A/N: This one is meant to be a follow up to my other fic, "A Fine Line", but can be read on its own as well. This one is closer to the present day as opposed to far in the past. As with that, I did attempt to use Gaelic and German again. The same warning applies if you do know those languages. I know a fair bit of German, but am by no means fluent, and I know absolutely no Gaelic, so the translations may not be great, but I thought it would be neat to include. Also as before, English translations, or at least what I was going for, are included along with them. Anyway, I'll stop rambling. Enjoy!

Baby baby, did you forget about me

I've been standing at the back of your life
Back row center just above the ice
Please don't ask me how I've been getting off
No please don't ask me how I've been getting off

Break my body with the back of your hand
Doesn't make sense from where I stand
Baby, baby why you want to mess it up

~ Divinyls "Pleasure and Pain"

Mercy plopped down on the couch as soon as she returned home and heaved a deep sigh. It had been an incredibly busy day at the clinic with multiple unexpected complications, leaving her utterly exhausted. She fell back and sunk into the cushions, closing her eyes to relax. She even began to doze briefly, but was awoken by hearing a knock on the front door. With a sigh, she forced herself to get up and answer it, then once she saw who it was, immediately shut it again. Behind the door stood a certain Irish geneticist she had half missed and half hoped to never see her again.

More knocking. "Oh, Angela. Didn't you miss me?" She chuckled.

"No. Now leave."

"So rude. I just want to talk. We can catch up after all these years."

"You're in Talon! Why would I ever want to catch up with you?"

"You're still speaking to me. If you just wanted me to leave, you would simply ignore me."

Angela hated that she couldn't argue. She was right. Unsure about how to respond, she stayed silent, hoping maybe she would take that as a sign that she did indeed want her to leave.

"You know I'm right and now you're just trying to prove a point. I know you, Angela. Please, just let me in for a little while."

After hearing the surprising emotion in her voice toward the end of what she said, Angela's heart melted. She hated her so much over the years, but still that love she felt before wouldn't die. She reluctantly opened the door, but refused to make eye contact. "Fine, but only to talk. Nothing more."

Moira smiled and entered, then bowed and took her hand to kiss it. "Thank you."

Angela quickly pulled her hand away and turned to walk away. "Well, what did you want to talk about?" She sat down on the same couch as before and crossed her legs and arms.

Moira stayed standing for the time being and held her arms behind her back. "You've been working at a clinic again, correct?"

"That and helping innocents in crisis zones. I'm actually trying to help the world, unlike some." She accented the last word just slightly to get her point across.

"Angela, you should know as well as anyone that my one true loyalty is to science. If I can conduct my experiments, it will benefit all of mankind, and Talon allows me to do so."

"So you're willing to sell your soul then?"

Moira's eyes narrowed just slightly. "My soul was already stolen years ago, but not by any devil." She approached the other woman and leaned over to hold her chin. "And has the sweet little angel forgotten that she once enjoyed dancing with the devil?"

Angela turned her head away, again pulling herself out of the woman's grasp. "No, I have not, but I have also changed and grown since then."

"Are you saying you would no longer enjoy dancing with me?" She sat down next to her and held her hand once more, again raising it to her lips to kiss it. "Has that bleeding heart of yours forgotten me?"

Angela looked up at her and pursed her lips, already having trouble sticking to the stronger, angry facade. "Unfortunately not."

Moira pressed the woman's hand she, surprisingly, had yet to pull away to her own cheek. "Then why so hostile? I've always been the same devil you think I am now, yet before you loved me and now you shun me."

Angela's heart was melting, seeing her so vulnerable. It was a sight she rarely got to see, even when they were together. Her eyes glistened with genuine sadness that tore at her heart even more, though her stubbornness seemed to still keep tears at bay. Still, she had to at least try to stick to her guns, so to speak. "Because you went down a path of destruction and death that I refuse to follow."

Moira's grip on her hand suddenly tightened as sadness began to subside to make room for rage. "I chose the same path as always, which is the one that allows me to advance my research."

Angela winced from the sudden tightening of her grip, feeling a bit of fear bubble up in her belly. "If research requires you to aid in causing the suffering of others, it is not worth doing." She let out a small cry as the grip was tightened again and her hand was jerked backwards, though not enough to injure it.

"And just what do you do with that staff of yours? You heal those in battle, allowing them to further hurt others, or you boost their abilities to make them better at killing. If I am wicked, then you deserve to burn right along with me." She let go of her hand to quickly grasp her throat instead and squeeze. "What do you say, you wicked little angel? Shall I burn you myself?"

Angela held onto her wrist, but hardly pulled on it. Somehow, she found her fear again matched by excitement. As she had so many times before as her mouth opened, desperately hoping for air, she felt the other woman's tongue slide around the shape of her lips.

Once Moira felt her grip on her wrist begin to weaken, she couldn't bring herself to go any further and let go. "Well? Answer me."

Angela was silent for a few moments as she coughed and caught her breath again. "Burn me with anger and you'll only be proving my point, Moira."

Moira blew a stray piece of hair out of her face, too stubborn to openly concede that she was right. "You'd enjoy it too much anyways."

Angela raised a slightly trembling hand to lightly touch her cheek with her fingertips. "Unless it was out of love instead. I know it's still there and I know the sweet woman I knew is as well. There's always been a monster within you, but you used to fight it. Now you seem to embrace it."

Moira held onto her hand and pressed it to her cheek. "I merely do what I must to progress my research. I have no ill intent."

Angela held onto her other cheek as well and made her face her. "You never change, do you?" She pressed their foreheads together and closed her eyes. "And it seems neither have my feelings."

"Then why must we stay apart?"

Angela felt a tear drip down her cheek. "Our lives have become too different."

Moira lifted her head slightly to press their lips together. "That means nothing. My heart refuses to return to me. It is far too content with you."

Angela let both hands fall to her chest and kissed her again. "Nor will mine seem to leave you."

Moira wrapped one arm around her waist to pull her in and gently stroked her hair. "I need my angel. Your light is blinding, but it always illuminates the darkness."

Angela laid on her chest and closed her eyes. "And I somehow miss your darkness." She looked up at her, eyes glancing briefly at her lips before again moving back to the other woman's mismatched eyes. "I just miss you."

"Then let's stop the fighting." She brought their lips together once more. "Whether it sticks or not, just do whatever your heart and body desire."

Angela said nothing at first and bit her lip out of nervousness. "We shouldn't." Her arms slithered up around her neck and she kissed her yet again, this time more deeply. "We really shouldn't do anything." She pulled herself in closer to her.

Moira's arm tightened around her to help bring them closer. "You're right." She kissed down to her neck, helped by the other woman tilting her head to the side to give her easier access. "It would be irresponsible."

"Oh god, yes." She gripped her short, fiery red hair to keep her there. "You can't be trusted. God knows what you would do with me now." She squeaked as she felt her teeth clamp down on the pale skin of her neck.

"I could break you; tear those little wings off and burn you for your sins."

Angela heaved a deep, shivering sigh, body already feeling aflame from her words. "I could never allow that." She moved one of the other woman's hands to her throat again. "Only a fool would ask the devil to break her." Blue eyes looked up to plead with the other woman's, belying her true intentions and desires.

"And only a fool would risk breaking an angel." She began to unbutton the other woman's shirt and slipped it off before pushing her down on the couch. "I suppose we're both fools."

"Happily so." Angela helped to undress her ex lover as well and soon both were entirely uncovered. She was then pinned down and felt teeth nip at her skin in various places. "Mein süßer Teufel…." (My sweet devil)

"Mo aingeal peacaí." (My sinful angel.) Moira moved down to kiss her stomach, then bit down, this time managing to draw blood.

Angela groaned from the sudden pain, but still didn't want to stop her. "Unterbrich mich, meine Liebling…." (Break me, my darling)

"Mar is mian leat." (As you wish) She licked the bleeding wounds from her teeth, then moved to suckle her nipple. She prodded the wounds on her belly with her nails to aggravate them, then once they were coated in blood, raised them to the woman's mouth.

Angela licked and sucked the nails and fingers clean, then moaned as she felt the fingers of her other hand slip inside her. She hadn't had such long nails before and the difference was immediately apparent, though she couldn't say it was an unwelcome addition.

Moira stopped after a few moments, however, and pulled completely away. She moved forward and kneeled over her near her face, then grabbed her hair to push it where she wanted it.

Obediently, Angela shoved her tongue inside of her and wiggled it around, the moans she received in return telling her she was doing well. Her hair was pulled even harder as she moved to suckle the little nub just above where her tongue had been and she curled her arms up to hold onto her thighs. She switched between the two until the woman finally got off, then bit down, making her grip on her hair so tight she pulled her face away unintentionally.

"Oh you cheeky bugger."

Angela giggled as she climbed off of her. "I thought perhaps you might like a little pain as well."

Moira smirked, then quickly raised her hand for a swift backhand across her lover's face. "Only if I ask for it." She mounted her again and curled her fingers on her other cheek to scratch along it. "Perhaps later I'll let you, if you like. For now, only one of us getting broken tonight."

"Y-yes, Moira." Why did she like being willingly abused and controlled by the woman? It was a question she had never been able to fully answer, but somehow she did. Even when she grew dangerous, she still felt somehow safe with her. She trusted her. The pain and bondage in a controlled environment was so exhilarating, and she never crossed the boundaries she set for her. It was a fine line between pleasure and pain that the woman seemed to know how to walk perfectly.

Moira leaned in to kiss her deeply once again. "Good girl." She slipped her fingers inside of her again, curling them as much as she dared with the length of her nails. With her other hand, she clawed across her belly, catching the nails on the previously made wounds once again and digging them into them.

Angela moaned with pleasure while simultaneously groaning in agony. "Please…."

Moira circled her nipple with her tongue as her fingers moved up slightly to finally give her what she wanted. She suckled for a few moments before moving down and did the same as she had, clamping her teeth down on the little nub, leading to her moaning loudly. As she pulled back, she scraped it between her teeth, then suckled it.

"Oh God…." Angela held onto her hair as her body began to lose control. Her breathing was heavy, muscles growing increasingly tense, until finally climax overcame her. She cried out her lover's name as her back arched with pleasure before falling flat again.

Hearing her name again on her beautiful lips as she was overcome with ecstasy, Moira couldn't help but smile. She migrated back up again to kiss her, this time more gently. "No matter what happens, you'll always be mine."

Angela happily kissed her back, then again after she spoke, wrapping her arms up around her neck. "And you're mine. Even after all these years….I still love you so much."

"And I love you." Moira brought their lips together for another kiss, then slid in next to her to hold her tightly. She couldn't bear to even think about what would follow when she had to leave. Instead, she closed her eyes and tried to think only of the sweet scent she could smell on the woman's hair, the warmth of her body, and the inner peace having her so close immediately seemed to give her.

Angela feared the same thing, and chose to take the same route. They both knew life would likely separate them again, but in this one, perfect moment, they could be happy. She nuzzled further into the woman's chest to listen to her heartbeat, the steady thumping the most beautiful rhythm she had ever heard. She couldn't help but smile, knowing that each beat was for her.