Walk in Darkness, Live in Light. [invite only/closed]

Jayce wandered through the allies, wondering how he'd managed to get so lost so quick. One second he'd been on his way home from the bar, headed towards his apartment and the next--lost! He just didn't understand it! He wobbled around, patting down the walls for a way out. It didn't seem to be working. But on that movie he'd seen--he didn't remember any part except this one, because it had been awesome--they had just tapped the bricks with an umbrella! "That's it!" Jayce slurred out to no one, "That's what I'm missing. I umbrella need!" He laughed when he realized he'd gotten his words mixed up. How much had he had to drink at that bar? He didn't remember. It didn't seem like enough to get him drunk at the time, but he supposed he did feel a little unsteady...

Page felt uneasy from her encounter at the beach. The glowering man seemed so familiar and yet.... she knew she'd never met him before. Her eyes flicked upwards as she realized she'd found herself in an alley. A man was talking to himself, and then laughter. "Hello?" she asked softly at the air. It was dangerous for her to be alone. She caught a glimpse of the shadowy figure; a man with white hair who smelled slightly of alcohol. She stood as a deer in the headlights, unsure what to do.

Jayce whirled around, immediately aware of a presence. "Wh-who's there?" he stuttered, partly from his drunken state and partly from fear. Normally, he wouldn't be afraid. He was nearly invincible, after all, with his notebook, but it was dark, he was alone, and he was drunk. Not to mention if someone came after him, they probably wouldn't call out their name first. Not even criminals were that stupid.

Page stepped forward, holding her hands up. "Don't worry I don't bite." she said calmly. Her eyes a soft amber color in the lighting. She eyed him carefully, curious as to why he seemed so scared, but then again he was drunk in an alley. Maybe he thought she was a criminal. "I was just getting lost.." She looked away with a faint blush of embarrassment. "Zoned out and here I am." She sighed. "And you're drunk.. maybe you should.. here let me walk you home.."

"I-I'm not dr...unk!" Jayce argued, studying the girl the best he could in his drunken state. She appeared to be younger than him by a year or so, but didn't look to be a threat. If worst came to worst, he could overpower her physically enough to get away. "I..you..don't remember where home is..lost."

Page was quiet a moment as she stared at Jayce. "Your home is lost?" she asked softly in confusion. "And no I wouldn't remember where your home is I've never been there." With a heavy sigh, she walked forward and held out her hand. "Here come with me. I'll take you to my house until you're somewhat sober at least." She had an annoyed look on her face, yet she still managed to keep a soft and gentle appearance, sort of like one of those girls you got angry and it made you laugh. Her blond hair was down to past her shoulders instead of up as usual and it was less than obvious she wasn't wearing make up. "I promise I won't hurt you, I have no reason to. If you aren't comfortable staying with me until you're sober, than just as well, I can take you to a hotel or something."

Jayce hesitated a moment, but nodded. "Okay," he muttered, stumbling over to her and gripping her hand to keep from falling. "That's...alright," he hiccuped, "if you don't mind me staying, I guess...it's okay." He sighed and tried to remember how much he had drunk. He knew it hadn't been much, he hadn't wanted to get a bad hangover so he'd only had barely enough to get him drunk.

Page let out an agitated sigh, only to make herself seem gruff. As he grabbed her hand, she pulled him towards her with surprising strength. Her body moved nimbly, slipping her arm beneath his and onto his back as she wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Once he was steadied, she began walking, half dragging the man to their destination. Her eyes glinted determinedly as she looked ahead. "By the Way my name is Page." She said calmly. "You, stranger?" she asked in a kind voice more or less to keep him awake..

Jayce stumbled, shuffling his feet around to keep from falling as he was drug towards her apartment. She's telling me her name? he thought, blinking. Probably an alias. "Jayce," he said, tripping slightly as he spoke. Walking and talking simultaneously was easier said then done when drunk and being dragged along. He saw no reason to give her a false first name. If she did have a notebook, she had no reason to kill him and besides, she didn't have his last name.

Page stopped a moment and readjusted her grip. "Am I going to fast, I'm sorry?" She said with a small blush of embarrassment. With a soft smile she allowed the man time to adjust himself if need be. "Jayce, that's a neat name." She said softly. "My parents named me Paige, P-a-i-g-e, however my friends call me Page because I read a lot of books." She seemed practically careless with the man, obviously not minding the fact that she'd given out to him, what to her was her real first name. "Don't worry, we're almost there." she assured him.

Jayce nodded. "This is a... kind of fast.....pace," he admitted, his voice trailing off at the end of his sentence. He found it hard to concentrate at the moment. "Paige is a pretty name, too," he slurred, "As is Page..." He couldn't wait to get there, to her house. He just wanted to sleep, sleep for a long time.

Page laughed lightly as she guided him at a slower pace so he didn't feel like a sled in a dog race. Her eyes determined until they came to a door, she looked at him and smiled. "This is my little house." She reached with he right hand and pulled something out from beneath her jacket. The metal shone; attached to a string as she pushed it in the keyhole and turned. A click resounded and she let the key drop back down around her neck. Her hand turned the knob and she walked in, using her foot to open the door. "Don't mind the mess. I was in a research phase last night."

Jayce smiled. "Better," he said, nodding slightly. He focused, as much as he could, on the door she had led him to. It was a nice little house, he had to admit. And when she opened it, he saw that it was much cleaner than his apartment. "Mess?" he asked in a dazed voice. He didn't see a mess. "What were you researching?"

Page flipped on the switch and led the man to the couch pushing off a few books. "Well it might sound strange, but I research a lot of Alice in Wonderland." she admitted. Her cheeks reddened as she looked away, trying to fight the blush. Her nose twitched as she stood and removed her jacket, showing her clothes for the first time. A red haulter top and a pair of blue jeans with a black belt. "You want a pillow or something I have extras."

"Alice...in Wonderland?" Jayce repeated, wrinkling his forehead in confusion. Seeing her embarrassment, he decided not to ask anymore about it. "A pillow would be nice," he said, changing the subject.

Page nodded, standing upright. Her body shifted and she disappeared into another room, returning with a pillow. A second later she vanished behind a counter and returned once more with a small glass. "Here's some water." Her voice was soft and gentle despite her angry eyes. "If you need anything let me know." She pulled a blanket that covered the couch down over him. "Bathroom is down the hall to the right."

Jayce nodded. She must know where everything is here, he thought. In his house, it would take him at least five minutes to find an extra pillow, and when he did he wouldn't have the energy to travel to the kitchen and search for a glass to put water in, which would take at least another three minutes. "Thanks," he said absentmindedly, memorizing the directions to the bathroom. He didn't want to throw up on Page's couch after she'd been so kind to him, after all.

Page nodded and ruffled the man's hair, before turning and walking into the room to the left of the hall. She was silent and almost statue-esque as the door shut behind her. She wasn't sure what to think right now after a crappy day at work and an even harder day with research on her brother. A small cat rubbed against her leg, purring happily to greet her. "Hey Cheshire." she whispered, rubbing the small black cat's back.

Jayce sighed heavily, leaning back into the pillow. He wondered how his day could have started out with him killing criminals and ended with him spending a drunken night on a stranger's couch. He felt like a failure, like everything his late mother had accused him of was true. I have to get some sleep, he thought, pulling the cover over his head.

Page stood up and looked around her room. She didn't feel tired, especially not after an awful day like the one she'd had. Her arms held to her shoulders, she let out an exasperated breath and turned walking out of the room. Her eyes rested on the man, tilting her head, she sat on his feet. "Hey, you okay? You look upset."

"I'm fine," Jayce lied, not looking at Page. He stared at the end of the couch instead, knowing that if he looked at her, she'd know he was lying and want to talk it out with him, or some shit like that. Jayce was a good liar, but not when he was drunk. And he sure as hell didn't want to 'get in touch with his emotions' with some stranger, either.

Page scoffed and rolled her eyes irritably. "Bullshit, but then again it's not of my business." She shrugged and stood up. "I am just a stranger to you, so I'm not gonna ask your life story, however if you need to talk, I'm a good listener." She shook her head. "I'm going to make some food now. If you want some, let me know."

Jayce perked up a little. "Food?" He repeated, "What kind of food?" He could go for some food right now, although later he might end up in the bathroom, looking at it again in a much less pleasant way. But, still, he was hungry at the moment.

Page looked at him and thought. "I was thinking spaghetti and garlic bread. I can make something else if you want something else though, I have no problem with that." she smiled softly, a genuine and soft smile.

Jayce grinned. "No, spaghetti sounds great right now," he said. It was, in all honesty, one of his favorite foods. He especially liked it with garlic bread. It was, in his opinion, the best combination known to man.