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

<:11:>

Ashton and Calum

"Ashton!" Calum whisper yells as he shakes Ashton's leg trying not to wake up Claire who is wrapped in his arms.

"Huh?" Ashton jerks awake, squinting at Calum's phone flashlight.

"Mate, we've got to go. We have to get to the studio in twenty minutes."

"Shit," Ashton sits up as Calum looks for his clothes on the floor tossing them at him.

His shirt hits Claire and Ashton glares at him as he prepares for her to stir, but she doesn't move. Concerned he grabs her, her skin like ice and his heart stops in panic.

"Claire?" he shakes her, her body limp. Ashton looks at Calum, who is just as concerned before he shakes her again, "Claire!"

"Quiet," Veronica says from the door as she silently enters the room and walks over to Claire, running her hand up Claire's arm and over her neck. "Did she feed from you?"

"Yes," Ashton answers.

"How much did you feed from her?" Veronica eyes him seriously and he swallows, slowly looking at Calum to find his judgmental stare. "How much?!" Veronica demands before she grabs Calum's phone and jumps at Ashton, shining it into his eye before she sighs and releases him.

Scared Calum backs up, wondering what the fuck is going on as he looks at his stranger of a best friend, to the crazed vampyre and the lifeless one. His chest heaves as he tries to understand what they got themselves into and if they can stop. Fuck, he hopes they can stop.

"She'll be okay," Veronica reassures them. "We rarely sleep, but when we do it's like this and it's only out of necessity. I brought packs up, she'll awaken to feed."

"Okay," Ashton nods.

"Don't come back here," Veronica says sternly, staring viciously at Ashton.

"What? No!" he challenges her, grabbing the sheet to keep himself covered as he stands up, scowling.

"This can't happen again," Veronica straightens.

"It won't, please," Ashton begs, making Calum sick as he begins gathering Ashton's clothes and grabs his arm.

"No, stop," he shoves Calum away before looking at Claire and then back at Veronica. "Please, it won't. Tell her I'm sorry."

Veronica nods before looking at Calum and he grabs Ashton again, dragging him out of her room.

"Get off me," Ashton snaps as he yanks his clothes from Calum and begins getting dressed as Veronica joins them in the gathering room, going to the mini bar. She opens the mini fridge and pulls out a blood bag before walking back into Claire's room.

Ashton slips his shirt on before following Veronica but Calum jumps in his way, blocking his path.

"I want to make sure she's a'right," he scowls at Calum, annoyed his best friend is treating him like an abuser of some sort.

"She said she would be, we have to go Ashton."

"I want to see her first," Ashton commands, "Now get out of the way."

"No!" Calum shouts, "Look at you, man. What the fuck has happened to you?"

"Me?" Ashton scoffs, "What about you? Treating me like I'm going to hurt her or something. I didn't hurt her. I swear!"

"But you fed from her?" Calum twists his face up in judgment.

"It wasn't like that! And you did the same thing," Ashton shoves him, pissed he's being so hypocritical.

"I didn't suck it straight from the source," Calum shoves him back.

"Stop it!" Veronica shouts from the doorway and Ashton looks to see Claire sitting on the edge of the bed, her red hair hiding her face.

He pushes Veronica's arms out of the way and rushes to Claire, falling to his knees as he grabs her hands. She looks at him and smiles, her lids half closed and her features weak while her skin looks translucent. Ashton rests his head on her lap, feeling sick to his stomach as she runs her hand through his hair.

"I'm so sorry," he mumbles.

"It's okay," she chuckles, "It takes a lot more than that to kill me."

"What?" he looks up at her, "You can die?"

"Ashton!" Calum barks, "We have to fucking go, Dude, we're late!"

"Go," Claire pats his hand on hers.

"But," Ashton stammers, searching her face.

"I'll be okay, you've got to go."

"Will I see you again?"

Claire looks away, her eyes fluttering with emotion, "I'll call you sometime."

"What?" Ashton grabs her hand more firmly, surprising her with his strength.

"She needs to recuperate," Veronica says sternly, annoying Ashton as his jaw clenches.

"Here then," he raises his wrist to Claire but she pulls away, making his heart sink into his chest.

"I'll call you," she repeats, avoiding his gaze.

"But I-" Ashton stammers as he stands to his feet.

"Ashton lets go!" Calum yells at him.

"Ashton go, please," Claire demands and he does, his feet carrying him away even though he doesn't want to.

Once out of the room and away from her presence his blood boils, yanking his jacket off the coat rack before he shoves Calum out of the way and opens the door. Ashton storms into the hallway with fury leaving Calum behind who looks back at Veronica. She smiles gently as Claire begins to cry loudly from her room, the despair in her tone breaking even Calum's heart before he shuts the door behind him.