It was about nine the next morning when Devin finally awoke. He had hardly stirred the whole night while I had fought not to rest my eyes.

When I first heard him groan, I had been on my computer which I had moved to the small table in the kitchen area hours prior to allow me to remain in his line of sight while doing some research. He immediately started sitting up on the couch and rubbed his eyes, apparently forgetting about the damage to his face.

"Ouch!" he hissed at himself.

"Careful," I reminded as I sauntered around the sofa and sat on the coffee table.

"Shit, I forgot about all this," he said, making a waving motion over his face.

"Yeah. How are you feeling?"

"Well," Devin looked at me with a solemn expression, "I need to pee."

As I blinked dumbly, he erupted into laughter. I, too, gradually chuckled, but any joviality was swept from me when I began observing the lacerations across him. Realizing that my work was pretty shoddy, I scowled, wishing that he would have gone to a doctor. He must have seen the concern because he lifted his hand and snapped in front of my face to make me set my vision on him instead of his wounds.

"Injuries always look bad the first day," he offered, "So what are we doing?"

"Um," my mind hadn't quite moved on from last night's fight and its results.

"We know you have the capability of killing that guy if we can just track him down and figure out how," Devin continued, "Maybe practicing your skills isn't necessary and we should just focus on finding him and the proper tools before he puts together a backup plan."

"The longer I wait around, the more damage he will do and the greater chance of him getting too powerful," I mused, "I think you're right."

"Hey Mark," he spoke softly.

"Hm?"

"You're saying I now. You're not...cutting me out, are you?" the man sitting in front of me seemed hurt.

"No, it's just," my eyes caught on his scars again. I hadn't meant to imply leaving him behind, but as I gazed at his scars, "I just don't want a repeat of last night."

I saw then the hint of a smile brush his lips as he gazed downward, "You don't have to worry about me. I've gotten into my fair share of scuffles."

"Yeah, but not with a demon," I pointed matter-of-factly, my tone obviously not translating well.

Devin's sweet demeanor suddenly shifted, anger displaying in his expression when he looked back up at me. His voice became colder even though he never actually raised it, "I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. I don't need anyone to worry about me. If I die, I die. Everyone fucking dies in the end."

Staring at him uncomfortably, I began questioning what I had done wrong. It was my first taste of that temper he had talked about. Granted it wasn't much, I felt that if I said or did another thing incorrectly, I would just agitate him worse. So, I simply sat with a dumb look on my face and waited for his next move. It didn't take long to happen either as it appeared he quickly realized that he had snapped.

"Sorry," he mumbled, eyes downward as he scratched his head.

"It's okay," I assured, "I didn't mean to insult you. I never doubted you could take care of yourself or anything it's just-"

"I know," he was smiling at me, compassion completely returned, "I understand."

My lips curled to match his and I added, "I am known for worrying too much."

"That's funny, seeing as they say the opposite about me," he laughed before shifting to a gently pleading voice, "But in all seriousness, let me be part of this."

I nodded slowly.

Honestly, it was his decision. He knew the dangers and while technically, I could keep him out of it if I wanted to since it appeared Mcgraff was still limited to the dreamscape, I wasn't able to find it in me to deny him. Maybe it was just me being selfish, but I really did want him with me. He was the first real friend I had had in far too many years and I needed his support. Did that make me a horrible person? 

"He's been going after kids this time around, right?" Devin continued our previous topic, "And he's in this town, so then we should start by getting information on the children that live here. That way you can try to jump into their dreams and find him that way."

"That is...a really good idea," I admitted.

"Heh, thanks," my friend chuckled, "Guess go check out the high school first?"

I hesitated, "I just realized how creepy this is going to seem."

"What do you mean?" Devin tilted his head.

"Two men, adults, hanging around a school when they don't have any kids," I explained.

"Why do you always clarify that we're male in these things?" he asked.

"Well, it's different if you're a woman. It doesn't come off as inappropriate," I answered.

"That's fucking stupid," Devin spat, leaving me sitting there staring once more and wondering if I'd unintentionally pissed him off like before, but he quickly added, "I mean it's true, but it's stupid. I thought men and women were supposed to be equal and all, ya know?"

My brow furrowed, "Guess equality hasn't fully set in yet?"

"Alright, let's-" he began speaking to get abruptly cut off by a knock on the door.

"What the fuck?" I complained as I rose, "Nobody knows where I live besides my boss and my landlord. Rent isn't due and my boss has no reason to show up."

Devin shrugged, "I didn't give your address to anyone."

I cocked my head, not having considered that option yet. Sighing, I walked over to the entrance and took a deep breath as I unlocked it. Holy shit, I cursed silently after carefully pulling the door open to reveal who was on the other side. Ames stood wearing an uncertain expression until she laid eyes on me, when it changed to critical.

"Ames?" I greeted nervously, "W-what are you doing here?"

"I used to work with cops, Mark," she answered with a raised brow, "I heard about the kids that have been killed here and went to a friend with your name. They pulled your information for me."

Shit. "Oh, okay, but why?" I tried.

"Can I come in or...?" her voice was both serious and demeaning; she definitely wasn't here out of friendly concern.

"Um, of course," I turned to the side to let her in the door, "I have company," I informed oddly, but she was already strolling past me.

I watched as she stopped to the front side of the couch, vision on Devin who did nothing except smile politely. Then she turned around and looked at me where I stood still holding the door open. "Is it alright if I sit here?" she inquired rhetorically, taking a seat in the single chair beside my sofa.

"Uh, yeah," I replied, nervously shutting the door, "Um," my throat bobbed as I set sights on the living room and gestured at the man sitting there, "This is my friend, Devin. Devin, this is Ames."

"Pleasure to meet you," Devin kept his expression polite, leaning back comfortably and patting the cushion next to him in a gesture for me to join.

With a sharp inhale, I left my position and slid by to sit beside him. He lifted his hand from the spot and threw his arm around the back of the couch and around my shoulder. I had barely registered that Ames had also said something to the same effect of what he had and I wasn't sure if she was really aware that she had said it either, because she was just staring at Devin. Furrowing my brow in confusion, I rotated my vision to study him. Shit. It was the cuts on his face that had her attention.

"So you read about the murders too, then?" I prompted, eager for the tension to ease.

The woman slowly tore her focus from the man beside me, making no attempt at hiding the scrutiny I was under, "Yes, I did. I thought the similarities between them and the McGraff killings were unsettling," she stated plainly before cutting her eyes back to Devin, "What happened to your face?"

"Well, that's rude," Devin scoffed.

The normal thing at that point would have been for her to apologize, but she didn't. Her heavy gaze didn't even lessen, although she did finally begin making shifting eyes and glares less apparent as she continued to wait for an answer. I knew he didn't care for her to know, but still he never gave one, giving me the feeling that he was leaving it up to me whether to reveal or not.

"So you assumed this had something to do with me?" I counter-inquired.

"Like I said, I've worked with cops. I've also worked at stopping my father. I can tell when something is going on," she challenged.

I glanced nervously at my friend, hoping he'd offer some solution to the problem. He gave me a reassuring smile, yet said nothing. I turned my sight back to the woman, trying to sound kind, "I can tell you're upset and we don't really know each other, but I wish you'd just tell me what is on your mind."

"What's going on, Mark?" she returned flatly.

"Look, I know you were really nice to Mark when he was curious about your dad and all," Devin jumped to my defense then, his tone stern, "But you have no right to come into his home and demand things like this, basically threatening him and saying he's some kind of murderer and for the record," he leaned forward, pointing a finger at the woman, "You're not a cop."

Ames kept her position, clearly not intimidated, "I'm not accusing him of anything and I'd much prefer talking to him and not you."

I felt Devin shift in his position, easing even closer to her, "Well you could have fooled me," he mocked, his voice growing angry, "And he's already asked you to say what's on your mind. You're the one being a dick here, not me and certainly not him."

"Devin," I spoke softly, not wanting him to get too worked up despite appreciating the help. He responded by putting a hand on my knee. My gaze fell to it briefly before returning to Ames, who took notice of the gesture as well. 

"Ok, fine," she relented, somewhat agitated, "I know McGraff is back and I know you had something to do with it. If the fact that the murders have happened in your town hadn't been enough," she pointed at Devin, "The marks on your friend's face confirmed it."

I felt my hands sweating. I really didn't like confrontation and there had been no warning, no preparation for having to deal with her, "You're right," I answered, hanging my head in defeat, "I'm sorry. It was an acci-" for some reason, I couldn't make the blatant lie so I changed my words mid-sentence, "This wasn't meant to happen. We've been trying to fix it."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" she retorted.

"Same way you did," Devin was speaking again, "Except unlike you, Mark is exceptionally gifted in spiritual matters," he squinted at her as he said it, making it clear he was insulting her while reiterating my capability.

Ames seemed to soften a minuscule amount then, enough to let me start relaxing, "How so?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but Devin beat me to it, sounding as if he was bragging, "Mark is adept at astral travel. He also learned within one dream how to properly create and draw a powerful weapon and he can easily manipulate the dream world, even jump to other people's dreams." As nice as it felt to have someone act proud of me like that, I couldn't help but grimace a little at the exaggerations.

"I've noticed," she scowled, her wit much faster than my own and, seemingly, Devin's, "Then your advanced skills explain why you accidentally ended up in my head only to run away when I tried to speak with you," she paused briefly for effect, "So what's been keeping you from destroying him so far?"

"He's difficult when it comes to letting me near him," I sighed, "He tried to get me to work with him, basically saying he knew I could defeat him. So we've been trying to find him without him knowing."

"Which starts with us learning about the city kids," Devin added.

There was a few moments of quiet during which Ames' gaze moved between the two of us as her mind contemplated the truth of what we had told her. She had been leaned forward with her hands forming a triangle in her lap, but at last, she sat straight and crossed her arms, "I may be able to help with that."