May 7th - Victoria's Room

[Averi Cheng]

Once Averi got finished some of her errands, she headed right over to Victoria's and gently knocked on the door once she arrived.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Come in," called a tired voice from inside.

[Averi Cheng]

Averi opened the door and closed it behind her. "My dear, how are you holding up?" she asked before walking over to Victoria.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Oh, thank Goddess," Victoria said, finally seeing someone walk through her door that she could feel legitimately and unreservedly happy to see. "I'm a bloody mess, darling," she said hugging the girl and burying her face against her shoulder. "I'm hormonal and tired and overworked and lonely and bloody homicidal sometimes. Not often, though. It might be related to the 'hormonal' part I mentioned. Or be because people are idiots."

[Averi Cheng]

Averi smiled sincerely and hugged the girl back, lightly pattying her on the back. "Well, I wouldn't expect any of this to be easy. And what do you mean by overwork?" She said, quirking a brow curiously. "Anything you need help with I could easily find someone to do it for you. You don't need to lift a finger as far as I'm concerned." She sighed. "So many people are idiots my dear. Which ones are the culprits this time?" She tone sounded quite serious in a 'I'll be doing something about it' kind of way.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Everyone," Victoria sighed, settling down onto the bed, but not letting go of Averi now. And she told about how bloody hard it'd been to get that memory lapse so many people (including Averi) had suffered erased (not that anyone had seemed to care), and how she'd just been trying to help when weather had gone haywire, only to have that wretched Lei girl come insulting her and saying unforgivable things, and then the Headmistress saying how stupid she was for caring what people say and for not talking to more people (not that she'd wanted to listen, she seemed more happy just telling her how stupid the way she had to do things was), and now Onyx was off to marry that wretched Alyson girl now that she'd been set free, so now she didn't even have anyone to talk to about anything, and now Victor Bloody Von Doom was in town, and her job from On High (and she meant On High) was to make sure he couldn't do whatever he was supposed to do... not that she could really tell anyone that anyway, since everyone thought she was a bloody monster or something...

Once she got started, it was like everything was lining up to rush out her mouth now that she'd started. And fortunately, Averi was one of the few she didn't care about crying in front of, otherwise she'd be utterly humiliated by the time she'd gotten everything out.

[Averi Cheng]

Averi was left pretty speechless as Victoria explained what happened to her. She just hugged the girl tighter, of course, not giving a minding a bit that Victoria needed to let some things out. Averi sighed. "Do you honestly have to put up with this? I mean..isn't there just somewhere you could go for awhile until your child's born? You might not want our family's help of course and I know you can do it on your own but...couldn't..whoever you're working under give you a break just this once?"

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria laughed bitterly. "Oh, I already accepted that job. And honestly? If it wasn't for every other bloody thing, it wouldn't seem so bad." She sighed. "And no... I could creep outside time for a bit, I suppose, but things like that take a bit of doing, and I won't be able to until another new moon has passed. I've already done it once this month," she said, rubbing her hand absently over her too-pregnant belly. "But besides... if I'm going to sit someplace all by myself, I might as well do it here were someone might come see me."

[Averi Cheng]

"Well then..the answer is obvious. How about you take me along? I mean..this school thing...let's be serious." She huffed then leaned over and kissed the girl on the forehead. "Otherwise, tell me what you feel you need help with or needs to be done that can make you feel better. That is, if you're feel I'm able to do it, then I will try. You do not need to go through this alone and since I am here, offering to help you, don't force me out if you really wish to have my company or assistance at all." Her voice and tone nothing but sincere.

[Victoria Valentine]

"I can't leave," Victoria said with a faint smile. "The things I have to do... it'd be better for me to do it with the baby still safe in here than on the outside and potentially not safe," she said, patting her belly. "But I need help," she admitted, hating the pleading sound of her voice as she did. "I hate all of this. I hate everyone judging me, and I hate everyone telling me I need to talk to people- oh, but not them, of course! All of these smug bastards, what would they do if they needed help with something? Oh, they'd bloody take a weekend home, I really wish that was a fucking option." It never sounded pretty when weeks of pent up frustration came spilling out. And then she sounded tired again. "I'm just lonely, Averi," she admitted quietly. "Goddess, I know exactly how pathetic I sound right now, but it's true. And that's the one blasted fact that seems to keep me from getting everything together again."

[Averi Cheng]

"That's understandable." She said, finding no need to say anything else about that. "This is quite the safe haven..in it's own way." She had to agree since well..that IS why her and her brother were here to begin with. "Oh you should know dear. That's a bunch of bull. That's how people are..you can see through it. They want to seem helpful and nice on the surface but a lot of people don't have time to deal with the things not pertaining to them. That is of course, if they don't really care about you. But since you have me, you don't need to worry about that. I will do what I can. Bottomline. I do care and I hope that I have never done anything to prove that to you otherwise." She blinked. "Pathetic my dear? Come on now. This is life. If anything, you're just being real with all the hell that's on your plate."

"Now come on. I haven't talked to you in awhile so you need to lay it out straight to me, what I can do to help take some of that burden off of you. You said your job would be easily and you could handle this more without 'all this other stuff' effecting you too. So let's begin shall we?"

[Victoria Valentine]

"Don't be such a bloody stranger is what you can do," Victoria said, managing to smile a bit now. "I mean, I don't think I need to spell out what the cure for being lonely is."

She sighed, leaning against her friend. Her daughter's aunt. "You know," she mused, "I'm not going to be able to live in here with a baby. I suppose I'll need to find a flat around here."

[Averi Cheng]

She laughed. "Fine. That's simple enough but anything beyond that let me know. I'll be fixing that immediately." She nodded in agreement. "That is a good idea. We should start looking soon."

[Victoria Valentine]

"I suppose," Victoria said thoughtfully, "the first question is how big place it needs to be."

[Averi Cheng]

"Obviously, money is not a problem." She said matter-o-factly. "So the matter is how big you would like it to be." She smiled. "Besides, some flat hunting might be fun and get your mind of some of the idiot people running around."

[Victoria Valentine]

"See... now I can't tell if we're on the same page or not," Victoria mused. "I realize this isn't a 'just you' decision, but do you think that finding a flat together would be an agreeable arrangement?" She realized the question was partly 'would Ethan be all right with it,' but Averi would, too. There wasn't any commitment between them, Victoria wouldn't want to cramp Ethan's lifestyle.

[Averi Cheng]

"Well..." She had to think about that one for a moment. "It's truly up to you. I'd enjoy living together with you and I don't believe Ethan would be against it. I'll be sure to ask. Either way, I'm all about having you being comfortable. Whether or not me and Ethan move in is another story."

[Victoria Valentine]

"Then it's something to consider," Victoria said. "This poor child, she's going to have to get used to the oddest family dynamics," Victoria mused with a little smile.

[Averi Cheng]

"Aw. Family dynamics are fine. As long as the child feels loved and is happy then that's all that matters." She flicked her hair over her shoulder. "She will have all of us after all."

[Victoria Valentine]

"Indeed," Victoria agreed, smiling. "I suppose I need to trim down my list of names."

[Averi Cheng]

She smiled as well then finally pulled away from Victoria. "Let me know when you want to start searching. Have you eaten anything yet?"

[Victoria Valentine]

"Mmm, yes, but it's been a bit. I was thinking of finding something worth eating fairly soon," Victoria admitted.

[Averi Cheng]

"Maybe we should get some Dinner then? I haven't eaten out in Bankside in awhile. I'm sure there's something good there."

[Victoria Valentine]

"I'm positive we can find something," Victoria agreed. "And getting away from here for a bit would likely do me good," she admitted. "Get me feeling bloody human again."