On the Floor

[Tree]

Alyson smiled ruefully.



" I know what I am."



She replied simply, setting up now.



" I just need to know how you see me. I don't normally work in these situations, and I've attempted to handle it easily, but obviously I haven't. I never slept with my patrons when I was a regular stripper."

[Sushi]

Mason stared at her carefully. He didn't know what to do about this. Uh...



"...Are you fishing for a bonus?"

[Tree]

Alyson made a small face, standing up.



" Of course not. I'm not a prostitute. Despite probably your perception, or any body else's."



She all but hissed, glancing to him. Paying her, for sex. That was just vile.

[Sushi]

Mason raised a brow, not at all bothered by her bristling.



"I don't think you're a prostitute. I was just trying to figure out was going through your head, because you're confusing the hell out of me."

[Tree]

Alyson sighed, looking at him in the dark.



" it's not something I normally give freely, but I've done so the last few days, and I don't know why, and it's bothering me."

[Sushi]

Mason just stared back at her. Um...



"I can fold two dollar bills into a little money suit."

[Tree]

Alyson rolled her eyes. She knew he would suck at this, however, she forgave him for being unintelligent and sat back down, drawing in the sand as she heard water sloshing, she smiled.



" It's gone down enough to get out."

[Sushi]

Mason nodded and got up, trying to figure out where he had left his shirt.



"So... how long has it been?"

[Tree]

" Probably six hours."



She guessed, moving to head to the entrance, water still blocking a bit of it as she wormed out and climbed off, swim suit being pulled on as she went along. it was a nude beach after all.

[Sushi]

((So is the bathing suit on or off?))



Mason, at seeing that he was being left behind, tried to follow. This time he slipped through easier, though he was completely drenched in the process.



"Yay?"

[Tree]

Alyson merely nodded as her phone rang once more, answering it again, face going a bit pale as she took and snatched Mason's hand, making a dash towards the trolley. Craap, craap, craap.....



" Call cael and tell him to have Jeff drive him to the hospital, would you? All he needs to do is pull the gold rope in the room."

[Sushi]

Mason had no idea the details of what was going on, but by the tone in her voice and the look on her face, he knew it was serious. See, Mason DID have a brain! However, getting the water out of his phone to where he could try to use it was a task. Three minutes and one technological miracle later, the man was on the phone.



Cael got up and did as was told, after taking some more meds, of course.



"So... is this a good job?" Jeff gave a little nod but didn't say anything, so Cael rode in silence the rest of the way to the hospital.

[Tree]

Getting to the hospital, Alyson darted from car, all the way to the fifth floor via stairs in a proximity ten seconds, soon beside her mother, watching the woman have a seizure like attack, looking to the doctors, that merely stood back to watch at this point. Her mother had just refused all further medical care. In moments, the woman was gone. Tears running down her cheeks, Alyson looked over her mother. Certainly she wasn't the best, or kindest, but she was still her mother, and she was gone now.





As the nurses asked if there were friends or family they could call, her little reply was a soft whisper as she sat, looking over her mother.



" I don't have any to call."



Strippers had no real friends, even fellow strippers had nothing to loose by betraying other strippers ( and everything to gain) . Certainly there were other family members, but they'd all disowned her, the moment she'd gone against her parent's wishes. she was, for all intensive purposes, alone.

[Sushi]

Mason's eyes were huge. He had just watched someone die. Okay, he was a thief and very near a cutthroat sometimes, but he had never... He was stunned.



Cael, however, took very soft steps across the room and gently wrapped his arms around the poor girl. He looked at the nurse.



"We're already here." After all, if they weren't friends and they weren't family, then the hospital ladies were probably going to go beserk about their presence. He went out on a limb and took charge of the situation.



"Why don't you give us a few minutes?" Alone.

[Tree]

Alyson wasn't paying attention now as she cried on Cael's shoulder, the nurses and doctors leaving without another word. Alyson cried into Cael's arms, holding to him. she was all alone. They were just her employers, as nice, and loving as Cael's actions were, she knew he was just her boss.

[Sushi]

Mason, trying to be friendly, walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders, massaging her neck and shoulders. Cael just stood there too. What could they do except let her cry it out?

[Tree]

Happening to still be executive of the will, she sighed about an hour later, wiping her face as she started to make the appropriate arrangements, thinking about that big house, planning on selling it, and using the money to set on for now. It'd fetch a small little penny, for sure. Then of course, they had arranged all monies to go to charities and other family members and such, so she was working on that, as well. Not to mention, they wanted a funeral that was obnoxious. She was doing it, as they wanted it... Making a soft apology to her mother as she finished her fifth phone call, wishing she could have been the daughter she wanted, still wiping stray tears away as she slowly walked from the hospital room, making a few more calls. This was impossibly hard.

[Sushi]

Cael and Mason, as it happened every so often, were acting in unison. They followed the girl and spoke at the same time.



"Is there anything I can do?"

[Tree]

Alyson shook her head slowly, choosing to stay at a hotel that night, looking to herself in the mirror as she slowly turned to the men in her room, eyes a bit blood shot, entire body aching, chest hurting.



" No."



she purred softly.

[Sushi]

Mason knocked over a vase and Cael caught it, setting it back on the pedestal nonchalantly.



"You should rest. Doing all this is going to kill you." Note the lack of stupid comment by Mason.

[Tree]

Alyson shrugged slightly.



" It wouldn't be that big of a deal if it did. There are millions of other girls that would fill my role, for half the pay. Even keep you both other company, if you wished."



She said gently, setting down in the chair beside her.

[Sushi]

Cue the stupid comment visa vi Mason.



"You obviously have no idea how long and how many candidates we looked at before we found one we could agree on."

[Tree]

Alyson looked up, shrugging.



" then don't agree. Hire two. it's not as if there would be a big problem there."



She stated matter of factly, looking to her feet now, feeling isolated in a way she couldn't explain. Now she'd have loved for her real boyfriend to have worked out. But she'd parted with him nearly a year ago. He hadn't been able to handle her lifestyle. she'd nearly given it up for him...

[Sushi]

Mason's reply: "We only have one guest bedroom." THWACK! Cael had had enough. So, as Mason lay sprawled on the ground, he walked over to Alyson.



"Stop with this nonsense. You are going to take a nap or I am going to steal your phone." Mason stopped in his moaning babiness, perked up by the words. Cael was giving him PERMISSION to steal something?!

[Tree]

Alyson looked between the two, shaking her head.



" I couldn't sleep if I wanted to... The way she looked at me."



It was a image that would haunt anyone. The look of uncertainty, ... not to mention the fact her mother hadn't known her this time...

[Sushi]

Cael shook his head.



"I know, and I wouldn't even try to force you to. I'm just saying that you need to just stop for a while. Lay down. Let time catch up to you." Mason stood up off the floor, eying her phone with his peripheral vision.

[Tree]

Alyson sighed, looking at Cael.



" why did you want me? You could certainly be happily married at this point. Your certainly nice enough."



She said faintly, not paying Mason much mind. He didn't seem made of enough to handle these situations.

[Sushi]

Cael didn't say anything at first. He glanced at Mason, who just raised a brow. And then he did it.



"Because you seemed nice and perhaps discreet. I could not be married, and Mason would have a hard time as well because of our dirty secrets. I mean, look at him. He's a thief." Mason guiltily held up the pink phone that he had by this point already swiped.

[Tree]

" I figured that out."



Alyson replied, holding her hand out, taping her foot.



" I knew that i picked up everything from the floor, and that the bracelet was missing then. Mason was the only other being around."



Brilliant moment, Alyson.



" Not to mention, you fell through the bed when I was with you the first night. Not sure what that's about."



Alyson admitted, shaking her head.



" I know what you both are, to some extent. I just don't understand... I never said Mason was marriage worthy, or even girlfriend, for that matter. I don't think he's capable of that level of thought. You on the other hand..."

[Sushi]

Cael wasn't entirely surprised. There was a reason that his mattress was placed directly on the floor. He sighed, though. Something about this was depressing. Mason, however, objected wildly.



"What?! I have had plenty of girlfriends. Besides, I don't normally borrow their things. I was just curious as to whether you would notice. I mean! Look at him!" Mason reached over and shook the slightly shorter man, whose expression darkened. Five... four... "Dude, do it. Do the thing." Three...



"I am not going to do it." Two...



"He's like the boogeyman under your bed at night." One... Cael elbowed Mason in the gut.

[Tree]

Alyson smiled, shaking her head, moving to Cael, setting in his lap, snuggling him gently. She liked the comfort he willingly offered her.



" Of course I'll be discreet. I'll do whatever you'd like."



something about the sentence made it clear her statements were directed to Cael, not mason.



Sparing a small glance to Mason, she shook her head.



" Had girlfriends. "

[Sushi]

Mason hissed his response to her from his place where he was once again sprawled on the floor.



"Would you just stop pretending like you know what's going on?"



Cael just sighed. Yes, very depressing.



"I would like you to just sit still for a while and rest."

[Tree]

Alyson looked to Mason.



" Your a moron. "



Why did she let him in her suit?



Looking to Cael.



" Alright."



she purred simply, snuggling tighter to his chest.

[Sushi]

Mason grumbled under his breath but just continued to sit there, scrunched up. Cael being more built was not necessarily a good thing. Not for Mason, at least. Cael hit like an iron rod.



Cael wrapped an arm around her and just sat there silently. He didn't even look at his roommate, who would eventually wander off to get something eat. Now where was this staff that Alyson had told him about?

[Tree]

Alyson watched Mason leave, looking after him for a while before speaking softly.



" I'm sorry."



She said gently.

[Sushi]

Cael looked down at her, furrowing his brow.



"For what?" He didn't see any reason why she should be apologizing.

[Tree]

" I never planned on sleeping with mason... I'm not sure why I let it happen... I'm sorry."



Sure, he didn't have to know, but she felt he should.

[Sushi]

Cael just shrugged slightly.



"Why would that bother me? You are quite capable of your own decisions."

[Tree]

Alyson looked to Cael, shaking her head, looking to her hands.



" Counting you two, that only makes four partners for me."



she explained simply. Considering her line of work....

[Sushi]

Cael tilted her head up so that he could look her full in the face.



"Do you regret it? I did not mean to overstep boundaries."