Let It Burn

[Elizabeth Edison]

Bustling about in her room, Elizabeth had to put her coffee mug down on her desk. She stole a few touches with Beau every now and then, kind of enamored by the fact that he was so gentle with her new friend.

She could hear Gabriela's wretching and she had to stop a moment to calm herself down. Thankfully she managed to keep everything down and still get things ready when Gabriela felt she could come out of the bathroom.

Hearing Gabriela in the toilet, Elizabeth laughed and shook her head. "It really isn't. I'm the bad influence." She grinned sheepishly at Beau before finishing her coffee.

"Babe, do you want something to drink?" She asked, touching Beau's shoulder and squeezing it gently.

[Beau LaRoux]

Beau stood more or less halfway between Liz and the friend. He could hear the moans and the tell-tale sounds of upchucking coming from the brunette, and he couldn't help but wince. "Ain't got nothin' to apologize for!" he called, after first having twisted slightly to make sure that the sound would carry back to the bathroom. He winced again before looking back at Liz, who kept moving around.

"Didn't figure anythin' else," he said in reply to Liz and the brunette's assertions that this had all been Liz's idea. It pretty much had Liz written all over it.

The last question had Beau turning though, frowning slightly. "Wouldn't hurt," he said, nodding, "though I don't reckon we should be leavin' her alone, least for a little bit. You wantin' me to head out an' pick up somethin'?" he looked back at Liz, raising his brows. He'd obviously had other plans for the day but, well, plans changed and whatnot, and nothing seemed to change plans as fast as having someone vomiting.

Beau had just figured it would be Liz doing that, not the random friend in the bathroom. "You feelin' any beter in there?" he asked as something of an afterthought. Had to walk the fine line between embarrassing the girl and making sure she knew she wasn't still alone and all.

[Gabriela Moreau]

"I'm okay!" Gabriela valiantly tried to strengthen the tone of her voice but ended up failing miserably. It came out ragged, raspy, and weak, just as she'd suspected it would. The embarrassment of the moment flushed her cheeks and she was just fine being alone. It wasn't as if she wanted anyone to see her like this, let alone Beau or Liz. She did, though, make it a point to remember to pay back the boy for his generosity. Giving up his coffee that Gabriela had barely been able to dip into was a gesture she wasn't soon to forget.

Slowly, shakily, embarrassingly, Gabriela pushed herself up and away from the toilet bowl. The nausea had passed, finally, and it was time to take a look in the mirror and see what she was working with this morning. Upon catching sight of the matted hair, slick, saliva covered lips, flushed cheeks, the deep circles under her eyes and the general paleness of her face Gabriela nearly squeaked in surprise. She spat into the sink and immediately turned on the faucet. She didn't feel the need to look pretty enough to impress anyone but the hideous thing staring back at her just wouldn't do, given it was really the first time she'd been face to face with Beau and she wanted to, at least, make somewhat of a decent first impression. Or, well, she at least wanted to salvage what she could of said impression.

The warm water felt good against her face as Gabriela found herself stuck between feeling too crummy to stay standing up and moving, but too embarrassed to trudge back into the dorm room looking like she did. The pain in her head that had been overbearing was temporarily dulled by the need to make herself at least presentable (although she'd settle for 'not a hot mess' at this point). After running her fingers lazily through her hair and getting a hold of a bottle of mouthwash, Gabriela reached over and pushed the toilet handle, grimacing as she turned away from the horrible chunky liquid that swirled around in the bowl.

With the adrenaline of embarrassment wearing off, the aching in her head and, indeed, her entire body began to catch up with Gabriela. She was at least decent enough to not be terrible to be around for the moment, even though she'd already stretched her will to the limit. The hangover was quickly taking hold again and, while it felt like she had done so much to help stave off the completely wrecked look she was wearing, in truth, swishing mouthwash, rinsing your face, and running a hand through your hair really didn't do much to improve her appearance.

With a defeated expression Gabriela shuffled back into the dorm. She squinted mightily in the dim light as she went straight for the only solace she could imagine right then: Liz's bed. Carefully, with her arms stretched out in front of her, Gabriela slid into the bed once again. She drew her knees up to her chest and tugged at whatever covers she could to pull them over her and let out a low groan. "I'm sorry, guys." She mumbled, squeezing her eyes shut and burying her face into the pillow.

[Elizabeth Edison]

Elizabeth smiled affectionately at Beau's response to both of their remarks. She crossed the room to press a kiss against his temple and shook her head when he offered to go and grab something.

"I'll do it. You take care of her. Hot or cold whatever for you?" She asked Beau.

When Gabriela finally re-emerged from the bathroom and started crawling into bed, the blond's smile softened and she walked over to the bed and patted the brunette's foot sympathetically. "Don't be sorry babe. I'll get us some more coffee, kay?"

She left the room to make a fresh pot, humming lightly, amused by the situation.

[Beau LaRoux]

Beau nodded as Liz mentioned taking care of Gabs. "Didn't figure I'd be dealin' with a kid jus' yet,' he drawled teasingly, adding a quick wink. He could hear Gabs moving around in the bathroom and what have you, and he certainly didn't want to interrupt that. Still, he leaned forward to give Liz a kiss and move to be ready in case Gabs needed another piggy-back ride to get back where she was going. Beau hollered a "hot" over his shoulder as he did.

Not that Beau got to rest for long, popping up and moving to help Gabs. More like spot at this point, as she seemed to e slouching toward the bed easily enough on her own. Beau still held his hands out, ready to catch if need be. Gabs ended up on the bed, though she curled up pretty quick. Beau adjusted the covers to let her cover before moving to adjust and make sure that light wasn't going to be an issue.

"Let us know if ya need anythin'," said Beau, nodding. "Figurin' mouthwash an' Pepto's probly high, if'n ya didn't grab 'em earlier," he spoke softly before nodding, taking a few steps toward the bathroom before hesitating. If she didn't need anything besides space, he'd be ready to give her that too.

[Gabriela Moreau]

Gabriela groaned from her spot curled up on the bed and tugged the covers over her head with Beau's help. Under the watchful eye of any other couple she probably would've at least been ridiculed (rightfully so) but here, even with the unexpected nature of Beau's finding her with his girlfriend amidst the empty wrapper and food container debris that littered the room, there was something oddly comforting about the way he and Liz went about the morning. Gabriela was hardly comfortable and was still mortified at the situation, but neither of her impromptu caretakers really seemed overly annoyed by it so she was able to relax and focus on the pounding in her head. Treat.

"I'm not a kid." She whined in protest from beneath the covers, shifting to pull the blankets tighter around her. The irony of her childish defiance wasn't lost and she did little more than sigh before carefully wiggling to poke her head out from under the covers and smiling sheepishly up to Beau. "I'm sorry I ruined your morning with Liz." She said quietly. She really felt worse for their time being interfered with than her own embarrassment or even the dull ache in her skull that just wouldn't subside.

[Elizabeth Edison]

Elizabeth returned to the room just in time to hear Gabriela's pouting. Looking at Beau with a knowing look, she placed the drinks on her study table and slid on to the bed beside Gabriela.

Patting the bundle she had hidden herself in, Elizabeth tried to find the brunette. "Nobody's calling you one, Grumpy." She responded with an affectionate grin.

Turning back to Beau with raised eyebrows, she ignored the headache the move caused her. "Is the morning ruined?" She asked rhetorically. "I don't think it's ruined. Do you?"

[Beau LaRoux]

Beau chuckled at the whining. He was tempted to point out that no, most kids wouldn't've gotten a hold of the stuff that had put Gabs into this position. The words had already started to bubble up when Gabs continued, silencing Beau. Soon he was exchanging looks with Gabs, noting the raised brows.

"Don't reckon so," said Beau. He added a shrug. "least wise, not yet. Still got a bit of mornin' to go yet. Don't usually like callin' these things till they're done," he added a wink before moving to give the girls space, also taking a sip of the hot drink. Despite what Beau said, he knew he'd have to give them space and get some sort of breakfast soon: hadn't exactly planned on running into this.

"Sure you don't need nothin'?" he asked, bending down slightly to try to get more on Gabs' level, even tilting his head slightly just in case. He didn't want to leave her suffering, and he felt bad for not producing more than coffee. He did look over at Liz, before moving his head subtly toward the food, hopefully hinting that he'd need to take off and get his own soonish.

[Gabriela Moreau]

Gabriela, even with her pounding headache, kinked back from sleeping wrong, and the nausea swimming around in her brain, couldn't help but smile warmly at the exchange between Beau and Liz. There hadn't been any hesitation that she could see, the two of them just went right into taking care of her. It was a sweet, heartwarming gesture that Gabriela made a point to figure out a way to repay. Just as soon as she could think clearly again without it hurting. "You guys are so great." She groaned, pulling the blanket up under her chin. She wasn't so light sensitive anymore and she found she liked watching the subtle exchanges between the young couple.

"Beau." Gabriela said simply when he knelt down to her level. A slender arm snaked out from beneath the blankets and went to give him a pat. She'd aimed for his shoulder, but in her still exhausted, pained haze, she ended up giving him a gentle tap upon his forehead. "You're amazing." She cooed softly. "I love you two, really, I do." Yes. Already. That was Gabriela, quick to befriend and even quicker to love. It didn't hurt that Beau and Liz were so easy to like. After all, who else would drop whatever morning plans they had with their girlfriend to take care of one of her random hungover friends?

[Elizabeth Edison]

When Beau looked at her, and then at the food, Elizabeth nodded and smiled sympathetically before chuckling at Gabriela patting his forehead. "We love you too, Gabs." The blonde patted Gabriela with a grin and got up to pull Beau up as well.

"We'll let you get more sleep. You need it. Just call for me if you need anything okay? I'll just be outside." Locking her fingers through Beau's, she exited the room and went straight to the kitchen.

"You want me to make you a sandwich? I've got turkey slices and bacon." She asked Beau.

[Beau LaRoux]

Beau chuckled as Gabs spoke. She kept cooing and all that, eventually even reaching out to give him a pat. Beau felt that little tingle that let him know he'd picked up the full burst of her power, though it felt really odd considering everything. About now, he figured that he'd probably have a better handle and skill at using her power than Gabs herself. He also wasn't sure what his power would do considering that he was stuck in a room with a pair of pyros.

"Sure she ain't still drunk?" he asked, looking up at Liz and grinning. She'd pulled him up, giving a tingle that wasn't entirely related to powers and what have you. Beau rose and actually leaned forward, lightly kissing his girlfriend, even though he was certain she had about three different flavors of morning breath and probably stank of alcohol. Soon he was obediently following Liz toward the kitchen.

"Sure thing, seein' as you said the magic word," Beau winked, though he did give Gabs one last look. Girl probably just needed a little more time to rest and recuperate from the all too fun life.