Pretty Young Thing (Laurel and Tyler)

[Laurel Wayland]

The sun was setting over the docks, and Laurel was hopelessly lost. She'd been walking around town with her mother, who, as usual, had picked a fight, leading Laurel to make a run for it. Anne Marie Wayland had insisted that they get out of the house and away from the investigation that was raging around their home, and so they came to the town centre to look at bonnets and gloves.

Laurel hated shopping to begin with, but shopping with her mother was a brand of torture Laurel would not wish on her worst enemy. Anne Marie had picked up a hat and placed it on her head, and upon asking Laurel what her opinion of the bonnet was, Laurel snapped that it made Anne Marie look like an Easter basket had vomited on her head. Anne Marie was not pleased. An argument had ensued, and Laurel had gone tearing out of the shop, hateful tears streaming down her face.

Somehow, Laurel had found her way to the shipyard, where the streets ran with sludge and the air stank of dead fish and tar. Her angry tears had long since dried, but they were in danger of flowing once more as the sun went down and Laurel realized that she was hopelessly lost with little to no hope of finding anyone who would help her home.

Just as the sun disappeared below the horizon, an angry clap of thunder rent the night and huge raindrops began to fall, plunking down into Laurel's carefully-styled hair. She looked up at the sky, glaring at God Himself. "I hate you," she muttered to the sky. "I hate you!"

She wandered about, hoping to find a familiar landmark, but of course she found none. She had never been to this part of the town before, and it was looking more and more likely that she would never leave it.

Finally, freezinga nd sopping wet, Laurel wandered down toward the water and ducked under the tallest of the docks, hoping at least to be free from the downpour. The only thing she achieved, however, was to slip in the mud and go down onto her rump in the soggy slime. Exasperated and frozen, Laurel just sat in the wet and began to sob big, angry tears.

[Tyler Van Helsing]

Tyler was all the way down the longest dock where the big steamers were docked and anchored after being loaded and reloaded day by day. He and a few other crew members were working on checking the ships insides, making sure everything was good to go for the ship to pull away for it's long trip to Africa's coast to pick up cocoa beans, and other materials that the Rich fellows in Devil's hollow had requested and paid big bucks to have brought over.

Coming out from the huge boat, Tyler climbed down the metal ladder, till his feet touched the wooden dock. Turning and walking back down the long walk, he heard the first clap of thunder. Looking up, his face smeared with some black oil, and a few other streaks on his shirt and pants, he stared at the sky until he felt a rain drop hit his cheek. It was cold and it made him shiver, so he quickened his pace to get back onto the road, looking to make sure his huge draft horse, Lucas did not spook at the thunder and try to run off from his post.

Debating on whether not he would drive Lucas out in the cabby tonight, another louder clap of thunder shook the dock beneath him and he shivered again, arching a brow and looking off the ocean behind him. Surely he wouldn't make much money tonight, no one would go out to parties in weather like this. Tyler rolled his vibrant green eyes, he was just trying to convince himself to take a break from that god awful second job. He needed to pay rent.

As he argued with himself, he easily reached the end of the dock in a short amount of time. As he turned to walk off the dock and onto the cobble stone, he heard crying. Knitting his brows together, he inched over to the edge of the big, creaking wooden dock. Stopping at the edge and leaning over it he saw the girl, her red hair soaked and she was muddy.

He didn't know what the hell she was doing down there, but he doubted she would be able to get back up onto the dock without help. And by the looks of it, Tyler was the only one out in this weather. So, he hopped down, making sure his leap was controlled so he didn't splash mud up onto the already muddy woman.

Almost slipping in the mud himself, he held out his arms for balance, smiling for a second at his actions and then saying to the girl, "How did you end up down here? And if your crying because your outfit is muddy... well, my mother taught me a good trick at getting mud out." he said with a charming smile. He tried to cheer her up, he didn't like to see people cry, life was too short to be sad...

[Laurel Wayland]

Laurel looked up at the newcomer with raccoon eyes. "Wh- what?" She sobbed, wiping her eyes a little with the back of her hand. "I don't c-care about the dress," she said thickly. "I'm l-lost and I'm freezing," she said, her teeth beginning to chatter as though on cue. This grease-smeared young man made her distinctly nervous, although he seemed kindly enough. Still, the idea of being approached by a stranger- a male stranger- was a frightening one. She shouldn't have been out unaccompanied in the first place, but this was a terrible part of town, and she'd heard rumours about the things that happened to young ladies who went a-wandering late at night.

She reached up to her cheek to wipe away a tear, but only succeeded in leaving a muddy streak across her pale cheekbone. "It's bloody c-cold," she complained, rudely using slang she'd learned from the house staff back home. "I need to get to Benedict Lane," she said to the young man. "C-could you help me find it?"

Hardly were the words out of her mouth when she wished she hadn't said them. If this man lead her home, he would know where she lived, which could prove dangerous if he turned out to be malicious. But how else could she get out of here? She was going to have to trust someone, and this young man hadn't slit her throat yet, so he seemed as likely a candidate as any.

[Tyler Van Helsing]

Tyler was almost, excited she was not crying about her dress, it was almost a relief. He hated women like that, rich women who only cared about what they looked liked, not caring about the world around them. Tyler smiled when slightly at her, it was a sympathetic smile and then he came forward, holding out his hand for her to grab. He got a good foot hold before pulling her up. "Yeah, I know where you need to go. I've been down that direction way too many times for a poor fellow." He said smirking.

He looked up the dockside and then turned to the girl, "Hang on, I've got to jump up and then pull you up." he said hopping up, grabbing the dock ledge and then pulling himself up with ease. He was physically fit and he had no trouble with things using upper body strength. It was still raining heavy, so Tyler picked up the pace. He leaned over the dock, reaching to grab the girl, pulling her up now too. He set her down with ease and then took her wrist lightly, leading her down the dock and to his horse and buggy.

Lucas picked up his head and he whinnied when he saw Tyler. The huge black Percheron was sitting out in the rain with a cart attached to him and he wasn't too happy about it. Tyler rushed over, ran his hands along his horses sleek neck and patted him. "Sorry Luke." He felt bad about leaving the horse out in the rain, but he had to. He had too jobs, and after hours he picked up the drunk rich from other rich people's parties and drove them home. The buggy was nice, it held four inside and the driver sat atop of the cab roof, a bench for him to sit on. So he had to bear the weather along with his horse. "You can sit in the cab if you want miss. Or you can sit up on the bench with me. But it is raining." He said looking at her with his vibrant green eyes. "Do you have a name by chance?" he asked, smiling still.

[Laurel Wayland]

Laurel allowed herself to be pulled up by the arms, and she winced as her dress caught on a nail and ripped. Oh well. The damn thing was ruined by mud already. No need to fret now. "Thank you," she said, her teeth chattering. She wrapped her arms around herself to try and keep warm, but her fingers were icy and the gesture did no good at all. She coughed as she followed the man to his cab.

"My name is Miss Wayland. Laurel," she amended. "And I think I'll sit inside, if you don't mind. It's freezing." She didn't mean to sound short with this man, who was being so kind to her, but she was more than a little nervous, and very very damp. She just wanted to get home, and fast.

As she stepped into the cab, she blessed the soft interior seating. She was aching from the chill in her bones, and no sooner had she taken her seat then she began to cough violently. Perhaps she'd spent a little too much time out in the elements.

[Tyler Van Helsing]

Tyler did not argue with her, he did not blame her for wanting to sit in the cab. He would offer her a coat, if the coat he was wearing wasn't soaked. Opening the door for her, he waited till she was seated before he shut the door. With a scowl he hopped into the driver's seat, hearing her couch and frowning even more. He cursed the rain and then snapped the reins, clucking to Lucas. "Get on." he said to his beloved horse.

Benedict Lane it was. No other horse, nor carriage seemed to be out in this rain, and they were lucky. It wasn't just rain, it was a chilly rain that soaked all the way through to Tyler's bones. He did his best to see, but the rain started to pour down 'pon them, causing Lucas to snort frequently, shake and then shake his head. Tyler shook his head, looking up. Why did it have to rain now? When Tyler needed money the most, when he couldn't afford to get sick, or replace his horse encase the horse got sick.

God was not in favor of him right now, and it only made Tyler sink into an even more annoyed mood. Going up Benedict lane, he called back to Miss.Wayland. "Call out when your mansion is coming." he said, letting out a cough after wards. He felt bad, hearing her cough over and over in the cab.

[Laurel Wayland]

Laurel continued to cough, throwing in the occasional sneeze just to mix things up. She was only now getting a good look at herself, her face reflected in the mirror-smooth windows of the cab. She looked a real fright, hair hanging in strings around her face, which was pink from the chill. Her mother was going to skin her alive.

"Just ahead, there," she called to the driver, indicating through the window a large white manor house on the left side of the street. Once the cab pulled up in front, she made a move to open the cab door, but her fingers were stiff and frozen and she could not maneuver the mechanism to spring the door open.

[Tyler Van Helsing]

Tyler heard her clearly and he urged Lucas to move to the right, pulling over to the side of the cobblestone road, halting his horse and then sliding down from the cabbi seat. He went to the door, sliding off his coat, "Please. Let me help you to the door, I know it's quite useless since you are already so wet. But I don't want you to catch a worse cold." he said, his green eyes stern and concerned at the same time.

So Tyler wasn't always an sarcastic asshole, but he felt bad for the poor girl, she seemed to be having a terrible day. He didn't want it to get worse, and who know's what her mother would say when she saw her like this. He didn't know this young women's mother, but he had an idea of how all rich older women were. Tyler just hoped he didn't get blamed for it....

[Laurel Wayland]

Laurel graciously and thankfully accepted the young man's assistance. "Much obliged," she said, still shivering somewhat. "I owe you a huge debt of gratitude for getting me home safely. May I have Hill make you a cup of tea?" She asked politely. "At the very least," she went on, "come warm yourself by the fire. It's far too cold for you to continue on at the moment." She was being a bit forward, but she hadn't the slightest romantic inclination toward this man. She was only trying to be polite and prevent him from catching the worst cold of his life.

[Tyler Van Helsing]

Tyler could only smile at this young women. He was glad she was polite and not like most rich people. He bowed his head to her, "You don't owe me anything miss." He said with a charming smile. He looked back to his horse, Lucas. Then he looked back to the young girl he helped.

"Don't take this the wrong way, I would love a cup of warm tea, but I cannot leave Lucas out here in this weather. He is as important to my life as I myself am. If he gets sick, I earn no money." he said with a smile. "We depend on eachother, and I must get him home and in his warm, dry stall." He said, making sure she was under her porch overhang before he pulled away, "I must go miss. I bid you farewell. Better luck next time with the streets." He said to her, bowing his head once again, turning and leaving to head back onto the carriage, letting Lucas go ahead at a fast trot, disappearing into the rainy mist...