This story takes place after 'Family.' Tiana is a few months pregnant(W/ twins) and everyone knows. Tiana knows that Facilier knows. Do you know what the Title is referencing? Read the AU at the bottom to see a little contest. I'll have I own nothing. Review's make me write.
Tiana was walking through the bayou late one night. Most people would have thought it dangerous to be in such a place alone, and pregnant, no less, but Tiana wasn't most people. Her ability to communicate with animals gave her a sort of confidence not found in most people. And, besides, the swamp had a calming effect on her. It gave her a chance to think. She was walking alone when she saw a figure out of the corner of her eye. She turned quickly to see who it was. Shadowman. Tiana tensed; he was the one thing she didn't want to meet in the swamp. He circled around her, a grin on his face. Finally he stopped circling and walked towards her; his shadow following loyally.
"Good evening, Tiana," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. "What a pleasent suprise seeing you here." He released her hand and frowned for a moment. "Y'all shouldn't be out here," he said. "Not in your current," he paused, "condition." There was a certain smoothness in which he said this. Tiana shook her head and was about to tell him that it wasn't any of his business what she did while pregnant when a blood-chilling screech filled the air. Tiana spun around to locate the source of the noise while Facilier simply paled. He knew that sound well and didn't look forward to meeting its maker alone in the swamp. His shadow seemed just as frightened as he was. He looked up nervously then walked over to Tiana and grabbed her arm, pulling her in the direction in which Mama Odie lived.
"Hey!" Tiana protested. "Let go of me!" Facilier shook his head.
"Sorry, darling," he said. Tiana could have sworn she heard fear in his voice. "We need to go. I know what makes that noise," he nodded towards Shadow, "and I don't want to be here when they show up." Tiana looked at him for a moment, not sure if she could trust him. In the end it was his desperation that convinced her to trust him.
"Alright," she said."What's your plan?" There was another screech as a shadow slashed by them. Every muscle in Facilier's body tensed.
"Run!" He said before turning to flee. Tiana followed after him, though didn't run quite as fast as the witch doctor did. She ran until she was exhausted, then looked around for Facilier but couldn't see him.
"Fuck!" She yelled out, walking around looking for him. "That bastard, I'll skin him!" As she walked by a hollowed out tree two arms reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into the cave-like structure. She struggled and tried to yell when a hand clasped itself over her mouth.
"Hush!" She heard Facilier hiss into her ear. "Do y'all want them to find us?" She relaxed and he removed his hand from her mouth, wrapping his arms around her. There wasn't much room in the tree so she was forced to rest her head on the voodoo man's scrawny chest as she tried to calm herself down. Strange thing was, even after she had calmed down, her heart was still pounding in her ear. It was a few seconds before she realized it wasn't her own heart she was hearing. It was the Shadowman's. He was holding her aganst him, his whole body trembling, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps. She stared up at him, stunned.
"You're scared," she said, her suprise slipping into her voice. He looked at her and shook his head.
"I'm terrified," he confessed. Tiana wrapped her arms around his waist in an attempt to comfort him. There was a series of screeches directly outside of the tree and Facilier began to shake harder. "They're here." Tiana held him closer and began to shake in turn, from her own fear or from how tightly he was holding on to her she wasn't sure.
"Can they come in?" Tiana asked, dreading his answer. To her relief he shook his head.
"I put a spell on this tree while I was waiting for y'all to catch up," he explained. "It'll keep out anyone who intends to do us harm," he paused and swallowed nervously. "It won't hold for long though?" Tiana looked at him.
"Why not?" She asked, her fear making her grow angry.
"Because, chere," he said, "as long as the shield is up it drains my energy. If they attack the shield it weakens it, and I need to repaire it, which drains my energy more. If I get too weak, I pass out and the spell fails. Magic ain't easy, darling, I only make it look that way."
"So do you have a plan?" She asked, annoyed. Facilier shook his head.
"I'm thinking!" he said. He ran the options over in his head. He could throw Tiana to them and run. That wouldn't work, the shadows would be more interested him him as prey that some waitress. And there was to many to fight. He could send Shadow to get help, but he didn't want to risk his friend like that. A horrible realization began to set in.
I'm not making it out of here alive! He thought with grim horror. I don't have a shot. No matter what I do I can't escape. I can't outrun them, I can't fight them, I can't even distract them. He looked down at Tiana. Maybe he didn't have a chance but she did. He could lure them away and she could run to Odie's. After all, there wasn't any point in both of them dying. He swallowed, his already racing heart quickening its beat. Tiana looked at him.
"What's wrong?" She asked, fear slipping into her voice. He didn't answer and her heart sank. "You don't have a plan, do you?"
"No," he said. "I do. And that's exactly what the problem is. I can't get out. There's no way. I can get you to safety but no matter what I do I'll..." he stopped talking, his voice begining to crack. He rested his head on hers and started to cry quietly. Tiana looked up at him.
"What?" She asked, trying to be as kind as possible. She was shocked by just how frightened he was of the shadows. He calmed down and answered her question.
"I'm going to die," he said, his voice still weak. "There's no chance of me escaping. I can get you and Shadow out of this but I ain't got a shot. They'll kill me."
I'm not leaving you! Shadow told his master angrily. Facilier shook his head.
"Don't be stupid!" He said. "I need you to get Tiana to Odie's."
"So what's your plan?" Tiana asked. Facilier sighed.
"First I blast the shadows that are closest to us to thin the ranks. Then I leave the shield and run for it." Tiana was about to protest but Facilier already knew what she was worried about. "Relax, chere, the shield will stay up until me, and the shadows, are a hundred feet away. by then you won't need it. I'll lead them in the opposite direction from Odie's boat so that you can get there safely. And then I'll die in the middle of a swamp." He added a nervous laugh. Tiana looked at him, unconvinced.
"Are you sure they'll follow you?" She asked. He nodded.
"I'm the one they're really after," he said. "And Shadow will be able to fight of the two or three stragglers that stay behind. Just do me a favor, when the morning comes, find my body and bury it." Tiana shook her head.
"You're so sure they'll catch you," she said. "Maybe they won't." Facilier shook his head.
"It's a long way till morning darling," he said. "I can't run all night. I tired already. The shield's taking alot out of me." Tiana looked at him and thought she saw something off about his eyes. They seemed different, lighter, but she just equated that to lighting. He let go of her and walked towards the opening. She watched him as he prepared to go to what he assumed was his death.
"Are you ready?" She asked him. He got her joke and laughed nervously.
"No," he said. "I'm not ready at all." Tiana frowned.
"You don't have to do this," she told him. "There must be another way." He shook his head and gave another nervous chuckle.
"Now, don't tell me that, chere," he said. "I'm hesitant enough as it is." He took a deep breath and prepared to leave the safety of the tree.
"Wait!" Tiana said. Facilier turned around to face her. She wrapped her arms around his thin waist and hugged him. "Be careful, Facilier," she said. "I may not like you but, please, be careful." Facilier looked at her and gave a small smile.
"You said my name?" He said, then hugged her back. "Thanks darling," he said. "I'll try." He pulled out of her grasp and stepped outside of the tree.
He realised a blast of fire into the center of the swarm, destroying some of the shadows and scattering the others. He was about to start running when he saw a shape forming which made him freeze. It was a large draconic shadow, with a long muzzle and a short neck. Two long sharp horns curled back from its head, while two smaller horns curled down from its cheeks. Its tail was tipped with a axe blade and a cruel smile formed on its jaws when it saw the frightened voodoo man. Facilier recognized the shadow at once, it was one ot the lieutenants. For a split second Facilier was to frightened to run, he merely stood there watching the shade watch him. Finally, he regained his senses and fled. Just as he had hoped, the shadows gave chase, leaving the tree and Tiana behind. He ran until he was exhausted. He stopped running and put his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath and not pass out. He could hear the shadows closing in. He closed his eyes and prepared to start running again when the lieutenant appeared before him. He started to back up, but his retreat was cut of by the other shadows.
Foolish move, Facilier, the draconic shadow hissed at him. Facilier stood up straight, too weak to even attempt a fight.
"It served its purpose," he said. "Tiana, y'all know, that pretty little waitress that broke your talisman, got away." The head shadow screeched in outrage.
You weren't trying to escape, he said grimly. No matter! He snarled. Escape or not, you'll still perish. With a snarl the shadow engulfed the witch doctor in a cloud of darkness and lifted Facilier up into himself.
Facilier struggled to breath as the cold darkness surrounded him. He choked, realizing that this was the end. He looked around but could see nothing but darkness. His vision began to blur as his life slipped away. He coughed, and saw a strand of purple light being drawn from him mouth into the darkness. He knew what it was at once, he'd collected enough of the for the 'friends' before; it was his life force and his soul would soon follow. He shuddered as cold began to penetrate him, although whether it was the cold from the shadow or from death he wasn't sure. He coughed again as the the creature prepared to draw out his soul. Before the lieutentant had the chance to, a light decended from the sky and vaporized the lieutenant and surrounding shadows. Facilier dropped to the ground and lost conciousness immediately.
"Is he alright?" Facilier heard a young woman voice ask.
"He'll be fine, child," an older woman answered. "Let him rest." Facilier opened his eyes.
"Tiana?" He asked. "Odie?" He tried to sit up when a hand pushed him back down.
"Rest child," Mama Odie told him. Facilier shook his head and sat up anyway.
"I'm fine," he said. "My magic's recovered, I'm just a little shaken." He looked over at Tiana and his shadow, both of whom were eyeing him nervously. "Glad to see y'all got here safely." Tiana nodded.
"Yeah," she said, "Thanks to you." She looked outside. "The moment the sun comes up I'm heading back, so you probably should get some sleep." Facilier shook his head again.
"I think I'll stay up, chere," he said. "It's not that long till morning."
Time for the contest. The title of this story is a reference to something, and I will dedicate one of my upcoming stories to the first five people who can guess correctly what that something is. Bonus points to those who can guess what Tiana noticed about Facilier's eyes and the importance of what that was. And to who can guess what that light was. It wasn't Odie.
This stroy marks the first time Tiana calls Facilier by name.
The Lieutenant was acting rather Dementory, wasn't he? I realized that as I was writing that part. And, no, Facilier didn't just have his soul eaten. It goes lifeforce first then soul. The shadows were all destroyed before his soul was eaten. The Lieutenant is gone but don't worry, he's not the only one. And, no, he's not the same Shadow Dragon from 'Escape.'