Hello all. Those plot bunnies can be vicious! And the story you see before you is proof that I needed to let them run free! I've seen the anime and read the manga up to chapter 36 or so. This story started mainly because I wanted an ending now, rather than when the manga gets around to it. I know, further proof of the instant gratification society we live in, but I can't help it.

Anyway, you can assume that my ideas on the story at this point will diverge from anything in the manga after the early 30s, unless I have some kind of psychic abilities and then I really should start making money off this stuff.

I don't own the characters, but I do enjoy playing with them. Enjoy!

The final note of the song lingered in the air like a sweet breath caressing the skin. The slight vibration of her voice held out the note, not wanting the night's final melody to end. The awed silence held for a brief moment as the club's patrons awoke from the sweet lull until the cheers and applause brought the club back to the party atmosphere. The light gold sequin dress held a stark contrast to the dark skin of the tall singer. The material clung to her skin like a glove; a high neckline in front found drama perfectly suited for the occasion with the deeply low-cut back. Her long and toned legs jutted down from the extremely short hem on the piece while simple pumps contained her tired feet.

Allowing the cheers from the crowd wash over her, Alex Benedetto momentarily forgot the pain that seemed to follow her in life. Gone were the days of spreading her legs for money in back alleys, abuse from a man she had thought once wanted to protect her and the severe judgement of those walking the streets of Ergastulum. Instead, peace and a sense of purpose on the stage of the brothel run by the Cristiano Family, known to many as Bastard, came. Alex made her own money with her talents, and while she still dressed in a similar fashion - to entice the crowds - she took comfort knowing that others would not take from her like on the streets. No, she was a new woman… almost.

While she recently came into this new level of freedom and prosperity, a dark lining found its way into her life. For the span of two weeks, she felt her life burst with new and wonderful experiences - a soft couch to sleep on, people who mostly respected her, earning an honest living and the warmth of friendships. Moreover, that was where the issues arose.

Connie, she closed her eyes and silently prayed for her missing friend looking over to see a still slightly injured man standing near the side of the stage. Of all the new acquaintances she made, Constance from the gun shop appeared to be the most genuine; the one she could talk to and find some ability to relate. The short-haired woman made Alex feel like an ordinary person from the start. Judgement or disparaging comments about her past life never came from the lips of the eternally happy woman. Even that day in the shop where Connie figured out what she did before, the word prostitute she used didn't carry the disgust. Instead it was surprise- as if Connie could not see her as working the streets, selling herself for money.

As Alex stepped off stage and took a sip of water, she knew that somewhere in the city, Connie was in trouble and she could do nothing about it. Singing at night seemed to be the only thing to take her mind off the hell that consumed her life once again. It also saved her from thinking much about the limits of those around her. Namely the two men that appeared so strong and indestructible before...

No one knew much about the group other than they were extremely powerful and they hated the Twilights, and the Cristiano Family, among others. The blond, emotionless killer known as Erica, the terrifying little boy, and now a series of others in dark clothing appeared to declare war on the whole of Ergastulum.

On the surface, the targeted groups retained an appearance of 'business as usual.' Beneath that surface, they were all scared on some level. In addition, for one of the few normals without fighting abilities, Alex found herself terrified more often than not. That is why she sang. She sang to escape, much as she did in the stairwell outside the Benriya for all those years.

Sharing a soft smile and quick hug with Marco, Alex turned to her silent escort. He stood in the back corner, leaning against a wall. The dark hues of his black jacket and button up shirt when combined with his dark hair almost allowed him to blend into the surroundings. If not for his pale skin, a combination of Asian and Caucasian heritage, he could disappear.

Even while slightly blinded by the glare and lights from the stage, Alex knew he reclined back in his corner. Something about his presence calmed her now that she knew him better. Before the death of Barry, his cool look unnerved her. It caused her to be on edge, unable to really read him. Maybe the best way to describe the look could be cautious.

Officer Chad and those who knew Nicolas Brown pegged it perfectly saying that while his ears may not work, his eyes surely compensated and then some. At times when he looked at her, she thought he could see straight through her. Her heart would thud strongly inside her chest at that look. While other times, he looked at her with concern… and understanding too. They had found a silent bond understanding the curse that came with drug dependencies. While his certainly posed more of a risk to his life, especially the way he abused them, they could at least on some level realize the other's struggles.

In some ways, the concern and compassion he held for her thrilled her. The connection and draw she felt towards this wounded man proved dangerous. Many had warned her, hell, he even told her to run once. Still he acted kindly towards her, even when he tried to mask them with the insults or indifference, she could tell there was more.

What she would not give to listen in on his internal conversations for a brief time. They had been roommates, partners in a way for months now, and yet they were strangers – strangers with a weird tension between them.

Shaking away her internal monologue of fear and confusion, Alex felt tired on so many levels and simply wanted to go home.

Home… is that what she called the Benriya now? Did she really think of it like her family's house in East Gate? In reality, she went without a home for so long, it felt strange to label the mess of a two story building a home. For now, that is what it was. Home, with a strange older brother-figure in Worick. He was caring more often than not, with a perverted side that amused her. Even when he made jokes about her large breasts, wanted to charge people to look at her cleavage, or let his wandering hands roam briefly, it didn't bother her as much as it would have years ago. She felt he did not really want anything for it all - no expectations she would sleep with him or get angry when she put him in his place with a well-powered slap.

And then that brought her right back to the topic of Mr. Twilight. If given the choice, she might welcome a broken bone or gunshot wound rather than go in circles about her silent guardian.

"What did you think?" She felt pride in successfully learning a few phrases in sign language. She smiled and signed to him as she approached, weaving through the crowd of bar regulars.

"I'm deaf you idiot," he signed. "I can't hear shit."

A frown passed her lips. There had to be some way he could enjoy music even without hearing the lyrics. Maybe the vibrations or taking in the way she moved to the song allowed him to find some enjoyment… could she be wrong?

"I know," she fumbled slightly with her next gestures. "I just thought maybe…"

"GeT iT RiGHt," he spoke in his mumbled tenor moving to correct her sign. With his own hands, he repeated the right way to say her last sentence.

"At least I'm trying." She voiced aloud, not signing at all. Turning away from him, she walked to the bar and waved down the bartender. The well-dressed man approached and smiled brightly at her.

"Done for the night, sweetheart?"

"Yeah, can I get a drink?" She asked wanting to take the edge off her growing anger.

"You drinking alone, or is he going to actually join you instead of watching?"

Alex looked back to where Nicolas still stood.

"He can go to hell." She hissed and took the shot of amber liquid in one go.

"That was hell of impressive for a skinny thing." A male's voice came from behind her. Alex turned and found a man smiling at her. "Can I offer you another?"

Alex slightly recoiled at the sudden touch of the stranger's hand on her arm.

Quickly passing a glance at the corner, she noticed his body posture change slightly. Nicolas looked at her, almost asking silently if she needed him. While she did not like the man offering her a drink's sleazy eyes and proximity, she turned back and nodded for another drink.

"You sing like a nightingale Alex, may I call you Alex?"

"Sure, thank you, mister?"

"Call me Carlos." He took his drink and waited for Alex to hold up hers in a toast.

"Thank you, Carlos."

"You drinking alone Alex?"

"I'm not anymore." She smiled and took a seat, allowing Carlos sit next to her.

"Well then, to new friends."

"Cheers."

Why am I even here? He questioned himself for the thousandth time that evening. Worick said he had a client, didn't he? That lying bastard made that up. He's probably sitting in the living room naked.

An annoyed grunt left his lips as he leaned further into the wall, as the song she sang quickened its pace. He did not need to hear the lyrics to experience her performance… the vibrations off this particular wall combined the right amount of sound waves to let him enjoy her melody without the use of his ears.

So maybe this wasn't all bad, the generally cautious man thought. The peace on her face and the pleasing movements of her body on stage calmed him like no downer pill ever could. That ability, who she was, Alex Benedetto terrified him.

She was right; the three of them had crossed paths before. How long ago was it that she stumbled upon him and gave him the long scar on his leg and stomach? Four years? Possibly five… he glared at her wondering just how much she remembered of that day, what happened and exactly what she held within her slender frame. He and Worick decided that keeping the events of that under wraps would save everyone a great deal of pain.

She had gone missing for a while and then maybe a year ago appeared back on the streets like nothing had happened. As much as he wanted to ask her about the lapse in time, he knew she didn't know.

So many things about the woman on stage did not make sense… irritated him too. How could one woman make him want to forget his promise to treat women with respect one minute and the other make him want nothing more than to hold her to him… feel her soft and warm skin on his. And her tears… seeing her cry or in pain, it felt like the sharpest daggers in his gut or the after effects of a massive Celebre overdose.

Stupid woman. He huffed crossing his arms tighter over his chest as he watched her close her eyes and hold her final note.

The vibrations from her voice stopped and a moment of silence fell over the crowd. She mesmerized this group much as she did all the others.

Is this part of her power? He pondered as a new type of vibration shook his body. He knew the crowd loved her, even with his eyes closed, he could tell what her voice felt like versus the crowd's appreciation.

Then she started walking towards him. A smile on her lips, one that seemed to feel like it was all for him. His gut twisted as their eyes met and quickly he looked away.

Her presence commanded he look up after a moment of feigned neglect.

"What did you think?" She confidently signed. Just when she achieved such a proficiency in his preferred form of communication, he did not know. Then again, during the days when jobs were scarce, she would have a lot of free time. He would be downstairs working out and feel the pair upstairs laughing, the possibility that Worick helped her, seemed likely. Alternatively, maybe she was a fast learner.

Her cooking had improved… slightly, he added as his annoyance for the creature before him flared.

"I'm deaf you idiot," he signed, his fingers like knives stabbing into her self-esteem. "I can't hear shit."

He regretted his words slightly at the frown that came to her lips… those full lips colored red for the evening.

"I know, I just thought maybe…" her confidence weaned and he needed to watch her lips to understand what she meant.

"GeT iT RiGHt," he snarled a bit too harshly as he demonstrated the correct way to sign the word 'thought.'

She never gets that one right, he noticed.

"At least, I'm trying."

Indeed, she was. Her efforts to communicate with him far surpassed what nearly ninety-nine percent of the population did… including his own father.

He also could not blame her for the frustration that crossed her face. Letting her have her space, he watched closely as she turned and walked to the bar.

The leers and lustful gazes from the men around her made his stomach twist. She's mine assholes! He wanted to shout out. After that thought, his eyes went wide. He truly wanted that, didn't he?

Lust? He asked himself. It made sense to lust after the buxom woman, hell the majority of the club did – men and women alike. Was that what bothered him so much? Lust?

No, he had known lust before. Living the life he and Worick had, the two of them had been good about letting out little biological itches discreetly. Finding a woman who did not mind him being a Twilight or Tagged provided quite a challenge, so most of the time, he dealt with things himself.

For years of living on the streets, seeing the scum rotting the city from the bottom as much as from the top, she still believed in the good in people… that the stigma of a term did not matter. Would she if he asked?

Shaking his head, he looked back to her as she downed the shot in one go.

Crazy woman. He chuckled. No, this feeling meant more than lust. And that knowledge terrified him.

How could he expect to find something so pure and heavenly in his hellish existence? If he thought on the topic long enough, he figured she possessed similar scars and past events of neglect, pain and torment.

At the moment, she appeared free of those demons. In fact, she looked like she found a new friend. His eyes narrowed watching the man approach her, getting close… too close for his liking. He noticed her flinch slightly and look in his direction.

The fear in her eyes melted away, and so he stayed put. Had she indicated, he would have ripped the man's arms off for touching her.

The pair sat at the bar throwing back shots. When his hands wandered too low for her liking, she slapped him and the offending hand would retreat.

It mesmerized and intrigued him, watching her. When she had her fill of the drink, she would secretly spill it on the floor and allow the man to continue drinking his. The result was easy to see- her drinking friend would be drunk soon and she perfectly sober.

A stupid grin crossed his lips at the stray thought of who would win in a con – Worick or Alex. The emotion came and went quickly as he pushed off against the wall.

It was time to head home. She needed her sleep, especially since she expected to join the continued search crew for Constance.

Damn woman.

Approaching the bar, he took the drink from her fingers and drank it for her.

Signing that they were leaving, he grabbed her hand.

She slightly protested, but in seconds followed without question.

"I don't get you, Nicolas." She sighed following him for a few minutes out of the club, seeing only his back. Knowing that he could not hear her, she continued to talk. "If you wanted to drink with me, you could have just asked. I don't bite. I mean I could, if you like that... Is it too much to ask for you to do something that makes you happy, just once?"

She laughed at the situation.

Talking to yourself aloud now? The inner dialogue mused. Well, considering your companion at the moment, you might have to get used to it.

Sighing, she let the confusion and slight anger fade, and instead enjoyed the fresh breeze of the evening. The stars shone down on them; with the dimly lit streets, one could actually see the stars.

How many times did you just stop and look up at those giant burning masses as a child? She wondered. We would lay out on the grass on a blanket... she smiled remembering her time with her younger brother more clearly recently. Doctor Theo said her ability to recall more and more of her early memories held a positive sign that her years of intoxication did not mean brain damage.

Emilio enjoyed counting them. He never got far before falling asleep, but he always tried his best. The tender moment made her miss the younger boy greatly. Well, not a boy. He would be a man of nearly twenty now. She left home when he was just into his teens. Life back in East Gate was harsh. Their father did not do much in the way of helping his family and whatever odd jobs she could do, left her exhausted and barely making ends meet.

She wanted Emilio to have so much more. Enter Barry the hometown scumbag and the rest fell into the category of gross misjudgment. Sure, the money he paid up front helped her brother and father. It was enough to allow them to live comfortably for five years and with their father's health declining... Alex knew nothing else would present itself.

Barry had been rather charming and persuasive at the time, and debts were coming due for the small family. Leaving Emilio remained the most painful thing in her life. The toll on her body - the nights of beatings and endless hours with rough men - that would all pass. In fact, she came to terms with what had happened to her and found an outlet to deal with the feelings through singing. Nevertheless, the void of that missing relationship with her brother and the years she forgot about him - those scars would haunt her.

That is why the prospect of a future snuck in and caused her grief. Singing paid well. In a few months, she might even have enough to head back home and start over with her family.

Can I even find them? She did not know. Would they want to see me after all this time if they remained in our little house? That thought frightened her.

The light squeeze of her hand brought reality back.

Could I leave him?

She was not sure what she was to Nicolas Brown. If she left now, she might never find out. Was this... whatever it was... enough to keep her from regretting searching for her brother?

Life, she decided, pretty much boiled down to one hard decision after the other. While these questions continued to swirl in the back of her mind, she took comfort in the decision to live for now. It would be months before she had enough money saved. And she needed to make sure Connie was back, she owed the bubbly woman a proper goodbye. Decisions would be made then.

Smiling a bit, she decided that if he was not going to talk to her, she would enjoy the walk home for them. Swinging their connected arms, Alex giggled at the grunt she received from the man who still held firmly to her.

The movement pissed him off, but he did not feel like letting go of her hand quite yet. The slender hand felt strange in his calloused and scarred ones. Her skin soft, almost delicate, remained in stark contrast with his. But he had seen first-hand how hard she could work with them. He had long ago decided to give up trying to understand his desired connection with this woman. And if that meant allowing her to swing their arms as they walked, then so be it.

Then it hit him. A presence that swelled with power. Stopping straight in his tracks, Alex bumped up against his back. Their hands dropped and both his went to ready his katana.

He wanted to scream at himself for allowing her to distract him from this undeniable power ahead of him.

Alex nearly fell over as Nicolas suddenly halted. Bouncing slightly off his muscular frame, she looked confused.

"Nicolas?" She stepped slightly around to get a better view of what made him stop. She also needed to make sure he could read her lips if needed.

In front of them stood a man, slightly shorter than them both. A hoodie pulled over his head and hands in his pockets, the boy looked oddly familiar to her.

Once the man looked up fully, Alex felt her body begin to tremble.

"Emilio?"

Dun Dun Duhhhh! We're jumping right in there folks!

Hope you enjoyed the beginning of the fic. We shall see how Alex's brother reacts to who his sister has been living with and maybe see more on my take on Alex's past!

I hope to have updates regularly as these ideas are spilling out. Feel free to leave a comment or encourage the bunnies to work faster!