Being as it was late, and Bex didn't really like them anyway, Darci and the boys decided to go home. It was probably safer and less likely to get them in trouble being as they had all snuck out without their families knowing.
So Rooney, Joan, and Bex all drove to Lyssa's old house. When they got there it still looked abandon and like no one had been by in a while. Just to satisfy her own curiosity Joan got off the truck and pressed the buzzer a few times. As expected, no one answered.
Lucky for them Lyssa never got around to fixing the broken gate so they drove inside. Joan parked her truck and went to the front door. When she turned the knob she found it locked. With a sigh she went over to the window that had only been taped up, not fixed, and pushed the tape in. Then she unlocked the window and pushed it up before going inside.
She walked around to open the front door.
Rooney eyed Rebecca who was looking around in awe as if she was just seeing the place for the first time.
"Okay, so no way we are going to fit that casket through the front door, we will have to take it around back to bring it through the double doors. Rooney go unlock the back doors, Bex and I will move the casket."
"Just be careful." Rooney sighed before walking into the house.
"Follow me." Joan grabbed Bex's hand.
Bex hissed at Joan and snatched her hand back. The two shared a look before Joan sighed and lead Bex back to the truck where Joan jumped onto the bed of the truck and moved the tarp. After untieing the casket she pushed it off the back and let it slide to the floor. Bex just watched her curiously.
"You know anytime you want to jump in would be great." Joan hoped off the truck.
Bex walked over to the casket and then picked it up like it was weightless and held it above her head as she looked at Joan for further instruction. Joan just blinked at her in surprise before closing the bed of the truck.
"Um... just follow me." Joan said.
So Bex followed after Joan as they walked around back where Rooney was waiting. Rooney's eyes also went wide at the sight but she said nothing as Bex moved the casket inside.
There was something so strange about watching the once feeble and week Bex carry a heavy 400lb casket like it was a pillow.
"Um just set it here for now." Joan said as they approached the basement door.
Bex looked around the house in awe and flinched when Joan turned the lights on.
"Everything still works." Rooney tested the water by turning on the kitchen sink.
"Good, okay so no way we are getting this casket in there without taking it apart. Rooney go look in my truck for a screwdriver or something while I take Bex a bath."
"Can't she take herself a bath?" Rooney raised an eyebrow.
"Just trust me." Joan snapped at her.
"It's her I don't trust." Rooney said as she walked back out to the truck.
The house was stuffy and warm, but that didn't matter to Bex. She spun around in circles trying to take in every detail of the mansion. She flinched when Joan grabbed her hand again.
"Come on, I'll take you to the bathroom," Joan said.
This time Bex let Joan lead her upstairs and over to the master bathroom.
"Any of this familiar?" Joan asked.
Bex shook her head no.
Joan sighed.
"Just wait here for a moment," Joan sat Bex down on the toilet while she turned on the large tub and put the water on hot. Then she went into Lyssa's room to look for some clothes. She opened the drawers on the dresses and found most of them empty except one.
A drawer filled with clothes exactly Bex's size most still had the tags on them. Joan grabbed and shirt and eyed it. She felt her heart ache as she realized Lyssa must have bought these for Bex before she died. All the clothes were neatly folded and arranged by color.
Joan grabbed a pair of black satin pajamas and an undershirt for Bex. Then she got up and went back into the bathroom. Bex was eyeing her own reflection, touching her face where blood was dried and smeared.
"I got you something to wear, there wasn't any underwear so you'll have to go commando," Joan said.
Bex turned to her with a confused expression.
"Just, take your clothes off." Joan set the fresh clothes on the counter and while Bex began to strip behind her, she bent down to look for soap under the sink. She found a couple of bottles of shampoo and conditioner, brand-new. She pulled them out and then found a new razor as well as some hair clippers. She pulled it all out and set it on the counter, and when she turned around a very naked Bex was staring at her.
"Ah," Joan closed her eyes, "Um, just get in the tub," Joan said.
She waited until she heard Bex sit down in the tub before opening her eyes.
"Okay, just wait there, let the water fill up, I'll be back," Joan said.
Then she turned and grabbed a towel from the towel closet and set it on the counter before running downstairs to check on Rooney.
Rooney was pacing around in the entryway.
"Well did you find one?" Joan asked.
"Yeah, I did, where's Rebecca?"
"I left her in the tub. I was just checking on you."
"I can help you clean her up." Rooney offered.
"I might just take you up on that, I swear she's like a little kid. She can't do anything without me telling her first."
"I told you, Joan, she's not all there."
"Maybe not, but some of her is there and that's enough for me."
Rooney sighed.
"Please, just do this... for me." Joan pleaded.
"Fine, but I don't have to like it." Rooney huffed as she followed Joan back upstairs.
They first went into Bex's old room, just to see if there were any clothes there. Joan found some underwear and a hairbrush as well as some nail clippers. Then they went back to the bathroom where water was overflowing from the tub onto the floor. Bex just watched it in awe.
"Bex!" Joan ran in, slipped in the water, then crawled to the tub and turned it off.
"Nice, real nice."
"Just shut up and go get the mop," Joan said.
"And where would that be exactly?" Rooney crossed her arms, still standing in the doorway.
"Check around the kitchen area."
"Laundry room," Bex said.
They both turned to her.
"What?" Joan asked.
"Laundry room." She repeated.
"Uh... okay, check the laundry room." Joan turned back to Rooney.
"And where is that?" Rooney asked.
"Just look!" Joan snapped at her.
Rooney rolled her eyes before going to look.
Joan stood up, nearly slipped again, before grabbing the shampoo and other hygiene supplies. Then she cautiously walked back to the tub, her dirty shoes leaving muddy footprints behind.
Joan had to reach into the tub to unclog the water and let some drain out. Then she sealed it back up before looking at Bex.
"Um, get your hair wet." She ordered.
Bex looked at the water before dunking her whole body under and then coming back up dripping wet.
"Good," Joan said before dumping a big blob of shampoo on Bex's head. She quickly got to scrubbing.
To no one's surprise the soap quickly turned grey with dirt and grime.
"Here, start scrubbing your body." Joan handed Bex a washcloth with some soap on it.
Bex quickly started scrubbing her arms and torso.
"How did you know to look in the laundry room?" Joan asked as she scrubbed Bex's scalp.
Bex just shrugged.
"Are you starting to remember?"
Bex just shrugged again.
Joan sighed.
She started scrubbing behind Bex's now pointed ears, being sure to clean them extra good.
Rooney came back in with the mop and the mop bucket.
They all continued their task in silence. Joan grabbed the showerhead that could extend from the tub and be held by hand. She began to drain the water as she rinsed Bex off. Joan then handed Bex a razor,
"Um you know how to use this right?" Joan asked.
Bex nodded.
"Cool, then um just shave. Here is some shaving gel." She handed it to Bex before turning the water back on, but not clogging it up again, just letting it run while Bex shaved. While Bex was doing that Joan grabbed the conditioner and began to massage it into Bex's scalp.
"Joan, take off your shoes you're making my job harder," Rooney complained.
"Sorry." Joan quickly took her shoes and socks off.
Her pants were soaked but she didn't care at the moment.
Once Bex was done shaving her entire body, Joan clipped her long pointed nails and scrubbed Bex's back, examining the knife cut. It was mostly healed up already. As Rooney had said, newly reborn vampires heal much faster being as some of their human cells are still active.
Once Bex was done with the bath, Joan dried her off and helped her get dressed. Then they went back downstairs where Rooney began to disassemble the casket and Joan brushed out Bex's tangled hair as they sat at the small kitchen table.
"Shouldn't she brush her teeth? I mean a diet of blood makes for pretty rancid breath." Rooney commented.
"I didn't see a toothbrush. I'll have to look again." Joan said.
When Joan was finished she looked at Bex and said,
"Wait here, I'm going to go look for a toothbrush."
Bex just stared at her with those red eyes.
Joan sighed and ran back upstairs.
She dug around under the sink some more but found nothing. Then she looked around in the drawers and cabinets before finding flavorless toothpaste. She shrugged and resumed searching for a toothbrush. She didn't find one. She went back to Bex's room and searched there before finding one sitting on the bed with a cap on it.
She grabbed it and went back downstairs.
"Where is she?" Joan looked around
"She walked, ugh, that way." Rooney heaved the lid off the casket.
"Why didn't you stop her?"
"A little busy here."
Joan grunted in frustration before going to look for Bex. She found Bex in the art room, uncovering various covered paintings.
"I found the toothbrush, come on," Joan called.
Bex stayed staring at the painting.
"Bex come on," Joan called.
"It's me. Who did this?" Bex turned to Joan and pointed to the painting.
Joan sighed and walked over to the painting. It was a full-body portrait of Bex herself. She was lying in a field of orange, yellow, and purple flowers. Her eyes wide open and her signature smile on her face. Her hair was splayed out all over the grass and she was in a beautiful white dress.
"Who did this?" Bex asked again.
"Uh... do you remember?" Joan asked.
Bex looked back at the painting, there was something about it, about the house, about being here that stirred up something inside of her. Something she felt was important. There was this hole in her, a hole she was sure something belongs.
She held her head as it began to pound, the harder she tried to remember the more pain she was in.
"Who did this?" Bex asked again, this time more commanding,
"Maybe you should come sit down, this might be a bit much to take in at once."
"Who!? Who did this!?"
"Bex,"
"Answer me!"
"Everything okay in here?" Rooney walked in.
Bex grabbed her head and shook it a few times, trying to remember something, but nothing came.
"I think she's trying to remember," Joan said.
"She might need to go lay down, the sun should be coming up soon."
Joan grabbed Bex's hand, causing her to flinch.
"Come on, let's go brush your teeth."
"Tell me," Bex whimpered.
"Not today, maybe tomorrow. Let's take this one step at a time."
Bex grabbed Joan and slammed her into the wall.
"Hey! Leave her alone!" Rooney ran over to them.
"Bex calm down."
Bex narrowed her eyes before her sight fell on her own hand. She let go of Joan and eyed her finger, something was missing she realized. She looked around on the floor before vanishing with super speed out of the room.
"Bex!" Joan called after her.
"Are you okay?" Rooney asked.
"Come on," Joan ran after her.
Bex ran around the bathroom looking for it, moving her clothes on the ground around. She walked over to the tub where the golden ring sat there on the tub floor. She quickly picked it up. It must have fallen off while she was taking a bath she concluded.
"Bex, what's wrong?" Joan asked.
"Found it," she showed her the ring.
Joan watched as Bex quickly slipped it back on her finger.
"Where did you get that?" Joan asked.
Bex shrugged.
"Just, come and brush your teeth." Joan sighed.
She led Bex over to the sink and handed her the toothbrush and toothpaste.
After that was done Rooney and Joan moved the casket down into the basement and into the secret room, which was empty. Rooney went to go get the bags of dirt while Joan worked on reassembling the coffin.
Bex just walked around the basement, inspecting everything.
When Rooney came back they spread the dirt around and finished reassembling the casket again. Joan cleaned it out as best as she could and looked to Bex.
"Okay, you can go to sleep now." She said.
Bex walked over to her casket and laid down, her arms flat by her side. She closed her eyes and Joan shut the casket yet again.
"Come on, let her rest, you need to get cleaned up." Rooney pulled Joan out of the room.
"Maybe we should just stay here for the night."
"Joan seriously?"
"Well fine, here take my truck, I'm staying. I'll just take a shower and sleep here. Besides I want to see if I can find any books on vampire change."
"What if another vampire tries to come for you?"
"The only vampire I expect to show up is Lyssa. I mean we are in her house and using all of her things. I'm sure she got a notification her house was being used or something. I'd bet she's making her way back as we speak."
"That doesn't bring me comfort."
"Once she sees Rebecca, she'll know what to do. Trust me."
"I'm only leaving to go and get you some clothes and food. I'll be back." Rooney took the keys.
"Go move your car away from the cemetery, I don't want you getting in trouble for this."
"I'll just leave your truck at the park and drive back in my car then."
"That's fine. Don't rush or anything, now that she's asleep I'll be fine."
"Okay, stay safe, call me if anything happens." Rooney kissed Joan on the cheek.
Joan blushed and nodded.
After she was gone Joan quickly took a shower and borrowed some of Bex's clothes that she had found. Then she threw her and Bex's dirty clothes into the washer. She washed off her shoes and set them outside to dry. Then she walked back down to the basement where she went over the books, picking out ones she thought might help.
She had only read a few chapters before she had fallen asleep on the couch in the basement, the book still open in her hand.
She was woken up a few hours later to a freshly showered Rooney.
"Come on, come lay down in a bed somewhere." Rooney helped Joan up.
Joan yawned and set the book down before throwing her clothes in the dryer and setting Bex's dress out to air dry. Then she led Rooney to a downstairs guest room where they laid down in bed together.
Rooney pulled Joan into her arms, and Joan didn't try and fight her. She just curled up into Rooney and closed her eyes to sleep. Rooney had turned on the ceiling fan and cracked the window before she laid down, that way there was some air circulating in the room and they wouldn't burn up.
With Joan safe in her arms, she too quickly fell asleep.
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