With the house in sight, she raced in, and under the nearest table. There was no blanket to cover her head, but she huddled into a ball under the table, trembling. Tears began to stream down her face as she thought of her experiences with lightning... and even worse... what happened to make her experience them. "I'm such an idiot" she muttered to herself. She found herself realizing where she was and she felt even stupider. However, she didn't leave her place from under the table, because that would just make her feel even more like a dork. So, she resigned herself to suffering in silence, under the table, alone.

Cassiel doesn't let go of Cormac. His eyes are hollow and he's hyperventilating. Being in the house isn't seeming to be helping. Cormac frowns. "Cass, breathe. Serena, you don't need to hide under the table, you can cling to me," he offers. Cormac attempts to get down onto the couch without falling. He manages, then eyes Cassiel, who looks paler than normal. His whole body is shaking ans he's still mute. His eyes are hazy and unfocused.

Serena peeks out and watches her security blanket and teddy bear. The thunder boomed again and she leaped for the couch, settling in on the other side of Cormac. She maneuvered herself so that his arm was over her and she buried her face into his side as she curled up into a ball. She'd never been inside... with someone who cared... during a thunderstorm before. She was always outside. She'd never even gone to Jake when it happened, she was always too scared to move. It felt comforting to have him be there.

Cormac strokes her hair, while thinking. He used the arm not petting her hair to grab two music players off the table. He hands one to Serena and places the other one in Cassiel's ear, knowing he's frozen. He watches Cassiel as he turns music on, hoping to unfreeze him. He'd never had these to try before. His hand continues to stroke Serena's hair.

Serena closed her eyes and snuggled closer to him, a light smile on her face. Maybe I... stop it! But... he's so.... I said stop it! Oh, you stop it! I'm not going home... so I might as well face the facts. I've fallen for him. All I can hope for now... is that one day he'd feel the same way, she thought, snuggling even closer with the thought. She wiped away the ghosts of tears that had fallen earlier, and simply relaxed, the music soothing her. "Thank you" she told him softly.

Cormac nods. "This is the first time I had them, so might as well use them," he pointed out. He then eyes Cassiel, frowning. "Now, I need to un-freeze him." Cassiel hasn't moved an inch since they got inside, even with the music.

Serena nods "go ahead, I'll be alright" she told him, moving back so that Cormac could move better and get to Cassiel. "Is he going to be alright?" she asked, worried for her friend.

"No idea. Normally he's not this bad." Cormac seems worried and not sure what to do. He kneels down near Cassiel and taps him. "Cass. You're inside, and safe. Relax." Cassiel's eyes focus on Cormac for a moment before he bolts into the bedroom and under Cormac's bed. Cormac facepalms. "Hm. Flashback, maybe?" He thinks for a moment, trying to fully remember what had happened to Cassiel.

Serena nodded "I know the feeling... Many a time I've had the misfortune of being stuck out in the rain, with nowhere else to g. If that doesn't earn you at least a healthy respect for, if not fear of, lightning, I'm not sure what does" she said softly, snuggling closer to Cormac, noticing that he wasn't getting up.

Cormac thinks. "I know he was locked in a lab for a few years before I found him...I believe one of the scientists was a lightning wielder... He was a mess when I found him though, he couldn't even change back into his human form until a week after I found him," Cormac tells her. He rests against her, debating whether he should just leave Cassiel alone for a bit.

Serena buried her face into Cormac, painful memories of all the abuse bubbling up. "It's a good thing he has you, then. No one should have to go through that alone... no one should have to suffer the memories alone... the painfully real memories... that haunt you every night. And every night you think you're safe, you go to sleep wondering if you're living a dream and you'll wake up to find yourself in that nightmare... and then it'll start all over and you wonder if that day is your last. No one should have to suffer that alone" she said, angry tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. She curled closer, wrapping her arms around him for comfort. Pressed tight against him, she noticed that she was trembling... shaking even.

Cormac pets her hair again, rocking her slightly. "You'd never guess it looking at him. It was all because he was blind and a shapeshifter. I swear, I'll kill them if they find him again," he swears, bitterly. He sighs, realizing he was going off again. But, he'd seen just how bad Cassiel got.

"It'll be alright... he'll be alright... sometimes when the memories are at their worst... the only thing you can do it wait. We'll all be just fine" Serena said, moving slightly so that her head was resting on her chest. His gentle heartbeat calmed her faster than anything else, and combined with him holding her and petting her, she was being lulled into sleep. "Hey, Cormac... you don't mind the fact that I'm staying... do you? There's no part of you that secretly wants me gone?" she asked, slight worry evident in her voice.

"If I minded you wouldn't be here," he states simply. "I choose my company quite selectively. Which is another reason I'm a hermit." He keeps holding her, contently. He was inwardly glad Cassiel wasn't there to squeal, like Cormac knew he would. He closes his eyes, content to just rest. He knew he couldn't sleep until Cassiel came out of his room.

Serena smiled and closed her eyes "I'm glad" she said softly "I'm actually rather honored that I'm included in your circle of friends. Amidst all the stress of being away from home, coupled with the stress of going to a new world... it's nice to know there's someone that's willing to stay by my side. Or at least willing to let me tag along. Kind of like a safety net... you know?"

Cormac nodded. Suddenly thunder shakes the cottage, making a picture fall off the table and shatter. Cormac jumps before eying the picture. He rolls his eyes. "Figures." He glances at the ceiling. "Is that all you got? That's the amount of your anger?" He seems to be taunting whoever he's blaming.

Serena screamed slightly when the picture fell, and she buried her face in Cormac's chest. But, then she heard Cormac speak and she went silent for a few moments "Cormac... who are you talking to?" she asked, looking up at the ceiling as well.

Cormac chuckles. "No one. I've just lost my mind," he states, cheerfully. He then stared at the picture. He picked it up and frowned. In it was a younger Cormac--maybe about six, an older girl who was most likely Sera, and older man and woman who were most likely his parents. Cormac looks very much like his sister, and they both have their mother's eyes.

Serena glanced at the picture, unsure of what to say "She's pretty" she whispered. What else could she say? Nothing. She rested her hand on Cormac's shoulder, then slid it around his neck until she pulled him into a hug, both for his comfort... and hers... for she found herself remembering the few memories she had with her mother. "I'm here for you... if you need me... ok?"

Cormac stares at the picture for a moment before throwing it at the wall--and almost hitting Cassiel, who finally came out. Cassiel screams and flails, turning into a bat. He flies in freaked out circles around Cormac's head. Cormac just stares. He shakes his head, not even sure what to do. "Shoo. Shooo!" He swats at Cassiel, who decided to cling to his scalp.

Serena took pity on Cormac, and she reached up to grab the bat-Cassiel. "Come here, Cassiel, Cormac's just being grumpy. It's ok" she cooed, petting his head in an attempt to calm him down. "He didn't mean anything by it."

"I am not grumpy. I didn't want a bleeding scalp." He stares at Cassiel. "Are you gonna be stuck like that for a week, again? The Cassiel bat flies away and hides again, making Cormac sigh. "Ugh," he mutters, rubbing his head. "Ouch..."

Serena had a burst of courage, so she leaned up and kissed the spot Cormac had just touched "there... all better now" she said softly, looking down. Her face was red and she had a shy smile on her face, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him.

Cormac chuckles. "Thank you." He then eyes the picture, not motivated to go pick it up though. He shudders lightly, remembering what happened in his last house. He glanced around for a moment. "Gah. He's gonna need clothes when he changes back..."

Serena looked up shyly with a smile on her face when he thanked her. She then blushed even deeper when Cormac mentioned Cassiel needing clothes. "Um... well... yeah... uh... you should probably get his clothes to him" she muttered.

((I'm not sure, do their clothes remain somewhat intact or something when they change? or do the clothes completely shread?))