Akieen Cloud

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]A few days had passed since Marcus had come around, Ali had been taking care of him as promised and things had been going smoothly...til now. "It's just a bath Marcus!" "It hurts!" "It's going to! Your riddled with stitches!" "I'll be fine, just wipe me down and let me go!" Ali tapped her foot on the floor while she had her hands on her hips, looking down at the man in the wheel chair who was looking up at her with an equally heated look. "You pass on a full bath to time Mystic, you are not getting in that bed tonight!" "I already told you, it hurts!" "And your stitches, along with your self need cleaned! Get your ass in that water!" "No!" Her face shifted and Marcus felt his blood turn cold. "Fine." He watched horrorfied as she stalked towards him, grabbing the handles of his wheel chair and began to wheel him towards the water, he knew instantly what she was up to. "Stop stop stop! Alright fine!" She stopped, a hairs breath from the bathtub ready to dump in. "That's more like it." She helped him from the chair and lowered him into the water slowly, his hisses of pain echoing in the room, once he was in she sat on the edge and slowly began to run water down his back. "There, it's not so bad is it?" "It burns." She shook her head, smiling slightly. "It's going to love, like I said, those stitches need cleaned." He nodded, his eyes squeezed shut, both looking over their shoulders as a knock sounded on the door. "I'll be right back. Do NOT move." He gave her an unamused look, frowning. "Where the hell am I gonna go Ali?" "Hey, you still have your arms...or...arm. You never know. Just sit tight will you?" He waved her off only to smile as she bent forward and planted a sweet kiss to his lips, getting up she walked through the home and opened the door, seeing Sheild standing there breathing heavily. "Pavlos, what's wrong?" "Alex, I need your help, it's urgent." Ali moved aside and let him in waiting for him to begin. "You heard about the team getting a lead on this Anamander fellow I assume." She nodded and sat at the table across from him. "I have." "They left last night to find a retired operative that we believe might be his next target, his name is Felix Bran also known as Beserker." Ali nodded and listened as Shield continued. "They left around 6 last night-" Ali frowned as she looked at her watch and than back to the man across from her. "That was almost 24 hours ago." He nodded. "We've lost contact with them." "Who all went?" "Frost, Calypso, Jeff, Sasa, Jason...Demetri and Dante." Ali felt her stomach drop to her feet, her eyes growing wide as she looked up at the man. "He took Dante!? Did he know they were going on a hint about that monster?!" Sheild nodded, his face grim. "The boy wanted to go, fought with his father tooth and nail saying he was ready. Demetri took him along. I'm fearing the worst. We sent Mist and Luwien some time ago but have heard nothing back from them either." "You want me to go and see if I can find them?" Sheild nodded solemly. "Or what's left of them." She stood slamming her hands down on the table. "Don't you dare talk like that! Demetri is a good man and would never let something that horrible happen to the team, or our son!" Sheild nodded and slid a file across the tabel to her. "This is their last known location. Your cleared to leave as soon as your able." She nodded and watched him go, locking the door behind him she walked back to the bathroom to see Marcus frowning up at her. "What was that all about?" "I have to get you out of here, I'm calling Patch to come keep an eye on you, I have a mission." "What kind of mission?" "The team went last night on lead for one of Anomander's next targets, they never reported back." "Wait, your going...No! I won't let you go knowing that beast might be out there! I refuse!" "I don't have a choice Marcus! Dante went with them..." Marcus' face fell, his words died in his throat. "I understand, becareful Alex, please?" She nodded as she helped him from the water, drying him off and dressing him she called Patch, waiting for the man she got her self ready as Marcus watched her worriedly. "Are you sure your up for this Ali? Your still not at your full either..." "I don't care, if he's laid one hand on Dante...one finger...even looked at him the wrong way, I'll kill him!" She strapped a case of her throwing knives to her thigh for empasis before looking back at the man. "I swear to you, I'll come back, and I'll bring them back with me." He nodded and reached his uninjured hand towards her, she took it giving it a reassuring squeeze, closing the distance between them she bent down and pressed her lips to his softly. "I love you." "Please becareful." She nodded and answered the door as Patch knocked, letting him in she went over her routine for Marcus who frowned at her. "I'm not a child who is getting babysat!" "You might as well be! You complain like one!" He clamped his mouth shut and grunted, letting her remark slide as she kissed him one more time before leaving, her old brown duster fluttering behind her to give the two men a good look at a pair of curved daggers clipped to her back. She was dressed in dark colors, a pair of black jeans, a dark grey tank top and black boots, her black duster jacket hiding her weapons and her dark brown hair pulled back into a braid that lay over her shoulder. She walked into the transport hanger just as she was finishing slipping on her gloves, catching sight of Cloak she nodded to him. "Let's go." He nodded and shroded her in his dark cloak and only minutes later she found her self in a dark forest, the ground below her feet shrivled and dead from lack of sunlight and water which was blocked out but the thick canopies above her head. Looking around she reached out with her powers and buried the panic that started to rise when she felt nothing, from any where. Unclipping a holster of daggers she moved slowly through the thick, dead underbrush, the snapping of twigs and branches under her feet making it hard for her to hear much but she kept her powers clear and open, feeling around for anything. She spun around pulling a dagger from it holder quickly and frowned as a malnutritioned rabbit hobbled back under the decaying growth, taking a deep breath Ali pushed forward. After almost twenty minutes of searching she looked up, not even sure of what time it was since she couldn't see the sky she ran a hand across her forehead to rid it of the sweat that had gathered there. "Where are you?" A voice sounded behind her, crule and cold, it made her blood turn to ice and her heart miss several beats. "Looking for them are you? You are the empath, daughter of the lovers?" She turned slowly, the man's black skin shadowed him in this place, his white hair and crule smile the only things she could honestly make out as she planted her feet and readied her self, putting the throwing knife back in it's case she reached behind her and pulled the curved daggers from behind her back and held them in front of her, his cruel cold chuckle making her shiver. "You think you could defeat me? After what I've taken from that man? Knowladge and wisdome beyone his years, life that will last me until this planet is cleaned of you foul creatures. There is nothing you can do. Accept your fate." Ali bravely held her ground as she heard the ring of a sword unsheath, watched as he licked it wickedly. "This blade loved the taste of your loved one's flesh. Let us see if it enjoys yours just as much." "You...your the one who almost killed him!" "The Mystic? Oh yes, what a pitaful attempt he made to fight. Does he live? Did I finish the job?" She growled and tightened her grip on the daggers in her hand, blocking out his words now knowing he was only trying to get a rise out of her. "I'll kill you where you stand woman, and send your corpse back to him...in pieces!" She brought up her right dagger, the ringing of the two blades clashing made her grit her teeth, she pushed back against him with all the strength she could muster unable to stay on her feet as she fell to one knee. "I wonder how they will take your passing? How many tears will be shed for you, the sobs of innocent children." Ali roared as she pushed her self to her feet, throwing the man off she lunged forward and gripped the two daggers in one hand, swiftly grabbing a throwing knife she threw it roughly and felt herself smirk as it landed deep within his arm. She charged at him, a dagger in each hand, and screamed as he was suddenly behind her, her hair gripped in his hand tightly. "I can see why the men fight for you. Your lovely, yet so ugly at the same time." She growled as his figers traced the scars on her arm through her jacket, struggling againt him she froze as she felt his sword press against her throat. "Now now my dear. Your going to help me, I am looking for someone, a man. You might have heard of him?" "Go to hell!" He shook his head, his pointed teeth gleaming as he smiled. "You first." Ali gasped as she felt the sword begin to slowly crawl along the skin of her throat, slicing deep into the tender flesh but it suddenly stopped, he hissed in pain and Ali felt her shoulder sear in pain. groaning she pulled the jacket off and he screamed as the tattoo on her shoulder came to life, glowing brightly as well as the small trail Marcus had left on her cheek years ago. Alli hissed as the tattoo burned and seemed to be moving, the feeling of her skin crawling made her scream and just like that, he was gone. She blinked open her eyes and looked around, her neck burned from the small cut Anomander had made and her shoulder throbbed; standing on weak legs she pulled her jacket back on and pressed her hand to her throat. Looking her hand she cursed as it was covered in her lifes blood. "Dammit. I have to find them and fast." Taking a step forward she stopped as her foot struck something, she bent forward and picked it up recognizing it as the sword Anomander had been using moments ago, clipping it to her side and trecked forwards, her powers still open as she searched for the team. After what felt like an eternity she felt a spark from in front of her. "Hello?!" At first there was nothing, her voice echoing through the tress and just as she was about to call out again she heard the faint reply. "Whose there?!" The voice made tears spring to her eyes and she threw her self forward running through the trees til they came into sight. "Guys! Oh thank gods! Are you guys all alright? Where's Dante?!" The teen strode forward and knelt down as Ali threw her self at him hugging him tightly. "Dante, your alright! What were you thinking coming on a mission like this?!" "I'm sorry Mom, I just wanted to prove I could do it." She stood up and smacked him lightly on the arm frowning. "No one doubts you Dante! Don't you EVER do this again! Never again! I was worried sick, where's your father?" Tank pointed to the back of the group where Demetri sat on a stump, deep in thought, she walked past the others giving them smiles at seeing they were all alive and well, reaching the giant she lay a light gently hand on his shoulder, her heart doing a small flip as he reached over and grabbed it with in his own large one on instinct. "Demetri?" He blinked and looked up at her, not releasing her hand. "What are you doing here?" "It's been almost 24 hours since you reported in, your father got worried and sent me." He pulled his hand away from her's and rubbed his face, the shadow of facial hair making him look more like his own father, it made her smile and she leaned into him, her hip resting on his shoulder as she crossed her arms. "Is your equipment not working?" The gaint shook his head. "No, there was an EMP blast someone and it knocked everything out of commison, glad my father caught on though and sent you. It's good to see-" He was staring at her now, his eyes honed in on her neck. "Alex, what happened?" She put her hand to the wound on her neck and sighed. 'Another scar to add to my collection.' "It's nothing, I ran into that Anomander guy, did you happen to find your lead?" Demetri nodded and looked over at a man who was without a douby the burliest man Ali had ever seen in her life, he was massive in the shoulders and chest, his face dark and squared, his eyes were red and the facail hair that bristled about on his face gave him a fearsome look, his hands were easily the size of dinner plates and the rest of him matched. "He looks like Paul Bunion..." Demetri nodded, but his frown deeped as the man stood, towering over Ali as he bent him self almost in half to look down at her. "My my, what a pretty little lady friend you have here Commandant. Mind if I introduce my self?" Ali reeled back from the man, his breath reeking of cheap alchohol and smoke, his clothes premeated body odor and the look in his eyes was anything but friendly, but what shocked her the most was when Dante suddenly appeared between the two, Demetri stiffened and Ali could see a small wind ball charge in his palm. "Stay away from her." The man straightened out, looking down on the boy and Ali felt light headed at the sudden resemblance between the two. "Ho now boy, you trying to tell me what to do? I think your a few years to young to be telling me what to do brat!" Ali felt her blood boil as the man raised a large fist to smack the boy out of the way, Dante instantly turning his body to steel. "How dare you disrepect me boy! Your just like that worthless woman who you called mother!" Dante cletched his fists and stood his ground. "Shut up!" The man's fist came down with the force of a battering ram, but stopped in mid air as a blast of wind held it in the air, a loud growl sounding from in front of Ali as well as Jason stood his full height in wolf form in front of Dante. "You touch this boy, your head will roll." They all spun around as a crule, high pitched laugh echoed behind them. "His head is already going to roll. And look, Mist is here as well." The man in question frowned as he put his nephew behind him. "Who the hell are you?!" "Now, we'll have time for pleasantries later." With that he was gone, a scream echoed around them and Ali felt her stomach drop for the second time that day as Mist was help above the ground, the dark man's hand through his chest. Mist's eyes were wide with shock, his mouth hanging open in a silent scream as his body twitched. "MIST!" Ali could see Luwien behind the man reaching forward, his hands only finding air. "Uncle? Uncle?!" Anomander threw Mist to the ground and turned slowly on Luwien. "You boy, you can become a very large hazard to me." Ali moved before she could think twice about her actions, sliding underneath Anomander she hugged Luwien to her and threw him to the ground covering him with her own body. "If you want him, you'll have to kill me first!" The boy under her blinked rapidly though he could not see, her words obviously striking him as odd. "Mrs. Talon?" She looked down at him and covered his eyes, as she would have done her own son to keep him from seeing something truamatizing. "Shh, you'll be alright. I won't let anything happen to you I promise." She smiled down at him and screamed as she felt Anomanders hand pierce her shoulder, the sounds of wind blasts and gun shots could be heard above her as she panted heavily. The world growing silent around her as her ears began to ring. She moved her hand and looked down at Luwien, cupping his cheek sadly as she looked to her right and saw the body of Mist tangled on the ground. "I'm so sorry Luwien...I'll make sure he has a beautiful funeral." The boy didn't answer her or even move but Ali felt her heart break as silent tears began to seep from his eyes, she groaned as she pushed her self up, her arms shaking weakly due to the pain that radiated from her shoulder. Once on her knees she helped Luwien sit up and looked around, the others were fighting off Anomander as best the could, reaching for her belt she pressed her locator beacon down and smiled as it began to flash and beep, within seconds a black shroud surround them, a protective bubble encaseing the team as Anomander hissed and vanished. Sheild looked down at Ali and shook his head, his gaze shifting to Mist who lay lifeless on the ground. "Get them home Cloak. Let the base know...Commander Mist has passed." Luwien jerked in Ali's arms and she felt her heart twist as his pain from the loss of his uncle poured into her, she took it, and reversed it sending waves of comfort, as much as she could back into the you man. "It'll be alright Luwien, I'll take care of you. I promise." She looked up as Demetri knelt beside her, leaning into his broad chest she felt his breath hitch, but at this moment, she needed his strength, his comfort, and as he wrapped his strong arm around her and buried his nose in her hair she let silent tears slip down her cheeks as she turned her face into his chest. It took the team almost an hour before they were allowed out of the briefing room, Luwien held the longest to be more informed on his uncles death; Ali paced the hall out side waiting for him to get out now, looking like a caged animal. Demetri approached her and put his large hand on her thin shoulder, still so small compared to what he was used to. "Alex? Are you alright?" She paused and looked up at him, turning her body to face him she wrapped her arms around his waist and took comfort from his as he pulled her in close. "I don't understand, why is he doing this?" Demetri shook his head, taking in her scent as he held her allowing his own body to relax. "We'll find him Ali, we'll get him." She nodded and slipped from his grasp as Luwien came from the room, his movement stiff and his face still one of shock, she reached forward and linked her arm through his. "Come on, you'll stay with me tonight. I don't think it's a good idea for you to be on your own." He pulled away and looked at her frowning. "I'm capable of taking care of my self." "I don't doubt that Luwien, but...after loseing someone so close to you...I don't think you really want to be alone." He frowned more before shaking his head. "You are right." She nodded and took his arm again leading him down the hall towards her and Marcus' room when yelling caught her attention, one voice she didn't know but the other made her freeze. "Shut up! You don't own me!" "Your my god damned son! I can do with you as I please you worthless piece of-" Ali stepped in between them and looked up at the man from before. "HEY! You do NOT talk to my son that way! I don't know who the hell you think you are but back off!" The man guffawed in her face making her blush in her rage. "You think he's YOUR son? that worthless pile of crap ain't worth lookin' at let alone being any ones son." Ali felt her rage build as she listened to him talk, the way he put Dante down, the way he yelled at him made her blood boil and her fists clentch tightly, pulling back she threw her fist forward screaming as she felt three of her fingers break upon impact, the man laughing down at her before he reached down and picked her up effortlessly. "You have some fire in you woman! I like that!" He laughed more and Ali threw her left knee forward into the man's groin, he grunted and doubled over, his eyes suddenly glowing red as he looked at her, red steam seeming to rise from his body. Dante pulled her behind him and looked down the hall. "Dad!" Demetri rushed towards them and shot a wind blast at the man knocking him away from Ali and his son, reaching them he looked the two over and noticed Ali's broken hand. "You alright?" "Who the hell is he?!" "His name is Felix, he retired years ago. He's Dante's biological father." Ali looked back at her son who frowned at the lump of a man on the floor now, the boy shook his head defiantly. "He's no father of mine, as far as I'm concerned he's dead. You two are my parents. Blood makes no differance." Ali felt her heart swell with pride for that boy and she hugged him tightly before taking Luwien's hand again. "I have to go see Patch...Demetri, come and talk to me when your getting ready to make the funeral arrangments please? I'd like to help you with them, he was a good friend to the both of us." The giant man nodded and they went their seperate ways, Ali looking over her shoulder breifly, her heart acheing dully as she watched him go. Luwien was quiet that night, through dinner and everything else, he rested peacefully in the small spare bedroom on the other side of the apartment style home her and Marcus shared, Ali washed the blood from her skin as she looked at the light pink scar that now ran along one side of her neck, sighing she turned and looked at her shoulder the flesh and skin marred with yet another scar from Patche's healing. "Just a few more to add to the collection, I keep this up I'll end up looking like Demetri." Shaking her head she walked out from the bathroom to see Marcus, still in his wheel chair as he held the sword of Iron bars in his lap, his fingers running along the blade slowly. "Ali, how did you manage to get this from Anomander?" She shook her head, not really ready to tell him everything about the tattoo she had gotten. "It's no big deal Marcus, I just thought out of everyone, you should have it." "Ali, I wasn't even able to put a worth scratch on Anomander, HOW did you manage to get this sword?" she sighed and sat down infront of him still wiping blood from her skin with a towel, fixing her gaze on his she took a deep breath. "My tattoo. When I got it I went and saw someone who specalizes in rune tattoos, like yours." "You mean-" "I had mine charged with the same...stuff, as yours. I dunno what happened really. He was about to kill me off, in the process of sliting my throat when they just began to burn and come to life. Whatever happened, he didn't like it. He let me go and dropped the sword before he just...vanished." Marcus looked at her amazed, beweildered and worried. "Alex..." She shook her head as his fingers grazed the scar on her neck. "I was so close to loseing you and I would have never known it." "You won't lose me. I'll fight, no matter what happens. I'll fight." He nodded and looked towards the room where Luwien rested. "He's not taking it well is he?" "No, he tries to hide it, but I can feel his pain, it's so sharp and twisted...he already misses him dearly." "We all do, and this other man you told me about, I don't like the sounds of him either." "Dante's father? Yeah me either. But if he lays a single finger on my son...I'll kill him. But right now...Demetri and I have to worry about the funeral. I rufuse to have such a short service like we were forced to with Razor and Diamond. It wasn't fair to them and I won't let it go on like that...from here on the funerals that we hold for our fallen will be much more respectable. I'm the Commander...I should be able to do something like that right?" Marcus could hear the tears choking her as she spoke. "I should be able to give them the funeral they deserve...right? I-I should...be able to make a differance..." Marcus nodded and winced slightly as Ali sat in his lap til she got comfortable, and not hurting him either, her face hidden in his shoulder, it wasn't long til he felt the dampness of her tears against his skin as she wept silently for the loss of their commerade; his good arm wrapped tightly around her.[/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali caught a glimps of her self in one of the mirrors, she looked down right gruesome, Marcus' blood covering her face and clothes, her tears leaving clean trails on her cheeks. She looked back at Dante and sighed, her shoulders slumping heavily. "I don't know...he was trainging Neos and the next thing I knew he just started bleeding, Gene was able to get him here but...we still have no idea what happened..." "You alright mom?" She shook her head before turning and walking back to the table Marcus was laying on, he was stable for the time being, his heart beating weakly as Patch ran transfusion after transfusion to replace the blood he had lost. Dante standing behind his mother as he looked down at the man, he was a mess, covered in stictches and bandages. Ali reached forward and took Marcus' hand gently, putting his cold knuckles against her forehead, she turned as the door slid open and Demetri stepped through the door stopping instantly as he caught sight of the room, Marcus laying on the bed covered in blood, Ali sitting next to him covered in blood as well. "W-what happened?" Ali shook her head and stood, walking over to the giant she put her face in his chest and wept, the strong arms wrapping around her instantly to comfort her, she stiffened before relaxing into his embrace. She brought her hands up and gripped his shirt tightly as her sobs grew in volume. "I don't know what happened! He-he was so close to dying Demetri...." Patch sighed as he came around the corner washing his hands and than wiping them on a towel. "He's gonna be here for a while, he has severed tendons, his left arm is completely broken, he has broken ribs, punctured lungs, his left leg is broken...and that's not the worst of it." Ali held her breath as she pulled away from Demetri. "What is it Patch?" "What ever the hell happened, his spine was injured...he's paralyzed from the wait down as of right now...if he heals properly he'll need physical therapy." Ali covered her mouth, walking away from the giant and back to Marcus, Demetri watched as she sank into the chair next to Marcus weeping openly, taking the man's hand again he felt his heart twist as she placed a gentle kiss on his knuckles. It hit Demetri than, looking at her as she sat next to Marcus. He walked over to her and put his large hand on her shoulder. "He'll be alright Alex. I promise. I'll do anything in my power to make sure he lives." She looked up at him, her face shocked but she nodded and turned slightly hugging him tightly. "Thank you." He nodded and put his hand on the top of her head smiling slightly even though his heart was twisting painfully. "I told you, I'd do anything to make sure your happy, him living would make you happy right?" She nodded slowly as she looked up at him. "Than I'll put every resource we can spare into making sure he heals properly. I'll also make sure Dante and I move his things into your room so can keep an eye on him once he's able to be moved." Ali's eyes widened as his words seeped in, she felt her heart twist painfully as she realized he was letting her go and the tears sprang forth fresh, she watched him leave and gasped, looking up at Dante she stood up quickly. "Watch over him, let me know if ANYTHING changes you understand me?!" Dante nodded slowly and watched as she dashed from the room, she ran through the halls til she reached her old home, punching in her code the door slid open and she cold smell the apple air freshener that Demetri liked, the man him self came from the bed room blinking as he saw her standing in the door way breathing heavily. "Alex, what's wrong?" She walked forward and stood on her toes pressing her lips to his, his body going stiff instatly before relaxing, his arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her close as his body ached with need for the woman. Her sigh driving him on as he turned them around and pinned her to the wall behind her, his large hand resting on her hip, he released her lips and looked down at her, his chest heaving. "Ali I don't-" "Thank you. For everything. I don't want you bitter at me Demetri and I wanted to show you that no matter what...I'll always love you." He nodded knowing she wasn't done. "The ball...it hurt, it was crossing the line for me. I had gone there hoping beyond everything that we could have fixed all our problems by having a relaxing night together..." "Ali I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you so badly. I know you can never forgive me." She shook her head and cupped his cheek to make him look at her. "In time, maybe I will. Just right now...I don't think I can." He nodded. "I understand." She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his again drawing a quiet moan from him as he acted automatically and pressed his body into her's her gasp making him back up and take a shuddering breath. "Ali, go. Just get out of here before I do something I can't take back." "Demetri, if this is my last few moments as your wife, I don't want them to be bitter and full of pain." He looked down at her, his eyes glazed with lust as her words sunk in. "Alex..." "I know it might make it harder for you to let me go...but I want to remember our love...I don't want our last time together in this room to be so painful. I want to remember it as we used to be. So full of love." He took a deep breath finally surrendering and pressing into her harshly making her moan, the sound of it spurring him on as he wrapped his arms back around her waist and lifting her feet off the floor, her legs going around his waist, he carried her to the bed room and lay her gently down, looking down at her, tears flowling from her eyes, he swooped down and kissed them away. "Are you sure? Alex I don't want this to be hard on you." "Saying goodbye to you is going to be hard Demetri. You were my first real love. My first lover, I love you more than I have ever loved another person." He nodded slowly, his hand cupping her cheek, his tumb rubbing across her cheek softly. "I don't want to lose you...but I can't stand to see you unhappy." She nodded and pulled him down kissing him deeply, his hands gliding along her skin. They took thier time, moving with each other, their whispers of love echoing in the room as they made love for the last time. Demetri rolled over, seeing her resting in the bed like he had so many times before, the sheet resting low on her chest to show the scar that rested between her breasts, his hand reached out and he slid his fingers along the puckered flesh gently, still feeling the twist in his heart knowing that he was the one who gave her this scar, the feeling of his fingers on her skin made her stir and she blinked open her eyes slowly, Demetri looking down on her sadly. "I guess this is it than?" She sat up slowly, taking a deep breath as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the skin of her shoulder. "I never meant to hurt you Ali...I wish I could have seen what I was doing to you earlier." "It's not only your fault...I should have done more as well. And I know with him coming back it didn't help matters either." "Can't say that it did, but I understand now. You may have always had feelings for him, but you never stayed away from your family and I should have seen that sooner instead of relying on the means I went to. Can you ever forgive me Alex?" She had stood and was dressing while he spoke, not fully dressed, and his heart thumped painfully seeing her in one of his over large dress shirts, just as usual, she pressed her lips to his in a gentle kiss. "I'm sure in time I can Demetri. I'm not going to fight you, for anything. They kids can stay with you if they want. I'm not making the choose, hell we live in the same building." He chuckled and took her hand tightly. "If you ever need anything. It doesn't matter, call me?" She nodded squeezing his hand. "Always. Who knows, maybe you'll find that trophy wife you need to make you look good." She gave him a large, sad smile and gasped as he brought her down for a final kiss. "You were that trophy wife Alex. I'm sorry I never made you feel that way." She nodded slowly biting the inside of her cheek as tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, pressing her forehead to his she kissed him and left, her scent wafting around the giant as he sat alone in the room, hearing the door slide shut behind her he let his tears flow freely now. Ali sat in the chair next to the hospital bed, her butt going numb for the upteenth time, she looked towards the door and smiled as Dante and Demetri walked through, over the last few days things had gotten less awkward and more smoothly between her and her former lover. He smiled down at her, even though there was still a saddness behind his gaze. "Brought you some lunch and fresh clothes. Heard he's been getting better?" She took the styrofoam plate from the giant and opened it curling her lip in disgust. "Green peas?" Demetri blinked and looked at the food inside the container. "I swear I told Rosy no peas. Didn't I son?" "Yeah, you said no peas in one and extra in the other." Demetri opened the other in his hand and smiled handing it to her. "Here, got them mixed up." Looking into it she smiled and blushed as her stomach growled, the smell of freshly steamed salmon and broccoli wafting up to meet her nose, the lemon butter and garlic rice making her mouth water. "Thank you, smells amazing." She sat down and broke the chopsticks her son had grabbed for her aprart and began to eat with a gusto, Demetri smiled as he sat down next to her, Dante sitting on the other side of him. "Good to see you eatting again." She looked up and blushed, a small trail of butter glistening on her chin, Demetri chuckled and whipped it off for her. "I guess so. I feel like such a pig sometimes though. Dante snorted in laughter. "Come on mom, you could always out eat dad and I." She glared around Demetri at her son who chuckled, so much like the man between them and continued to eat his own lunch, Demetri sighed as he took a drink from his chilled green tea and set it on the floor by his feet, his attention shifting to the man on the bed. "How's he been doing? Any changes?" "He's healing, finally. The wounds are starting to close on thier own so it's going to be a long process, he's more stable than before but the major concern is his spine. It's healed enough that Patch says he'll have feeling in his legs...he just won't be able to use them right away, he guess months of physical therapy." Demetri nodded as he listened, he sighed and looked over at her. "I'll bring in the best doctors I can in for him." Ali smiled and shook her head looking up at Patched changed the bangages on the man. "We already have the best one here." Patch smiled and looked back down at Marcus, his hands stopping as dark brown eyes blinked open. "My god...he's awake!" Ali was on her feet in an instant, putting her food on her chair she rushed over and grabbed Marcus' hand kissing it gently. "Marcus, can you hear me?" He nodded slowly as Patch checked his charts and vitals. "I think he's gonna be alright, lots of rest for now. If he stays awake and stays stable he'll be able to leave tomorrow." Ali smiled down at him and helped him sit up some, Marcus froze and looked down at his legs. "Why can't I move my legs?" Ali gasped, her hand resting on his chest as she felt it begin to heave. "Calm down...whatever happened while you were training Neos-" "Gods, Neos! Is he alright?!" She nodded, her hand still on his chest. "He's just fine Marcus, but your spine was injured Patch says your going to need alot of therapy." His eyes went wide and he suddenly tried to leap from the bed. "Your lying!" "Why would I lie to you? Please stop, your going to reopen your stictches!" She yelped as he toppled from the bed and landed havily on the floor, Demetri and Dante instantly picking him up off the floor and putting him back in his hospital bed, Ali took his hand and blinked, hurt as he pulled it away from her. "Just go away." Her frown deeped and the other three men backed up alittle knowing what was coming, Ali's hand reached back before propelling forward and catching the injured man upside the back of his head. "OW What the hell? Do you go around smacking every injured person you know?!" "No you stubbron ass! Just you, and that's cause I'm trying to be here for you and your pushing me away!" "Why would you even want to be here?!" "Because I love you!" His retort died in his throat as he smilply stared at her, the other three chuckling behind them, Patche stepped forward and looked over Marcus' charts and vitial once again. "Now that he's awake, he seems to be doing much better, I'm gonna clear him tonight. Take him home and make sure he rests." Ali nodded and sat back down waiting as Patch discharged the man, Demetri standing next to her. "You think you can handle him like this? He seems awfully bitter." "Oh, he'll listen alright, one way or another he'll listen. And if I need help, your just a phone call away, right?" He smiled down at her nodding, kissing the top of her head he looked at his watch. "I have to go, work beckons. Give me a ring if you need me Ali. I love you." She smiled as she waved. "Love you too." The words never faded between the two and never would but the endearment felt more sibling like between the two which made her sad and pleased all at the same time. She jumped as something bumped into her and a curse filtered from around her waist, looking down she saw Marcus in a wheel chair trying his best to manuver around with is broken arm. "I got you gimpy, just sit still and enoy the ride." "Do NOT call me that." "What gimpy? But that's what you are right now. I mean look at you, half your body is in a cast and your covered in stictches. You look like a frankinstien monster." He sighed and closed his eyes as she guided him through the halls, hearing a door slid open he cracked open his eyes and blinked as a familiar room came into sight. "This isn't my room Ali." "I know, it's OUR room. Besides, you think you could do much without me right now? You probably can't even take a leak with out help." "That is not an image I want to imagine. I'll send for someone to gather a few...Alex, why are my scrolls here?" "I told you mud for brains, its OUR room. Now, what do you want for dinner speed racer?" He glowerd up at her but than stopped as he took her in, her eyes were bright, her face split into a bright, sweet smile. She seemed to have gained more weight which made him believe that he had been uncounsious longer than thought, the rosy pink color back in her cheeks, making her look healthy and beautiful but he could tell she still had a ways to go before she was fully back to health. It was than that her words fully sank in, his heart begining to beat uncontrolably as his breathing became erratic, she walked over to him and put her hand on his cheek, the touch feather light but it sent a wonderful shiver through him as the warmth of her skin burned against him. "Alex?" She bent down and kissed him, her feelings and emotions pouring into him making him melt and sigh, she pulled away and smiled sweetly down at him. "Welcome home Marcus. Now about that dinner." He watched her walk away, his heart still pounding in his ears as she looked back at him smiling and than turned back to the stove, soon the aroma of shirmp, green beans pan seared cherry tomatos filtered through the kitchen, Ali taking a break to move Marcus into the family room and turning on the TV for him handing him the remote as she went back to cook dinner. [/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Days had passed since Ali had 'woken up' in a sense, Patch confirmed her ready to go back to work, and she did, throwing herself into with a passion. Marcus and Demetri watched from a distance as she began to go about her routine as she had before her breakdown happened. Neither man pressed them selves on her, they only kept a distant eye on her. Marcus sighed one day as they watched her begin to train her body again, her muscles becoming redefined and her body growing strong again. It was the closest either man had been to her since the morning she had come around. She had moved her things back into the Commanders quarters, she wanted her space, needing time to think and be on her own. It was a hard process for her, she could feel her resolve slip each and every night she slept alone in that quiet room, she wanted nothing more than to have one of the men next to her, keeping her company, or even in the other room making sure nothing reached out of the darkness and took her. Marcus leaned back against the lockers as they watched her train, his eyes watching her body as she threw her self against the sand bag, taking in how much her body had grown back to the way it had been, her gaining back the lusterious shine it used to have, the bags no longer under her eyes. She was looking more like Ali. He sighed again realizing they neither of them still felt safe with her being alone. "She's been having trouble sleeping off and on lately." Demetri frowned and looked over at him. "How could you possibly know that?" "Same way I kept an eye on her while I was mediatating." Demetri nodded and looked back at her. "I just want to see her smile again. I know I messed up...alot. I should have been there for her more, should have listened to what she was saying, I should...I should have been a better husband to her." "She still loves you." "But can she forgive me?" Marcus rubbed a hand over his head and eyes. "I don't know." "Was the ball the final straw for her?" Marcus closed his eyes, the silent answer being enough for the giant, he sighed and put his hand on Marcus' shoulder gripping it tightly. "Take care of her." Marcus' eyes went wide as he looked up at Demetri. "What do you mean?" "I told her that all I wanted was her happy....even if that means her being with another, I won't go back on that." Marcus watched him go til the door slid shut behind him, his eyes than shifting back to Ali as she hit her knees on the mat, he had moved before he even realized it. "Ali, are you alright?" She nodded, not answering him, he could see tears gathering in her eyes. "Come on, you need rest." She had nodded and complied with no fight. Now she walked the halls, a long sleeve shirt covered her arms hiding the scars from the others around her, the whispers were no more, no more rumors floated around the base and she went about her work days as normal as possible. She walked into her office today and stopped as she saw a small bundle of tulips on her desk, feeling her heart twist and her throat tighten she walked over and plucked the note from the flowers and read it. Alex, I'm glad to see you back to work, I wish that I could have made things better between us but I promise this I will do what ever it takes to see you smile again. I'll always be here for you whether we're together or not. If you ever need me don't be afraid to ask. I'll always love you, please don't forget that. She felt the tears roll down her face and looked up as her door opened, Jason stepping in slowly. "Hey sis I was wanting to know- What's wrong?" She shook her head and put the note down on her desk, picking up the flowers and putting them in a vase, setting them on her desk she sighed as she sat down and folded her hands under her chin. "What were you wanting to ask me Jason?" "Um...yeah, I was wanting to know if you think your up for a mission? We're supposed to be going to Transivlania." "More god forsaken vampires?" "No, humans who want to be vampires. There's a village that has been taking in travlers...only the travlers never come back. Whole families have gone missing." She sighed and looked at the small stack of papers on her desk and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be there in a bit." "Cool, oh one more thing. How are things with Demetri?" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it Jason." He nodded slowly and took a deep breath. "He's changing sis." She shook her head and looked up at him. "That's all fine and dandy, but you have no idea how MUCH that hurt...I thought...I thought he was better than to stoop to such a low thing like that." "Alex, he was jealous, he saw how you looked at Marcus, how you two talked...it was enough to drive any man with good sense crazy, mostly if they were trying to hold on to a woman like you." She stood up, shoving her chair backwards making it flip a coulple of time before it came to a stop, Jason blinked as it became apparent her strength was returning. "A woman like me?! What the hell would you know?!" She tore the sleeve of her shirt off of her scarred arm and held it out for him to see. "You see this?! A woman like me huh?! A weak, broke, little no body like me is worth fighting for?!" Jason growled low in his throat as her words poured out, he strode across her office and wrapped his arms around her tightly, almost bone crushingly. "Your scars prove how strong you are Alex, I don't know how many people, or many times we have to say this. They do not make you less beautiful. Look at Demetri, he's covered in scars and he's still one of the most respected members of the HDF." She nodded slowly, remembering all to well the scars that graced the man's body, mostly likely still able to trace every last one of them by sheer memorization, she shook the thought from her mind and pushed Jason away. "You can say that! So can he, your both men, it's different for a woman. I mean look at me Jason! I look like a god damn frankistine experiment!" "I am looking at you Ali, and I think your just as beautiful as the day you were born." "I wasn't pretty when I was born, I an ugly little chubby thing." "No, you were gorgeous, and I knew that when you grew up to be a woman I would have to beat the men away with sticks." "Now all you have to do breath on them, your dog breath is bad enough." He frowned but blinked as she chuckled slightly. "Lets go." They began to walk the halls slowly talking about this or that, Jason noticed that she had linked her scarred arm around his to hide the blemishes that covered her pale arm, they stopped as Steel hailed them. "Hey, Delta and Tango are taking over the tranilvainian mission for you guys. Seems something has come up." Ali nodded and her and Jason went to the war room to see most of the team there, including Tank. "What's going on?" Demetri looked up at the sound of her voice, his handsome face making her stomach twist, but the memory of his harsh words and judgeing glances came back stronger than ever and she looked away. He cleared his throat. "I needed to talk to you all about something. Marcus and I have been looking into a few things about that guy we fought in russia." This got her attention. "What's going on?" "Seems he's targeting HDF members, we just haven't figured out who yet." She listened as Demetri and Marcus explained everything they had found, once done they all filed out to ponder the information them selves, she reached out and grabbed Marcus' arm as he passed, her strength surprising him for a moment as he looked down at her. "Is there something I can help you with Ali?" "How's Neos' training coming? I haven't heard you talk about it and I was just wondering." "I'm actually on my way to train him now, would you like to come along and watch?" She looked up at him, a ghost of a smile on her face making his blood suddenly boil, but he kept him self in check knowing that not only was Demetri was still in the room, she hadn't given either of them any indication that she was ready to work on a relationship, let alone any one else for that matter. "Could I? I haven't really seen him in the last few days. It would be great to see how much he's progressed." Marcus nodded and led her from the room noticeing as she grabbed her uniform jacket and pulled it on, even though it was close to 80 degress in the building, the cooling uinit having gone on strike for the time being. He looked over at her and sighed quietly. "Are you still trying to cover your arm?" She glared at him, his words dieing as he walked to Pocket's room first. "It's time Calypso." She came out and Ali was shocked as they retrieved Luwien next. "Would you like to join us today Luwien?" "I would be an opprotunity to see how the boys power is growing." Ali followed along with them til they reached the small room Marcus had taken over as Neos' training room, the boy already there waiting for him, his bright, darkly runed face breaking into a wide grin as he saw his mother. "Mommy!" She plucked him up as he ran to her and looked down at his youthful face, he looked so much like the two men, his skin the same shade as Marcus', same as his eyes, but he was already begining to fill out like his father, broad and muscular, his dirty blond hair the exact same shade as Demetri's. He had the best of both men in him and the thought made her happy and sad at the same time. Every thing the boy had in him is what drove her to the both of them. Pushing that thought from her mind she ran her finger along one of the dark runes on his cheek gasping as it came to life glowing brightly, the color and shade a darker blue than Marcus', the boys thougths and feeling pouring into her through the rune Marcus had drawn on her wrist, silently giving her a movie of everything she had missed. She saw her self as well, how defeated she had looked after the ball, during her mental breakdown. Once it was done she hugged her son to her tightly. "Oh baby, I'm so proud of you." He smiled and climbed from her arms running over to Marcus who picked him up, the boy putting his hand on the man's cheek. "Is it time to start Daddy? Are we gonna go? Are we gonna go see Grampa?" "You have NOT been letting him spend time with that old bat have you?" Marcus looked up to see her standing with her hands on her hips, looking just as firey and beautiful as she had a month or so ago, his body reacting and coming alive by just the sight of it. "He's good help." She shook her head and say down in a chair silently telling Marcus she was ready to watch, and watch she did as they man began his training session with their son. [/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]A few weeks had passed by and Ali had been putting weight back on, looking less frail and more of the woman she used to be, having more breakthroughs each day at a time. One night in particular shocked both men, Demetri taking a night off from work to spend it with his family, he lay on the couch sleeping somewhat peacefully, the lush cushions comfortable to sit on, but not so much to sleep on. Marcus sat by Ali's bed, meditating and keeping an eye on her through the mirror, looking away for just a moment to look around his surrounding he looked back through the mirror and panicked as he saw the bed empty, the sheet thrown back and Ali gone. He came from his meditation instantly and looked around the room frantically. "Demetri!" "Shh! Stop yelling." Marcus walked out of the bedroom silently to see Ali sitting on the floor, her head resting on the couch next to Demetri's shoulder, her hand linked with his. Even though the sight brought a twist to Marcus' heart he smiled none the less. "I guess she's getting tired of sleeping in that big bed alone." Demetri nodded slowly as he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently. "Can you help me get her back in bed? I don't want her sleeping on the floor." Marcus nodded and walked over scooping her off the floor, her light weight still made the man wince inwardly but at least she wasn't as light as she had been a few weeks before. He carried her to the bed room, Demetri not far behind. "I'll take over tonight, you go take a break." Marcus nodded slowly, feeling his heart sink as Demetri lay Ali down on the bed and settled next to her, watching as she rolled over and curled up to his large frame, Marcus walked out and sat on the couch going back to his own little world. Demetri smiled as she sighed, her head resting on his chest, burying his nose in her hair he took a long deep breath of her scent and felt him self relax, blinking as she slowly came around and sat up slowly. "Demetri?" "Yes love?" She said nothing else as she gave him a sweet smile and settled back down, sliding as close to the giant as possible before she slipped back into sleep, Demetri wrapping his arm around her to hold her close, his body relaxing more than he had in a long time allowing sleep to take him. He slept deep and slept well. Ali woke up that morning feeling warm and refreshed, she was comfortable and felt safe, rolling to her side she froze as a strong arm, wrapped around her waist, pulled her closer to the large, muscular body behind her. She slipped from the hold and out of the bed slowly, silently and stood, looking down at Demetri she vaugely remembered the events of the night and shook her head. She wasn't ready for this...not yet. Her heart still twisted painfully at the memory of the ball, the malace in Demetri's actions. She wrapped her arms around her self and walked through the house, her bare feet cold as she walked to the kitchen and took out a glass from the cabinet, turning on the tap she poured her self a glass of water, turned off the tap, leaned against the counter and drank it slowly. She tried recalling everything that had happened, she didn't remember much other than the ball and going to the training room, she sighed and looked at her feet, something catching her attention out of the corner of her eye. She felt her pulse quicken, felt her heart race. Her hands grew clammy and she felt a cold sweat break out all over her body as she stared down at her arm; small pink scars littering the skin of her arm, one in particular gaining more attention than the others. The circular scar wrapping around her arm completely, a memory swimming forth to the front of her mind, the sight of her arm coming loose from her body and vanishing down the throat of a large beast, her blood splattering across the room walls and floor. The glass fell from her hand to shatter on the floor, Marcus instantly coming from his meditation in the living room upon hearing the sound. "Demetri?" Ali wrapped her hand around her arm, covering her scar, her nails digging into her skin as a low whine escaped her throat til it grew in volume to become a scream, arms wrapping around her and holding her tightly. "Ali, Ali! Your alright!" She shook her head roughly as she tried to break through. "Demetri!" The giant rushed from the room, his hair messed about from his sleep, his eyes glazed since he had just woken up, seeing his wife held in Marcus' arm, struggling to get loose as she screamed he rushed over and placed his hands on her shoulders only to have her pull away savagly. "Don't touch me!" "...Ali...it's me love...." She shook her head again and shuffled away from the giant as far as she could winding up more in Marcus' arms the further she got from the man. "Alex...please." "No! Don't touch me!" They could see tears begin to gather in her eyes. "I don't see why you even care...." "Ali of course I care...your my wife, I love you." She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against Marcus' collar bone as she sobbed out loud. "Your not my husband...my husband wouldn't have been so callouse..." "Ali I'm-" She brought her hands up covering her ears as he continued to speak, giving him the message that she wasn't wanting to listen. "Ali I'm sorry...." He got no other reaction from her, hanging his head he nodded slowly and looked back up at Marcus, a defeated look crossing the giant's face. "Whatch over her for me today will you? It's obvious she dosen't want me around." Marcus nodded, feeling somewhat victorious, but at the same time he felt his heart go out to the other man as he watched Ali reject him, the door shut behind Demetri and Marcus looked down at Ali. "Alex, he's trying." She shook her head slowly, feeling dizzy as tears continued to leak from the corners of her eyes. "He can try all he wants...That's not the man I married..." "He wants to fix it..." "You can't fix what's broken this badly Marcus...." The man felt his heart leap, the reality of the situation finally sinking in. She was talking to them, emotionally reacting to her surroundings, she had even called him by his name, her sweet voice broken by tears. "Ali, your not even going to give him the chance?" "I don't want to talk about it...I just want to move on with my life and try to find some kind of happiness in my life again." "Ali..." She shook her head again, this time swaying slightly to the side, Marcus caught her, holding her to him tightly. He could feel the tempature rise in her skin, her supple body filling back out, becoming healthy again, the rosy color returning to her cheeks. He led her back to the couch and set her down allowing her to sit, looking down at her he saw her face flushed with emotion, tears still seeping from her eyes. She put her face in her hands and sobbed. "It still hurts Marcus! Even now I can feel my heart breaking!" He frowned slightly, watching as her hand wrapped around her scarred arm. "And what happened to me? Why...why do I have so many scars?" She bit her lip and Marcus' eyes widened as he saw the blood seep from the corner of her mouth, he grazed his fingers along her cheek and felt his heart twist as her teeth only sunk deeper into her lips. "Alex, stop it. Your hurting yourself." She didn't seem to hear him as more blood came from her lip and he acted instictivly as he bent down and pressed his lips to her's, tasting the blood he felt her stiffen, her teeth dislodgeing from her lip, he pulled away, his heart beating frantically. "Why am I so ugly now." His eyes widened at her statement. "You not." She squeezed her scarred arm and whined. "Don't...don't try to tell me I'm not...I'm covered in scars now Marcus! I'm so broken..." She pulled her knees to her chest, putting her face in her knees as she sobbed openly infront of him.[/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]The sun had set and so had the time, Marcus, Demetri, and Dante had brought Ali home, she sat on the couch now, helping Dante with the laundry now as Neos sat beside her brushing Sly's fur. The little fox nuzzling him each time the brush would stroke down his fur. Ali looked down at the boy smiling slightly and gaining his attention. "I love you Mommy." She reached over and put her hand on his head and looked up as Demetri entered the room giving him a small smile that remained, the smile making his heart leap in his chest. "Good evening love." He walked over to her and sat down next to her, cupping her cheek in his large hand, she leaned into his touch, if only a little, her eye shifting to look back at the door as Marcus stepped through, the man seeming to live with the Commandant and his wife more than in his own room lately the smile on her face making his body heat. The thoughts of his earlier thoughts pushed to the back of his mind at just the sight of it. It mirrored the sweet smile she used to give both men. Marcus took a deep breath before stepping fully in and catching Neos as he rushed at him. "How's she been since we brought her back?" Demetri leaned back on the couch smiling happily and nodding to Marcus. "She actually ate with no fuss." Marcus' eyes went wide for a moment before he mimicked the giant's smile. "That's great news! How much did she eat?" Demetri's smile turned wider. "A full meal. All of it." Marcus sank into a chair by him, his smile growing as well as he looked over at the woman in question, she had lost so much weight with being picky about eatting or not the last few weeks, her arms thinner and frail looking, her skin pale, but not as much as it used to be. Her eyes had bags under them and her cheeks were sunken in. He rubbed his hand over his face and looked back at Demetri. "Has she said anything else?" Demetri frowned slightly and shook his head. "Nothing you should worry about Marcus." The man frowned, the tension apparent in the giants voice. "I'm not starting this right now Demetri, I haven't held anything back from you since she reverted like this. We've agreed to work together to bring her back." Demetri growled low in his throat before sighing, jumping slightly as Ali turned to him, laying a chilled hand on his arm he looked up to see the hurt in her eyes. "Don't" Demetri melted and sighed, looking back at Marcus he stood up and indicated for him to follow him, once in the kitchen Demetri sat at the island and sighed. "You know I have to work tonight, the events that have come up lately I just can't let slid...Between Pheniox...and... The point is I can't be here to help her with what she wants, and Tank can't do it either." "Demetri, just tell me." He sighed and ran his hand across his face and along the back of his neck, Marcus could tell that what ever it was bothered the man. "I'm trusting you Mystic." The words struck him as odd and he frowned, his question dieing in his throat as Demetri pinned him with a stern look. "She wants a bath." Marcus blinked, his heart stopping and his hands going clammy. "She still needs help with that, her body is still to weak. Now do you understand why I'm saying I'm trusting you?" Marcus nodded, unable to do much else. He jumped slightly as Demetri's phone sounded off in his pocket, he reached in and pulled it out flipping it open. "Athens. Yes, I'm leaving now. I know I was supposed to be there half an hour ago but my wife comes first. I'll be there soon." He hung up the phone and put his large hand on Marcus' shoulder giving it a tight squeeze. "Again, I'm trust you." He walked out of the kitched and Marcus following behind him as he walked to the couch and leaned down kissing Alli on the forehead, her eyes closing lazily and a small smile gracing her lips at the feel. She watched him go before she looked up at Marcus, her face showing a lazy, sweet smile to him as well, his breath catching in his throat as the kids filed off one by one towards their bed. She lifted her thin arm up, reaching for him and he moved instantly to her side, taking her hand, she simply held onto it lightly as she closed her eyes seeming to relax. [/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Tank looked in on his mother, she was laying there, her eyes closed and her breathing even; asleep, nodding he turned the lights down low and walked towards his room to get a shower while she rested, his brother and sister already in bed. Stretching his arms above his head as he stepped into the bathroom and started the water, steam filling the small room in a few moments. He stepped in and let the hot water relax in muscles as the stress and worry about his mother. Ali sat up slowling in the bed, her face still blank, she was stiff and tense and needed to move around, her body telling her that much, the room was dim and she felt alone, the comfroting touches of the two men weren't there like they usually were. Walking out of the room slowly she leaned on the walls and door frames to keep her self steady stretching her legs felt wonderful and a small, lazy smile spread on her face before it vanished again. She blinked slowly as she saw the dishes, unwashed in the sink, walking over she ran the tap, grabbed a sponge and began to wash them slowly, it had been a few minutes since she had started when Dante came from his bathroom, towel over his shoulders and dressed in his sweats when he saw her. "Mom, what are you doing out of bed?" He walked over to her and cursed silently seeing her hands, the water was steaming, blisters had appeared on her hands and burst as well mixing her blood with the soapy water. "Dammit mom! I'm so sorry, I thought you were sleeping. Stop, stop! I can wash these!" He pulled her hands from the water and looked down at them weeping quietly. "Oh man...Dad's gonna kill me, come on we have to get you to Patch." He scooped her up and walked down the hall quickly. "Lil, mom's hurt I'm gonna take her to see Patch, you got Neos?" She waved him off moodily and he chuckled before heading out the door, movement catching his eyes as he entered the med ward, seeing Marcus he walked up and stopped looking down at the man. "What's going on?" Marcus looked over at him, wide eyed as he saw Ali in his arms. "Tank, boy what happened?" Dante looked down at the woman in his arms, a shell of who his mother used to be and sighed. "I messed up. I thought she was sleeping so I went to take a shower...when I got out she was doing the dishes but the water was so hot...she messed up her hands." Marcus looked at her hands and sighed painfully. "Patch is working on your father right now. I don't know what happened but I just got back from finding him, he was unconsious and a little worse for wear." Demetri suddenly yelled out in pain, Ali twitched in Dante's arms. "Mom?" Patches voice echoing loudly through the room. "Hold still Demetri! I can't set this and heal it with you moving around like that!" Demetri suddenly yelled out again as a soft crack was heard from behind the curtain, Ali flinched visibly this time gaining Marcus' attention, the runed man's eyes came alive and he threw the curtain back, walking up to Demetri he looked down at the giant with a wicked look in his eyes. "Demetri, do you trust me?" The man in question looked up at him worriedly. "In theory, why?" Marcus brought his fist down on Demetri's broken leg violently, Demetri's pain fill scream filling the room, Dante looked down as Ali flinched again, this time her eyes flashing with a bright light, he looked up as Marcus repeated the process, Demetri finally striking him across the face. "What the hell are you doing Marcus!? It's broken, obviously." The soft voice that sounded next made the room go silent instantly, all within it listening closely for it again and almost bursting into tears as they heard it. "D-Demetri?" The giant thrashed on the bed as Patch tried is best to heal him quickly, finally releasing him he watched as Demetri and Marcus flew to her side, Dante looking down at her watery eyed as she held her hand up, as if searching. "Demetri? Marcus?" Her husband grasped one hand while Marcus took her free hand tightly but gently, both kissing her knukles, neither one caring about the other right now, her small breakthrough more than enough to end their rivalry for the time being. "We're right here love...right here." She shifted her blank gaze towards him and he let out a weak, tear filled gasp, her eyes which had been so lifeless before now had a soft glow of life to them. He leaned forward to kiss her and blinked, hurt as she turned away. "I understand love. Your not ready for that but don't-" He stopped as he looked down her at small hand in his. "Great gods! Ali what happened?" Dante hung his head in shame. I"m sorry Dad. I thought she was sleeping." Demetri listened as his son explianed everything to him, nodding as he finished, before he could open his mouth Patch was on him, the stress and lack of sleep having gotten to the man his fuse was short. "How many times do I have to tell you people! Do NOT leave her alone! God dammit! Are you stupid kid?!" Both Marcus and Demetri made a move to yell at the man, maybe even do bodily harm to him as they saw the guilty tears in Dante's eyes, but a slender hand beat them to it, striking the medic across the face hard enough to make him reel to the side, the faint, frail voice full of fury. "Dont...Talk...To...Him...Like...That." They all looked down at Ali, her face blank, but she was shaking and Demetri and Marcus could feel the rage boiling in her, Marcus feeling it through the rune as it pulsed faintly and Demetri through their link, he could hear her thoughts, if only whispers that filtered through his mind. Taking a heavy breath she slumped against her son's chest and instantly fell asleep, Patch healing her hands slowly before walking away and sitting down, watching as they crowded around her making sure she was alright and talking happily at the small breath through she had shown. Marcus and Demetri seeming the happiest.[/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Tank sighed as he looked at his father, his hands clentching into fists before relaxing. "I'm sorry Dad. I didn't mean to dissapoint you or anything... It was during the training mission I had with Coach Steel...we ran into a Fearful-" "I thought those were extinct..." "So did everyone else but I guess they weren't. I got caught by it...my worst fear came alive than..." "And what is your worst fear son? What could you possibly have to fear here?" "My real father...I know he's still alive. I didn't hurt him, or kill him when I left but...I know he's still out there some where. I'm terrified that he'll find me again and take me away from you and mom and torture me like he used to...worse yet what if he got to Lil or Neos?" Demetri leaned forward and placed his hand on Tank's shoulder before pulling the boy to him in a tight embrace. "I swear to you son, I won't let anything happen to you or your siblings. My self or your mother." Tank nodded slowly and pulled away looking at his father. "How is she?" Demetri ran his hand over his face, his lack of sleep showing clearly on his face. "She's...not so good. She slipped further away today. I'm sorry Ta-Dante. I'm sorry for everything. I know I've let work get to me and keep me from home...I've let what happened between your mother and Marcus get to me and I pushed her away because of it but I promise you. I'm going to fix it." Dante nodded and gripped Demetri's wrist. "Get some sleep my boy, we'll go and see her in the morning." The teen nodded before going to his room and going to bed, there was a slight knock on the door, Demetri standing to answer it and finding his father on the other side, holding onto a sleeping Neos. Demetri smiled til he saw the boys face, the smile faltering slightly. The small runes that had begun to show on his skin faint, but noticable. Sheild saw the look on his son's face and shook his head. "Just take it in stride Demetri, he's still your son, it just shows his power." Demetri nodded slowly, taking his youngest from his father, the older man walking in slowly after his son. "How is she son?" Demetri felt his heart tug more. "She's...she's not good. I wish I had seen it sooner Dad...I caused her so much grief..." "Your stunt at the ball didn't help much my boy, I wish I had known what you were planning so I could have stopped you. Your wife might be a strong woman, but just like your mother she a woman none the less and a good woman needs a good man to stand behind her and protect her, just as a good man needs a good woman at his side to keep him balanced." Demetri nodded, covering his face with his large hand as tears threatened to flow from his eyes. "I'm such a fool...What was I thinking?" "You weren't son. That's the problem. I showed that video to show more than what was happening between Demos and your beloved but the fact that you could trust her. She left him there and went home to you." Demetri let out a shuddering breath, his hand resting on the cheek that Ali had struck him across during the ball. The pain in her eyes making the giant want to weep. "I'm going to fix this Dad. One way or another. I swear it." Pavlos nodded, clapping his hand on Demetri's shoulder before giving it a squeeze and leaving the room and leaving his son to his thoughts. Patch sighed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he downed the last mouthful of his eighth cup of coffee, the night seeming to go on forever as he looked over at Marcus sitting next to Ali. He sighed and looked over her charts again, for the upteenth time and blinked as the paper's words in front of his face swam. He shook the wave of dizziness of before going back to his work, Marcus' voice finding it's way to him. "Patch, get some sleep. I'll watch over her for the night." Patch shook his head and injected a shot of adreniline into his system quickly, almost instantly feel awake again. He sighed and continued to look over Ali's charts and readings. He glances back over at her and stood up, walking over he sat on the other side of the bed and took her free hand rubbing the top of it gently. "You know...you and Demetri aren't the only ones who love her." Marcus' eyes turned wide as he looked up at Patch, the man looking older by far than Marcus could ever remember, the lines from lack of sleep showing on his face clearly, his skin pale and his eyes blood shot. "I've loved her for the longest time. Long before she met Demetri, but she always held me at that friend level. I was content with that, just being able to be near her, being able to talk to her was enough for me. When Demetri came along I was esstatic for her, I had never seen her so happy, her eyes alway so bright when she talked about him, her cheeks getting that healthy rosy glow...than she met you, got close to you and I felt my self get jealous, of both of you. You two are luckier than any other man in this base, she's a gem, one that should be polished and shined day in and day out. Never dimming, never tarnishing. But the two of you...you held her up so high and than drug her through the mud, causing her so much pain and all I wanted to do was be there for her. I tried too, tried talking to her, tried comforting her but I could see deep down she wanted one of you two. I would have thought, after being with her on a level beyond any one else the two of you wouldn't care what happened, that you two would just be content with what you had, or have. But when you started to fight with each other, over her I could see it wear on her, each and every day she looked more haggard, more tired...more stressed. It killed me. You two have no idea how many men at this base would kill to be where you two have been. To get that close to her...it's what half this base dreams of." Marcus had sat, listening to Patch as he spoke, understanding more and more, he saw the man in a new light. Realizing just how truthful Patch's words had been. Ali walked for what felt like miles, her heart cold, her skin shivering as she continued on, tears falling from her eyes as she prayed for her father to return to her, as if on cue the man came from the shadows. "My girl. How long have you been walking?" He looked down at her bare feet to see them blistered and bloody. "I've been trying to reach you." "My dear, I'll alway be here when you need me, but right now, others need you." She shook her head. "I don't want to go back...I don't want to feel confused, or lost...or hurt anymore." Exodus chuckled and closed the distance between him and his daughter hugging her tightly as he chuckled, his deep bass toned voice rumbling through her. "Daddy...I just want things back to the way they were...I just want to be happy again." "Alex, you have to find your true happiness, it will happen. Just wait for it." "But Daddy I-" He shook his head and tapped her shoulder, than shook it roughly, his grip tightening and making her wince. "Wake up baby." "Daddy?" "Wake up now. I'm right here." She tried to reach out to him as he got further and further away from her, a light growing brighter and brighter in front of her eyes. "Alex? Come on...come on..." She blinked several times, the light bright enough to make her blink more as her eyes adjusted. "Daddy?" A large warm hand grasped her's, holding it tightly, another voice filtering in and out of her senses. "Is she coming around? Patch how are her charts? Any signs?" "Marcus, Jason, back the hell off! I'm going as fast as I can dammit!" The pressure on her hand tightened and she felt a similar pressure on her other hand, another hand on her forehead. "Patch!" "I said shut the hell up Jason! Gods alive I can't concentrate, I've been up for 5 days straight alright!" The hand on her forehead began to rub it's thumb across her skin. "Her skin is heating up...there's color coming back into her cheeks, that's a good thing right? Right? Patch?" "Get the **** out! NOW!" "I'm just worried about my sister guy! Jeez!" Patch shouldered past the three men to shine a light into her eyes, her pupils dialating in and out, reacting to the light normally, he sighed and moved away before sinking in a chair. "She's alright...she's reacting normally now. It's just a matter of how blocked off mentally she is." Ali sat up slowly...her muscles sore, her stomach growling and her head swimming, she looked at Demetri, than Marcus, her face just as blank as ever no sign of emotions for caring on her face at all, she was just there. Jason sighed as he brought her in for a tight hug, one she did not return. "At least your back from what ever god awful place you were in...Are you alright sis?" She nodded, not speaking, Demetri looked down at her now. "Alex, love...are you sure your alright?" She nodded again, looking over as a small hand tugged on her shirt sleeve, Neos smiling up at her, he climbed up into her lap and put his hand on her cheek. "Hi Mommy." She hugged him tightly, her face still not showing any emotion. "Mommy, are you still sad?" She nodded again, turning her face into his hair, she looked down at him again, the faint runes showing more clearly than before against his pale skin. Darker than Marcus' but almost identical. She traced one gently and cupped his cheek, her face still stoic. "I love you Mommy." She hugged him and kissed his forehead lightly, he smiled up at her and looked back at the men in the room. "Mommy doesn't want to talk right now. She's still upset." Ali wrapped her arm around him and hugged him to her chest, her face still void of emotion but they could all tell that having the boy with her helped.[/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]She lay there, feeling nothing, feeling empty and cold, she had heard the conversations between everyone around her but nothing sparked a reacion from her, as the sun rose through the window she could feel Demetri get close. She didn't respond, except to pull her hand away from him as he tried to hold her hand comfortingly. She shut herself down then, retreating into her own mind, reliving moments that brought back a small piece of happiness to her. She didn't bother to close her eyes as she fell into her own mind, her monitors and equipment all signaling that she had fallen into a coma as she simply stared at the ceiling. She blinked slowly, lazily as the black shadows swirled around her, thicker, darker than ever; she was hardly able to even see through them but as a figure began to walk towards her she felt her heart slow down to a steady, relaxed pace and her entire body melted as a familiar scent flooded her. "Alex...you've grown into a beautiful woman..." She felt the tears fall silently as she looked up into her father's dark face, his gotee and military cut black hair making him look dark and hansome, his dark brown amber brown eyes warm and accepting. "D-daddy...?" His warm smile split is olive tanned skinned face apart, his white teeth gleaming as his amber eyes turn into warm caramel as he looked upon her. "What makes you so ill my daughter?" She shook her head and took a step forward, her emotions still buried deep with in her but she wanted, needed to feel him, have his warm, strong arms around her to comfort her and his spicy, musky colonge making her feel like a little girl again. "Daddy, I don't know what to do any more...You told me to always follow my heart and I did but it got me no where." He closed the distance between them and embraced her tightly, she burined her nose in his chest and inhaled deeply, his scent washing over her, making her pulse slow down to a relaxing pace and her thoughts become calm. "Now now my dear, talk to me. I'm here for as long as you need me." "I fell in love Daddy." "That's wonderful my girl, who is the lucky man?" "Actually...I fell in love twice." Exodus looked down at his daughter, a look of shock on his face that slowly turned into a knowing smile. "I see. I'm going to guess that one man is the son of the great Sheild am I correct?" She looked up at him baffled but he just smiled and continued. "-And the other is the son of the late Cotillion?" "Daddy...how'd you know?" "Alex, being able to see the shadows, being able to walk through them as I did...I was able to see more than your love Marcus and his father and his fathers father could ever imagine. He's only breached the surface of his potential. Now, tell me what has happened? I want to hear everything." Ali nodded, taking deep breath she began at the begining. "I met Demetri for the frist time years ago... He seemed so arrogant, just cause he was a decorated soldier...but he saved me during one mission and I made a vow that I would try to be more like him. After that we just seemed to get closer and closer. I watched him...alot...I kind of felt like a stalker. When ever he was in the room my eyes were always shifting towards him, I would get so lost in the sound of his voice I didn't even hear what he was actually saying to me..." Her father chuckled but said nothing and allowed her to continue. "...Than after a few more years we had a mission, the two of us and the other two of out team at the time, it was to the Southren base, somthing had happened and I ended up getting caught. While we were esacaping he saved me from a siren...he got hurt, bad...another scar to add to his collection, bacause of me..." She took a deep breath as she continued. "...After that things moved fast, but I was so content, just being around him made me happy, his presense always felt like it did when you were with me. So calm and strong, comforting." Exodus looked around them as her memories flashed here and there, their first kiss, the ball, her confession of love to him, the beach, their first night making love, the hurt she felt as he left, the pregnancy, the wedding and everything in between. He nodded down to her. "I see. There is another I saw many times within these memories as well, Cotillion's son I assume?" She nodded. "Tell me of him daughter. I wish to hear more of my dear friends son and how much like his pompous father he truly is." "He's not like that Daddy." "Oh, don't give me that Alex, they all are, all three of them. His grandfather was a pervert and a vouyer, his father was presumptous and egg headed. Yet they both had much more honor than most men I had ever met in my life." "How is it that you knew both of them?" "That's for another time dear. Now, tell me about Marcus." She took a deep breath and rested her head on her father's broad chest inhaling his scent yet again as it wafted around her. "He's an enigma, I've never met any one quite like him...I can never truly tell what he's thinking...and when I do it's so sheilded it's hard to read. But when ever he thinks of me it's almost as if his mind is screaming at him, it resounds so loud sometimes it makes me wince." Exodus chuckled. "Yes yes, tell me how you met him, and how you managed to wiggle your way into his robe." "Daddy!" He held up his hands and chuckled. "I'm just making an assesment." She shook her head, but no smile came to her lips, she hugged him again as he wound his arms around her shoulders. "I met him around the same time Demetri and I began to show how we felt about each other, like I said, he was such an enigma. So quiet so..." "Pompous?" "...Daddy..." "I'm sorry, continue." She rolled her eyes slightly. "He was so...closed off. He felt so alone when I first met him, as if he was just waiting for the right reason to come along so he could throw his life away. I didn't understand it than. But he continued to work with us, the frist time I actually talked to him was the ball that year, while we were dancing. I always made cracks about him not being able to dance but he was actually very graceful that night. He had bugged Demetri to hear what we were talking about. It wasn't long after that when him and I connected even further, a rune he had drawn on my wrist being the catalyst. It was during a fight Jason and I were in together...I had been hurt, badly and I had called to him. I saw everything than, his hurt, his pain...the reason he was so distant. His lover had died at the hands of his own apprentance...it crippled him, he never truly recovered from that..." "I remeber that fight...forgive me for harming you Alex. I didn't want to." She nodded and continued. "...The beach was the next step for us...Demetri and Tempest had gotten into a fight, the two of them on the brink of ripping the island apart when I got caught in the cross fire. He was so angry...so lost in his own memories that when he came to he called me Masan." Exodus nodded slowly. "Aa, yes. She was lovely. You resemble her alot. Her abilities made her very treasured amoung the HDF. There was not a man in the system that wouldn't have laid their life on the line for her." Ali nodded again and continued with her story. "From than on it was so easy to get into his mind, after that Demetri left...I was so alone and than Jason talked to me and made me realize that a small part of me had grown attracted to Marcus. Come to find out that it was a small piece of Masan's soul...but the truth of it all is I fell in love with him on my own even before that..." Exodus nodded and held her at arms length. "You followed your heart through all of this, am I right?" She nodded but looked away from the proud man. "What is it Alex?" "I failed you though. It all ended worse that I ever thought possible...Demetri he-" The events played in this world now, the video of what Demetri had done flowing over and over, Exodus sighed and rubbed his hand back and forth along his short hair sighing. "I see...He acted rashly my dear. My question is, which do you want to be with in the end?" "That's just it Daddy...I don't know. I followed my heart but I just turned out to be a mess. I'm sorry, I dissappointed you." He shook her shoulders and frowned down at her, she could see why a part of her was attracted to the two men, they both reminded her of her father. He was built large, like Demetri, muscular, broad and tall, but his feartures reminded her of Marcus, dark and somewhat intimidating; but no less handsome. "As long as you follow your heart and your emotions you could never dissappoint me Alex. I love you, you are my daughter." She nodded before burying her face in his chest again gasping as her arms slipped through him and he began to turn smoky like her surroundings. "Daddy?!" "I'm sorry love, my time is up for this time. I'll give my regaurds to your mother. She's so very proud of you." Ali blinked and dropped to her knees as she found her self alone in this dark, void of a world, wrapping her arms around her self she rocked back and forth on the spot, no tears came, not sobs. She looked up into the swirling darkness and took a shuddering breath, she thought back on the ball, the pain she had felt when she had seen Demetri with the other woman, there was no way to describe that pain and even as her heart broke again as she remebered her choice to leave, to stay away from him she could not shed any tears. Demetri held Ali's arms down to the mattress firmly as she tried to pull away from him, her arms already covered in bloody scratch marks created by none other than herself. Patch restraining her before glaring at the giant. "I told you not to let her out of your sight!" "I just went to get coffee!" Patch pointed to her arms, the blood oozing from the self inflicted wounds slowly. "You see this?! This is what she's gonna do to herself when left along. She has to be watched at all times! You want gad damn coffee make Jason good at it, he's good at fetch!" Jason growled from the corner as Patch injected a sedative into Ali's arm to settle her down, once she lay there, her eyes still open staring at the ceiling lifeless Patch sighed. "DO NOT leave her again Demetri. You've done enough damage don't you think?" Patch didn't listen if the giant made a remark or even if Demetri had moved, he walked away and continued to look at her charts sighing exsplosivly. "Great...she's in a coma now. Hope you and Marcus are happy." He wrote something down on a slip of paper before sticking it to Ali's chart and putting his forehead against his desk. [/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Patch sighed as the twins, Recharge, hovered over him revitalizing his energy and strenght, he had seen the entire thing between the two men, seeing it was going to get worse he stood and walked over to them. "Both of you shut up! She needs her rest. I'll have to keep her over night to give her another transfusion since she lost so much blood, if either or both of you are staying; and you fight, I'll have Rock and Steel come up here and take you both to the brig. I don't give a damn if you both are a higher rank than I am. I'm sick of this! Ali's a good friend of mine, I've known her since we were kids and it kills me to see her like this. But I swear to the gods if you two don't stop I'll kill you both. She's this way because of BOTH of you not just one or the other. Your fighting over her, her warring emotions for the two of you, her indecision...it's your faults, not her's. The ONLY thing she's ever done is try to follow her heart like her father taught her and look where it got her? Emotionally crippled and almost killed because following her heart led her to the both of you and BOTH of you decided to stoop low enough to hurt her. You know how many relationships she's had? Her entire life? Three. The first one tore her apart cause of how it eneded, and than there was Demetri and than you Marcus. She might be a strong woman, but she doesn't know how to love just one person, she has a big heart and both of you seemed to miss that one small detail about her. In my opionion, neither of you deserve her." Patch shook his head and walked over to Ali, looking over her charts he jumped suddenly as the door flew open, a large mass of fur and teeth flashing through the med ward and within seconds had both Demetri and Marcus pinned to the wall with it's massive paws around their throats, Jason's voice growling from the beast's muzzle. "What the **** did you two do to her?!" Patch walked over to try and defuse the situation but Jason merely growled. "I'm thinking she off roaming the halls, next thing I know I get a phone telling me my sister is on the brink of death and that she's mentally incapable of doing her job?!" The two men struggled against his hold but Jason only tightened it. "I don't care what happens, both of you are going to do everything in your power to set this right. I want my god damn sister back!" Patch pulled Jason from the two of them, they dropped to the floor coughing as Patch led Jason to a table where he reverted back into his human form and sat breathing heavily. "Calm down Jason, she'll be fine. As for you two, he's right you both are going to have to work to bring her around. Once she's discharged she'll have to be watched at all times. After what I've seen I can tell she really has no will left to live. She'll be suspened from duty til I deem her able again. She'll be prone to reckless indangerment, suicidal tendencies...you name it. She's buried so deep right now she can't even feel pain." Marcus nodded and stood up. "I'll do it." Demetri frowned and shoved the man aside. "Like hell you will! She's my wife!" The mystic growled up at Demetri, his runes glowing faintly. "You gave up that option when you broke her heart, and what proof do you have that she's your wife? I don't see a ring on her finger!" Demetri took a shocked step back as he looked down at her hand, seeing the Marcus was telling the truth. "She's still my wife!" "I don't need to sleep, I can watch her all the time!" Patch interveened. "Enough! Both of you can keep an eye on her. Marcus can watching her night since he doesn't need to sleep, Demetri you can keep an eye on her during the day. She'll need to be with one of you at all times, so Marcus while she's under your watch she's to be locked in your room with you. I want you by the door so if she does try to get out, she'll have to go through you." The men both nodded, both no happy about the arrangment, but the growling coming from the wolfman was more than enough to make them agree. Neither were truly scared of Jason, usually, but when it came to his sister some things were better of not being provoked. Nodding Patch went back to Ali and felt her forehead before looking her over, they had tried to put her back together again with minimal scarring, but there were still signs of her battle, faint pink scars ran across her skin now, her reattached arm...the scar could be seen clearly as well as the bite marks the monster had given to it before it had come off her torso. He closed his eyes sadly as he looked down in to her blank face, simply staring at the ceiling, he took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "It'll be alright Ali, we'll make it better. I promise." She said nothing back, he wasn't expecting her to, looking at the three men who were so close to her he shook his head sadly before continueing his work of looking over her charts and pumping her full of fluids and plasma.[/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]After what felt like hours, the tears no longer fell, her eyes stung from the amount of salt they had expelled but she stilled her self and took a deep breath. Letting it out she grabbed her trench coat, knives, pistol and gloves and walked out the door. Walking down the hall she stopped two lower ranked members passing her, her voice steely. "Excuse me, do pass othet Commanders without saluteing?" "Uh..N-no Ma'am." "Than I expect you to give me the same respect." They saluted sharply and she nodded. "Don't let me see it again." They nodded again before they scurried away, whispering back and forth from one another, she continued down the hall til she entered the security office, crossing her arms she looked at the monitors for several moments before looking down at the young man in the chair next to her. "Scan, how is the pararimiter?" "Good, secure Ma'am." "Expand it, I want a full detailed report on my desk by 5am sharp. Any later than that you'll have dish duty for the next year." "Y-yes Ma'am." She spun around and continued to her office, walking in she picked up the stack of papers on her desk and split them between the desks of her secratarie who looked up at her with a look of disgust, til she slammed her foot down on the coffee table splitting it in half. "These papers will be done with in the hour! If they are not the lot of you can find new damn jobs! I'm tired of the slacking in this office." The men and woman nodded and went to work instantly, seeing how violent she was and how strict she had become in just a few hours. Walking back out she continued her path down the halls stopping at Jason's room, she knocked and grabbed him by the collar pulling him into the hall and giving him a pat down before coming up with a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. "I'll be confiscating these, thank you very much." Jason growled as she pulled one out and stuck it between her lips. "You could have just asked for one ya know!" She flipped him off and he sighed, he had seen her this way before, long before she had met Demetri, before she had fallen in love with that man, she was so closed off that she rarely said anything and when she did it was centered around work or something equally boring. He was surprised when she had told him of her falling in love with Demetri when had returned, how it had happened and how much she had changed. He might not have liked Demetri in the begining, but that was mostly due to being the over protective brother...but after a while, he saw how she would smile around him, watch the giant in everything he did, her eyes lighting up as she did. He would catch her losing her self in his voice as he talked and on their wedding he had never seen his sister so happy before. But now, seeing her like this pained him and he wanted nothing more than to do what Marcus had done to that smug bastard, punch him square in the face. "He's such an idiot...a heart can love more than one person at a time...but she had chosen him, she was going to stay with him through it all." Sighing he rubbed his face with his hand and retreated back into his room. Ali made her way outside, passing the ball room which had gone from a loud buzz to a hushed whisper, she continued on til she slipped out the side and stepped onto the balcony, taking out a cigarette she patted her pockets, looked in the box and cursed as she came up short for a lighter blinking as one appeared in front of her, looking over she saw Patch standing there. "I didn't know you smoked." She didn't answer him, only lit the end and inhaled deeply holding back the urge to cough, the numbness that filled her extremidies welcomed as her ears began to ring slightly and her finger tips went numb. Her mind go blank from the rush of nicotine. Blowing the smoke out in a thin, pale stream she didn't bother to glance at the man as he spoke. "You know...if I felt I was losing you to someone else, I would have tried to make you jealous as well..." She grunted not gracing his opinion with a response, he continued. "Marcus decked him pretty good, both are in solitary confinment for the time being til they cool off." She took another drag on her cigarette but never answered the man, he shook his head and held up his hand, the soft blue glow making her stiffen, she spun around and grabbed his wrist bringing her face close to his. "I don't need healing asswipe. There's nothing you, or ANYONE can do. I just lost my husband, my life...my family. Just leave me the hell alone and go try to fix someone else alright?" He held up his hands and backed away from her, she relished in the silence and felt her shoulders stiffen again as another body made it's way towards her, the voice making her muscles ease, if only a little. "Mom...Are you alright?" She turned, looking at Dante and nodded. "Of course, I'm fine baby. You just go and have fun." "Dad shouldn't have done that...he should have talk to you..." "I bet if you tell him that, he'll disagree. It's better this way kiddo. Less pain the long run when one of us dies from a mission or old age, and now he doesn't have to worry about me tarnishing his family name." "Mom, you could never do something like that...He loves you." "No son...he loved me. LOVED me...I think...I don't-" She coughed as he tried to inhale a breath of the cigarette smoke as he tried to keep her tears at bay. "I would have done anything for your father, I want you to know that!" "I know mom." Tank walked forward and wrapped his arms around the small woman who had become his mother, his frame feeling so much like Demetri's she crumpled in his arms and cried. "It'll be alright mom. I promise." She shook her head and took a shuddering breath. "No...it won't." He looked down at her as she suddenly stopped crying, looking up at him he gasped as her eyes were dull, the life he knew to be in them gone now as she simply stared at him. "Mom?" She didn't answer, only finished her cigarette and walked away from him. "Mom!" She turned and shook her head. "Go to bed. It's late." He felt his own tears threaten to fall as her voice reached him, it was so void of emotion, so monotone that it broke his heart just to listen to her speak, he ran from the blacony to find his father in the med ward and try to talk to the man. Ali walked through the halls, feeling nothing, absolutely nothing, her body cold and her thoughts empty. Reaching the training room, walking through the door she saw it was empty, she didn't want it any other way right now. Shedding her coat, knives and pistol she walked over to the wall console and punched in her code, the mechanical voice echoing in the silent room. 'Sim training selected, select opponent.' Ali typed in a few numbers, hitting enter she typed more numbers in again and hit the enter button and waited. 'Bohemoth oppenet selected, level 10. Officer confirmation required.' Typing in her confirmation code she stretched her arms and pulled her hair up into a pony tail as the voice echoed again. 'Confirmation accepted. Comense training.' Ali took her fighting stance as a image projected itself into the middle of the room, the large beast looking horrifying with sharp razor sharp teeth and claws, a powerful tail that was known to cleave a man in two with a single swipe, massive paws and a single, large horn in the middle of it's head. Ali had seen men gored to death by that piece of death, but right now, the way she was she did not fear it. She rolled to the side as the beast charged, the room trembling with the force of the monsters charge, sliding underneath the beast she brought her foot up and felt it impact, the force making the beast roar and bring his front paw back catching her on the shoulder. Ali felt the simulation gash her shoulder down to the bone, but no cries or hisses of pain escaped her. She stood and faced the creature again as if nothing had happened. It charged her again, it's head down, ready to impale her but she dropped to her back and brought her fist up into the things chin, knocking it off blanace, she followed through with her foot knocking it over. She moved in, ready to deliver a crippling blow to it's midsection when the tail whipped around catching her on the leg, her right leg buckled instantly. She felt the break, felt the bones snap but gave no indication of the pain that radiated from it, as if she was unable to feel any pain whatsoever. She stood, her leg moving almost useless but she forced it to work well enough for her to gain her footing as the massive form regained it's own footing. Looking over at her the thing charged, this time it's mouth open, ready to swallow her whole, she side stepped and looked down curiously as it's massive jaws closed around her thing arm, the teeth cutting through it instantly, she watched in fascination as it threw her about, the sickening snap of bone and sinew, the vomit inducing tearing of flesh only intriuged her as she watched her arm come loose from her body and dissapear down the behemoth's throat, blood soaking her clothes and the mats under her feet, she blinked as her vision became blurry and looked up, her face blank as it knocked her to the mats, the claws digging into the flesh of her shoulders, going clean through til they pierced the mat under her. No sound came from the woman as wound upon wound was inflicted, the monster flickering before vanishing altogehter. 'Life force of operative minimul. Sending distress signal.' Ali looked up at the ceiling, her blood soaking the mats, turning her head she could see her severed arm laying on the floor a little ways from her. She did nothing, said nothing as Patch, Stich, Sheild and Marcus all rushed in, Patch by her side instantly. "God dammit! We have to get her to the med ward now! She's loseing alot of blood. Stitch do what you can for her arm while we go." The young man nodded as Patch picked her up and carried her from the blood soaked room, Patch looking down at her as she stared off into space. "What possesed you to try and train useing a level 10 Behemoth simulation Alex? You could have died!" She blinked slowly, her words monotoned and void of emotion as she spoke. "What's it matter now?" Patch said nothing as he rushed through the halls carrieing Ali in his arms, Marcus following behind worriedly.[/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali walked down the hall, her heels clicking under the black and red dress she wore, it was form fitting and billowed out at the bottom, her brown hair done up in a elegant bun that Lily had finished off with a hibiscus flower, the look altogether pleasing to her. She felt her chest heave as she drew closer to the ball room, she always had mixed feeling about these things and she had even thought of skipping it, but Demetri needed her by his side, and by his side she would be. Taking a deep breath she opened the large grand doors and took in the look of the ball room, Demetri had done well. It was dimly lit with glowing candle chandaliers and the lamps turned down low, the foutain in the middle of the room giving it a fair tale look that took her breath away. Standing on her tip toes she scanned the room for her husband knowing with his size it was hard to miss him usually, the crowd of people in the middle making it difficult. Sighing she stepped into the room and looked around, jumping as Jason wrapped his arm over her shoulder. "Ali! Good to see you, let's go over here and get a glass of wine." She frowned, she could hear the tension in his voice and more than that she could tell he was trying to distract her. "Jason, I don't want any wine, I would like to find my husband so that I can dance with him. It's been a little while since him and I have had time together and I don't want to waste it drinking wine." "Oh c'mon Ali, he'll be along! Why not just one drink with your brother? It can't hurt right, a dance can always wait, right?" She planted her feet and stood her ground, hands on her hips as she looked up at him, his face dark with the incoming facial hair, his hair slicked back giving him a dark handsome look. "Alright, spill. What does Demetri have planned for me tonight?" "W-what? I don't have anything to spill Ali." "Your trying to distract me, what's he got up his sleeve? He taking me to the balcony again? He knows that my favorite spot." Jason felt his heart twist at his sister's excitment. "Ali, just, please. Come have a drink of wine with me." She felt her heart leap at the change in his tone, it was defeated, and...hurt. "Jason, what's going on? First you try to distract me...now it sounds like your begging me." He shifted his eyes away from her towards the dance floor and back, so quickly she almost missed it...almost. Looking over her shoulder she frowned and began to make her way through the crowd, her brother close behind her trying to convice her to turn around. "Ali wait! Ali!" Pushing past the crowd she gasped as she saw Demetri in the middle of the dance floor, his arms wrapped around a woman around her own age, sandy colored hair, but what struck her the most was the fact that she was dressed to match her husband...her dress matching his tie. She blinked several times trying to make sure it wasn't an illusion but every time she blinked there they were, dancing together as if nothing was wrong. Ali felt her chest begin to heave as her breathing grew rapid, she felt her palms begin to sweat and her throat tigten up as she realized that this was the opening dance for the entire ball, and he was dancing with someone other than her, someone he had obviously planned on behing here. Clentching her hands into fists she felt the shame and embaressment flow through her now, she had remembered pulling out his tie that would have matched her dress and setting it with his tux...he had changed it. Turning away she pushed through the crowd again and towards the small bar on the end, seeing Jason already there holding out a glass of wine to her, she shook her head and shouldered past him. "Shot of whiskey." "That's a strong drink for such a lovely lady." She glared at the man behind the counter causing him to jump and give her the drink, which she downed quickly before asking for another. "Whoa whoa, Ali...you sure you want to do this? Here? You know how you get when you drink." "I don't give two balls Jason, you saw didn't you? The opening dance? He was supposed to be doing that with me. Not only that he planned this, I had his tie that matched MY dress set out for him..." Jason blinked a few times before looking back at the two dancing togther as the song ended, Demetri smiling down at the woman as the linked her arm with his returning the smile. "Ali, what can I do?" "Nothing, just leave me alone." He bit his lower lip before catching a familiar scent, looking around he saw Marcus and made a stright line for the mystic, reaching him he grabbed his arm and pulled him away from Pocket who frowned. "Jason you could have just asked-" "Listen, something is up with Demetri and Ali...she needs you." "I'm sure she's just fine Jason, she's a strong woman-" "Would you ass holes stop saying that! Demetri said it about the god damn rumors that were flying around saying that she's a strong willed woman and all that other nonsense, what you two don't know about my sister...she's not that strong willed." Marcus frowned as he looked at the wolf man. "I believe she's stronger than you think Jason." "And I know my sister best. Demetri invited another woman to ball, they dressed to match, not only that...he opened the ball dance with her. How would you feel about something like that?" Marcus' frown deepened as he looked through the crowd. "I just assumed it was Alex." "No! That's what I'm trying to tell you, it's not her. She's at the bar with every intention of getting hammered! And trust me on this one, not a good idea! It's not pretty." Marcus nodded and allowed Jason to lead him to Ali, she was indeed sitting at the bar, a total of 10 shot glasses piled infront of her as she asked for another, Marcus reached past her and put his hand on the small glass before she picked it up. "Ali, this isn't the way to deal with this." "And what is? Busting her face? I can do that too." She made a move to stand when he put his hand on her shoulder. "No, talking to him is the best way. Finding out why he did this is the answer." Ali scoffed and moved his hand downing the drink before slamming the glass on the table again, another presence alerting her. "My dear, are you sure your not hitting the drink a little hard?" Ali looked over at her father in law and rolled her eyes. "I bet your just loving this aren't you?" "As much as I would love to tease you about this, I can not. I'm not enjoying this at all Alex, he's my son and you are my daughter in law. I wish I knew what he was thinking but I can tell you what drove him to this. I showed him the tape of the training room, between you and Mr. Demos here." Ali's head shot up the whiskey already making her head spin. "You what?!" "I had to dear, for his sake. He has to know he can trust you." "He can trust me! Nothing happened between us!" "he heard your confession to the Colonel." "Yeah, I told him that I still love him, I can't stop loving him, Marcus and I shared alot in the past and a link like that can't be broken! But nothing happened, I went home to my husband, I chose Demetri when I married him dammit!" She took a deep breath before something clicked in her mind, her frown deepening, she stood from the stool and turned, pushing through the crowd til she reached Demetri and his date. Marcus and Sheild not far behind her, she hadn't even taken in Marcus' tux, it matched him well, the dark, smoky grey tux and the metalic gun metal dress shirt went well together. "Alex, glad you could make it, I want to introduce you to a friend-" His words died in his throat as she struck him across the face, the woman next to him gasping. "How dare you...I can't believe you of all people would stoop this low Demetri...Do you have ANY idea how embaressed I am by this, as if my reputaion around this base wasn't bad enough!" Most of the people had stopped what they were doing to tune into the Commandant and his wife. "Your unblieveable Alex, you come in here preaching about me when your going behind my back telling Marcus how much you love him?" "Yes, I love him Demetri! A part of me always will, but I chose you! I come home you every night because I want to be with you! Or at least I did! Now I don't even know who you are anymore! The man I fell in love with, wanted to spend the rest of my life with would never have done something like this, he was better than this." She saw his eyes widen in shock, she saw Tank out of the corner of her eyes looking worried. "I-I love you...I always have... and I married you with every intention of growing old with you. I'm happy with you and the kids. Why? Why couldn't you have just talked to me than going this low? Why embaress me further when you know that already I'm so low on the food chain around here that even my secrataries don's show me respect any more...did you know that I've been doing all my own paper work for the last 6 weeks? That they refuse to help me in anyway because everyone around here thinks I'm lower than dirt? And now you go and do this? Rub it in my face and knock me down further...I was looking forward to this night, hoping that maybe we could get that spark back that we lost during working hours and missions and lack of time...I guess I was wrong." She didn't feel the tears as they streaked down her face, making small translucent trails in her make up, turning on her heel she walked past everyone, the people around her stepping aside to make room for her as she left. As soon as the door shut behind her she reached down, unstrapped her heels, lifted up the skirt of her dress and began to run down the halls. Reaching her and Demetri's room she went to the closet and pulled out her sea bag and began to cram as much of her things as she possible could into it, til it was on the vurge of bursting. She took the dress of hurridly, ripping the sleeves off it in her rush, not caring about the damage as she sobbed openly now. Finally free of the clothing she slipped on a pair of jeans and a tank top, walking out towards the door, her seabag flung over her shoulder she looked around her home one last time before covering her mouth as another sob ripped from her throat. Looking at her hand she bit her bottom lip til she tasted blood, pulling the bands off her finger she brought them to her lips and kissed them sadly before placing them on the table top and walking out the door. she kept her head down as she walked through the halls towards her old room, the Commanders quarters stopping as she heard a whisper from a lower level member. "I heard she just made a huge scene at the ball, have you heard the things going around about her?" Dropping her bag she reached out, grabbed the young man but his shirt collar and brought him face to face with her. "Have you heard the things I can do to a person who pisses me off? It's pretty nasty, one more word about things you know nothing about and I'll have your ass in the bring before you can blink! Got that worm?!" He nodded as she released him, picking up her seabag she made it the room, swiping her card key she stepped in and dropped the bag as the door slid shut behind her. Leaning against it she felt her knees give out as she slid down the wall til she was sitting on the floor, her face in her hands as she sobbed, her entire world falling apart infront of her.[/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali moved above him, panting as sweat covered their bodies, his name falling off her lips each time she moved feeling the passion renewed between them, the rune exposing every wave of emotion and she felt that his need for her had never faded just as her's for him hadn't. She moaned as his hands caressed her skin, moved along her body and pulled her down ontop of him and rolling them til he looked down at her, his motions continueing. She arched her back pressing her body against him trying to get as close as she could. He bent down and kissed her neck, the one spot that made her melt and that's what she did, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tightly she gasped. "I love you..." He paused only for a moment before he kissed her deeply, his movements becoming stronger as he moved against her, with her, within her making her ride on wave upon wave of joy and pleasure til she felt as if she would burst. The pressure finally realesing from both of them, he gripped the sheets, whispering her name as she kissed every part of him she could reach, gasping words of love to him as they came down from the ecstasy they were riding on. Once her vision cleared and the ringing in her ears lessened she looked up at him, still hovering above her his skin slicked with sweat, his breathing heavy as he looked down at her. His face slowly splitting into a soft smile, one which she returned as she cupped his cheek, gasping slightly as he moved away from her to lay next to her on the bed; she took no time in curling up next to him, her finger instantlt begining to trace the runes along his skin, they both smiled as the familiarity of it all. "I've missed you." He looked down at her, the words touching his heart and warming it almost to a blaze as he settled down on the bed, looking up at the swirling darkness above them, his small smile still in place. "I've missed you too. You have no idea how much." She nodded and gasped, frowning as he chuckled, the runes on his skin changing in the middle of her tracing. "You know, I'm gonna have to get used to that." He looked down at her than, a look of hurt, confusion and shock regsitering behind his gaze, she caught it instantly. "What? Did I say something wrong?" "Ali, you know we can't stay here...and you know we can't keep this up, as much as I would love to." She nodded and looked away from him, she felt the guilt and shame well up inside her as she thought of Demetri. "I know...I just..I can't help it. It's you." He sat up slowly, supporting him self on his elbow as he looked over at her. "What do you mean by that?" She blushed slightly before looking up at him and running her fingers along the runes covering his face, his eyes closing at the comforting touch. "I can't control my self around you, we connected in a way that's just on a different level of anything I've ever known and...when I'm with you, when I'm like this with you...I don't have to worry about holding anything back. I can tell you how I feel without saying anything, I can simply think of it, send it to you and you get the entire meaning of what I'm feeling. I can simply be with you." He nodded as his hand ran along her arm as it had done so many times in the past, her head resting against his chest as she traced the new runes there as well, the feeling and the touches all so known to the both of them they didn't feel as if any time had passed at all. "I love you Marcus. I never stopped loving you." He looked down at her, brushing a few strands of hair from her face as his smile creased his features, the one smile that made her shiver and quake for the man who held her. "I love you too Ali. Only you since the first moment something started between the two of us." She blushed slightly before raising herself up and kissing him gently, looking at him she pushed him down and kissed him again, he could feel her need quickly, the intesity of it making him moan and wrap his arms around her til they heard a ghostly chuckle from beside the bed. Ali squeaked and turned her body into Marcus as he grabbed the sheet and threw it over her. "Shadowthrone?!" Ali growled and held the sheet to her body as the old man came from the shadows, clapping quietly. "About time young ones, about time. I must say you two put on a wonderful show." Ali shifted on the bed, trying to hid her self with Marcus' body as he wrapped his arms around her, glaring at the old man just as venomously as she was. "Grandfather, might I ask the need for this 'visit'?" "As much as I enjoy a good show, I'm afraid it is time for the two of you to return back to your bodies. From what I can hear, there is a formal assembly of some kind." Ali groaned and put her face in her hand. "The HDF ball, I forgot about that. Demetri scheduled it tonight after the funeral of Diamond and Razor as a sort of honor for them. He's right we have to go back soon." Marcus nodded and held onto her tighter, neither one quite ready to let go yet, Marcus looked up at his grandfather with another glare, the old man held up his hands and vanished with a snickering laugh. Ali looked up at Marcus, her eyes shining brightly with unshed tears. "Ali, please don't cry..." "I can't help it, I want to stay here...with you." Marcus blinked and looked around as her memories of them began to flood the area, one in particular grabbing his attention, he held onto it as long as he could, the very memory he held onto like a life line. The wedding he had shown her, crystal clear and vibrant with color. Ali moaned quietly as Marcus pulled her to him with a deep kiss, pushing her back against the bed as he allowed his hands to roam her body again, feeling her skin flush and heat under his touch, watching her arch her back and whisper his name as he made love to her yet again. Kissing her where ever he could, touching her body softly, making her cry out for him til they hurtled the peak and descended yet again. He watched her as she came down, her hand cupping his face as she stared up at him, her face flushed red and her breathing erratic as was his. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down allowing for him to roll to the side, her head resting on his chest before she closed her eyes and simply lay there with him. Content and happy. [/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali pulled the robe around her tighter, she felt the tears rolling down her cheeks, the pain in her ankle, she had watched Marcus kill the vampire and found self thinking that it was to good of a death for the bastard. She tucked her head down and buried her face in his chest as the others could be heard finishing up their own fights down stairs. The sounds of the vampires echoing loudly as their creator turned to ash. Ali whimpered as her ankle shifted and clutched onto marcus tightly, her shame burning her cheeks, she bit her bottom lip til she tasted blood. She could still feel the man's hands on her, she could still feel his tongue on her skin and shivered disgustedly. Marcus looking down at her feeling her own self shame. "Ali?" She didn't answer him right away, only kept her eyes down refusing to look at him. "Alex, talk to me, something is wrong, I can feel it." She still didn't answer him, her shame burning deeper into her, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before speaking through her pain. "Just go help the others Marcus. I'll be fine." She gasped as he only held her tighter and shook his head. "I don't think so, not til you tell me what's going on in that head of yours." "I'm ashamed of myself...I can't believe I got caught, I can't believe I let that happen to me...I can't believe you had to see me so weak." "Ali, I don't think your weak, and I have my own shame, I wish you hadn't seen me that way...that dark." "I didn't mind. I think he deserved worse." Marcus stiffened and she looked up at him as he glanced down towards her, Ali felt her face heat up, a small itch growing in the back of her mind, it was inturrpted as Ali heard the others coming up the stairs, Marcus shifting and standing with her in his arms. Demetri came in first, seeing his wife in the painful condition she was in rushed over and took her from Marcus, the warmth of Demetri's arms comforting her, but they felt less warm than she had been a few moments before, the Commandant looked over at Mist. "Get us out of here. We've taken care of everything we need to. She need medical help and we all need to rest before the funeral tomorrow." Mist nodded and within moments he had the team back at base, Demetri walked through the halls carrieing his wife til he reached the med ward, Patch and a new member, Stitch waiting for them as he strode through the door. "She has a shattered ankle of that I'm sure. Other injuries there's a laceration on her cheek and bruises." Patch nodded and shooed Demetri away as he began to show the new med member what to do and how to go about healing Ali as well as anyone else that came in. Marcus was looked over and sent on his way and Ali watching him go gritting teeth as Patch poked and prodded at her foot til she brough the other one across and caught him in the back of the head. "Really you annyoing brat?! Is that absolutely...nes-ne...nesssasas...what'd you do to me?" Patch grinned down at her as her eyes began to droop and close on her, the next thing she knew she was sitting in a small area...of shadow. "God dammit! That bastard drugged me! And why in the seven gods of hell fire am I here AGAIN?!" The cackle to her right made her growl and turn in the direction of the voice. "You are here for a reason my dear, one I will not reveal, but it will come on it's own." She frowned as the disemobied voice filtered away, after sitting there for what felt like hours she heard another voice behind her. "Ali?" Turning she saw Marcus walking towards her and felt her heart leap in her chest, her limbs growing warm as a pleasant heat began to coil in her stomach. "Marcus..." "What are you doing here?" "Hell if I know. Patch drugged me cause I wouldn't shut up while he was treating me. Next thing I knew I was here." "I see, do you want to go back?" Ali frowned...did she? She looked up at him as he stared back down at her, unable to tell what was going through his mind but caught his eyes travling her body from time to time and looked down realizing she was still in her jeans, cut up sports bra and his robe. She stood up slowly, his eyes on her the whole time causing the heat to rise in her body. Taking a hesitant step forward she reached out and ran a thin index finger down his arm, seeing his skin shiver, hearing his breath catch she closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his harshly, desperate to feel the passion they had once shared. She had been able to feel it building for the past few weeks and here, in the place, she had nothing to fear from the out side world. Here she could take her time with the Runed Man and allow her heart time to feel both worlds, feel both relationships with no reprocutions, she was able to allow her self to feel everything, and that's what she was aiming for this time. Her blood quickly boiling under her skin as she felt his lips under her's, wrapping her arms around his neck. [/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali glanced back at the team as they all filed in one by one, looking back at the vampire by her feet she grabbed his collar and pulled him forward. "Are you behind all this?" "Wouldn't you like to know?" She curled her fingers into her palm making a tight fist before slamming it forward and into the man's nose, the team cringing as they heard the crack of bones and watched as he coughed through his blood. "You can hit me all you want woman, there's nothing you can do to make me talk." She leaned back some, and pulled him forward slamming his face into her knee. "Talk you piece of trash!" He laughed more, his fangs glaring through the blood of his now busted lip. "No matter how many times you hit me, you'll never get the answers from me, your nothing but a worthless woman, a disgusting human!" She growled low in her throat and pulled him to his feet, slamming him back against the wall making him cough. "I will get answers from you, one way or another." He glared down at her, the blood on his face making him look somewhat menacing, he took a deep breath and sucked some of the blood from hid lip to the back of his tongue before spitting it down at her, the mess hitting her on the cheek. "What answers? You'll get nothing from me. You who reek of inferiority, a pitaful, human whore." Ali felt her temper rise beyond any thing she had ever felt, something driving her almost to the brink of combustion as she roared and threw the man out the small office window, hearing him crash to the dance floor below and the people scream and rush out into the streets. Ali fell to one knee and held up her hand as the others tried to help her. "I'm fine, Demetri, you take Pocket and see if you two can get anything other than insults from the garbage, Jeff, Sasa you two go to the basement and see what you can find. Gene, take Luwien and head to the roof and see if there is anything there." Thet all noded and went sepearate ways, Marcus staying with her as she hung her head and tried to riegn in her emotions but failing to do so til she felt Marcus' warm hand on her shoulder, looking up as he knelt down face to face with her. "I'm sorry, it was me. Seeing him laugh at you like that, the names he called you...spitting in your face was the last straw for me." He put his hand on her cheek and rubbed the blood and spit from her cheek, only to see the scratches he had made earlier, his thumb tracing them, the feeling of it making her shiver and she tried to foucs on a particulalrly boring spot on his neck til she realized that the spot she wa staring at was the one she used to kiss to get a most interesting sound from him, so, she closed her eyes instead. Taking a deep breath she wrapped her arms around his waist and put her forehead aginst his colloar bone, keeping her eyes shut. "Thank you, for staying up here with me and helping me cool off." He nodded and she could feel the tension in his body but didn't feel like pulling away just yet, she just wanted comfort at the moment and he was doing just that. She pulled him in tighter and sighed as he fianlly wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Of course Ali. I'll always be here when you need me." She nodded and suddenly jumped as the window next to the one she had thrown the vampire out of shattered inwardly to show him sitting on the ledge smiling with fanged teeth, Marcus and Ali could see the wind burns on his skin as they healed slowly. Ali pulled away from Marcus and squared her shoulders. "Where are the ones I sent down to deal with you?!" "They are occupided with my brothers and sisters." Ali paniced as she heard Pocket scream and rushed forwards only to curse as the vampire wrapped his hand around her neck and pulled her tight against his own body. My my, up close you smell delectable, sweet as oranges." She closed her eyes and tried to block out what he was saying but was brought back instantly as she felt his tongue swipe along her neck, up until he nibbled on her ear lobe. The motion would have made her melt if done by another, Marcus being the only person to ever find that spot in her neck and she was looking at him now. His hands balled into fists as he shook with rage. The vampire noticed this as well, her grin turning malvolent. "I see, how angry you are. Is it because of the way I'm touching your female? Or is it because I'm touching the female in manner you wish to, but cannot?" He cackled as he stared at Marcus, his cold hand running up Ali's bare stomach til he reached her sports bra where he took his nail and sliced the elastic band to the bottom, locking eyes with the mystic he slipped his hand under the cloth. Ali growled and pulled her leg up, throwing back her foot to stomp on the vampires foot when his dress shoe connected with her ankle and her scream echoed through the small office, along with the resound shattering of her ankle. The vampires enhanced strenght smashing through it without difficulty. "Now now sweet one, stay calm, stay cooperative so your admierer can enjoy the show." Ali felt tears sting her eyes as her body shut down from the pain radiating from her leg as the man pulled her tighter against him and swiped his tongue along her skin again, his eyes never leaving Marcus'.[/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali allowed her self to be hauled to the back room, waiting for the moment she wanted to strike out and kill him when she suddenly heard something outside the door, the screams of the two burly vampires they had passed a few seconds ago crieing out in agony. The vampire holding onto her glared back at the door before pulling her roughly further towards the back, she winced as she felt his claw like nails dig into her arm and break the skin of her arm. "Hey, your being a little rough friend." He gave her a growl and she planted her feet when she heard the commotion behind her all of a sudden go silent, the music, the voices...there was nothing. [i]What the hell is going on out there?[/i] She listened more intently but still nothing, she felt a slight panice well up into her chest, had the others been discovered? She began to pull away from the vampire. "Let me go, lemme go!" He whipped her around and back handed her hard across the face, his nails scratching her cheek and the force of the blow bruiseing her cheek, she let out a growl and brought her left leg upward, doing a vertical split she brought her leg down on top of the vampires head with such force she saw his eyes bug for a moment before he crumpled to the floor groaning. Standing tall she smirked down at him for a moment before the dull throb began to spread through her barefoot and she winced, lifting her foot off the floor and rubbing it on the back of her leg. "Damn...I have got to stop doing that." She put her foot back on the floor and hopped up and down a few times getting the feeling back into her leg when all of a sudden she heard the music begin outside once again, confused she began to head for the door when an anger filled roar erupted behind the door before it died off. "What the hell?!" Ali threw open the door and took the steps two at a time before she reached the bottom seeing Marcus' panice filled eyes as he searched around the area looking for something. "Marcus!" His head snapped up towards her and she saw the reliefe flow through his eyes but he didn't do anything other than that, his panice taking over. She landed on the floor where Marcus was searching, she tried to get a hold of his shoulders to stop him and ask him what was wrong, but every time she did he would evade her until she finally grabbed a hold of his wirst. "Marcus!" He looked back over at her, his eyes straining to hear her next words but hearing them none the less, his eyes going wide. "Love please. Tell me what's wrong." He blinked at her before he spoke. "Blues' sword...it's gone." Ali looked at his waist and noticed that indeed one of the man's swords were gone. "We'll find it, alright?" He nodded slowly and she pulled him but his wrist towards the office that held the unconsious vampire, sending out a mental image and message to her husband, showing him where they were and that it was the target they needed. "I think the head of this club, that vampire I was with is the master mind behind this club trap. I knocked him out up here but than when I heard the music stop I got worried." He nodded and slammed into her as she stopped suddenly, he looked over her shoulder and she felt his body stiffen, his hands on her hips from where he had just slammed into her squeezing tightly. She found her voice before Marcus, speaking gently to the young man infront of them. "Luwien... Can you please give me that sword?" "All I have is my staff. I need asistance." "That's fine. You can ask Pocket for a sword. That's Marcus', and it's very speacial to him." Luwien looked at the sword in his hand and than to Marcus before nodding and tossing it to her, she caught it expertly but frowned at the boy, Marcus' growling behind her. "Luwien, did you not just hear me say that this is speacial to Marcus?! A friend of his that passed away three years ago left these swords to him and I expect everyone on this team to treat them with the respect they would have shown Colonel Blues." Luwien blinked before he bowed his head slightly. "Forgive me. I didn't know." She nodded before putting a hand on a shouldner. "It's alright, we all make mistakes, just don't expect Marcus to talk to you for a bit. He's alot angier than you think." "Than why does he remain silent?" "Because I took care of it. Now come on. We have a job to do." He gave her a small smile and nodded, she walked over to Marcus and put her hand on his shoulder. "Hey Warded Man, you alright?" He glanced sideways at her, holding the sword gently about to say something when his eyes took in the scratches on her face and the bruise that had blossomed across her skin. "How did that happen Ali?" "It's nothing." She played the event over in her head, her new level of power still not stable completely she projected it to him with out even meaning to, he growled and shoved past her, cursing she went after him trying to calm him down before he killed their only lead to the situation. [/color][/font]

[color="#000080"]Ali tightened her hold on him, not willing to leave the comfort of his embrace just yet, feeling a gnaw in the back of her mind that she was sure she would never feel again, a small spark she tought she had buried, but there it was, surfacing and making her shiver slightly. She sighed and leaned away from him slightly, looking up at him, her cheeks flushed and her tears clinging to her eye lashes. "Thank you Marcus. You always did know what to say." He chuckled and kissed the top of her head, making the shiver return. "Like I said, I still have it, don't I?" She shook her head tucking her head down and unable to stop herself as she placed a gentle kiss on his collar bone, his body going stiff almost instantly. "Ali..." She shook her head slightly before looking back up at him, her heart fluttering as he looked down at her, her pulse quickening as he leaned towards her but both jumping as the alarm blared through out the base. Ali frowned and scoffed. "God dammit, its a good thing I had Sasa come and disconnect the alarm wireing from Neos room...they always used to wake him up." She stood as the announcement called for Alpha Team, stretching her arms over her head she looked back at Marcus giving him a sweet smile. "Thanks again Marcus. I feel like I should be giving you more than just a worthless 'thank you' though." "Don't be ridiculous Ali, seeing you smile is enough for me." She felt her smile grow and walked over to him swiftly, tipping her upper body forward and pressing her lips to his quickly, pulling away she looked up at him and chuckled. "Thank you Marcus. And before we go to meet everyone, I have one last confession." He eyed her carefully as his chest heaved. "I still love you. I don't think I could ever stop loving you." She turned and walked to the door opening it and slipping through it, she took off sprinting towards the war room, getting there she took a deep breath and stepped through to see the rest of the team, frowning as she saw Dante, she shook her head. "I don't think so. Go home, go to bed. You have school tomorrow anyway." "Dad told me-" "I don't care. Go home Dante. I'M telling you to go home and go back to bed." He nodded giving her a small smile. "Thanks mom." She nodded patting him on the arm since she couldn't reach his shoulder and watched him go, Demetri coming from the samll office in the room, he looked around clearly upset. "Where's Tank?" "I sent him home. After the last mission I won't let him go on another til I think he's ready." He showed his distaste for what she had done but let it go for now. "We have a mission, as much as that bothers me considering I was planning a funeral in the morning for Diamond and Razor, it'll have to be pushed back til later tomorrow." Ali stepped forward. "What kind of mission?" "There's a coven that has gotten out of hand. They've began to target humans regularly. We're to go and find thier trap and shut it down." Ali nodded and looked back as Cloak walked in. "Cloak will be taking us to the nearest know spot. We leave now." Ali readied her self with the others, catching the jeans that Demetri tossed to her, slipping them on over her shorts and grabbing a small zip up hoodie from the coat closet. "Well, lets get this over with." Cloak nodded and transported them out, they wound up in a small part out side of what looked like New York city, Ali looked around and sighed. "Okay, so we look for a trap right? Something that attracts the younger crowd since that's what the papers say. Teens and younger adults have been the ones disappearing more than anything." The team nodded and Ali began to walk slowly through the park, her bare feet slightly cold and she realized she hadn't been able to get a pair of boots on when she left the training room. She sighed as they slowly began to walk through the bright city, Pocket finally asking for a small break, sitting down on the curb she put her chin in her hands and blinked as she felt a viberation coming through her skin and looked across the street, seeing the neon sign she smiled largely. "I think I may have just found a tip." Marcus looked down at her, his eyebrow raised. "Dare I ask?" She pointed across the street towards the small club where they could hear techno music filtering out the doors. "Your not serious Ali." She looked up at him smirking. "What the matter Marcus, worried that a little dance club is going to blow the cover of you inability to dance?" He frowned down at her and she chuckled before standing and making her way across the street, as soon as she opened the door she gasped and covered her nose, Jason growling behind her. "We're in the right place. Smell that?" The team nodded, each of them able to smell the sweet, sick scent of none other than a room full of vampires. "Be on gaurd, stay under the radar. Jason, you stay out of here, they'll smell you in a minute." "Gladly." She walked deeper into the club, but stayed close to the others before she caught sight of what they were looking for on the dance floor, vampire. Smiling she pulled her hair out from the pony tail she had it in allowing it to fan around her shoulders, unzipping the hoodie she dropped it to the floor and smiled, looking over her shoulder she could see both Marcus and Demetri looking her over with their eyes, the looks making her blush lightly. "Well, this is a dance club." She made her way onto the floor in the middle, the stobe lights flashing and the bass of the music thumping throughout the club, the rest of the team watching as Ali swayed to the music, her heair moving with her body as she kept an eye out on the people around her. She felt an arm wrap around her waist, she sweet smell getting stronger as she felt a small nip on the skin of her neck, reaching up she pulled her hair aside giving the man better acsess to her neck and heard him chuckle lightly. "You smell delectible my dear." "I bet, but before we do anything, why not sling me around the dance floor?" He nuzzled her neck as he inhaled her scent, Ali's eyes shifting to the side to see Demetri looking around, but her eyes locked with Marcus', his fists balled into fists as he watched the male vampire hold onto her. [/color][font="Comic Sans MS"][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali giggled lightly, his words making her heart leap, taking a step forward she reached out and took his hand lightly. "I'm glad that your that way with me. I wouldn't have it any other way." She traced her finger along the rune on the back of his hand and smiled, he looked down at her and frowned slightly as he saw the look in her eye. "Ali?" She closed her eyes, trying to get her pulse and her thoughts under control before she shook her head. "Why is it so easy with you?" He blinked slightly as he looked down at her. "I don't understand what you mean." "Why is this is easy with you. Just sitting here, playing around and having fun." "Don't you and Demetri do this kind of thing?" She shook her head slowly. "W-we used to...but once he became the Commandant he just sort of stopped. I remember I would come home from the office to find him wrestling with Lily and Tank while Neos slept...but now...he just comes home and...that's it really. We have dinner, bathe Neos, help Lil and Dante with their homework. I do the dishes while he takes a shower and than we go to bed. He wakes up before me, goes to work, I wake up, get a shower-" She caught his eyes travling and smacked him lightly. "-go to work and we do our day all over again." He studied her for a few minutes unsure of what to say when his eyes widened. "Wait, how long has it been since you two have-" "A few days...but before that....a month, maybe longer. He's always at the office and when he's not we're on a mission, or we're dealing with something going on in the base or something like that...I mean you saw our home." He nodded remembering the luxurious their home was. "I did see it. Aren't you happy with Demetri?" She nodded slowly, but Marcus could feel a slight dobt roll off of her. "Alex?" "I just...I wish that him and I could be more like you and I were. I was so carefree with you, I just don't seem to have the ability to be that way with him." She sighed and walked past him, knowing he was following her, sitting down on the bench she put her face in her hands and shook her head. "He shouldn't have married me...he should have gone and found someone more like his mother..." "Alex, why are you saying that? He loves you." "But I'm not good enough for him Marcus. I'm not a gold plated woman...I don't know how to act around his parents, mostly his mother. She's so...regal. And his father-" She growled slightly. "He just wants to make my life a living hell. And than there's Demetri, he's a wonderful husband, gentle and kind. Loving to both me and the kids, but ever since he moved up to Commandant he's the 'king' of the base and than in his wonderful family you have...me." "Ali-" "I'm nothing but a foul mouthed, pushy...I was raised by my older brother who turned out to be a werewolf, and ontop of all that, I'm not even worth being with him." "What is that supposed to mean?" She could hear the edge in his voice. "You've heard the rumors, I don't even have the respect of the base...Why should I even be married to someone like Demetri? I don't deserve him." Marcus stared at her, her words shocking him, her self esteem couldn't be that low...could it? "I just...I look in the mirror and wish I knew what he saw...what you see." She took a deep, shuddering breath, her hands still covering her face.[/color][/font]

[color="#000080"]Ali felt her heart leap as he showed her his smile, shaking her head she let a small smile slip onto her own face and stretched her arms above her head not failing to notice how his eyes followed her. "I'm shocked though Marcus." He raised his eyes brows as he took another drink, his own silent way of asking why. "I never pegged you for a close combat person. I suppose you have changed alot these last three years. Last time we sparred I kicked your ass." He grunted as she sat down next to him and bumped her shoulder to his. "If I recall correctly Ali you were also pregnant and I didn't want to hurt you." She scoffed and plucked the bottle from his hand taking a deep drink, his eyes widening slightly as he saw her lick a small droplet off the rim of the bottle before handing it back to him, wiping the cool condisation from her hand onto her forehead and looked up at him smiling happily. "Thank you Marcus." "For what? You have nothing to thank me for anything." She leaned over and put her head on his shoulder, the touch making his breath catch although she didn't hear it. "For everything." "Everything like what Ali? I've done nothing-" "You've done alot. You gave me Neos, you came back. Your still here." "I didn't give you Neos Ali, Demetri did." She shook her head and sighed. "It's hard to explain. I know Demetri got me pregnant but, Neos wouldn't be who he is without you." She didn't see his face, but she could hear his heart beat speed up, reaching out she took his hand and traced the runes on his hand. "They changed. When did they do that?" He smiled and she pulled her hands back as the runes began to glow and move, she gasped as the glow decreased and she could see the pattern change yet again. "That's....wow. Marcus that's beautiful." She traced the new pattern gently now, her fingers running from the top of his hand towards his wrist where she flipped his hand over and ran her fingers along the inside of his arm, up towards his shoulder where she turned his back to her and continued to his shoulder blades. Her hands splaying over his skin as she continued to search his back. "This...this is amazing." She fianlly noticed him breathing heavily and stopped her exploration to study him. "Marcus, are you alright?" He nodded slowly, his eyes shut and not looking at her. "Marcus I mean it, what's wrong." "Nothing Ali. I'm fine. I promise." She nodded before she looked back at his skin, one finger slowly running along a rune that ran along his spine, this time she felt him shiver, his skin slowly getting hot under her hands. "Marucs, your burning up. Please, what's wrong?" He spun around on her and she gasped, his eyes gleaming down at her and she felt the emotions rolling off of him and stood quickly. "I'm sorry, I should. I should leave." He grabbed her wrist before she had a chance to even take a single step and pulled her back, his arms going around her waist as he rest his chin on the time of her head. "I'm sorry. I can't help it sometimes Ali, especailly around you." She closed her eyes and sighed, pulling away from him she looked up at him and smiled, shaking her head she put her hands on his chest and smiled, walking her fingers down his chest, his eye brows getting higher and higher the lower she got til she stopped, below his ribs. "Whoa, wait a minute Alex don't you-" She clawed at his skin, his chuckles starting soft before growing in volume, his laughter echoed through the training room now as Ali followed him on her knees as he tried to roll away from her. The whole time she tickled him mercilessly, finally grabbing her wrist he pulled her down, pinned her to the mat and growled down at her while trying to catch his breath. "That was low, even for you." She frowned though he could still hear the laughter in her voice. "You saying I'm low? How long have you thought that?" He smirked making her frown more. "Your such an ass." He chuckled and jumped as she pulled her knee between them, pressing it against his chest and shoving him back startling him, see the look on her face she burst into laughter, the sound of it bouncing off the walls and echoing for minutes before it fianlly died down. "I don't think I've ever seen you make a face like that!" He blinked a few times before frowning. "I don't remember you being able to do THAT!" "Oh come on Marcus, I've gotten more flexible, I've had to with my fighting style. Watch." Standing she moved away from him, flipping onto her hands she allowed her weight to settle before doing a split, Marcus gaping at her as she slowly moved her body forward til her feet rested on the floor again and brought her hands off slowly. She smiled down at him, his eyes wide. "That's nothing. Trust me, once I limber up, I can manage some wicked moves!" She continued to talk, showing him move after move, her eyes bright with excitment as he watched her. [/color][font="Comic Sans MS"][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"][i]I'm sorry Ali, I'll be here[/i] She woke with a start, her heart beating against her ribs almost painfully, she looked up as her door opened and Demetri stepped in. "You alright love? Your pale." "Just a nightmare I think...I'll be alright. Did Patch say I was good for work?" "Yeah, he said your good to move at anytime, why?" "I was thinking of going down to the training room for a bit, my arms and legs are tight, and I need to stretch them out so I don't get cramps." Demetri nodded and helped her from the bed leaning down to give her a deep kiss which she returned. "You want me to come along?" "No, that's alright. It's almost time for Noes' bed time. Not only that Dante and Lily have a lot of homework they might need help with." Demetri nodded, than grabbed her wrist lightly. "When you get back, we need to talk about Tank. Did you know he's going to therapy?" Ali looked back at him before nodding slowly. "Yes I did." "Why didn't you tell me Alex?!" "Stop yelling you scare Neos. I didn't say anything because your son asked me not to." "But why? He knows he can tell me anything." "Yes, he knows that. But how is he supposed to feel like that when all you ever call him any more is 'your football player'? Demetri, Dante just wants to have a normal life." "But he's not normal." "That's not the point Demetri. He didn't want to go on that last mission with us. He told me he didn't think he was ready for it. I knew for a fact he wasn't. But you wanted him to go anyway." "If you had told me even a small piece of any of this I wouldn't have made him come along with us." "I tried Demetri. Every time I tried I would get the same answer from you. 'He's 16, he's my son. He'll get through it just fine.' Or my all time favorite. 'I taught him better than that.' Fact is Demetri, we really didn't teach him anything. He was 14 when we adopted him, he might have considered us his parents before that but still. Truth is Demetri we're away from them for so many hours during the day any more...we don't even know who our kids are anymore." Demetri looked away from her, knowing she was right but not willing to admit it. "He is my son, and I will find out everything as to why he's in therapy and as to why he hasn't been putting out his full potential." Ali shook her head as he walked out the room and down the hall, no doubt to tuck Neos into bed, sighing she gathered her things and walked out the door, after the talk she had just had with her husband she didn't bother to tell him she would be back. She walked to the training room, her thoughts flitting here and there til she opened the door, hitting the security lock so it would lock after closing allowing her to have the room to her self for a while and have it quiet. Her thoughts froze as she stopped dead in her tracks. Marcus was there, on his hands on the mat, his feet held straight into the air and he did vertical push ups. Ali felt her mouth go dry, she had only seen him work out once, and that was in his own dimly lit room, in the training room it was different. She could see very well. She shook her head slightly to clear it before walking silently towards him, reaching out she sread her fingers and quickly scratched at a place below his ribs causing his body to spasm. He grunted and fell on his back, the mat slapping underneath him and he frowned searching for the culprit. He wasn't expecting to see Ali, his eyes going wide as she stared down at him. "You've gotten complacent Colonel, used to you could hear me coming no matter what." "I haven't gotten complacent, you've gotten better." She tucked her hair behind her ear and held out a hand for him, as soon as his skin touched her's the rune came to life on her wrist, the feelings making her blush. Letting go of him as he was back on his feet she walked over to her locker and quickly changed, not really caring about being modest in front of the mystic, he had already seen everything she had to offer. "So Warded Man. Lets see HOW complacnet you've gotten over 3 years." "I told you I haven't-" He grunted as she suddenly swiped his feet out from under him, his back hitting the mat again. "That was low, I was talking." "Aw...poor Marcus. You gonna cry now?" She felt her heart lighten as he smiled wickedly before flipping back to his feet and reaching to grab her wrist blinking as she was no longer there but a few feet away. Her large smile still in place. "What the matter, can't catch one little woman?" "YOU are NOT a regular woman! Your a beast in disguise." "You insult me? I think I might just die?" "You've been visiting my grandfather way to much Alex." She snorted in laughter, the noise making Marcus smile, til she rushed him. He barely had the time to block before he watched her front flip over him, before he could turn around she had her arms around his waist, her forehead pressed to his back. "I got you message...thank you." She pressed her lips to the skin of his back, allowing them to linger there for a moment, she smiled slightly as she felt him shiver. "You have no idea how much it means to me....knowing that you'll be here for me when ever I need you." She tightened her arms around him just for a second, trying to convey everything she was feeling to him at the moment through that one simple hold. To others it would look as is she were just giving the man a hug, but in her heart, she knew that a part of her still wanted it to be so much more. She tried to squash that feeling before he could feel it through her. Sighing as no matter what she did it continued to rear it's head in her mind til she didn't bother closing it off. [/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali rolled her eyes, shifting on her knees she put her hands under his head and lifted it up onto her lap, looking down at his shocked expression. "I couldn't just let your lay on the ground now could I?" "It's not uncomfortable. Besides, there's no 'ground' here." She flicked him between the eyes making his small smile return as he looked up at her. "You know what I mean...ass." He snorted slightly making her blush, she shifted her eyes away from him for a moment before looking back down at him, her hand automatically began to trace the runes on his chest again, she paushed, her fingers a hair breath from his skin as she heard him gasp. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I started do that..." She felt her breath catch as he grabbed her hand and lay her hand on his chest. "I've missed that." She closed her eyes but didn't move her hand. "Marcus...I can't do this, I chose...I chose Demetri-" He nodded slowly but noticed she still didn't move her hand. -but...I want you to stay a part of my life. I don't think I can have a full life...unless your part of it." "Ali..." "I know I shouldn't even want that, I know that Demetri should be enough but...I don't think I could live through it if you were to leave me like you did before again...I don't think I could stand losing you again. Your important to my family...your important to me." She didn't meet his gaze, only looked at her hand as it lay on his chest, her pale skin standing out on his olive skin, her thumb rubbing a small spot on his skin, it was still softer than she would have thought, she could see faint scars on his skin and instantly her fingers began to find them and run over them gently, his breath caught and she stopped. "I'm sorry." He closed his eyes, shaking his head; he opened his eyes looking back up at her and Ali looked up as an image flashed across the background making her blush, the image being him and her, right where they were; only his hand was buried in her hair and she was bent over him, her lips pressed firmly to his. "Marcus..." He looked up and closed his eyes seeming to try and will the thought away but unable to. "Forgive me." She shook her head and frowned as she heard a giggle to her left, glaring up at the old man she felt a growl bubble from her throat, Marcus copieing the noise. "Old man, what do you know that we don't?" He pointed his cane at Ali making her frown deepen as Marcus tried to sit up and let a small smile spread on his face as Ali instantly, automatically pushed him back down to rest in her lap. "Shadowthrone right?" He nodded to her, his giggle still escaping from him. "Your wondering how to get out, yet both of you are fully capable of returning to your bodies at any time. The problem is, you don't want to." Marcus frowned, but than blinked and looked up at Ali, her face flushed and her frown deep as she stared at his grandfather. "I do want to get out of here. My family needs me!" He shook his head and gave Marcus a sly look. "Try not to have to much fun boy, I do live here." With that he was gone, a swirl of shadow in his wake, Ali scoffed before looking down at Marcus with a frown. "Your grandfather is a bastard you know that?" "I can't remember how many times I've told him that to his face." Ali covered her mouth and giggled lightly, his eyes locked onto her as she looked down at him, her eyes sparkling with her laughter. "Your family, is amazing." He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Insane is more like it." "Amazing, I said what I mean. Your all amazing. Your father and grandfather are here for you when ever you need them, they help you and guide you. Even if they do get on your nerves they never stop believeing in you and being here to support you, and then there's you..." His eyes locked with her's, she didn't look away from him only met his gaze. "Your an amazing person Marcus, your strong, kind, caring...you took care of me, loved me and was willing to support me and my unborn child even if at the time we didn't know he was yours...you were loving towards me and you never let me sit and wallow in my pain back than...you put me back together again. I never really thanked you for that...I never got the chance." He was staring at her hard now, hoping she would continue but felt his hope fade as she shook her head. "I know things are messed up, but I just wanted to ask you for something...a couple of somethings actually." He raised an eyebrow at her waiting for her to continue, taking a deep breath she bent forward, her heart pounding in her ears as she closed her eyes slowly, hearing his breath catch she didn't let him say anything as she pressed her lips to his gently. His body froze instantly and she felt it, but she didn't bother going back on this now, after a few moments she heard him sigh and his lips relaxed under hers. She held the kiss for a few moments before pulling away and looking back down at him, he was breathing heavier than he had been before she had kissed him and as he opened his eyes she felt her heart tighten as she saw the lust in his eyes. "That was my first something, the last kiss I never got before you left last time, which brings me to my next something." He only nodded at her. "You stay with me...I don't ever want you to leave again...I may not be with you Marcus...but I need you with me...I've felt empty for the past 3 years, but now that your back it feels as if I'm whole again, and I don't want to lose that feeling agian. So promise me. Stay here, with me. Train your son and help me raise him. I know for a fact that he'll be a good man when he grows up, he'll have the best of Demetri, the best of me and...the best of you. If anything. Stay for him...I know I'm being selfish, but I can't watch you walk away again and stay the same...." He did nothing by stare up at her, she felt her breathing getting rapid as he simply lay there, his eyes softened and he closed them. "I'll do my best Ali." "That's not what I want to hear Marcus." "I can't promise that." Without warning she stood, his head falling back making him grunt, he looked up at her to see her looking back down at him, she blinked and he saw the tears fall from the reddish brown orbs, his heart breaking. "Ali..." She shook her head and turned her back on him, she began to walk away and slowly vanished, he could only sit and watch her go back to reality. The hospital bed was lumpy, unlike her and Demetri's bed that was soft and warm. She groaned and tried to sit up feeling a large, warm hand on her shoulder. "Take it easy love. You've been out for almost 24 hours now." She nodded slowly, her eyes opening to look up at her husbad, giving him a loving smile she cupped his cheek as he bent down and kissed her softly. "I'm glad to have you back." She nodded and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders hugging him tight. "It's good to be back." Demetri looked up at Patch. "Chip, she's awake. I'm taking her home, is that acceptable?" Patch looked at her charts and nodded. "Go ahead, get plenty of rest Alex." She nodded and leaned into Demetri as he picked her up, his nose going to her hair, she sighed as the warmth from his body seeped into her skin relaxing her. "I love you Demetri." He chuckled and she felt him smile into the top of her hair. "I love you too Alex." She tucked her chin down, closing her eyes allowing her self to relax as he carried her back to thier room.[/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali sighed, shifting closer to Marcus she lifted his shoulders off the ground and put his head on her knees as she watched him rest. Her hands moving on their own as she traced the rune's on his face. "They changed." Shadowthrone huffed slightly. "He is ever changing my dear. He never stays the same for long." She nodded slowly and grazed her finger tips over the rune that stretched across his forehead gasping as she saw into his mind, closing her eyes the image became more clear to her and she felt her heart freeze for a moment before it began to beat rapidly. She opened her eyes to see Shadowthrone smiling down at her. "I have never seen him love another as he does you." She felt her breath hitch and shook her head. "What am I supposed to do? I-I made a choice..." "You did. But did you follow your heart or your loyalty?" "I followed my heart you old fool! I love my husband and I chose him a long time ago!" "You did. But do you feel the same way about him as you do my grandson?" "Just shut up! I made my choice and I'm going to stick by it dammit!" He nodded slowly before he knelt down and caught her attention, looking her in the eye. "I see, well now that is an interesting turn of events." "What are you talking about?" "Nothing my dear, you shall see. You'll find the truth in time." She felt her eye twitch in agravation, her fingers still gliding across the mystic's skin as she tried to keep in calm, her fingers memorizing the runes on his body all on their own. "You seem very comfortable in posistion Commander Athens." "I'm concerned for him. That's all." "But why?" "Because...because I still care for him. I may have chosen Demetri but I still care for Marcus deeply. I've never been with another person like I was him...not really. Demetri and I had the beach but that was a vacation...not a home. Not really. Marcus and I...we actually LIVED together for that week...I would walk in the door and his scent would be lingering in the rooms, he would have dinner on the table waiting for me. He would massage my feet at the end of the day to take the stress off of me. He would sit behind me in the bath and wash my back, rubbing the knots from my shoulders...he was always there for me, not matter how hard his day was..." "And your husband?" "I love him deeply, more than I believe I have ever loved another person, he's my first true love and I would do anything for him. But...there are times when our relationship feels so...professional. I have to stay a certain distance from him during the day, while we're in uniform cause he doesn't want to set a bad example to the new operatives...which I understand...but there are times, when I go to him during the day, when all I want is a hug from him. Just to be held by him for a few minutes to let some form of relaxation seep into me. Being the Commander...I never wanted the job but when he got promoted to Commandant I didn't have much of a choice...Some things with Marcus were so much easier than they are with Demetri...the joking, the play fighting, Marcus would always smile at me." She snorted softly as a memory swam forward to the front of her mind. Ali stood behind the kitchen sink, her hands slick with soapy water as she did the dishes humming softly to the song floating from her radio, not hearing the door sliding open as Marcus walked in. It had been her day off and he had been the one to have to work, she had wanted to have the room clean, dinner on the table and having nothing for him to worry about when he got home, just as he had done for her so many times. The song shifted and she smiled slightly, her hips swaying as she hummed slightly louder til she finally began to sing along, her soft, sweet voice matching the pitch of the singers perfectly. Marcus shook his head as he watched her silently, his eyes taking her in, the slight widening of her hips, the little extra weight she had put on due to the baby, the vitamins Patch had given her giving her pale skin a slight glow, he used to always roll his eyes when people said that pregnant women glowed but standing there, watching her, he believed them now. He shook his head as her hips began to sway a little more and her voice grew in vloume as she began to get into the song before he cleared his throat causing her to spin around. "Marcus! How long have you been there?!" She frowned at him, a soapy sponge in one hand, a wet pot in the other. "Long enough to see some of your dance moves, very interesting." "You haven't seen anything Mr. Mystic. I can dance very well thank you." "I would like to see that one day." She shook her head snorting lightly before putting the sponge and pot back in the sink, turning fully she leaned on the sink and crossed her arms. "I don't think so. I would rather bury my head in sand than let you watch me dance." "Why is that? Afraid your not as good as you say?" She frowned more, but a smile remained on her lips letting him know that one of the many playful fights they had perticapated in was about to begin. "Oh, I can dance just fine, your the one I'd be worried about. You in those sandals of yours, I doubt you could keep up with me." He raised an eye brow than before moving forward, his posture letting her know what was coming before he was even a foot from her. "Marcus, I swear to the great gods above and below, if you try to tickle me again I'll kill you myself and than bring you back to life so I don't have to live without you." The words warmed his heart, in her own words she had just told him she couldn't live without him, he stalked forward and grunted, his eyes shutting as a jet of water hit him in the face. He blinked his eyes open to see her holding one hand over her mouth to cover her smile as the other held the hose to the kitchen sink, water dripping from it. "I didn't think it would reach that far..." He growled playfully and leaped over the kitchen island, her squeal echoing throughout the room as she ran, her barefeet slapping against the tile before going silent on the carpet, she skidded and slammed into the wall laughing breathlessly as she felt his strong arm wrap around her waist and pull her back. He pulled her to the floor and pinned her beneath him, his face still dripping slightly. "You'll pay for that Talon." "Oooo...I'm SO scared. DEMOS." He frowned before bending forward and planting a kiss to her neck, behing the lobe of her ear and smiled as she melted in his arms, a sigh escapeing her instantly at the feel of his lips. "SO not far Marcus, you know my weakness." Her fingers slipped into the band of his pants, brushing his stomach and she smiled as he growled in her ear but shivered, the vibration and noise causing her blood to begin to boil pleasantly. Without warning he scooped her from the floor and took her into the bedroom shutting the door behind them, dinner forgotten. Ali came back from the memory, tears slowly slipping from her eyes, Shadowthrone speechless since the memory had played against the background of the shadow realm allowing the old man to see everything she was remembering. He cleared his throat before speaking, his voice craking slightly with emotion. "I-I don't believe I have ever seen that side of him before....even with his first he was never that open..." Ali nodded, her heart begining to break again. This was not what she wanted happening, she wanted to be with Demetri, whole heartedly. But being in this place, where she could filter through her memories with no worry of her husband reading her thoughts, or seeing the looks on her face...she could admit to her self that deep down she was still torn. A piece of her heart still belonging to the man she was looking down at now. "This isn't fair! I was so sure! I had made my choice...I want to be with Demetri...I'm Demetri's wife and I love him." Shadowthrone nodding slowly. "I understand dear. But...your heart can not fully let go of my grandson yet can it?" "I gave my heart to Demetri, a long time ago. I won't take it back from him....but...Marcus will always hold a special place in this world to me. I may not be able to be with him...but I don't think I could deal with losing him again. Not like before, I don't think I could live if he did that to me again." Shadowthrone nodded, a slight smile on his lips, he was satisfied with that answer, he spoke up after a few more moments. "He needs to wake up soon...you both need to get out of here. Only problem, he's the only one able to break you from what ever holds you." "What exactly is keeping me from waking up?" "A deadly power my dear. One I didn't think still roamed this earth. You could actually break that hold now if you wish." Ali's head snapped up to the old man, fury in her eyes. "What?! Why didn't you tell me this sooner?!" "The key had not yet arrived, but now that you hold the key, it will be easy. That I think it will unlock the both of you from whatever shadows have crawled into your hearts." "What the HELL are you talking about you old fraude!?" Shadowthrone perked his lips up as if to kiss the air and Ali felt her eyes go wide. "I can't do that! I let him go, if I did that I would-" "Break the walls around his heart agian? Allow him to feel your warmth? Activate the runes on his body expelling the darkness that is trying to consume you? Oh, that certainly is a deal breaker. I wouldn't go through with it either." She growled at the old man before looking down at Marcus, his face now peaceful as her continued to trace the runes on his chest now, her hands having moved on their own, as if they had missed this path, this passtime having been one of their favorites at night while the rest of her body lay still next to the man. Taking a deep breath she bent over him, nervous, for so many reasons but she closed her eyes and brushed her lips against his slowly, feeling a small spark from his skin to her's. Shadowthrone nodded. "It's working. Good." She swallowed thickly before pressing her lips to his fully, his runes coming to life and clearing the area around them completely, Shadowthrone waving as the swirling shadows shifted and a bright world of light suddenly surrounded them, Ali closed her eyes as her heart jumped, his thoughts of her flowing freely into her mind as her own thoughts flowed into his, the memory she had recalled being thrown at him with every emotion behind it was well as she recalled what she had felt for the man that night. She could feel his skin began to take on more heat as the runes on his skin began to burn brighter and brighter before they suddenly went silent and died down. Shadowthrone now back beside them as the shadows began to swirl around again. Ali released his lips, she was panting and her hands shook. "He took an amazing amount of energy from you my dear. I would stay here for a while, allow your self to rest while your actual body fights the infection. You'll heal nicly now that his powers have purified the would." She nodded, not taking her eyes off of Marcus, concern clear on her face, his thoughts had been so dark and she felt her heart break anew for the man, a small smile gracing her lips as she saw his eyes begin to flutter open. "Marcus?" Her fingers slowly began to continue the comforting trail along his skin on their own, not quite ready to be seperated from the marks that graced his deep olive tanned skin. [/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali winced as Jason shifted her, she elbowed him making him grunt. "Stop moving me dog brain." She looked past his arm to watch her husband and ex lover face off agains the man, he scared her, his thoughts were dark and worse Ali could see his intentions of not letting them live through this fight. "Jason, you have to help them, something is seriously off about this man." "Other than the fact he looks like an uru-kai from Lord of the Rings?" "I'm serious Jason!" He nodded, setting her down gently, but she still yelped as her broken ankel shifted, closing her eyes in pain; the noise seemed to spur Demetri and Marcus' anger. She reached out with her powers, trying to calm them, trying to keep the rage from hazing their vision, trying to keep their minds free of the rage clouding their judgment but her influance seemed to have little to no succsess. She winced more as suddenly the three powers clashed, sending a shockwave through the room, Ali being thrown back and slamming against the wall. She screamed as her already bruised back radiating with pain. It was than that she felt the rush of wind, heard the sparks of lightning; looking up she could see the small cyclone begin to surround Demetri. "No! Stop Demetri! You'll kill us all!" Her husband didn't seem to hear her as her screams of pain spurring on his anger, she closed her eyes as the wind began to pick up and tried to reach him with her powers, nothing reached the giant, or Marcus. Ali tried harder, her powers reaching their limits as she pushed against thier rage barriers, blood begining to seep from her nose as she stessed her self harder and harder. She pulled her powers back, the feeling of it snapping back like a stretched rubber band and she flinched at the whiplash. Looking up she saw Tank watching his father, trying to find a way to settle the giant man but nothing coming to his mind. "Mom, what do we do?" "I-I don't know!" The room suddenly went silent, a swirl of black filling the room, Ali gasped as she recgonized the sight of it, 3 large forms coming from the mist along with another that she knew instantly. "Cloak?!" The forms begining to take shape, Commander Pheniox, Cloak, Shield and Steel all standin around the room, Sheild instantly putting a barrier around Demetri and Marcus. "Cloak, get them out now!" Cloak nodded silently and surrounded the Alpha Team with his cloak, taking them almost instantly back to the base, Demetri and Marcus blinking as the rage vanished from their minds, both looking at each other and than back at Ali as she finally collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily, her blood seeping from her skin to pool on the floor. Both men were at her side quickly, Marcus giving way as Demetri lifted her off the floor, Ali yelping as the movement jarred her injuries. Demetri hurriedly carried her to the med ward, Marcus carrieing Sasa not far behind as the rest of the team shuffled behind them. Patche looked up as he finished getting a bed ready, almost as if expecting them. "I thought you guys would show up here. Steel said they were going for you. I think Shield found something out about the enemy." Demetri nodded as he lay Ali down on the bed, her blood almost instantly soaking the white sheets, Patch's eyes turned wide as he saw the extent of her injuries. "Holy gods. Broken ankle, fractured wrist, lacerations all over her body, and a clean hole through her shoulder...it's a miracle she's even still breathing! Marcus, Touch can get Sasa, she's not in that much danger but I need you and Demetri to hold down Ali, she has something inbedded in her shoulder." The men nodded and held the woman as Patch grabbed a small pair of clamps and dug into her shoulder, she screamed and threw her upper body forward, shocking both men with her strength as she jarred the both of them. Demetri grunted and held her down more firmly, taking over for Marcus' side as well. "Get her legs, if she kicks Patch he'll be down for the count. Trust me on this, she's kicked me plenty of time during sparring, her punches are nothing compared to her kicks." Marcus nodded before moving to the foot of the bed and grabbing hold of her shins to hold her still, he grunted as she pulled her right leg forward, his feet sliding on the floor as she pulled him forward with the motion. "You weren't kidding!" Demetri nodded and smirked as Marcus was lifted slightly off the floor as she brought her leg off the table, Demetri put his forehead against Ali's. "Love, you have to stop, Patch is trying to help you." Ali thrashed as Patch tried he best to retrieve the small shard of the Nightwalkers claw from her flesh, after several pain staking minutes he fianlly pulled the shard from her shoulder, the sound of tearing flesh, and the smell of blood making the three men wince slightly as she settled down slightly, her breathing evening out but Patch frowned as he looked at the wound. "I don't like the looks of that..." Demetri and Marcus looked at the wound on her shoulder, seeing small vines of black spreading from it, Patch held his hand over the wound and pulled back at black sparks flashed from her skin, Demetri looked up at him. "What's going on?" Patch shook his head. "I don't know. She'll have to stay here for the night so I can keep an eye on her. Something isn't right with this wound." Demetri looked at his wife, his face contorted in pain, he looked over his shoulder as the med ward door opened and Sheild walked in. "Demetri, I need to see you in my office. Now." The giant nodded and squeezed Ali's hand before leaving and following his father, Ali's forehead breaking out in a sweat as she began to have an internal battle within her own mind. Ali looked around, the area familiar and she cursed. "What the hell am I doing back here again?" The shadowrealm shifted with her emotions and she crossed her arms looking to her right as Shadowthrone appeared. "Came back for more did you?" She flipped him off quickly. "Why am I back here?" "I have no earthly clue my dear, why are you here? Are you really even here?" She frowned and sat down heavily. "What's going on?" Shadowthrone shook his head and tapped his cane on the floor of the realm a few times as he seemed to be thinking. "Oh! You must be dead! Welcome to the club! Now us old me won't be so lonely!" Ali frowned more as she growled at the old man. "I'm serious, what am I doing here?" "Your son and Marcus have left an impression on you my dear, it seems that whenever your mind is in danger, it retreats here, where it's safe." She threw her hands up and huffed. "Just great! How the hell am I getting out this time?!" Shadowthrone shrugged. "You can't your stuck with us. I'm sure we can find someway of passin the time?" "Forget it perv!" She closed her eyes as she relaxed, waiting for something to allow her to get out and go back to her real life.[/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali sat down, leaning on Demetri as she took deep breaths trying to get her thoughts together. "We have to get out of here and find the others...I have to find Dante..." Demetri wrapped his arm around her as she tucked her knees to her chest and felt the tears roll down her cheeks. "I told you Ali, he won't-" "No, I told him that I would never let anything happen to him. I told him that I would protect him from anything that would hurt him." Demetri looked down at her with a slight frown. "When did you do that?" "About a year ago...when he got back from the training mission with Steel." Demetri's eyes truned wide. "That was the training mission that he had the break down." She nodded, her tears coming faster now when suddenly Jason stood up growling loudly, Luwien looking around as well. "They're gonna break through soon." Ali stood up and looked around, Marcus and Pocket standing as well as the few that were still left. Ali looked up at Demetri, his eyes met her's before going wide, frowning she tried to look around, but felt as if she were sinking. "What's going-" Her voice died in her throat as she felt the ground giving out beneath her. "D-Demetri? Marcus? What's going on?" Her vision began to turn black and gasped as she felt hands grab her ankles as she sank lower and lower into the floor, Marcus' runes flickering before dieing out. "Help me!" She winced as a staff smacked her knuckles breaking the skin, but she didn't mind, she had a salvation. Grabbing the staff she heard the low grunting and realized it was Mist and Luwien. "Hold on Alex! We'll get you out of there!" She nodded to Mist but felt panic rise in her chest as Demetri, Marcus, Pocket and Jason all grabbed the staff as well, their feet slipping on the concreate floor as she was pulled down into the darkness. Seeing that simple fact she shook her head and smiled up at them, her smile wicked and remorseful at the same time. "Find us. Get us out of here or I'll swear to the gods I'll kick each and every one of you back to training." Her eyes met Demetri's before they met Marcus', her smile turning sad for a flash of a moment before she vanished into the floor. She gasped as she landed on the basement floor, her ankle cracking under the pressure and buckleing under her weight; she grit her teeth to keep from screaming in pain and looked around with tears in her eyes. "Mom?!" She raised herself on her hands and knees and crawled towards the voice. "Dante? Baby is that you?!" She felt his large, warm hand wrap around her wrist, the room to dark to see anything, he pulled her close and she wrapped her arms around him as he burined his face in her shoulder and shook. "Mom, what's going on?" "I don't know sweetheart. Your father and Uncles will get us out of here. I know it." She could feel him shivering, his large frame shaking with his fear. "I knew I shouldn't have let you come on this mission...I knew your father was being to hasty." "I-I'm fine mom..." "No, your not. Your not fine, you never should have come here. Are any of the others here?" "I-I don't know. It's so quiet, so dark..." "It'll be alright honey. We'll get out of here." She put her hand on his shoulder and tried to stand but yelped and dropped to her knees as her ankle gave out on her. "Dammit!" "Mom, are you alright?!" "I'm fine. Don't worry about me." She instantly began to reach out with her powers, she could see in her mind the small dots of light from the others, two in particular being very bright and she knew automatically that they were Demetri and Marcus. She reached out with her powers to the both of them and smiled as they seemed to reach them, all of the lights shifting here and there as she cried out to them silently. Keeping her powers stretched out towards them she put her hand on Tank's back trying to keep him calm, that was until she screamed, a black calw puncturing through the back of her right shoulder blade. Not bothering to bite the scream short she let go of Tank as the claw pulled her away from her son. "Mom!" She was pulled through yet another black puddle and landed in another room, dim lights glowing here and there as she looked around gasping as she caught sight of a tall man. His skin was black as night, but his hair was whiter than snow, his eyes void of all emotion and the only thing she could feel was revenge. He bent down to look at her, his yellow pointed teeth gleaming in the dim light. "So, you are the one he craves? I can see why." She shivered, his voice was deep, gravely and no louder than a whisper. "W-what do you want?" "I have eleminated 4 of the 12 that subdued me, and now I have caught yet another with the very weakness he tried to cut him self away from, but let us see if he can find you before I kill you." She shuddered and bit back a scream as his claw like nail slipped down her arm, leaving a gash in it's wake, he smiled a wicked, emotionless smile down at her and than shaped his hand into a claw and drove it into her leg, this time she did scream, tears erupting in her eyes and her scream echoing through out the small, dark room. [/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali huffed through her mouth, her lungs burning as she tried to catche her breath; these beasts were fast, faster than she had given them credit for and she was paying the price for underesimating them. She blocked a blow and winced as the claws caught her skin, tearing it and dotting the snow with her blood even more, she could see their black blood on the snow as well telling her that they had indeed made a few wounds on the creatures but it seemed that no matter how hard they fought, the Nightwalkers kept coming back for more, almost as if multiplying. She looked over her shoulder as she felt Marcus stumble. "Stay on your feel Marcus, if you go down so do I and to be honest, I really do not feel like dieing here tonight! It's to damn cold!" "If you had worn warmer clothes besides a tank top and a trench coat it wouldn't be so bad." "I didn't know we were coming to Russia! For the love of the gods, this is no time to be bickering. What the hell are we supposed to do anyway? How many of these things are there?" "It's hard to tell. They move to quickly to count them." "Really? I hadn't noticed!" She could feel her aggravation begin to build, it was as if she had just met the man, his words void of emotion really, and his voice sounded cold, and lost; she was tempted to reach back and take his hand to reassure him that she was still there for him. She yelped as she was hit, hard, from the left, the blow sending her sprawling into the snow. "Alex!" "I'm fine, concentrate on staying alive, we need to get back to the others! I need to check on Tank!" Marcus nodded and stood over her as she tried to get back on her feet, standing she reached back and grabbed him by the sash of his robe and drug him away from the nightwalkers. She ran as hard as she could and tripped, falling forward she winced as her hands hit the rocky side of the cliff, stiffening as she felt Marcus slam in to her from behind, she felt her heart leap as his strong arm wrapped around her waist to keep them both upright, his breath washing across the skin of her neck, the feeling of it making her shiver and her breath catch in her throat. "M-Marcus...are you alright?" He nodded, his nose brushing against her neck slowly, pushing away from the cliff she turned slowly in his arms and stared up at him, seeing the blood seep from his lip she reached up and wiped it from the corner of his lip slowly, leaning in closer to inspect the wound. "Looks like you split it pretty well...We have to get out of here." He nodded again, his eyes never leaving her's, she looked away from him and walked past him, watching her sides as they walked slowly, finding a winding way back up to the top of the cliff. She caught sight of the others fighting off the last few Nightwalkers, Demetri strode towards her and wrapped his arms around her tightly, she sighed and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She inhaled his scent and felt her body relax. He looked over her head at the others and nodded. "Mist, see if you can find us some shelter for the night, we're blind out here." The young man next to Mist, the man's nephew spoke up, his blind eyes seemingly to look over the group. "There is an abandoned base not far from here. I've heard about it a few times." The all nodded and began to make their way in the direction Luwien told them about, Ali's mind filtering through her reaction to Marcus down in the gorge. She made sure to keep her thoughts gaurded and to herself as she rested on Demetri's back again as he carried her through the snow, she could feel his ease and contentment to have her close to him again seeping through her. Closing her eyes she let her mind wander, unknowingly allowing her thoughts to drift to the very man she was thinking about. The way his arm had felt around her waist, the heat of his breath on her skin, the leap of her heart and hitch in her breathing...the warmth of his skin under her hand and the look of fire igniting in his eyes as she had slowly wiped the blood from his lip. She squeezed her eyes shut more as she his words cut through her mind like a blade. [i]'...I will stay away from you....'[/i] She knew the pain those words caused her shouldn't be there...but it was, even if she had chosen Demetri, she still wanted to be near the mystic...to hear his voice and see his smile that was just for her, the one that made her heart race. Taking a deep breath she released it as they found the base, heading inside out of the cold. Sasa looked at the power grid and shook her head. "We have only a few hours of power. After that we're in the dark." Demetri nodded as he sat Ali down, she listened carefully as she feigned sleep, still sifting through her thoughts, still trying to make the sharp pain in her heart lessen with no sucsess.[/color][/font]

[font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#000080"]Ali tried her best to keep her mind clear, tried to keep the scream and screechs from echoing through her head but she still wasn't able to control her new found level and as she reached Tank she felt something else, pain and a dread that sent her falling to her knees in the snow. Looking over her shoulder she shook her head and looked up at Demetri. "Help him, I have to go and help Marcus!" Demetri nodded and helped Tank to his feet as the others protected them as they moved back into a small patch of light created by a flare Pocket had thrown down from her mind, running past it Ali pushed her self through the snow til she saw him, blood already gracing his skin and she felt her heart falter. Even if she had chosen Demetri, it didn't mean she wanted to lose him completely from her life, to never see his face again, to never see the smile that he reserved just for her, or see Neos run to him and embrace him. She didn't want to live with out those things, even if she couldn't be with him he was still importatnt in her life. Tucking her shoulder down she threw her weight forward and slammed her shoulder into the toso of one of the beasts sending it sideways into another and causing them to tumble to the side. She stood and righted herself putting her back to Marcus'. He stiffened instantly and she felt the cold void of his mind. "I don't care what you think Marcus Demos, I'm not letting you die!" She kicked upwards, sending snow into the air as one of the Nightwalkers charged at her, her toe connecting with what she would guess to be the chin, the steel toe of her boot keeping the shock from travling up her leg and shifting her balance, she reached up and wrapped her hands around the back of the monsters head and pulled downward violently striking the creatur in the face with her knee. She screamed out as one of the bests claws caught her on the arm, she checked just to be sure it was still there, the blood pouring down her arm, it dripped from her fingers to blend with the red snow but she could see the black spots of blood on the snow knowing that they were making some damage to the beasts. Standing up she planted her back firmly against Marcus' and pulled out her pistol firing off a few shots before she brought her fist up and caught one across the face, it growled, whirled around and bit down savagly into her forearm. "Dammit!" Bringing her pistol down inbetween it's eyes and pulled her arm back, seeing her blood run from the deep wound she shook her head and planted her feet, her powers stretching out around her, feeling everything, everyone...everyone but Marcus, his emotions noting but an empty void. She could almost see small sparks of light from each and every one of the members, all but him. She pushed her back against him, his feet shifting forward, they were shifting further and further from the group and Ali keeping the small bubble of her powers out around her when she felt Marcus slip behing her, she spun around quickly and grabbed his hand as the darkness enable him to misstep and plant his foot on a weak snow bank that gave out underneath him. Looking over her shoulder she pulled her fist back and slammed it into the face of another Nightstalker before trying to find the others, the flare from Pocket flickered in the distance, she hadn't realized they had gotten that far away. She felt his weight lighten as he was able to get a foot hold and begin to climb back up, her chest lightened some as he was out of danger of falling but she stood up and crossed her arms over her face blocking a solid hit from one of the Nightwalkers, the blow so powerful it knocked her backwards and over the edge that Marcus had just fallen over, her arms flailing as she tried to get a hold of something til she felt a hand tighten around her wrist, she didn't need to look up to know who it was. She looked up to see Marcus leaning over, holding onto a tree root and trying to pull her back up as the Nightwalkers drew closer. "Let me go Marcus! If you don't you'll be killed!" He didn't answer her only tried to pull her up more the monsters getting closer and closer, she spread her fingers out, releasing her grip on Marcus' wrist and feeling her hand slipping from his grip. "Just let me go! God dammit Marcus please!" He said nothing, but still tried to hold her wrist tight, Ali closed her eyes and shifted her weight allowing for it to settle mostly from her wrist, she could feel the sweat on his hands taking it's tole and looked up at him, his eyes met her's and she gave him a small smile, the same smile that she had always saved just for him and twisted her wrist one last time feeling his grip slip. She felt the wind rushing past her as she fell, the snow at the bottom cushioning her blow as her head whipped back, her neck cracking painfully as stars erupted behind her eyes.[/color][/font]