WELCOME

[Elias Henry Jones]

Wow. Elias was a little overwhelmed by the amount she had managed to say in the space of time during which he'd attempted to come up with just one thing to say. He was quiet by nature, it was almost insulting for Elias to be told "he didn't talk much". As if it was a bad thing. He spoke when it mattered; when he wanted to have input in a conversation. He didn't see the point to wasting breath saying things which didn't matter in the slightest. He wasn't shy, merely selective about when he opened his mouth.

He made a mental note to make her follow through on her promise to sing for him sometime. It would be a good way to get to know her. Elias recognised that something so personal as singing was letting someone in on something which was like a secret; something extremely one-on-one.

In a way she seemed like him; no family, no ties. Except he doubted she didn't have family for the same reasons as him. Nobody could be that twisted inside. Elias had some of the smelliest, most rotten skeletons in his closet. He had murdered his entire family in cold blood; things didn't get much more extreme. Any kind of bond he might have felt to Erica because of this fact was nullified by this fact. Elias had no family, and as far as he was concerned he'd never had one. They'd never existed.

Talk to her. And what was he meant to say? 'Hello, my name is Elias and I'm a killer.' No way. That was far too frightening. If Elias was genuine and honest with anyone they'd run the opposite direction. You could say his life was a lie, he would be forced to agree. He could say 'Hello, my name is Elias and I live a lie.' That wouldn't lead to many friends. Who would trust someone who introduced themselves like that? So he hit a brick wall there. Honesty didn't work. Dishonesty usually bit people in the ass. So he had no choice; tell the truth, but not the whole truth.

"I guess we have that in common then. I've no family either." Lame lame lame. He wasn't talkative, she was right. Maybe it was a flaw. If he couldn't string two sentenes together when he was really trying, maybe there was something wrong with Elias. But he would consider that later on.

[Erica May Carson]

Erica stood there in front of Elias and just stared lamely at him. Yeah he really wasn't a talker and that she found to be odd. She actually had a lot to say most of the time and could ramble on like the best of them. She quirked a brow as she kept her gaze on him. "That didn't offend you did it? My mentioning you don't talk much. It's really not a bad thing to be quiet. Could be a good thing actually." She beamed yet another smile at him and sighed contentedly. Erica was finding it easier and easier to talk to Elias even if he didn't talk back.

When next he did speak she kept a light hearted smile on her lips as encouragement. "I'm sorry that you don't have any family Elias, it's not easy I'm sure. I know for me it isn't. I miss my father the most, I was closest to him I guess you could say." That was revealing but still her secrets were her own.

She only stood there for another minute then she wrapped her fingers around his arm and nodded at the space in front of them. "Shall we continue our walk?" Erica was playing with fire, at least that's how she felt but she figured no harm could come from it. She wasn't quite herself today and that was her excuse. There was no doubt it, Elias was the strong silent type, literally. That also was added to her mental list of why she liked him. He was a mystery that was for certain but she guess that she was too since she wasn't very talkative about her past.

Now she was starting to think that two could play the silent game. Perhaps if she grew silent then he'd feel like talking, she'd have to give it a try, it couldn't hurt. Erica did grow quiet then and she turned her head and looked around at their surroundings. It really was nice out here, much better than being stuck in the house with her movies and booze. She thought that tonight was one of those nights where she'd go have a drink later but not drink in excess, just to take the edge off, enough to relax her after a very long day. She'd debated inviting Elias but after what had happened last time she thought better of it.

She truly didn't want a repeat of that so she'd avoid it at all costs. Having decided what her plans were for the evening she turned her attention back to Elias but still she didn't speak, she just smiled lamely at him, almost like she was daring him to say something. She chuckled softly and tilted her head back and gazed up at the sky above them then after a few moments she lowered her head and looked back at Elias. Maybe she should say something, anything. "Uhh, I'm starting to get cold," she said with another glance around them "Should probaby start to head back."

[Elias Henry Jones]

Of course it wasn't a bad thing him not talking. Wasn't that fact already established? At least she was trying though. She was like the anti-him. She was bubbly and talking away, making apologies for behaviour which didn't even warrant an apology. He was quiet and brooding, and wouldn't apologise for anything if his life depended on it. She was a breath of fresh air to him; fresh, beautiful air. An angel, without doubt.

Elias couldn't even imagine being in a situation where he would miss his parents in the slightest. Not after the way they had treated him. His childhood had been a living hell, and that was no exaggeration. She knew nothing of missing family. If she knew him at all she wouldn't be sorry. He didn't deserve sympathy or pity, nor did he want it. He was perfectly happy with no family. He was perfectly happy now his parents and sister were dead and buried in the ground. They could rot in hell now. "Don't be sorry. I'm not." His reply was short, and perhaps slightly more harsh than he meant it. He wasn't trying to be rude or mean, even if it seemed that way. He just didn't like the topic of family. It was a very sore subject for Elias, not surprisingly.

Her fingers on his arm felt natural. Elias was a gentleman; he held doors open, allowed women to walk in front and took their arm as he walked. It was all part of his charm. Besides, his Father taught him what not to be. His own Father had been completely lacking in manners and proper temperament. He'd been useful only in showing Elias how people shouldn't behave.

"Here," Elias continued his gentlemanly actions as he shrugged off his jacket and lightly set it across Erica's shoulders. It was something of a clichι; the guy giving the girl his jacket because she was cold. But Elias liked the gesture, and always had. "Are you heading back to the school or home for the day?" Strangely for him, Elias hoped it was the second. He himself was going to head on home soon, and he didn't want to be deprived of this angel's company so soon.

[Erica May Carson]

So he still wasn't going to start talking her ear off and now she was actually starting to get used to it. It surely didn't keep her from talking so it wasn't that big of a deal to her. Her mind was always working and her mouth followed suit for the most part. She was the type of person that could sit and talk endless for hours and never tire from it. He on the other hand was her complete opposite in that respect. As she stood there in the quiet with Elias she began to wonder if he was just unhappy and maybe that was why he was so quiet, or he could just be one of those people that only spoke when they had something to say. Erica felt that the latter was true in Elias' case.

Erica couldn't help but wince at his words. He wasn't sorry at all yet she had a very hard time dealing with the death of her father, just another way she and Elias were so different. Her thoughts were now on her father and her smile quickly faded. Erica stared straight ahead of her for several minutes and she could clearly picture in her mind the night she stumbled upon her dead father, she'd never forget it. She'd known right away that he hadn't killed himself. The authorities and the medical examiner swore that it was. Erica did what she always did when she started to think about her father's murder, she started to hum very quietly under her breath, she doubted that Elias could hear it for which she was thankful since it was a quirk of hers.

The second she caught herself she stopped and cleared her throat, her smile once again firmly in place as she glanced to Elias. She remembered he'd spoken and responded in kind. "I see. That's unfortunate." What were you supposed to say to that? That was the best she could come up with at the moment but she'd make it a point not to bring up his family in the future. The last thing she would want to do is to upset or anger him.

At his covering her with his coat she snuggled deeper into his jacket. It pretty much dwarfed her but she was warming up and that was the point. "Thank you," she breathed out. When Elias had put that question to her she focused her full attention on him. "Well I have plans later on in the evening but I'm headed home first to change and eat, all that good stuff. What about you? Home or out on the town?"

[Elias Henry Jones]

Elias had to suppress a laugh at just how ridiculous Erica looked with his jacket on. He wasn't particularly well-built, but compared to her slender frame he was a giant. With the jacket on she looked like some kind of midget and it was difficult for him not to chuckle to himself at her. That would have been rude and completely illmannered. He'd been the one to supply the jacket for her, so he had no right to laugh at how she looked in it.

Unfortunate his ass! He was glad his family were no more. He'd orchestrated the whole thing himself, so of course he was! There was nothing unfortunate about it, yet so much fortune in it. He'd been fortunate that the police had believed the tale of an armed robbery he'd invented. He'd been fortunate to have the ability to look after himself all those years. There was nothing to regret or be sad about in any way. He'd do it again a hundred times over.

Some might call Elias bitter and lonely. He personally thought he was neither. It was by choice that he lived and worked alone. If he really wanted to there were countless ways he could have company. But company meant mindless smalltalk and boredom. He'd rather have scratched his eyes out than spend the majority of his time with anyone. This evening, for instance, he intended to go home, work out, have a bath, dinner and then settle down with a few pints for the night. To many it would be a boring, lonely evening wasted. To him it was a perfect night in, with the best company possible;himself.

"I think I'll just be heading home and having a drink or two."

Despite having a very-much open-ended question to answer, Elias still wasn't speaking much. It didn't matter what the topic, or what he was answering. He just didn't say much, period. If some psychologist or other expert of some sort was to look at his personality compared to his past they'd probably say it was because of his upbringing that he was such a quiet person. Being told your opinions were worthless pretty much everytime you opened your mouth wasn't the greatest confidence builder. Elias, of course, would merely laugh in their faces. He was quiet by choice, not because of something which happened about twenty years ago. Stupid experts.

[Erica May Carson]

Erica screwed up her face as she tugged his jacket closer around her. She was finally starting to warm up somewhat. It made her feel small, hell, she was small compared to him. She looked up from the coat she was wearing and looked over at Elias. She saw the look on his face and shrugged her shoulder at him. She may look ridiculous but she was warming up that was what counted, Erica wasn't going for a fashion statement.

The urge to reach over and wrap her arms around him and give him a bear hug was nearly overwhelming yet she refrained from such action. He'd more than likely look at her like she'd lost it but she couldn't help but feel bad for him. She didn't pity him but she still felt bad. He was the way he was for a reason, Erica just didn't know what that reason was and she couldn't ask, that would be putting her nose where it certainly didn't belong. Because Elias wasn't very vocal she was pretty confident he wasn't going to be offering any answers as to what made him the man he was today.

She was very curious about him and she did want to know more but perhaps he'd open up a little bit as time wore on. Erica had already decided that she did want to get to know him on a more personal level but not to get him in the sack, to find out what made Elias tick. It dawned on her then as she stood there shivering, huddled in his jacket that maybe she was too talkative around him and it unsettled him making him clam up. That would certainly make sense at least in her mind it did. After he'd answered her question, she debated what to say. She would normally start rambling on right about now about what she'd be doing for the rest of her free time that evening. However, since she was convinced that her speaking less might get him to speak more she kept her rambling in check, for the moment.

Erica was a glutton for punishment and her 'save the world' mentality would get the best of her at some point but she was who she was and before thinking she'd opened her mouth to speak. "That's pretty much what I was planning on doing before heading out for the night. Would you like some company? You're more than welcome to come over to my home for a drink if you'd like." Unlike last time she wouldn't be hopping in the sack with him, she'd make sure she was careful how much she drank around him from here on out. "If you aren't interested, just say so won't hurt my feelings." Erica smiled sweetly at him and again tugged his jacket closer around her shoulders.

[Elias Henry Jones]

As she screwed up her face Elias nearly patted her on the head for looking so damned cute. Nobody should be that beautiful. It was unnatural and so tempting for Elias. She was perfection in human form sent to drive him mad with her beauty. If it weren't so inappropriate he'd have just taken her in his arms and kissed her right then. But he didn't want to blow it with this angel. He wanted to play things slowly, calculating every move. He wanted her, and not just for a one-night fling.

Her suggestion threw Elias a little off his guard. The last thing he'd expected was for her to suggest them doing something together that evening. It took a laughable amount of effort for him not to screw up his face in confusion. Nobody did that. Sure, women wanted him to ask them out, but they very rarely made the first move, if at all. And even then he'd usually seen them a few times before, giving them the confidence to think he might actually accept. By that point Elias was bored of them. He didn't like that level of confidence in a woman. Yet with this Erica it was intriguing. Far from putting him off, she was making him more and more interested in her. What was she doing to him?

So, without much thought, Elias knew he was going to accept. If she was willing to put up with his quiet demeanour for a whole evening then fair play to her. It wasn't like he didn't know how infuriatingly quiet he was. While the mystery attracted a lot of women, and sometimes even men, it didn't make them at all likely to stick around when they realised he wasn't letting them past that wall.

"Company would be nice." True to himself, Elias' answer was short and sweet. What else was there to say? He hated babbling fools who talked on and on without stopping around women. They were completely unrefined and an embarassment to the male population. When there was nothing to say, then don't say it.