[M] Purgatory [Shades of Grey & Abyss]

[Abyss]

Stalemate. They were at a stalemate, never going forward, yet never falling back. How long had this war been going on? Ages, it was. More people died everyday, and yet people kept coming to fight for the cause. What was the cause again? Defending the Baseland, so that no Dread Army soldier could burn it to the ground and get complete domination over all the factions. A knock on the captains door alerted him of someone standing outside his private rooms. No, he was not angry, he had been expecting this, for more than a few nights. Finally it was here: The Passerby Armys secret weapon. Opening the door, a very frightened looking soldier stood wearily next to the slim figure of the woman that would help lead the Passerby Army to victory. At the battle the next day, if they won, if only at that place, they would take a step forward. Something not done in many many years.

"Are we going to stand here, or will you invite me in?" The woman asked, tilting her head slightly to the left. She was ushered in and the soldier was relieved. The door closed behind the petite woman, and the captain. "I am to understand, that I will be leading a whole platoon or more tomorrow morning. Is that correct?" The woman sat down, lowering the hood of her long cloak, allowing her face to be seen. Her dark auburn hair was pulled away from her face, held there by a multitude of barrets, and hair bands; though her hair was back somehow the strands managed to frame her face complimenting her silver-green eyes. After a moment of embarrassing staring the captain drew his attention from her face and nodded answering her question.

"Good." The woman stood and walked over to the battle plans. "Instead of striking here" -she pointed to a location on the map- "strike here, they won't expect it. This" -she pointed at another location- "is where my platoons and I will be striking." She paused for a brief moment, and her eyes shifted to the Captains. "I only ask one thing of you. Just one." Her silver-green eyes narrowed and her voice got low and serious. "No kills. Your men may only kill if their life is in immediate danger. Otherwise, they just injure or incipacitate them. They do not need to live with blood on their hands." With that she made her way to the door in which she entered the room from, and left without so much as a backward glance. That woman was Danny Mae Reed, one of the most skilled assassins that the Passerby Army had. She could kill without touching a person, without meeting a person or coming within one hundred yards of a target. And yet, she hated fighting, loathed killing. Danny Mae Reed, the blood soaked assassin, left forever in the grip of Purgatory.

[Ashen]

"How are you doing?" The lieutenant stared down at his injured brother with a sympathetic glance. They both knew the private would never survive the damages from the cannon that had shot him. Most were surprised he had made it this far.
Zeek ran a hand through his brother's blonde hair. "If it makes you feel any better, we're winning." Zeek knew this was a lie. Neither side had made a move in the longest. He knew that's not what his brother wanted to hear.
"Of course we're winning," Paul wheezed, his eyes not opening. "We have someone like you in charge."
"You know I'm only a lieutenant," Zeek sighed but even as he did so he was smiling.
"Zeek, I can take it." A frown crossed Zeek's face as he knelt down beside his brother's bed. "I wanted to just see our flag waving over this land but Zeek. I can't last-"
Paul was interrupted by a cough. The cough grew until there was no sound louder. "Drink," Zeek said, rushing a glass of water that was kept by the bedside to him.
Paul pushed it away. "I don't want to live."
Zeek's expression fell. His eyes dimmed to a dark blue as he stared down at his little brother. He had known this was coming but that didn't take away from the effect that his brother wanted to die.
Zeek placed his hand over Paul's bruised chest. He felt his heartbeat, a weak force that didn't feel strong enough go support a mouse's body. "You'll be missed, Private O'Donnell."
Paul opened his eyes to see his brother for the last time. His green eyes had nearly dimmed to grey. "Win this war in my name." Paul left with a smile, a smile that brought tears to Zeek's eyes.
His brother was dead and it was all because of the Passerby Army.

"Sir," Zeek greeted as he entered the captain's quarters.
"O'Donell. What do you need?" The captain replied.
"Private O'Donell has passed," Zeek said solemnly, not looking away from the captain's desk.
"I am sorry," Captain Belinski replied with no sympathy in his voice.
"Sir, please tell me we have a plan."
"We always have a plan, O'Donell. Come. This is what we're going to do." Captain Belinski spread the map across his sloppily organised desk. "Here, this is where we are. We have all of these areas covered except here. I'm willing to bet these lands that the Passerbys are going to attack there. What they don't know is that we have men securing the area. Once they step into that area-"
"Sir," Zeek interrupted.
A little surprised-no one interrupts someone of a higher rank-Belinski stared at Zeek.
"What is it, Lieutenant?"
"Why are we still fighting?"
"What are you talking about, boy? We're fighting-"
"Not that." Zeek stared at the older man. Belinski had about thirty years on him and he was much taller than Zeek's 5'10". Belinski's brown eyes stared at Zeek, questioning.
"How many lives will be lost before we stop this war?" Zeek barked. His tone came out louder and stronger than he intended. "I'd rather have a small plot with people living on it than a large land with no survivors. What's the point, Belinski?"
Take aback, Belinski glared at Zeek. "You know better than to call me anything other than Captain."
"I'm tired of fighting," Zeek said sadly.
"Stop being such a pussy, O'Donnell. Grow some balls. We're not going to give up. We're going to fight until we win."
"Captain, this is pointless. We cannot-"
"Shut your yap boy. We will execute this plan with or without you. Now man up and go assemble the privates." Captain Belinski folded his map. "I expected more from you, Lieutenant."

[Abyss]

Danny stared out into the stars, marvelling at them, wondering how lonely they must be so far away from everything. But then, they must also be happy to not have to deal with the pain of being so close to people who you could cause damage to. A soft sigh escaped her lips, and she closed her eyes waiting for the dawn to approach. She didn't sleep at night, she was never able to. Only during the day did she find solace in her dreams, or nightmares if dreams did not come. The sun rose quicker than she thought, and she proceeded to the location she informed everyone to be when the sun came up. She'd discarded her cloak a long time ago, knowing that she would not need it for this day, and felt a rush of heat as the sun touched her exposed skin. Slung over her waist were the only two visible weapons she ever used. Twin blades, one black the other white, complete opposites. Like the battle of good and evil, where none seemed to accomplish much.

Facing the troops that would be her responsibility on that day she stared out at them all, watching their reactions as they took in her apperance. Her brown leather pants hung low on her hips showing a blood red cluster of marks, curling over her right hip and winding up her spine to curl and extend down her left arm to her wrist where it disappeared beneath a leather glove; another piece of the tattoo was up her neck and covered the right half of her face. She knew that it also moved down and spun around her right leg, but no one had ever seen that much of the Devils Mark, as she called it, and no one needed to as far as she was concerned. "I know you were told that an assassin was leading you," She spoke, her voice full of authority, "but we are not here to kill. We are not murderers, we are fighting for a good cause. And good people fighting for a good cause are not put on this planet to kill. We are protecting the Baseland, and our lives. We are not here to end anyone elses."

Turning her back to the troops she pointed in the direction northeast of their position. "They will be coming in from there, we are going to split. Half of you will go to confront them head on. The other half will go through the woods and head them off from behind." She paused and closed her silvery eyes, "I will be taking out the one in charge. I do not want to see any of you turn into murderers." She let her words sink in and glanced over her shoulder at them. "Ranks one and two will march head on. Three and four are going to cut them off from behind. Move out." Watching the alert and prepared soldiers march off, she knew that not even half of them would be returning, and that their families would feel grief they should not have to feel. And it was the fault of the Dread Army.

[Ashen]

"Where is O'Donell?" Captain Belinski roared to one of the privates.
"We don't know sir. He told us to man the area near the Drylands and then he was off like you on your wonderful stallion, sir."
Belinski grimaced at the young private. "Flattery will get you nowhere. And my horse is a girl. Goddamn where is O'Donell?" Belinski turned sharply prepared to search for the team's treasured lieutenant.

Zeek was lying on the grassy ground staring up at the clouds. His red shirt was untucked and dirty but he didn't seem to care. His army was faraway; he wondered if anyone would be able to find him.
The sun was high in the sky, it was noon. Zeek drifted into sleep until he heard horseshoes hitting the ground. They halted in front of him but Zeek didn't open his eyes. He heard a private's voice.
""Lieutenant O'Donell, the captain is looking for you. He's very upset."
Zeek looked up at the private, James Meyer, and shrugged. "I would be too."
Private Meyer stared at O'Donell in shock. "Lieutenant, he needs you now. We are all ready to fight and there is a whole field of men awaiting your orders."
"Jamie, go and tell old Belinski I'll get there when I'm good and ready."
The private stared at Zeek with bewildered eyes. "He needs you now. Have you lost your mind, Lieutenant? You're going to lose this war for us all."
"Good," Zeek replied. "Maybe then we won't lose anymore lives."

"Have you gone completely mad?" Belinski yelled once Zeek was before him. "Go man your station. Now!"
Zeek retreated and rode his horse to his lands. There was nothing he wanted less than to be here. So many things were going through the lieutenant's mind. Maybe if he purposely missed every shot Belinski would be forced to remove him from the army.
Or maybe he could make his own personal pact with the Passerbys.
Zeek stared at all of the men ready to fight for this land, this land that wasn't thiers. They would fight until they could no longer walk. Their families would stay up at night worrying about them.
And for what?
Zeek prepared for the Passerby Army to walk onto his turf. He was still thinking about ways to spare lives as he came across one of the pivates. Theodore Heinz had been part of the enemy in a previous war but had switched over. They didn't trust him at first but now he was one of their greatest privates.
That's it, Zeek said to himself. I can propose to join their army. They are fighting for good rather than evil. They shall triumph, with me on their side.
Even as he said it in his head, Zeek knew this would never work. But one thing you needed to become a lieutenant was perserverence.

[Abyss]

The troops were officially out of sight when Danny decided to move. She was fast and careful, moving through the dense forest that seemed to be everywhere in this region. As she moved she listened intently for movement that didn't belong to her troops. She heard none so she continued her journey deeper into the land of the Dread Army, and the further she went the more anxious she felt. She hated taking life from people, but it was what she was born to do, so she did it. Her target was an officer in the Dread Army ranks, in one of the camps stationed on the border between to Baseland factions. His name: Captain Belinski. A ruthless man, according to the records she aquired, one who commanded a strong regime of armed men ready to fight to the death for the wrong thing. Not freedom, and peace, but for enslavement, power, and dominance.

The camp was close, she could hear movement. Danny could also hear the marching beat of her troops coming up the hill, confrontation was close, if not already upon them. Closing her jade orbs, she frowned, shaking her head a bit. Why did people have to fight? Why was there war? It was all pointless, and as the moment drew near when the fighting would begin, she felt the familiar ache within her. The urge, the longing to dance the deadly dance with her blades out. Biting down on her lip and opening her eyes once more at the sound of the two armies meeting she flung herself out in the open towards the officers. The picture of the damned Captain flashed in her mind as she searched the white wearing army for his face. And she found him.

"Give up," she silently begged as she rapidly approached the man in charge. "Please, surrender so I do not have to end your life.." Unfortunately, she figured he would do no such thing, so she gave him a chance. Calling out to him over the fighting, "Captain Belinski, I give you a chance now to run. If you don't you will perish here, on this land. And I will be the one to end you." Danny wanted him to run, in her mind she begged him to do so, so she did not have to be the one to take his life. Though she knew that if he ran...the next man on her list was sure to die. The next man who would take the Captains place. What was he, a lieutenant or something?

[Ashen]

Zeek heard the captain's yelling even over all of the privates' conversations; that's how loud he was. Abandoning his position, he went to see what was wrong with Belinski. If anything were to happen to him, Zeek would need to take over.

Captain Belinski raised his gun to make sure it was okay. It hadn't been fired in such a long time. None of the weapons were really used much, thanks to this damn stalemate. The captain heard them come up, the Passerbys were approaching him.
But there was just a girl. A girl who proposed a truce.
Belinski's eyes flared in anger and he raised his gun to the girl. "I'll be the one ending lives, babe. Move out of the way and let the men fight."
Zeek approached them, riding his black stallion. "What's going on?"
The captain gave a sideways glance at Zeek. Why doesn't he ever listen?
"O'Donell you are not needed here."
Zeek stared at the man Belinski was talking to. It was a woman, a small one at that. "Who is that?"
"Lieutenant!" Belinski hollered. He cocked his gun but Zeek held him back. Entirely shocked, Belinski couldn't manage a word for a moment. When he did speak, all that came out were a slur of curses.
Zeek ignored him and turned to the girl. "Can it, Nick," Zeek spat.
All around the area got quiet. No one called Belinski by his first name. His mother probably didn't.
Zeek cleared his throat. "I say we will surr-"
Belinski had knocked him unconscious with his bare fist. "That's thirty-somethin' years in the army. Now do you want to be next?"
Gasps arose from the privates around them. One private had a gun at the ready just in case anything were to happen to his precious captain.
All other privates were concerned about the lieutenant on the floor with blood trickling out of his nose.

[Abyss]

Anger. That was what Danny felt when she saw the Captain harming his own subordinates. Well, that was it. That was the point of no return; sighing the woman slowly drew a small thin needle-like pin from her hair. Even though she faced a gun she was not worried. Guns didn't scare her, she'd faced a lot worse before so the fact that a gun was pointed at her, and probably didn't work, she just laughed. Openly. At the Captain. "You should have listened to your subordinate, Nick. The one you uncerimoniously knocked to the ground for trying to protect you." Danny mocked the man in front of her waving the blade about as if it were an extension of her arm. It was, in a way. "If you were to run away, screaming, like the little girl I know you to be, then your life would go on. A cowards life, but it would be a life. Now that you have raised a weapon to me.. I will have to kill you."

Suddenly she moved her arm so that even if her shining eyes were not on him, her needle pin was pointed at the private with the gun. Yes, she saw him, she knew he was there. "I would not use that against me if I were you. I have only come for one life today~" With that she moved forward, swiftly, beautifully, and deadly as if she were dancing. Effortlessly she twirled and moved, it seemed as it she were not doing anything but dancing towards the captain. Well, that was all she was doing, but she did it to distract, and captivate on some occasions. She liked dancing, too, so that never hurt. As she danced she flung the pin at the Captain. It did not need to imbed itself into his skin, all it had to do was cut his skin, even if just a bit. And it would be done. The needle was laced with Atropa Belladonna, an extremely potent dose of it. It was a poison that caused hallucinations and some of the inner organs of the body to shut down. The amount on that needle was enough to kill a rhino in less that a minute.

Stopping her dance mere feet from the Captain she smiled and wiped a thin line of blood from his cheek. "I say goodnight to you, Captain. May we see you again in another Life." Danny paused, considering, "Though I do hope not. You're a pompous asshole with an authority complex." She reached forward and tapped her index finger on his chest. "You can Die now." With that she turned to the unconscious Lieutenant lying on the ground, and for such a small woman she heaved him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Lieutenant O'Donell is dead. Understand? End of story." Anyone who stood up to an ass like the Captain caught the interest of one such as her, and so, since the Captain was as good as dead, and her Passerby troops once again commencing the fighting she easily slipped away from the enemy. And that was one step forward for Passerby's, one giant step back for the Dread Army. "What a shame~" Danny murmured.

[Ashen]

Captain Belinski was stunned, both with confusion and utter shock. In seconds he dropped to his knees with some strange poison coursing through him. "Captain!" one of the privates yelled, kneeling down beside him. He checked Belinski for a pulse and hung his head. "Captain N. Belinski. Killed in action."
Another private rose. "Our lieutenant!" he hollered, pointing.
"Is dead," another private responded, a quote. "He doesn't want to fight anyway. Let the ass die on their side."

Zeek was breathing hard, he was asleep now. He was having a nightmare.
Zeek was holding a gun. It was cocked and ready to shoot the man in black in front of him.
"Go to hell, Zeek O'Donell," the man spat. "You abandoned your own people. I hope you burn next to Satan."
Zeek shot his gun, but it wouldn't budge. His fingers couldn't move. Zeek looked up and found out why he was immobile.
His brother was aiming a gun at him. Paul fired, and Zeek was left on the floor again.

Zeek shot up and stared around at him. "Where am I?" he said quietly to himself. He replayed the events leading up to his unconsciousness in his mind.
The captain.
Zeek started to panic; he had nothing but a paring knife on him. With a gulp he got up.

[Abyss]

All-in-all what she had come to the Passerby Army to accomplish had been done. She'd helped them win the battle at the border, thus helping them to take a step forward in the on-going war. Her job was done, so she had no need to feel guilty in kidnapping a Dread Army Officer, and taking him to some random cabin she happened upon. As far as she knew he was still lying in one of the three bedrooms, unconscious, and she didn't mind. Relaxing in a rickety chair in the kitchen, she'd figured out how the stove worked, and was amazed to see that the electricity wasn't cut off at some point during the war. Danny wrapped her fingers around a warm cup of tea and stood, the legs of the chair scratching against the hardwood floor as she pushed it back; she walked lazily towards the room she'd left the guy -O'Donell- in and shoved open the door. "Ya awake?" She asked kicking the door shut behind her.

"I really wouldn't move too much if I were you, ya might have a concusion. Far as I know ya don't, but I'm not a medic." She thrust the tea at him with a crocked grin on her face. "Ya don't have to be afraid, I didn't poison it, and I'm not gonna kill ya. Not my job anymore." She flopped down on the end of the bed, sipping at her cup of tea, letting the warm liquid make its way down her throat and warm her from the inside. "Aaaah," Closing her eyes she sighed in contentment. "I'm Danny, I don't need to know who you are I already do and as far as the Dread Army and the Passerby Army is concerned you're dead."

Finally, the woman stopped talking and turned to see his reaction to her, what she said, and where they were. Though, she didn't say where they were did she? Nah, it didn't matter anyway no one was lookin for him so what did it matter? Still grinning she stared at him expectantly, her silver-green eyes wide and waiting. Since the fight she'd let her unruly hair down too, so it hung down her back in tangled auburn waves.

[Ashen]

Zeek ran his fingers through his brown hair which was always shining. It's an O'Donell thing, his brother had told him when they were in high school. Beautiful hair, gorgeous eyes. We got all the babes.
Zeek didn't see much in his green eyes. They were the shade of an emerald-or was it a peridot that was darker? He didn't care. He needed to find out where he was.

Zeek stared up at a woman that entered the room. She was the same woman that had seen him knocked unconscious by Belinski.
She told him her name, but why? Weren't they supposed to be enemies? And why would his army think he's dead if about a sixth of his army saw him get taken away?
Zeek held his head in his hands. He had too many questions, none of which he felt comfortable asking. Danny offered him some tea but Zeek shook his head.
Never take a present from the enemy.
But were they really enemies? Zeek searched her eyes but they showed nothing. He looked away, feeling pathetic. He was abducted by a woman. A girl more likely. How could he look her in the eye?
"Where are we?" Zeek asked, his voice smaller than he intended it to be. "Why?"
His last question had too many meanings, none of which he was ready to further explain. His eyes were looking around the room. He didn't recognize it.
But then again, why would he? He was probably far away from his land.

[Abyss]

Danny blinked at him and shrugged downing the rest of her tea in one gulp, then tossed the cup out the open window behind her. "I don't blame you, that tea was shit anyway." She streatched nonchalantly, then tilted her head to the right a bit, gazing at him sideways. She set his tea down on the bed side stand and faced him completely. "We're in a cabin somewhere in the woods. I'm not sure if it's Passerby or Dread Army land, nor do I care. As for why? Well, there are a lot of different answers to that question, just none of them are what you're looking for I bet." She closed her eyes and laid back on the bed, folding her arms beneath her head. Man, she was tired. It was nearing nighttime already and she hadn't slept in over twenty four hours, she felt exhausted and her eyes burned as they often did when she didn't sleep.

"However, I think I can answer a few of them. Why I abducted you? Simple. You interested me, so I took you. Not like you wanted to be there anyway right? Didn't look so to me." She popped open one eye and looked at him. "Why everyone thinks your dead, even though they saw me walk away with you? Because I told them so.. and, well, since I just offed Captain what's-his-nuts, they weren't about to object." She nodded, not thinking of any other 'whys' he might want to know the answer of. Then, "Oh, and we really aren't enimies. If we were I would have just stomped on your head as you lay unconscious, or poisoned you. But I don't do that, plus you wanted to surrender.. and I don't really like killing all that much." She added absently closing her eyes again turning her head towards the ceiling.

Danny was a very talkative woman when she wanted to be, though she never talked about herself and always had something to talk about. Even though half the time she knew everything there was to know about the person she was talking to. "Anything else you want me to answer for you? I'd be glad to, cause I do know an awful lot." This time when she spoke she had to stifle a yawn. Maybe the tea had done more for her than to just warm her insides, and make her feel comfortable. It made her sleepy too.

[Ashen]

Zeek removed himself from the bed and flexed his shoulders. "You did..." he started but he didn't want to finish the question. The captain had fallen and the first lieutenant was "dead." Their secondary lieutenant wasn't cut out for the job of captain. Personally, Zeek didn't think Neil was cut out to be a lieutenant at all. The man was too young, not that Zeek had room to talk there.
"I have interested you," Zeek said slowly, turning the words over in his mouth. "How on earth have I managed to do that?"
Zeek was just another guy, he knew that. He started as a private, got promoted pretty young, but other than that he was another soldier in a pointless army his side would never win.

Zeek was still in a sort of trance. He wouldn't stare at the girl; he wouldn't look at her. He was trying to piece everything together and trying to determine if Danny spoke the truth. She told him he knew a lot, and Zeek didn't believe or doubt that. She might even be a good source of information. "Who are you?" he asked. The girl reminded him of gypsies. She had a strange vibe to her, one Zeek couldn't place. Maybe she was a fortune teller, not that Zeek believed in that creepy witchcraft. And besides, why would a fortune teller kill his captain?
"Did you...did you kill anyone else?" Zeek asked. The Dread Army had lost enough soldiers already; their army was nearly half since they started.
One of those dead was his brother.
Win this war in my name.
If Zeek didn't obey his brother's dying wish what kind of brother would he be?

[Abyss]

For a long time, Danny didn't speak. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing at a steady even rate, so for all he knew she was sleeping. She wasn't. She was just relaxing trying to fight through the void in her mind. Then, after a long time of saying nothing and doing nothing she suddenly leapt from the bed and yawned loudly. "Yes. You interested me. Dressed in white, the bad color, and yet... your soul is black, the color of goodness and purity." She paused and staggered towards the door. "And I told you who I was. Danny, didn't you catch it the first time around?" She threw him a look over her shoulder grinning wide. "Danny Mae Reed, assassin for the Passerby Army. Mercenary. Killer of Men. Feared One. Pick a name any name~" She laughed, shaking her head pulling open the door with a finger.

"I may be young, but I can get around.. not in any perverse way though. But that's not the topic." She mumbled with a roll of her eyes. "And yes. I have killed... many, many people." her voice changed then, but only slightly. She hated killing people, that was known about her if it was only that, and yet when she took a life she couldn't help but feel a power, an exhilirating feeling of excitment. And even worse.. an overwhelming feeling of pride, and joy. At taking someone life! There was no joy in that. She was a heavily conflicted hypocrite. "You hungry? I'm hungry. I can't remmeber thelast time I ate something... had to have been ages ago." She moaned as she stalked out of the room and down the hallway. "OH!" She called back to him. "I wouldn't try leaving if I were you, unless you want an assassin stalking you!"

Yes, she would follow him to figure out why he interested her if she had to. It was something she did: find something interesting, figure out why she was interested in the first place or get bored with it and give up. That's just the way she was.

[Ashen]

Zeek's eyes widened a bit, but only slightly. This woman was an assassin. But she hated killing people? Then why does she do the things she do?
Then again, Zeek hated seeing death and he was on an army. Maybe everyone was a hypocrite in some way, whether it was large or small.
Danny left after rambling, then asked him if he wanted food. Zeek couldn't remember the last time he had eaten either; living with a thousand other men meant you didn't get much to eat. Still, he wasn't too trusting of this Danny character and he wouldn't take anything she had to offer.
Maybe a meal.
Zeek got up and followed Danny, staying about two feet away from her. "I'd love a meal, please and thank you, ma'am."

Zeek's head was still filled with so many questions for the girl but he didn't want to trust anything she said.
At least one of his soldiers was out looking for him. They had to be. An army doesn't just let their lieutenant go.
But they had let him go, when Danny walked away with him. "Why do you have a job that contrasts your personality so?" Zeek asked when his curiosity couldn't wait.
He was worried she'd bounce the question back to him because he didn't have a viable answer. Not anymore.

[Abyss]

"Oh, ew, don't call me ma'am, I'm not old." Danny said with her back to him in the kitchen. She was bent over the stove and was waving a spoon around with a thick creamy liquid on it. Humming softly she kept mixing and stirring. "All the crap in this place had gone bad, but while you were out I went shopping so all of this is fresh crap, and I don't have anything deadly on me so I won't poison you. Besides I'm going to eat too and it wouldn't make much sense for me to kill myself too, would it?" She grinned and turned to face him. "Though I wouldn't touch those needles if I were you," -she pointed at the three needles on the counter under the kitchen window. "One of those killed your Captain, or former Captain, or whatever. They all have enough poison on them to kill about thirty of you in twenty-five seconds."

She turned back to whatever it was that she was mixing on the stove and when it finally got done she half poured half scooped it up onto two plates. One for him and one for her. Then she got drinks from the refridgerator. "What's to drink?" She asked holding up several different bottles assorted from bottled water to OJ to alcohol. Several different kinds. "And, to answer your earlier question," she paused some, her silver-green eyes becoming hazy for a second as she dipped into her memories, "it's the only thing I know how to do. Take lives. My personality changes too. When I'm in assassin mode I doubt you would recognize me, though you don't want to see me in assassin mode cause that would more than likely mean that you wouldn't see the light of day ever again!"

Danny shrugged again and brushed some of her hair from her face, blinking at him, then narrowing her eyes slightly. "Why haven't you asked about my Devils Mark?" The woman gestured towards the tattoo that covered half her face, down her spine curving around one hip and the opposite arm. (it also went down her leg but that was covered). The reason she asked was: everyone wanted to know about it. She never told but that didn't mean she wasn't curious as to why he hadn't asked about it.

[Ashen]

Zeek stared at the coloured bottles. "Water is fine," he told her. His eyes watched her in the kitchen, by a single glance he'd never think this girl was a murderer.
He glared at the needles, the small points that had made tough old Belinski drop dead. They were so small; it was surprising that could kill a mouse.
Danny asked him about her Devil Mark and he had to look up to realise what she was talking about. It was a tattoo like any other, it had no meaning to him and therefore he was indifferent. "What does it mean?" Zeek asked, not caring about her answer. She'd probably start talking again and not shut up for another five minutes.
He was okay with that. After all, he was a lieutenant. He could listen to someone and recite what they had said, thanks to practice.

Zeek took a seat and stared at the meal Danny had cooked. He couldn't guess what it was and he didn't really want to either. Food was food; you don't get picky when you're on the army. Maybe it was something with mayonnaise. What else could give it the white colour?
"Why are you feeding me?" Zeek asked, the question on his mind. He knew he apparently interested Danny but that didn't mean she had to take care of him.
Not that he wasn't grateful, of course. "I thank you, Danny."

[Abyss]

"I'm not telling you." Danny replied simply and matter-of-factly, with a short nod as she set his water in front of him and grabbed an unmarked bottle for herself. "And to answer your other question, I am feeding you because it would be rude and irresponsible of me to abduct you and then starve you." She rolled her eyes, shaking her head lightly as she took a large gulp, of whatever it was she had picked to drink. "Oh, the food is something I created when I was younger, quite delicious. Noodles, al dente," she paused and grinned, "that means that it was almost completely cooked, but not quite; you add salt and a little pepper to it. It's too bad I can't tell you the secret ingrediant that turns the creamy sauce white, but it does included milk and butter." Danny took a bite and sighed contentedly at the rich taste. "And you're welcome."

She ate slowly, not speaking a word while she did; she seemed distracted almost, as if she wasn't completely there. The assassin was listening. The sounds of the night were mere background noise, she wanted to know if anyone was wandering around outside anywhere near them. As she was cooking she had thought she heard something but wasn't sure so now she sat, eating, listening intensly to see if she was correct. She was.

"Did you hear that?" She asked standing abruptly. She wouldn't be surprised if Zeek couldn't hear it, she was trained to hear things most people couldn't. And she heard a twig snap. It was dull, muffled; more than likely it was far away but she heard it none-the-less and now she was alert, and falling quickly into what she had referred to as 'assassin mode'. Her unique silver-eyes narrowed and her body tensed, her fingers twitching ever-so-slightly as if itching to hold some sort of weapon. Her breathing slowed, and if he wasn't paying attention it would look like she wasn't breathing at all. Dannys body was still, she could have been a perfectly sculpted statue as far as he knew with they way she just stopped. Danny was waiting and listening to see if she heard it again. SNAP! It was louder this time, closer; swiftly, and without making a sound Danny had snatched the three deadly needles and was standing next to the back kitchen door her eyes closed. Whoever was outside was more than likely going to die.

[Ashen]

Zeek shrugged Danny's answer off. "If you didn't want to tell me about your so-called "Devil's Mark" why would you bring it up?"
He stabbed at the noodles-al dente-not that it made a difference. He was never a big fan of Italian food, unless it involved pizza, and even then Zeek wouldn't eat any pizza with mushrooms or pepperoni. He put a forkful in his mouth and smiled. This tasted great.

He stared up at Danny, only watching not helping. She was up from her seat in seconds, if even that. Zeek hadn't heard anything, but maybe that was because he wasn't looking for anything. When a second rustling came from outside Zeek stood and peered at Danny. She wasn't moving at all; he supposed she was trained to take that stance.
He crept up behind her and leaned down so his face was level hers. "It could be a rabbit," he pointed. "You don't have to get so..." What was he supposed to say? She wasn't exactly hyper, she wasn't tense.
He just looked outside to see if he could view whatever intruder they had.
Whatever made that sound definitely wasn't a rabbit; they don't make noise. Maybe a person, but who would be out here?
Then again, Zeek didn't even know where here was. He walked back to the table, assuming Danny would take care of whatever was out there.
He wasn't used to leaving work to a girl, however, and kept his eyes glued to her graceful body.

[Abyss]

The woman made no indication that she heard Zeek, or even that he was there at all. She kept still, not moving, not breathing listening. She heard another step, heavier than a womans, but not heavy enough to be a soldiers weighted down with armor and maybe a gun. It was someone else. Perhaps a bounty hunter? Not a skilled one, Danny thought, she could hear the steps. Taking a deep breath, she slid behind the door just as it was kicked open. A man completely covered in black, save for his eyes, stepped in, his brown eyes quickly scanning the room. His eyes stopped on Zeek and widened a fraction, then a bit more when a small needle struck him in the side of the neck, imbedding itself nearly all the way through. Danny came up from behind him her face expressionless her eyes stone cold, and slammed the two remaning needles through the top of his head. She did not flinch, cringe or make any notice of the crack that shattered the silence as the man skull was inevitably fractured.

Danny watched with bored eyes as the man fell to the ground convulsing as his ebtire body shut down, slowly and agonizingly. Even after she knew he was dead, Danny waited standing over him, her icy gaze on the emblem on the knife he carried. It was one she recognized, but she wasn't worried. "Bounty hunter." She said simply before she grabbed on of his feet and dragged him effortlessly outside; Danny was gone for a few minutes and when she returned she had all three needles in her hand again. She bounced into the room with a grin on her face. "Do you like the food?" She chirped as if nothing had happened.

[Ashen]

Zeek stared on as Danny left. He didn't mind that she was gone; he knew she was coming back. When a man dressed in all black walked in however, Zeek reached for his gun before he realised it was gone.
Along with the rest of his career.
Zeek didn't have to work himself up because in seconds the man was on the ground with three poisonous needles in his body. His body was spazzing until he finally stopped, dead.
Zeek's eyes turned to Danny. She hauled the man away and reappered later as if nothing had happened.
If only problems were that simple to throw away.

Zeek stared back at his food, suddenly full. He pushed the plate of pasta and the water away from him and rose. He had seen people die before; he had watched his brother take his last breath.
But never had he seen a man killed so mercilessly.
Even in the army when a soldier put a bullet through someone they had a sad look in their eyes, a looking of knowing that that man's family will never see him alive again.
Danny could kill someone as if they were a fly but she was a woman. She was a puny woman; Zeek wondered if she even made it to one-hundred pounds.
He didn't speak, he just walked off in search of the bathroom. Being around this girl made him uncomfortable, but at the same time he felt safe.

[Abyss]

It was inevitable. Danny knew it just like she knew the sun would rise and set at the beginning and end of each day. And yet, when she saw him get up she felt a sinking in her stomach. Dread. She couldn't help the hurt look that crossed her face, the frown tugging at the corners of her lips, and the slight slump of her shoulders. Blinking slowly she sank into the chair she had perviously occupied and stared at her untouched food, like it was something foreign. She didn't want this, she didn't want to kill people. But every time it happened, every time she took a life it was if somewhere inside her she was happy. It was what she was trained to do, what she was born to do. Or so she'd been told.

It was inevitable that people, everyone, would be disgusted by her, scared of her, and eventually they would all leave her. It was meant to be. She was cursed to be alone, cursed to kill people, to end precious lives. But she only did it if she was threatened, or to protect someone else. Never for fun or selfish reasons. Sighing softly she began to put the food together and save it in the refridgerator. For later, she told herself, and she put the drinks away too, finishing up by washing the dishes. Then she went and sat outside on the front porch with her legs pulled up to her chest, her chin resting on her knees. Her silver eyes shined as she stared out into the dark nothingness, biting on her lower lip to stop it from trembling.

It was inevitable.

[Ashen]

Zeek stared at the man in the mirror. His eyes were tired and confused, his hair was a tangled mess, his beard had grown past what he liked.
When had he stopped caring for his appearence?
Zeek stepped out of the bathroom and returned to where his plate was waiting for him, but it was gone, along with Danny's plate of untouched food. Danny wasn't here either but Zeek didn't mind.
He had things to think about.

Zeek stared up at the dark sky, a sweet mist veiling his body. Where am I?
He needed to get back to the Dread Army, but then again maybe he didn't. He had wanted to take sides with the Passerbys after all. Now that he had the chance, he wasn't so sure it's what he wanted to do.
He could step off the face of the earth and not be missed; that was clear. With his brother gone, no one cared for him. He had no family, no friends.
There's Danny.
The thought tugged at the back of his mind. Danny had said Zeek interested her, and that was the only interest Zeek would arise from anyone now. He shrugged, not wanting to think of his life now but knowing he had to.
Zeek walked back to the house Danny had brought him too. He pulled off his shirt revealing his bare, muscular chest. He kept his brown pants on as he stepped onto the porch. Danny was sitting there in a ball, looking horrible. "Hey," Zeek said softly.
He didn't like seeing a girl sad, even if the girl had just murdered an innocent man. "What's up?"

[Abyss]

Danny dipped her head burying her face into her knees, letting her auburn tangles veil her face. "Nothing. I'm fine." Her words were clipped, and slightly muffled. Raising her head slightly, she stared out into the woods, but she didin't turn to look at Zeek. "I didn't want to." She mumbled, chewing on her lip. "I hate it so much. I.. I don't mean to do it, I don't like to.. He was a Dread Army bounty hunter. I saw the emblem on the knife." She didn't say what he was here to do but she left the hint out there. Danny stood then, fluidly, gracefully. Soundlessly.

"I don't know if you noticed but in the room you woke up in, there is a lot of, if not all of, the things you had with you while staying at the Dread Army camp. Your weapons... cleaning things, toothbrush. You know what you had." Her gaze was distant, as if she were not seeing what was in front of her but somewhere far away. She could still see that look, to him she had murdered an innocent man, but he wasn't innocent. Zeek just didn't know what he had done, what he was going to do to Danny if she had left him alive. He just didn't know.

And so she had to kill that man. Zeek.. would not understand. There would be more, eventually, but she didn't want to be alone anymore. She liked the company, even if it was forced company.

[Ashen]

Zeek listened to Danny's sad voice. She sounded miserable and Zeek was just about to zone out when he heard two words: Dread Army. Immdiately Zeek was alert. Had someone come for him? Had Danny mercilessly killed his savior?
Or was the bounty hunter not his savior, but his condemner?
His army was trying to get him back but Zeek didn't want to return. All that was waiting for him was pain and sacrifice.

Danny continued, going on about what was in the room Zeek had awoken in. When she finished she just gazed at the forest in front of her as if someone would jump out from the woods.
What is she getting at? Zeek wondered. Are we in Dread Army territory?
Is that a good thing?
Zeek followed the assassin's gaze and just stared at the tree it lead too. The tree wasn't too old, maybe thirty years. All around it were its family, all standing tall. Zeek sighed. He was the only living O'Donell now with his brother dead. He wondered if he'd be able to continue his name and immediatley turned his gaze to Danny.
He sized her up, wondering if she would kill him like she had killed the bounty hunter. She seemed so miserable after a murder though; if you're going to get that depressed why bother continuing the killing?
"You didn't have to do it," he murmured quietly. "I mean, if you don't like killing then why do you? And before you go off telling me you were born to kill, no one is brought into the world destined to take people away from it."

[Abyss]

Dannys silvery gaze shifted to Zeek, and for a few moments she remained silent, then she chuckled softly. "You['re lucky." She said softly. "To have the choice.. I don't. I don't plan on saying that I was born to do this, though I've been told I was. I don't believe it.. sometimes." She paused, turning to look at him, but only for a second, as her gaze moved back out to the woods, exhaustion tugging at her. "This," she gestured at the odd tribal pattern covering half of her body, "is not a tattoo. It's poison. The original color is crimson, if it turns black, the ink releases a chemical into my body and I will die. If I kill someone, once and a while, it stays crimson." She didn't know how it worked exactly but it had almsot turned black once, and she had been in so much pain. That was the only time she remembered ever having killed someone with no justifiable reason.

"You wouldn't understand what it was like. You have the choice. Kill, or don't kill." Danny turned towards the door, putting her hand over her mouth to cover a soft yawn. "I don't have that liberty, Zeek." She moved past him into the house and towards the room at the back of the house where she decided she was going to sleep. But when she walked into the house, she wasn't that tired anymore. Another night of insomnia.. she thought dissapointedly.

[Ashen]

Zeek sighed in disbelief as Danny told him about her tattoo. He had seen poison; it didn't conquer a person's face like this one had. And it most definitely didn't stay dormant just because she decided to murder someone. That was no poison. That had to be a tattoo.

Zeek stared past the woods even as Danny had left him alone. He thought about her Devil's Mark and how it wrapped around her face like a snake. It was true he had never seen a tattoo like that but it didn't mean anything.
He hadn't seen coloured tattoos since maybe last year.
Even though Zeek knew it was all lies he couldn't shake the thought that just maybe it was true.
Zeek thought how terrible Danny had been after she had committed homicide.
If you're going to get that depressed why bother continuing the killing? Zeek remembered asking. No one would make themselves that miserable unless they had too.
He lifted himself and walked back into the house. He ran up to Danny and placed a hand on her shoulder. Zeek quickly retreated, as if touching her would spread the "poison." He stared up at her, his eyes shining with a newfound hunger. He wanted to know more.
"Danny," he said, his voice firm. "How the hell did you get that poison?"

[Abyss]

Danny stopped walking, not wanting to look at him; she didn't want him to see the tears swimming in her eyes, nor did she want to answer his stupid questions, but she'd started it didn't she? She brought him with her when she could have left him on the ground at the battle field. Danny owned him answers didn't she? At least that.. at least. "It was forced on me." She replied shortly, hoping her voice hid the tears. "I have no family. I had no name until I was six, and I was given the one you know me by. When I was ten I was forced to bare this Mark. It starts on my right foot, and winds all the way up my body to curl and stop around my eye." She cocked her head to the side, wiping at her face, adding, "You won't get infected from touching it. It's blended well with ink. Only if it's burned into your skin does it effect you."

Taking a deep breath, she remained with her back to him staring down the hall, feeling a hot wetness on her cheeks. No one knew any of that but her and the ones who Marked her. "Anything else you want to know?"

[Ashen]

Zeek took everything Danny was saying in. What happened to her parents? Who had marked her with this...this poison, and why? Where was he, so Zeek could shoot him dead?
Obviously this was a touchy subject for Danny. She was trying to hide it but Zeek could tell she was crying. He decided to leave the subject alone until Danny had recovered from the homicide.
Zeek wrapped his arm around Danny in a way of comfort. He whistled a tune he had learned as a child, "You Are My Sunshine."
"Yes," he answered her question. He turned to her so that his lips were inches away from her ear. "I would love to know how I can make you feel better."

Thalia came running to Zeek in tears. "What did I do wrong?" she sobbed.
"What's wrong, babe?" Zeek asked, instinctively wrapping his arm around Thalia's shoulders.
"She's dead," she said between sobs. "I killed my sister!"
"Shh," Zeek soothed. "What happened?"
"I was supposed to be watching het and how would I know she'd go towards the icy pond? And I just wanted to be left alone and then Jaymie ran onto the ice and she died. She froze to death, Zeek. My baby sister is dead."
Zeek patted Thalia's back. Jaymie's sister was only six; how would Thalia ever live this down?

Zeek remembered Thalia's face, a shade of red he'd never seen on his girlfriend before. Thalia had ended up dead as well. I need to watch over Jaymie in heaven because I failed on Earth, her suicide note had said. Zeek stared at Danny. He'd do anything in his power to make her happy. It had been six years since Thalia's and Jaymie's death but Zeek wouldn't forget either of them.
He wouldn't forget the scar they left on his soul, a scar he would not let Danny make by being depressed.

[Abyss]

Danny's eyes widened. Not a little, a lot. No one ever thought of getting this close to her. She was an assassin, a murderer, why would anyone think of getting this close? She didn't mind, though. She liked it, a lot. Closing her eyes, Danny felt herself lean into him, and she just let the tears come. She didn't make a sound as she cried, she just stood there, her whole body trembling. "I don't know.." she whispered. She did know, though, but it was impossible. There was no way he could take away the curse that forever made her do the thing she hated to do most. But, doing what no one else in the world would do - comfort her - made it seem a hell of a lot more bearable.

After a little while the tears stopped, and Danny was able to get control of herself again, though she felt bad about having to kill that guy, it didn't feel as awful. "Thank you.." She whispered, hiding her face with her hair to shield the deep pink blush that spread across her cheeks. No one has ever seen her cry before, so she felt it was embarassing.

[Ashen]

Zeek patted Danny's head softly. He continued to hum the song, a calming lullaby.
You make me happy when skies are grey.
He smiled when Danny leaned into him. How long had it been since Zeek had loved anyone?
Six years.
You never know, dear, how much I love you.
Zeek closed his eyes. Why did it feel like he could stay this way forever?
Oh please don't take my sunshine away.

Danny murmured two small words, words that Zeek needed to hear. He gave a satisfied sigh and grabbed Danny's arms. He pulled her so that her eyes were level his and then released his grasp. He pushed Danny's long hair away from her face and smiled. "Don't hide from me," he whispered. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. Tears are the rain for the earth. Or however that Charles Dickens's quote goes."
He offered up a lopsided grin. "I was never good at literature," Zeek admitted. "I always preferred learning what the angle would equal if the arrow was shot at twenty miles an hour and reached a distance of sixty meters from its starting point."
Zeek gave a small laugh. "I was always great at math. Complete opposite of my brother."

[Abyss]

Danny stared at Zeek for a long time, thinking. Not really about anything too important, just about the things she knew about him, the things she could tell him. Like how his brother died was not really how it seemed to be. But she couldn't do that, she wouldn't do that. Not yet. She'd tell all she knew eventually but for now, she was going to stay quiet. Well, about that. "Being good at Math suits you just fine," Danny commented feeling a smile spread over her lips, though her blush hadn't fully disappeared, giving her cheeks a soft rosy tinge to them. She was getting back to the Danny that Zeek knew: the chipper woman who smiled a lot. She wasn't fully there, but she was getting there and it was thanks to Zeek. Usually after a bounty hunter kill she is devistated for days after. Not this time.

The crying made her eyes burn again from tiredness, or just the tears, but she wasn't tired. "Is there anything else you wanted to ask me about, since I know loads about you and you know next to nothing about me?" She turned to the living room of the house and plopped on the couch half lying aross it, one leg curled under her, the other stretched out on the cushions. "I'll answer almost everything. Some things I won't, but that's understandable, right?" She gave him a half crooked smile, motioning for him to come and sit with her.

[Ashen]

Zeek smiled and sat down beside Danny. "I am not here to force things out of you," he replied. "So no; as of now I have no questions."
His eyes were staring at Danny's. She looked pretty when she was depressed.
No, Zeek thought, scolding his own thoughts. You are not here to get friendly with a murderer.
Zeek straightened himself, then, then why am I here?

"So," Zeek slurred, breaking the silence. "What are we going to do now?"
He turned his body so he could stare into her eyes. "You do plan on going back to the Passerbys, don't you? If so what will you be doing with me? I certaily won't be going back to the Dreads." Zeek's voice raised at his last word, a question. He didn't want to go back so he could just continue killing but everyone he knew was there.
In a way, the Dread Army was his family.
His big, curious, dysfunctional family.
At the thought of a family, Zeek thought of Paul. He wondered what Paul would have done if he were stripped away from the Dreads.
Paul would fight his way back to his brother, that was as obvious as the sun in the sky.
But Zeek had no one to fight his way back to.

[Abyss]

Danny raised an eyebrow at him curiously. "I ally with who I want, and I do what I want for who I want, when I want." She replied smoothly. "If I want to go back to the Passerby Army, I will, but I don't want to so I won't." She shrugged absently. "You can go back to the Dread Army if you want to but only after I figure out what it is about you that caught my interest." Yawning Danny turned her gaze to the ceiling, a frown falling across her lips. "You don't want to be here, do you?"

Danny sighed softly, closing her eyes briefly. "I don't blame you for not wanting to be here. Who, in their right mind, would want to be in the middle of nowhere with a murderer, who could possibly be an insane pathological lying sociopath." She cracked open her eyes looking at him sideways to see his reaction to what she just said. He knew nothing about her, what had just happened could have been perfectly plausible lie. It wasn't, and she knew that, but it could be. How would he know anyway?

[Ashen]

Zeek analysed Danny's question. No, he didn't want to be here. But he didn't want to return to the Dreads either. And he didn't really want to be in the Passerbys.
He didn't want to be at war.
Then where did he want to go?
He stared at Danny, his eyes somewhere else. When she brought up sociopaths and murderers his head popped up a bit. "I knew a sociopath," he said sadly, not quite focused. "And you don't seem like one. But I didn't know he was a sociopath until he adressed me by what someone else addressed me as. God, if you are a sociopath you'd better tell me." Zeek smiled, showing he was only joking. He just hoped Danny was too.

"So study away," Zeek said, lying down on the couch. "Find out why I interest you. Because I would love to know."
He kicked off his shoes and put them on the couch next to Danny. He was showing her a side he hadn't seen since joining the army.
The laid-back side.
The innocent side.
The side that still believed life was fun and not a prison.

[Abyss]

"Sociopaths don't often reveal what they are until they're forced into a corner and have no choice but to do so." She remarked absently with a wave of her hand. "But, no, I am not a sociopath, though if I were I wouldn't tell you. I have no reason to be one." Danny yawned again stretching out her limbs before standing, watching Zeek carefully. Maybe she didn't know all there was to know about him. His files never said anything about a relaxed army man, only one with a lot of concern for his troops. "Hm." She hummed, turning back towards her room.

"I haven't slept in about two days now and am utterly exhausted. There's a lot of food and drinks and whatever. I don't know how long I'll be out, probably not long." Danny paused, frowning slightly. "You have all of your weapons and stuff, so try not to let anyone in to off me, okay?" She grinned and stalked off to her room... only to grab some shower stuff then she disappeared into the bathroom. Feeling gross she peeled off her clothes and turned on the water to the perfect temperature. She stepped under the water and let her sore muscles relax, ignoring the faint pulse of the mark on her body. She only had a few days left of leisure before she had to commit a crime again, and she was going to relax about it this time. She wasn't going to worry. Well, she'd try not to.

[Ashen]

Zeek watched Danny go, a frown crossing his face. She hadn't answered him and Zeek hated being ignored.
Zeek closed his eyes and let his thoughts drift into dreams, his dreams into nightmares. He shot up with a moan and rubbed his head. "I know I'm not completing your wish but that gives you no right to haunt me O'Donell!" Zeek sighed. He was talking to his brother, his dead brother.
Someone needed to get out more.

The moon was shining down on Zeek, illuminating his already bright green eyes. He held his sword in its case by his side, just in case.
After walking for a while, Zeek stopped at a river and inhaled the many scents that surrounded the area. There were flowers nearby; by the smell he couldn't tell which one.
A dog or fox of some sort had passed through here; the smell lingered. Zeek sat down and pulled out his long silver sword.
Just holding it in his rough hands made him feel weird, like he should have never bore this weapon. It had taken a life of two, but he usually left everything up to his gun. Zeek rarely used his sword, so he couldn't help but stand and spin it in the wind. He stilled and held it like a comicbook hero he used to practically worship.
You like Ike, dude? Paul had asked. No. Why can't you be normal and like Superman?
Zeek let the wind blow his clothes around his skin.
Because I can't fly or shoot lasers out of my eyes, Zeek had answered. But one day Paul, I'm going to save my damsel in distress while you're still trying to get off the ground.
Paul was off the ground now, at least his soul was. And Zeek still hadn't saved anyone.

[Abyss]

Danny let herself relax in the water, and soon turned it fron a shower to a bath and sat in the tub. Feeling sleepier than before she fell asleep, but only for a few minutes when the water started to turn cold did she actually get out of the water. But she'd forgotten her clothes in her room, so she just wrapped a towl around herself and peeked out the door. Seeing no one she feld to her room and slammed the door shut. Once there she dropped her towel and slipped into her nightclothes which consisted of a loose pair of shorts that fell to her mid-thigh, and a baggy black tee that went to her knees. Danny moved towards the window and opened it a crack, so cool air could filter through the room and then she collapsed on the bed.

She fell through the bed, in her mind, and into a world of confusion and chaos. Too much was going on too fast, and she couldn't graps what was going on. People around her were falling and dying. Blood was pooled around on the ground like a vast red ocean, and she didn't understand. Trying to focus on one thing made her head spin. What was going on? Why was this happening? She tried to move but discovered she was rooted to the spot; she tried to call out for help, but her voice wouldn't work. Panic flooded through her, why? Why, why, why, why? In the real world she tossed and turned on the bed; she was desperately trying, in her mind, to wake up. To figure out what was happening.

[Ashen]

Zeek's arms were outstretched to catch the dust that was floating around the night sky. He was a grown man alone in the middle of the night with nowhere to go and nothing to do.
He wanted to disappear into the night. Why couldn't life be like an old Disney movie; why couldn't he fade into the stars and still watch over the earth?
Zeek placed his sword into the ground with a grunt. He stared at it and its reflection in the water behind it. In the water it didn't look different from a little boy's toy sword but on the ground patterns spiraled around the purple handle. The blade, a blue in the moonlight, couldn't be more real.
He stared back to the water.
Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between real and fake.
Zeek thought of Danny instantly and the poison that traced her skin. He wanted to believe her but she was nothing but an assassin in the end. A killer could never be trusted.
But Zeek himself had taken lives in the name of his army. Could he be trusted?

He let himself in the house and walked straight towards the room he had been staying in. Zeek lay his sword on a shelf and stood back, admiring it.
He heard some sounds from the next room and instinctively grabbed the sword. He walked into the room without knocking and saw Danny tossing and turning. She was troubled.
In distress even.
"Danny!" Zeek said, dropping to her side by the bed. On his knees he could easily be eyes level with Danny. "It isn't real, wake up!"

[Abyss]

The fighting only got worse, as more people were slain. It wasn't just one side against another, it was everyone against everyone and it was awful. A person landed directly in fron of Danny, and he was still alive. She couldn't move, couldn't do anything to help him, and it was tearing at her. She could help him, his wounds weren't that bad! She tried to cry out, tried to call for a medic, but no sound came out. It was then that she noticed, as she looked around frantically, that a group of people were weaving their way through the mess. A group of people with brilliantly crimson odd-looking markings on their faces and arms...and torsos... and legs. Danny screamed, then, the first sound she was able to make. They advanced towards her, and she tried to back up, to leave but she couldn't.

Then she woke up. In a haze of confusion and fear, Danny jumped Zeek pinning him to the ground next to her bed, her fingers digging into his skin as she held him there glaring down at him. As her eyes focused she realized that it was only Zeek, and she cried out jumping up and back away from him. She was across the room in a second, pressing herself against the wall. "Oh.. my God, I'm so sorry!" She gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth. "I thought you were..." She hesitated, her chest heaving as she tried to breathe regularly. "I thought you were--" It was at that moment that her Devils Mark flashed a deep, bright red, but only for a second. Danny screamed out in pain and fell to her knees, as pain pulsated through her body. No one talks about this, Little One, a voice whispered in her mind. No one who doesn't pay the concequences.

[Ashen]

At one point Danny was turning in the bed and the next second Zeek was against the floor, the girl's nails digging into his skin. When Danny stepped away from him Zeek backed himself into a wall, his fingers rubbing his neck. Zeek's eyes stared up at Danny's. She didn't mean to nearly strangle him. But she couldn't let out who she thought Zeek was. He was about to tell her she could tell him anything but she was screaming, her tattoo flashing colours.
That is no tattoo.

"Danny!" Zeek yelled, lifting himself off his knees and running over to her. He wasn't about to ask what was wrong or why her poison had changed colour. Danny probably wouldn't have been able to answer that anyway. He placed a hand on Danny's back and massaged in circles. "How can I help?" Zeek asked, prepared to do nearly anything.
This is my damsel. And she is in distress.

[Abyss]

She couldn't see, or breathe. Danny whimpered, choking on air, coughing, gasping trying to force air into her lungs. It hurt so bad! The pain was crippling her, pulsing through her body at odd intervals of time. Like waves crashing against the ocean, the pain was there and then receeding and back again. I won't say it, she thought, beginning to see spots in dance in and out of her vision, I won't say anything about it..! She felt hot tears wash down her face for the second time that day, this time because of the mind-numbing pain coursing through her body. But, as if in response to her mental promise the pain began to fade. Danny could now breath better, but she was still gasping for air, her body shaking so badly she couldn't see straight. It was him, she was sure of it. The slimey bastard that did this to her, that forced an innocent child who hated confrontation to become one of the deadliest people on the Baseland.

"I.. I'm fine.." Danny breathed. "I just... c-can you get me.. a drink, please?" She whimpered, as her markings went back to their natural crimson color, a final warning shot of pain slicing through her, making her lightheaded. The assassin closed her eyes and tried to take steadying breathes, focusing on her shaking self so she could stop. She hated this. Why? The first and only person to have cared, the first and only time she's ever talked about her marks, and this happened. She knew it would eventually, but, she wanted at least one person to understand and no one would. Because she would not speak of it.

[Ashen]

Zeek stared at Danny's small body as it shook in pain. He didn't know what was going on but before he could figure it out Danny was breathing again. A drink, that's what she asked for.
So that's what Zeek would bring.
Zeek walked out of the bedroom but once out he sprinted to the kitchen. He ripped open the fridge and pulled out a water bottle.
Zeek poured the water into a cup and walked back to Danny's room. "Here you are," he said, laying the cup beside her.
He had so many questions for her, but something told him that "I'll answer everything" policy no longer applied.

Danny's poison was back to its normal colour, at least the colour Zeek had first seen it in. He wasn't sure if that was supposed to be good but he thought so.
Zeek sat across from Danny about a yard away. His knees were pressed against his chest as his eyes just stared at the red side of her face. "What," Zeek managed to release from his mouth. "What was that?"
He reached out his hand in a way of comfort. Zeek was no good at this kind of thing.
So why did it always happen to him?

[Abyss]

By the time Zeek came back with the water, her body had stopped shaking and she could breathe and see normally again. Her skin tingled, especially where her marks were, but not painfully. Just an annoying prickling under the skin, where she couldn't get at it. Sipping at the water gingerly, she was avoiding looking at Zeek, or saying anything for a long time. She felt like screaming. Yelling out in rage at the man who had to put her through so much. If there was anyone in the world she'd want to end it was that man. She'd been through so much shit because of him and now that she finally thought she was free of it, this happened. She didn't realize how hard she was clenching her fists until the glass with the water in it shattered in her hand.

"Oh.." she muttered absently, staring at the mix of blood and water as it dripped onto her lap. Danny looked up at Zeek, a reminant of pain still reflected in her eyes. "I don't know what that was. It's never happened before." She was telling the absolute truth, too. it had never hurt like that before, so suddenly. It's hurt, but only because she hadn't killed anyone, and her life was in danger; this time was different. Her life hadn't been in danger, it was just a warning pain. "I don't ever want it to happen again."

[Ashen]

Zeek kept staring at Danny, expecting an answer. She didn't look like she wanted to talk so Zeek was about to get up when the glass shattered in her hand. He stared at her with a look of confusion and started to pick up the small pieces of glass. So Danny didn't know what had just happened.
But if the all-knowing didn't understand something, then who did that leave to turn to?

"I don't want it to happen again either," Zeek replied but he could tell from Danny's eyes there was something she was leaving out. Her pain definitely was connected to her Devil's Mark...but how?
Did it send poison at random?
No, Danny said she'd never felt anything like that.
Could she be lying?
Zeek offered a smile as he picked up another shard of glass. "Well," he said in a manner that suggested a change in subject. "Is there anything I can get you? Anything you'd like to do?" He stood, a shard of glass falling from his lap. "I always preferred plastic," Zeek murmured to himself. "Doesn't break as easily."

[Abyss]

Danny caught the shard of glass that fell from his lap when he stood up, and she held it in her hand, softly. When she stood up, she had to lean on the wall to keep herself from sliding back down. The assassin gave a half hearted smile, and shrugged. "Well, I don't want to sleep anymore... I think I need to go clean up my hand." Stumbling to the door she glanced at him, the same half grin on her face. "I like plastic too... though it hurts like a bitch when it does break." Danny moved away from her room and went to the bathroom, plucking little shards of glass from her skin dropping them in the wastebasket by the sink. She watched blood bead up on her skin, before they rolled slowly down her fingers. Entranced she watched, staring at the tiny cuts her mind drifting back again. The last time she bled was...how long ago?

Oh, yeah. That's right. It was a training exercise. No one was supposed to get hurt, but no one really like the Nameless One, so she was basically beaten to a bloody mess. Broken bones, cuts and gashes. Her Devils Mark covered up most of the scars but some of them couldn't be hidden, like the large one that went fron her right shoulder blade down to her left hip. The Mark goes the other way; right hip to left shoulder blade so part of the scar sticks out. Clenching her fist, the sharp stab of pain brought her back to reality and she sighed. "Am I... going crazy?" She stuck her hand under the water and watched the clear liquid turn pink, as if the blood were contaminating it. Was she contaminating something?

[Ashen]

Zeek walked to the kitchen and emptied his hands in the trashcan beside the counter. He thought nothing of Danny's words until he analysed them when he was in the kitchen.
Though it hurts like a bitch when it does break.
Danny had been talking about plastic of course but Zeek couldn't shake the feeling that she was talking about something more precious than anything you could hold.
A bond maybe.
But what bond was she talking about? Zeek's only thought was that, even though it looked like she was talking about nothing, she was unraveling a mystery.
A mystery that veiled half of her body.

Zeek pulled the fridge open and pulled out his own bottle of water. He took a big gulp before laying the bottle down on a table and thinking.
What would become of him now that he was trapped away in this place?
Zeek shook his head. He didn't have to keep thinking this was a punishment. After all, it could have been much worse.
He had company after all, so he wouldn't go crazy. But what happened when your only company was willing to kill you?
You destroy that thought.
Zeek walked into the bathroom Danny was in and crossed his arms. "You know, if we're going to be living here alone like this I want to know about you." He looked into the mirror behind Danny and stared at his emerald eyes.
Zeek smiled and uncrossed his arms. He approached Danny from behind and smirked. "Quick, three facts about yourself."

[Abyss]

Danny finished washing her hands and was in the process of wrapping the bleeding one up with a towel, when Zeek appeared in the doorway of the bathroom. She thought about what he said and cocked her head to the right, blinking. "You want to know about me.." She hmm'ed and turned to face him, pushing herself up so she sat on the ledge of the sink. At this height she was about eye-level with him, instead of just barely shoulder level. "Three things, eh?" Frowning in thought she tapped her index finger on her lips a few times before grinning.

"One: My favorite color is silver." A mischevious look came over her face. "Two: I've never done anything with a guy. Like.. anything. Three: I don't like feet. They gross me out, all deformed looking and weirdly shaped~" Danny laughed, leaning back into the mirror wrapping her arms around herself, she was laughing so hard. "Ok, now it's your turn. Tell me three things you don't think I know." She had no problems talking about this in the bathroom, though it was a bit awkward. Especially since she didn't realize she was still in her pajamas, so the Devils Mark that was on her leg (which no one had seen but her) was visible. She was having too much fun to notice.

[Ashen]

Zeek listened to Danny carefully, his eyes brushing her body. He liked silver too; it reminded him of his treasured blade. He never liked gold though, silver should have been the more expensive one.
When Danny told Zeek she was a virgin he didn't know how to react. Surely it wasn't an invitation but it felt like it. So busy settling on the second fact he barely heard the third. Feet, they had freaked out Thalia too.

"You want to know about me now?" Zeek asked with a smile. "Well. My name is Zeek, with two E's next to each other, as you know. I tell people it's because my mom wanted me to be different but that's not it. My mom was just drunk and couldn't spell that night."
Zeek shrugged. He didn't normally tell people that, it gave them a bad view of his family.
His nonexsistent family.
"Number two: I may be a lieutenant in an army but those little hairless dogs freak me out. I hate them and I think they need to invest in hair growth formula." Zeek laughed a little. "Now number three, huh? Let's see..."
Zeek stared into Danny's eyes, looking for something to say. "I can speak English, Spanish, French, and even a little Chinese. Spanish was taught to me when I joined the army, I took French in high school, and who knows where I learned Chinese."

A mischievous smile spread across Zeek's face. "You don't like feet, huh?" he asked, wrapping his strong hands around Danny's thighs. "Are you...ticklish?" he asked, pulling his finger towards her foot and brushing it softly. He took his other hand and started tickling her other foot. "Come on," he urged, his eyes not a man's but a boy's.

[Abyss]

Danny couldn't help it. She laughed even harder when Zeek told her three things she hadn't really known about him. She liked the one about the hairless dogs, that made her laugh the hardest. Choking off her laughter she stared at the mischevious look on Zeek face, and then widened her eyes. "Ohmigawd no!" She jerked her feet back away from him. "N.. not the feet!" A smile broke out over her lips, as he tickled her foot. "No tickling! Bad Zeek, down boy!" She laughed struggling to push his hands away from her feet. "I... I'm very ticklish.. and this is waaay too cramped to be tickling.." She could hardly finish her sentances she was laughing so hard. "I-I mean it!" She cried, through her laughter. "Stooooooop!!"

[Ashen]

Zeek broke into laughter at Danny's cries to stop. He had never really been ticklish in his life so he usually didn't understand why people would laugh so hard.
He had to admit though, it was usually funny to watch.
"I agree, it is cramped here," Zeek said, stopping for just a moment. He effortlessly lifted Danny and carried her to her bed. "Is this better?" he asked with a smirk. "More room for you to squirm."
Zeek laughed again, a gentle chuckle that filled the room. He sat down beside Danny and let his body fall backwards.
When was the last time he was allowed to actually goof around like that?
It felt good, playing like that. Zeek rolled over to face Danny but then realised he was inches away from her on a bed.
His cheeks turned a bright red and he got back into a sitting position and leaned himself against the headboard.
Two: I've never done anything with a guy. Like.. anything.
Zeek stared at Danny, a flicker of interest in his green eyes.
Can I change that?

[Abyss]

Even as she landed on the bed with a small thump she kept laughing for a few minutes, before she sighed, trying to catch her breath. She turned her gaze up to Zeek and saw, what, interest, amusement? Something, some emotion flicker through his eyes and she was confused. What was so interesting? Yeah, ok, they were on a bed together but the thing was huge, and Danny really had an innocent mind. Well, when it came to anything sexual she had an innocent mind. "Zeek?" She asked blinking up at him, not bethering to move from her position, lying down on the bed. "Why are you ...looking at me like that?"

[Ashen]

Zeek's eyes flew to Danny's when she called him. His face turned a darker hue when she asked why he was staring at her.
"I haven't done this sort of thing in six years," Zeek replied, looking away from Danny. His eyes caught on a crack in the ceiling.
"I mean, I haven't really touched a girl since I removed my friend from..." Zeek stopped, unable to continue his sentence.
The last time he had touched a girl was when he removed Thalia from the ropes that had taken her life. But he wasn't a teenager anymore; high school was over.
Thalia was gone, but Danny is not.
Zeek sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Am I bothering you? I'll shut up now. I didn't mean to cause discomfort."
Zeek opened his eyes and stole one last gland at Danny before he stepped off the bed and started towards the door.
Every part of his body was telling him to turn around but he couldn't do it.
Wouldn't do it.

[Abyss]

Danny watched him, and listened; she remained quiet for a long time, all laughter gone from her face. She knew what he was talking about, who he was talking about. As she'd mentioned before, she knew a lot about him, and that girl was in his file. Danny sat up, and swung her legs over the side of the bed watching him retreat towards the door. "I'm not Thalia." She finally spoke softly, her gaze steady, and unwavering. "If you can't move on from something that happened six years ago, then you'll never heal." So says the hypocrite who couldn't let her own past go. But she wasn't good at taking her own advice, only giving it when it was needed and it was now. Desperately.

If he was going to base his life around the negative things that have happened, instead of trying to get past them and look at the good, then he was going to rot. From the inside out. It would eat at him for a very long time; it might kill him, and she knew it. Maybe this was why she was interested in him. Because they were the same.. not quite, but close enough.

[Ashen]

Zeek stilled, suddenly shocked. "What?" he said, turning on his heels. "How the hell do you know about Thalia?" His mouth now formed a straight line that curved down on one side. His eyes were glaring with potential to burn holes.
Danny's words echoed in his mind, a screech. You don't recover from suicide.
You just live past it.
He had been telling himself that for years but now he wondered if he was right to believe that. Zeek still thought about Thalia all the time. He still loved her, and when someone you love dies you don't forget.
Especially if they died by their own hands.
Zeek stared at Danny's eyes, a look of pure anger on his face. "Theres a difference between being smart and knowing too fucking much."
He turned and walked away, his head beginning to hurt.

[Abyss]

Danny stood then, suddenly, and took a step towards him. "Number Four: I had a Twin brother. Number Five: I was the one who killed him." She glared at his back. "I don't know too much. I know what I have to know to figure out potential targets. If it wasn't your fucking Cpatain it would have been you.. I had to know." Danny hated explaining herself to people, but he needed to hear this. She couldn't live with someone if they were going to stare her down like that. Zeek was ballsier than she originally gave him credit for; he was the only one to have hugged her or comforted her, but he was also the only one to glare at her that way without dying. Painfully.

"Don't talk to me like that, Zeek O'Donell, like you're the only one who could have lost someone you loved. It's bullshit and you know it. Pain comes and goes, it's the way Life works. Deal with it. Build a goddamned bridge and get over it." Her eyes narrowed, and she clenched her jaw so tight she could hear a slight ringing in her ears. This was not how she planned for things to go, but then again when do things go according to plan?

[Ashen]

Zeek paused, rage building inside of him. He couldn't think straight anymore.
Danny was lucky she had ovaries; if she had been a guy she would have been on the ground right now with a disfigured face. Getting over death was much easier said than done.
Zeek turned himself around and stared at Danny. "Thalia was the only girlfriend I've ever had," he informed, although he guessed she already knew this. "Now if I wasn't over her, would I be able to do this?"
Zeek grabbed Danny and pressed his lips to hers. He stayed there like that for a moment too long before lifting his face from Danny's.
His face showed mixed expressions Zeek wouldn't have been able to identify. His eyes were so dark they appeared nearly blue.
He no longer had anything to say. Zeek turned around and headed for the door.

"Zeek?"
"Go away." Zeek stared up at his ceiling fan. It kept spinning, and it always would spin unless he flipped the switch. Zeek picked up the closest thing to him and threw it at the fan. The remote made an arch over one of the blade and came falling yo the ground. It landed on a glass picture frame, shattering it.
Paul opened the door and stared at his brother. "Zeek, it's been a week. You have to get out of your room. I can't keep bringing you your food and god knows where you're pissing."
Zeek didn't look at his brother. "You expect me to just get over this, Paul?" he spat. "Cause I won't. Ever. I'm sorry you won't have anyone that will ever love you but I loved Thalia and obviously she didn't love me enough."
Paul stepped back, hurt. He had come here to comfort his brother but he had only made it worse.

Zeek held his head in his hands, thinking about that night. People kept telling him he needed to get over it, but he vowed he would not.
Zeek replayed the events of this day over in his head.
He had actually kissed Danny. He didn't mean to, but it just felt so right.
It wasn't like a kiss with Thalia, where he could predict her every move. It was different, new, exciting.
It was perfect.

[Abyss]

Wide-eyed and speechless Danny stared after Zeek, feeling her cheeks grow very hot. Mouth slightly agape, Danny couldn't find anything to say; Zeek was her first kiss. Thinking about it made her cheeks grow warmer and she absently touched her lips. It wasn't how she imagined, actually she'd never imagined anyone kissing her she just imagined how it would feel, and it was completely different. It was spicey, electric, she wasn't sure how to react.

So, she did what any confused and slightly conflicted assassin would do. Well, maybe not all of them, but this was her solution anyways. She went into the kitchen, moving without realizing, opened the fridge and cracked open a bottle of alcohol, taking a long swig. Not to lose the feeling of his lips on hers, but to heighten it. And it did. She slumped in the kitchen, thinking back how the day went from inquisitive, to depressing, to cynical, then to this. This... oblivious, well, oblivion. Danny couldn't seem to form one semi-intelligent thought since his lips connected with hers.

[Ashen]

Zeek was trying to comfort himself, to tell him that kiss meant nothing, but he couldn't concentrate. Even trying to hum the familiar tune of Yankee Doodle was a failure; every note that came from him was either too high or too low.
What had he been thinking?
He didn't know if he would go back to that house. How could he, now?
Did he act like it was absolutely nothing? Or did he grovel to Danny and apologize?
Zeek couldn't figure it out. He just stayed in a field, the moist air surrounding him.
You really screwed up this time.

Zeek stood at the door, not wanting to open it but knowing he had to. He had rehearsed what would happen when he stepped in there.
He'd walk in to find Danny sobbing on the couch, assumably. He wouldn't go anywhere near her; he'd just say he was sorry and tell her he'd never come near her again. Zeek would turn around and march out of the door and find something to do with his life.
When Zeek opened the door he found Danny with a bottle of alcohol.
I hurt her so bad she's drowning her sorrows in beer.
Zeek opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He closed his mouth and stared at Danny.
I'm sorry, he urged himself, but he lost his voice.
Instead he just let his green eyes look at Danny's whole body.
Her majestic, beautiful body.

[Abyss]

Danny began humming softly, as she was already on her third - or was it fourth? - drink. Being light, like she was she could not hold her alcohol and she was pretty much wasted after the first beer and a half. So, noticing Zeek walk in made her giggle softly, but seeing the look on his face she frowned and narrowed her eyes at him. "If you 'pologize.. I'mma punch ya teeth down ya throat." She slurred, before she broke out into a wide grin. "Join me, we celebratin~" The young woman bit down on her lip to keep from giggling again as she took a pretty large gulp of her beverage. What was she celebrating? She knew when she started drinking but the reason flew out the window as she got drunk..er. Drunker. To her, it didn't matter what she was celebrating. The fact of the matter was: She were celebrating something, and she was in too good a mood to dwell on why~

[Ashen]

Zeek's head tilted to one side. "Danny?" he asked. "Danny I don't think this alcohol is good for you. Take a breK." He walked up to her to take the alcohol out of her hands but changed his mind at the last second.
She could effortlessly kill him; she had done so to his captain. Zeek dirt want the same fate as Belinski.
Hell he didn't want to be in the same room.

His eyes brushed Danny's body softly. He didn't grab a glass; he didn't really like alcohol. At least Danny wasn't mad at him.
At least not while she was drunk.
"Danny," he said sternly. Zeek was worried about her health; she didn't look like she could handle that much beer. "Please stop."

[Abyss]

Finishing her third - or fourth - beer, Danny set the glass down and looked up at Zeek. Pushing herself up and out of her chair, she nearly collapsed again, the whole world tilting up, and then back down again. "Oh.." she moaned softly sinking back into her chair. "I don't.. want it anymore." She pushed the alcohol away and laid her head down on the table. "I'mma juss stay here til the.. floor stops moving." She groaned clamping her eyes shut, trying to make the world stop moving. in her head. She felt dizzy and disoriented; she didn't like it. If someone were to attack her now she'd probably get hurt. Not get killed, get hurt.

After a few minutes which seemed to take forever Danny spoke again, her voice shaking. She felt sick. "I don't.. I'm not mad, if you think I am.. I, er, I liked it." She raised her head slightly to look at him her cheeks flushed; she would have kept her gaze on him while talking but the urge to vomit rose and she laid her head back on the table pushing the urge back as best she could. "I liked it a lot.."

[Ashen]

Zeek let a blush rise to his cheeks.
Danny liked it. She liked the kiss.
But of course she was drunk and probably didn't mean what she was saying. Zeek didn't want to admit it to himself, but he liked it a lot too.

Zeek stared at Danny, a frown on his lips. She wasn't handling the alcohol well at all. "Don't speak," he murmured. He slid his fingers under her body and carried her to her bedroom. "Go to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."
Or she'd be terribly hungover, but at least she'd be in her own mind. He left the room for a second and got her a bucket. "If you have to throw up, do it there. If you need anything, I'll be in the next room. Just call my name, okay?"
Zeek looked at her one last time, his eyes shining. He wanted her so badly.
It had been so long since he had loved a girl, too long. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep himself from falling in love with Danny.
He always fell for the bad girls. Thalia the suicidal, Danny the assassin, what's next?
Zeek shook his head and walked out of the room. He waited for Danny to call him, he prayed.

[Abyss]

Danny moaned again, feeling the world spin around her, not liking the sick, rolling feeling in her stomach. She placed a hand over her eyes, and panted, feeling sweat on her body but touching her face she was icy cold. A soft whimper escaped her lips and her body shuddered once invonlentary. Her eyes snapped open and she rolled off the bed onto the floor; grasping the bucket whith both hands, Danny threw up, her whole body heaving. "Zeek.." she whispered. Her stomach twisted and she threw up again, shaking so badly she could barely keep her grip n the bucket.

"Zeek!" She sobbed, as she threw up again. Whimpering Danny fell back against the bed, slumping on the floor, gasping for breathe trying to stop the sickness.

[Ashen]

Zeek was about to close his eyes when he heard his name, a moan. Danny's voice came again, a sob. He ran to Danny's room and knelt down beside her, grabbing her hair and pushing it away from her face. A disgusting smell wafted through the room but Zeek didn't complain. He patted Danny's back and hummed a tune she probably wouldn't know.
"Hey," he said quietly in a soothing voice. "Don't worry. It'll be okay."
Zeek held her hair in his hand firmly. It felt so soft, so smooth. He wanted to lean in and smell it, to find out what kind of shampoo Danny used.
He sighed at himself but there was still a smirk on his face. Coconuts? he guessed to himself. When he stared down at the bucket his stomach turned.
She was a real lightweight obviously. He stared up at her, wondering if she had known this.

[Abyss]

Danny groaned softly a cold sweat coating her body as she sat hunched over on the floor. Some strands of hair clung to her face, and she clamped her eyes shut tightly. The urge to hurl had passed but she felt the sick acidy feeling in her mouth and just that made her want to vomit again, but she didn't. Yes. Danny knew she couldn't handle liquor very well. No, she did not care; she drank to lose herself. To drank to forget, to let go, to be lost in a bliss of nothingness. Or in some rare cases to make things easier.

Taking a shakey breath, Danny sat back wiping the hair from her face, and the wetness from her cheeks and eyes. Damn she was tired. Too much had happened in too-little a time, and she just wanted to forget all of it and go to sleep. But the last time she fell asleep she nearly attacked Zeek when she woke up. Not good. She'd have to lock the door if she wanted to sleep. "Thank you," she slurred, leaning against Zeek, her eyes half-lidded, and tired. "Thank you so much..."

[Ashen]

Danny leaned back, exhausted. It was written on her face. She had been sweating buckets and her hair was beginning to stand.
"Will you be all right now?" Zeek asked calmly, wiping some of Danny's sweat away with the bottom of his shirt. He blew on her softly, trying to cool her down.
"Do you want something to eat?" Zeek asked, not moving from his position because the very act would send Danny to the floor. She probably didn't want anything; Zeek had lost his appetite when he had stepped in the room. He knew Danny didn't have anything in her system but if he were the one on Danny's end he wouldn't dare eat a thing.
When Zeek actually did drink, he wasn't able to eat for about twenty-four hours. He could never hold anything in. But then, Zeek was going by the one time he drank; the time he had downed who knows how many shots.
"You look tired," Zeek pointed, brushing Danny's sticky hair away from her eyes. "You want to lay down?"

[Abyss]

Danny, eyes closed, hummed softly in thought. No, she didn't want food. The thought made her stomach roll again, and she shook her head once. "No... 'm not hungry." Her voice was soft, and raspy, it was quite obvious that she was tired and falling alseep, leaning against Zeek. She shifted slightly, a few strands of hair falling across her face; breathing evenly a few moments later she was out. Completely. She had no dreams this time, just a drunken blackness, a blissful nothingness that she floated in. Thoughts of the War were gone, previous dream temporarily forgotten; the whole world was nothing at this point, just her and her silent dreams. No worries, nothing. Nothing except her and the person, already familiar to her, that she was leaning on. Zeek.

[Ashen]

Zeek smiled as he heard Danny's soft snores. He stayed still for a while before lifting Danny onto her bed. Zeek walked around the house in search of a fan. He came across one in the basement and brought it to Danny's room. With a little difficulty he placed it on the window and plugged it on. Zeek turned the setting to low and walked out of the room to let Danny sleep in peace.

Zeek walked into the shower and let the water wash away the smell of vomit mixed with sweat. When he finished, Zeek stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist. He checked on Danny before looking around for some clean clothes. He knew Danny would need a shower as well, but he'd wait until she awoke.
He knew better than to help a girl-a subconscious girl at that-into a shower.