I packed my suitcase and crashed on the couch, forcing my body to relax before my early flight home. While the remnants of Kelly's jasmine scent invaded my sinuses, the image of Vincent's lethal claws assaulted me until I dozed off. The nightmare that followed had me crying out, and I woke up face down on the living room floor. 

Shaking off the fog of disturbing flashbacks, I cancelled my alarm, grabbed a granola bar, and headed out the door. I knew Mr. Pearlman wouldn't be awake at five-thirty in the morning, so I set a reminder to call him after I arrived in DC. When I stepped onto the sidewalk, I wasn't surprised to find Rizzo in the alley. He was dressed in his military jacket and jeans, but no wings. Still, he easily scaled the gate like an Olympic hurdler.

"Bonjour, Reese."

"Hi, Rizzo. Do you ever sleep?" I opted for polite small talk, since Rizzo wasn't who I was angry at.

"I take naps during the day," he explained, keeping pace beside me as I made for the subway. "Reese, please do not be angry with Vincent."

"Did he ask you to say that?"

"No. And I would like you not to tell him I asked. He is very proud."

"Why do you care whether or not I'm angry with Vincent?" I glanced at him, noting the dark circles under his eyes and the bloody gash on the apple of one cheek.

"We all want to see him happy, and you make him happy."

I laughed hard enough to start coughing. Was this Rizzo's version of a joke? "If that's what he's like when he's happy, I don't think I'm interested."

"Maybe happy is not the right word. He is optimistic, although Wren has used the word inspired. He is talking about the future like it is not a death sentence but something to look forward to."

"Who's Wren?"

"His mother." Rizzo's downcast eyes gave away his discomfort, and he shoved his hands into his coat pockets, letting the conversation wane until we approached the subway stairs. "So, you have an early assignment, I take it?" He stared pointedly at my carry-on bag, clearly fishing for information, which was fine. It didn't really matter if I told him what I was up to. He wasn't going to follow me all the way home, unless he planned to fly there with those wings of his.

"I'm going to DC to visit my parents."

"Oh?" His eyes widened, and he lifted his cellphone from his pocket then dropped it back inside. "Does Vincent know?"

I swiped my card at the turnstile and Rizzo did the same, following me through. "Listen, Rizzo. I appreciate what you did for me last night, but Vincent is not my boyfriend, and you shouldn't be responsible for making sure I don't get kissed by girls with purple hair. I'm sure you have better things to do than stand in my alley making sure nobody sneaks through my third floor window."

Rizzo shrugged off my flippant comment as if he was used to being treated rudely. "Actually, if I was not protecting you, I would be doing it for someone else. It is my job to protect the citizens of New York. And I love my job, in case you are wondering."

He looked perfectly content to wait with me on the subway platform. Was he planning to accompany me all the way to LaGuardia? Had Vincent asked him to follow me wherever I went? While it was nice having someone look out for my well-being, I couldn't help cursing my luck. How had I managed to attract these people? I needed to get away from this insanity. Sure, it was lame to run from my problems, but these were pretty big problems.

When the train arrived, Rizzo followed me on and sat down next to me. I let him do his job, watching him ease his phone out of his pocket and sigh as his finger hovered over the screen.

"Go ahead, Rizzo. I don't want Vincent to be angry with you. But tell him not to pull anything ridiculous or he'll feel my fury." I raised my eyebrows at him, and he responded in kind.

"Explain ridiculous."

"Following me to DC."

"Okay," he said as he typed out a text. "Do you have a fury? You seem like a sweet girl."

"Believe me, I have a fury, and both Vincent and Colin have experienced it firsthand."

"Well, I have no control over Vincent's behavior. He has been acting somewhat ridiculous lately."

"And somewhat imperiosi?"

"Oui."

I ended up enjoying Rizzo's company during our journey to the airport, and when it was time to say goodbye, I hugged him and thanked him for being a diligent protector. I knew Vincent had tried to contact me, based on all the rings and chimes I'd been ignoring, but I didn't have much time before boarding, so I made him wait. Once I had made it through security, grabbed a coffee, and found a seat at my gate, I finally checked my messages. There were two missed calls and three texts, all from Vincent. I read the texts first to determine his mood.

I'm sorry, Reese. Please, call me.

I'm just trying to protect you.

Answer your phone, please.

Two pleases. That was encouraging. Putting his mind at ease was probably the right thing to do, even though I was still mad at him.

"Reese, where are you?"

"You mean Rizzo hasn't told you he saw me safely to the security checkpoint at LaGuardia?"

He sighed into the phone. "Yes. Have you made it to your gate?"

"Yes. We should be boarding in ten minutes."

"We?"

"Me and the other passengers. You're a mental case, you know that."

"It's been mentioned once or twice. You never told me you were leaving town. Was this a spur of the moment decision?"

I heard muffled noises in the background, making me think Vincent was in his car, and I hoped like hell he was driving to an early meeting. "Yes, it was. I need a break from the drama that has been dropped on my doorstep by a pair of brothers who seem determined to wreck me."

"What has Colin done? I have no problem telling him to back off."

"Colin hasn't been in touch with me since Wednesday." I ended the explanation there, letting the silence carry my point across.

"So, you think I'm trying to wreck you?"

"You have to admit, Vincent, as far as cultivating relationships, neither of us has the best track record. I've been fucked up by previous boyfriends, and you... Well, the jury is still out. Throw in the shit that went down last night and we've got the recipe for a nervous breakdown. Been there, done that, moving on."

"I'm sorry."

Another apology from the man of steel. I couldn't help feeling flattered. It was more than I ever got from Heath, but there shouldn't be the need for so many apologies. "Sorry for what?"

"Everything."

The intercom buzzed over my head, and a woman's voice announced the initial boarding of my flight, explaining that the plane was booked to capacity and large carry-on items should be checked, blah, blah, blah.

"I gotta go. They're starting to let people board."

"Okay. Keep in touch."

"Sure."

I hung up and shouldered my bag, feeling uneasy about Vincent's abrupt goodbye. He didn't ask about my plans, recommend I wear dark colors, or insist I have an escort anytime I stepped outside at night. Of course, he tended toward the sparse side of conversation, but the unease stayed with me all through the boarding process, and I found myself glancing over my shoulder every few seconds to make sure he wasn't standing at the back of the line. What was even more disturbing was the twinge of disappointment I felt when I didn't see him there.

~ ~ ~

I fit my luggage in the overhead bin and sat down, grateful a window seat had been available despite the last minute ticket purchase Dad made for me. I had a thing about needing to see outside at all times. Maybe to know how far I would have to fall if shit went south. The sky was still dark, but I felt comforted by its presence, and I inserted my ear buds to lose myself in a melody rather than the image of Vincent that never seemed to leave.

As IAMX queued up, my thoughts drifted. What exactly had happened last night? Was Vincent obsessed with Batman? Did he get-off on strapping vinyl wings to his back and beating the crap out of people? Was his family like the X-Men, living in some freaky commune to hide their superpowers from the world? Oh right, I was supposed to forget about Vincent.

The plane taxied the runway and lifted off, taking my stomach with it. I loved the feeling of weightlessness, although there was something very weighty about flying in an airplane, like the possibility of dying in a fiery inferno. When we hit cruising altitude and leveled off, I glanced at my seat mate. He was young and blond, dressed casually in jeans and a Nike tee, with a few days of stubble covering a strong chin. So, not the typical businessman flying between cities for a meeting with the board of directors. 

We happened to check each other out at the same time, and I pulled out my earbuds to respond to his greeting.

"Hi, I'm Charles," he said, smiling in a non-threatening way that felt refreshing. 

"Reese."

"You flying for business or pleasure, Reese?" His baby blue eyes remained focused on my face, a twinkle of interest flashing across their glassy surface, despite the fact that I hadn't changed my clothes or brushed my hair since the fiasco at Dungeon Masters, and I probably looked like an extra on The Walking Dead. 

"I'm visiting family."

"That's cool. I'm meeting a friend in DC. We're going to hit a few clubs. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong is performing tonight at the Ice House. You ever heard of them?"

"Oh, my God. My best friend is a total freak for them. I'm surprised she didn't mention that to me. She lives in Baltimore, which is right next door. I might have to work that into my itinerary."

"I'm sure there are tickets left. You and your friend should definitely attend. The Ice House is a great venue, very intimate."

Charles's eyes shimmered as he spoke of the intimate venue, and I was drawn in like Icarus to the sun. Vincent would freak if he knew I was giving away personal information to a complete stranger, but I refused to cross over to the dark side.

"Maybe I will."

I fussed with my hair as our conversation veered to the topic of bands and the subject of music in general. Despite the twinge of guilt I felt every time my stomach responded to his boyish smile, I allowed myself to relax and enjoy the connection we were making. In fact, time passed easily, and I nearly missed seeing the tall, broad-shouldered man walking down the aisle toward us. 

I didn't need to see his face to know who the man was. I could have recognized him from his scent, and my stomach did a back handspring off the plane when he stopped at my row. He didn't look pleased in the least, but I went ahead and asked the obvious question.

"What are you doing here, Vincent?"

PLAYLIST SONG: Everyone is Everyone (and Everything is Everything by AU4