Thar Shaddin

She stopped what she was doing when Shade announced himself and stood near the bed so she wouldn't be in the way. Tanya felt proud of his reaction and praise for the work she had done. After he sat down, she came over to him as he asked. The doll was surprised he had went out of his way to get so much for her.

Her hands made a light tinkling sound as she put them together. Even if the necklace was fake, it was still pretty and the dresses were lovely. Tanya couldn't wait to have her bath and use her new things but a promise was a promise. She would see the room done first before doing anything else.

Feeling the joy that pulsed from the doll Shade felt the humiliation from earlier fade away to unimportance. If she was happy, his pride could take a jab. He gave her a small smile before groaning and flopping himself on the floor, spreading out with a grunt in a motion to take a nap.

Quickly gathering up her new things, she put them back in the bag trying her best too keep the dresses clean. Tanya then walked around Shade's prone body to stand at his shoulder. She tilts her head slightly, examining his face. He really did have a wildness about him that must catch people's eye. It certainly caught hers as she had sat in that storefront window.

The antique doll bent at the waist smoothly as she reached out to tug on the shoulder of his shirt. She was a bit concerned for him if he was going to fall asleep on the floor. Tanya didn't want to catch a cold or hurt his back, not when there was a bed right there.

Shade remained dormant, his eyes closed and his breathing slowing as he felt his body settle into the floor. Distantly he felt her tugging on him, but he ignored it. He just lay on his back, lips settling into a neutral closed mouth position. He let his other senses go as he drew farther back into his mentallity.

Lisa was cooking supper below, singing softly to herself the words of a lullaby. Rebbecca was playing with the twerp next door, squealing about the lamb the doll had picked out for her. The stove sizzled with the smell of stew, meat cooking, and the odd spices tossed into the pot for flavor. A clattering of a chair and a quietly hissed cuss made his lip curl up in amusement. Lisa always had such a foul mouth when surprised.

"Ya know, times like these.... make it hard to stay awake." Shade chuckled cracking open an eye to peer at little Tanya. "Though, you probably don't sleep with that body do you?"

Tanya made a gesture meaning 'so-so' before sitting beside his shoulder, draping one arm over it and resting her head on her lower arm. The leather lining in her joints allowed her to hold the pose without much effort. Her other hand smoothed her apron and dress out of habit when she had her human body.

She did rest while inside the doll. It took energy to move herself around without the benefit of muscles and things like that. When she rested, images from her past would run through her mind's eye and that was the closest she came to dreaming since becoming whatever she was. Other times it was like being suspended in darkness.

Shade chuckled as he gave her a gentle smile. He tucked her in the crook of his elbow, humming in amusement as he gave her gentle pat on the head. Then, with a yawn he drifted off to lala land with the china doll tucked close to him.

What felt like minutes later but turned out to be about an hour, he got the call for supper. Groggily he gently pushed the doll's head off his shoulder and rose, groaning as his back popped in protest. He grunted out, twisting and cracking his spine in an attempt to loosen the pains that claimed him. Finding little peace in his own stupidity Shade left wordlessly, unsure if the doll was 'sleeping' and not wanting to wake her.

"Yeah yeah, I'm coming Lucy."

When Shade tucked her into the crook of his arm, she was caught by surprise. The doll nestled herself against him contently as she felt his hand pat her on the head. The steady beat of his heart and even breathing lulled her into sleep, the doll becoming a bit heavier as her soul pulled back from the limbs.

She didn't notice when he had slipped away until his solid footsteps made the springs in her joints hum. Tanya came to, her soul stretching out into the doll's limbs again. With careful movements, she stood and looked around. Shade had gone while she was asleep. Walking to the doorway she listened and heard the family in the kitchen eating. Relaxing now that she knew she hadn't been forgotten, the porcelain doll turns back.

Shade shoveled another mouthful of stew in his mouth, growling pleasantly as his eyes narrowed in pleasure. The stew was delicious, warming his belly and his grin as he purred his thanks to Lucy. Rebbecca giggled and he waggled his eyebrows at her which Lucy promptly scolded him for. All the while they bickered his mind travel back to the doll upstairs.

He'd said she could stay but... what happens then? She could stay but some point she'll have to move on, whether by his death or some other reasons. Shade paused in his eating to stare absently at his bowl. He couldn't handle the idea of her sitting alone on the shelf. Not again.

Suddenly his mood turned grim.

No, I'll find something else.

Tanya wandered around aimlessly in Shade's room, running the tips of her fingers over the objects they had unearthed. She stopped in front of the books and felt a little guilty for not reading the titles when she had moved them earlier. It was silly to feel bad over something like that and she knew it but Tanya grew up treating the few books her mother had owned like friends.

Thinking back, the doll remembered sitting on her mother's lap as she read to Tanya and her father. The rocking of the chair and her mother's voice always gave comfort. Her father may have been a farmer, but her mother had come from a well to do family. When she had married Tanya's father, the family had been angry. The only thing her mother was able to take with her was the doll and a few books.

The porcelain doll sat beside the books, a hand resting on one of the spines. The memories were good ones but they also made her just a little sad. She was greatful for everything Shade had done for her but she couldn't help feeling homesick. Oh Tanya knew she couldn't go back while she was like this. Her father wouldn't be able to handle the shock of the news of what really happened to his daughter. It was moments like this that she wished for her mother's advice. She had always seemed to know what to do.

"Hey, uhm... Ma'am?" Shade glanced sheepishly at the scrawny woman with large eyes, his slow itching from embarrasement clicking her interest. Currently, Shade was in the library of the university and it was clear he didn't fit in. He had to sneak past the guards and flirt with the secretary to get this far let alone go find the library but here he was. So, he made with what he had and smiled. "I was hoping you could help me find some books about... ah, spells I guess?"

"Spells?" Her once wide eyes narrowed now with pure suspicion. "I don't think we have any, sorry."

"Come on now, don't be like that." Lady killer mode, activated. "See, my friend got in a bit of a jam and I'm trying to find a way to get her out of it...." He leaned in until their noses almost touched and his breath mingled with hers, his voice lowered into a husky growl. "Won't you help me...please?"

The woman stared at him with the look of pure shock and lust. He smirked at her, triumphant that he hadn't lost his touch as she babbled nothings for a moment before giving her head a quick shake. She cleared her throat and gave him a blushing smile.

"I'll take a look."

Leaning against the books now, she let her mind wander unchecked. What would it be like to be human again? What shape would her body be in if it was still alive out there? How would she adjust to a twenty four year old Tanya when she had been fourteen when this had happened?

She mentally shook herself from her reverie and rose to pace. Tanya didn't want to think of those things anymore. It didn't change or accomplish anything. Hiking up her dress, the porcelain doll climbs up the covers on his bed and sits near the foot of it. She gazes out the window, looking at nothing in particular, to distract her mind.

"Damn these big words." Shade groaned as he rubbed his head irritably. "What in the hell? Can't they just dumb it down?"

Before him there was a stack of books, all spread out as he sat near silently at a table. Most of them were scattered around the space, open and viewed but useless none the less. He gave the current book a glare, demanding it tell him what was inside without having his eyeballs fall out. Of course, it was immune to his intimidation techniques.

"Alright, stop complaining and just get it done." Shade scolded himself as he picked up the book once more and let his eyes scan the page. "Spells to turn into toad, spells to cast away evil spirits.... spell to make your booty huge?" He stared at the page in disbelief, now questioning all the big bootyed women that paraded around the city. "Oh.... Well I guess that explains a bit."

With a silent sigh, Tanya slides her way down the covers to the floor. She knew he said for her to stay put but now that she had a taste for movement, the doll didn't want to sit still anymore. Ten years of sitting was ten too many. Listening carefully, the antique doll lightly walks out of Shade's room and takes her time going down the stairs.

On the last one, she sits for a rest while listening for Lucy and Rebecca. Even though she was exploring a bit, Tanya didn't want the other two to catch her in motion. Remembering how Shade had first reacted, the last thing she wanted was to make a little girl cry on her birthday or the mother smash Tanya to bits.

"TO HELL WITH THIS!" Shade bellowed as he threw his hands in the air in defeat. "I CAN'T UNDERSTAND A DAMN THING!"

"S-sir! Shhhhh!" The lady from earlier rushed over to him and put her hands on his shoulder. "Quiet now! I'm not suppose to let you in here, remember? Anyway, what are you looking for? What happened to your friend?"

"She... She got her soul jammed into a doll now I'm trying to figure out how to get it back out." Shade groaned as he rubbed his aching eyes. He glanced up at the clock and blinked, staring at it for a moment before letting out a loud yelp and scrambling to his feet. "Dammit! How'd it get so late?!"

"Sir?"

"Aw crap aw crap aw craaap." Shade quickly gathered his things, eyes squinting as he thought through the growing headache he got. "And I left her alone! Dammit! Next time I'll just bring her...."

He continued muttering as he moved around the girl, book under his arm as he bolted for the door. He was headed home.

Not wanting to risk being found, the doll decided to sneak back up the stairs. It was going to be her own little secret that she had snuck out of Shade's room. It was easier said than done. It was hard for her to get a proper handhold to pull herself up onto the next stair but she managed by hiking her skirts up, swinging her leg up, then pulling herself up.

After a few stairs, Tanya had developed a good rhythm going and after ten minutes she was at the top. Shaking her skirts out, the doll then lets them fall into their natural shape. Her body swayed as she felt her soul's anchor inside the doll slip, making a sharp stab of panic and fear go through her. A moment or two pass and so does the feeling, making the doll's limbs harder to lift. Tanya looks up at the bed and knew she wouldn't be able to make the climb. Instead, she laid herself down on one of the books, resting on her side with her face towards the door.