Chapter 1: The Favor - 2048k

   Prompt picked by: Katyr

Chapter 2: Secrets - 7052k

   Prompt picked by: Blue_Aspen

Chapter 3: TBA

   Prompt picked by: Katyr

Chatpter 4: TBA

   Prompt picked by: Blue_Aspen

Chapter 5: TBA

   Prompt picked by: Katyr

Chapter 6: TBA

   Prompt picked by: Blue_Aspen

Chapter 7: TBA

   Prompt picked by: Katyr

Chapter 8: TBA

   Prompt picked by: Blue_Aspen

Chapter 9: TBA

   Prompt picked by: Katyr

Chapter 10: TBA

   Prompt picked by: Blue_Aspen

Prompt: You sold your soul to the Devil some years ago. Today he gives it back and says, "I need a favour"

"I need a favor."

The voice had a young woman turn around, the voice was both old and new to her and it surprised her. It hadn't been as long as she thought it would be, if anything she had thought he wouldn't show up, that there were plenty of others who this man...Devil. Could have gone to. Yet it was her.

"That's rather... abrupt." It came out in a slight whisper. Having looked around though she gently gestured him towards an empty office. With a nod the devil followed her in, a few eyes were turned towards her yet none said a word.

"You'll have to excuse my rudeness for showing up like this." For some reason the idea of the devil being bashful about something had honestly taken the woman by surprise, unsure as to why he, he of all people would ever be. Wasn't the devil meant to be a cunning bastard that is hated by all those who see themselves as good? Also for him to mention him showing up to her word was rude? Even she could see something was up.

"You had said you needed a favor." Pushing it aside, to forget about it for now. Staring hard at him who had stood there for a moment before he dug his hand around in his coat pocket before pulling out a little box. Stepping over he had seemed to calm down and get serious. Taking the woman's hand and set the box within her small hand.

"Miss Varin, I'm in a predicament. I will very much understand if you want to deny however I can not allow such a thing." It stopped the woman from speaking when her eyes fell down to the rather beautiful box within her hand, looked hand crafted, had been dark cherry oak it looked like with a aqua blue ribbon. She looked up at him. "Vivienne." He uttered her name quietly.

Staring at him before lowering her head and pulling the ribbon, setting it on the table before opening the box to find what had to be a 2 carat ring. She just stared. All Vivienne could really do honestly. Shocked but slowly her eyes lifted to the man in the room with her.

"You can't just come walking in here to take care of your favor and most of which happened to be asking for marriage." Those words had him confused before sighing.

"That's actually not it. I'm not meant to marry someone... human. But for this I need someone at the very least just for a night." He had explained some. "I must attend an event in the up coming week. It happens to be a fundraiser even however for many there it is meant to nose around in my affairs and gossip of it behind my back while i am not paying attention." Watching the devil shrug nonchalantly of what he just had spoken.

The silence was painfully loud in his ears but he showed no reaction to it. He'd have her rather she liked it or not but he was at the very least giving her silence and letting her take it in, to let her thoughts run and think on it. Something that took long enough that she was snapped out of it when someone had barged into the room. Taking a step forwards he had covered his large hand over Vivienne's smaller ones and the box, hiding what he had given to the woman.

"This isn't personal hours, Miss, Varin. Get back to work." The person who came in, a work "friend" she'd dryly call him, but he wasn't however wrong. Looking up at the devil before over towards him. "Your bedroom buddy has to go." He added but shock and fear filled those eyes of him when the "bedroom buddy" flashed a rather familiar grin.

"How's it been... Xander Cooper, correct?" The devil was very much pleased by the male storming out of the room, muttering something about the devil being damned.

"....You know him too?" Vivienne whispered which had the devil look down to her with an easy smile this time.

"I know all. Even those of whom look to god has come to me at some point in their lives, normally for bad but some for good when God is a bit... too slow to answer for help." Answering her question, he was after all, the devil, though for Xander he didn't look like he had, a few things had changed, hair color, it's cut, eyes, a voice slightly, just enough for someone like him to forget but someone like 'her' to remember.

His thumb rubbed her hand lightly. "You can have tonight to decide if I am forcing you or if you will willingly come with me for this one single night." It was as simple as that but it still had the young woman surprised and confused. If anything it slightly annoyed her that he would be forcing this upon her.

"You know I am dating someone." She reminded him. It had been the reason why she went to him in the first place, had it not? That reminder had him turn his head and look to the side. She was dating an abusive man however it only was that way because of her family getting in such debt that she had to go to him but for reasons she rather not recall nor the devil for this matter, it didn't come to mind.

"He won't do a thing to you about this." His words had Vivienne stop in her tracks as she was about to leave the room to return to her 9 to 5 job. Turning her head towards him, her fiery olive color eyes landed on him in disbelief. "I know all that he does, every little thing, the marks under your shirt and pants, you can have this single night of freedom with me." A promise that he was sure to keep either way, word of this wouldn't get to that man and had it, so help him God was on his side to protect him.

It was silent for a moment from the woman who slowly shook her head. "I'll have to repay you another favor if I do so. If you keep him from finding out."

"It's on my own will to do something like that, to do something I want for myself, it's a bit different in this case." Shrugging before flashing her a small smile. The devil with a smile, a man all blames but no, God too is often blamed for pain and suffering, the devil is placed as the pain giver, God is there as a bystander who watches what many assume, is happily by. And yet it is not the devil who possesses the mere human to do such a thing, it is one of God's works that does the pain and it is God who sits by, who is seen as light and a protector but has rarely protected those who need it.

"And I think it is no fair to see you suffer for your family and now to see him do what he does to you." With that though he made sure the box was within Vivienne's hand and he softly cupped her small hand with his own. "This time tomorrow I'll be back." And with a simple blink of her eyes he was gone but the warmth of his hands still held hers in such a kind way.

The next day came and this time Vivienne was at home, pacing her house for a moment, her boyfriend was out of the house and would be home soon. She'd either have to leave the house before the devil came or try and find a way to keep her boyfriend out just a little bit longer.

To deny the devil.

A knock on the front door had Vivienne be startled out of her thoughts and went for the door but before she could grab it a hand caught hers. The warmth kept her from flinging her hand back to hit the person, rather she had carefully looked over towards the person, the male, the devil. He held a finger to his lips to shh her.

Leading her silently from the door to another room he smiled faintly down at her. "Have you decided?" He asked softly, keeping his voice low while speaking, having rather the male outside the front door to not hear as he twisted a few things around to line events up just right. Holding his hand up quickly. "Remember that you will have freedom if you wish. You will not have to repay me with your soul, I assure you." Having reminded Vivienne.

That did have her think though, she hadn't wanted to, she wanted to go through this life on her own but... This made her think about it a little, what she refused to do for the whole 24 hours she had.

"Will my family be safe?" Asking meekly. "Will they still get what they need?" Banging was harder on the door, God was pushing hard for a show.

"They will continue to get the care they deserve, will not in any way be harmed unless you ask for them to have a normal life, otherwise I will see to them dying all of old age." A truthful answer that was seen through his eyes and the gentleness of his voice.

Shouting was on the other side of the door.

"Answer." The devil spoke once more which had her blink and her eyes widen as the door sounded like it had been kicked in which her Vivienne's blood run cold. "Vivienne." Demanding an answer, needing it before he took her regardless. The answer will decide quickly on with what will happen at a later date however for tonight, to promise her safety and her family's, right then and there she needed an answer.

Holding her breath deep in the pit of her stomach at the sound of her boyfriend yelling and storming through the house, looking for her.

Slowly Vivienne nodded. They were the world to her even if a lot of the time her family and her got into many fights and arguments of her life, of how she went about with things, that she wasn't enough of this or that and too much of this or that. Hard it may have been and they kept giving her reasons to not long and adore them but she had. It was a fault Vivienne herself knows too well of. They were family. Family to her meant the world to her and if that meant making a rich man date her, a way to help get her money for her family than she'd do it even if he was abusive. But that at the moment also meant that the devil himself could help her even better, that maybe isn't so cruel to her.

"Okay. I'll go with you... Just please, my family." The moment her words came out the footsteps came their way and with that the devil smirked.

"As safe," Reaching into the woman's pocket and retrieving the ring. "As they will be for the rest of their lives." Taking her left hand and slipping the ring onto her ring finger just as the man came in yet in a blink of an eye they were gone.

She, willingly his now, taken from a place on hell to a place within hell. And yet this new hell was somehow friendlier than home.

"If a problem arises than let me know but you are free to do as you please as long as it's in with reason." With that the devil shown her to a room with a few dresses lied out on the bed. "Take you time, I have some business to attented to. That is, if your answer is secure?" The silence from Vivienne wasn't too surprising but slightly uncomfortable but what could be helped.

It took a moment but a smile tugged the corner of her lips. "I would like to better talk about this when possible. To make sure my family is safe too." Looking to him. "But yes, I'll at least do this willingly."

Prompt: You live in a would where each lie creates a scar on the liar's body. The bigger the lie, the deeper and larger the mark. One day, you meet someone that only has one scar; it is the biggest one you have ever seen.

____

It was a clear difference on what scars were created by her and what scars were not, what were lies and what were accidents and what were ones that had been meant by her own doing. Yet today she was in the engine of a fighter ship, her older brother's at that, someone who couldn't seem to not nearly blow his engine out every time he was chased, thankfully she hadn't needed to worry about the body because... Peeking up to look at it before turning her head back down and returning to her work.

It worried her, the body was all beat up and had multiple burn marks on it from others shooting at it. There would be a day she'll lose her brother, sadly she couldn't help but think that it would be from old age or natural causes. But who could stop a daredevil of an older brother who needed cash? She for one couldn't sadly, it was hard for a sister to not love the brother who tried to give her a safe life.

Yet you speak of the devil and he will show up with another devil.

"Hey, Lynx." An upbeat voice had the woman peek from the corner of her eye.

"You are too happy about this." She grumbled though, but returning to her work, finishing up with getting the bolts tight again. "For all that is good, I cannot stress enough that if you do this again I will have to think of leaving you. What you do will get you killed!" Snapping her head around to look at her brother, ignoring his friend before pointing the ratchet wrench at him. "I can't deal with that."

Hopping off her stool she walked over to a table with other types of tools before glancing his way and looking at the friend. "Sorry about that." Giving him a kind smile which he nodded stiffly.

"So is she ready to go again?" Once more her brother spoke up. Had her see red for a second before grumbling. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding." Holding his hands up in defense.

"I gave it another boost, use it wisely as I have to change it every time you use it. Also, stop getting in trouble, will make my life easier." Putting the rest of the tools away she had stretched.

"You're an angel!" Pulling his sister into an embrace she stood there, silently leaning on him. "I promise I am working to make it easier for you." He whispered softly before letting his sister go free.

She, Roselyn Ewen, the younger sister of Alistair Ewen, they've been alone and against the world at a young age. Both grew a tight bone and relationship which meant that Roselyn leaving Alistair meant she couldn't take it anymore. But for them both, leaving one another would destroy the other's heart.

A ringing had Alistair pull his phone out before giving his sister an apologetic smile. "I need to take this." With that he turned and left while answering his phone.

Shaking her head some she looked at the other male. He was towering her small height of 5 foot 3. A handsome male in a full black battle suit, his jaw tight yet rather than staring at his hard jaw bone that had a rough edge to it unlike her brother, she looked at his eyes, they were a light brown, narrowed and almost like he was always frowning but rather than staring at them, finding the beauty in them. Roselyn's gaze found his scar.

Staring at it maybe too long as she noticed his eyes show a hint of amusement. The scar ran from over his left eye brow, it started off thin yet as it went over the eyebrow, leaving a mark through it and down to his eye, that seemed to look good however with the scar going further down his cheek and curving off to his jaw and what Rose had guessed was the scar kept going on down his neck. Yet she hadn't known as it was covered by his clothes.

"Enjoying yourself?" He snickered, taking Roselyn's embarrassment to be rather amusing.

"I'm sorry." As much as she hadn't minded yelling at him like she would her brother, he wasn't for one, her brother and two, he had in the last few months been the guy who's watching out for Alistair and someone had to that wasn't her. She herself had her job to do and though it paid less than it should by a good amount, it was all she could do.

"Nah, you aren't the only one who stared so hard." Eyeing her with that amusement though the look in her eyes changed, to a fiery passion, it gave him a moment to see her face. She had a few scars on her face, more on the jaw bones and her cheeks though they were light, looked like they were from lies. "Oh right." He uttered near silently. But not commenting on it he simply left it be.

There was silence between the two for a good minute before he had shifted his weight from on leg to another. "So you're his little sister? Roselyn?" The question had confused the woman for a moment before she understood what he was asking before nodding a little.

"Yeah, 6 year difference between him and I." Coking her head to the side she had closed a few draws to the tool box and took the keys to the fighter ship. Looking at them silently.

"He didn't drive it last night." The sudden topic change had Rose lift her head and look at him. Confused.

"What do you mean? He came in with it last night himself."

"He had however after we passed the check point and it took the people a bit to notice what we were carrying I had switched with him, giving him the package and sent him off in my fighter." He could see she was worried, hell any kind sister would be of their brother. "I didn't and wouldn't let your idiot of a brother go through that, it most likely saved his life that I switched with him." Yet with that he waved his hand and shrugged. "I'm only telling you so you don't chew his ear off and shove it down his throat." With that the man had went to leave.

"Hold on..." It stopped him. "What is your name? He's never told me, just said you were a good friend of his." Staring at her, it's all he was to anyone, to few, he was only a good friend without a name now.

"Zephaniah." Yet there was no surname and he had left the garage.

**********

Ah god! What the hell did her brother have to do this time! Rolling off the sleeping bag on the floor, Rose left her room. She was annoyed, hard pounding on the door was never good for one and two, why the hell was the enforcers out there at this time of night?!

It's been about 4 months after the last time her brother got into trouble and that she learned it was that friend of his, Zephaniah who drove his fighter and kept the idiot safe. But the door had been kicked in just as she got to the door and had knocked her down under it. Holding consciousness for the moment she groaned and tried to push the door off her small body, though she hissed when it seemed someone was holding it down and harder on her.

"Looking for a friend, have any idea where he might be?" The voice, low and raw, full of hate but what bothered her was that he was in her home, that he kicked her door in.

"I have no idea who you are looking for! Get the hell out of my house!" Hissing and growling from under the door. The voice let a rumble laugh come rolling out of the pit of his stomach.

"Oh honey, there ain't a thing you can do. The enforcers are already here and don't give a single fuck about you. Well body maybe but that little mouth, not at all." Like the speed of light the door had been kicked off Roselyn and she attempted to rise. However the one who removed the door pinned her to the ground. "You are her. Knock her out, she's the one." With that he stood and before Rose even knew what was happening her head was pounding with pain and everything went black.

*********

"your girlfriend's cute 'Zephaniah' "

"I am going to kill you if they hurt my sister, Zeph." Anger coated his tone but that wasn't only it. "This is your fault, you asked about her when we were out! You should have kept your mouth shut!" Kicking a chair over, Alistair had moved to his sister's room, trying to find out if maybe, just maybe she was hidden somewhere and what was written on the wall hadn't been with her blood.

It was silent for a few minutes as Zephaniah had looked around some himself. "I'll go after them. Don't follow." With that Zephaniah had headed out of the doorless house and out to his fighter yet before he even got that far he was shoved into an alleyway. A hand on his mouth and being pushed into the bags of trash. Thank god though he noticed who it was before having ripped his head off.

It was silent for a moment but then there was chatter, steps of at least two people walking and in Zephaniah's view had been two enforcers. Before either could say anything, once the armed men went on Alistair had hopped off and went to trail the two. Not once speaking a work to the other male who could easily pull his limbs off. Zephaniah was fair more deadly than a few enforcers however Alistair wasn't willing to deal with that issue too, he was going to find Roselyn and make sure his sister was okay.

End of story.

********

It took a few hours and a lot of trailing but Zephaniah had managed to find out where Roselyn was, however her well being was still unknown to even to a friend of Roselyn's who had a good hand on getting into privet systems up to government systems without being found out. It took even longer however for her to find the routes of people and to slip into the security system, she could however confirm for Zephaniah of who it was that kidnapped Roselyn.

"Thank you for the help." Alistair's voice came out of nowhere as he entered the room with the two. Giving a coffee to the two in there.

"Hopefully this will be able to help, it's a lay out of the building, of who is to work where at what times, the paths they take. For the most part it all seems to run smoothly like this however the only person who doesn't run on the time normally like he too should, is Ash Cerberus." The name had Alistair pause and look at her, like she was dumb.

"Isn't he meant to be on Zurdon?"

"Not if he is after someone... Like Zephaniah." The woman answered, yet why none of them but Zephaniah and Ash knew. It was silently for a moment.

"Telling you would possibly cause you two a great deal of danger as well." He had answered which was pretty truthful, lying wasn't something he did without a reason and he held onto only a single lie and it simply just grew and grew and had him wonder if it'll kill him. Well that was until he got close to Roselyn, had lied to her which left that scar under his right eye.

But the words that came out of Zephaniah had annoyed Alistair. "Is that why my sister was taken?!" Growing angry once again however before he could even take a step towards the taller and deadlier male, the small woman stood and pushed Alistair towards the door.

No answer came from the man until after Alistair and the woman were out of the room, and even then, his words were a soft whisper only for his ears to hear and no others. He had told her, he had given her everything on him and somehow somewhere, the fucker found out and is once again coming after him for something he made a mistake on. Zephaniah knew damn well what he did, having Roselyn's older brother on his ass riding him hard to admit to it out loud wasn't something he needed even. He was tired of Ash anyways, was about time to take care of the mess he started.

Be best if it took out himself and Ash but one would have to see.

*******

"I doubt he'll come running for you." Ash laughed while he paused with throwing knives. Looking at her and looking her up and down like an animal. "I'm sure he sees you as just meat." Turning back he threw another knife, it hitting right in the middle of a picture of three young men. A picture from years ago however it showed a younger version of Ash, Zephaniah and a nameless male.

Roselyn grunted as she struggled weakly against the wall she had her back against as her arms were chained above her head and to the ceiling. Her ankles chained to the floor so she couldn't kick or try to do some other trick. But freezing dead in her tracks when a knife came less than an inch from her face, the blade imbedded deep in the wall behind her.

"Not wise to wiggle and bother the silence." He growled. Steeping towards Roselyn. "Then again, meat should be dead." Ask whispered in a cold tone against her ear, retrieving his knife from the wall. "Be far more entertaining if he'll be the one to bleed you."

"Does he scare you?" Roselyn asked in a horsed tone. Watching the male beside her. "You know he's different now than he was when you two were younger." It wasn't hard to see, Zephaniah then would have scared her, hell he does scare her now, Ash on the other hand, he was a mouse compared to the wolf she found herself wishing that will step in the room and save her. Yet it'd been days, maybe weeks, honestly too long for her to even know at this point.

"He's more a demon than you'll ever be." She added on with a cocky smile. It got her a punch to the face though seemed to poke a button on him.

Saying nothing he had held the blade of his knife to her cheek before pressing down, silent while she let a whine slip between tightly sealed lips. "You want that? For me to be evil? Do you know how men work when a naked woman is thrown in front of them? Tied up, a bit of a fight? I'll happily let you witness that first hand." It was a warning, clear in the way his voice spoke, in his wording but it seemed to silence her and make her give up saying anything to him about Zephaniah. "One more time and I'll make sure he won't ever take you to safety, I'll make him watch for days, years, however long I feel while you suffer through it, to feel like an animal you really are." Driving the knife into her thigh he had left, ignoring her scream of pain that ripped through her lips from the pit of her stomach.

She was a mer object that will be thrown away like trash when he was finished with Zephaniah, until then he'll need her breathing, maybe just barely but enough in the very least. Well until he showed up, once there then she could be discarded like trash.

******

It'd been just a few days after Roselyn had worked on her brother's ship, getting all fixed back up and working condition and hopefully with a boost and tune up that'll help him keep from being harmed. Though she had a fondness to know her brother's friend and it seemed to be a two way thing, seeing as he stopped by, brother in hand of course, the male grinning like a fool, already somewhat drunk.

"So what had you come here?" Rose asked, sitting down after having taken her brother back to her bedroom, tucking him in and making sure she could see him from where she was, shame he was a puking kind of person when drunk. She had to baby him till he was sober however that didn't mean she wasn't quiet, she gave made his hangover hell. It was silent for the moment as Zephaniah had taken a sip from his glass, drinking a mixed alcoholic drink, was a but fruity with the first few swigs of the drink before going to a bitter hard taste of the alcohol.

"I was intrigued by you, plus your brother wanted to "check up" on you, mind you, that was 5 drinks ago, all of which before he put himself on my ship and demanded to go." Shrugging some, he was amused by it also showed that even when drunk, the male still cared for his little sister. Plus Alistair had become a rather good friend who didn't bite him in the ass and throw him under the bus for the bounty.

Roselyn had laughed a bit though. "Sounds like him." A tender smile graced her lips as she looked back towards her brother. "An idiot he is but he does have a good heart some days." Waving her hand a little on the thought she had went on to consuming her drink slowly, the looks of it, she mainly made it the bitter hard taste over the fruity taste.

Over the time the two had a few more drinks, getting a little more lose and relaxed around one another, even had Roselyn sitting at the open window to cool herself down before snickering to herself come.

"You know when someone tells you that a lie can grow too big?" Roselyn soon stopped snickering once she could get herself to calm down and just stared at the other male with her. Cocking her head to the side before giggling once more, covering her mouth to try and at least slow the laughter down.

"I'm not sure that is the saying... But yeah." Speaking through her soft fit of laughter before trying her best to clam down once more. However she did understand what he was trying to tell her for the most part.

It had taken a moment and for Zephaniah to take a swig of his drink once again. "That's why my scar is how it is." It shocked her.

Staring at Zeph for a moment before standing, a bit wobbly but she moved towards him carefully, watchful of his movements as it, from what her drunken mind could get, that he wasn't comfortable with her coming close. Sitting down beside him in the end before yawning.

"Is it just a single one?" Looking up at the male he soon enough nodded. Though deciding it best to leave it there seeing as he didn't look all that comfortable talking about it so she was silent and thought about something that had her grin and giggle once again to herself.

"How tall are you?" Roselyn grinned, wanting to honestly know.

"Far taller than you think." It was a playful smirk coming from Zephaniah, something he honestly didn't see or even noticed himself. "Take a guess at it." He soon added on softly, wanting to honestly know how close or far she was to his height.

"6 foot 5 maybe?" A teasing grin pulled at his lips soon enough.

"Nice try however I am more like 7 foot." Which honestly was inhumanly tall but was fitting for the male somehow. He held a darkness to him, he was silent and almost waiting for someone to step close enough to snap his teeth at and take a hard bite, ripping what ever he had a hold of. Throat, stomach, leg, be what ever his fangs could grab.

"Holy crap..." Rose whispered in shock. Though it had Zephaniah laugh a bit, a rather low deep one rumbled from him that had her for once not laughing herself, it wasn't all that bad to hear and if anything, she enjoyed his laughter even when drunk.

"Shouldn't be that surprising though, it's normal for other races to be different." He elbowed her and gazed down at the woman silently who just stared at the coffee table in front of them. "My race is the second tallest race, normally in the high 6 foot area but some of us gets into the 7 foot area easily." The height wasn't an uncommon thing to him, but to see this little woman so surprised by it, maybe she hadn't seen someone much taller than her brother who just barely was 6 foot even.

Her eyes however soon met his, she had a soft olive green color that stood out with her orangey red hair. Zephaniah on the other hand had a dark blue, almost like a pit trying to suck in everything harmful to protect himself, it was matched with a dark brown head of hair. Yet the two just silently stared at one another before Rose got shy and looked away, an awkward laugh soon enough came out of the small woman.

"I've never been off my home planet, Alistair is the only one that is at least once a week, plus we are a poor planet, not many new comes here unless for work and I don't work in that area, I work on ships and such but hidden away so no one can see that a female for one is doing it and two, that I'm poor." Yawning Roselyn lied down on her back, staring at the ceiling while her legs stayed crossed. But she caught Zephaniah looking at her who soon looked away when caught and went to his drink.

"Never wanted to go with your brother?" She shook her head at the question.

"I never wanted to, I was the one making normal legal money, we needed that, plus what he was doing wasn't something either of us wanted on both of us, I rather he didn't do such illegal things but I can't stop him. What he does with the money though I don't know." But she rather him stop and be safe over doing something so dangerous

It took a moment but soon enough Zeph poked her knee. "I've been working with your brother for the last 4 or so years. His money, though he hates it, doesn't and can't go to you with you living here, tracing it back to you then to him and to me and a few others, we try to not involve those on planets like these ones, if poor suddenly got a load of money, it'd look bad for you and your family." He smiled at her. "But he's been saving what he could as well as giving the rest that he had to, to people like you in planets that don't blink twice about it so long as they get money too."

Zephaniah himself had soon enough lied his back on the ground before scooting down until his head was even with hers which was a struggle with his legs that he ended up pushing the coffee table some. He got to looking at the side of her face as Rose had her eyes closed. Finding beauty in the sister, Alistair had been lucky to have such a caring sister that'd let you come in drunk and with a friend she didn't even know.

Yet he rolled over and leaned towards her, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. He'd known about her for so long, had seen so many pictures of her and seen her a few times, though him with his identity hidden, but she was someone he wouldn't mind knowing who he was. Maybe soon he'll tell her.

*****

There was an odd darkness, a shimmer of anything but rainbows and flowers. A beast had entered and everything grew deadly cold and silent other than the dangerously loud and hard yet slow foot steps creeping closer. They entered the room and came to the center. Struggling to open her eyes and when she had all she could see was pure darkness within the room, as if she was just hearing things and maybe, maybe she was.

Her eyes fell closed as she fell unconscious once more, dead to the world.

****

"Took your time with showing up." Ash's voice echoed in the dark room while Zephaniah stood in the middle, his eyes scanning everything within the room yet he landed on a woman changed to the ceiling and floor, hanging there limp and out. It took a moment but he learned who it was and strolled over towards her body, anger and rage rolled off him in heavy blankets that filled the room with his intent to come.

"I don't recommend touching her." The lights having suddenly turned on, blinding Zephaniah which had him bring his arm up to protect his eyes before growling darkly and turning. Squinting his eyes he found Ash standing there, a remote in hand.

"You bastard. I get why you were outcaste by everyone back then." A bitter tone took his voice yet he turned and took a step towards the male, only stopping when the remote was waved a bit.

"Watch your tongue." It took a lot to not hit the button on the remote then again Zephaniah hadn't known what it'll do and wasn't going to test it, not with a kind woman's life on the line. Zeph said nothing though, holding his spot, stiff and ready to pounce onto the man. "I finally learned what happened, why you refused so long to say anything that was the truth when it came to Abel." It had Zephaniah watch the other male when he was speaking, had him smirk.

"So then what do you know that I've been hiding?" Staring the male down in front of him.

"You both found out things you shouldn't have about the government as well as the enforcers and myself."

"Bingo." Zephaniah winked before his hands rested upon his hips. "Why harm an innocent woman?" And once more he was annoyed. No one should be pulled into harms way like this, to be hurt for knowing something that he trust, wouldn't say a word about it to anyone else.

"How else would I have pulled you out of hiding? You have knowledge on things that I'll gladly gut you myself for knowing." He twirled the remote some before patting it against his cheek while staring his old friend down. "Plus it's a somewhat pay back, you were the one who pulled Abel into this, who let him get hurt, who found out what he shouldn't have known either and was the reason he was killed." Reaching behind him he frowned. "Now stand still and be good."

Zephaniah showed no emotion as he noticed someone come in behind the male slowly, moving only when there was sound to cover their own sounds. Yet it only took a few short works to get her moving and her hands reached up and caught the remote, someone else having kicked his back, forcing Ash forwards to stumble and let the remote go in surprise. But he had hissed and tried to turn around, though Zephaniah not only had size on him, he was light on his feet and moved ahead, grabbing the gun behind Ash and his shoulder he pulled him down. Quickly over powering Ash and pinning him to the ground he held the gun to his head.

"I'm not your damn dog."

"Hold your horses Than, you kill him you will be treated as a murderer." The woman spoke as she while inspecting the remote before handing it to the male with her, she had been the woman from before, the computer girl, Marci June Carter. "I will have to contain you until backup comes." She wanted. "Plus I doubt her brother would like having a sister be with a murderer." Marci had looked at Alistair, the male who came in with her, who nodded firmly in silent agreement.

"But what's really stopping you from killing me, huh? Buddy 'ol pal?" He spoke in a mocking tone, trying to get Zephaniah off him or at least shot yet he refused.

"Please check on Roselyn..." Yet before he could say anything else, once everything was secured Alistair had ran over to his sister, having been unable to find anyway to get her down, he had at least checked her pulse, seeing if she was breathing and were any major wounds had been at. At least one infected wound from a stab wound but the rest looked to be from being hit. Doing his damnest to keep his anger in check as for once, he didn't mind the idea of killing someone for doing this to his little sister. However her pulse wise, it was weak which had him look over towards Marci who was on her link, already calling for medical help.

"It'll be okay.." Alistair whispered to his sister, holding her face gently between his hands.

**

"You passed out hard last night." Zephaniah teased a bit as Alistair came in tiredly from the bedroom, finding his sister covered and sleeping on the soft while Zephaniah was drinking a cup of coffee while sitting at the coffee table. The look Alistair gave him was something off annoyance before she grunted and went to the bathroom. After Roselyn woke up and had shooed the two out of her place she went on with her day even with the hangover. It had been a few days before Zephaniah had come over again, however it was just him this time.

The two after their night of talking and drinking had one another's numbers and talked from time to time. Today he had suggested going out on a date which, Roselyn declined, offering a moment later that she'll make dinner and he could come over and spend time there with her, not having really been ready for the idea of a date, plus the embarrassment she'd have if he learned just how poor she really was.

When he showed up the two enjoyed the food she made which had him impressed yet didn't over praise her cooking, was in a way nicer than a pricey restaurant could be. It was for once in his life in some time a peaceful time that didn't have him on edge. Having taking a liking towards the woman, a fondness he had for her but said nothing on that, knowing better.

"So why a date?" Roselyn soon enough popped up with the question while they were listening to music and playing a card game. The question had Zephaniah pause for a moment. He wasn't going to say anything about it.

Setting a card down before his down on the table while she looked at her own before looking for one, in the time she was doing that he was silently thinking about it. Before soon sighing. "I find you to be interesting." And attractive, yet holding that back. Could end up getting a shoe through his face or glass, which ever the woman was feeling.

Rose wouldn't lie, it did have her confused as to why and had laughed a bit while setting a card down for him. "That's funny." Looking through her cards she had ended up pulling one before setting her cards down and sipping her water. Though the fact that Zephaniah said nothing she had looked at him. "Oh... You were serious." Murmuring but just staring at him when he nodded.

"You care about others, you don't even care that Alistair doesn't give you any money in payment for what you did for him. I find it intriguing." Turning her head down, Rose stared at her lap, silently thinking about it. "A woman willing to try and protect her suicidal brother is a lot kinder than many even when you get angry at him." And lately it had been for her, mainly her that he was keeping Alistair's ass safe, he didn't want to see her weep, ever.

Not sure on what to say honestly she hadn't said anything for the time being, just taking it in that someone other than her brother had thought of her as kind, that she was intriguing even, normally those seen as that don't even live here anymore and worked... fought, their way up to have a better home and life in some other planet with money, not this hell hole.

"Don't take wrong that I haven't said anything, I... I just have no idea what say." A whispered voice came out of her yet Zephaniah understood, giving her the time to take in what he did say. It surprised him even that being told something like had her baffled and unable to say anything.

"No, I shouldn't have brought it up." He soon responded, it had been wrong to say something like that, even more so to a woman like her, so kind and gentle when he wasn't at all like that.

"Don't say that. I've never had anyone say anything like that to me, normally I'm just ignored, more so because of the red hair, people tend to put that and the devil together or simply just want sex. To have someone say that to me, to say I am intriguing is something new to me, it isn't wrong for you to say it. Thank you for saying it." Roselyn responded softly to him, trying to sooth him from what he had said. Zephaniah had every right to answer what he felt so long as it was within reason and that, was within reason, not just going with because she was hot or what not.

"I enjoy your company." And company to him was something he pushed away for so long. "I would like to go on a proper date with you." It was cute though to see shock her but she nodded a little bit.

"Somewhere cheep." That way she wouldn't have to worry about wearing something super fancy that she didn't have nor had the money for.

"I'll pay for it."

"Then even more so somewhere cheep... You shouldn't have to pay for me." Being hardheaded in her own way, shy about it even, but she was trying. Not everyone had money but soon Zephaniah sighed and agreed to it.

"Okay, somewhere cheep, but I'll pay." He smiled faintly which had Rose blink and blush.

"O..Okay."

After giving in their night turned to sitting on the couch, talking more, it was mainly Zephaniah learning of Rose than she was able to learn of him but soon enough she carefully leaned over. Her back was on one side of the sofa as was his, their legs somewhat twisted up with one another. Rose softly touched the scar, the single scar on his body that she knew of. Cupping his cheek.

"Will you tell me what happened?" Asking timidly. It had him surprised and freeze for a moment before even Zephaniah had reached up and touched the starting area of the scar, over his eyebrow.

"Telling you would put you in danger." Murmuring though he stared at her face.

"That's fine." Roselyn smiled softly. It was better than telling him about some of her scars and avoiding a few of them because she much rather not have spoken about them.

"I had two good friends years ago." Starting slowly, taking a moment to think about it. "I put one in danger and was who killed him." Though as he had ended up saying it, a slight burning feeling started under his eye, the look in Roselyn's face told him well on what the burn was. He didn't want to tell anyone, it'll in return have them killed as well as himself. If word got out, he'd lose, if Ash found him, he'll lose everything he made in the years after everything happened.

"You lied." Roselyn whispered, her other hand came up and settled on his cheek while her thumb softly rubbed the newly formed scar. "No one will know you told me, and you don't have to tell me if you wish not to."

"Ash... Someone I thought a friend, he and Abel were the only people I was close to, the only people that helped guide me as I did them and such. We were all apart of the enforcers but I learned of things I shouldn't have known, I found out what was happening behind closed door, what Ash was planning. I thought maybe telling Abel would maybe help give me a clear mind and get me an idea on how to stop it, to stop what the enforcers have become already and what they will in due time become even more of." Sighing and shaking his head faintly. Ash wanted to make the enforcers moves as one, to control them, to have them in the palm of his hand and slowly from there take out planets like the one Roselyn lives on, out, to make it only planets of the best.

"Ash found out, he killed Abel trying to get to me and to kill me, he since has put blame on me for Abel's death, had made every enforcer know my face, my voice, my movements, everything to try and find me so I wouldn't put what I know out there. Because he had such a hold on the enforcers at that point, saying a thing was impossible but he wanted to and still make sure I will never say anything." It was a hard week, in the start he learned of what his good friend was doing and at the end of that week he lost his other friend, they were his family and both were gone in the just the matter of short days.

"Even if it's dangerous and impossible.. Shouldn't you tell the higher ups? Those who control even the enforcers?"

*

Stirring awake, a soft groan coming from the woman in the hospital bed. Opening her eyes to find a white ceiling over her and the horrid smell of a hospital got caught in her nostrils which had her frown. Yet a head popped into her view and it had been Alistair's.

"You're awake!" He cried, going to hug his sister and held onto her even with her whine of pain but she had carefully wrapped her arms around him, holding him close in the best way she could.

"You had us worried." A soft woman's voice spoke and soon it was Alistair's girl friend. Rose smiled softly.

"Where's Zephaniah...?" Soon enough the question came out when his voice wasn't there, when his body wasn't anywhere within her sight. Alistair sighed and pouted.

"Thanks for asking how I am, but he's dealing with Ash and the government, said he had some business he needed to take care of." Standing back to give Roselyn some space, helping her sit up once she had started to move that way, he gave her a small smile. "You really care about him?" Soon he asked softly, concerned for his sister as Zephaniah had his fair shares of secrets he hadn't told Rose yet. Heck even things that Alistair had seen first hand when it came to him. But it was not something he could tell in front of someone from the governments' personal hacker and agent.

"I doubt it'll be too much longer seeing as he's been working on it for the last few days, to finish it up because of what someone had asked him." Marci shrugged some before stretching. "I think we should head out for a few minutes, give you some time to wake up, get your mind together." And before either of the siblings could say anymore to one another she had pulled the male out after kissing his cheek softly.

It wasn't too awful long before the door to the hospital room had opened up slowly, a head popping though which had Roselyn smile wide. Seeing him brightened her mood considerably and had her want to jump out of bed. Glad he was safe and in one piece that the very least.

"I didn't think my face would make someone so happy." He laughed softly before entering, the door closing behind him before he moved to sit on the bed beside Rose's legs. "I got to thank a woman for asking if I should tell those above the enforcers." Rubbing the back of his neck with an awkward laugh.

"So thank you." Surprised at his hand being caught and held between both of Roselyn's hands, that she brought his hand up to his face and nuzzled his hand.

"I think she would be proud of you for doing the right thing."

"Well I hope, it was a very long process and a lot of control and a lot of proof." Moving up the bed a bit more, closer to her he had pulled her into his arms, gently holding her there for a few short minutes. "Ash is in jail, he's to rot in prison." Zephaniah had soon enough told Roselyn who held on tighter to Zephaniah, was both good and bad, good that someone bad was put away however bad that it was his friend, that it was someone he knew and trusted years ago.

But Zephaniah was safe and she didn't have to worry about it no more, least she hoped not.