[((I'll make the disclaimers here. We don't OWN LXG. But I wish I did…Then I'd have a life. Here is the second chapter, influenced more by me than by her. Enjoy~ And let's just say it WILL be longer…and there WILL be gore…worthy of that mature rating…)) AND maybe I'll throw in some romance! ((How did you get out?)) You were distracted by The Exorcist on TV…((I see…I see…Yes very well. A compromise. I get to write MY GORE…and you can write that crappy romantic goop people like…Seriously people? WHO WANTS ROMANCE WHEN YOU CAN READ ABOUT A HEAD BEING-)) SHUSH! You keep trying to GIVE things away…Sheesh…]

Chapter Two 'Plans'

"Miss. Nook…It's my pleasure to see you," a nasally voice said from behind me. I suppressed a shudder. The heat of the crowded room was consuming me. I felt like a doll. Trapped within the folds of the rose petal dress I was stuck in. Folds and ripples and lace and buttons. The small dainty fan I'd been allowed didn't seem to be catching any air like it should have been. I forced a fake smile into place before looking around to see none other than Sir Humphrey. Oh lord have mercy on me. He was quite heavyset and a whole two heads shorter than myself. His mop of black hair was anything but attractive as it was sleeked back with bits of grease. His face was a bright pink from the exestuation it took to walk here. I must admit it was indeed hot. "Might I…have your hand in dance?" I didn't want to, but a glance at my grandfather not too far away told me I must play nicely. I accepted his hand in assisting me up from my seat. We made our way out into the throng of dancing pairs. "You know…You look beautiful today." One of my eyebrows rose. "I-I mean…You're pretty any other time-" He muttered, stepping hard on my left foot.

"ow!" I hissed out, giving him a reproachful look.

"m-my mistake ma'am…Uhm…Might I add that I find you very pleasing to the eye?" he inquired as we spun around another couple. My right foot received the same treatment as earlier and a scowl replaced my forced smile. I withdrew my hand from his.

"If you don't mind, I'd like this dance," a familiar voice drawled out from behind me. I whirled around a bit shocked to find none-other-than Tom Sawyer here. I thought he had other plans. He took my hand and we whirled away, leaving Humphrey feeling humiliated. I didn't entirely blame him. The whirling motion added some air current to bath my flushed face. "You do look ravishing tonight…But…might I add that you seem a bit…tired…are you alright?" I glanced up to meet his eyes and stumbled a bit, stepping lightly on his foot. He didn't seem to notice.

"I yes…Tom…I'm fine…Just…This dress is terrible," I replied, and indicated the crowd," so many people and…the heat of it all…"

"How about we take a walk outside then? Just to escape the crowd for a bit?" He asked.

"Are you sure?" I asked, eyes lighting up at the idea. He grinned and escorted me outside. I must admit it was quite nice to be out of the heat. I kept my fingers on his forearm as we walked down the sidewalk again. The night was still young it would appear. "oh…Look at that…" I said and his eyes followed mine to the moon above us. Something about it made him tense. "Tom? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah…Its fine," he replied, face lighting up again with that smile. Even here I could tell he was hiding something from me. This death of Quatermain had gotten to him pretty heavily, still affecting him. I stopped us and he gave me an uncertain look.

"Tom…You've trusted me before…Please don't push me out now," I told him, gently trailing a finger across his cheek. He leaned forward and our lips met. I wasn't quite prepared for that. It was…improper to say the least. My tension must've alerted him to my discomfort. He pulled back.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have done that," he told me quickly, backing away from me. I was a bit dazed. A loud forlorn howl ripped through the night air followed by someone's death scream. A young woman's. Tom took off running and I was quick behind him. I lost him after a few turns though and ended up slowing to a bit of a halt. A white…what the hell was that?…went tearing past me, startling me. It took a sharp turn and I followed after it. Tom was kneeling beside someone. My breath caught in my throat. Others were climbing out of the car. My hands trembled as I stepped closer, one to my mouth. The young woman was none other than Rebecca Smitherton. I'd had tea with her only a few days ago. Her translucent blonde curls had come undone from her bun and her white evening gown was stained crimson. She laid in a pool of blood, her throat ripped clean open along with her stomach. I felt sick.

"Rebecca," I said loudly, eyes watering up.

"Isabel!" Tom exclaimed, seeing that I'd followed him. He stood up quickly. I shook my head before turning to run away. What had happened? Some animal? Rebecca…sweet little Rebecca. Strong arms caught me and I was pulled into an embrace by Tom, where I began to cry. "Shh shh shh….It's okay…It's okay…" He told me comfortingly, running a soothing hand up and down my back. I was shaking and couldn't stop.

** / *** / ** / ** / ** / ((Sometime later)) ** / ** / ** / ** / ** / ** /

I sat with hands curled around a cup of steaming tea with a blanket wrapped around me. The doctor…Jekyll or something had said I was in a mild shock, nothing to worry my head about. I just needed to stay warm and drink something soothing. Hot tea was soothing I suppose. I sat in a chair, not entirely listening as Tom carried on a conversation with two others. Doctor Jekyll…and some man called Nemo. I myself had other thoughts. Why was Rebecca out by herself? Where was sir Hank? Everyone knew it was no secret that Frederick Hank had a liking to Rebecca. Rebecca had a liking to him. They were a perfect match and had been courting for a few months. Some speculated that Frederick was going to propose to Rebecca in a few nights.

"-victim of a werewolf," Nemo said with a slight incline of his head. I glanced up, eyes focusing on the man. Werewolf? Well…if there were vampires there could be Werewolves.

"I would have to agree," Henry concurred with a slight nod of his head. The doctor of chemistry and medicine. I fiddled with the sleeve of my rose dress. Tom glanced at me.

"Isabel…You okay?" he asked me. Tom knew me better than most.

"Yes Tom," I replied and received that charming smile. Tom patted the top of my hand that rested on the arm of the chair.

"I've seen that look before," Tom told me," What are you thinking about?"

"Rebecca," I admitted, and Nemo's eyes narrowed.

"You are a friend of the deceased?" he asked me. Tom glanced to him.

"Friend would be loosely applied," I admitted, taking a sip of the hot tea. It burned my tongue slightly and I winced setting it down to finish cooling off. "Her father and my grandfather are…acquaintances…naturally we were expected to socialize. So yes. I knew the deceased quite well."

"Would you perhaps know why she was without escort?" Tom inquired, his train of thought following mine.

"I don't really know…Normally she'd be with Frederick…The two are rarely seen without the other…Rumor had it that the man was going to propose to her soon…" I murmured, voice growing quiet," I wonder where he was…"

"Mina! Honestly, I meant nothing by it!" a new voice was heard outside the door. It swung open and a fairly attractive woman entered the room. She seemed…older despite her looks. Her eyes went to me, then to Tom who was hovering almost protectively over me.

"Welcome back Miss. Harker," Nemo said with a polite bow of his head.

"Evening Nemo," she replied in that mysteriously accented voice. Her eyes found their way back to mine. Another man entered with…no eyes…and a white face…a bit splotchy towards the ear line as he appeared not to really have a face…The only shape he had came from his ominous trench coat.

"Whose this?" the voice inquired and the white-faced man tilted his head. I could feel those sightless eyes gazing upon me. Sent a small shiver down my spine.

"Isabel Nook," Nemo informed him.

"Ah…Skinner…Gentlemen thief at your service," Skinner, the…invisible man?…told me with a mock bow. It didn't really suit him. I glanced at Tom.

"I should take you home," Tom told me. I stood up, putting the quilted blanket down on the chair behind me. Tom headed for the door, slipping past Skinner and Mina.

"It was nice meeting you," I said politely before following. "Tom. Wait up…Tom!" I exclaimed, hurrying after him. He only slowed down once we were outside the house. "Tom…What in the world is wrong with you?" He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as if fighting off a headache. "Tom…You've always spoke quite frank with me and I'll have that same manner of tongue now. Whatever is wrong? You trust me, yes?" I insisted, reaching to take his hand in mine so it wasn't on his face any longer. His eyes met mine, and there was something in them that startled me. I took a step back and Tom looked away, then back at me with that charming smile on his face. He seemed a tad bit apologetic though and gently squeezed my hand that was around his. He took it and pressed a light kiss to the bare knuckles, causing my heart to skip a beat.

"I should return you home," He murmured, but his eyes on mine told me that we wouldn't be making it home if I went with him now. I pulled my hand lightly back from his with a rather disapproving look at him.

"I don't know whatever is wrong with you Tom, that you wouldn't trust me like you have always trusted me…but I will not have you talk to me in such a manner," I snapped at him, before turning to head off," I will simply walk home myself." An arm caught mine and spun me around.

"Even after what you've seen?" He demanded, indicating with a gesture around us," Despite the fact that there's a MONSTER out there that killed one of your friends?" His eyes bore into mine as if trying to get me to accept something that I didn't even know yet. I blinked a few times in confusion and winced as Tom's grip became a little too firm on my arm.

"Tom…you're hurting me," I murmured, and he let go with an apology before catching the attention of one of the other males who were in the household before asking them to escort me back to my own premises. I watched as Tom headed off and I was worried about that man. I had to ward off the attack of several of the households overly-worried maids until they informed me that my grandfather wanted a word with me in the study room. I sighed before heading into the room where he waited with a man I had never seen before.

"Finally…You have decided to grace us with your presence," my grandfather murmured and I couldn't help but feel the other guy eyeing me up as if purchasing something. He was very tall with a hooked nose and long black hair tied back in a small black band at the back of his head. He wore a black suit that was personally tailored to him as he turned to regard my grandfather.

"She will do nicely," the tall man said, his pale skin making him seem almost deathly ill as he turned beady black eyes back to me. "Yes…she will do quite nicely… We will take care of her at the institute until she is ready to return to society… Women can be so fickle in the mind…sometimes it amazes me that we don't see them when they completely lose their minds. I'm quite glad you caught this sickness in the earlier stages…She will make a viable test subject." I felt my blood run cold in my veins.

"Excuse me?" I demanded, stunned now at what was really happening before me. I suddenly knew where this man was from. He ran the local asylum for the insane, mostly being young women who wanted freedom. I backed up from the room, looking for some manner of escape.

"Ah, I see precisely what you mean now," The man who looked like Death murmured as he stepped closer to me. I felt my breathe pick up and my heart speed in my chest. No one had ever gotten out, because they'd been made insane within those walls which were meant to cure us. I knew my rebellion had been pushing my grandfather, and my continual turn down of his suitors he set up for me…I knew it would all catch up to me soon enough but to have reached this point.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Nook… You've forced me into this position," My grandfather told me, looking none too pleased with the situation. I wondered just what had pushed him to this and my eyes darted back to the man who was trying to take me away. He had to have something to do with this.

"I've never had someone of your descent in my walls before," the man murmured, reaching forward with skeleton fingers to gentle tease at a trendily of hair that had gotten free. I now knew why the maids had been in a tizzy. They knew what was happening. I had to get out. I swallowed, trying to be calm about this situation.

"May I…May I collect myself within the washroom for a second?" I murmured as if defeated. He seemed to smile at me.

"Of course…Do not tarry though, I have a busy schedule to keep," He said and returned to talk with my grandfather. I very slowly made my way out of the room and down the hall where two maids were waiting for me. One of them had clothes in her hands. The other had some small bag with her.

"You can't go with him," the first maid hissed as we entered the wash room and they helped me undress before giving me men's clothing. I frowned at it even as they demonstrated how to wear it. My chest was bounded by some rolled bandage to keep it tighter against my chest even as an over-sized shirt was pulled over my head and I was given a rather large jacket as well as men pants. I must admit to not quite understanding it all. Even as they undid the curls in my hair and with a look of regret one of the maids took shearing scissors to it, cutting it to just below my chin before pulling it back into a little ponytail flop that I'd seen some of the younger males had. I almost appeared to be a younger male who had yet to gain his entire maturity of adult-hood. A large hat was shoved on top of my head, floppy of course due to size and appearing to be some kind of hat a carry-boy would have when running errands. I glanced quizzical at the little bag that was handed to me.

"It isn't much," the second maid informed me with slight reluctance," But it is enough to at least be a small start…you can use it to get far enough away…The best of luck…" I was ushered out the back way and I stared at my household in slight dismay at the suddenness of the event. The lack of hair had me feeling like I should be hyperventilating but I kept it together. My skin would definitely get some questions around here for work wise because white men were superior here still. I swallowed nervously as I made my way down the alley. I had no escort, and I'd never taken it for granted before until this moment. I heard shouting in the house, obviously my disappearance had been noticed rather quickly and the doors burst open as my grandfather ran out along with the man of death himself. They both stared at me from across the street.

"You are quite right…she is entirely daft," the man murmured and indicated to someone to come grab me. It was one of the street police. I took off running, glad to have sturdier boots on then what I'd on before. These were meant for hard work. Still, the police were much faster than I was as they'd been trained for this and I hadn't really run a day in my life. I ducked down an alley and smacked into someone rather hard…They were tall and extremely hairy and very muscular. My hat got into my face as I sprawled onto my back and I heard a very deep growl pick up just as the police shouted 'Halt' as they skidded around the corner. They froze and I felt hot breath on me before something leapt over me, knocking my hat off and I caught what could've been an extremely hairy dog? No. I tipped my head backwards and my eyes grew wide as I watched an extremely tall, very large and hairy creature…start ripping the guards into pieces. A hand flew towards me and its owners arm landed on my other side as guts splattered the wall nearest me. I scrambled up, trying not to gather attention. The police screams died out as they were taken care of and disposed of. I backed up slowly, trembling and uncertain of what was going to happen next. The creature slowly turned and I could see its brownish fur and its very sharp teeth glinting in the light of the full moon. It threw its head back and let out a loud bone-chilling howl and I knew what it was.

A were-wolf… In America. It lowered its muzzle and snarled at me, taking a step closer to me. There was a few loud pops or bangs and it howled, lunging away from me even as I fell back to my butt from shock as it raced off. Someone rushed past me to chase it, firing off several shots until the creature fell down with a grunt…then it seemed to morph. It lost its hair that slowly receded with its large shape and form as a naked male sprawled on his face was revealed in the street lamp. I blinked back hot tears wondering who my rescuer was, as the person slowly came back to me. It was Tom Sawyer. I lunged to my feet to hug him and he was caught off guard until he gave me a good look over.

"Isabel?" He asked, seeming confused at first but understanding reached his eyes," You're coming with me… Okay?" I nodded, just glad to be alive. "Come on." He took my hand in his and hooked my small bag over his shoulder with a worried look at me as we headed off.

"So…that was the were-wolf?" I questioned and he nodded.

"You going to be okay?" he asked me and I nodded this time before biting my bottom lip in concern. "What?"

"I…would've been dead…if you hadn't been there," I murmured to him and turned to look at him. He blinked, looking a little confused and tilted his head with a boyish grin.

"Then it's a good thing I show up in the nick of time," he said, his voice dropping lower just like mine had as we stared at each other. We were interrupted from whatever was happening as police sirens began and he suddenly tugged my arm to get me to move quicker as we ducked around an alleyway. I didn't know what was happening or where my life was headed now, but I knew it would never return to where it had been before this.

END NOTE: I'm so sorry. I left this UNTOUCHED for so long… I mean yeah… Like seriously… This story has a PLOT by the way… It just… I don't know what happened here… This chapter didn't go like it was PROBABLY planned to go so I finished it off as best I could… It's still kind of short but HEY… Whatever right? *laughs* Anyways, here we go… Another SHORT chapter… But the next should be better once I get back into the swing of things with this okay… I hate leaving unfinished work… So SORRY.