The Trick is to Keep Breathing
By Dani Fleming
Author's Note: This is my first CA fic. I've got a plot bunny that has decided to take me hostage at the moment, and she won't let me write anything else until I get this one out of my system. Any reviews/suggestions will of course be appreciated; do be kind.
Disclaimer:The Angels, Charlie, and all others are the sole possession of the good people at Columbia Studios. The song snippet used is by Garbage, and I don't own them either (unfortunately), ect, ect.....(in other words, I've nary a cent to my name, don't sue!)
Dylan stepped out of the shower, skin still warm from the steam. She pulled on her robe and wrapped a towel around her brilliant auburn tresses. Wiping the bathroom mirror of steam and fog, she appraised herself- normally lively green eyes now muted in sadness, her face a constant display of melancholy. It was pretty much the only expression she wore while alone.
If the other angels ever saw her that way, they'd surely have her on suicide watch, for Dylan's sadness was deep and unabiding.
In the months since That Night, she had become quite adept at hiding her true feelings behind a mask of upbeat optimism. When she was around her friends on a mission, she made sure to wear a brave face and keep her mind completely on the job. She thought she was doing a pretty good job at it.
Wiping a tear from her face, she moved toward the living room, grabbing a cold beer from the fridge on the way. Sitting down on the sofa, she opened the alcoholic beverage and took a long gulp. It wasn't much, but it would serve to dull her senses for a while.
She's not the kind of girl
Who likes to tell the world
About the way she feels about herself
She takes a little time
In making up her mind
She doesn't like to fight against the tide
Charlie put the girls on a month long vacation, since they had been working nonstop for almost a year. She made sure to hang out with Nat and Alex at least once a week so they wouldn't get suspicious (although with Pete and Jason now involved, her friends were very occupied). Now that she wasn't obligated to put on false emotion 24/7, that left her with plenty of time for introspection.
Introspection on that night, the premiere of ME2. Being on the roof, fighting side by side as a unit with her friends. Then, splintering off to battle individual enemies; Nat against Madison, Alex against Shamus' men, and she toe to toe with Shamus himself. The intense fear as her ex held her over the side of the roof, intending to seal her fate with one toss.
The sudden shock as he was pulled off of her and disbelief upon realizing who her rescuer was. The way he pulled her back to safety (or did he intend to kill her himself?), the ferocity of his stare as he pulled her even closer to him, teeth bared in a feral expression. As scared as she had been, even at that moment she could not help but note how unusual his eyes were, and on closer inspection, rather beautiful. 'No Dylan!', the rational part of herself reminded. 'He tried to kill you and your friends two years ago, who's to say he's not trying to finish the job?' But the other part of her, the lover of bad boys, had no choice but to relax, lost in the milk blue pool of his eyes. He notices the look that comes over her, the way she stares at him, as if hypnotized. Her lips part, and he feels the uncontrollable urge to lower his lips to hers.
Her beautiful titan hair cascades down her back as he holds her, expression softening as he takes in the loveliness of her. The Thin Man wraps a strong arm around her waist, holding her tightly. Bringing his hand to her face in a soft caress, he kisses her so tenderly she never wouldv'e suspected he possessed such gentleness.
The slight tingling at the nape of her neck as he roughly pulls out some of her golden tresses, a souvenir of their moment, along with the loud, almost orgasmic yell unleashed after. The sudden look of surprise as she reveals the soft midnight strands of his hair, bringing them up to her face to inhale, to see if in some way she can feel some of what he does. She rubs the silky locks across her cheek and by seeing herself reflected in his eyes, she finally gets it. She grasps an understanding of his attraction to her by way of her hair, all of it coming full circle in her attraction to him. She smiles as he looks at once shocked by her actions and relieved by her acceptance of him. He comes closer, holding his hand out to her, a slight, breathy whisper as he tries to say......Something.
'Say anything', she thinks. 'What are you trying to tell me?' She leans forward trying to coax the Creepy (perhaps, but one hell of a kisser) Thin Man to speak.
"Wh...wh.." The sharp intake of breath as the sword, his own sword pierces his heart, the momentum causing him to fall over the side of the roof onto the cold and dark ally below. Dylan stares in disbelief, screaming 'No' over and over again. How can this be happening? The cruel face of her ex appears, and in spite of her history with him, in spite of her fear, she has made up her mind: Shamus O' Grady will not live to see morning, even if it kills her........
The third beer finished, Dylan breaks from her memories and tries to get up to head toward her room. The room starts to spin and she sinks back down on the sofa. She can't believe that only 3 months have passed; it seems like an eternity. Sighing, she lays down and cries herself into a dreamless sleep.
Maybe she's not the only one
She thinks 'Never trust anyone'
Always someone who has to let her down
Maybe she'll get what she wants next time around
The trick is to keep breathing............................
The ringing of the phone woke her in the morning. "Hello?"
"Hey, Dyl! It's Nat. I tried to call last night, but the phone just rang and rang. I thought you were sick. I thought it would be fun if we had a girl's day out, you know, shopping lunch and more shopping."
"Um...well, I was......"
"Great! I'll pick you up in 30 minutes. We'll have a blast!" Dylan groaned. No-one should be that perky that early in the morning.
Later at the restaurant, Dylan had the sneaky suspicion that she was being watched. Looking up, she flashed a nervous smile and shoved another french fry in her mouth. Nat continued to stare. "All right, I give! What is it, Natalie?" She tried not to sound so pissed off, but she was already peeved at having to spend the day out, when all she wanted to do was mope.
"How long have you been pinning for him?"
"Pinning? For who?"
"Oh Dyl, for HIM, you know, Cree- um, Anthony. You may not think I noticed, but I did. And so has Alex. You haven't been the same since that night. At first Alex and I thought you were upset about Shamus. I mean, even though he was cruel, and a total ass. But sometimes you can't control what your heart feels. But when I saw you wearing" she pointed at the medallion that hadn't left Dylan's chest since the day after the premiere. "I knew who it really was. Gosh Dylan, why didn't you say something?"
Dylan knew by the look of concern on her friend's face that she was almost scared for her. It touched her, but at the same time she couldn't help but feel incredibly angry.
"What was I going to say? Hey guys, I've lost what may possibly have been the love of my life, who just happens to be a homicidal psychopath and by the way tried to kill us all last year- but I think I could've changed him?!"
"Dyl, I know you're hurting. I hate seeing you this way....we just want to help." Nat looked like she was about to cry.
"Look, I know you love me and you're only trying to help, but you're making me feel like I'm a lab specimen. I don't need kid gloves. I just need to be alone."
Neither said a word as they headed back home. Natalie was worried about her friend, but couldn't figure out how to get through to her. Dylan was just pissed off.
Nat pulled into the driveway. "Dyl, if you need anything, please call me, ok?"
The upset angel got out of the car without a word.
That night, Dylan e-mailed her two best friends.
Dear Alex and Natalie,
I'm so sorry for the way I acted today. I know you are just trying to help me through this, and I love both of you for that. You two are the sisters I was never lucky enough to have. But I realize that in order to get over my feelings, I need some space. I don't want either of you to feel like I don't appreciate all you do, but this is something I have to work through on my own. I'm going away for a while. I'm not sure where it will be or when I'll be back, but I know if I don't try to take control of this now, I might not make it. I'll keep in touch.
Love your sister,
Dylan.
She sent off the mail and started packing. She was determined not to think of anything, especially Him, while she did it. She took a quick shower and put on some clean clothes. The medallion got caught in her turtleneck; she decided to remove and store it, for now. She needed to distance herself from it all The thought of getting away was making her feel better already. She made sure all the lights were turned off and doors locked. Dylan climbed into her car and took one last look at her apartment. She had no clue where she was going, but decided to head for the coast. She pulled away, never noticing the lone figure watching. Waiting.
He waited until she was merely a pinprick of light on the road ahead. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the lock of red hair he treasured. He brought it up to his face, rubbing gently against his check. A soft purr escaped his lips. He caught himself and breaking from his reverie, mounted his bike.
He sped through the night, his thoughts returning to that night 3 months ago. He glanced in the side mirror and allowed a slight grin. For the injuries he'd sustained, he still looked pretty good. His dark hair having now grown out of the mohawk, it was tied into a short ponytail 'I wonder if she'll recognize me still', he mused.
"Ah, no matter. I noe where ya goin, and soon we'll be together again, whether ya want it or not. Aye, I'll have ya yet Helen."
By Dani Fleming
Author's Note: This is my first CA fic. I've got a plot bunny that has decided to take me hostage at the moment, and she won't let me write anything else until I get this one out of my system. Any reviews/suggestions will of course be appreciated; do be kind.
Disclaimer:The Angels, Charlie, and all others are the sole possession of the good people at Columbia Studios. The song snippet used is by Garbage, and I don't own them either (unfortunately), ect, ect.....(in other words, I've nary a cent to my name, don't sue!)
Dylan stepped out of the shower, skin still warm from the steam. She pulled on her robe and wrapped a towel around her brilliant auburn tresses. Wiping the bathroom mirror of steam and fog, she appraised herself- normally lively green eyes now muted in sadness, her face a constant display of melancholy. It was pretty much the only expression she wore while alone.
If the other angels ever saw her that way, they'd surely have her on suicide watch, for Dylan's sadness was deep and unabiding.
In the months since That Night, she had become quite adept at hiding her true feelings behind a mask of upbeat optimism. When she was around her friends on a mission, she made sure to wear a brave face and keep her mind completely on the job. She thought she was doing a pretty good job at it.
Wiping a tear from her face, she moved toward the living room, grabbing a cold beer from the fridge on the way. Sitting down on the sofa, she opened the alcoholic beverage and took a long gulp. It wasn't much, but it would serve to dull her senses for a while.
She's not the kind of girl
Who likes to tell the world
About the way she feels about herself
She takes a little time
In making up her mind
She doesn't like to fight against the tide
Charlie put the girls on a month long vacation, since they had been working nonstop for almost a year. She made sure to hang out with Nat and Alex at least once a week so they wouldn't get suspicious (although with Pete and Jason now involved, her friends were very occupied). Now that she wasn't obligated to put on false emotion 24/7, that left her with plenty of time for introspection.
Introspection on that night, the premiere of ME2. Being on the roof, fighting side by side as a unit with her friends. Then, splintering off to battle individual enemies; Nat against Madison, Alex against Shamus' men, and she toe to toe with Shamus himself. The intense fear as her ex held her over the side of the roof, intending to seal her fate with one toss.
The sudden shock as he was pulled off of her and disbelief upon realizing who her rescuer was. The way he pulled her back to safety (or did he intend to kill her himself?), the ferocity of his stare as he pulled her even closer to him, teeth bared in a feral expression. As scared as she had been, even at that moment she could not help but note how unusual his eyes were, and on closer inspection, rather beautiful. 'No Dylan!', the rational part of herself reminded. 'He tried to kill you and your friends two years ago, who's to say he's not trying to finish the job?' But the other part of her, the lover of bad boys, had no choice but to relax, lost in the milk blue pool of his eyes. He notices the look that comes over her, the way she stares at him, as if hypnotized. Her lips part, and he feels the uncontrollable urge to lower his lips to hers.
Her beautiful titan hair cascades down her back as he holds her, expression softening as he takes in the loveliness of her. The Thin Man wraps a strong arm around her waist, holding her tightly. Bringing his hand to her face in a soft caress, he kisses her so tenderly she never wouldv'e suspected he possessed such gentleness.
The slight tingling at the nape of her neck as he roughly pulls out some of her golden tresses, a souvenir of their moment, along with the loud, almost orgasmic yell unleashed after. The sudden look of surprise as she reveals the soft midnight strands of his hair, bringing them up to her face to inhale, to see if in some way she can feel some of what he does. She rubs the silky locks across her cheek and by seeing herself reflected in his eyes, she finally gets it. She grasps an understanding of his attraction to her by way of her hair, all of it coming full circle in her attraction to him. She smiles as he looks at once shocked by her actions and relieved by her acceptance of him. He comes closer, holding his hand out to her, a slight, breathy whisper as he tries to say......Something.
'Say anything', she thinks. 'What are you trying to tell me?' She leans forward trying to coax the Creepy (perhaps, but one hell of a kisser) Thin Man to speak.
"Wh...wh.." The sharp intake of breath as the sword, his own sword pierces his heart, the momentum causing him to fall over the side of the roof onto the cold and dark ally below. Dylan stares in disbelief, screaming 'No' over and over again. How can this be happening? The cruel face of her ex appears, and in spite of her history with him, in spite of her fear, she has made up her mind: Shamus O' Grady will not live to see morning, even if it kills her........
The third beer finished, Dylan breaks from her memories and tries to get up to head toward her room. The room starts to spin and she sinks back down on the sofa. She can't believe that only 3 months have passed; it seems like an eternity. Sighing, she lays down and cries herself into a dreamless sleep.
Maybe she's not the only one
She thinks 'Never trust anyone'
Always someone who has to let her down
Maybe she'll get what she wants next time around
The trick is to keep breathing............................
The ringing of the phone woke her in the morning. "Hello?"
"Hey, Dyl! It's Nat. I tried to call last night, but the phone just rang and rang. I thought you were sick. I thought it would be fun if we had a girl's day out, you know, shopping lunch and more shopping."
"Um...well, I was......"
"Great! I'll pick you up in 30 minutes. We'll have a blast!" Dylan groaned. No-one should be that perky that early in the morning.
Later at the restaurant, Dylan had the sneaky suspicion that she was being watched. Looking up, she flashed a nervous smile and shoved another french fry in her mouth. Nat continued to stare. "All right, I give! What is it, Natalie?" She tried not to sound so pissed off, but she was already peeved at having to spend the day out, when all she wanted to do was mope.
"How long have you been pinning for him?"
"Pinning? For who?"
"Oh Dyl, for HIM, you know, Cree- um, Anthony. You may not think I noticed, but I did. And so has Alex. You haven't been the same since that night. At first Alex and I thought you were upset about Shamus. I mean, even though he was cruel, and a total ass. But sometimes you can't control what your heart feels. But when I saw you wearing" she pointed at the medallion that hadn't left Dylan's chest since the day after the premiere. "I knew who it really was. Gosh Dylan, why didn't you say something?"
Dylan knew by the look of concern on her friend's face that she was almost scared for her. It touched her, but at the same time she couldn't help but feel incredibly angry.
"What was I going to say? Hey guys, I've lost what may possibly have been the love of my life, who just happens to be a homicidal psychopath and by the way tried to kill us all last year- but I think I could've changed him?!"
"Dyl, I know you're hurting. I hate seeing you this way....we just want to help." Nat looked like she was about to cry.
"Look, I know you love me and you're only trying to help, but you're making me feel like I'm a lab specimen. I don't need kid gloves. I just need to be alone."
Neither said a word as they headed back home. Natalie was worried about her friend, but couldn't figure out how to get through to her. Dylan was just pissed off.
Nat pulled into the driveway. "Dyl, if you need anything, please call me, ok?"
The upset angel got out of the car without a word.
That night, Dylan e-mailed her two best friends.
Dear Alex and Natalie,
I'm so sorry for the way I acted today. I know you are just trying to help me through this, and I love both of you for that. You two are the sisters I was never lucky enough to have. But I realize that in order to get over my feelings, I need some space. I don't want either of you to feel like I don't appreciate all you do, but this is something I have to work through on my own. I'm going away for a while. I'm not sure where it will be or when I'll be back, but I know if I don't try to take control of this now, I might not make it. I'll keep in touch.
Love your sister,
Dylan.
She sent off the mail and started packing. She was determined not to think of anything, especially Him, while she did it. She took a quick shower and put on some clean clothes. The medallion got caught in her turtleneck; she decided to remove and store it, for now. She needed to distance herself from it all The thought of getting away was making her feel better already. She made sure all the lights were turned off and doors locked. Dylan climbed into her car and took one last look at her apartment. She had no clue where she was going, but decided to head for the coast. She pulled away, never noticing the lone figure watching. Waiting.
He waited until she was merely a pinprick of light on the road ahead. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the lock of red hair he treasured. He brought it up to his face, rubbing gently against his check. A soft purr escaped his lips. He caught himself and breaking from his reverie, mounted his bike.
He sped through the night, his thoughts returning to that night 3 months ago. He glanced in the side mirror and allowed a slight grin. For the injuries he'd sustained, he still looked pretty good. His dark hair having now grown out of the mohawk, it was tied into a short ponytail 'I wonder if she'll recognize me still', he mused.
"Ah, no matter. I noe where ya goin, and soon we'll be together again, whether ya want it or not. Aye, I'll have ya yet Helen."