Kristina Brannan
kebrann@bgnet.bgsu.edu
This is my first fanfiction I ever wrote, which I mistakenly forgot to put a disclaimer on the first time. So, here it is. Gargoyles and all related characters belong to Disney/Buena Vista Television, not me. Period, end of story.
This is the very first fanfiction I wrote, as I said. I have recently edited it. I first wrote it when I was 13 years old, and my writing skills have greatly improved since then. To be blunt, I don't even think that this story is salvageable, but I've tried to make it make some sense. I may edit it again in the future, or just rewrite it.
I am currently editing all of my Gargoyles fanfics, so expect a slow re-releasement of the stories. I'm always up for comments and criticism.
"Previously on Gargoyles..."
{Vows}
Demona[to her younger self]: Can't you see I am what you will become?
Young Demona: I will never be like you!
{Generations}
Goliath: Demona will never change and I will never trust her again.
Angela: You're not giving Demona a chance!
Brooklyn: Hey, she's had more chances than she deserves, Angela!
Demona: This changes nothing!
{Future Tense}
Brooklyn[to Demona]: Are you all right, my love?
Demona: Yes, now that I'm back in your arms.
Goliath: You two? Together?
Puck: Was it a dream? Or a prophecy?
Goliath: I must know!
Puck: Like I'd tell you.
{The Journey}
Brooklyn[looking up at Broadway and Angela kissing]: Parting is such sweet sorrow.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
About six months after Angels in the Night
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Monday Night
11:18 pm
Tower
Castle Wyvern
The red gargoyle looked around cautiously before taking off from the castle, obviously not wanting to be seen. Then, as quietly as he could, he leapt off the side of the tower, letting the wind take him away.
* * *
Monday Night
11:18 pm
Library
Castle
"Where is Brooklyn going?" Angela asked, looking out the window.
Broadway looked up from the book he was reading. "Huh? He's leaving again?"
Angela pointed to Brooklyn's form getting farther and farther away. Broadway shrugged and went back to his book. "I guess he needs time alone. He does that sometimes."
Angela threw one last look out the window before shrugging, walking back over to Broadway with a smile on her face. "I'm glad he's finally getting over it."
"It?"
Angela smiled again. "All three of you were after me. Brooklyn was the most disappointed when I figured out that you were the best for me."
"I suppose... but it's not like him to disappear every night like he has been."
* * *
Monday Night
11:32 pm
Nightstone Unlimited Company Headquarters
Brooklyn landed on a ledge coming out of the skyscraper. He reached up and pressed a seemingly random brick on the wall. Part of the wall in the building slid away, revealing a passageway.
He walked down the hall slowly, as if he was unsure of what he was doing. ~Maybe I shouldn't do this anymore,~ he thought.
However, he kept going. ~This is for the good of the clan,~ he told himself.
He reached the end of the hallway to what appeared to be a dead end. To his left was a small alarm system.
"Verify person," a computerized voice said. Brooklyn cleared his throat.
"Brooklyn," he said. The computer buzzed and beeped.
"Voice patterns match...Password."
"Moonstone."
Once again the computer buzzed.
"Correct password...place hand on scanner"
A small slide came out of the wall. Brooklyn put his hand on it and the computer whirred once more.
"Hand patterns match... entry allowed."
The end of the wall slid away, and Brooklyn stepped inside.
"Who...Brooklyn? I thought you said you weren't coming tonight!" A voice came from a darkened corner of the room.
"Well, I changed my mind." He squinted into the room. "Why is it so dark in here?"
"It's a project I've been working on."
"What project?" he asked, curious.
"Oh, it's just a new form of photography."
"Huh?"
"Never mind," said the voice. "I'll work on it later."
Brooklyn coughed, a pointed sound.
"So, are you here for any reason?" Demona said as she stepped out of the shadows.
Brooklyn studied Demona thoughtfully. He remembered how he first got into this, but why he had agreed he had no idea. For the past month he had been helping Demona get over her need for revenge against the human race. He knew she trusted Elisa, now. Maybe not as much as he or the rest of the clan trusted her, but he knew she had forgiven her for nearly taking her place in the clan.
Now what counted was getting the rest of the clan to forgive Demona.
"Brooklyn?"
Brooklyn realized he was staring at Demona. "Sorry... I was just... thinking..."
Demona smiled. Not her old, cunning smile, but a friendly smile, one that was older than her smirk. "I'm glad to know you still do that every once in a while."
Brooklyn laughed with her, a bit warily.
When they stopped laughing, Brooklyn said, "Actually, I stopped by to ask you something very important."
Demona looked at Brooklyn warily. "Go ahead."
"What will you do if the clan doesn't accept you back?"
She looked shocked, as if the idea had never occurred to her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, will you still tolerate the humans... or will you go back to your old ways?" Brooklyn asked.
Demona sighed. "I don't know. I suppose I will continue to live with the humans, even if Goliath doesn't believe it." She looked away. "I don't think I will ever trust them as a whole again, but perhaps I can learn to be friends with a few of them." Elisa's name went unspoken, but Brooklyn knew what she meant.
"That's just what I wanted to know. Well, I've got to go," Brooklyn said, grinning. "I'll seeya on Wednesday!"
* * *
Monday Night
11:40 pm
Inside Nightstone Unlimited
Demona watched the gargoyle leave. She sighed and turned around. She gasped as Elisa Maza came out of the shadows.
"Sorry," Elisa said, genuinely apologetic. She walked over to Demona. "Are you okay?"
Demona sighed again. "Elisa, how do I tell him..."
"In something that he'll understand," Elisa said.
Demona looked down. "When I first came to you, what did you think?"
Elisa looked at Demona and said, "I thought that you had gone absolutely nuts." Demona looked up quickly, her eyes narrowing. Elisa quickly changed her words. "I know you wanted to become part of the clan again. In order to do that, you had to learn to forgive the human race, so you came to the human that you hated the most." She paused. "Me."
Demona turned around. "I thought it was a good idea to trust the one human that my daughter trusted."
Elisa put a hand on Demona's shoulder. "And it was."
"Why did you bring Brooklyn to me?"
Elisa hesitated. "I knew he hated you the most, so if he forgave you, than the rest of the clan would."
Demona turned back to Elisa. "Do you really think the clan will accept me back?"
Elisa frowned. "I've been thinking about that. They might not believe you from the start. I'm not sure, but eventually you will be accepted back into the clan. That is for sure."
Demona smiled. "And what about..."
Elisa laughed as she started to leave. "That is entirely up to you."
"Elisa!" Demona called as Elisa made her way to door. The policewoman turned to look at her former enemy, the warrior, the demon. "Thank you. For everything."
* * *
Tuesday Morning
12:07 am
Courtyard
Castle Wyvern
Figuring that no one had even noticed him leaving, Brooklyn tried to casually sneak back into the castle. However, his rookery brother called out to him.
"Hey, Brooklyn! Where did ya go?"
Broadway's voice boomed over the courtyard. Brooklyn winced, sighed, and yelled, "I just had to get out for a bit. It's a beautiful night." He ran into the castle before Broadway could answer back.
~Wednesday is the last night I'm going to lie to my clan. Wednesday the truth comes out,~ he thought as he walked down the spiral stairs.
* * *
Tuesday Morning
12:08 am
Courtyard
Castle Wyvern
"That was weird, even for Brooklyn," Broadway said to Angela as his rookery brother disappeared. "He's not really much to take in the 'beauty of the night,' unless it involves speeding around on a motorcycle."
"He's hiding something," Angela said, looking where Brooklyn had been just a minute ago.
"He's always hiding something - that's the way he is," Broadway said. "He's always been somewhat secretive. Come on, lets go back inside."
* * *
Tuesday Morning
5:46 am
Tower
Castle Wyvern
Brooklyn hopped onto his perch next to Goliath, trying to avoid direct eye contact with any of his clan. He noticed Angela giving him funny looks when she thought he wouldn't see.
"What is it?" he said, finally.
"It's just that you've been disappearing every so often," she said. "And you seem to sneak out of the castle, as if you were afraid of being seen."
Brooklyn's heart stopped for a moment, then realized that she was questioning, not accusing. "Can't a gargoyle have time to himself?" he said, giving her a small grin.
"Well, I..." The sun rose, freezing them in that stance for the day to come.
* * *
Tuesday Night
9:29 pm
Tower
Castle Wyvern
The gargoyles broke out of their stone skin and went their separate ways.
Brooklyn went to the gardens and leaned against the parapets, looking out into the city.
"Brooklyn!"
Brooklyn turned around to see Xanatos. "What?"
Xanatos held out an envelope. "Someone sent me this, but it has your name on it."
Brooklyn took the package and opened it. Inside was a cassette tape. "It looks blank." He shrugged. "Thanks, Xanatos."
He went to the stereo room. He put the tape in the player, and pressed a button. A song came on, which he had heard many times before without really noticing the words. Alanis Morisette- "Head Over Feet."
"I had no choice but to hear you
You treat me like I'm a princess
You've already won me over in spite of me
You stated your case time and again
I thought about it
I'm not used to liking that
You ask how my day was
And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
And don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it
It's all your fault.
Brooklyn knew there was more to the song, but he couldn't listen to any more. Lexington came in the room and said, "Hey, I thought you liked Alanis Morisette. Where'd you get that tape?"
Brooklyn turned and said, "You don't want to know." Then he ran out of the room.
Lexington barely had time to catch up with him. "Hey, Brooklyn, what's going on?"
Fed up with everyone questioning him about his personal life, Brooklyn turned to Lexington with eyes glowing a ferocious white. "I already told you -YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!" he growled. Lexington backed up a few steps. Brooklyn ran to the edge of the castle and glided off.
Broadway came out with Angela. "What was that all about?"
Lexington shrugged. "He got all excited over this song he was listening to."
Angela said, "Lex, do you think you can catch him?"
Lexington nodded. "Definitely." He glided after Brooklyn.
Broadway looked at Angela in astonishment. "Why'd you do that?"
"He's not telling us something - and that something is important."
* * *
Tuesday Night
9:53 pm
Inside Nightstone Unlimited
"You sent that tape!"
Demona looked at the red gargoyle and bit her lip. "Yes, I did."
"But...why?"
Demona stood up. "The words in that song are exactly what I feel for you. I couldn't tell you in person, and you liked that singer...so..."
Brooklyn looked at her in pure shock. "How long have you felt this way?"
Demona shook her head. "I'm not sure. It just sort of... happened."
"Couldn't you wait until tomorrow?"
Demona stepped forward to him cautiously, as if she were afraid he would hit her. "No, I couldn't have! Things like this don't wait, Brooklyn, and I was also afraid of being rejected tomorrow. I have genuine feelings for you. What do you feel for me?"
Brooklyn was speechless. ~What do I say?~ he thought. He sighed. "I don't know."
Demona looked down and turned around. "If you don't, I...I... understand. I don't see why you would have any feelings beside contempt for me. After all, I tried to destroy... something that matters to you, I tricked you into stealing the Grimorum, I've threatened you and your brothers countless times..."
Brooklyn put a hand on her shoulder. "Stop it." Demona looked back at him. "That's behind you now. I know you trust Elisa, and you aren't trying to con the clan anymore. You finally see things from our point of view. I trust you. I forgave you a long time ago."
Demona turned around and smiled. "You have no idea how much that means to me." Brooklyn could see tears in her eyes. Before he could stop her, she ran into his arms. He stilled for a moment, than put his arms around her.
* * *
Tuesday Night
9:59 pm
Outside Nightstone Unlimited
Lexington gaped at the sight. ~Demona loves Brooklyn?~ he thought in amazement. ~What's going on here?~
* * *
Tuesday Night
9:59 pm
Inside Nightstone Unlimited
~I never thought I would be holding a sobbing female in my arms.~
Brooklyn backed away from the embrace. ~Especially Demona,~ he thought.
"Do you want to go to the rest of the clan tonight?"
Demona's eyes widened. "NO!" Brooklyn blinked. "I mean, Elisa has to be there too. She won't be there tonight, only tomorrow night."
Brooklyn sighed. "You have a point there. Goliath will most likely only going to listen to her."
Demona smiled, then ran a hand through Brooklyn's white hair. "He should learn to listen to you, too. You are his second."
Brooklyn thought a moment, then said, "Why do you... have these feelings for me?" The word 'love' went unspoken between them.
Demona continued stroking Brooklyn's hair. "You helped me forgive humans, you forgave me for all that I've done, and..."
Brooklyn looked at her, almost fondly. "And what?"
She put her face close to his. "And I think you will make a better leader than Goliath."
Brooklyn backed away from her. "Hold on there..."
Demona pulled him back. "Stop. Shhh," she told him, and kissed him gently.
Brooklyn looked shocked and tried to resist her for about half a second, then he closed his eyes and kissed her back.
* * *
Tuesday Night
10:05 pm
Outside Nightstone Unlimited
Lexington backed away from the window in shock. He shook his head in slight disbelief, then glided off. He landed at Castle Wyvern, where Angela had gathered the rest of the clan.
Angela looked at Lexington. "Well?"
Lexington looked at everyone in the clan. "Okay, from what I just saw, it goes something like this - Brooklyn has been helping Demona forgive humans, and he ended up with more than he expected."
Hudson stared at Lexington. "What are ye saying, lad?"
"Demona sent Brooklyn a tape with a song on it."
Goliath said, "What about this song?"
"Demona knew about Brooklyn's taste in music, and sent him a song... it's kind of a love song." As the clan looked at him, puzzled, he sighed and said, "Maybe it would be better if we listened to the rest of the song."
A minute later, they were all in the stereo room.
"You're love is thick and it swallowed me whole
You've already won me over in spite of me
You are the bearer of unconditional things
You're the best listener I've ever met
I've never felt this healthy before
You've already won me over in spite of me
You're so much braver than I gave you credit for
That's not lip service
And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
And don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it
It's all your fault
You held your breath and the door for me
Thanks for your patience
You're my best friend
Best friend with benefits
I've never wanted something rational
I am aware now
I am aware now
And don't be alarmed if I fall head ov-
Lexington shut off the player. "Get the idea?"
Angela was staring at the stereo in shock. "Mother... loves Brooklyn?"
Lexington nodded. "That's what she said."
Goliath said, "Did they say anything else?"
"Something about tomorrow. I couldn't hear much - I was listening through a window."
Goliath closed his eyes in thought for a moment. "It seems Brooklyn has been hiding this a long time."
Angela looked at Broadway, as if to say, "I told you so."
Goliath continued. "We will wait until tomorrow. We will see what happens then. Do not tell Brooklyn that we know his secret."
Hudson glanced out the window. "Here comes the lad now."
Goliath nodded. "Remember...do not let on that we know."
* * *
Wednesday Night
9:43 pm
Tower
Castle Wyvern
When the gargoyles woke up, Elisa was already there. Brooklyn turned to his clan.
"Would you mind waiting for just twenty minutes?"
Without waiting for an answer, he took off.
Goliath looked after his young second in command. "What..."
Elisa pulled him back. "Goliath, it's important. Trust me."
Goliath looked at Elisa in shock.
* * *
Wednesday Night
9:50 pm
Inside Nightsone Unlimited
"Brooklyn! You're here!" Demona ran into his arms. "I was afraid you wouldn't come."
Brooklyn pushed her back a little. "And why wouldn't I?" Demona smiled. Brooklyn said, "We'd better go. I only told them to wait for twenty minutes."
* * *
Wednesday Night
9:57 pm
Tower
Castle Wyvern
"Brooklyn?"
Goliath, even though he knew Brooklyn had been with Demona all the time he was gone, he was still shocked at the sight of Brooklyn not fighting her, but holding hands with her.
Brooklyn jumped off the edge of the castle. "Goliath... I..."
Elisa stepped forward. "I'll start."
The entire clan looked at her in pure shock. "ELISA?!" Angela said.
"A few months ago I was given a letter that requested me as a police bodyguard for a Miss Dominique Destine. I was forced to take the job. I already knew it was Demona, and I wondered what she was up to.
"But she wasn't trying anything. She asked me for help. She wanted to learn to forgiven humans, but she didn't really know how. So she thought she'd ask the one human her daughter trusted." Angela looked at Demona and smiled grimly.
"So I showed her a lot of good in humans - like what I showed you, Goliath. She wanted to be accepted into the clan again, so I asked Brooklyn to come by to my apartment. He was the one that hated her the most, so if he could accept her, I sort of figured...well..."
Goliath put a hand up. "That's enough." He looked at Brooklyn. "Brooklyn, you should have told us what was going on."
Brooklyn looked down. "I know."
"You should have told us what you were doing."
"I know," Brooklyn sighed. Then he looked back up. "So...what do you say?"
Goliath thought for a moment, then said, "It is not all my decision. This will effect the entire clan, I cannot decide for all of them."
"So this means..."
"Give a few nights for a decision to be made."
"But-but..." Brooklyn stuttered.
"Come back on Friday night after the sun goes down. We will meet here. Until then, Brooklyn, you are to stay with Demona."
"Huh?!" The entire clan was looking at Goliath in shock. Demona simply stood on the edge of the castle, listening. She hadn't said a word yet.
"Goliath?" Goliath looked at Elisa when she spoke. He seemed to have forgotten she was there.
"Those are my orders," he said sternly, then turned around and walked into the castle.
Elisa's shoulders went down in defeat. The rest of the clan looked at Demona, who was standing behind Brooklyn.
Hudson stepped up to Brooklyn. "Lad, ye know ye should have told us."
Brooklyn said, "If I did, Goliath would've gotten upset at me."
"Goliath would've known that ye were doing it for the good of the clan."
Lexington stepped shyly up to Demona. "Do you really trust humans?"
Demona looked down at the small gargoyle. "I don't fully trust them, but I do trust Elisa as a friend." She looked at Elisa, giving her a small smile.
Hudson frowned for a moment, then said, "Do ye, lass?"
Demona nodded, almost shyly. Then she smiled wryly. "She did save me from having all my employees run away in fear."
Broadway said, "Huh?"
"I lost track of time during a meeting when Elisa came in and got me out just before sunset."
Broadway, still confused, said, "Never mind."
Angela smiled at her mother. "I'm glad you are giving humans another chance after being betrayed so much."
Demona looked down. "I realize now that those betrayals were often my own fault."
Brooklyn had backed away from the group, watching. Though all seemed uncomfortable, the clan seemed to enjoy Demona's company. It was as if the clan was reunited again.
* * *
Wednesday Night
10:22 pm
Library
Castle Wyvern
Goliath watched the clan talk to Demona. He had walked away only so he wouldn't have to say any more to Demona or his young second in command.
He found himself thinking back to before the massacre, before the betrayal. He thought of the times he and Demona were together, of when they had chosen to mate. He or Demona couldn't of been any older than the trio or Angela.
He let the memories wash around him. Did Brooklyn now share the same kinds of moments with Demona as he had with her?
He tried to stop himself. ~I don't have any feelings for her, not anymore!~ he told himself. ~I have Elisa.~
The memories kept coming, almost taunting him. The mating season, when the gargoyles were fertile and could have their children. He remembered he and Demona, his angel of the night, and how they... "participated."
He looked down sadly at Angela, who was talking excitedly to her mother. The mating season was coming up again. Who would choose who?
Angela then turned to Broadway, who smiled secretly at her.
Goliath sighed, and looked at Elisa. She was talking to Hudson. All the thoughts he had been thinking about Demona were slapped away. He loved Elisa now, more than he had ever loved Demona. Elisa was his new Angel of the night, and the day. No matter what side Demona was on now, he would always love Elisa.
Then a thought come to him. The dream Puck had given him in order to get the Phoenix Gate, and the taunting words when he left.
"Was it a dream? Or a prophecy?"
In a flash, he was out of the room.
* * *
Wednesday Night
10:37 pm
Nursery
Castle Wyvern
"PUCK!!!!!"
Owen, unfazed by Goliath's temper as always, was setting Alexander down in his crib.
"If you do mind, Goliath, young Alexander is trying to sleep."
Goliath growled quietly. Owen left the nursery and closed the door.
Owen turned to Goliath. "Is there something I could do for you, Goliath?"
Goliath growled and said, "The dream you gave me - how much of it is going to come true?"
Owen showed no emotion on his face. "I cannot tell you much. It is forbidden." Goliath began growling again. "However, I will tell the part about Lexington or Xanatos will not come true," Owen said in his usual monotone.
Goliath relaxed, a little.
* * *
Wednesday Night
10:59 pm
Tower
Castle Wyvern
"I thought I told you you were to stay with Demona."
Brooklyn cringed slightly, but Goliath didn't notice. "I am staying with Demona. We just hasn't left yet."
Goliath growled again, and Brooklyn recognized the signs of a full-fledged roar coming on, directed at him. Brooklyn backed away from the clan, pulling Demona with him.
"But we were just leaving," he said. The clan looked at him in pity. All of them had seen Goliath get mad, and it was even worse when it was directed at one of the clan.
Brooklyn dragged Demona over the edge of the castle and they glided off. Angela watched them, and then made a decision.
"I'm going with them." She dived off the castle and glided after them.
Goliath ran up and said, "Angela!"
Hudson pulled him back. "Let the lass go, Goliath. It's her own choice."
* * *
Wednesday Night
11:08 pm
Sky
"Brooklyn, Demona, wait up!"
Brooklyn looked back and spotted Angela hurrying to catch up. Demona smiled as her daughter glided up next to them.
"I want to stay with you tonight," Angela said.
"Very well, my daughter," Demona said.
They glided to the Nightstone Unlimited and went inside. Brooklyn plopped down in a chair. Angela began looking around.
"This is an amazing building!" she said to Demona. "And you own it?" Demona nodded and then looked at Brooklyn.
Brooklyn was looking out the window in a dream-like fashion. Demona came up next to him. "Brooklyn?"
He looked at her and smiled tiredly. "Is something wrong?" Demona asked.
Brooklyn sighed. "I guess I kind of feel like I should have told the rest of the clan. I made me, and not to mention Elisa look like traitors."
"No, you didn't," Angela said. She came up next to Demona and smiled at him.
"You looked like an angel blessing the clan," she said. Brooklyn grinned an old friendly grin.
"That's what your name means," he said. "Me, I'm a bridge." Angela backed up and looked down, unsmiling. Brooklyn looked at her.
"What is it?" Brooklyn said, worried.
Angela looked at Brooklyn and her mother next to each other. "Lexington followed you last night, Brooklyn."
Brooklyn stood up quickly. "WHAT?!"
Angela almost winced, but stopped herself. "He followed you, and then came back and made us listen to that tape." She glanced at her mother. If gargoyles could, she could've sworn Demona was blushing.
Brooklyn glared at Angela for a moment, then said, "Did they...understand?" Angela nodded.
"So did I."
Demona leaned against Brooklyn, as if trying to prove to herself that it didn't matter what Goliath thought. Brooklyn put an arm around her.
"Do you care?" Demona said. Angela looked up at them again.
"Well, I suppose I should be, but I'm really not," she said. " I'm just happy for both of you, and I guess it is better this way anyway."
Demona looked at her daughter, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Angela smiled. "Oh, nothing." As Demona eyed her, Angela added, "I tell you later."
* * *
Thursday Morning
4:54 am
Entertainment Room
Castle Wyvern
Broadway looked out the window again. Lexington looked up at him, worried.
"Broadway?"
Broadway looked at Lex quickly and shook his head. "Sorry." He glanced out the window again. "I guess she's not coming back tonight, is she?"
Hudson put a hand on Broadway's shoulder. "The lass can take of herself, and can make her own decisions."
Broadway still sat by the window.
Lexington and Hudson sighed.
* * *
Thursday Morning
4:54 am
Outside Nightstone Unlimited
Elisa looked up at the Nightstone Unlimited building. It was one of the tallest in New York City. She sighed and walked inside.
The security guard stopped her. She flashed her pass at him and walked on. She came to a door much like the one Brooklyn had been using, though out in the open.
"Verify person."
"Elisa Maza." *buzz beep*
"Voice patterns match...password."
"Moonstone." *buzz buzz*
"Correct password...place hand on scanner." Elisa reached and put her hand on the board. *buzz buzz beep*
"Hand patterns match...entry allowed."
Elisa sighed again as the door opened. She walked inside the elevator and pressed a button.
When it stopped, she was in the room where Brooklyn, Demona, and Angela were in.
"Hi, guys."
Angela looked up and over at Elisa. Brooklyn still looked uncomfortable.
"What's Goliath doing?" he asked with pleading eyes.
"I don't know. He kind of disappeared after you guys left," Elisa reported. "I do know that he talked to Owen for some reason."
"Owen? What would Goliath talk to Owen about?" Demona asked, puzzled. Elisa looked at Brooklyn and frowned.
"You never told her about Owen?" she asked, sounding like a parent scolding her children. Brooklyn shook his head.
Demona looked back and forth between Brooklyn and Angela, trying to figure out what was going on.
Angela turned to Demona. "Mother, Owen is also Puck."
"WHAT?!" Demona growled, eyes lighting up red. Angela looked surprised and shocked at the sight of part of the old Demona coming out.
Brooklyn looked sheepishly at Elisa. "That's why I didn't tell her. Because..." The words were left unspoken.
~Because of Puck's gift.~
Puck had given Demona a "gift" over three years ago. Demona was transformed into a human during the day from that night on, but it was extremely painful for her. And although the form was useful, Demona, or any gargoyle for that matter, didn't like being in human form.
Brooklyn rushed forward to stop Demona from rushing out the window. He grabbed her and she looked at him, eyes still glowing.
"Why are you stopping me, my love?" she said harshly. Brooklyn looked sadly at her.
"Because if you do this, then it will ruin any chance for you to gain Goliath's or any of the clan's trust," He said, almost hopefully. "Besides, we have other things to talk about."
Demona stopped. "I can't do this." She whispered, the light in her eyes dying down. Brooklyn looked at her in horror, praying that she didn't mean what he thought she meant.
* * *
Thursday Morning
4:57 am
Gardens
Castle Wyvern
Goliath paced uncertainly. He would ask the other members of the clan tomorrow night. He couldn't get the image of Brooklyn and Demona gliding off together. The image of the enfolded hands would stay with him, always, he predicted. Another image flashed up. This one from the dream Puck had given him. The words echoed in his mind.
"Are you all right, love?"
"Yes, now that I'm back in your arms."
The image of them hugging, and looking so contented, even through a war, floated through his mind. Then he recalled something else.
The night in the Cloisters. The night Brooklyn had betrayed the clan, being tricked by Demona into stealing the Grimorum. How Brooklyn had tricked him into coming to the Cloisters, how he had stood by Demona's side, even while she was casting the spell. Brooklyn finally came to his senses. Even under the spell, Goliath heard Brooklyn's cruel words to Demona.
"I was a fool to trust you!"
Brooklyn had always been in some way linked to Demona that no one had been able to explain. Even back in the old times, in the tenth century, members of the clan noticed some sort of link between the two. When Goliath mentioned it, Demona had no idea what he was talking about.
Neither did Brooklyn.
But now Goliath did understand. Brooklyn and Demona were soul mates. He noticed the same kind of link between Broadway and Angela when she first came to Manhattan. He could only hope that others noticed the link between Elisa and himself, but he knew he belonged with Elisa.
Goliath growled slightly as an old human's child rhyme came into his head.
Brooklyn and Demona
Sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love
Then comes marriage
Then comes Demona with a baby carriage
Goliath knew what it meant. The love part was obvious. The marriage part was choosing to be mates, as he and Demona had over one thousand years ago. The last, was the mating season, coming up fast.
~Almost too fast,~ Goliath thought.
With that last thought he made his decision.
* * *
Thursday Morning
4:55 am
Inside Nightstone Unlimited
"What do you mean?" Brooklyn asked Demona. Demona looked up at Brooklyn sadly.
"I don't know if I can do this..." she said.
"Do what?" Brooklyn said, almost shaking her.
"I'm not sure...but...it's like some instinct is telling me to... turn back..." Demona said thoughtfully.
Brooklyn did shake her this time. "Turn back? From what? Humanity? Trust? Me?" Demona shook her head.
"Revenge."
Angela and Elisa, who had both backed away to let them play out their drama, smiled at each other.
Brooklyn let this sink in for a moment, then smiled at Demona. ~Thank you, my love.~ He thought. He couldn't say it out loud, but at least he could bring himself to think it.
Demona, almost as if reading his thoughts, smiled back and kissed him.
Elisa motioned Angela to go into another room. Elisa started walking, and Angela followed. Angela looked back at Brooklyn and Demona, still in the same position. Angela smiled to herself.
Brooklyn, for the first time in months, looked genuinely happy.
* * *
Thursday Morning
6:34 am
Outside Nightstone Unlimited
Brooklyn, Angela, Elisa, and Demona came out of the building. Brooklyn and Angela leapt onto the side of the building. Brooklyn looked back at Demona one more time. He put a hand on her cheek.
"I'll see you when the sun goes down, my love," he murmured, only audible to Demona.
Demona smiled. Brooklyn turned back around and took a pose. The sun rose, and he and Angela were frozen in stone.
Demona continued smiling even as she went through the painful changing into a human.
Elisa looked at the stone Brooklyn. He was smiling a broad smile that would make anyone laugh out loud instead of scare off any intruders.
That day, Brooklyn dreamt of the past.
* * *
984 A.D.
Caves by Castle Wyvern
Scotland
"Young one, do you swear to remain loyal to all Early Hatchers, and the covenant as long as you live?"
The young red gargoyle nodded. The time of the initiation was now, and he was the one being initiated. He was twenty years (ten in human years) old, and he was being let into one of the biggest kept secrets in the clan.
The one talking to him was the leader. He was a deep blue, almost black, with yellow hair. The red gargoyle looked up at him in awe. The leader smiled.
"This one is destined to be a true leader, come time," he said to the others, which the young one could not see. He was not allowed to see who else was here until he passed the initiation.
"Young one, as long as you are with us, you must never tell anyone, not even your rookery siblings, no one, except us, and only while here, what you learn here?" the leader said.
The young one nodded once more, although he could not imagine keeping things from his siblings. The leader smiled once more.
"Stand up, young one." He stood from his kneeling position. The torches around him flared up, and he could see the others. He began to recognize faces of the gargoyles. One stood out to him in particular. It was the second-in-command's mate.
The young one was surprised at this, but only for a moment. The leader had put a hand on his shoulder. "Come," was all he said. The leader walked off to a passage in the cave. The young one thought for a moment, then followed.
As they were walking down the passage, the young one noticed strange carvings on the walls. Some were in Latin, but most were in a strange language the young one had never seen before.
The leader saw the young one's confusion. "You will learn the language soon, young one. But first, you must know of our history." The young one looked up at the leader with interest.
"Long ago, there was a coven, like this one. It was before the humans came and built their stone fortress here. When gargoyles ruled this cliff. It was secret, like today. "It was discovered by the rest of the clan. The entire coven was exiled from the rest of the clan." The young one looked up the leader once more, to see him shaking his head. The young one frowned at the picture of the entire coven being exiled. The leader continued.
"But the clan did not realize that they could not ignore heritage. A few of found our way to the old hideout, and we knew that there was something about this place. We quickly learned the old ways of the Early Hatchers. We learned how to identify an Early Hatcher, as we identified you." The leader looked down at the young one.
"Are there are any questions you have?"
"Why are we called Early Hatchers?" The leader smiled at the young one's curiosity.
"Most of us are hatched a good time before the rest of the eggs. You were, as I'm sure you've been told, I was, and quite a few of the others were." The young one was still confused at something else.
"How can identify one if they didn't hatch first?"
"We all have a feeling. I am sure that you have felt a connection between some of the others in the coven." The young one knew what he was talking about, and nodded.
The leader smiled, knowing that the young one would grasp the old ways quickly, maybe quicker than he, himself had.
* * *
Thursday Night
9:34 pm
Outside Nightstone Unlimited
The summer sun was just setting over the building. The stone on the gargoyles cracked, and Brooklyn and Angela awoke. Demona was standing there, waiting, as if she had been there the whole day.
Angela looked in the direction of the Eyrie Building sadly. "I should go back now. They'll think something's happened to me." Demona looked at her daughter. She nodded.
Angela glided off.
Brooklyn was still looking out into the sky, thoughtfully. Demona came up and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Is something troubling you, my love?" she asked, frowning. Brooklyn looked back at her. He thought for a moment.
"Do...do you remember the coven?" he asked. Demona nodded. "I was thinking about that, too, today." She frowned once more. "I miss them."
Brooklyn nodded, agreeing. "But we still did promise to remain loyal the rest of the Early Hatchers, and not tell anyone else. I have stayed loyal, and you have."
Demona studied him carefully. "I remember when you got initiated into the coven. The leader said that you would take his place, when the time came." She shook her head. "But that time never came."
Brooklyn looked back out into the night. "I wonder why we both thought of this at the same time." They both sat there for a while, letting the memories of the coven wash around them.
Brooklyn shrugged. "Oh, well. Probably just coincidence. C'mon, let's go inside. I think it's going to rain," he added, looking up once more at the threatening sky.
Demona nodded. They went inside the building, hand in hand.
* * *
Thursday Night
9:54 pm
Tower
Castle Wyvern
Broadway looked nervously up at the sky. Lexington say him do it, and shook his head.
"Broadway, will you relax? Demona wouldn't hurt her daughter, and I personally can't picture Brooklyn trying anything," Lex said, trying to sooth Broadway. Broadway shook his head.
"That's not what I'm worried about," he said. He turned back to the sky.
And saw a winged form gliding towards them. Broadway immediately smiled and ran to the edge of the tower. Angela landed beside him. She smiled back at him and they hugged.
Lexington felt a twist. Broadway found love, Brooklyn found love, where did that leave him?
He sighed and left the tower. He went into the entertainment room. He found Hudson sitting in front of the television, Bronx napping peacefully next to the chair. He began to leave.
"Is there something ye would like to talk to me about, lad?" Hudson said, muting the television.
Lexington looked back at Hudson. There was no way Hudson could have heard him sneaking away. ~Oh, well,~ he thought. ~You can talk to someone now.~ Lexington turned around.
"Hudson, how do you know if you are ever going to find someone you love?" he asked. Hudson's face melted into understanding.
"There is a legend about soul mates, someone for everyone. Some people meet them, some people don't. Ye can sometimes recognize the bond between the two, even before they do."
Lexington remembered. "Is that why everyone said that there was something between Brooklyn and Demona? Before the massacre, I mean?" Hudson nodded.
"That was the bond everyone noticed. Neither of them bought it, though, when someone tried to tell them." Hudson stopped, and looked at Lexington's face. "Lad, are ye worried about never meeting anyone?" Lexington reluctantly nodded.
"Well, don't ye worry, lad. I'm sure ye will," Hudson said, turning back to the television. Lexington raised his eyebrow and left.
* * *
Thursday Night
10:06 pm
Inside Nightstone Unlimited
Brooklyn was looking out of the window once more, Demona along with him this time. Brooklyn looked down at her.
"Demona, what's wrong?" he asked. Demona looked up, then closed her eyes.
"Brooklyn, what will you choose if they don't accept me back?" she said.
Brooklyn took a deep breath. "I...I want to stay with you," he said. "But I have a responsibility to the clan. I'm the second. I can't abandon them."
Demona turned her head away, so he couldn't see the tears in her eyes. "I understand," she whispered.
Brooklyn turned her head back towards him. "No, you don't."
Demona sighed. "I do. I understand that you can't leave the clan for me. You need to help protect the city."
Brooklyn looked at the sky again. ~I'm sorry, my love,~ he thought.
* * *
Thursday Night
10:34 pm
Library
Castle Wyvern
"Lad, are ye sure about this?" Hudson said to Goliath.
"Everyone must vote. Everyone must agree, though. If one person says no, then she is not welcome, and Brooklyn will be exiled from the clan," he said.
"Father, no!" Angela yelled. "Brooklyn was only trying to help the clan, and he might be exiled from the clan because of it? He means too much to everybody!" Goliath looked at his daughter.
"That is my decision, Angela," he said sternly. Angela looked away.
"Fine, but I think you are making the wrong decision."
"Angela, you may have the first vote." Angela looked up.
"I want Demona back in the clan. She is my mother, and no matter what she has done, I love her," she said with emotion.
"Broadway?"
"I would like her back in, and I don't want Brooklyn gone. I grew up with him!" he said.
"Lexington."
"Sure, I'm in," he said, distracted.
"Hud-"
"Yes. The lass trusts humans now, and we can't live on always against one of our own," Hudson said, looking at Goliath.
Goliath was silent for a moment. "I will never trust Demona again."
Angela looked at Goliath in horror. "Father..."
* * *
Friday Morning
12:25 pm
Inside Nightstone Unlimited
Brooklyn was looking out of the window. ~How could this be?~ he thought. ~I have the strangest feeling that the coven still lives...~
"My love?" Brooklyn looked at Demona, who had a worried look on her face.
"Yeah?" he asked, looking back out the window.
"You have been preoccupied ever since you woke up tonight. Is something wrong?"
Brooklyn shook his head. "It's not important."
"My love, if there is something I can do, or..." Demona started.
"I DON"T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" he yelled, eyes flaring up brightly. Demona backed up, surprised.
"My love..." she said.
Brooklyn turned around, growling under his breath. He stalked outside the building to where he had slept. He looked up at the sky.
~Where are you when I need you, Leader?~ he thought to the heavens.
Demona watched him quietly in the shadows.
* * *
Friday Night
9:47 pm
Courtyard
Castle Wyvern
Lexington watched with sorrowful eyes as Brooklyn and Demona landed together. Tonight would be the last night he would ever see his rookery brother as part of the clan.
Brooklyn seemed to notice that the clan had saddened eyes, all looking at him. He ignored the fact, and walked up to Goliath.
"Well? Have you made a decision?" Brooklyn said, without his usual wit.
Goliath looked down. "Brooklyn, we decided that it had to be unanimous in letting Demona in, and it wasn't." Lexington noticed he didn't say who ruined it all, and for the first time in his life, Lexington threw a hateful glare at Goliath.
Goliath ignored him. Demona, hearing Goliath's words, looked down to hide her tears. Brooklyn was angry, and Lexington could see the rage building up inside him.
~Just wait a few more seconds, Brook. Then you'll really be mad,~ he thought.
"I don't care, Brooklyn, really. I just wanted to be part of the clan. I don't mind anymore," Demona said, also noticing the anger.
"One moment," Goliath said. "Brooklyn, because you did not tell us what was happening, you are therefore banished from the clan."
"WHAT?!" Brooklyn and Demona yelled together. Brooklyn was in shock, and staggered as if struck. Demona held Brooklyn up. She turned to Goliath.
"Are you a fool?" she hissed. "He is your second in command, and part of your clan. Just because he tried to help the clan is no reason to..."
"That is my decision, Demona," Goliath said. "Everyone may say goodbye, then I don't want to see either of you again." He turned and stalked out. Angela turned to her mother.
"We tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen," she said.
"He's being irrational," Broadway added. Hudson agreed.
"I'm sorry, lad, lassie. I am still trying to talk him out of it. Donnae give up hope yet."
Lexington's head was reeling. He saw Brooklyn get up, and glare at the doorway which Goliath had exited. Brooklyn's eyes lit up, brighter than Lexington had ever seen them. Brooklyn walked past Lexington, muttering, but Lexington heard his words quite clearly.
If that's the way it is, then that is the way it's gonna play.
Lexington's head kept spinning, everything was in a whirl. He thought he saw Brooklyn and Goliath fighting, Demona trying to stop them. Brooklyn, holding Goliath's head up high, eyes burning brightly. Lexington doubted if his eyes would ever be the same again. The last image, of Brooklyn, was etched in his mind forever.
* * *
Monday Night
8:32 pm
Tower
Castle Wyvern
The stone skin of the gargoyles landed on the ground. All seven of them stretched and yawned. Lexington swiveled.
~Seven?~
"Hey, Lex, what's up? You look like you've seen a ghost!"
Brooklyn's cheerful voice ripped through the dizziness. "Huh?"
"You heard me. What's wrong?" Lexington shook his head.
"Just... just a dream."
"Oh, you too, huh?" Lexington spun around to face him. The light in Brooklyn's eyes had disappeared.
"What do you mean?" Lexington said. "What was it about?" Brooklyn squinted, as if trying to remember.
"The strangest thing...about Demona..." Lexington froze and his breath stopped.
"She was dancing around to Alanis Morisette." Lexington was still gaping, until Brooklyn's words had finally sunk in. He started laughing.
"I think that would be your new CD that you listened to all last night," he said, starting to walk into the castle.
"Hey, wait, what was your dream about?" Brooklyn stopped him. Lexington looked back.
"Mine...was about Demona, too. But she definitely wasn't dancing to Alanis." Brooklyn looked at him curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"Uh...more like singing Alanis Morisette," Lexington said. Brooklyn laughed.
"Well, maybe our dreams will come true someday," he said. He left the tower humming, "When You Wish Upon A Star."
Lexington laughed nervously, though no one was there. "Hmm. Just a dream," he said to himself, then followed Brooklyn.
* * *
Monday Night
8:49 pm
Above Castle Wyvern
The Weird Sisters watched the small gargoyle prance along after his bigger rookery brother. Phoebe looked at Luna and Selene.
"Was it wise to give the small one the dream?"
Luna answered.
"It is simply a matter..."
"To follow the Early Hatchers..." Selene followed.
"And to witness the rebirth of all," Phoebe finished. "But Oberon is already not pleased that we have stalled this long."
"By his own law, we cannot directly interfere in human affairs," Luna said.
"But a law that cannot be broken can surely be bent," all three sisters said together.
With a flash, they disappeared into the night.
THE END
--------
That's it!
"Head Over Feet" is written by Alanis Morrisette. I don't own that. She does.