#I threw the misspelled version in as a placeholder and decided I liked it

[victorluvsalice]

AU Thursday: As Long As You Love Me -- We Never Go Out Of Style

And here we are -- the final snippet I currently have for the "As Long As You Love Me" AU! Last week, Victor and Alice were finally reunited (which involved some surprise-but-long-overdue kissing); this week, they're on their way out of the hospital Alice was being held in so they can get back on the road. The trouble is, Alice turns out to have been in this particular hospital for a reason. . .

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Alice abruptly stopped, eyes on a random spot on the wall. "Beg pardon?" She tilted her head, listening to the voice only she could hear, then sighed. "Ah. I had an inkling that might be the case. . .sorry, Victor," she added, turning back to him. "Duty calls."

Oh, of course – Wonderland needs her for an assassination right in the middle of our escape, Victor thought, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. I suppose the universe can't be accommodating every moment. . . "Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked, adjusting his grip on his bag.

"No – not with this bit, anyway," Alice said firmly, pushing him onward. "I'm not dragging you into the murders again just yet. You go on ahead and find us transportation. I'll do what I have to and catch up."

"Right." Victor leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'd wish you good luck, but – given it's you. . ."

Alice chuckled. "Well, I haven't actually had much of it lately, so wish if it you like." She returned the kiss to his cheek, then waved a hand at the empty space beside her. "All right, Cat, lead the way."

Victor watched for a moment as she loped off, following her feline friend to parts unknown. Then he continued down the hall, keeping a wary eye out for curious staff. Not that he thought they'd be any serious threat to him, now that things were falling back into place for him and Alice, but. . .well. He still remembered a wire fence burning into his back, and a baseball bouncing off his forehead. Hopefully I'm not going to have anything thrown at me today, he thought, rounding a corner. At least I can blame the universe if I do. . .transportation, transportation – well, hospitals must have garages, right? And maps. . .where can I find –

"Hey!"

Out of nowhere, there was a man in front of him, carrying a sturdy-looking cooler and a sour look. Victor leapt backwards, just barely missing a collision. "Oh! D-do forgive me," he said, holding up his hands. "I didn't see you–"

"That much is obvious!" the man – Dr. Teatiem, according to his name tag – snapped, glaring at Victor like his existence personally offended him. "Who do you think you are, just wandering around aimlessly? I have a very important delivery of lungs to make for a client!"

"Ah – I'm – I'm the new ambulance driver!" Victor quickly fibbed, plastering on a smile much too fake to be believed. "S-sorry, it's my first day in the hospital, and I got lost on the way to the garage–"

Dr. Teatiem groaned, casting his gaze to the ceiling. "God save me from the newbies," he muttered. "As if I don't have less than ten minutes to pass this over. . .look, I can't babysit you," he said, jerking his head behind him. "Garage is at the second intersection, to the left, follow it all the way down. Got a big sign over the door. Think you can manage?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you very much." Victor stepped out of the way, letting the grumbling Teatiem rush past. Goodness, he was rude. . .and twitchy. Less than ten minutes. . .either he's very late delivering organs for a surgery, or – hmmm. Suppose I'll find out for sure when Alice catches up. Armed with his directions, Victor proceeded to the second intersection.

The garage did have a big sign over the door – and, happily, did not have any people inside. Victor slipped in and looked over the line of cars, trucks, and vans all parked inside, blazoned with red and white. He frowned, twisting up the end of his tie. He understood the need for him and Alice to get back on the road as soon as possible. . .but he still felt rather guilty, taking an actual emergency vehicle. What if someone really needed it? There must be something they won't miss too badly, he thought, walking down the line. That they don't use a lot, or that isn't well-suited for transporting an injured –

Oh.

Victor stopped dead, eyes wide and jaw agape. Is – is that – oh my God, it is! I never thought – aren't these rare? What's one doing – well, I-I guess it was an ambulance – or a hearse? One or the other. . .and either would be appropriate for a hospital. . .but surely they don't actually – oh, Victor, don't question it! Just find the keys!

Luck smiled down upon him – right by the door was a pegboard, with clearly-labeled keys dangling for easy retrieval. Victor located his prize and scooped them up. "I can't believe this," he mumbled to himself, face bright as he hurried back to his chosen ride. "I've always wanted to drive one. . . Universe, I forgive you in advance for whatever nonsense we have to go through next."

The sound of the door opening made him look up. Alice stepped through, wrapped in a familiar doctor's coat. "He ran right into me," she informed Victor with a smirk. "Carrying a box of lungs and going on about how he thought he deserved more than 'we' were paying, given how carefully he had to slip them past security. Work of a moment to render his own lungs inoperable."

"Dr. Teatiem?" Victor asked, and got a nod. "I ran into him too – he actually pointed me down this way."

"Convenient." Alice shook out her hair and rubbed her eyes. "You have our vehicle?"

Victor beamed and waved at the car beside him – a genuine 1959 Cadillac Meteor-Miller, gleaming white. "Oh, do I ever – Alice, we get to drive out of here in Ecto-1!"

Alice smiled in polite confusion. "Yay?"

Oh, right. He'd forgotten for a moment that her history consisted of ten years in an asylum, one year of having her brain scrambled, and every day since then following her imaginary friends around the country as they directed her toward those needing death. "I'll explain on the way," he said, popping open the door for her. "For now – next time we get a night at a hotel, I'm ordering all three Ghostbusters on the TV."