Gina Torrio: *she's small on the couch, baby curled carefully in her arms, Brutis dozing on her feet. The baby's fretting because she's fretting... and she's fretting because he's fretting, and so its went fot the last week. Finally they both just sit listlessly together, both too damn tired to cry and wail anymore*

Gina Torrio: *things are in boxes around the room, which reeks of dog and whatever is simmering in a large pot on the stove*

Claudius: The unseen form slips it's way through the apartment building...thank God for open doors. The man is one who lives in secret these days, lest his true identity be known to still be in the city. Like father figure, like daughter figure...he slips up to the door, checking the hallway to see that no one is within visual range before he takes his human seeming, then knocks lightly.

Gina Torrio: *the knock gets a growl from the husky, but its the huge mastiff that heads to the door to take on the intruder.. or treat giver, as he prefers to think of them. Ita raises her voice* who is it loves? *she rises to her feet and moves to open the door*

Claudius: He smiles as the door opens...unperterbed by the unknown face that looks up at him. "Hello, my dear."

Gina Torrio: *her eyes light up a little, and she moves to hug the man, archie curled in her arm* Darlin

Claudius: He takes a step forward and slips his arms around her, hugging her gently, mindful of the little boy in her arms. "I've missed you," he murmurs to her.

Gina Torrio: I've missed you too. *she whispers and presses warm against his chill, baby looking up between them and scrunching his face. the door falls shut behind him as she waves the dogs away and hugs him tightly* everything is bollox and banjanxed

Claudius: "I'm sorry, my dear." He hugs her back, content to provide what comfort he can for his would-be daughter, the one who acheived what he's dreamed for. His hands, hidden underneath the guise of normalcy, smooth over hair that's unfamiliar in feel and color, but always familiar to him. He could never mistake her. "Do you wish to talk about it?"

Gina Torrio: *her head shakes. no she doesn't want to talk about it. she doesn't want to damn well think about it. A deep breath as she looks up sadly and shakes her head again, drawing him to the couch* talking just makes the hurt louder, is all. Doesn't help any of it, or fix the thing.

Claudius: "Of course." He nods, walking with her, toward the couch. With the door shut, he lets his mask slough off, leaving him in his true image. He sits down with her, sighing a little bit.

Gina Torrio: *archie fusses a little, and his blonde haired mother is careful to press kisses on his delicate little skull, calming him before he's set on a blanket on the floor. She turns to the friendly monstosity on the couch and sighs*.. Didn't reckon it'd turn out this way. Bloody wolves. *she tries for a smile and manages a weak one. Sadly its proof that she's better than she's been for the last two weeks. she settles against the nosferatu's side, touching his face as if getting re-acquainted*

Claudius: "No. No, I don't imagine anyone did." He draws her close, spindly fingers smoothing down her back. "How is young Archibald?" Perhaps a change in subject that may prove fruitful toward a happier conversation.

Gina Torrio: *pale hands find the little braid down his back and she fiddles with it, relaxing into the dead man with an ease she shouldn't sanely have. Brown eyes slip to his sandblasted face, then down to the babe begining to doze on the floor* Sad i reckon. Only time he's slept all by his lonesome is when he was in my belly. He's calming now that he sleeps atween me and Joe. *she looks back up at the nossie* you met joe loves?

Claudius: "I have not, yet." He shakes his head. "I hope to soon, though. He seems like quite the good man, from what you have told me. Honorable and well-intentioned."

Gina Torrio: he's good folk. *she nods, smiling just a little. joe was good folk. but for the morphine.* He's the fellow I was fretting about ghouling, you remember?

Claudius: "I remember," he says with a nod. A fond smile is directed to Gina...fretting about ghouling. A sign of the woman's character then...not that it was ever in doubt to the Nosferatu. "So he is aware of my kind, then? Or is he still ignorant of the Kindred?"

Gina Torrio: well.. *her eyes drift to the duffle full of stakes and molotov's..* he's aware alright. *she cringes a little* He's known about it since he figured me for dead, yeah? But he's gotten a bit sour on the idea of vampies, since they decided they want me dead. *her hands slip along his face as she makes the inevitable transition from by him to ON him, sliding into his lap to face him*

Claudius: "Ahh." He nods slightly, accepting of that. He doesn't blame the man. "I would like the opportunity to speak with him at some time...ease him into the idea of not all of my kind being out to get you. Though I applaud his wariness."

Gina Torrio: i've tried easing him out of it. *easing.. screaming.. same difference.* But i reckon it'd be better coming from you. I'd like it if he'd not shoot you.. *she presses her hand over where the creature's nose should be, shaking her head* When archie's old enough he's going to be a terror with your nose gape loves. *a little smile, one of the dogs disturbs something in a box and the blonde straightens in concern* Don't you unpack anything, chancers.

Claudius: "I would imagine, my dear Gina, that he will, in fact, take after his mother in that respect," he says with a warm smile. "As to your Joe...if he must shoot me a time or two, I can accept that. As long as it's only bullets. Acceptance will take time, I imagine."

Gina Torrio: I don't want him to shoot you. *she protests in a soft airy voice. She settles down, resting her head on his shoulder, careful not to flake off any of Claud's skin* we'll be movin soon.

Claudius: "Moving, my dear?" He tilts his head so he can peer at her bettwe with the blood-engorged eyes. "Where to?"

Gina Torrio: Place a jaunt upstate. about an hour from the city like. wee place. *she murmers against his shoulder* wee little farm. *she tilts her head and meets his eyes with soft mocha ones, blinking haggardly before she tinkles* There's a flat above the garage what comes with it. Reckon it'd be easy enough to light proof, if you'd a mind to stay.

Claudius: "Perhaps, at some point, I shall," he says with a calm nod. He looks down at Archie and smiles softly to him, before looking up to the woman. "It sounds like a lovely place, my dear. A good place to raise your son."

Gina Torrio: *she bites her lip, trying not to think of the other elements to her little family that are suddenly beyond her grasp. a swallow and a nod as she moves off the old man's lap to gather archie gently to her. She's rewarded with a tiny noise of annoyance at being moved before the little man falls back into dozing. Settling back on the couch she yawns and curls against the nosferatu's side* I love you. I've missed you awfully. *she breathes in baby scent, eyes slipping shut*

Claudius: "I love you too, Gina. And I have very much missed you." He sighs a little bit, hands strokeing over her shoulders and back. "It has been quite lonely in my haven in recent nights, and playing at Tyrone is tiring me."

Gina Torrio: he was a bloody prat he was. *she mutters sleepily, leaning into the soothing touch* You come visit any time you'd like peaches. Just mayhaps come as a different face.. sem.. mm. baddies. hmm. love you so much. hmm? *she nods, as though that made sense, and she wasn't all but suddenly asleep. releif in being so close to her defacto father resulting in the security and sudden need to Sleep, baby curled close and doing the same against the round softness of her chest*

Claudius: "Of course, my dear." His arms draw her close, cradle her and Archie against him. "I would never endanger you or yours. And I love you, too."

Gina Torrio: *She curls close despite the slight chill, drifting to sleep with the old corpse, like old times*

Gina Torrio: (ftb)