Behind the Scenes (Tom Hiddleston fanfiction)

||2|| All Signs Point To...

I was walking down the road of the Garden District, looking for Vincent's house.

I knew it had been rebuilt since Katrina.

The Garden District was undeniably the most beautiful part of New Orleans.
The houses were huge and amazing, most of them built up high due to hurricanes.
Huge trees lined the road with branches that twisted and turned as if reaching out for the souls that passed them by.
Many people who lived here had trees and beautiful flowers that ranged from gorgeous pink star-shaped flowers to your average daisies.

Vincent's house, I noticed as I approached it, was relatively the same as always.
It had been rebuilt though it looked just as it had before hurricane Katrina.
A few moss-covered trees were in the yard, but nothing that gave life to the place.
It still gave me the sinking feeling of disgust as I approached it.

I walked up the stairs, taking a deep breath as I rang the doorbell.
I waited a few moments before I was prepared to ring it once more.
Just as my finger touched the doorbell, the door opened to reveal a girl.
She couldn't be more than eighteen, but already she had the strung-out addicted look.

Her dull blonde hair was stringy and matted, her green eyes bloodshot and glazed.

Her purple dress hung off mostly.
"I'm looking for my brother," I said calmly and clearly.

She blinked, saying nothing as she stepped back.
I entered the room and wanted to cry.
People lay around, passed out and drugged out of their minds.

Empty beer bottles and syringes littered the floor.
I looked around desperately for my younger brother's blonde hair.
"Danny," I called quietly as I slowly walked around.

"Daniel?"

I was feeling panicked. I didn't want to be here, but I had to find Danny.

"Well if it is Beatrice the goodie two shoes," Vincent's deep, toe-curling voice said.
I cringed as I turned to look up at him.
Vincent's black hair was short, though the top was long and greased back. 
He had a beard now.

He still looked decent, which meant he wasn't on the shit he supplied.

"I just want my brother," I said confidently, in no mood for Vince's games.

He smiled as he walked down the stairs.
"I have no intention of keeping anyone here that doesn't want to be here."

I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Where's Daniel," I demanded.

He pointed up the stairs and said, "My room, on the balcony."

I charged past him and stormed up the stairs.
Before you judge me about how I know where Vince's room was, it was never like that.
Before Vince was a full-blown supplier of addicts, his house was once nice and held great parties for all of us he went to school with.
Everyone knew where Vince's room was, because it was the room you went to to get high. 
My boyfriend Aaron always went there. I tried it one time- not a fan, you could say.


I opened the white double doors and saw Daniel leaned over the rail of the balcony.
"Danny," I cried.

He turned to look at me. As I approached him slowly, I could see he wasn't the same Daniel I left a year ago.
He was a good foot taller than me, though he was pretty scrawny.
His blonde hair was grown and hung over his stormy blue-green eyes.
His face was covered in stubble, and he clearly needed a shower.
His white t-shirt was dirty and torn, as were his jeans.

"Danny," I whispered.
He started to cry as he grabbed me in a hug.

"I'm so sorry sis," he choked, "I didn't mean to get like this."

I rubbed his back as I whispered, "It's okay Danny. Let's get you out of here and get you cleaned up."

I guided him off the balcony and out of Vince's room.
Vince stood by the front door as we walked out.

"See you later Daniel," Vince called out after us as we walked off the porch.

******

"He's... He's fine for now," I said quietly as I talked to Tom on the phone, watching my brother sleep soundly on the hotel bed.

He had taken a shower as soon as we got here while I ran to the store to buy him some clean clothes.