The Eleventh Hour (FINISHED)

10 - Where... is he taking me...?

Meadow woke slowly, feeling little bumps go through her as she faded out of her dream state and into the real world.

When her eyes opened slightly and adjusted to the darkness, she glanced around, trying to see where she was.

By the look of the grey, leather seats and the cheap, leather walls, she knew she was in a car of some kind, though she couldn't tell what.

She glanced around, still unable to move, but she was wide awake.

After looking around, she gazed up to find Ash sitting above her, staring off out the window.

She could tell by the cushion under her head that she was on his lap.

Meadow desperately wanted to say, where am I? or maybe, why am I in your lap? but the words were lost.

Ash looked down at her, checking to see if she was okay, and his eyes rounded slightly when he saw she was awake, but they softened again.

"Good morning, Princess," he said, smiling slightly. "Have a nice nap?"

She tried to move, to get off him, but her whole body was paralyzed.

A sudden panic cast over her, and the memories of the vampire biting her flooded her senses.

All she could manage was to twitch her fingers.

Ash seemed to notice this, and he looked down at her. "What do you want? I can get it for you."

Her fingers twitched again, trying to tell him that she was hurting and scared.

Her throat was burning, body aching.

Her breathing strained, and her eyes dulled in fear.

"Don't panic," he said as if he could sense it coming. "It'll wear off in a bit, okay?"

Wait... what will wear off?

"Now," he said, "tell me what you want."

Her fingers twitched again. My throat hurts...

"Do you want water?" he said.

Yes! Yes!

But she couldn't answer.

"Blink once for yes, twice for no, okay?"

She blinked once, looking up at him seconds later.

"Alright," he said gently. "I'm gonna help you sit up in three, two, one."

He lifted her fast, though supportively, helping her up as her body remained limp, arms dangling like they were made of jelly.

"Lean on me," he instructed despite her unable to listen, though guided her to lean on his side. "There you go."

Meadow's eyes darted around the unfamiliar car, attempting to see what kind it was.

There was a window in between the back seat and the driver, which told her she was in a taxi of some kind.

"Max," Ash said, tapping the closed window to the driver's seat.

It rolled down; all Meadow could see was a man with black hair sitting in the seat, hands on the steering wheel.

Who the hell was Max? And why did it sound so familiar?

"Yep?" he said.

"Can you get Ember to get us some water?" Ash said.

"She's asleep," Max responded. "But here you go."

He shuffled through some box in between the driver and passenger seat, tossing it back to Ash while he kept his eyes on the road.

Ash effortlessly caught it.

"She ?" Max said then.

"Yep," Ash responded. "She still has symptoms, though."

"Ember's healing magic can take a bit," Max explained. "Just give her an hour-or-so."

"Is Ember still passed out?" Ash wondered, twisting open the cap.

"Yeah," Max answered, "she almost looks dead. The healing magic takes all her energy."

"I get it," Ash responded. "I used to go through that, too. She'll get over it when she has more control over her powers."

"Right," Max said. "Is there anything else you need?"

Ash looked down at Meadow in response. "Anything else?"

She blinked twice, no.

He looked back up. "We're good."

Max rolled up the window.

"Do you have enough energy to swallow, Sweetheart?" Ash said.

She blinked once again.

"Alright, ready?"

He pressed the rim of the cup to her lips, and she instinctually sealed them, looking up at him worriedly.

"What?" he said.

Is it poisoned?

She blinked twice.

"'No?'" he said. "'No,' what? You said yes to water, Meadow."

She blinked twice again.

He shook his head in defeat, twisting the cap back on and placing it in a cup holder.

"Wha- happened?" she managed to say, feeling her throat ache as if her voice were sharp needles.

"Rogue vampire bit you," Ash explained. "Pretty common, actually. Luckily, Ember healed you in time. The venom still has to wear off, though. But you're fine, okay?"

She tried to say something else, but ended up choking like she swallowed nails.

She then tried to move off him but could only manage a small wiggle.

"Don't try to talk," Ash said. "It's not good for your throat right now, okay? And don't fight me either," he added immediately.

She started struggling, trying to break free of his imprisonment but she could only move slightly.

Ash sighed in defeat, grabbing her arm and pulling it away from his side.

She tried fighting him when she collapsed back onto his lap, but he only placed his hand on her forehead.

"You never listen," he said, the cold emanating from his hand again as he pressed it to her forehead.

And she passed out.