The Bitter One - - -

[Ember Thistle Grant]

Ember, despite needing to recover, was furious with her brother and this stunt he had pulled. No one had heard from him in four weeks and he had left work piling up at the company that she was now trying to work through despite the warnings from her doctors. Andrew may have called her irresponsible, but at least she never did something like this and left everyone up the proverbial creek without a paddle. She was balancing her college work that she was still catching up on with her own work from the company and now all of Andrew’s clients were hers to take care of too. Yeah, it didn’t matter that she was recovering from nearly dying and the surgery that followed; the company had to be on top of everything and Grant Senior believed that it was the responsibility of the blonde child to fix it all.

Which was why she was sitting at the desk in the apartment surrounded by stacks of papers and folders with the smell of smoke filtering in from where she had left one of the balcony doors open. In a fit of rage earlier that day after her father’s assistant had dropped off more work that needed to be finalised by the end of the week, Ember had collected together all of her brother’s remaining belongings and had herself a little bonfire on the balcony. If he was going to vanish into thin air, then she may as well help him with the job. Xander had watched along with the new puppy she had bought to take up more room in the Penthouse. He was a Czechoslovakian Vlčák who she had named Leon and who was currently curled up by Xander. The older dog had wasted no time in taking control and guarding the new addition to their family and was even warming up to Brandon who popped in often to make sure that Ember was okay. The gunslinger on the other hand was doing the opposite. Andrew and Zoe had been right when they called her a bitch and now she was simply going to live up to those expectations and find a way to do everything alone so that no one could be pissed off at her again.

She had let her guard down and let Brandon in at first, but now she was going to do what she did best and push him away again, show him the bitch that everyone else saw and make sure that he wasn’t around for much longer. She didn’t need him to check up on her and she certainly didn’t want him to come into her life and change everything around again. He had done something to her already and the ice queen façade was melting away the longer she spent in his presence, but no more. She needed her defences back in place, her heart firmly guarded and no one to tell her otherwise.

Right now though, she was exhausted, her eyes barely open as she scrawled her name at the bottom of another approved contract. The bandage high on her chest was itchy and distracting, but she couldn’t take it off for another three days. The wound was still too fresh according to the doctor and whilst Ember did recklessly toy with her health, a hideous looking infected scar was not something she wanted to have at all. Granted, she didn’t want a scar either, but she was going to have a pretty visible one for some time, if not the rest of her life.

Rubbing her eyes, she looked at the clock. It was too early for bed and there was still so much that she had vowed to complete before tomorrow morning. A short nap wouldn’t hurt, she was certain of it. Throwing the now complete pile to the stack on the floor, Ember curled her arms up on the desk and rested her head on top of them, her blonde hair tickling the skin as she wriggled in the chair to get comfortable, making sure that there was no pressure on her surgery scar or the area around it. Her eyes closed and it didn’t take more than a minute for the young woman to fall asleep.

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• • •

TAGGED! Brandon <3
WORDS! 709
OUTFIT! Walking Tragedy
LYRICS! To The Moon And Back- - - Savage Garden
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[brandon emmett larkin]

Quitting the police force was supposed to be the time when Brandon’s life got easier and less stressful, but ever since Ember had almost died he was finding it impossible to relax again. When he was at work he kept reliving the fight they had shared before she fell into the gutter and when he wasn’t working he was worrying about her and the state her asshole brother had left her in. He had coerced her into giving him a spare key to the penthouse and he checked on her before work daily, but it still didn’t ease his concerns. She was exhausted and he knew she wouldn’t listen if he tried to talk her down from everything. It was too soon for her to be working again but it was almost as though Ember couldn’t bear to keep still or enjoy her own company. He needed to find a way to calm her down again. She might be safe when it came to her heart, but exhaustion, stress…it would put her back in the hospital just as quickly.

He woke up just after lunchtime and after a quick shower and something to eat, Brandon wasted no time in heading across the city to the luxury penthouse he never dreamed Ember Grant would one day own. Checking on her was part of his routine now and he was worried about what might happen if he stopped. She had no one, it seemed, and her father was treating her more like a machine than a daughter with a very serious medical condition. Andrew was a different story altogether and Brandon didn’t spare a thought for his wellbeing. He was nothing more than a spoilt rich boy who had ran away when things didn’t go his way and now there was Ember picking up his pieces as well as her own. He didn’t know what he was getting caught up in, choosing to fall in with the Grant family, but he couldn’t walk away now.

He still couldn’t believe he was doing any of this. He had entertained Ember during her downfall to ensure that she didn’t do anything reckless, but it seemed too late for that once he discovered the truth, learnt about her HCM and saved her life. Now, he didn’t know what was going on. He had feelings for the young gunslinger, but he didn’t want to face up to them as much as she didn’t seem to want to face the severity of her reality now. There was something she wasn’t telling him and it was festering inside of her, priming her to explode again sooner or later. He knew that it was going to happen and he was determined to stand by the blonde through all of this, regardless of how she felt towards him. Brandon was falling for Ember, despite how much he tried not to and it really was only a matter of time before one of them had to give.

Using the key to open the door to the building, he quickly moved to the elevator, riding it to the penthouse before using the second key to open the door, the scampering of paws on wood bringing a small smile to his face. He had never considered having a dog before these last few weeks, but Xander and Leon were slowly changing his mind. The way Xander especially would protect Ember was endearing and Brandon was just glad that the dog was finally warming up to him now after all this time. “Where is she, boy?” His blue eyes looked around and he let out a small sigh when he saw the position she was curled up in. If he wasn’t worried already, then this did the trick. Sliding his jacket onto the hook by the door, he crossed the room slowly, looking at the files on the floor by her feet. She looked so peaceful when she was asleep, but he knew that he had to wake her up; she couldn’t sleep at her desk. “Hey, Ember? C’mon, you can’t sleep here.” He said softly, gently shaking her arm to wake her up.

[/justify]

Word count of 720
Written for Ember
Listening to Haven’t Met You Yet by Michael Buble
Outfit to come later.

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[Ember Thistle Grant]

There were plenty of ways for Ember to be reckless without the alcohol and the partying. People never saw past the initial mask, usually, but there was so much beneath the surface that even Freud would probably have given up on working her out long ago. She had so many defensive mechanisms in place, thanks to her turbulent childhood that it was nigh on impossible for anyone to handle her. Even Andrew had gone away now and the only person left who seemed determined to keep Ember safe was Brandon. She didn’t need it! She had taken care of herself for long enough before either of them had come along and she could do the same now. However, if any more work was assigned to her desk, she’d probably find herself throwing it all back at her father and telling him exactly where to stick it. She wasn’t by any means an attention seeker, but a little bit of sympathy or consideration from the adulterer of a father would have been nice, even just for a moment.

The slumber was a dreamless one. Ember didn’t even know what was going on or that someone was in her apartment until she felt someone shaking her and a deep voice talking to her, breaking up the mess of thoughts that had been settling on her mind as she rested. Instinctively, she shot her hand out, punching Brandon in the stomach before blinking, realising what exactly was happening. “S’ry.”

[/color] She mumbled, pushing herself up onto tired legs. Pushing her hair back from her face, she swallowed and fixed Brandon with a tired and confused expression. “You okay? What are you doing here?”[/color] The scar was hurting and she reached up to rub around the bandages and the permanent lump. It was probably a good job that he had woken her up, because once her eyes fell on the clock, she fell into a bit of a panic. She hadn’t meant to nap for so long and now she was more behind than she intended to be. Stepping around Brandon, she grabbed another pile of manila folders and moved back to the desk, searching for her pen as she flipped on the small lamp.

Silently, she moved to refill her coffee mug from the machine in the kitchen. Rubbing her tired eyes, she longed for her bed more than anything, but she couldn’t. There was still so much to do. She wasn’t in a good mood, she didn’t want to deal with Brandon and the strange feelings that she refused to have for him. Her hand came up to close around the locket and she took a deep breath, remembering everything that had bought her here, to this moment and why she had to live her life alone from here on out. The company could be her world. Still, she knew she would have a challenge on her hands to get rid of Brandon.
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• • •

TAGGED! Brandon <3
WORDS! 529
OUTFIT! Walking Tragedy
LYRICS! To The Moon And Back- - - Savage Garden
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[brandon emmett larkin]

He knew that Ember was hurting. The second she was out of the hospital she had essentially been blamed for Andrew’s absence and forced to pick up the slack. Ember never backed down from something either, but this was going to kill her just as easily as the partying would have done. Brandon knew that he didn’t have the right to comment on any of this directly, but he would be damned if he sat back and let Ember dig her own grave. He didn’t save her life for her family to take it from her a few months later.

Brandon should’ve known better than to wake Ember up in the manner he did. The girl’s reactions were those of a kid on the street still and she would still sooner punch someone than smile at them. He couldn’t blame her really, not after the life she had lived up until finding acceptance from a father who suddenly seemed to care less again. He had sparred with her in the gym too; he knew just how brutal she could be, and when acting on impulse alone, he really should’ve known better. The punch winded him and he grabbed the desk with one hand to keep himself standing as he doubled over. If that didn’t leave a lovely fist sized bruise on his abdomen then nothing ever would. Breathing deeply before up-righting himself again, Brandon looked at the exhausted gunslinger and a frown crossed his lips. She was looking terrible and her health clearly wasn’t benefitting from how she had thrown herself back into her work almost immediately after her operation. “I’ll be fine. I came to make sure you were alright, which clearly you’re not.” He knew there would probably be a fight of sorts extending from this, but Ember had started to listen to him a little more since she had collapsed in his arms, so maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. “How long were you asleep for?” No one should be napping at their desk, least of all Ember.

He watched her move about the penthouse apartment, his frown only growing as he saw her grab more files and move for more coffee. “Just because you have the ICD regulating your heartbeat now it doesn’t mean that you can push yourself like this. Coffee is still bad for you and so is over exerting yourself with files of men who just want to look good with some hardware strapped to their hip!” He reprimanded as he followed her into the kitchen. He wasn’t leaving until she rested and even if it made him late for work then so be it; some things were more important than underage drinkers in a seedy nightclub. “You need to get some proper rest, Emmy.”

[/justify]

Word count of 494
Written for Ember
Listening to Haven’t Met You Yet by Michael Buble
Outfit to come later.

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[Ember Thistle Grant]

Brandon was probably the only person Ember had ever encountered who wasn’t afraid to push back when she attacked. He wasn’t scared off by her attitude or her serious threats and she didn’t know how to feel about that. It wasn’t like she had ever experienced it before and she wasn’t used to someone who was willing to try so hard to break through her stone wall. Andrew backed off before Ember exploded and even Robert had given her space when she was riled up, but Brandon was there with the chisel, chipping away even when she was firing everything she had at him. She didn’t understand why he’d do it when he had to know that he was going to get a string of insults hurled at him regardless of how he tried to justify his actions.

The blonde hair she raked back from her face fell straight back down the second she let go of the golden strands. She didn’t feel like herself right now, but she wasn’t about to tell Brandon that when he spoke. She needed to prove to him that she could do this alone without his help or anyone else needing to get involved. If there was one thing Ember Grant didn’t do it was ask for help. It was probably the one thing that people constantly got on her back about, especially the ex-detective who seemed to be becoming a permanent fixture in the blonde’s life. “How the hell would you know if I’m okay or not? You know nothing about this part of my life.”

[/color] She snapped, not caring now and still feeling the effects of her stress and exhaustion. “Two hours longer than I had the time for. This conversation isn’t helping either.”[/color] She told him as she grabbed a pop tart from the cupboard and snatched up her mug of coffee from the unit. There was so much to do and arguing with Brandon wasn’t going to buy her any extra time.

Slamming her drink down on the desk, her jaw clenched tightly, tired eyes blazing with anger. How dare he think he could tell her how to live her life! He knew nothing about this, what she had been through or why she was doing all of this. “And just because you spoke to the doctors about the ICD procedure, it doesn’t make you a damn expert. I know what I can handle without needing someone to give me running orders about my own life!”[/color] She glared at him, silently daring him to keep pushing this. She wasn’t in the mood and she wanted him and her feelings for him out of her life. She wanted to be alone, to keep to herself and to live her life without someone showing that they cared for her. She could handle herself and anything life tossed her way. “You know what? I don’t need you or this right now. Just stop wasting your time on me, because I’m never going to change.”[/color] She said, pushing past him and storming to her bedroom. She wanted to get changed and get him out of her home.
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• • •

TAGGED! Brandon <3
WORDS! 564
OUTFIT! Walking Tragedy
LYRICS! To The Moon And Back- - - Savage Garden
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[brandon emmett larkin]

At first, looking after Ember had been a challenge of sorts for himself, but every time he saw her sleeping in the space next to him, or crossing his apartment in another of his shirts, he had found himself falling dangerously quickly for the glimpses of the girl beneath the icy exterior that Ember portrayed to the rest of the world. Now, his concern was genuine and he didn’t want to see the Amazonian blonde in a hospital bed any time soon again. He was still plagued by the thoughts of “what if” from the night she collapsed and the surgery that was apparently simple, but looking at the bulge in her flesh and the nasty scar, it looked anything but that to his eyes.

He didn’t understand why Ember felt as though she had something to prove to the world. Anyone who knew her could see how strong she was and how far she had come. Maybe it wasn’t entirely conventional and she had lucked out reuniting with her wealthy father, but the work Ember gave in college and at the office really was visible to Brandon. These last few weeks alone he had noticed the files and the papers stocking up and she hadn’t changed at all since her brush with death. She was still just as feisty, as stubborn and as determined as ever to keep people at bay. It was almost as though the small lapse in the hospital where she showed him all of her cards was enough for the next decade and the second the drugs weren’t being pumped around her system from an IV she was back to putting those walls up again. “I know what you’re doing isn’t healthy. C’mon Ember; you were passed out at your desk!” If Brandon looked at those files or visited the company he wouldn’t have a clue where to begin or what half of it meant, but he didn’t need to know the fine details of her job to see the dark circles under her eyes or the pallor of her skin. “Your dad can’t expect you to get through all of this and pick up Andrew’s slack.” If Brandon ever had the chance, he would really lay into the legitimate child for all of this and the effect he had clearly had on Ember’s psychological state.

Brandon knew better than to expect a compliant Ember. He knew she would fight back against everything he said or did whilst he was there but by now his skin was thick from insults throughout his life and whatever Ember threw at him, he knew he could take. He was determined not to let the asshole of a brother and the ignorant father turn her back into the stony woman she was a few months back. He wanted the girl who had laughed with him and who had slept curled up to his side. “The problem is your idea of handling something consists of working until you pass out and then working even more until…what? They put you back in hospital?” He said, staring back at her and refusing to let this go. She needed to see sense before this got wildly out of hand. “I don’t want you to change. I just want you to stop running and hiding from anything that could make you happy again!” If she thought storming away would stop him, then she was wrong and Brandon was hot on her heels as she made her way into her bedroom, foolishly grabbing her wrist to hold her back and acknowledge him. “And you are not a waste of my time, Ember Thistle Grant.” He vouched, staring deep into her burning sapphire eyes.

[/justify]

Word count of 651
Written for Ember
Listening to Haven’t Met You Yet by Michael Buble
Outfit to come later.

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[Ember Thistle Grant]

She did not have feelings for Brandon. She kept telling herself that, refusing to believe any differently when just one look at him twisted her stomach into knots. Ember wasn’t the kind of girl who believed in romantic novels or happily ever after; they simply didn’t exist. If she didn’t have any trust in happy endings then what was the point in risking her heart in the first place? Besides, Brandon was the kind of guy who probably wanted some girl who wanted that American lifestyle in the suburbs with three kids, a soccer team to coach and dinner with the in-laws each weekend. Ember was not that kind of girl and she never would be.

It wasn’t as though she enjoyed having all this work to do; keeping busy and living, breathing paperwork and files were two very different things. She didn’t want to be napping at her desk and only moving away for showers and coffee refills. She wanted to be living her life the same as other twenty one year olds would do, but that wasn’t possible until after she cleaned up the mess Andrew had left her in. Brandon kept making valid points, but Ember didn’t want to let him in, so she would acknowledge the sense behind what he was saying to her. “I’m not having this discussion with you. You think passing out at my desk is the worst situation I’ve ever been in? I’ve passed out in dumpsters before, which you should remember, since it was you who pulled me out of it.”

[/color] She had been fifteen and staying outside again to avoid her mom’s latest drunken boyfriend. It was hardly uncommon for her back then. “And I’m not trying to impress anyone. I’m doing my job. I’m sure you put aside sleep when you were one of New York’s finest, so don’t turn into such a hypocrite now, Larkin.”[/color]

Why would he never just take a hint? Why did he always have to challenge her, push her further? All it did was make her angrier than she was to begin with. No matter what she said or did, he would never back off and leave her alone like she wanted him to. “I can handle more than you have ever given me credit for! I never asked your opinion anyway!”[/color] She shook her head as though it would be so simple to get rid of him as well as the words he was saying. He needed to go. Ember couldn’t handle any more of Brandon’s presence in her life. She was ignoring him now, biting down hard on her lip to try and control the explosion of angry truths that she wanted to hurl at him more than anything else. The rage flared the second that his hand closed around her wrist, but his words proved more effective than a fire extinguisher to cool down her flaming temper. His eyes met hers and Ember felt her heart quicken. She didn’t want to be feeling any of this. She couldn’t feel any of this. “Well you’re a waste of mine.”[/color] She croaked out before snatching her wrist back and turning her back on him before her feelings could get the better of her and melt that icy exterior of hers.
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• • •

TAGGED! Brandon <3
WORDS! 588
OUTFIT! Walking Tragedy
LYRICS! To The Moon And Back- - - Savage Garden
NOTES! <3 <3 <3