Hello, this is Jenny/Sorryll. This is the first of the 8 ficlets I have to write based on captcha words, this one inspired by the combination 'Dark Beckoning'. I chose Jizabel and Cassian because it fits and there isn't enough love for them. Please drop me a line to tell me what you think.

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This is Hell. It has to be. And I must have done something awful to deserve a Hell like this.

Cassian dropped the feet which were as heavy as lead and walked around to the other side of the prone body, grabbing the shoulder and lifting the upper torso up with some difficulty. He hated doing this job and after one particularly nasty trip, was becoming paranoid about rigor mortis causing extremities to drop off.

Shuddering at the memory, he started to drag the body backwards now, the booted feet squeaking on the tiled floor. Slowly, the colour of the tiles changed from grey to white and Cassian knew he could stop dragging soon, despite his walking backwards. It was a journey he had made many a time since being assigned to help the doctor and Jizabel Disraeli was the only person he was likely to meet, him or Doctor Zenopia and that old fool was harmless. Yet, in a way, Cassian hoped that it was the old man that would be waiting for the new arrival; he knew where he stood with a doddering old fool with a penchant for surgery. A strikingly beautiful yet obviously deranged young man with a love for scalpels was something he didn't know how to deal with, not any more.

Was it wrong to feel pity for someone so twisted?

This has to be Hell. If this is real life then there has to be a God who seriously hates humanity. Chance would surely never produce someone like him.

Even as he thought it, Cassian realised he was right and wrong at the same time; chance hadn't produced someone as mixed up as Jizabel but God hadn't done it either; it had been Alexis. Cassian felt anger rise up within him at the thought and then shame for feeling that anger. What was wrong with him? How could he feel anything but hate for the man who made him drag corpses in every night, who relegated him to the most menial and horrible tasks, who treated him as nothing but a child when it was Jizabel who saw the world through a child's eyes?

Why did he find himself feeling sympathy for such a creature and worse than that, how could he possibly feel love?

I don't know why but I do know that something has to be done about it. Either that or I will go completely insane

Finally, Cassian collided with the metal wall that housed the bodies. He turned around and hoisted the body onto the table with some difficulty, before sliding it into the wall to be locked up with all the others. He didn't know what Jizabel wanted them for and didn't want to know. He just wanted to leave. Now. Before he had to talk to-

"Cassian."

Cassian spun around to see the doctor leaning against the doorframe nonchalantly. His long hair was tied back loosely, not really keeping it out of his face at all but serving to frame it. Under the stark lighting of the lab it glowed like some sort of ethereal halo. Jizabel seemed to smile a little at Cassian's shock.

"That was our newest friend?" he asked quietly. Cassian nodded. "And how are things?

Cassian sighed and shrugged. "I found him in the forest just like you said and he hadn't bee tampered with at all as far as I could see. I still don't understand why you wanted him. Most of his skin has already-"

"That's not what I meant," the doctor said sharply, taking a step into the lab and reaching up to carelessly free his hair. "How are things for you, I mean?"

Cassian opened and shut his mouth a few times. Why was Jizabel asking about him? It wasn't like he cared. He couldn't care for anything human.

"I…things are fine, I guess." Cassian shrugged. "The usual."

"You're frustrated, aren't you?" Jizabel asked, taking another step forward. "About your body, I mean." He paused ever so slightly to smirk, just long enough to give Cassian the wrong impression. "You're sick of being treated like a child."

"Well…yes," Cassian said, cursing himself for rising to the bait. "But that's nothing new. I'm used to it."

"It must be…awful. To be treated like someone you're not." Jizabel was looking at the floor and so his expression was unreadable. Cassian wished he could see his eyes. After a silence that was a little too long to be comfortable, Jizabel looked up. Cassian was surprised. There was no malice, no humour in his eyes. Just pity. Cassian hated the fact that he knew the same emotion was showing in his own eyes; he hated being pitied and was sure Jizabel would hate it even more.

What has happened to him? He hates me. I know he does. So why does he…

"Doctor…"

"Well then," Jizabel said sharply, stopping Cassian from speaking. "A little bird told me that you left a friend behind when you joined Delilah."

"I had no friends."

"Wrong. I was told that there was a certain somebody who kept you company and…well, I did my best." Jizabel then whistled and looked behind him. Cassian was scared for all of a moment before he gasped.

A small white cat slunk out from behind Jizabel's legs, purring. It sauntered over to Cassian in the manner of cats everywhere and lightly leapt onto his shoulder, claws not catching at all. As it rubbed its face against Cassian's he could do nothing but stare at the doctor who was watching with a sort of jealous smile.

Why has he done this? He's not the kind of person to give gifts. Unless this is some trick…

Even as Cassian thought it, he knew that wasn't true.

He raised a trembling hand to the white fur. "How did you know?" he breathed. "I had almost forgotten. Where did you…"

"It's not the same animal." Jizabel said simply. "But it is the closest I can find. She's very affectionate, even to people like us."

Cassian caught the inflection in the doctor's voice despite his own shock. "People like us?"

Jizabel nodded. "People of lies, of secrets…of darkness. Although…when I look at you, Cassian I don't see darkness at all."

Cassian glanced down at himself; black clothes, pale skin and black hair. Jizabel was the one in white with pale hair…what was he talking about? Cassian jumped as the doctor laughed gently.

"I didn't mean your clothes. But it doesn't matter what I mean. All that matters is that you could escape now, if you wanted to. I'll let you go. Take the cat and leave this place before the sin turns her fur as black as coal."

Gaping, Cassian shook his head. Freedom was being offered to him, but freedom wasn't what he wanted. He had joined this place so that they could fix his body but even if that never happened, he had another reason to stay now. He couldn't leave Jizabel on his own. He was a grown man, confident in himself because of his appearance and yet as vulnerable as a lamb. His father certainly wouldn't care for him; the many nights Cassian had been left cleaning bloodstained clothes of Jizabel's were testament to that. The other cards wouldn't care for him and some like Cassandra would even try and destroy him. No. He couldn't be left alone.

"And what about you?" Cassian asked gently. "What will happen to you if I leave?"

"I'll survive. It's all I ever do. Besides," Jizabel laughed and tapped the metal doors that concealed the bodies. "I have better company here than in the whole of London. Unless…unless you want to stay with me. But why would you want to do that?"

"Because I…" Cassian paused, not having the words to say. Suddenly, it was as though he was seeing things in black and white. The room was cast in shades of deep grey and dark shadows but around the doctor was a shining white light. He was too pure for a place like this, despite what he thought of himself. As Cassian looked at him, he couldn't see darkness at all. The light called to him and he had the strangest urge to run to it and surround it in his darkness, protect it from the others so that they could never take it away. He took a hesitant step forward and saw surprise register in the doctor's eyes. It didn't matter; he had no reason to fear Cassian. It was the others that he had to-

"Jizabel."

The voice was clipped and low. Cassian spun around to see Alexis standing behind him, glaring at Jizabel. The doctor had dropped his eyes to the floor, a picture of ashamed obedience and yet…a small smile played around his lips.

"Trying to grant a trump card freedom, Jizabel?" Alexis walked over to him and raised his head. "That's unexpected, even for you. Do you know what will happen now?"

Jizabel nodded. "You will need to punish someone."

"And we all know it will be Cassian who receives the punishment, yes? For not running to tell me as soon as you offered his freedom to him." Alexis laughed and Cassian began tot tremble.

I don't want to die. He thought desperately. I don't want to die but if I have to die, I would rather die to protect Jizabel from harm than for some selfish reason. If this is Hell, perhaps this is the right way to die.

As Cassian opened his mouth to accept whatever awaited him, Jizabel raised a hand. One glance and Cassian was silent.

"Leave him be." Jizabel's voice was sure. "I was the one who disobeyed and you should punish me alone."

"So keen for more scars, Jizabel?" Alexis laughed. "Fine, follow me."

As Jizabel followed Alexis out of the room, Cassian began to see in black and white again. Alexis was at the centre of a swirling storm of black and grey, dark storm clouds that threatened to swallow the light completely. And suddenly, Cassian knew everything. Just as his light beckoned to Cassian, Jizabel was drawn to the darkness of his father in a want to find some light hidden in the midst of the maelstrom. Cassian knew that was impossible and knew that the day would come when he would have to use his own darkness against that of the card master.

Perhaps he could find a way to make his own darkness beckon to the beautiful creature of light that was always searching for the darkness within.

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Thanks for reading Review? It would be greatly appreciated