A/N: OK - this was a really long WIP - I've been working on this story on and off for about 2 months now... and I think that its able to stand up and be read! and it will also make it easier to remember what chapters I've sent to her and what not!!!

This is the first time I've done any fan fiction so I hope that you like it.

This one is a little shorter than the last but hopefully it will still keep you engaged!

I've tried to keep it in line with DMC cannon - so this technically should fit in between DMC1 and 2.

Yeah DMC belongs to Capcom... lucky things!

--------------------------------------------------------------------

"Last stop, all change please." The train driver sounded bored. "Please remember to take all of your belongings with you. All change please".

Vergil stretched. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. Here already? He glanced out the window and the familiar sight of the grubby train station greeted him. Yes, he was back it seemed. Picking up his bag again he quickly glanced in the train window. Most of the cuts were healed, a couple on his cheek were a little tender, and they were weeping a little. Using a clean wet wipe he dabbed at his cheek and was shocked to find a lump in one of the cuts. Rather than investigate there he left it alone and disembarked from the train. He could look at it later when he had that bath he had been promising himself.

It was raining. Good old English weather. Thankfully it was only spitting and not too cold yet. Vergil walked over to the bus shelter and tried to get comfortable waiting again. Always waiting. He knew he shouldn't be impatient, after all, the teaching he had endured and taught him to be calm and collected. He had learnt to channel his darker side into the blade with such efficacy he hardly needed to draw the sword before he needed to strike. He was proud of the work he had done. The ache in his muscles reminding him that he had worked good and hard. He leaned against the bus stop hoping that it had been enough; he prayed it had been enough. He looked at his watch and glanced down the road. There were no cars in sight. It was a good couple of miles trek back home, he was contemplating walking it when the heavens opened with such a vengeance that the rain was bouncing up from the pavement and hitting him on the legs. More dirt on his already demony dirty jeans. Ok so maybe he would wait for the bus instead. He could wait; he had been doing much of that.

A news paper was on the other bench by the bus stop and he scooped it up. Let's see what has been going on in the world. So the war was still raging in Iraq, still a high rate of teen pregnancies, a new outbreak of bird flu, congestion charge has been put up, a huge meltdown at the local nuclear factory which had caused the lower town district to be abandoned and only a few people remained most of the people had died, there were train fares going up… Wait. Vergil turned back a few pages. Nuclear meltdown? In lower town? But, that's where home was. He started to worry, hopefully it was still there.

The screech of the bus breaks brought him out of his haze. He clambered aboard and showed his pass.

"Where to mate?" the bus driver sounded too cheery for Vergil's liking.

"Lower town" he whispered hoarsely.

"You sure mate? Most of it is just rubble"

"I have no where else to go"

"Fair enough, settle down"

Vergil gazed out of the rain soaked windows at the grey world. As they got closer to the district everything became more empty and desolate. Here and there a light was on showing some occupation but as he neared his destination they became very few and far between. Vergil wouldn't give up just yet. He had to see. He had to know.

"Last stop mate" The bus driver called to him

"Really?" He looked out the window, as far as he could remember the bus almost stopped outside his home. "Are you sure?"

"Have you been away for long?" the bus driver pointed at his bag

Vergil nodded and pulled the bag down. "How long ago did this happen?"

The bus driver sat back and scratched at his stubbly beard. "Say now, about 6 months or so?" He switched off the engine. "There are a few people still living here, but most of it is now a ghost town."

"Ghost town?" Vergil waited for the bus doors to open. When they didn't he turned back to the driver, he was impatient to be going, but he sensed the man had more to say.

"Yes, ghosts. They are all around, they come out mainly at night, and it's quite a scary place. The government won't believe it, they say it's just in the imagination of the folks that are living round here but you know what they say." He gave Vergil a knowing look as though he was meant to understand. Vergil nodded; he felt this was the correct response.

"I understand. Please open the doors, I have to go home." He walked down the steps and waited.

"Fair enough, mate" The driver opened the door, "but if you ask me what you're looking for ain't here no more!"

Vergil thanked the driver and pulled the collar up on his shirt. He wished that he could put his jacket on, but seeing as it was covered in blood he should really wait for the human to go away. He didn't want to become more gossip.

The bus eventually pulled away and Vergil retried his coat from the bag. It was ripped and crumpled. But it was still the same vibrant blue it had been when he had first got it. His mother had loved it on him, it emphasised the cool blue eyes that he had. It was a stark contrast to the other person in his life. He blinked back tears as he tried not to think about what might have happened. Donning his coat and steeling himself for what he may discover he walked into the gloom and fog.

Everywhere he looked was broken down houses, windows smashed and doors open to the elements. He kept catching movement in the corner of his eyes. Its just the rain he said, just the rain. He didn't have the energy to fight at the moment; he had a more urgent task at hand.

The tower you could still be seen in the distance, the top hidden by the low cloud cover. At the top of the tower he had betrayed the one he loved, he had tried to destroy him. If he was not careful the memories would try to destroy him as well. He would not dwell on it. He had to find out what had happened here. This district always had the highest number of demon encounters, even before the tower had been brought into this world by Vergil's own hand. It was his will that had caused this and he would continue to feel the guilt until his dying day.

The town square was just a mess of rubble. There were a few birds still on the market stalls. They flapped their wings when Vergil approached, but they did not take flight. Human forms were rare here; they knew they had nothing to fear from him. He walked up to a large crow like bird and held his hand out to it. It seemed to regard him with disgust as it flapped its wings and took off into the grey. Vergil knew he was now wasting time as his destination was just down the next side street. He was scared of what he would find.

The rain was coming down harder and he moved towards to alley way. The passage was dark and difficult to make out anything. Vergil was sure there were life forms down there that shouldn't be there. They seemed to be just out of his demon senses so it was hard to tell if they were spirits or actual demons. He took a long breath and started down the alley.