The walk to the gate didn't take long at all, so when they reached it, Claudia placed a gloved hand around one of the bars and she turned her attention to Lestat to answer his question. "The quiet, mostly... but then there's also.." She started before pausing, and looking to the side, toward one of the grave markers. "Some of these people have no one to visit them anymore. Their families have all joined them in the after life. What's the point of living forever when you refuse to continue loving the dead? I appreciated her," She took her hand from the gate, and she walked toward the marble angel statue that sat above a small stone coffin.

"Her name was Marie, and she was seven. I killed her several years ago, and I remember her." Her small hand lightly stroked the stone. "She would be a teenager now." Her eyes then lifted to Lestat once more. "I'd like to think that if I had died, you and Papa Louis would come to visit me." She then started to walk back to the gate once more. "Now, where were we?"

Lestat listened to Claudia for a bit, before rolling his eyes. "You sound just like Louis did. All mortal coil and disgusting need to hang on to anything and everything that could make you feel human once more." He replaced his handkerchief in his pocket and sighed. "It is absolutely despicable. You have immense power, and yet you still act so human." He shook his head and sighed.

"Where we were was finding me dinner." He muttered. "I have grown tired of all this talk of mortality."

Louis smiled softly as Claudia spoke about the girl in the grave, feeling more connected to her that usual. He too felt this way about the people he had killed, but not to the extent of visiting their grave markers. Perhaps, in his earlier years, he might have acted the same way she did. But, he had simply grown accustomed to this way of life now, and finally realized what Lestat had been trying to drill into his head all along. You can't dwell on the past or on mortality in this life, for it will drive you mad. And, in Louis' case, it almost had.

Louis smiled brightly over at Claudia, then looked over at Lestat before pushing open the gate and holding it open for Lestat and Claudia.

Claudia could have easily guessed what her Papas' respective actions would have been, but she wasn't going to lie. Honestly, she had a lot of Lestat and a lot of Louis both in her because of exposure. When Lestat commented on her tale of why she had enjoyed cemeteries so much, she shrugged her dainty shoulders. "You asked, papa..." she mused in a calm, soft tone. 

Once she left the cemetery, her eyes stayed open, trying to scope out an easy target. Even though she had a preference for the evening, she'd take something other than a red head.. anything they'd find would be enough. She was famished. "If either of you see anything you fancy, point me in their direction."

Lestat hurried out of the cemetery as soon as he noted that Louis was holding the gate open for him. Lestat sighed happily as they left the cemetery. He hated being around that much death and decay, it was disgusting, and made him reminisce far too much on those who had been long gone from his life.

He nodded at Claudia's comment. "Oh trust me, I will." He looked down to his nails, inspecting them for dirt, before turning his eyes back to the fairly empty streets before them. "Come along then."

Louis waited for both of them to be free of the gate before he released it, sending it swinging back into place and he himself walking to join Lestat and their daughter. He placed his hands in their corresponding pockets and joined his companions in their leisurely stroll down the very empty street. It was late and most of the city was asleep by now. Their only hopes for an encounter were women of the night, pimps, and maybe a straggler or two that was late returning home. He remained silent for the most part, simply allowing the two hunters to sniff out their prey for the night.

Claudia sniffed the air, taking in the scents of the city. They weren't that great.. in fact, she was sick of the smell. And so, she decided to bring something up that she and Louis had been talking to. "Papa Lestat," she mused casually, starting a question. "Could we leave New Orleans? I tire of the same thing, in and out, over and over.." she sighed softly. "I want to go somewhere beautiful.. If you have a taste for French cuisine, then why not Paris instead of the French  Quarter? Or Rome, maybe?" She asked, lifting her gaze to him. "I want to go.."

She needed change. If she had to deal with the same thing for too much longer, she'd likely go crazy. "It will soon be the day that you get me another doll.. My birthday. I've had many..." She stared, speaking in a rather somber tone. "Instead of a doll this time..tell me we can leave this place? All of us? Together?" 

Lestat narrowed his eyes at he mention of Paris. Images flashed through his mind, his mother, his maker, the tower he had been forced to live in, the wall of fire that his master had killed himself in. His siblings, and his father, now long since gone, and the city that had surely changed since the time he had left.

"Absolutely not. Paris is out of the question." He turned to look at Louis, the glare still on his face. "You know this Louis, you should not have filled her head with foolish thoughts." He turned back to Claudia. "Besides, I thought you liked your dolls."

Louis had hoped Claudia would have waited for him to speak to Lestat. He had wanted to be the one to bring the subject up first, to try and lessen Lestat's worries and get him to at least consider the option of leaving the city they had grown to call their home. But, stubborn as Claudia was, when she wanted something, she wanted it now, and nothing anyone could do or say would stop her.

He glanced over at Lestat and sighed, hoping he would be able to defuse the situation before his companion got angry yet again. "She was only trying to be thoughtful, Lestat. She's weary of this place and , frankly, so am I. Paris was only a suggestion meant for your benefit. She didn't know."

Claudia froze when he spoke as though Claudia weren't there.. as though she couldn't have her own thoughts. She rounded on her small heel and looked up at him. She was about to speak, but then Louis chimed in, sticking up for her. She closed her eyes, and counted to ten. It was something she tried to do every time her temper needed to be put in to check around her fathers. "Papa Lestat... please don't treat me as though I can't possibly come up with a thought on my own. Papa Louis.. he knows how much I need to leave. We don't have to go to Paris.. we don't have to go anywhere either one of you don't want to go."



She reached out with her own small hands, and took Lestat and Louis each by the hand. "Papa.." She looked at them both, pleading with her eyes. "I'll never grow. I'll stay the same for the rest of my days. Please.. let me see something other than New Orleans. I want to see what's outside of the French Quarter.. I'm restless."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You should not have amused such thoughts Louis. I left the old world for a reason, and you know that. I have no desire to return there." If he was honest he was terrified of returning there. He was so afraid of things being too different, that he would not be able to find his ancestral home.

"I do not see why you need to leave all of a sudden Claudia. New Orleans is our home." He could not voice his fears. Not here. "Besides, anywhere we go in the states would be overrun with damned Yankees." He sighed and looked down the street, trying to focus on anything but his partner and their child looking directly at him.

Louis squeezed Claudia's hand briefly before releasing it, moving to stand directly in front of Lestat. "Lestat, dear." he said in a patronizing tone, sounding more like a wife than a companion. "We can not deny our little daughter something of this nature. Look at her. So sweet with those pleading eyes. How can you say no to that face?"

Louis then moved closer to Lestat, his head moving towards Lestat's ear. "I know you're frightened, my love. But it will be alright, I promise." Louis knew Lestat's fears better than Lestat probably thought. He knew it would be difficult for him to do, but also knew that once he was there he might end up being happier than ever. To be where he came from. To be home.

Claudia, although she was old in years, did still have the temperament of a child..which is why Lestat's words cut her so deeply. She released her grip on his hand, and continued to clutch Louis'. She started to sniffle, as though she was about to cry, when really she was wanting to just break down. She needed change.. she felt as though she would go crazy without something being...different. For once. As Louis tried to plea with Lestat, she relinquished her grasp on his hand as well.

"Papa Lestat is right, Papa Louis.." she spoke in a voice just above a whisper. "He'd be unhappy anywhere else.. this is our home.." She turned around, and started to walk in a slow shuffle. "I suppose we'll leave should we all ever tire of being here.." She turned back to look at both of them over her shoulder. "No one gets left behind."

Lestat swallowed when Louis moved to stand in front of him. How was it that this man knew him this well already? Lestat sighed and flicked his eyes to Claudia, agreeing with Louis for the time being. When Louis whispered in his ear he swallowed again and placed a hand on Louis' shoulder, which he squeezed tightly.

Lestat turned his gaze back to Claudia. "Claudia..." He sighed at her words. "If you truly wish to go, the both of you, I will look into it. Perhaps we can find somewhere that is not Paris to live."

Louis smiled brightly at Lestat and placed a small kiss on his companion's cheek. "Good boy." he said, smiling even brighter and turning to face Claudia. He had hoped that this would be outcome of this discussion, but never though that it would go so smoothly. He smiled over at Claudia, who he was sure was going to burst with excitement at any moment and wrapped his arm around Lestat, hugging his head to him in a playful way and chuckling.

"Did you hear that Claudia? He said yes." he said, chuckling some more and kissing Lestat's forehead before he released his head from the lock of his elbow.