EVABELLE

When they made it back, sweet Gem sat at the base of stairs in front of the Sanctuary, with an agitated Jewels circling her, tail flicking back and forth.  The cat caught sight of them and gave a mew.  Gem stood, her face pale, looking so very tiny.  "K-Kai?"  She could not see him.  Her voice pleaded for him to be okay.  Kai, after reluctantly taking Calandra's blood, could now run to his little sister, which he did.  In a flash, Gem was in his arms, the girl's tears of relief bursting from their dams. 

"I'm here, Gem." Kai put a hand on the little girl's head as she sobbed into the crook of his neck.  "I'm here."

"Y-you p-p-promised," She whispered. 

Kai closed his eyes and tightened his hold on her.  "I know.  And I don't plan on breaking that promise."

Evabelle watched from afar, eyes burning again, as a smile crept onto her face.  For a moment she thought of her little brother.  "Really?  You promise you will?"  Promises.  Aza had made one of those oaths to Chi.  She promised that the two of them would take the little boy out for his birthday, which was at the end of August.  That was barely less than a month away.  Evabelle watched the two siblings and thought of how she may never see hers again, how she might end up breaking that promise to that smiling hyperactive kid. 

Speaking of siblings, everyone had obviously already known who Del's and Lucis's father was.  When Aza found out, she gave Lucis and Del each a good thwack on the back of the head.  "Did you honestly believe we would think any less of you idiots?"

Del grunted, rubbing where the girl had hit.  "Well, I really never considered you thought much of me in the first place."

Aza put her hands on her hips.  "Look, you drive me nuts, but I know that you're not evil.  Trust me, I know evil."

The boys had both stared at her.  Then Lucis had smiled and said.  "I'm glad we have a friend like you, Aza."

That conversation made Evabelle smile.  A family, is what Aza had said.  All of the people here had lost something, lost someone important to them, had been betrayed by someone, or just hurt in some way, shape, or form.  Evabelle had supposedly forgotten about what she had lost.  What she did know, though, was that she had her mom and Chi, back at the McCarthy building.  Evabelle had a family waiting for her, but as she looked around at everyone at the Sanctuary, she realized that her family had grown, that they were a part of it too.

Evabelle smiled to herself, as she ascended the stairs to the roof several days after the whole affair.  Everyone was asleep, most likely.  Evabelle had once again awoken early with no, memory of the dream that had her heart pounding forcing her awake. 

Everyone seemed to be doing well.  The Anahalian's wings were also quickly healing from the demon skin.  Faux, was doing pretty well.  He was almost back to his usual, ridiculous self.  Evabelle's own injuries were practically gone thanks to Lucis's healing spell.

Evabelle pushed the door open, remembering the last time she had been on the roof.  That had been the night of the storm and Del and Aza's kiss.  Evabelle shook her head at how stupid she had been.  It had seemed so significant at the time.  Now, the two of them were back to fighting with each other every few seconds. 

The rooftop was clean and shone as the early, rising sun hit it.  It was a nice area that Evabelle could see, setting up tables and having a nice meal out here.  She glanced around and realized that once again she was not alone.  She looked over at the railing that ran along one side.  Lucis was standing on it, obviously not fazed by the great height, one would fall if they were to slip.  He had his hands in his pockets as he stared across the island, the wind blowing back the blonde hair from his face.

Evabelle gave a small tap on the door, letting him know that she was there.

Lucis turned and gave her one of his dazzling smiles.  "Come to admire the view with me?"  He asked.

Evabelle returned the grin, and stepped out and over to him.  She leaned against the railing as he hopped down to be next to her.  "I've never been up here for the view.  This is only my second time."  She did glance out over the scene before her.  She could see everything here.  There was the forest of twisted trees, there was the hedge garden, there was the cliff side that CJ (Etheldreda) had taken her too on their walk.  "But I must say, I'm never unimpressed by Calandra's landscaping."

Lucis nodded.  "Yes, beauty is one of Calandra's specialties."  He looked over at Evabelle.  "So, if you didn't come up here specifically for the view, then what did you come up here for?"

Evabelle rested her chin on her hands.  "Answers."  She replied.  "I still have so many questions, and so few answers."

"Well, perhaps I can help."  Lucis offered.

Evabelle continued to stare out over the grounds, the sun inking the land in gold.  There was a lot of questions she wanted to know from Lucis, and Lucis specifically.  But Evabelle knew that there were some that he would not answer.  Finally she asked.  "Why did the Anahalians leave Earth?"

Lucis inhaled sharply, obviously unprepared for that question.  "Well,"  He scratched the back of his neck.  "As children, we were taught that the Earth fell too far for us to help.  They told us that Earth was something that we still need to watch and take care of, but it was a place we could no longer be."

Evabelle sighed, Averno's words still cutting her deep. 

"Someone once told me," Lucis continued.  "That it was the humans that pushed us away.  They started to kill us, hurt us, because they were afraid of us being more powerful than they were."

Evabelle glanced over at Lucis.  "Rommel," She said softly, remembering the name, though it had been a while since he'd been mentioned.  "He was the last human that was involved with your world."

Lucis tilted his head to the side.  "Deeply, yes."  He replied.

"How did he get involved?"  Evabelle asked.

Lucis watched her for a moment.  Evabelle knew her questions didn't seem related, but she urged him to answer them anyway.  "He had the Sight, like Aza.  He probably had some experience seeing the supernatural.  And he tried to convince others.  He was deemed mad, but then Averno came to him and offered him strength and power.  Rommel accepted and became Averno's right hand man for a few years.  He killed a lot of us.  In the end, though, he tried to leave and live a normal life, but they say the man was insane.  Rommel came back and burned a lot of Anahalian homes, and then returned to Earth and got shot by one of your policemen."

Evabelle thought of Aza for a moment.  "Why do humans still have the Sight if magic is hidden?"  She asked.

"I told you what Kayne told me about them, but someone else once told me that it's because, deep down the humans still remember us."  Lucis said softly.

Evabelle closed her eyes, feeling the cool air of early morning sweep over her.  "Do you think, it's maybe, because they still need you?"  She whispered.

Lucis didn't respond for a while.  Evabelle opened her eyes and looked over at him.  He was staring out across the scenery again.  "I don't know."  He answers finally.  "But I think it might be a mercy that we left."

Evabelle blinked and stood up straight.  "How can you say that?"  She accused.  "Anahalians protected humans!  By leaving them, we've abandoned them!"

Lucis glanced down at her.  "You said 'we've', like you believe you are really one of us."

Evabelle gave a start.  "Well, I'm thinking it might be possible."  She turned away, her cheeks feeling warm.  Well, she had performed magic.

"I only say that, because, it seemed that when we were around, there was more trouble for them anyway.  The demons sent more monsters after them."  Lucis replied.

Evabelle shook her head.  "That still isn't right."  She murmured.  The sun began to create stunning pastel colors throughout the brightening sky.  "I think that we should still be there for them."

"We do," Lucis defended.  "Even if it is from a distance."  He shook his head.  "And we are here now."

Evabelle finally let a smile return to her face.  "I guess."  Then the smile fell again.  "This war, why is there this war?  It all seems to stem from opposites, but I was always told that opposites attract."

Lucis stared out over the horizon for a long time.  The wind blew his hair back, and Evabelle couldn't help but stare at his perfectly chiseled profile for just a moment. The jaw line was strong and his cheekbones sharp.  His blue eyes reflected the orange and pink tinges that painted the sky as the sun rose higher.  Finally he said.  "Our war is that of opposition, beginning with angels and demons.  Angels and Demons are two of the most opposite beings I have ever known of, yet the only thing that attracts demons to angels is their hatred and their hunger for chaos."

Evabelle continued to stare at the beautiful Anahalian boy, her eyes suddenly catching the faint white line that made the scar, from the deep cut he had gotten at Etheldreda's. For a moment, that mark reminded Evabelle of the scars across Aza's face, that she could see sometimes, from when her best friend had protected her from the first attack the monsters had made. The dark realization hit Evabelle hard; those scars were not the last she would be seeing. This war was far from over. She shook her head and focused back on Lucis.  "Why?"  She asked.  "Why do demons only hate?"

Lucis turned his intensely blued gaze on her.  "Because they will not love."

For a long time, Evabelle searched those eyes.  They were so like Averno's, and yet they were so different.  For one thing, Averno did not have a barrier blocking her out from seeing him.  Lucis was kind, was good, but kept her at arm's length.  It was so frustrating, especially when, she had a feeling that she knew him, the real him, the him that was open, the one that was carefree, and smiled because the world wasn't trying to break him.  Evabelle somehow knew a different Lucis, that didn't have to try so hard to be strong for everyone else.

"Is that all?"  The young man asked.

No.  But Evabelle nodded.

Lucis smiled, but Evabelle could see that it was a little too forced.  "Then I have a question for you.  You said that you believed in me and by doing so, believed in yourself.  Is that what brought you to Etheldreda's?  Or was it something else?"

Evabelle tore her gaze away, feeling herself blush.  "Well, it's kind of silly," She muttered.  "What really made me brave enough was giving myself a sort of title."  She played with her hands for a minute feeling foolish.  "I thought of myself as 'the girl that was there.'"  She finally admitted.

"The girl that was there?"  Lucis asked,  a smile tracing his lips.

"Yes," Evabelle grunted, her face burning.  "And don't you laugh at me.  The girl that was there, because that's what I know.  I was always there for Aza when she was ignored.  I was always there for my mom when she was alone."  Evabelle felt a twang of guilt as she thought of her mother now.  "Technically the whole plan, was me just being there so that Calandra could get you out.  Lucis, I don't know how to fight.  I don't like fighting.  I'm not the hero that jumps into danger or flies to the rescue.  I'm just the girl that knows how to be there for someone."

Lucis's hand fell over hers, and she looked back up at him.  He was beaming at her.  "Sometimes that's all the world really needs."

Evabelle sighed and shook her head.  "Not now.  Now they need a whole lot more from me."

"Maybe," Lucis consented.  "But at Etheldreda's, you were more than just there.  You can do amazing things, Evabelle.  And as cheesy as it sounds, it all begins with believing that you can."

Evabelle couldn't help but smile at that.  Slowly she turned her hand in his so that she could hold his.  She had to admit, she liked it.

"Now," Lucis straightened up.  "Now, that that is all straightened out, would you like to come flying with me?"

Normally, Evabelle would have loved that.  It really was quite tempting, but there was still several things she needed to sort out on her own.  She politely declined.  "Nah, I think I'll just hang out here for a bit."

Lucis shrugged, sliding his hand from hers.  "Then I'll see you later."

Just before he turned, Evabelle got a brief glimpse of a man with dark soulless eyes, and a harsh cruel expression.  It wasn't the face the Averno had worn when he had pretended to be Lucis.  His eyes weren't blue.  They were black and filled with vile hate, a dark fiery passion completely reckless and out of control.  It made Evabelle gape, and was only broken away from the horrible image, when a gust of wind from Lucis's wings as he took off, swept past her.

Evabelle watched him as he soared over the stunning landscape, into the rising sun.  It was true that Del was the classic dark, bad boy type, but in many ways, he was far more open than his brother.  Evabelle swallowed hard.  The real question she wanted to know from Lucis was what was his secret.  Why did he have himself so shielded?  There was something that Lucis was keeping from her.  Evabelle knew it was more than his father being the fallen Anahalian, but then..."he is my son."