Press Conference (Dorian/Alek/Whoever)

[Dorian Humbert]

Everything he said was out of love, an inappropriate love that he couldn't act on but he couldn't ignore either. His pain at losing her was in no way comparable to what she went through with M. The only ones who could even begin to understand her were stuck in an underground dungeon or buried six feet under.

He was saddened by her outburst and angry that he had pushed her to this after all she had been through. She deserved so much more than he was capable of.

"I didn't mean to diminish what you went through, Christine. Or how you feel now. I simply want to keep you safe. It is selfish of me. I can't act on the feelings I have for you but I can't seem to let you go. The idea that there is any chance he comes for you again causes me pain like I have never known, but I know that is nothing compared to what you've been through. You are the strongest person I have ever known, and you terrify me with your strength that far exceeds that of any woman alive. It was not my intention to take anything from you, I hope you can see that. But if not, please know that my concern is not because I think you are incapable or any less. I am simply a selfish man who can't bear the thought of anything ever happening to you."

[Christine Montgomery]

She shook her head angrily, "Stop it! That's not fair! You won't act on the feelings you have for me! That's a choice not a disability. You chose for both of us, and we both are suffering for it."

She walked to him, staring him down, "I'm here Dorian. I'm right here. You tell me how much it will hurt you if anything happened to me. But you're killing me. You took away more from me than M ever could. You took you away from me." her eyes glistened with unshed tears that she was tired of crying.

She swiped at them angrily refusing to be weak.

"I'm right here." she said softer, "I'm still me. I'm the woman you fell in love with."

Her head was bent. This was the point where she would walk away from him sadly, convinced that nothing she could do would make him understand. This is where she accepted what he wanted. The taste was so bitter in her mouth she nearly choked on it.

That wasn't who she was. She never went down without a fight. She never gave up on herself or what she wanted.

Instead of walking away she looked up at him through her lashes, there was a sudden blaze of defiance as she lifted her chin, and stared him down for all of a second before pressing her lips angrily against his.

She had fought for this. She fought against M, her family, even Dorian, she had fought so hard to have this and after the hell she had been through she deserved a kiss at the very least.

She kissed him like it was the first and the last time she would ever be able to do so. There was so much anger, passion, and love she had inside of her for this man and all of it went into this stolen moment.

She pulled back finally, "And I'm the woman you'll always be in love with. You can reconcile yourself to that, or you can regret losing me for the rest of your life. I love you Dorian. I loved you from the moment I met you. I will always love you, but I won't wait for you forever."

[Dorian Humbert]

Dorian's morals wouldn't permit him to see their separation as a choice, despite how passionately Christine pleaded her case. She was too young. They were from very different worlds. There was no way to reconcile that with his intense love for her, regardless of the lies she had told him.

He was pig-headed and far too logical to be reasoned with. He knew there was no future for them. There was nothing she could say that would make him believe otherwise. But her kiss held no words, no logic. It was pure passion; angry and full of love. And for the briefest of moments it shattered him and he kissed her back.

But it ended as suddenly as it had begun. Dorian felt a new wave of dishonor wash over him. It would be a lie to argue with her; he would always love her. But it would be unfair to agree when he had to put an end to this foolishness.

He placed his hand on her cheek, stroking her soft skin with his thumb. He memorized the warmth of his face, the glow of her skin, and every speckle of brown mixed in her hazel eyes.

"I can't ask you to wait, Christine. There is nothing to wait for. You deserve someone who can love you unconditionally and more thoroughly than I am capable of. You deserve happiness and it is clear my presence hinders that. I'm so sorry for what I've put you through. I'm sorry that I allowed you to be taken in the first place. And so much more than that I am sorry that I can't be what you need."

He fought against the emotion in his voice and in his eyes as he looked at her one last time. No one in the history of time had ever loved another as much as Dorian loved Christine and that was the reason he let her go. He turned and pulled open the door, permitting the sounds of the media's questions and Grayson's responses to flood the private room for only a moment before he exited and closed the door firmly behind him.

[Christine Montgomery]

"But you make me happy." she whispered before melting into a fit of sobs on the floor. He made her happy and he made her miserable.

She had felt the spark between them once again as she kissed him. He kissed her back, and then he said goodbye. But he wouldn't leave. He never left her heart. She saw him everywhere, every night and it fractured her spirit.

He was right though. She did deserve someone who could love her unconditionally. Someone who could look past their differences, but no one loved her more thoroughly than he did. She knew at least part of him was rejecting her because he was afraid of hurting her. The other came from a nobility far out of touch with reality. But no matter what she did she couldn't change him. She wouldn't want to change him.

So she cried. She ached and she cried and she let her heart break. She swam in the misery and choked on it.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

Alek watched the door that Christine and then Dorian had gone through. A security guard stood watch outside. Alek wasn't sure how long they would take, but he suspected that no matter how long the pair was together his ridiculous half-brother would find some way to cock it up. This made Alek smile.

The Aurors were answering questions now, but Alek paid them no mind. He simply waited for Dorian to leave, not completely ignorant of the looks his sister was throwing him.

[Aleksandra "Lex" Eiriksen]

"Don't even think about it Alek. I don't know what you're up to, but I know you, and I know it's not good." She said watching him watch their brother like a wolf watching his prey. She had seen that look all too often and had learned to pity the recipient, but she would not let Alek hurt their brother. Somewhere in her naive little head she thought they could be a family some day. A real family, and that wouldn't happen if Alek were to screw everything up now.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

Alek clutched his heart in mock agony, turning to lock eyes with his twin. "You hurt me, sister dear, to think I am so cruel." His sarcastic expression faded as he turned his focus back to the private room where Christine and Dorian were hiding. 

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

[Aleksandra "Lex" Eiriksen]

"I mean it Aleksandar." she said sternly, "Dorian is not one of your wolves that you need to prove your status as alpha to, and Christine is certainly not the bone you are going to fight with him over. Leave it alone."

She knew her brother all too well. She knew that his obsession with Dorian was born out of the intense anger he felt toward their father, it was an anger and hatred they shared for the man. Lex had taken her new found freedom to grow and reach out, but Alek wasn't afforded the same peace of mind. He still lived in their father's world, a kill or be killed world.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

"I don't need to prove myself to anyone," he said sharply, keeping his voice low as to not be overheard. A low growling sound escaped him as his eyes narrowed at his sister. "And you will not order me about. I will seek vengeance in any way I see fit and you will know your place." 

[Aleksandra "Lex" Eiriksen]

Lex felt a frisson of fear shoot through her as Alek growled. She had to remind herself that she wasn't the same girl who had cowered under her father's rule. She also had to remind Alek that she would not bow to him as their father made them both bow repeatedly.

"Vengeance? For a man who knows nothing of us? For a man who our mother would have seen dead and forgotten? There is no vengeance here brother, just a personal vendetta born from the same hatred that flowed through our Father's veins. You are better than that Alek. You're better than he was." she said the last part softly.

"And I did not almost die protecting that girl just for you to use her as some pawn in a game no one else knows you are playing." she said the hard edge returning to her voice.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

Dead and forgotten seemed a perfectly fine way of leaving Dorian when Alek was through with him. But Lex's warnings did nothing to quell the anger inside of him. In fact, she only spurred him on with the reminder of her near death due to Dorian Humbert's negligence.

"This is not a child's game, Aleksandra. This is war and I aim to be the victor."

[Aleksandra "Lex" Eiriksen]

She stepped closer to him,"Oh no? Then stop being a child and be a leader. Don't be what he expects you to be. Don't be him." on that final note she spun on her heels and left her brother to brood. She loved Alek more than anyone in the world and it was hard to watch him be an idiot, particularly over the insecurities placed on him by their father. Sometimes she regretted not having the strength to kill the man when she was younger.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

Alek ignored Lex's tantrum and continued watching for Christine or Dorian to reappear. They were taking longer than he had expected, but then Alek didn't understand all of the intense emotions at play on the other side of the door.

Finally the door opened and an agitated Dorian emerged. Dorian nearly bumped right into Alek as he attempted to leave, but when he saw Alek without Lex he stopped. "Where's Lex gone off to?

Alek, being a gentleman, pointed Dorian in the opposite direction from where Lex had stormed off. Dorian thanked him and followed accordingly. Alek scowled at the man's back as he disappeared. But now Christine was free. He pushed his way through the crowd and knocked on the door, waiting for Christine's voice to permit him entrance.

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine did no such thing. She was too busy trying to make the floor swallow her. If she could simply not exist anymore then the terrible ache in her chest would go away and she would be free of the pain and frustration that came with Dorian's goodbye. She didn't tell Alek to come in. She didn't acknowledge the knock. At the moment she was so inconsolable she didn't think she could breathe.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

Alek knocked again to no answer, then scowled at the door. Assuming Christine had left while he was distracted by Lex or by Dorian, Alek turned and left; angry at his siblings for interfering with his plans. But there would be more opportunities in the future.