A/N: this story is dedicated to the amazing and kind madame_denna. without her it most likely wouldn't exist. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing. furthermore I realize that activity in the LotS fandom has somewhat died down because many of us have migrated to other fandoms, but this is my new contribution to this particular universe. it is, pretty much as always, a modern AU. there is a warning for M content in this prologue. enjoy.

The law of gravity

.-.-.-.-.

We all fall

Prologue

Denna Lewis reclined in her expensive anti-back pain leather chair and stretched her arms above her head. Another successful day at work with all the stress and paperwork that came with it. She smiled to herself and glanced at her desk where more than half of the folders were still waiting to be signed. With a small incline of her head, she decided to leave the rest for after the weekend.

A hot bath, some ice cream and a movie were waiting at her apartment and that seemed just perfect.

She looked up when the door to her office opened. Her co-worker and friend Dahlia stuck her head into the room. She smiled lightly, exhaustion clearly written across her features. "Hey I'm heading out, done for today, wanna join me for an early dinner?"

Denna lowered her arms to her desk and leaned forward. A hot bath would be just as relaxing with a full stomach and Dahlia looked like she could use someone to talk.

"Sure, I'll be right out."

Pushing the folders from one end of the desk to the other, she got up and gathered her phone and other belongings into her purse before slinging her coat over her shoulders and switching the lights off. The hospital was eerily quiet and empty on most Friday nights and this one was no exception. She walked down the corridors she knew like the back of her hand and stepped through the main entrance out into the cool air. The sun was slowly setting and it was noticeably getting chillier these days. Fall was just around the corner.

Denna walked past the main building and around the side to the parking lot where the staff had assigned parking spaces. A few street lights had already switched on and bathed the parking lot in semi-darkness with the large building behind her blocking out the last rays of the sun. She knew where Dahlia usually parked her car and slowly walked in that direction, but her co-worker was nowhere to be seen. Denna raised a hand to gently rub at her eyes. Her contacts were starting to dry out and she was having trouble seeing clearly in the dim light.

"Please don't, listen to me, you need to stop this," Dahlia's voice floated across the parking lot. It was too high-pitched, almost a shriek and Denna immediately quickened her steps. She crept toward the source of the noise, a large black SUV blocking her view.

"You killed her. She was just going to get her kidney removed and now she is dead. Dead," a choked male voice replied.

Denna's heart immediately sank and her hands started to sweat. She fumbled around in her purse for her phone and turned away to hide the light of the small screen with her body. She dialed 911 and held the device to her ear with a shaking hand.

"No, let go of me," Dahlia called and Denna sucked in a breath. An automatic voice was babbling into her ear, 'Please wait a moment, an operator will be with you shortly'. So much for being friend and helper.

She moved forward and glanced around the SUV. The scene before her could easily be out of one of her nightmares. A man, two heads taller than Dahlia, was holding her in a vice grip, standing behind her with the gleaming blade of a knife pressed against her exposed throat. He had a beard and shaggy dark hair that fell into his eyes. Had she passed him in the street she would never have spared him a second glance. But now that she had a clear view of his face she saw wild madness in those dark tear-filled eyes.

Dahlia was struggling against the hold the man had on her, sobs interrupting every other word as she tried to talk him out of hurting her. Denna clenched her teeth and and stepped forward, the cell phone held tightly in her grasp. Like hell would she let that bastard hurt her friend. She raised her arm and hurled the little device toward the man with all her might. The few years of high school softball finally paid off when it hit him squarely in the face. He grunted quietly and stumbled back, giving Dahlia the chance to slam her elbow into his solar plexus and break free. Denna's small smirk of victory vanished as Dahlia staggered forward and the man recovered and lunged for her.

But Denna was faster. She threw her entire weight into the tackle and successfully managed to hold the man back. Her purse sailed through the air and landed not too far on the dark concrete. All of her belongings scattered across the ground and she watched with fascination as her lipstick rolled across the parking lot until it hit the tire of a parked car. She gasped quietly when the man grabbed her, his arm twisting around her middle, holding her just like Dahlia.

The knife at her throat didn't hurt at first, but she saw white hot stars when it started cutting through skin. The feeling was unlike anything she'd ever experienced. She thought of her usually sedated patients who she regularly cut open to repair damage or fix internal bleeding.

The knife was thrust into her stomach next and this time it really hurt. She wanted to scream in pain, but no sound beside a quiet gurgle made it out of her mouth. The blade was removed with a sickening wet sound she would never forget. The arm holding her upright suddenly disappeared and she sank to her knees, her hands helplessly grasping the air in front of her, unable to stop the blood from leaving her body. It soaked through the front of her jacket and blouse, she could feel it trickling down her chest, warm and thick, and for a single moment she was endlessly saddened that there were so many things in life she'd always told herself she could do later. Always later.

Now it was too late.

She heard Dahlia's voice from somewhere far away. It was getting more difficult to suck air into her lungs and she slowly slumped to the side until her cheek was pressed against the cold ground. Her lipstick was right there in her line of sight. Crimson was definitely her color.

She vaguely registered movement around her until an unpleasant pressure on her stomach made her choke on the blood that was rapidly filling her mouth. She closed her eyes and thought about how awfully slow the blood was leaving her body. She welcomed the cold, waiting for inevitable unconsciousness to follow. Crimson definitely had been her color.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Two Months Later

Her apartment looked strange, so completely empty, as she glanced around one last time. Her belongings were already on their way across the country and all that was left to do was follow them into a new city and a new life. She closed the door to her apartment and pushed the keys through the mail slot. They landed with a dull thud and she turned away with a quiet sigh.

Her best friend Darken was already waiting for her at the stairs, her traveling bag slung over his shoulder. He looked like someone had kicked his puppy as she followed him out of the building.

Dahlia had her arms crossed in front of her chest and squinted against the sun when Denna descended the front stairs behind Darken. He walked over to the taxi that was parked by the curb and shoved the bag into the trunk before slamming it shut with a little too much force.

"We'll miss you Den," Dahlia said quietly, letting her arms fall to her sides.

"I know, I'll miss you too."

"Then why are you moving two hundred miles away?" Darken asked as he joined them. He jammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and actually scuffed the tip of his shoe against the ground.

"We talked about this," Denna reminded gently.

"I know, but I still don't have to like it."

"I won't disappear though, you can visit anytime you want. We'll talk on the phone, email. You won't even notice the distance."

Darken sighed. "I hope so." He stepped closer to her and pulled his hands out of his pockets to wrap his arms around her. Denna swallowed the small groan that threatened to escape her at the pressure of his hug. Dahlia placed a hand against his shoulder and pushed him back. "Easy there."

Darken immediately retreated and looked her up and down with wide eyes. "Shit I'm sorry Den, I forgot for a moment."

Denna smiled lightly and shook her head. "It's okay, I'm fine."

"So this is goodbye then," Dahlia said as she pulled Denna into her own gentle version of a hug.

"For now."

She smiled at both of them, and with a last wave of her hand, settled into the backseat of the taxi and closed the door with a resounding thud. She leaned back and stared straight ahead at the seat in front of her. She didn't need to see her two best friends growing smaller and smaller in the distance while the car merged with the traffic.

It hurt enough already. But she had to leave, she couldn't stay in this city any longer. It was as if the buildings were closing in on her, sucking oxygen out of the air and leaving her gasping for breath.

She saw the taxi driver glance in the rear-view mirror. "Hey, you look kinda familiar, you famous or somethin'?"

Denna bit back a sigh and shook her head. "No."

Another reason why she had to leave the city. She didn't need more reminders of what had happened, there were already enough of them every time she looked into a mirror. She pulled the scarf tighter around her neck and turned to stare out of the side window, watching the buildings rush past her in a blur.

A five hour flight, a new apartment, a fresh start.