Author's Note:

I wrote this having more in mind, but here it is. I hope you all like it though some of you will probably be angry with me by the end. I do not own the rights to "Devil May Cry" or its characters; I also do not own "Capcom". If I did DmC would never have been made, sorry just my personal opinion.

~*He Watched*~

Nero watched. He watched as his elder partner paused on the metal steps and placed a calloused hand on his lower back wincing as he straightened back up and continued his accent. He watched and he frowned as he noticed it took the elder longer and longer everyday to even get out of bed, his joints popping and snapping their protest with every move. He watched as the elder became out of breath more quickly while fighting and triggered less and less. He watched and worried as the elder struggled to hang his sword on the high pegs after each job. He watched and felt his stomach churn with unease as the elder half-heartedly laughed after nearly being brought to his knees by a pack of weak lesser demons. He watched as the laughter never reached the elders darkened eyes.

Nero worried. He worried every time they took a mission that promised a real fight. He worried every time the elder disappeared from his sight. He worried every time the elder took a little too long to make a kill. He worried how more and more demons where able to sneak up on the elder, getting far too close for his comfort. He worried every time he watched the elder's face crease with strain and his breathing become labored with exertion. He worried the most when the elder did not retort back when he called him old man and instead replied that maybe he was.

Nero watched. He watched in sheer and utter horror as time seemed to slow to a sickening crawl around him. He watched unable to move as fear he had never felt gripped his heart and made it feel as though it was being crushed in an iron grip. He watched in silence, his voice stolen by the same demonized fear, his throat clenched so tight it was painful. He watched as the man he once thought invincible, unbeatable, unbreakable…fell. He watched as the man's red coat splayed around him becoming splattered with his own blood that hemorrhaged from the fist sized hole that marred his once flawless chest. He watched as once blazing blue eyes became clouded and dim before the light disappeared completely leaving their owner staring in blank nothingness. He watched as twin pistols fell from limp hands to clatter into the muck and grime covering the ripped and torn ground. He watched as the red leather clad body fell onto the same ripped and torn ground stone dead, the muck and grime staining platinum hair a filthy rust color. He watched as the lone standing demon opened its disfigured maw into a sound that bordered on psychotic and sent shivers down his spine. He watched as it brought a still feebly beating heart up to eye level and letting loose another psychotic bought of laughter crushed it in his clawed hand like an over ripe tomato. Nero watched as his vision bleed red until nothing but the demon remained.

Nero screamed. He screamed in pure rage, his inner demon speeding him forward and making his eyes bleed the same red he saw. He screamed as he threw his devil bringer forward with all his demonic strength and grabbed the demon in its bone crushing grip. He screamed as he dragged the demon closer and staring into its soulless eyes brought his fist into its hideous face over and over again even after he felt his human hand break from the force. He screamed as tears of hate and rage fell freely from his glowing eyes, never once stopping his assault until there was nothing left of the demon's face or skull, its contents painting the floor around it a sick grey color. He screamed as he brought his broken and torn hand to his chest and felt his strength leave him as fast as it had come. He screamed until his voice became as broken as his hand and refused to allow anymore.

Nero cried. He cried as he finally forced himself to turn his eyes to the shadow of red lying motionless on the ground. He cried as he slowly crawled over to the shadow cradling his broken hand as he went. He cried as he roughly shoved his devil bringer under limp shoulders and brought the red clad shadow to his heaving chest. He cried until the shadow grew cold and stiff in his arm and his broken hand had mended. He cried until his eyes were raw and refused to give anymore to his crippling guilt and sorrow.

Nero watched as his numb arm loosened its grip and the red clad shadow fell back onto the filthy cold ground. He watched as his hands reached out and grabbing the twin pistols placed them quietly into his own coat pockets. He watched as his legs stood and began to carry him slowly away. He watched as they turned him and the dark began to disappear behind him. He watched as the outside light pierced his sore red eyes and mocked his pain and loss. He watched as he stared at the entrance to what he was now sure was Hell. He watched as his devil bringer flew out and grabbed at the rocks, pulling them down until the entire entrance was completely caved in. He watched as he turned and slowly staggered away. He watched as the world around him moved on oblivious that it's savior and protector was gone.

Nero sat. He sat in a worn out leather chair and picked at a small tear in the equally worn out red leather coat that had replaced his own months ago. He sat back in the leather chair and stared at the lazily turning ceiling fan that moved with unsettling wobble. He sat and turned his attention to the antique rotary phone on the corner of the beaten and scared oak desk as it began to ring. He sat and reached out his hand…

"Devil May Cry."

Author's End Note:

I know this is a little darker than what I have written before and I'm sorry for killing Dante. My thoughts were originally to make this much longer and more in depth, but once I started, this is what came out in the end. I had intended to tell how Dante had actually started to get old, and how Nero was just a little younger than Dante was in DMC 4. Like I said though this is what ended up coming out, I like how it turned out though.