finger to unlock it. She finds his home address and sets the navigation while adjusting the seat to fit to her shorter height.

"Neb, isn't going to like that we kept them alive," Veronica says as she looks back to check in on the guys, listening to their slow heartbeats while Claire winds down the country roads to their house.

"Well it's not his decision to critic, its Max's," Claire states firmly.

"I know," Veronica shrugs, "We're just going to hear about it endlessly. We've been Releasing more than not lately."

"I couldn't do it to him," Claire admits before she glances at Veronica, "Roni, there's something special about him. I can feel it. He's not like the other's."

"Then Kiss him," she challenges.

"You know I can't do that," Claire rolls her eyes. "Plus I wouldn't without his consent."

"Wow, you are soft for him," Veronica laughs, making Claire smile, knowing she is right. "But you would, wouldn't you? Ask for the Kiss?"

"Yes," Claire admits, "Would you?"

"No," Veronica shakes her head. "But I'd Keep him."

"Consort?" Claire gives her a cheeky smile, "You Succubus, you."

"Oh I know you want to lie with him," Veronica thumbs to Ashton. "You're scent was hard to ignore tonight."

"Hey," Claire laughs, "So was yours."

"Look at him!" Veronica gestures to Calum, "You can see his veins pulsing in those thick arms. It's mouthwatering."

"Yeah, you like him for more than that though," Claire gets sentimental, annoying Veronica, but she's right. She does like him for more than the warm delicious liquid flowing through his veins.

"Should I put my number in his phone?" Veronica practically whispers, but Claire still hears it as though she yelled it.

Claire shakes her head, her red hair bouncing back and forth while she frowns, hating to be the voice of reason in this particular moment, because she desperately wants to be with Ashton again, "You know we shouldn't do that."

"What if they want to see us again?"

"They won't remember," Claire whispers, hating how hard that hits her chest before her eyes dart to the rearview mirror to watch Ashton sleeping sounding.

"They could," Veronica challenges before she clears her throat, "But your right. It's for the best."

"Exactly," Claire states as they turn down the street containing the boys home.

Claire parks the mustang in the garage before they sit in silence, listening for other signs of life when the strong scent of two others became apparent. Veronica gets out of the car and opens the door into the house, making sure the house is empty before returning to the car to awaken Calum. The both gently shake the men to pull them from their deep stupor before half carrying them to their rooms, following their scent to find them in the dark house.

"Don't go," Ashton mumbles from his bed as he extends his arm out to Claire.

"I have to, dawn is approaching," she whispers to him but goes back to him, crouching down and running her hands through his soft wild hair.

"I've never met anyone like you before," he tells her quietly, still high off the laced wine.

"Let's hope you never do again," she tells him honestly before she kisses him and leaves, her cold heart aching at the thought of another Kindred draining him or Turning him.

She looks at him through the cracked door one last time, wondering if she is making a mistake in not Keeping him when the door to the garage opens. Two pounding hearts from the lower level join the slow tempered ones in their beds and Veronica finds her quickly. They noiselessly sneak into a bathroom and open the window before dropping 18 feet to the ground and vanishing into what's left of the night.