Alex Andrews

hih

[sabrina-with-fangs]

Sabrina had been preceptive all her life; in her human life, it didn't do her much good. It had proven to be more effective in her immortal life. "Worse places to be stuck. Plus, now you have one of the most fun vampires in the world here." She could see a lot was going on with him; his face wasn't exactly hard to read.

Sabrina shrugged at his question; she had too many reasons to list. But it did all come back to the same thing; she had remembered Havensdale and the last thing she had heard at the Institute. "I have heard that, but I'm not looking to leave yet. I have some people I need to find." There was one thing that Sabrina hated more than anything else, it was when someone felt bad for her. She knew that it had been awful, but didn't like to think about it too much; she hadn't talked to anyone about it either. "Oh yeah? You know my friends then?"

[alex-andrews-hih]

Alex truthfully couldn't imagine a worse place to be. At least the cage of the dome had Sal's and Frank's. He didn't want to push Sabrina too much though. Being faced with an inquisition as soon as she landed could hardly be on the top of her wishlist. It was the Institute way though - but hey, it could be above his paygrade. "That's right," he warmed to her, "and we're in desperate need of some fun."

"Maybe I could help." He offered, hoping he wouldn't regret it later. "I-," he had to choose his words carefully, "I knew the them, somewhat. That Institute is gone now." The existence of the Institute 2.0 was hardly a secret amongst Havensdale inhabitants. She'd find out sooner or later, and he might as well try to paint them in the good light they mostly deserved. "There's a new operation. A different one. A part of what some refer to as the Resistance. They're good." He conveniently substituted 'we' for 'they', feeling like maybe admitting his part in it right now might now be the best idea considering where she'd been for the past decades. "Do you, I dunno, want to get a drink? I think that's where we left off all that time ago."

[ian-magic-son]

"It'll be the first book I'll devour since Sookie Stackhouse's debut. Can't wait, gorgeous," Ian grinned, beyond relieved to have the sun on his skin again. Ian nodded, looking over at Alex with a spoonful of concern. They weren't sharing a cocktail which couldn't have been helping, but he seemed more... unsettled than usual. At his question, Ian raised both eyebrows. "Carrie? Nah, I didn't see her. They had me checking up on the gnarlier wounds which, BTW, gross. Scott Smith was totally smoked. Ass handed to him by dark magic. Not a fan of me, I must say."

[alex-andrews-hih]

"Ugh, you've just reminded me of the abysmal fangs they all had on that show." Alex shuddered as anyone in his position would at the vivid imagery. It was almost enough to shake him out of his funk but Scott Smith brought him right back in. The worst of it was that he couldn't even be that mad about it - the guy had just nearly died, after all. Confirmation that Ian hadn't seen Carrie with him was a small consolation, at least. "Right. He's an asshole to nearly everyone if that soothes you." He used to be an asshole to everyone, Carrie included. Alex remembered as much from high school. "But he's okay now? I assume a full recovery being in your capable hands?" This sire bond nonsense had him at 50/50 for Scott's untimely demise and Alex feared that his normal level of concern for his team wasn't quite delivered by his forced questions.

[amara-nguyen]

Amara had the utmost sympathy for Alex's unfortunate situation. She had been alive long enough to know mostly everything about heartache and loss. Devotion and devastation. Oh, how often the two went hand in hand. She couldn't do much for him right now, although she was resolved to at least try. Amara would never admit it out loud, but she felt the weight of the part she'd played in all this a little too much. Guilt was easy to ignore, but now it churned in her stomach and pumped poison into her veins. "It's not your fault," she said softly. "You haven't had any time, honey. It's hard enough turning someone you're in love with, let alone dealing with the aftermath. And a bloodline hunter? You both can't be expected to bounce back. If you had more time, if you could get some distance, then you could come back together. Instead, you're trapped. Everything is heightened when you're first turned, you know. Even now, and especially with your sire bond. A lot of things feel real until hindsight kicks in. Give yourself a break here, Alex. And give her some time, it's not like either one of you is short on it now."

Amara was uncorking another bottle as he listed off the names of his brothers (the new one included - gagged, by the way!). "I could kill someone, if you like. Say the word. Or I could compel them for you, your brothers included. Not very goody goody of me, I know... Failing that, I can refill your glass and lend you my entirely nonjudgmental ear. Your brothers don't have to be your responsibility tonight. Make it a tomorrow problem."

[alex-andrews-hih]

Alex listened to Amara, enthralled by her wisdom and experience. He couldn't fault any of it, and it was an honest relief to hear her reasoning. "That makes sense. I guess I just thought we would get through it, you know?" His shoulders slumped at the thought, "maybe I'm just young and naïve, even at 100." Curiosity hit him then, one that could answer the particular issue that was now bugging him most, "How many have you turned? Do you still feel them all? I can still sense her, all the time."

Alex frowned intensely as if all her suggestions, bar one, had just sucked the air of credibility out of the room, and he held his glass out to be refilled. "I've been making tomorrow problems out of a lot. Not sure how many tomorrows I can let slide with Percy and Chris."

[c-harlesemerson]

Charlie's brows raised and he scoffed. As much as he would love an excuse to abandon what he had been doing without being questioned, the audacity of Alex made him–pettily–not want to. "You can say whatever you like. Whether or not it's effective will rely solely on your delivery and how tingly I feel afterward."

[alex-andrews-hih]

Alex attempted to rub the frustration out of his forehead as Charlie made his stand in the most obnoxious way known to man. "Oh great. Come on, man, it's late. There's nothing for you here. Go suck on a bag or whatever puts you to sleep."

[ian-magic-son]

"Ooh... You'll have to bring me down that particular walk down memory lane you just took some time," Ian grinned. He was sure he'd only scratched the surface of what his hundred-year-old buddy had to share. A delighted laugh escaped him at Alex's words and his efficient swooning. "Now that's music to my ears. Say goodbye to broody gloom and fluorescent lights, my guy. We're outta here." He swiftly looped his arm through Alex's, all but dragging him out and back into the sunshine. "I can actually feel my soul returning to my body - again. Fuck me. Heavy stuff down there. Heavy."

[alex-andrews-hih]

Alex wiggled his eyebrows, "it's one for my memoirs." Being dragged upstairs with pleasure, he entered the light of day feeling somewhat optimistic, a rare occurence now more than ever. "You're right," he said, adding a shrug, "on all accounts." All his immediate problems were contained underground, and it had just not occurred to him to leave them there for a while. Strange, considering that that's all he did just a few weeks ago. While physically out, however, he was mentally still there, and Ian would have to drag much harder for that to change. "Did you see Carrie?"

[sabrina-with-fangs]

It wasn't like they had an epic love story, just two vampires that had found each other for a brief time. But in that time, they had fun together, killed people, and enjoyed each other's company. It would have continued had she not been locked up, and Alex had become a comforting memory. "I can tell, and now here you are stuck again." She smiled at him.

"It wasn't too hard. A few weeks ago, I remembered this place, and a few nights ago, I was checking around for a way in, and I slipped right in." Not the total truth, but mostly the truth, she had left out the part where she had used a witch to help weaken the border just enough to help her out. She was surprised by how soft he sounded. Clearly, she wasn't the only one who remembered this time fondly. "Well, lucky me was stuck underground for the last thirty years. Used as a lab rat."

[alex-andrews-hih]

Caught off guard again by her remarkable ability to say it like it is, Alex couldn't help a defiant nod, "yeah, I'm stuck again." Damn it. He'd barely had time to admit it to himself and without filling her in on the details her smile still conveyed that it was written on his face.

"Oh," Alex exclaimed, wondering if anyone else out there remembered. "Why did you want in? It's just that, uh, getting back out might not be easy." His heart sank at her history as it destroyed all the worlds he'd built for her in his mind. He'd imagined so vividly that she'd left for another life - perhaps in Venice, ciao. Being caged was not one of those worlds. "Sabrina," he whispered as the concern tightly wound around his vocal cords. "I'm sorry," he mustered, and thinking on it, he knew of one organisation that had a tendency to commit his friends and foes to similar fates - "was it the Institute?"

[amara-nguyen]

Amara couldn't help feeling a little triumphant as he opted to indulge in her line of questioning. Had she won him over at last? She'd never been patient, and despite her laundry list of sins, she hated to be hated. It was interesting, though. Most hunters didn't make it as vampires. In fact, in her experience, most hunters didn't make it past the transition. The fact the McReids hadn't been staked was practically groundbreaking! Not that Alex would want to hear any of that, so she opted to keep her awe to herself.

"I see... It is tricky, not everyone takes so well to it. I've had ones in the past who would have jumped off a cliff for me, you know? If I asked them to dive to the bottom of the ocean and stay there, they would have. And that's without feelings involved," she added. Amara was an Ancient Vampire, anyone she turned were more inclined to be strongly bonded to her, for better or worse. "You broke up?" a little gasp fell from her lips at the confirmation. She was already refilling his glass, handing it back gently. "If I'd known that, I would have brought something with a vein. Assuming that's allowed down here... Oh?" Amara had an inkling that there was more to the story. She canted her head, a soft smile on her lips. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

[alex-andrews-hih]

"Well, that's the problem," Alex confided, finding reassurance in Amara's truth as it was his too. Not that he'd been telling Carrie to jump off cliffs or anything, but he wasn't convinced that she wouldn't if he'd asked. "She feels bad, I tell her she shouldn't, and then she doesn't. But it's not coming from her, it's me. It's not real. I don't know how to make it real - I can't." He hardly waited for her to finish pouring before chugging another mouthful of wine, only giving her a stern look at the suggestion of drinking an actual human being down here. You can take the girl out of the manor, etc. "I know when it is real though - like, when she feels something." Alex scoffed then, remembering the moment Carrie had seen Scott brought in from the explosion. Scott Smith. A nobody. He could handle their ending, but there was no denying that her feelings for Scott were part of it and while everything else filled him with sadness and loss, that part really just pissed him off. Alex might not deserve her anymore, but neither did he.

"What can you do?" He asked exasparated, "love just isn't enough, and I don't want this power. On top of that there's dealing with Corey, now Percy - and goddamn Chris is here too, let's not forget him." If the dome wasn't keeping him Alex would have fled long ago.

[sabrina-with-fangs]

Sabrina had thought of Alex often; they had spent time together before she left. She hadn't expected to run into him in Havensdale, of all places. He looked just as she remembered, which made sense; they were both immortals after all. She lost her focus as he spoke to her.

A smirk crossed her lips as she realized he was still annoyed at her. Even if her not reaching out hadn't been her choice, she had spent the last two decades as a lab rat. "Is it Alex?" She shrugged as she took him in again. Why did he still have to look this good? "Sorry love, I was caught up for a bit."

[alex-andrews-hih]

Simply seeing her here, as little as he had actually known Sabrina the short time she blessed his life, Alex thought this must've been what his brother Corey felt when Ruby returned. Like a shockwave of hope had just enlivened him. He wasn't about to let on that a girl that had figuratively left him on read in the 1990s could have such an immediate effect on him though. He was too cool to be hurt by that smirk again. "Caught up, hm?" he repeated, grinning, "totally. Yeah. So was I."

"As flattered as I am that you broke through our so-called impenetrable dome to see me I must ask - how did you do it?" That was a curiousity in itself, but it wasn't the question that was burning through him. There had been decades of not knowing where Sabrina vanished to. His voice softened when he asked, "where have you been?"

[amara-nguyen]

Amara raised her brows at his dusty hands, appreciative nonetheless that he actually took the glass. This was a positive step, no? And with no witnesses, he hardly had to battle with his moral compass over it. "Well, that I can see," she hummed, gesturing for him to follow her. "Come on, you can wash your hands and have the rest of the bottle."

Sometimes you really didn't have to overcomplicate these things. Without her sordid history, she was often likeable. Enchanting, even. Amara made sure to give him just enough time to enjoy the wine-n-blood mix before being more specific. "You've a lot going on, of course. I admit I've been dying to ask about your hunter-comma-vampire girlfriend. Vampires and hunters don't usually gel, you know. Well, unless their last name is 'McReid' by the looks of things, but for a hot minute we all just thought that was Jordan's specific brand of self-destruction. I'm just wondering if... you know... your relationship being what it was when it happened - epic loves, and all - did you...," she tapped her two fingers together, "Sire bond."

[alex-andrews-hih]

"I'll take that deal," Alex chuckled, not really processing at that moment who he was making it with. Amara, well, she'd hardly brought the Big Bad vibes with her from the manor. In fact, it would be hard for him to argue that she hadn't found a way to be strangely amusing, if not delightful, during their encounters.

Her interest in him was strange. Alex couldn't quite figure out why she had any to start with; he was hardly the brains of this operation, let alone of any remarkable rank or holder of any great insight. She didn't seem interested in any of that, granted, focussing rather on his personal... failures. "We gelled better as vampire and hunter," he admitted, sinking a big gulp of blood wine as if had a chance to take him back to a time when they still were just that. It didn't, to the surprise of no one, but it was worth a shot, and it would be worth another. "Jordan taught us well, but," he shrugged, the sentence trailing off into nothingness. "I tried, I think. Not enough though. That's clear." He took another sip, not realising the glass was already empty. "I don't know. Carrie was feeling so much, and I just- I wanted her to be good. Happy. We broke up." Another shrug followed, "she is happy now, I suppose."

[sabrina-with-fangs]

Sabrina hadn't been in town long; she had managed to sneak in recently and had taken up in one of the many abandoned homes. She had mostly kept to herself, not wanting to make a wrong move, especially in a town that was clearly on the edge. She had heard some things around town, understanding that things had been chaotic ever since the Dome had come up. She wasn't one to get involved, she wouldn't even be in Havensdale if it wasn't for Piper.

Tonight was her coming-out party. She planned on getting to know the locals and finding out as much as she could about Piper and the rest of the town.

[alex-andrews-hih]

"Sabrina?"

Alex didn't realise he'd been holding this breath for 20 odd years until he used the very last of it to utter her name. This girl had ghosted him before it was mainstream. She might have, in fact, been the inspiration for the term. One day there, the next vanished. Untraceable.

In his lifetime he'd known many people to come and go as they pleased, but no one had rocked his sense of self quite like Sabrina. His ego had taken a real beating with her disappearance. Who ghosts Alex Andrews; star quarterback, dazzling smile, sexy as sin? "This is awkward. You promised you'd call."

[amara-nguyen]

Amara had managed to hold her tongue for way longer than she usually would. She appreciated she would have to build trust, that she was hardly going to be welcomed with open arms overnight. She had been behaving, mostly. Helping out when asked, running between her two lives more or less successfully. As the 'full moon' disaster started to wind down - exits cleared, agents out in the field, wolves under control - she couldn't hold back any longer.

She appeared around the corner, two ruby red glasses in hand (a peace offering), before saying, "Okay, I can't not ask any more. WTF, Alex - 'why the face'? Come tell Auntie 'Mara all about it." @alex-andrews-hih

[alex-andrews-hih]

While Alex appreciated the distractions brought on by this earthquake from his frankly less than awesome day-to-day, he did wish that for once it wouldn't take a literal disaster to do so. He was tired. Hauling debris had been his given task, with it apparently being something he'd excelled at when the school collapsed. He internally damned this supernatural strength as well as excellent throwing arms curtesy of high school football. When Amara approached him he'd seen it as a tipping point, but the glasses accompanying her ensured it went in her favour. He couldn't even contain his amused chuckle at her incredulous choice of words. "I don't think that's- never mind. You'll have to be more specific," he said, reaching for one of the glasses with dusty hands. "It's been a long night," he thought about it some more, "long week, actually."

[amara-nguyen]

"The good outweighs the bad, until it doesn't." Alex had over a hundred years with Edward, Amara had over a thousand. She was sure it all still hurt the same. "Jordan," Amara huffed before rolling her eyes. "Now there's a centuries-old snore. Can't wait to have him back in action." Amara canted her head at him, looking him over like a puzzle she hadn't quite figured out yet. But she was sure she would. Even as his bitter - and unfortunately true - words hit their target, she could see a way forward for them. Like recognised like, right? She stayed quiet, following him, and catching glances of the most bland and boring rooms she'd ever seen. For a powerful adversary, they sure were drab. "Communal? How... exciting. Go team, etcetera. I'm sure no one could handle the pleasure. Although, perhaps I should keep my head down a while. Let the dust settle. Pots simmer. Right?"

[alex-andrews-hih]

Alex nodded, feeling like they'd hit mutual ground however uncomfortable it was, "yeah, that's Edward." He couldn't help but chuckle at her distaste for Jordan, "Jordan strikes me as someone who stops to smell all the different candles at a farmer's market," he remarked, giving her this one little jib. Alex concluded their tour at the training rooms, perhaps the most exciting place he was willing to show her. "Let's spare them the pleasure. I think that's for the best," he agreed, "build your fanbase and whatnot."

[cmcreid-warriorprincess]

Carrie giggled as he whispered back, playing into her desire for them to be the only two people in the room. "It's the thought that counts," she grinned. Carrie wrapped her arms gently around him as they faced each other, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "You've been on your best behaviour," she teased, adding, "Mostly." Carrie leaned up to give him a quick kiss, before reluctantly pulling back enough that she could grab the gift back she'd left on the side. "You're going to love this," she said confidently, holding it out to him. A matching Christmas jumper to her own laid inside, folded neatly and expectantly.

[alex-andrews-hih]

"Mostly," Alex repeated with a wink. He couldn't argue with that. He received her kiss as if it was a gift in its own right, and he was happy. Truly happy. Happier still to be handed a beautifully wrapped present, imaging to himself how pleased she must've been with her effort on the bow. "Great effort on the bow," he smiled, taking equal care when untying it. "I already know I'll love it," he took his time with the unwrapping to grow her excited anticipation. "I see where our décor budget went now." Soon enough, however, he was holding the softest, most decadent Christmas jumper in his hands, matching hers. He hugged it to his chest, feeling the warmth engulf him, before immediately putting it on and holding his arms out for her to take in the vision. "Thoughts? I adore it. I'm never taking it off. This is it, Carrie. Hence forth I will be known as Jolly Alex."

[notprofessorx-avier]

"More soil samples. You know, when your enemy puts a giant, invisible, lid over the whole town, you have to start thinking outside the box. I'm lucky I got this soil out with my head attached-," a minor exaggeration but still. "This soil could be a game changer." Xavier watched and listened with amusement as Alex started his speech, barely holding back a laugh. He'd love to sit for hours and pick Alex's brain about the lifetimes he'd lived. "Well, you make it look so cool and easy, Al," Xavier chuckled, leading them both back to his lab. "You keep up the whole sexy-and-coasting thing, and I'll hold up the sexy nerd side of things. That way the roof doesn't cave in."

[alex-andrews-hih]

"Soil. Gamechanger. It's like you're begging me to make me doubt you, but you've had me fooled before, and I'm not about to become a repeat offender." Alex said, side-eyeing the samples as their secrets eluded him. "I do," he agreed, following Xavier to the lab where, frankly, Alex always felt uneasy. Science did not agree with him. "I concur, let's stay in our respective lanes. Where do you want your sexy collection of dirt, nerd?"

[ian-magic-son]

"You always know just what to say," Ian grinned, fully comforted by his tight squeeze and charming smile. "You would have been a dream in 'Twilight', R Patz eat your heart out. Anyway, I'm happy to report that this was my last day in the field of medicine. Don't tell anyone I said so, but the vibe in med bay is not it. And I mean, I get it. Near-death experiences all around, but still. Maybe if they played some motivational beats like 'I Will Survive', 'Survivor', 'Bootylicious'... You know, real spirit lifting stuff. Point is, I'm gagging to get outta here. Alex Andrews, won't you throw it all away and run away with me?"

[alex-andrews-hih]

"Also true, my glitter is au naturel." A flashback to his years in golden shorts stole Alex' attention momentarily before returning to his perky pal. "Such music would upset the broody gloom we have worked so hard to build here, Ian. I'm relieved your duties have been fulfilled. The machines here run on people like me and you's hopes and dreams." Alex swooned then, "Ian Morrison," with a hand on his heart, "I gladly accept."

[cmcreid-warriorprincess]

Carrie loved this time of year. Even underground, they had managed to salvage the holiday spirit. After the success of last year's holiday party, they'd decided to make it an annual thing, which was awesome. Of course, Carrie hoped they didn't have years left down here. She longed for snow, for the town she'd known and loved all her life. Still, they were taking steps forward. Small victories meant they were always moving forward. Today, it was good enough for her. Carrie beamed when Alex caught up with her, kissing her cheek and wrapping his arms around her. This she would never get tired of. "You took the words right out of my mouth."

She let out a delighted laugh at his question. "I've been an angel, thank you. I think my secret Santa might have been Carmen," she whispered, "I got a very dangerous looking collection of daggers. Thankfully, she'd wiped off any blood from them." Carrie turned in his arms to face him. Look at that face. She loved that face. "I do have a surprise for you, though, Norm."

[alex-andrews-hih]

"Ooh, an angel, hm? I believe it." He cooed, his hands still firmly latched to her jumper. Even a cold-blooded vampire couldn't escape the tantalising warmth of good quality clothing. "Daggers? She's not very subtle." He matched her whisper, not wishing the whirlwind of people to pay them notice. His eyebrow cocked at the mention of a surprise, his hands leaving their comfortable wrap to rest delicately on her hips as she turned to her to face him. "A surprise? Have I been an angel?"

[dannymcreid]

"Alex-," Danny turned with a grin, trying to keep it from faltering. He might not have all the details, but he did know that things hadn't been great for him these past few months. Danny should have checked in with him more, he realised. Well, no better time than the present to start. "Sure, if you want. I was just headed to the training room, gotta oversee a couple of things, log a few weapons back into storage. Nothing exciting. How're you doing, anyways? I, uh, heard about... you know-," he paused, but only briefly, "Chris and Co."

[alex-andrews-hih]

While a McReid wasn't high on his wishlist of people to converse with during this current and rather turbulent aftermath of his less than hopeful relationship with Carrie, it could hardly affect his opinion of Danny. He'd been dependable and compassionate through it all - despite Karen, which had been a loss Alex wasn't sure if he could bear with such dignity himself. "I'm totally okay with a little less excitement for a while," Alex smiled, starting off in the direction of the training room with Danny. "Oh, the family reunion down in the holding cells, you mean? Percival Andrews. He's French, Danny. You'd think my father had better manners than that. Then again, Chris didn't turn out so great either." He lingered on it, feeling the weight of his priorities that had shifted so incredulously since the implosion. He'd wanted to help Carrie, but accepted, perhaps too hastily, that he couldn't. "I'm, you know, just trying to figure it all out. What about you?"