The world was in shambles. Everything around us was spinning into a vortex of hellfire and rage. So basically the world is catching up to where I've been my whole life. I miss everything about who I used to be. The little girl holding onto Max as she guided us around the world and back. I miss my brother. God I missed him. I even missed Fang.

I just miss.

But I still had Ari, goddammit. I never thought, ever that Id end up with the contortionist king and is ever brutal ability to change into a mutated lapdog. And as much as it pains me to say this, he's become a lifeline. He's the only thing I can recognize anymore. Of course I'd never admit it out loud, but I'm sure he knows it.

Even know, as I take my walk to work. I know he's watching me. I know for a fact he does this everyday. Just to make sure I'm safe. He doesn't know I know. He'd never admit that out loud.

Walking down the street, I feel like a glass doll. I was so easily broken. I could feel the tears threatening to fall, but I blinked them away. People barely shifted out of my way. I should be thankful for the invisibility, yet I only seemed to get angrier with each passing step. I could see the bar up ahead and I let myself shift into Alexia mode. I didn't give out my real name, and the manager didn't seem to really care. Pulling my hair into a long ponytail I walked into the dark tavern. The place seemed like a ghost story compared to the hustle and bustle of the outside life.

Maybe that's why I feel so at home here.

A couple of the day staff nodded a couple of 'hellos' and I swung myself over the bar, only to be greeted by the mess of the last guy's shift. I shoved a couple quarters into the old music machine and selected a rather haunting round of songs. I was not in the mood for smiles and butterflies at the moment.

"You look like you could use a drink." A rather gruff male voice sounded from the other end of the bar. I shot him a glance and quickly relaxed when I saw the old, silver haired man.

"How are you today Miguel?" I asked, shooting him a small smile.

"I'm fine, but that's not what I want to know." He shifted in his seat, placing his elbows on the creasing wood bar. "I want to know why you look like hell just happened." He stated. With Maguel, there was no room for questions. He made statements at you. Ones you answered.

I sighed and offered him another beer. He gladly reached out and took the cold bottle from me.

"It's just another round of bad news." I said lamely. I tried to shove my emotions into the back of my mind while I was pretending to be someone else.

"Life's like that." He grumbled while taking another sip of beer.

'I wonder how many he's actually had today...' I think to myself before shooting him another questionable glance. He only smiled and turned to the old TV we had placed on the other side of the room.

Life was...lifelike here. I guess when you've been on the run for so long, normal is a myth. But here, it's eerily quiet. Not something I was used to. At all.

I smiled at the calmness of the room and slinked into the back. The room was small but it had windows. They still gave me a sense of security. If I ever needed to escape at the drop of a hat.

"Alexia, someone's here for you." My boss, who is most likely drunk off his ass, slurred at me through the curtain.

I made my way back into the large, dim room. There was someone new at the bar. The man to who sat there took me off guard. His figure was frail. His hair was dim and lifeless. His skin was worn and gasping for a life that it had long lost forgotten. But he sat there, staring at me. Enough to make my skin crawl. I swallowed the need to shutter and walked straight for him, plastering the fake, bubbly smile on my face. Being able to conjure this kind of smile required me selling a tiny bit of my soul every time.

"What can I do for you?" I asked, perking my voice up.

'God Angel, any higher and the dogs are going to say too high'.

"You...your the girl from the shadows..." He grunted. His voice was raspy and barely audible. But I heard him. Oh I heard him. It took all my will power, maybe even a little of Ari's to hold me down in that spot and not run. I wanted to run. Every part of my being was screaming it.

"I'm sorry sir, you must have the wrong girl." I smiled at him. Again. 'Darn it, I liked that part of my soul.'

"Angel...they're coming for you" That's when I noticed his eyes were blood shot. That's when I noticed the stench of formaldehyde on his clothing. That's when I gave into my instincts. That's when I ran. The man reached for me, grabbed my pocket and yanking my lanky body closer to him. I snarled at him, baring my teeth to the un-welcomed touch. He immediately snatched his hand away. And I was gone.

I ran faster then my legs could carry me. I was past the point of no return. We needed to run. We.

We.

'Ari.'

"ARI!" I let the scream tear from my lips. I couldn't hold it back. He was my rock. He was my baggage. If that man had found me, at my work non the less. Then Ari wasn't safe. I couldn't lose him, I wouldn't lose him. Not again. Never again.

Terror was controlling my every move. I whipped by people at light breaking speeds. The world around me was complete and total blur. And I didn't care. All I cared about was getting to that weird ass mutt. He was my destination. I pushed past the gates of a flurry of movements. Not staying on one step enough to stumble. I reached the top of the church and froze. I was starving after that run. My pulse was drumming thunderbolts in my ears. Sweat was dripping from my forehead.

I would be lost without him. And I think I'd be willing to admit that out loud now.