Finding Strength (CLOSED)

"It all depends on what you add to the stew." After that, Selena focused on eating her stew. Katherine was trying to eat as neatly and as well mannered as she could like she was still trying to impress someone. "Kat, really?"
"What?"
"Be you, Kitty." Katherine shrugged, and carried on eating, dialling back the fanciness a bit.

Julian smiled a bit and shook his head lightly as he ate his stew, slightly amused by Katherine's attempt at fancily eating. Evan and Kyle idly ate their own food, and Samm stopped eating his to say, "No need to impress anyone, as she essentially said. We're all friends here.". At that, he continued eating his own food.

Katherine ate her stew happily, relaxing a bit. Given the pleasantness of the evening, what had happened the night before, and what was going to happen the following night, it really felt like they were in the eye of the storm. She couldn't help but enjoy the moment.

Samm had finished up first, setting his dish to the side. "Well, that was splendid in my opinion.". He looked around to Julian and the other two, before realizing they were still eating. Kyle gave a thumbs up for the three of them. "Yea, like I thought. Splendid.". He stretched heavily, letting out a slight noise of relief, like he'd just stood after being bunched up in a ball for a day straight."So - where would I be sleeping? The only rooms in this place I know are the main area we just were, the kitchen,
and where Katherine dragged me off to."

"Ah, about that... we're full up at the moment" Katherine said sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her neck. She thought for a moment, and let out a sigh. "There's the hammock, or the couch. I mean, you could always take my room and I'll take the couch." Selena finished her food, and set the dish in the sink.

Setting his own dish in the sink himself, saying, "Ah, I'll take the hammock. I'm not going to have you sleep on a couch or hammock in your own place, now.". He stepped aside, letting the three others put their own dishes in the sink, as they had finished recently.

Selena headed out the kitchen, leaving Katherine to tend to the dishes. As soon as Katherine finished her food, she set about washing the dishes.

"Are you sure? I really don't mind taking the couch, I've slept on the floor before, so I really don't mind. You're the guest, so you should be comfortable" Katherine said with a smile as she washed the dishes.

Everybody else had went back where they were sitting originally, spare Samm, who still stood where he did. "Nah, nah - you be comfortable. Besides, haven't slept in a hammock since... Huh. I don't even know since when.". He thought about that, unable to remember when.

"If you insist" Katherine said with a chuckle. "Hey, we still have that champagne from the lounge. We should finish that." Katherine washed the last of the dishes, and dried them off before turning to face Samm. "Or there's whiskey."

Samm shrugged as he walked back to where.he was sitting earlier. "Dunno. Might be getting a bit late. No clue - I've been awake for over half the week so far... I think this is the fifth day?
Fourth? I'm running on coffee and energy drinks alone currently.". He plopped himself back down where he was sitting, the wear getting to him.

"Wow, um, ok. You need sleep, big time" Katherine said with a sigh before sitting down next to Samm. Selena had curled up against Julian, half asleep already. She was pretty tired after the day's excitement, as well as getting chased by a bear. "I think we all need sleep, like a solid twelve hours at this point."

Julian nodded, slightly prodding Selina. "Hey... Before ya fall asleep completely, how about we head on to bed, yea?". Evan and Kyle both supported Katherine's idea, and were getting their blow-up mattresses ready. Samm, tired, turning to Katherine.
"So - where's this hammock?"

"Huh? Oh, ok" Selena said, half asleep, not really moving. Katherine stood up, and opened a set of curtains, revealing the hammock with blankets spilling out of it. It looked so comfortable and warm, Katherine considered sleeping in it.
"I hope it's warm enough" Katherine said with a smile, eyeing the hammock. She looked over to Selena who was fast asleep. "Jules, you want me to get her to bed?"

"Ah, that just looks... Amazing.". As Samm was looking at the hammock, Julian slightly shifted himself slightly off of Selina.
"Heh, yea... Little help?". At the same time, Samm had plopped into the hammock, only removing his shoes.

"I'll see you all in the morning" Katherine said happily before carefully scooping Selena up in her arms, and carrying her off to bed. As soon as Katherine had finished tucking Selena in, she headed to her own bed. She lay in bed, wide awake, just staring at the ceiling.

Evan and Kyle were fast asleep on their own mattresses, and it seemed Samm was in a deep sleep the moment he had laid down. That left Julian, who had just laid down himself. He thought about what happened today for a while, and what tomorrow would hold in store for them. Before he fell asleep, a foreboding feeling of a calm before the store ushered over him, yet he slept anyway.

During the night, Katherine had gone off to start prepping for the fight the next night. She had gone out and got her car back, then headed out and bought a wrangler from Bane. When she got back, she headed straight to bed, trying to get some sleep.

By the next morning, Calum and Michael had returned. By their looks alone, they definitely had some sort of upgrades done. Michael, seemingly still proudly showing off his chest and arms, was the easiest to notice. His general chest and arms seemed sleeker and yet bulkier, making him stronger. Calum's arms were the only thing visible, yet those seemed smaller than they normally were, and a slight glow seemed to be running along them, yet he seemed not to care. Michael was about to knock, but Calum put a hand in front of him, saying, "Fuck sake, you'll prolly knock it down ye dolt. Not used ter yer strength yet, 'member?". At that, Michael nodded, letting Calum knock a sturdy few times.

Katherine bolted out the door, tackling the brothers. She was, beyond a shadow of a doubt, delighted to see them again. Katherine hugged the two tightly, tears running down her face.
"Oh my God, you're back! I missed you so much!" Eventually, Katherine backed off a bit, still excited. She looked at their upgrades, smiling as she studied them. "Hot damn! Those are some sweet looking upgrades. Holy shit, Cal, are yours glowing?!" She looked at Michael, a huge smile on her face. "Oh we have got to have an arm wrestling match" Katherine said excitedly.

Michael laughed at her excitement, Calum smiling. "Ah, you know it! Cal's guy said that ah should be able to carry at least three.times the weight ah used to be able tah, and tha' was a lot.
Apparently, ah can apparently punch through a couple guys at the same time with ease. Any idea 'ow feckin badarse tha' sounds?!". He laughed at the thought of it, clearly eager himself. Calum merely analyzed his hand, small glowing lines crossing along it in a seemingly uniform manner.
"I was told this - other than being lighter weight, smaller, and all around more efficient - should melt through a lot of things if I, as he told me 'focus it into your hands'. Theoretically, I can start a fire in my hands.". He turned his hand over, showing his palm - a glowing circle was flat in the center of his palm, yet it slowly got brighter as he stared at it. Eventually, a small flame burst to life, which he hurriedly put it. "I dun' wanna do it right 'ere, but you get tha idea. Could probably light this place up if ah tried. Not tha' I would, though.". He looked around, considering the snow. "How bou' we head inside?"

"Ooh, so we could have a decent go at it" Katherine said excitedly. She looked at Calum's hands, thinking for a moment before shaking her head. "How Hot do you reckon you could get? Nevermind, we'll see tonight! Come on, there's someone that's been waiting for you two, provided he didn't up and leave in the night. Oh, I fought a bear!" Katherine led the way inside, bouncing along happily. "Guys, guess who's back?!" Selena fell out of the bed at Katherine's shouting, cursing under her breath. She stood up, rubbing her head slightly, still somewhat annoyed.
"Backstreet boys? Shady? Jesus? Calm down a bit, Kat. It's too early for this."

Julian woke with a bit of a start himself, and slowly put two and two together. "Prolly Cal and Mikey. Nobody else would get that kinda introduction.". He chuckled lightly, getting out of bed and slowly getting in to the room the three were. He smiled lightly, waving. Calum waved back, saying, "Mornin', Jules. So. Who's this guy who's been waitin' for us?"
"That would be me.". Calum turned, finding Samm behind him, wearing the button-up he had the night before as well as the suit pants. He extended his hand, to which Calum froze.
"Y-you're... No way...". Samm smiled, putting a finger to his own lips.
"Don't spoil the secret now, yeah?
I'll tell the rest.". Michael was slightly confused about Calum's reaction, yet said nothing as Evan and Kyle entered.
"Oh, hey... They're back...". Evan noted groggily.

"That makes sense." Selena made her way to the others, passing a very confused Katherine. She sat down, still half asleep, and rested her head on her shoulder, trying desperately not to fall asleep again. Katherine looked between the two, trying to figure something out.
"Wait, you two know each other? How? Before you ask, yes, I know about him, he knows about me." Katherine looked at Calum, wondering if she should be worried based on his reaction.

"What do you mean you know about hi-"
"Allow me to explain.", Samm interrupted, as he moved his way to the center of the room. "The reason for Calum's reaction is simple, Katherine.". He removed his ring, holding it up. "As I told Katherine, this ring grants me ever-lasting life. As long as I wear it, I do not age. It also halts my healing, though-". He pulled back his right sleeve, revealing a slightly faded scar on his right arm. "I got this from some madman in, ah... The 17th century, I think?". Samm shrugged, not paying attention to everybody else's look of shock.
"So that's why... Did you ever sail under a Damian Butcher in the early 1700's? Tall, sc-"
"-Scottish, very excited, and an avid drinker with a kidney to support it? Yes. Good man.". Calum merely nodded, not able to say anything other than "...holy shit.". Julian cleared his throat.
"So, why tell us this, exactly? Just seems... Weird.".
"Simple.". Samm put his ring back on, pointing to Katherine. "I told her because she told me about her own unique abilities. Thus, I tell you. I can't withhold information like that from my hosts."

"I told you because I figured I had to. It is a bit odd to see a woman take on an angry bear, win, and her arm starts healing." Selena looked completely confused, trying to process what she had just heard. She then looked at Katherine, a knowing look on her face.
"Really? That's what you're going with? Admit it, Kat, you..."
"Not now, Selena." Selena sat back, looking over to Katherine. "So you ran into their ancestors way back when, as well as my ancestor?" Katherine sat on the windowsil, looking at everyone around her. Selena leaned over and whispered to Julian, "Looks like they didn't get up to anything last night."