A Bird and a Guardian (closed for Mayu)

Darcy had expected her to turn and head outside, leaving they three (the two men and the bird) to 'sort' things out. What he hadn't expected was what came next. He watched Eden simply look at Mason, who looked back at her curiously. Darcy started to insist she leave, but then stopped himself. Technically, he didn't say exactly *when* she was supposed to go outside...

"There is life after death, and a curse upon your head. Death is never the end only the begging and by the time Darcy deals with you. You will be begging for your life, a life which was taken from my best friend's. Your boss will be meeting you shortly for as long as there is breath in my lungs, every one of you will be dealt with" The dark haired woman, still Darcy's best friend (and more), turned away for a moment, but then looked back, apparently coming to a decision.

He almost spoke up again, but something in her stride stopped him as she walked up to Mason and slapped him right in the face. Any response on his part was blunted by the feel of Darcy's gun in the back of his head. He watched as she placed her hand on his heart, oblivious as to her next action. The fury in her eyes had made him wonder...

To say nothing of the sound of her voice when it left her mouth. It sounded like there was several of her here with them, all speaking in unison, but in different chords. Her words resonated as they came out, intended for the dead man in the room. "By sun's dying flame, and hades wicked might. I peer into the darkness, to take hold of the light." Eden's eyelids fluttered open and glamed with a bit of power, an unsettling smile appearing as her voice gradually dropped. "The killer's heart by love redeemed, in satan's claw like ruby gleamed." With that, she left, the sound of her shoes hitting the floor being the only things audible before the door clicked closed.

Darcy smirked behind him, grabbing his collar to turn Mason around, to look into his fearful eyes. "You thought that was scary...." Even in the dim light of the back, he could see the shock on Mason's face. "Ever seen a dead guy come back to life before?" Darcy's voice did not carry the power that Eden's had...but the menace in it was sure enough.

Mason all but flopped uselessly in a chair. As far as he was concerned, he'd all but faced down a witch and a corpse, and it was the corpse that spoke to him now, glaring at him as he held the gun casually at his side.

"Where's Lindsey hanging out these days?" The cock of the gun was unnecessary, but Darcy still enjoyed it anyways.

"He...he'll kill me if I tell you that." Mason looked back fearfully at him. "Come to think of it..how do I know you won't kill me?"

The black eyes of the crow did not reassure him. "I need you to send a message to him, Mason...."

*****

It was about fifteen minutes - with no audible noises from the store - before the crow preceded Darcy into the vehicle, as he slid into the passenger seat. "Drive." He said calmly, and a little unsettlingly, waiting for Eden to start the vehicle and pull away before he spoke again.

"I didn't kill him." Darcy shook his head, letting a moment passed. A rumble sounded behind them, and he didn't even look back at the sight of it; the store they'd just been in bursting up into a fireball. One with a familiar pattern burning on the floor in the back room. One that Eden would have appreciated. "That explosion probably just did, though."

Unless he'd managed to break out of the knots he'd bound him in...Darcy looked back at Eden now, and for the first time she would see how far he was willing to go to bring his justice...the crow's justice...for his lost wife.
 
Eden had no idea what got into her with what she said, but it did not surprise her in any way. It was to the point where things just seemed to fall together, she began to remember what she had long forgot. Things her mother told her about where she came from, the clan that disowned her mother but did not disown her at her birth. She had a bad feeling something was going to happen. She knew however only time would be able to tell.

She did not realize what was going on until she heard the door close, looking at Darcy she nodded to both him and the bird. She turned on the ignition and pulled away, she heard what he said and nodded a bit. But then she heard an explosion and looked in the rear view mirror. She was surprised by what she had seen, her stormy eyes looked forward. But she sensed something was very wrong, she took his seat belt and yanked it to make it tighter but not to tight.

"Hang On you two" Was all she said.

Eden put on the breaks and began to shift gears, in the back a black car could be seen and it was easy to tell who ever was in that car behind them. Meant to kill her, they must have tracked her some how. Thankfully the streets did not have much going on, so she was able to weave in and out of traffic with much skill. Her father had no idea she could do something like this. Shifting gears in her car she did what she had to do.

Speeding quickly she was able to do so much, her heart beating as everything just seemed like it was spiraling out of control. Her eyes scanned every inch ahead of her, making sure not to crash and kill Darcy the crow and herself. Though it was a tad hard to do that, her heart beating and right now it was fast. Soon she went down an alley way. It did not look like the car would fit, and how she drove it was really amazing to see.

"Darcy while I was waiting for you two I began to think back about what my mother said, it had been when I was three years old. My mother told me that I most likely would be more gifted then most normal girls. She told me that my grandfather was a shaman to her people. They promised my mother that I would not be labeled a traitor because I did not ask to be born. That is why I get vision, I have the eyes of a shaman which are highly respected" She said simply.

She heard a crash behind them and chuckled a bit, she knew her small car would come in handy. And indeed it had, right now she was able to slow down and pulling into a hiding place. She put the car in park and turned the car off, her hands shaking a bit and even panting a little bit. She had never dealt with anything like that in her life, and she slowly looked over at Darcy and the bird thankful both were okay and she sighed again.
 
"Hang On you two."

Darcy didn't think that the explosion had been that dangerous, until he felt the car buck a bit, and then zoom. He looked back, and then saw the reason for Eden's panic. They were being followed. Or, more to the point, that Mason had had a body guard. Darcy momentarily cursed himself for his stupidity, and briefly considered pulling out his weapon, before two thoughts entered his head. One, that he really didn't want to get into a gunfight on the streets, especially in broad daylight. Two, that while he was more...experienced in situations like this then he cared to admit, that firing shots between moving cars probably didn't work out as cleanly and nicely as it did on television.

Still, he kept his eyes back as Eden sped away, eventually getting enough distance to turn down an alley way. "Are you out of your-" he started, before seeing her small, sleek car somehow squeeze in. His head darted back and forth. He could feel his longer hair swing around as he listened to her.

Holy crap. She can drive AND talk at the same time? While getting away from bad guys?

"Darcy while I was waiting for you two I began to think back about what my mother said, it had been when I was three years old. My mother told me that I most likely would be more gifted then most normal girls. She told me that my grandfather was a shaman to her people. They promised my mother that I would not be labeled a traitor because I did not ask to be born. That is why I get vision, I have the eyes of a shaman which are highly respected."

"Turns out there's a *ton* about you I don't know..."
He looked at her as if looking at her for the first time, before he heard their pursuing vehicle crash behind them. A quick glance behind, then back at Eden. She pulled the vehicle further down the alley, then back onto the street before she pulled into another alleyway further down, slowly calming herself. Even as the adrenaline wore off after their brief chase, he looked over at her again, feeling more then a bit of admiration for what his best friend had done.

And not just driving the car. In the store, when she'd 'spoken' to Mason...Darcy took a moment to exhale, waiting until Eden looked at him, seeing her eyes. She was a lot stronger then he thought she was...and a hell of a lot more enticing to him. The fact she was so strong, so powerful in a different way then he was now... He shook his head, fighting off the haze. "Mason gave me a lot of useful information...but only two pertinent pieces for us for now." Darcy paused, trying to process and remember everything he'd heard. "Lindsey's made quite a name for himself...apparently offing me has gotten him into the boss's good graces. So it won't be as easy as simply walking right in, like we did with Mason."

"But he did tell me that Lindsey isn't just in good graces with the gang." He looked at Eden knowingly. "His influence spreads into certain other organizations as well...including the police." A knowing smirk hit Darcy's face. "Not with your father, though. So I think we should try to set them against each other..." Another moment. "And I think I know just the way to start."
 
In the world that it is now there was so much wrong with it, which was why every place needed watchful eyes. Eden had lived here all her life, she hated the city only thing that made it worth staying was Darcy and his wife. And without that she had no ties to the city any more, she did not even know her father any more. She had not known the man for seven years. She had a feeling that perhaps he was up to something, and right now that scared her.

But she could tell he was shocked at her skills, when she needed certain skills she would show them off. But only when there was no other way, and that was something she stuck by. Never show off what one can do, for the enemy could gather information on it and kill you. Which was part of the reason she was never up front with her father, she refused to be. The man had blood on his hands that much she felt, and knew point blank.

Having no idea however what to think she looked over at the crow, seeing he was okay. And her eyes going back to Darcy, she gave him a sweet smile as right now things were doing good. Her heart was beating normally now that the moment of the chase had truly ended. Felt good to see what one could do when a gun put to your head so to speak. And she could do much, Eden was no push over that much she knew for a fact.

Getting out of her car she had to stretch her legs, and thinking he was right. She did not know much about herself either, she was five when her mother was killed. And so she did not have a mother to go to, someone to help her through all this shit. But she had to rely on memories of what her mother told her when she was small, but that kind of thing was hard. Though she still had dreams about her mother, she still felt really lost.

Leaning against her car as she looked down to the ground "Well that makes two of us Darcy, my mother died when I was five years old. For some reason a memory from that time came out. I do not know how or why, but I hope to know a lot more then what I do now. I find it hard to believe my father doesn't have ties that run as deep and dark as the crime families. But I guess only time will tell, but question is where to next Darcy?"
 
"Well that makes two of us Darcy, my mother died when I was five years old. For some reason a memory from that time came out. I do not know how or why, but I hope to know a lot more then what I do now. I find it hard to believe my father doesn't have ties that run as deep and dark as the crime families. But I guess only time will tell, but question is where to next Darcy?"

Darcy started to speak up, and then frowned, looking back at Eden. "As much as I'd like to think we could solve this in a day..." He looked back towards where they'd just driven away from danger, shivering at the thought that they'd been found out so easily. "...I think we might need to scale back a bit. Not rush right into everything. They might've had someone waiting for us, or maybe come to Mason's right after they saw you, but we still have to be careful. They don't know about your cabin...." He hesitated as to not add the word 'yet' "...but I'm guessing your Dad knows your car's license number. Which means..." He smiled at her. "We need to change it."

It being the car or license number.

"I know a guy who'll help us disguise your car. Come on." He motioned into the vehicle, and soon they drove off.
 
Eden was leaning against her car arms folded it was rather interesting to be able to take every moment, sighing a little her dad would hunt her down that much she knew there was no guessing on that. Her stormy eyes looked around feeling like people were watching, she was vigilant but sometimes it wasn't enough. Her eyes scanning more and then heard what he said, nodding a little she got into her car and drove the way he told her to. Leave it to Darcy to know people that could do things like that.

"Dad will hunt me down which is why I can't use any of my credit cards, can't use my cell phone. Good thing I have a throw away cell and some money hidden away in this car. Dad will do what he has to, I am more like an object then a daughter to him.Though perhaps in the long run I will end up seeing what happened to my father, what he is involved in and why it changed him so much" She pulled over where he told her to. Looking at him she smiled with such a happy look on her face.
 
Darcy half frowned, even as his eyes showed he was clearly joking. "I'd call you paranoid, but...." He shook his head. "It looks like you're right to keep some things hidden from your father." Cops were smart, though, even corrupt ones. Or especially corrupt ones. That was how they stayed ahead. It saddened him greatly that Eden even had to take precautions from her own father. His thoughts briefly went to his parents, and he just as quickly forced them away. What they'd think of him now. Of the life he'd chosen, or maybe about him being-

"Come on." He said to her as they pulled into a lot next to an unmarked garage, noticing the smile on her face. Darcy was fully aware so much of it was due to him being there, to him showing her love that she'd never received before. That saddened him too, of wondering how nobody else could see what he saw in this beautiful person. Of why it had taken the death of his beloved for him to see more then just his best friend, his trusted confidante...someone who knew things about him nobody ever did.

Without knowing it, Eden would be doing something else for him, too, but he didn't want to burden her with that yet. And he wasn't entirely sure if she could help him....

Inside the decrepit building, he saw the person he was looking for, a wide grin splitting his face. "Mady." That was his last name, but it came to Darcy's lips quicker. as that was what he had always called the man. A white man with a busy moustache, grease stained overalls and a rather...'bold' afro of black curls on his head, he embraced him in a brotherly hug.

"Darcy!" He took a quick look at Darcy's 'altered' face, and winced. "Strange getup. Though you were dead, man. Word on the street is..."

"Don't believe everything you hear." He slapped his friend on the shoulder, giving him the closest thing he could to a serious look. "Although I'd appreciate it if the 'word' stayed that way..."

"My lips are sealed, bro."

"Anyways..." Darcy motioned to Eden. "This is Eden. She's a friend of mine. We're using her car but we want to change the plate on it and get it repainted so it's harder to spot."

"No problem. Just pull it in here and we'll take care of it." Mady gave him a serious look. "It'll take a few hours, but it'll be on the house." They exchanged glances again. "For all the times you bailed me out."

"Awesome. Eden, go pull the car in here...." As she went away, Mady looked at him seriously.

"Friend? That girl's got a fine ass on her..."

As close to a glare as Darcy had ever gotten escaped him, but Mady persisted.

"Don't tell me that. You're a married man who's after another girl. I saw the way you looked at her...what would Nadine think?"

A surge of sorrow swept through him, and with gritted teeth he responded. "She's dead, Mady."

"Shit, man....I heard that, but I figured when you were still alive..." Mady saw Darcy fight to keep his tears in check, and lowered his voice. "...I hope you get the fuckers who did it."

"That's what this is about." said Darcy quietly, watching the garage door open and Eden pulling the car inside.
 
Eden listened to everything he had to say, on the way to the garage she had no idea what was to come of this. Once pulled in she got out and saw the guy, placing a hand on her hip as she was curious who he was. But hearing the name Mady she smiled a bit since she remembered Darcy talking about him a few times. It seemed nice to have friends all over, it did not hurt that was for damn sure. Course now that Nadine was dead and Darcy once he went back, she honestly would have no one left.

But she nodded and headed out to get her car, but heard Mady saying she had a nice ass. Though she did not show she knew what he said, she wouldn't go that far. She pulled her car in, waiting outside the doors. And the minute they opened up she pulled her car in, and shut the car off leaving the keys in the car. Getting out she did not say anything, there was no point to. She didn't know Mady and she found it hard to trust people, she just hoped Mady would stay true to Darcy in the end.

Life sucked that was for damn sure, and right now she could not stand any more shit. Betrayal was everything she hated. Her eyes to the ground as she rubbed the back of her neck, she just hoped this would work. Her father being the dick that he was, would shake everyone down. And hoped her father wouldn't come looking for her here. Though she was pretty sure that her dad didn't know him. Her stormy eyes looked up as everything just seemed to be rather nice, and quite here.

"Thanks for helping us, let's just hope this works" Eden said simply and smiled a little, tilting her head a bit as she noticed the crow flapping around. Curious what his take was in this, and it was nice to wonder that. Her heart beating quickly as it seemed nice, it seemed different. Sticking her hands in her pockets as she walked off a little. Thinking of a million different things, looking out of the window she just hoped this was a good idea. She didn't want Mady to get killed because of her, she would die first.
 
"Thanks for helping us, let's just hope this works."

A quick salute, and a nod, as Mady went to work on her car. Darcy discreetly grabbed the keys; while he trusted Mady, the same couldn't be said for everyone in his shop. It would pay to exercise some discretion here. Everywhere, really. He was supposed to be dead, and Eden had far too many parties who wanted her, if not dead, then at least restricted in what she could do. To serve interests other then her own. As Darcy walked back towards her, he wondered what exactly her father's interest were, if they happened to be anything coherent or lucid. He let his face fall into a bit of a smile as he saw the crow hovering nearby, looking at it.

"Be careful how close you get to the cars, pal. They might get a little nervous if they don't know where you're going..." Darcy extended his arm for the crow to land on, but he flew over to Eden, perching itself on her shoulder instead, nuzzling her hair.

"Of course he likes you better then me." He gave him a pat before he settled in closer to Eden. "You can choose your friends, but not your family...he's stuck with me-" And I with him. "-but he isn't stuck with you." Darcy sighed, taking another look at Mady and his friends working on her car. They'd taken out everything of value, and now that he had the keys they could probably take a bit of a walk if they wanted to. There were a couple of small places nearby, but he wasn't too worried about that at the moment. He looked at Eden again, taking her in with a more serious look as he lowered his voice.

"Hey you." Darcy leaned in a little more, looking at her casually even as he kept a wary eye on what they were doing to her car. "You okay?" The question, simple in wording, would not be an easy one to answer. What had happened so far today would not be easy things for someone so new to seeing violence and destruction so close to them. And things would only be getting harder from here. At the same time, he didn't want to be so numb to the feeling that he forgot that these were real people they would be killing and harming, even if many, if not all of them deserved it.
 
Eden had seen a lot of stuff, even only being eighteen years old she had seen her share of love, hate, ignorance, genius and even cruelty. Her eyes noticed the crow there and smiled a little bit, watching Darcy silently she watched as Darcy put out his arm for the crow. But the crow strange enough landed on her shoulder, nuzzling his black little head into her hair. She smiled and laughed softly at what Darcy said, she smiled a little and brushed a finger lightly over the birds chest petting him.

"It's nothing personal Darcy, my mother use to say animals reacted to me. Partly because I understand animals better then most humans. In time the crow will understand you and you will understand him I promise" She said. She was thinking of a million things and thought of a million t hings to say here. But she felt his eyes on her still, and was curious if something was up. But she then heard him in a low yet caring voice. Her stormy eyes looked into his dark one's as she heard his question.

"I'm alright Darcy just thinking, thinking about the trouble I would get into if father caught me. But let him he wont take me alive, I would rather I silence myself then give that man what he wants. My father is crooked and even I knew that at a very young age, I think that your old boss and my father knows each other. My visions tell me there is a connection there, even if its hard for us to see it. I see the good and bad in people, which was why I never feared you Darcy when you told me what you did.

You are the only man in this world I can trust, I read people just as I can read a book. My father will not stop us I wont let him and if I have to suffer for it then its my choice. Dad never understood me, he never gave a damn about me. It's one of those things that use to scare me, only three people understood me. My mother, you and your wife. And one by one every one leaves me" She looked down and closed her eyes. Sighing sadly it was to the point it upset her a great deal.
 
Listening to her words hurt him. In a way, it comforted Darcy as well, being able to try to let his friend talk her problems out, and be able to share a bit of her pain. A smile as she said how she could see the good in him; there'd been (and after today, still were) many days that he wondered if there was still good in him. If he was just living a lie, deceiving his friends and his wife with the lie that he wasn't a cheat, wasn't a murderer, wasn't a good, decent man who'd just made the best of what an unfair life had thrown at him. A frown, his face creasing as she spoke about her father. Darcy admired that she still didn't seem to really hate the man; just detest what he'd done to her and what he was. But it was the last part of her statement that stuck with him the most, and he leaned in a bit closer, softly grasping her hand.

"I'm not leaving you, Darcy. Nadine and I are...were....." He hesitated, the words not tasting quite right in his mouth but he continued anyways; still not entirely grasping where he stood on the plane between life and death. "...are and were being taken away from you." Darcy made sure she was looking at him before he continued. "I'm not going anywhere; if and when the crow thinks that I've done everything, that's the only time I'm leaving." Another moment passed before he spoke again. "And it won't be willingly." Even if he welcomed for it, almost longed for it now to be with his beloved again.

"Nadine loved you, Eden. Probably more then she ever told you. You were like the sister she never had. And I..." Darcy looked down, struggling to say it. Of course, he loved her, but for some reason the word refused to escape. This was more then love, and it was more then the relationship they'd had before he'd died. They were in this together now, but it was more then circumstance that was forcing his feelings for her to go deeper. As Darcy took her in again, he saw something else in here, and the reason he was finding it hard to form words again.

In her, he saw hope.
 
Eden watched him and looked up into his eyes, no one seemed to really understand Darcy. She had been the only one that seemed to want to understand the man. He had two sides to him, the side that doesn't care what it did that he did his job well and came out breathing. And the other side was so full of love it damn near knocked her on her ass. Her eyes looked into his and it actually broke her heart what he said. Nadine thinking of her as a sister, it made her feel terrible that she loved Darcy.

But then when he couldn't finish what he wanted to say, she placed her hand on his. Her gentle fingers taking hold of his. Skin against skin it felt remarkable to be able to take every moment as it came. Her eyes looking up as she could not help herself any more, her free hand went to his warm cheek and stroked it. She watched the men work on her car and noticed one of the workers turned on the CD player. Which still could work even with the car off, something she had done for her special.

She didn't stop the guy from screwing around since he put on a CD that had a song she wrote on it. It was about the relationship that she saw with Darcy and his wife, but she never had the courage to sing it to them. And now she regretted such things, but she had a feeling she was watching. It had been so damn hard to express herself, and now was the chance to do it. She closed her eyes as she felt everything around her.

She stood up and walked a few feet before stopping, only background singing was on the CD so it was up to her to do something she never did. No one knew she could sing, she tapped her foot against the beat. She was about to open up her heart and didn't know why she was doing it either, perhaps it was what Darcy said about how they saw her. But she could see everyone staring at her, from the workers to the crow. This was the side of her no one knew, not even her parents knew it.

"Pray God you can cope.
I stand outside this woman's work,
This woman's world.
Ooh, it's hard on the man,
Now his part is over.
Now starts the craft of the father.

I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.

I should be crying, but I just can't let it show.
I should be hoping, but I can't stop thinking

Of all the things I should've said,
That I never said.
All the things we should've done,
That we never did.
All the things I should've given,
But I didn't.

Oh, darling, make it go,
Make it go away.

Give me these moments back.
Give them back to me.
Give me that little kiss.
Give me your hand.

(I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.)

I should be crying, but I just can't let it show.
I should be hoping, but I can't stop thinking

Of all the things we should've said,
That were never said.
All the things we should've done,
That we never did.
All the things that you needed from me.
All the things that you wanted for me.
All the things that I should've given,
But I didn't.

Oh, darling, make it go away.
Just make it go away now."

This Woman's Work

When silence hit the room she closed her eyes as tears fell down her face, how many mistakes she had made. And how she couldn't really make up for things, but it was easy to tell it took a lot to sing her heart out. Since her heart was something she guarded, but she knew Nadine would want her to sing it to him now. She just wanted to scream she felt so useless so weak. It was hard feeling this way as much as she had, but she did her best.
 
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Eden's touches comforted him; bringing him small measures of peace, warth, and strength, protecting against the agony running through him due to the words he couldn't say. Was there truth in them? He loved her, he knew, but did he...love her? The way she needed, the way he desperately wanted to? Such feelings could not be forced, they had to develop naturally he knew. A hand running down his cheek, and then taking his hand. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he heard one of the workers turn on the CD player in Eden's car. Even in the surreal moment, he frowned. Car should still be off if they're working on it...

Eden didn't seem to flinch at it, though. In fact, she closed her eyes in concentration, and at *that*, Darcy frowned. What was she trying so hard to focus on? He heard and saw her tapping her foot, and heard some music coming from her car's speakers. Whatever was playing seemed to be missing something, but the answer to that mystery was cleared up quickly when he saw her concentrate a bit more, and then she did something that Darcy would never have suspected.

She sang out. The workers gaped at her, the crow seemed...mystified, if a bird could wear that look on its face. And Darcy...couldn't take his eyes off of her. Even if his focus was on her voice, her entrancing, mystical voice that rang perfectly in time with the haunting notes. One that, whether it had been sung by another voice or not, sounded like it was just for him. His expression held even as his eyes watered, ever so slightly, at the depth of the gift that Eden was giving him. She was singing, in this place, words for him. Meant to show love and appreciation for who he was, and what he'd done.

The song ended, and the spell over the room broke even as the one over Darcy held as he slowly walked to her, bringing her into his strong, warm embrace, folding his arms around her. "Come on, let's sit down." The shop had a small waiting area, and they desperately needed some space...and some air, but Darcy didn't want to risk getting discovered. Like before, he wasn't sure what to say, so Darcy just let her lay on his lap, gently stroking her shoulder and hair in an intimate gesture.

"Thank you, Eden." He said softly. The crow perched nearby, and even it seemed to show some deference to the moment that seemed to be between the two of them. He wondered again if she would be strong enough to endure everything he would ask of her...
 
Eden did not know what to think of things and as she sang everything just seemed to go away, the bad things going away. And frankly in that moment she did not know what the hell she was doing. But she felt it in her heart what she had to do, and she did not want to stop. Eden had a gift that no one had been graced with until now, her stormy eyes were closed as she sang the important parts to it, which was what was in the chorus.

She had done some singing in school from first grade till all the way through graduation, and she missed singing Monday through Friday. But she just wrote music while she was away from her father. Eden was content and it was at the point where everything just seemed to be so clear. For once she felt normal, like everything in her life was happy and stable. Who would have thought she came from a bastard father, life was complicated it always had been.

Never had she spent much time with the Indian tribe her mother was part of, since the world of the white man was all she really knew. But she thought more Indian then what the others she was around thought. Her heart was beating quickly as she finished up the song. Her head was down and once it went silent in the room, she slowly looked up. Eden realized everyone had stopped what they were doing, and she smiled a little.

As it was she sighed silently and watched Darcy walk up to her, she felt his arms around her. She smiled looking up into his eyes, stroking his cheek as she hugged him back. Looking over at the crow she smiled at the little guy, and once they were in the waiting room her head in his lap. She looked at the crow that was perched, wishing she knew what he was thinking. Eden smiled a little bit, and just seemed to relax in his arms.

"You truly are the only thing stable in my life"
 
In a way, the gesture was more intimate than anything they'd done so far, which was something considering what Darcy had done to Eden last night. He remembered her gasps, the way her body felt under his deft touch. Every move she made, the warmth of her skin, the hardness of her nipples as he'd pleasured her in a way she'd never ever felt before; a man bringing her to a climax. But this was more unnerving to him, the way she rested her head in his lap, almost sighing in contentment as she said the words which drove another stake into him.

"You truly are the only thing stable in my life."

A sly smirk came from him, a counter against the tension he was feeling in the air. "That's saying something considering where I was yesterday." Which was in the ground, inert, waiting for the afterlife...still, the way she nestled up into him, and the way his hands ran gently up and down her back and arms...it was disorienting how quickly he was falling into the role of being her lover. Of someone he'd been for someone else. He gulped a little, letting the silence and contentment distract him as they waited for Mady to finish his work on her car. An hour passed, two, three with them in blissful silence, the crow occasionally flickering from place to place, but it too seemed to be okay with the silence.

A knock on the door (from the shop, mercifully) jostled him up, and he saw Mady's busy, bright eyed face. "Aight. Just don't take it through any washes or anything..."

"Don't plan on it." Keeping Eden's hand in his, he staked out to the garage, whistling as he saw the job they'd done on it. "We'll look like half the cars in the city now."

"Take care, dude." Mady had always been kind to him, and Darcy was glad his easygoing nature had never left him over the years. One of the workers was handing Eden back the keys as Darcy embraced Mady in a quick hug, although it lingered just a bit as Mady whispered something to him.

"There's a new plate under the passenger's seat. Put it on when you're somewhere discreet."

The hair on the back of Darcy's neck bristled, but he kept up the smile when he realized what Mady had done for them. He's being watched, too. Mady knew his neck was out there now, too, and he didn't care.

"See you when I see you...." Mady nodded at him, and even as Darcy nodded as he walked into the passenger's side seat, he wondered once again if he was seeing yet another friend for the last time. As hard as it was, a quick look towards his beautiful driver indicated the person he'd have the hardest time letting go of...
 
Eden heard the door open up and looked up, feeling Darcy move and she smiled a little bit. She watched silently as she watched Darcy talking to his friend, and hoped Mady would be safe because of what he had done. Though she had a bad feeling he was going to be killed, just something in her bones told her that. And it was something she did not want to ever see because if she had, she would feel responsible for this. Even if Mady was more then willing to risk his own life, she refused to let him be killed.

She heard what he said to her and just nodded a little bit, she was quite the whole time. She walked over to her car and saw the color change, her eyes narrowed as she began to inspect every little bit. Making sure that there was no big or anything on or in the car, because she did not trust anyone. It wasn't personal, since she had known Darcy and the jobs he use to do. She found it hard to trust anyone, especially with her father the way he was. She stopped looking at the car.

Looking over she saw Darcy go to the passenger side of the car and got in, shutting the door. She knew she had to do something, so with a little smile she sighed a little bit and was rather curious as to what would happen right then and there. She opened up her door and got in, making sure her seat was buckled in. Eden began to wonder where the crow was, it got her a bit nervous when he wasn't around. Like something was wrong and she was about to go into an ambush situation, but she did her best.

Starting the car as she pulled out slowly, she had no idea what Mady had whispered to Darcy. But something told her she was about to find out, right now it was actually rather happy and right now it was to the point where everything just seemed so much better. Her heart beating as everything in her just started to scream, as she drove off she looked over at Darcy for just a moment. Flashing him a loving and content smile on her face, she reached over placing her hand on his.

"Are you okay Darcy?" She asked finally she did not know if something was wrong, or if she had done something. She did not want to risk that, she knew that much. Right now however it was just very difficult. Her heart beating quickly as everything just seemed to be that much more relaxed her eyes searching every place as she kept going. "What did Mady say to you?" She asked curious but felt she should kn ow because she was in this just as much as he was, afraid of what may happen.
 
The silence lingered in the car as they pulled out, and Darcy had to admit that it was probably more him then her. They'd been through a lot today...their first link into what they were doing, learning that they were still in a lot more danger then he'd figured on. Mady's favor, even as it had put him in danger, and Darcy looked down in shame. How many more innocent, good people were going to have to suffer and die until they were able to complete their task? He shook his head. If they didn't do what the crow had wanted them to do....

The feel of Eden's hand on his broke his reverie. "Are you okay Darcy?" She looked at him with concern, and Darcy couldn't meet her gaze. He wasn't. Not really. He wouldn't be until they were done with all this, till he was back with his beloved. His wife. But Eden was too good, too pure, to really know that. Even as she probably partially knew. The focus had to be on the task in front of them. Just on what had to be done. On what Darcy felt needed to be done to ensure his mark on this world...

"What did Mady say to you?"

Everything, and nothing. But that wasn't an answer. After a beat, he looked back at her. "Let's go back. We've gotten a lot done today..." His expression indicated that he wasn't done with her question just yet, but his mind was on the immediate future. They'd probably stop for supplies anyways; that was Eden's way. Definitely not his, that's for sure...

"I don't think we'll be seeing Mady again." He said softly. "One way or the other. We'll put him in danger or..." Darcy shook his head, looking back at Eden. His visage was going dark again, his skin white, and his eyes black. "This has to end."

In a way, he wanted to drive straight down to the gang headquarters and kill Lindsey, then to Eden's dad's place and kill him. But it wasn't that simple. The pawns had to be drawn away, to let the kings and queens show their hands. Plus, he wasn't strong enough yet. He didn't know what the crow had for him...

...or where the bird was, for that matter. He frowned, looking around absently. "I'm sure the bird will find us again." They kept driving, Darcy's eyes facing forward. "Or that he's just flying above us..."
 
Eden listened to him speak and nodded, she had a feeling he was right about his friend. If he got out of there alive, she had a feeling he would end up being killed. She did not want anyone's blood on her hands but its a bit hard to. Frankly when it came down to so many t hings, she did not know what to think any more. her heart beating quickly and it was to the point where she did not care about anything. Her stormy eyes looking around a bit.

Being afraid all her life was something she wanted to stop, and frankly it got to the point where everything just seemed to get out of hand. Everything just seemed different to her and it was a bit of something she wanted to stop. Right now there was nothing that could be stopped. Right now they were fighting for their lives. And knew that this would not be easy. She figured Darcy wouldn't be the only one who died in this battle.

Pulling into her driveway, she looked around and could tell no one had been there. She had traps all over the place, so if someone had been there she would have known it. And if someone tried to attack while asleep they would be alerted. Getting out of her car she sighed, inside her home she had security monitors since she had security cameras installed all over her grounds and house, they were well hidden and knew no one would know.

Grabbing her keys and walked over to unlock her door, once opened she sighed a little bit. Slipping out of her shoes as she walked over to the fireplace and began to make it up. Thinking of a million things as really everything seemed really nice, her eyes looking around and grinning a little more. Right now everything just was different to her, but she would make due with everything. That was how she was, a survivor.

But then she began to think of the crow hoping he was okay, she kept a window open so he could get in when he came back. Knelt before the fire again it made her realize just how simple things could be. Right now it was content and she just wanted to cuddled up with Darcy and forget about everything. For them to be in their own little world. Though she knew it would never happen, and knew what would happen after all this.
 
Darcy could sense Eden's unease as she unlocked the door, slipping out of her shoes. He contented himself with checking their weapons, hoping they'd never have to use them even as he resigned himself to the fact they probably would. If anything had been proven today, it was that they would likely need to do much more, and go much further, then they hoped to. But it was all for the right reason. As he cycled through the guns chambers, Darcy sighed idly, wondering if Lindsey had fed himself the same justifications before he'd killed him and-

The sound of a window opening drew his attention, and Darcy thought again about how secure Eden felt here. About how secure they were here. This might be the safest place they were going to be for a long time. Whatever measures they'd put in place wouldn't help them if either the gang or the cops came for them in force. Still, as he watched her kneel by the fireplace, taking a moment to admire her as the light from the fire draped over her, an urge rose inside of him. Do it now. There will never be a better, safer time or place. You may not live tomorrow, act....

A slight shake of his head. It's too early. A fluttering noise broke him out of his thoughts and he smirked at the sight of the crow flying in through the window.

"Guess we weren't that lucky, huh."
He smiled at him. Darcy quickly ripped off a piece of bread, but the crow took it out of his hand quickly before sweeping back towards Eden, and he shook his head ruefully at the eccentric animal again as it all but nuzzled Eden's hand on the carpet.

"Damn bird." Now, he was all but certain the crow was just toying with him as he rustled about in the kitchen. He took out a couple of glasses, looking back to Eden. "What's your drink of choice, Eden?"
 
Eden was enjoying the warmth of the fire, it felt incredible and frankly it was about time to relax. Since she knew someone could find this place, but right now it was her little piece of heaven. Even if it was for another couple of days. She was thinking about what kind of power her father had, unfortunately being one of the main guys he had plenty. Humming a little bit as she rubbed the back of her neck. It came to the point where things were just a bit to comfortable, since she was afraid of an ambush.

But then she heard something and turned her head, she smiled seeing the crow and was glad he was okay. Now came the point of how things were going to go, when she saw Darcy trying to eat. She just laughed at how the crow grabbed it from him. "Well even he has to eat Darcy, much like you and me" She chuckled and stood up stretching. She was just glad the bird was okay, without him she knew Darcy would either die again or would weaken him. At this moment everything seemed possible.

Now however she watched him to into her fridge and thought for a moment "Just give me the coke that's in there" She said simply. And moved over to the couch where she just put up her feet on the end table in front of her and sat back. Closing her eyes as she enjoyed the sudden silence, and then had an idea. She got up and went into her fridge to get a piece of meat out, and sat back down. Sighing for a little bit she looked back over at the bird, and had a feeling he was still hungry.

"Here" Eden said to the crow, smiling as her hand was out for him to perch on her and eat. It was to easy to know what crows liked, it was nice that she knew certain things. And this was what she knew, it was warm and calm. Her eyes looked outside for a moment, then looked right back at the crow. Grinning a bit as she couldn't help but laugh at how Darcy was with the bird. It was something she had never seen, though she did not think she knew part of him was in that bird. Figuring she should tell him.
 
He nodded, grabbing one coke and one beer. Darcy had grabbed a few when they'd stopped for supplies, figuring that one wouldn't slow him down if push came to shove..and that he needed to calm down. He'd felt on edge ever since his conversation with Mady, worried about the friend who'd bought them some time. About the man he'd probably never see again. Just one more on the list of people he'd connected with in his life, never to see again until they went to the afterlife. The only place he was sure he was going to.

And also the only place I know I'll be accepted.
He popped open the top of his beer in silence as Eden fed the crow, grabbing some meat from the fridge. He shook his head, the smile only in his voice as he responded. "You know what they say about giving wolves fish, right?" Of course, they had to take care of the bird, even if Darcy really wasn't fully cognizant of why yet. He took a long swig of his beer, letting the bitter substance dull his senses for a moment. To try to forget about everything...

But closing his eyes didn't let him. The images still came at him, unbidden, unhindered. He shook his head, squeezing his lids shut but still he couldn't unsee the events he'd been witness too, been a part of-

-the gunshot that went through his chest-

-the sight of so many shoes, intruders in his apartment, and he reacted to try to rise, but there was no strength to do so, and there was blood, so much blood, and he turned his head-

-his wife's screams-

-Lindsey's last words-

Finally broken from his reverie, he slowly made his way back to the couch, all but flopping down into it. There was lots on his mind, but the last thing he wanted to do was to touch that little bit of darkness at the moment. He turned back to his friend, the one thing left in his life that kept him grounded. "Penny for your thoughts?" He offered.
 
Eden thought of so many things in her head it almost scared her, and frankly there was nothing much she could do about it. Looking deep into myself everything just seemed so different and it was rather nice. Her heart beating quickly as everything just wanted to stop with her, once she fed the crow she smiled. Petting it a few times showing it love, since she knew the importance of him but Darcy didn't. But knew very soon that she was going to but she did the best that she could do, smiling and never showing fear.

But watching her friend she tilted her head to the side, like the crow did. But with how things were going she sat beside him and watched how he seemed to concentrate, Eden began to wonder what was going on. Her heart beating quickly and she placed her hand on his arm. And she got jolted into the memories that he was remembering. It was incredible how she could see such things and it even terrified her because she did not want to see some things. But she removed her hand to stop it.

Eden sipped her soda and sighed a little bit thinking about everything she could. She did not know what was going to happen, but as long as she had him with her. She would be more then happy to be with him till the end. She was ripped out of her thoughts when Darcy said "Penny for your thoughts?" Looking up she smiled a little bit and was glad to be doing this, to be here beside her and taking a chance. She shrugged thinking of all kinds of things, and crossed one leg over the other.

"Nothing really, thinking about the good times and the bad times. Sometimes it feels like I will go mad you know?" Eden said looking at him, but doing her best to lie and just smile. Rubbing the back of her neck she just wanted to relax. So she leaned into him a little bit and smiled a little bit. Now things were where they should be, thinking of how she lost him. Seeing the events play out of such serious crimes. It made it really hard to breath sometimes, and right now everything just seemed to end.

"I'm okay"
 
Darcy nodded. A part of him didn't want to stop to think, to enjoy the fire or the company of his friend; the warmth of her body leaning in to his, as pleasurable - and as needed - as all of those things were to him now. But this whole thing was starting to drive him crazy, not just thinking about what was happening to his friends, what had happened to his family, to everyone close to him...and a part of him hadn't really fully comprehended the fact that he'd been brought back to the dead by a mystical bird. Because he still had something left to do; a purpose yet to be served.

That bothered him. That some outside force had decided that he couldn't just rest in peace, that he had to come back to the world that didn't have the only thing he really wanted. He bit his lip, just a bit, giving the crow a bit of a contemptuous look, as if to say thanks for nothing, even as he felt Eden nestle into him. She couldn't be the target of his anger; it wasn't her fault that he was tangled up in all of this. But it was his fault that she was.

"I'm okay." Her voice was soft, gentle, starting to melt at the resentment that had been building up with him. Darcy sighed, not in contentment, nor in dismissal...maybe for no other reason that he'd been holding his breath. He didn't know what to say. Or if he had to say anything.

Reflexively, he found his hand stroking her hair gently. The feel of it was both soothing and painful, as it reminded him of....No. During his entire resurrection he'd been comparing Eden to someone he'd lost, to someone she wasn't. It would take time, and effort, but Darcy was determined to try to see Eden for who she was - a scarred, but still beautiful spirit who loved him. And who he...

Who he....

"I'm sorry you've been drawn into all of this." He said softly, still touching her forehead lovingly, slowly. Not needing to rush the moment. "You've helped me so much...if you wanted to go, I could manage...." Darcy didn't say the rest of it, because he didn't have to. He knew what Eden's answer would be.

But it still helped him to hear it.
 
She could since something was on her friends mind, it was easy to feel. Something unsettled was in the air. And she did not like it very much, she would not force herself on him that was clear she was not the kind of girl that did that. Sometimes she wished she could be like that, but all in all she never respected women who threw themselves over a man. It was sad and rather pathetic most of the time. It was something she did not like to much, and she sighed silently.

It felt good to be like this, to be with a man she loved. But knew would never love her, but then it hit her. She was just being foolish, childish all things she hated in a woman. She was being with a man when there was no love. Only perhaps a friendship that would turn into a night of bliss. That kind of thing kinda scared her, that she would not mind second best. When she did mind it really. But still there was some kind of comfort to what he was willing to do for her.

As it was everything just seemed different to her, how simple yet complicated life can become. It was kinda hard to see these things, but she did the best that she could do. She just began to think she was no better then most women. How could someone make love to you if you were not loved. Flashes of everything important to her hit her up side the head, she did not know exactly what was to happen. But she did the best she could do, and just hoped it was good enough.

But as everything seemed so different, when it came down to certain things. She was simple and never over thought things. But then she heard what he said, and she looked up at him. Eden smiled at her friend as she sat up looking into his eyes. Sighing softly she wished she could leave, but it was something she was trusted with when it came to her family. Looking down she closed her eyes and shook her head. She slowly opened up her eyes and looked back up into his.

"This is as much my job as it is yours Darcy, but even if I had a choice I would still be here with you. You cannot do this alone, you do not understand the crow and the power you actually have over him. You need someone who can help you, and besides. You are someone very dear to me. And you will not have to go through this alone, I should have seen your fate and Nat's but I didn't. I was to blinded by other feelings, I want to do this Darcy. You don't owe me anything but i owe you everything"
 
"This is as much my job as it is yours Darcy, but even if I had a choice I would still be here with you. You cannot do this alone, you do not understand the crow and the power you actually have over him. You need someone who can help you, and besides. You are someone very dear to me. And you will not have to go through this alone, I should have seen your fate and Nat's but I didn't. I was to blinded by other feelings, I want to do this Darcy. You don't owe me anything but i owe you everything"

Her affection and devotion were warming to Darcy, even as a bitter sigh escaped him. "I still feel like I've gotten you dragged into this, Ed." He shook his head. "It's not your fault that Nadine....that we...." His lip quivered as he struggled with the words, his head dropping. "It's not your fault that all of this has happened. It's mine." Darcy couldn't look at her now as he leaned back a little, disengaging from Eden's warm body just a bit. "If I hadn't have been so arrogant, thinking that I could just push the gang away like that....by using the same force on them that they'd been using on me."

Darcy looked away again. "I should've listened to her. I thought it was her family pushing her to move away from here, but I thought we could make it work...honest people in the city of angels." Honest crooks, anyways. Darcy knew very well that he'd made some mistakes in his past. "Sometimes I thought that we were the last 3 left." Without even realizing it, he'd made a freudian slip; including Eden in his calculations. Another sign of how much closer she'd become to him over the past couple of days.

He tried to look at her with a smile, to give some sort of warmth to her. Physical pleasure was one thing, and Darcy could feel the urge slowly growing within him, desiring this woman next to him. But what kind of love could he give her when his heart belonged to someone else? Darcy didn't want to lie to Eden, an couldn't. But neither did he want to betray the vows he'd made with his wife.

But there had to be something...Dangerously, he pulled her forehead in for a quick kiss, enjoying the feel of her hot skin against his. His arm wrapped around her possessively, and he knew their evening wasn't done.
 
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