Feeling Numb

Malachi trotted through the woods. He'd wanted space from Natasha. She hadn't shut up about how embarrassing Ariel was to her. She was still really drunk, but not as bad as before. He'd just sat there and listened to the way that she bashed her sister. Part of him had started to resent her. How could she hate Ariel so much when she was her only family left? He didn't see one thing wrong with Ariel other than her extreme introversion which was her family's fault.

Plus she'd been far more clinging and wanting, he just wasn't in the mood for sex. Which he kind of laughed at. Here he was the man, running off when she wanted to. That was kind of backwards, but her bitching in the car had turned him off. Did she seriously think her berating other people was attractive?

He shook out his fur. The thick grey and black coat tossing water about but it didn't reach his skin. The natural oils kept that out, so he wasn't really all that cold. But it was cold out here, and they were heading into late fall now. He figured that it was best to go back and go inside. He trotted out of the woods and toward the garden area. He was really hoping Natasha had passed out. He just didn't want anything from her.

He was about to stick his head into the bushes there for a pair of pants he'd left. Just in case someone was walking around inside. Malachi paused though suddenly sensing something. He realized that someone was out here. He froze crouching down a bit and let out a growl at the person sitting on the cement bench.

"It's okay." She said in a weak voice. "I'd appreciate it if you just attacked me anyways. It'd be a lot easier then."

What? He thought to himself. Through the rain he recognized the form and the voice on the bench. It was Ariel and he had no idea what the hell she was doing out here in the rain. She had to be freezing cold. Her eyes looked oddly out of it and she was drenched.

That wasn't good, he made a quick decision and turned darting back into the tree line. Hecame back toward the house from a different angle. He came up to the door there and shifted back to a human. He darted in the house and grabbed pants and hit a small button. That would get Darcy and Jeremiah up and down here.

Malachi ran back to the kitchen and then out of it to where he knew Ariel was. She was still sitting there, she hadn't moved an inch. Why in god's name was she out there?

"Ariel!" He called to her but she didn't move her head. She was still staring at the spot he'd been a moment before.

"Ariel!" He said again and came up to her. He reached out putting a hand on her shoulder. He didn't feel any heat below his hand. Her skin was as cold as the water coming down. Good god how long had she been sitting here? What if he hadn't been out here, would she sit here all night? She'd be dead by morning from hypothermia. He grabbed her then picking her up, and against him her body felt like ice.

"Why are you out here?" He demanded from her. She just looked up at him, her eyes at half mast and her lips nearly a deep shade of blue. It was clear she was not in a clear headed state.

"Talking to wolves." She said in a voice that was broken and out of it. Well he knew that he hadn't spoken back to her, but she'd seen him. Not that it mattered. There was no reason to associate an animal with a human. He jogged back in the house holding her. Her head lolled back on her shoulders.

"What happened!" Darcy exclaimed seeing them coming in. She reached for Ariel and gave a shocked sound at the feel of her.

"God she's like ice."

"I know, toss some blankets in the dryer and we should get warm water." Jeremiah was already moving to heat blankets and towels, whatever he could find.

"You think a heated bath?"

"Not to hot, she's so cold it'll shock her body. Why was she out there?"

"I don't know. I found her when I came running back in. She was just sitting on a bench out there staring into space." He said moving with her. Malachi sat on a couch holding her as his body heat was the only thing that could be offered at the moment.

"Here, we need to get her out of those clothes." Darcy said and came holding a blanket and he helped strip her of the soaked clothes and warped her up in the plush blanket. He picked her back up and sat with her again. The weren't sure if they could get a doctor out here on call right away. Or how fast they could warm her safely. Jeremiah went to get a phone.

"What's going on?" Malachi looked up as his father came in the room looking bleary eyed, but it cleared as he saw the unconscious Ariel.

"I found her outside when I was coming back from running. She was just sitting out there. She thought I was going to attack her. It sounded like she wanted me too." He had no idea what lead Ariel to go out there and sit in the rain. To clearly have some kind of depressed episode and just walk out there. Last he saw her she was okay.

"Where's Natasha, should I get her?" Darcy asked.

"No!" Malachi nearly shouted when Darcy went to move. "No, I have a feeling she was out there because of Natasha. We aren't going to say a thing to her about this." He gave a brief explanation about what had gone on tonight with Natasha's comments and complaining.

"Here I have some blankets." They wrapped them around her and Darcy was the one who dressed her in dry warm clothes this time.

"When she wakes, I'm taking her straight for a hot bath. It should be alright once she's lucid to do that. Right now…" Darcy said. Vento leaned over Malachi and Ariel, he felt her pulse.

"It's weak but it's there. We're lucky you found her, she'd be dead if you didn't."

"I know." Malachi said. "This is ridiculous, what if she was trying to kill herself?" Malachi felt this dark ugly feeling come up in him. She better not have been. He cared about her just like the others in this room. He felt anger on her behalf and at her for doing such a stupid thing.

"I don't think she was. I think that she probably went out there to think. Hoped that the cold would numb the pain." Jeremiah said. "She's not suicidal, she's just disappointed in herself. Natasha reminds her of her failure all the time."

"I can't take her." Malachi growled. "She's so…" He wasn't sure what word he was looking for to describe Natasha. Vento wiped a hand down his face.

"This is a matter that we can't really change. Both Natasha and Ariel were subject to their parent's whims and raised to believe what they were told. Natasha is just as brainwashed as Arie. Natasha was raised to see Ariel as a lesser being."

"It doesn't make it right. Nor does it excuse the mental abuse done to Ariel." Darcy said and Malachi nodded his agreement. He held onto Ariel and felt sorrow for her. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to have lived the way she did. To believe the things that she believed about herself. However he felt the need to change it as well. Malachi was already thinking about how, he wasn't going to let this slide any more. Ariel deserved better, she deserved to have people support her and show her she meant something. To show her Natasha's words were just that. Words.

"No it doesn't. But as long as they are here, it is something that we will have to deal with. I want to talk to Ariel when she wakes." They all gave a nod and he moved leaving the room with the promise that they would keep him updated about her condition.

"I managed to get a hold of a doctor. One of your kind. Thought he might be more discrete."

"He will be." He commented knowing who he called. "God why would you do this?" Malachi demanded of the sleeping Ariel. Darcy sighed.

"She has more color." Jeremiah said, and exchanged the blankets around her for warmer ones again. She still hadn't woken up, but he thought it a good sign that she had been awake when he found her.

"Here I can carry her back up to her room." Jeremiah said. "We have a heating pad that can be used." Malachi just stood up straight off the couch holding her. He moved forward with a fluid grace.

"I'll take her up there." He said with authority and they followed behind, the two of them carrying needed items. Her breathing was up, but it was ragged and sounded a bit raspy. Malachi opened the door to her room which was on the second floor on the far end, down the right wing.

He'd never been in her room since she'd laid claim to it. It was neat and orderly and held her scent strong in the air. He waited while they put the heating pad in the bed and then the heated blankets as well. She wasn't as cold nor clammy but she was cool to the touch. He laid her down and Darcy pulled the blankets up tucking them around her.

Malachi grabbed chair and sat staring at Ariel and a thousand thoughts running through his head. He had so many questions as to why. What she'd been thinking. He felt really upset about this. More than he realized, she effected him a lot. He didn't even see it until and his wolf had always liked Ariel. He looked up at Darcy who stopped in front of him.

"We can watch her if you want to sleep."

"Just do what you need to. I'll leave when I'm satisfied she's in the clear. When the doctor comes just send him up." Darcy gave a nod and patted him on the shoulder in a motherly way.

"Jeremiah would you bring me my phone?" Malachi asked. Jeremiah nodded and left coming back with it.

"Thanks." He said and sent out a couple of texts. It was three in the morning, but he decided that he wanted to help Ariel. To stop this kind of thing from happening again. It was a short while until the doctor came. He was told what happened and Ariel only slightly rose for a moment. However she wasn't in immediate danger.

They were told to monitor her temp and that she might come down with a cold. Once the check up was finished the doctor left to talk with Malachi's father. Malachi sat and waited until he comfortable himself that she was okay and then he left to go to his own room. Malachi glanced down at his phone as it vibrated in his hand. Good they got his text. Tomorrow he was going to make sure that Ariel understood a few things.