Breaking Inside

[Asher]

Simple Man
Break Inside - Shinedown

3 am..

3am and he still couldn't sleep. "What a day." He moaned, gripping at the sink as his shoulders slumped slightly. He turned on the mix of cold and hot water and splashed his face, holding his breath for the longest time. Before coming up and gasping for air--Did Elena ever do that?

"Stop it." He glared at himself in the mirror. "This is not your fault. You tried." He shook his head, water droplets flying a ways, some hitting the mirror as he pushed off the sink and walked barefoot into his bedroom.

Just as he suspected. More spirits. Three of them inffact. "Get." He mumbled at them, walking through one of them as he strolled right towards his bed. He turned, glaring at the woman as he flopped backwards onto it; arms outstretched.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, he closed his eyes. "Asher.." It was her.. One eyes slowly opened and stared at the girl that was with him that day on the bridge. "What?"

"Just because we are no longer with the living, doesn't mean you can't help. Help us move on.. please."

He quickly sat up, leaning back on his elbows as he sat there, staring at the three of them. "Not tonight.." He grabbed his pillow that had his steel blade in it and threw it at them; watching them all dissipate before his eyes.

[elena]

Dead but not so gone.

In a sick state of comfort she roamed around with nothing to do. She was happy, but she was still walking the earth. She was still in the one place she had escaped. She had looked down when she had waken to be found in a dreamy type scene. She was all made up with a pretty dress on as if God had dressed her up for his own amusement as he watched her roam around lost and confused....and yet she wasn't confused.

She was being pulled to a home that was not hers. Dancing around she made her way through the door. Yeah it was cool not having to knock on the door or have to open anything she could just phase through it. Elena walked in and looked around. A wave of depression hit her as she looked around. When she heard of Ghosts roaming the earth it usually meant they had unfinished business, but she couldn't think of anything she hadn't done.... or about anyone who cared.

Wandering around the house she looked at everything. The sound of talking made her jump. She took a deep breath. If it was someone she had known in the past she knew they wouldn't be able to see her. She made her way slowly to the room she heard the noise from. She stood in the door and saw whom occupied the room. She almost gasped, but she held her breath.

"Asher..." She mumbled softly. Why had she come here? Something sad pulled at the strings of her heart. She walked in the room not expecting him to see her as she stood at the end of his bed. "Why did you have to care so much..." She whispered tears falling from her eyes, but a smile on her face. She couldn't be sad.

A man had cared for her, and she had ended her pain. There was no reason to be sad. She got to spend however long she wanted...or God wanted with Asher. Or atleast haunting him....It sounded creepy in her mind...but what could you do when the life you ended was still holding onto you?

[Asher]

"Asher..." She mumbled softly. Why had she come here? Something sad pulled at the strings of her heart. She walked in the room not expecting him to see her as she stood at the end of his bed. "Why did you have to care so much..."

His chest moved in rhythmical patterns, rising and falling. Just right on the edge of being alseep and awake. His eyes felt too heavy to open.. He rolled over, grabbing at the other pillow and curling up slightly, his body shivering a bit by the drop in temperature in the room.

Was someone asking him why he cared? His eyes still shut, and too tired to open; his mouth opened slowly. "My... nature.." He breathed out, using one leg to pull up the covers. "Don't.. stand.. so close.. your cold.."

Suddenly his eyes flew open and he jolted upright, falling off the corner of the bed he was on. "E-Elena!?" He scrambled to his feet, leaning against the cooled wall. "What the.. what are you.. You shouldn't have unfinished business!"[/blockquote

[elena]

Elena jumped as he shot up. He was answering her...and he saw her. Her eyes widened and she wiped the tears. She looked so much better than the last time he saw her. She backed up a few steps. "Sorry...I didn't know...I was..uh-cold..." She managed to say with a shaky breath. "Asher... I didn't even know this was your house...I was just drawn here." She wanted to grab him up in a hug and tell him that it wasn't his fault, but a newly found fact said she was too cold to touch anyone.

She looked down at him her blue eyes flowing with tears, but a smile on her face. "I didn't know I would have any un-finished business...Though I swear it is just God playing a joke on me...I ask to be taken from this world.... and he leaves me here to wander as a ghost." She shook her head looking around the room. He was such a tidy man. She would have loved to wake up in the mornings to a clean room like this.

Silently she cursed herself for jumping. Though she could feel no regret the thought could still pass in her mind. "Asher... I don't want to bug you... but can I.....lay with you?" She asked feeling her heart drop more. She was cold yes, but would he still let her lay with him. Inhaling deeply she fidgeted with her hands. She looked down at the shoes she would never be caught wearing in real life... then she stopped that thought.

This was real life.... Well technically this was real death. Could she touch, feel...kiss? She knew she could cry, but what else could she do?

[Asher]

"Sorry...I didn't know...I was..uh-cold..."

He slowly pushed off the wall and climbed back on the bed, his eyes steadily on hers as she starred at him. He'd seen a lot of things, a lot of different spirits. But nothing like this.. she looked so beautiful. So happy.. most were.. mournful or just generally depressed. Some didn't even realize they were dead-those were the worst.

"Asher... I didn't even know this was your house...I was just drawn here."

He grabbed his pillow, pulling it onto his lap and holding it to his chest as he sat Indian style before her. "I'm sure." He conveyed softly. "I didn't know I would have any un-finished business...Though I swear it is just God playing a joke on me...I ask to be taken from this world.... and he leaves me here to wander as a ghost. He shook his head slowly, his lips sucked into his mouth. "I don't think god's like that at all. He or she," He smirked. "works in mysterious ways. No one will ever understand. One thing is for sure.." He blinked. "God is good.."

"Asher... I don't want to bug you... but can I.....lay with you?"

He froze. A ghost--spirit.. laying with him? His eyes darted around the room as he thought about it. "No.. that's... no." He blurted out before giving his brain enough time to process. "How can you.. I tried!" He raised his voice at her slightly.

"I tried to help you-- to stop you. I promised to love you, Elena.. that wasn't enough for you. Now suddenly.. in the afterlife it is?" He shot at her, brows furrowed with hurt and confusion. But all the while, his brain processed what it would be like-- what it would feel like..

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I don't--I never.." His tongue darted out and licked at his dry lips. "Yes.."

[elena]

Elena stood there choking back the tears as she listened to him. He was right. He had promised to love her, and she threw it all away. Why ahd she thrown that away. "Asher..." She stopped because he continued to talk. She listened...and she felt tears form. She looked down at her shoes finally she heard him say yes.

She climbed onto the bed like a young girl would at a sleep over. She laid down on her side her elbow resting on the bed and holding her head up. "Asher...Why can I cry?" She asked. She was so confused. In the movies ghost were just these misty figures, but she seemed like so much more than that. She almost felt like she was still alive, but she knew she wasn't.

Elena wiped at her face feeling the tears on her skin....if that's what you call a ghost's outer layer. She looked in his eyes. Oh why...oh why had she given him up. She used her other hand to move a blonde strand from her face. She cleared her throat. "Asher please don't hate me...You have to know I was out of my head..." She was lying. She knew exactly what she was doing on the bridge, but it was true she was not thinking as logically.

She reached out to touch his arm. She felt it instantly, but she pulled back quickly remembering how cold she was. She took a deep breath her eyes tearing up again. "I should have listened to you..." She whispered softly looking down at his sheets. She was right. She should have listened, and now she was here for a limited time. She was here to carry out something that was unfinished from her life.

Could she push it off? Could she try to stay with Asher....help him get to know the real Elena before she dissapted into nothingness....

[Asher]

"Asher...Why can I cry?"

Watching her crawl onto his bed was the weirdest feeling he had ever felt. A mix between nerves and nausea, but in a good way. He couldn't help but listen to the soft music playing on the tv in the background as she laid down. He reached out, tempted to touch her.. He'd never done that before--touch a spirit. Something about having your limb go through their body just didn't seem right to him. But her question made him stop, and scratch his head.

"I don't.. I don't know. I mean spirits can do a lot.. but their most powerful thing is feelings. Whatever they feel--and if powerful enough.. sometimes people feel it too." He tried again, but failed, his hand retreating slightly and resting on the pillow.

"Asher please don't hate me...You have to know I was out of my head..."

"A-heh.." He rubbed at the back of his head and nibbled on his lower lip. "I don't.. hate you, y'know." He smiled softly. He was done trying now.. He was certain she would be like all the rest.. She reached out for his arm--and he felt everything. The coldness of her-- it was.. something words couldn't express.

"I should have listened to you..."

Ghosts never stopped amazing him. He couldn't feel them--but they could feel him? How was any of that fair? He sighed softly, laying his head down on the pillow. "Yeah.." He starred at the ceiling. "Yeah.."

[elena]

Elena shook her head. "You didn't feel it did you?" She felt her heart sink. Why had she come here? What was the point? If God was so good why was he or she, as Asher implies.... torturing her with what she have stayed with. The man she was supposed to be with all along. She felt herself choke up.

She wouldn't do this. She wouldn't cry...and she wouldn't blame God. All she could do was blame herself. "If I can say one thing that I gained from this..." She paused reaching for his hand. She shook her head retracting her hand. "I'm glad I got to meet you... even if meeting me ruined you life......." She felt herself tear up. What a selfish thing to say? She sighed softly.

Elena was glad that she had met him, but at the cost of a perfect 'normal' life for him. Yawning she looked down at her figure that seemed to be flickering. She gasped. "Seriously?" Her figure flickered again. She sniffled. "Really? My unfinished business was telling you that I was glad I met you?" She felt her heart fall and there was no way to catch it.

"I guess all I can..." She paused to yawn. "I can do is lay here...until I go." Even saying that made her feel sick. "I can lay here right?" She yawned again, but her head was already hitting the mattress she fell asleep silently....there would be no more Elena...no more life....especially no more Asher.

[Asher]

"You didn't feel it did you?"

"No--I mean--Yes, I did. I felt it." He tried touching her arm back, to let her know he did, but it simply fell through. "But I can't.." God he wanted to make her feel better, his eyes were getting heavy again--what time was it?

"I'm glad I got to meet you... even if meeting me ruined you life......."

5:15am. "You didn't ruin me, Elena." He chuckled out softly. "My life has been... complicated for a long time." His eyes slowly closed. Drifting in and out of consciousness. "Really? My unfinished business was telling you that I was glad I met you?"

He let out a soft moan. "Mm." As he grabbed his blanket and pulled it over them. "I can lay here right?" "Stay." He smiled, funny how he made it sound like he was talking to a dog. Telling a spirit to stay.. that was a first.

And then; like every night; he was asleep.
--
Omni walked through the cloudy area, smiling softly. "Elena.. I am giving you a second chance at life. To be with a person who could make you happy, and you him. Asher is alot of things, sweet, caring, passionate man. I believe this is your destiny..."

Her palm opened, pink rose petals laying in the middle as she blew them at her. "Now wake... wake Elena..... wake."

[elena]

It was hazy. Was this heaven? She shook her head trying to make it clear, but it was still a softness she couldn't shake. The voice was strong and bold....and a woman's. God was a woman. That blew her mind. She listened to the woman contently as she spoke to her. She was drawn to this woman's voice though she couldn't make out her face she knew she was beautiful.

"Elena.. I am giving you a second chance at life. To be with a person who could make you happy, and you him. Asher is alot of things, sweet, caring, passionate man. I believe this is your destiny..."

"My destiny?" Elena croaked out her voice cracking. It registered what she was saying. A smile crept on her face and a warmth that was unimaginable grew inside her. "Oh thank you God! I will never give up on you again..." And with that God told her to wake.

"Now wake... wake Elena..... wake."

-------

Back in Black.

Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up slowly. She looked over and the relief that ran through her when she saw Asher asleep next to her made her tear up a bit. She reached out to touch him and something caught her eye. A movement of black hair in the corner of her vision. She lifted her hair gasping.

Her blonde hair...it was gone. She felt her body. Everything was gone. This was a new her.....She felt her breath catch. She let her hand stop on her chest. She felt her heart beating and all the scary thoughts of having a different body fled away. She closed her eyes counting the beats.

The rhythm made her eyes stay shut. She was still tired. She could wake Asher up in a moment right now she needed to rest her eyes. She was too happy, but she was also too tired to explain all of this now. She drifted slowly into a dreamless sleep.

[Asher]

He was still beyond tired as the sun rose and fell on his face in the semi-darkened room. Moaning softly as he stirred in his bed, he could feel someone there--but wait--wasn't he...? Didn't he sleep alone? It suddenly all flew back to him, the entire night--Elena. Slowly forcing one eye to open he cringed at the immense brightness of the afternoon sun shining in his eyes. "Fuck." He groaned softly.

This woman--whoever she was--wasn't Elena. That was for sure--black straight hair instead of bleach blonde? Something was up...

"Uh.." He cleared his throat, rubbing at his head a moment. "I don't.. I mean I know we didn't cause--Who are you?" He threw at her. He always did have that problem with trying to get what he meant to come out straight forward.

So instead he just jumps around from one thing to another before he just changes the subject completely and asks a different question. He supposed that was his way of doing things--his world. Well, welcome to it..

[elena]

Elena jumped her eyes sliding open as she heard a voice. She rubbed at her eyes. She sat up slowly and looked over at the man she fell asleep next to. Asher....Her mind wandered slowly as a smile crept across her lips. "Asher...." She whispered. The voice was the same, but she felt so different speaking in this body. She looked down at herself.

She ran her hands across her body as she fumbled trying to figure out why she was given a second chance. She tried to remember the voice in her head, but her hands fumbled across a surface that made her giggle. Well those are new...She said reaching her breasts. Noticing how awkward it must be to have a woman in your bed fondling herself...she stopped looking up at Asher.

"I'm..." She stuttered. "She gave me a second chance..." She spoke softly smiling. "God...She gave me a second chance." She stood up blocking the sunlight coming from the window. "Asher... It's me." She said pulling at the end of her skirt trying to pull it down.

"It's Elena.." She looked down and back up into his eyes losing all her smiles. She was dead serious.

[Asher]

"Asher...."

Thank god he didn't decide to sleep in his boxers last night. Or he'd be rushing to get clothes on. Something about this girl was... weird. Fondling herself in his bed? Calling his name? What the fuck, did she come from some mental home or something? "That's my name.. yes." He said slowly, nodding and backing away.

"I'm..." She stuttered. "She gave me a second chance..." She spoke softly smiling. "God...She gave me a second chance."

Now the crazy woman was talking about god--and second chances. Oh hell to the no. He wasn't doing this. Not now.. "Fuck me." He mumbled turning around and heading to the hallway as the girl sat there on his bed. "Yeah.. okay." He quickly through back at her. "I'mma hop in the shower. You can do that thing most girls do--you know tip toe to the front door and leave?"

"Asher... It's me." She said pulling at the end of her skirt trying to pull it down. "It's Elena.."

He stopped dead in the bathroom doorway--turned around, and stuck his head back into his bedroom. "Well fuck me casper.." He muttered softly. "What--I mean.. how?" How was any of that even possible?

[elena]

Elena shook her head and sighed as he talked about her tip-toeing out the door. She gave him a stern look. Then he seemed to have caught what she said...and he believed her. She smiled softly. "Hell if I know... god came to me in a dream last night and gave me a second chance..." She said and looked back down at the new her.

"This is me now....but it's still my mind...and my voice." She said softly. "Did you know God is a woman.... go figure.." She laughed softly. "So...." She bit her bottom lip. "Are you still going to uh...take that shower?" She grinned softly. She looked at her hair. Well it was her hair now. It was a tad greasy...she could use a shower as well....

She almost afraid to take one. Having to wash a body that didn't quite feel like hers. She would feel like she was violating herself. Shaking the thought she looked back up at Asher. He was so handsome even when he looked kind of cranky and tired. Closing her eyes and trying to remember him saying he would love her she grinned.

Opening her eyes again she looked him up and down. What she would give to be in his arms..."So uh.." She paused having a nervous feeling rise. "You know that offer you gave me... at the bridge...Is it stillup for considering?" She said looking up into his eyes seductively.

[Asher]

"Hell if I know... god came to me in a dream last night and gave me a second chance..."

He leaned against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest. "Huh. Go figure." No other spirit he knew of got another chance. He heard some rumors about people coming back from the dead.. but.. nothing like this.

"This is me now....but it's still my mind...and my voice." She said softly. "Did you know God is a woman.... go figure.." She laughed softly. "So...." She bit her bottom lip. "Are you still going to uh...take that shower?"

He perked a brow at her. A soft blush crossing his cheeks as he smiled and quickly cleared his throat to erase them both. "Yeah. I do every morning. Routine." After having so many.. maybe I shouldn't say that.. Yeah. Shut up, Ash.

."So uh.." She paused having a nervous feeling rise. "You know that offer you gave me... at the bridge...Is it stillup for considering?"

"Up for consideration?" He gave a shrug, pushing off the frame. "I'll think about it in my shower." He smirked back at her with a soft laugh as he shook his head and walked back to the bathroom.

It was going to be one interesting day, wasn't it? You can count on it..

[elena]

Elena raised a brow at him. "Ah well... Get to that shower then..." She smirked as she heard him laugh softly as he went into the bathroom. Before he shut the door she heard him call out. "Make yourself at home." A widfe grin climbed across her face. "If you say so..." Slipping out of her shoes she kicked them under the bed.

She looked around the room her hands on her hips. What in the world could she do while he was in the shower...? She raised a brow at the CD player in the corner of the room. She nodded giggling softly. Slinking her way over to it she pressed the power button. The loading signal appeared and she stared at it wide-eyed trying to figure out what was going to come out of the speakers.

The CD player clicked softly and the music started to flow out of it. It was a hard alternative rock sound. Nickelback's Animal warmed up and started. She danced a tad singing the lyrics out. Grinning she stopped singing and stood there a moment wondering what he was thinking about. She shook the feeling of hopeless-ness, and ran a quick hand through her hair. What to do now?

Suddenly, her stomach began to growl. She held it softly as she walked out of the bedroom. Looking around cluelessly she tried to guide herself to the kitchen. Finding it shortly after she found the second bathroom, she made her way to the fridge. Opening up, she saw nothing that truly satisfied her...She moved a few things around and sighed. Nothing really caught her eye. Moving around the milk she saw a small box of chinese food.

Nodding with a grin she pulled it out looking at the contents. Sesame Chicken, something Elena always favored. Slowly she popped it into the microwave for a minute. The smell filled the room even before she began to eat. Taking small bites with her fork she leaned on the counter. Why did this feel so natural to her? Like she could do this everyday and it would never bother her....The smile grew. Taking a few more small bites she closed the box and placed it back in the fridge.

Slowly she made her way back to his bedroom. The music was still playing, but a slower song rang out this time. Photograph. She grinned and sat on the bed listening softly to the words. Man not only did this guy look good, but he had good taste in music as well....

[Asher]

Far Away - Nicklback
I'll make it right

He could smell the food even in the shower. He shook his head, laughing as Nickleback's voice filled the house. He sunk into the hotness of the water as it showered down over him. He sighed, thinking about what this all meant.

Had he finally found someone? Someone who would actually stay the entire time? Someone who wasn't a one night stand that just deserted him in the early rays of morning..? Was that even possible? He slid the shower door open and grabbed his towel, drying himself off.

Splashing on some cologne and grabbing new clothes, he quickly got dressed, his tomach growling now. "I'm hungry." He mumbled, stating the obvious as he opened the bedroom door. Far Away pushed through the house. He hummed softly as he made a small bowl of cereal and walked back into the bedroom.

"You know.." He chewed on fruit loops. "I do have a living room. Ya don't have to live in my bedroom." He chuckled softly, sitting down on the edge of the bed and smiling back at her. "Was my Chinese good?" He teased softly with a smirk.

[elena]

Elena moved softly to the music coming from the stereo. Her head was full of only the most confusing thoughts, and she couldn't figure out what to act on. She could stay in his bed forever and never leave the house and she would be the happiest girl ever....but what god had said to her was still ringing in her head.

God hadn't gave her a second chance because she deserved it...she gave her a second chance because Asher deserved it. Right then like flicking on a switch he walked in and all her confusion melted away wirth the small smile that crept across her lips. He sat down on the edge of the bed as he cracked a joke about her living in his bedroom. Which... in a sad way she did....especially if he would be in it.

She grinned. "Maybe I like your bed.." She said only in the lightest of tones. Then he asked her if she liked his chinese. Her eyes widened. "Oh...I'm sorry...I left you some. It was good though..." She grinned softly. "So...i wonder what your supposed to do after something like this happens to you?" She asked softly hoping he would suggest doing something fun...real fun.

{{OOC: Kinda crappy....sorreh!}}

[Asher]

"Maybe I like your bed.."

He smiled brightly, turning to look at her. "And maybe I like you in my bed." He grinned at her, turning back as he slipped on some socks. He scooted back up towards the bed as she continued to talk.

"Oh...I'm sorry...I left you some. It was good though..."

"Huh." He nodded softly. "It is huh? Guess I'll have to taste it for myself." He leaned over, their lips touching in a soft kiss. Once he pulled back, he licked his lips. "You're right, it is good." He smiled.

"So...i wonder what your supposed to do after something like this happens to you?"

He thought about that for a minute. "I guess you're suppose to live it up." He smiled. "Come on, get your shoes on." He said, patting her leg as he flipped over to the side of the bed as he grabbed his sneakers and slipped them on.

[[wasn't crappy but I can't think of where they could go. lol]]

[elena]

"And maybe I like you in my bed."

Elena smirked softly. What did he take a shower in whiskey? He was acting like he was actually comfortable with her now. All she could do was smile. "Well I think I could get used to laying in it.." She grinned running her hands over the sheets. She turned her gaze back to him.

"Huh." He nodded softly. "It is huh? Guess I'll have to taste it for myself." He leaned over, their lips touching in a soft kiss. Once he pulled back, he licked his lips. "You're right, it is good." He smiled.

Welcoming the kiss she sighed softly when he pulled away. "Is that so.." She questioned playfully. "Then I guess i'll just have to make everything taste a little better for you more often." She listened to him and watched him roll over and slip his sneakers on. Raising a brow she hesitantly slipped on her boots.

Standing up she fixed her skirt pulling it down. "So where are we going?" She said smirking. He was so goodlooking. And she would have been happy as hell to stay at home with him.