The ride to wherever Dante was taking me probably took close to half an hour. Whenever we stopped, for whatever reason, he would turn around and ask me how I was doing. I couldn't see his face, since I was practically glued to his back trying not to fall off, and could never tell if he was being cheeky or concerned. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, we pulled over and Dante made sure the bike was secure. My legs felt like jelly when he helped me off the bike and he kept a hold on my upper arm to prevent me from falling. I pried the helmet off my head and pushed my hair back behind my ears, trying to ignore the pieces that had stuck to my forehead.

"This it?" I said, despite the obvious intention that it was. Dante simply nodded and motioned for me to follow. When we got to the door, he simply opened it and walked in. I went in after him, stopping when I realized he had.

"Remember to stay to me as close as you can?" He reminded me and I nodded before the door was closed. For a few moments, we were enveloped in darkness and then a voice, very low and menacing sounding, hissed.

"Dante, looking for Maria?" It sounded as if it came from everywhere at once and I couldn't help but to glance over my shoulder. I felt Dante lay a hand on the one I was looking over.

"Turn on the lights."

"You think she wants to see you?" The voice sounded less like it wanted to kill us the second time, but still had that edge that reminded me of those two things surrounding Brendan. The lights started to become brighter and I looked over to see a woman dressed in a dark purple bubble dress with her hand on a dimmer switch. It clicked on to full and she sauntered over, her silver heels clicking as she did so.

"Hello." I was surprised to hear the feminine voice that came from her lips, but immediately shook my head. This must be a different person than the one who was speaking before. "I know why you're here."

"Of course." Dante said, "I would have expected nothing less." He seemed very tense and formal and I glanced up at him curiously. The woman finally noticed me and her lips curled into a smirk.

"I thought you said you wouldn't." I stood tall despite the look she gave me and Dante's hand on my shoulder gave a tight squeeze.

"I'm not. She has questions as well." Dante said. "But we need to conclude ours first."

"Yes, we do." The woman responded, "Is she coming?"

"No, she'll stay here." Dante's eyes flashed as the woman's lips twisted into a smirk. "Without harm."

"Of course." The woman sounded disappointed and I shivered at the thought of being left alone in this room.

"Remember not to move." Dante muttered and I nodded slowly as he walked away from me. Their footfalls soon disappeared, leaving me in the silence. I don't know what this woman could offer Dante about Brendan's condition, she looked like she would rather watch me be torn apart anyway. I couldn't help but wonder why.

"You are here because of your heartache?" I froze and glanced around the room nervously, unable to pinpoint where the voice had come from. The voice sounded normal, not threatening in any way. "Well?"

"Yes." My voice sounded odd.

"And you've come here to find more of what is wrong?"

"Yes, I just ne-"

"You think she can help you?"

"I don't know."

"You think she can help you?" I frowned, glancing around the room, trying to pinpoint the voice again. It couldn't be deaf, it had heard my answers before. I stayed quiet after that, and this voice stopped asking questions. It was eerie to wait for Dante in that room, the lights dim and haunting. I forced myself to watch the spot he'd gone and ignored the voice that started up again. It kept repeating it's question when I wouldn't answer. Finally, with much relief, Dante stepped back into the room. The woman was behind him and he stood right in front of me once he came closer.

"Ready to go?" He asked and I could only nod as he took my arm and lead me outside. I looked back to see the woman smirking, raising a hand to wave at me, her eyes locked with mine. I turned back just as Dante adjusted the helmet on my head again. He wasn't speaking even as he turned around and hopped on the bike.

"Aren't we asking about Brendan?" I protested and Dante's eyes glanced at me quickly.

"Get on." I threw my leg over and clenched my arms around his waist. His tone was absolute and I didn't want to argue and potentially have him leave me there in front of this strange woman's house. I glanced up at the doorway one more time before Dante sped off. The ride was much more tense as we went back and I didn't dare to try and get his attention. It almost seemed to take longer to get back to Dante's house then it was leaving. I jumped off the bike and started to take off the helmet, running my fingers through my hair as I did so. I turned to Dante, poised to ask my question again, when I noticed the bright sign hanging above the door.

'Devil May Cry.' I fell silent at the name, wondering what business he was running with a name like that. He wasn't looking at me, just stood there with his hands in his pocket.

"I asked her about Brendan." Dante finally said. I tore my eyes away from the building and turned to him.

"What did she say?"

"She said it couldn't be reversed, " I could feel my blood run thin. I wrapped my arms around myself and held tightly. "after the transformation is complete." I stared at him, hope flaring up in my heart.

"How long does that take?"

"Around two months for him." Dante said. His shoulders were tense and he was staring ahead of himself, not daring to take any sidelong glances at me.

"So, I can still get to him?"

"Depends on how long ago the rash appeared."

"Only three days before you found me I think." I said, counting backwards in my head as I ran through the jumbled mess.

"Then, yes, its possible to bring him back." Dante was speaking slowly, coolly. Every other time he talked to me, there was emotion in his voice, some sort of underlying tone that made everything seem like an inside joke between you and him; even if you weren't in on it yourself.

"Thank you." I finally said, debating on if it was appropriate to say. Dante simply nodded and we stood in tense silence again. I was starting to wonder if I should make my departure from this house sooner than I'd planned.

"What does that woman do?" I asked, clearing my throat as I talked. "How does she know all this stuff?"

"She's a demon." Dante said, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes, "She can see the future."

"Oh?" I didn't know what else to say. With Dante's behaviour, I couldn't help but wonder if she had said something to him that he didn't want coming true.

"It's unique, because she can see two angles of what's going to happen." He continued. "For example: your Brendan. If you get to him in time, and if you don't. She knows about the rash because she's seen it before."

"How did she know it was him she was looking at?" I asked, thinking quickly to keep Dante talking.

"Did you hear that other voice?"

"I'd be deaf to have missed it."

"That's how. It can see images in people's heads, and can project them back."

"So, it's just a voice?" Dante was silent.

"I don't know. I've only ever heard it." I took that as best I could. There had to be a person behind the voice, they just can't come out of nowhere. We stood there for a few more moments. There was no breeze to rustle the garbage on the sidewalks, no restaurants nearby to fill the air with chatter; it was a deserted place.

"I'm gonna go lie down." I said.

"I'll talk to you later." Dante said, walking in the opposite direction of his home, walking away briskly. I watched him for a few moments before heading inside myself. Lady sat on the desk, rifling through some papers.

"Where's Dante?"

"He walked off somewhere." Her eyes widened slightly and she went to the wall, swinging a large metal contraption onto her back. I watched her without moving from my spot. "Where are you going?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll be back in a few hours." She breezed past me and out the door. I could hear her footsteps outside as she ran, in the direction Dante had gone I assumed. Although I wasn't sure how she would find him, I'm sure they would meet up somewhere.

Once my stomach growled at me, making the decision of what to do next, I headed to the kitchen. I knew they had some condensed soup in the cupboards somewhere. It took me a few minutes, but once I found it, blowing off the dust that covered it, I quickly found everything else. It wasn't a moment later when I realized the milk was curdled and I couldn't use it. Sighing heavily, I went to the front room. I threw a longer brown coat on, which I could only assume was Lady's, which came down to mid thigh on myself. Lady was about two or three inches taller to my 5"6. Before leaving, I trudged upstairs to grab a wad of bills out of my pack.

It was colder walking than it had been on Dante's motorcycle, which may have been due to the fact that he had protected me from most of the wind. I got my bearings soon enough, heading to a grocery store a friend that worked at my work also was at, who would give me a discount. I stepped into the store, realizing it was colder in here than it had been outside. Katherine waved to me from her till and I walked over briskly. We hugged briefly, her pulling back to survey me.

"You look… better. You know, she almost went crazy when you didn't show up." 'Her' was my boss.

"Am I fired?"

"No, Sharon covered for you." Katherine leaned in, "She said she visited you and you were sick in bed with a fever, and that she'd forgot to tell her."

"Tell her thanks."

"Tell her yourself, you're working tomorrow." I nodded, slumping my shoulders.

"I can't push the fever thing?"

"Maybe if you had proof." Katherine grinned, probably thinking of ingenious ways to trick our boss, "By the way, I like the coat. Did Brendan save up and get it for you?" I winced at the mention of Brendan's name and shook my head.

"It's a friends. I'm borrowing it." Katherine nodded, seeing a customer coming over to her till.

"Come back once you get what you want." I smiled at her and headed back to the fridges to grab one litre of milk and hurried back to the till. Katherine was waiting impatiently, the customer long gone. I handed her the bills before she even rang the milk in and told her to keep the change. It wouldn't be much I knew, but I didn't want to actually have the sound of money in my pocket.

"You found a better place to live, Bell?" I held the milk tightly to my chest.

"Yeah."

"You look like you've finally been eating… and I'm glad you and Brendan are getting things back on track." I forced the wince back and nodded, plastering what I hoped was a happy smile on my face.

"It's been worse." I said, although it was the exact opposite. Katherine nodded and then scooted around her till to envelope me in another hug. I tried to give her one just as meaningful back, but I didn't have the motivation. Bringing up Brendan made me miss him that much more.

"Take care of yourself, okay?" She whispered, giving me a final squeeze, before pulling away and waving me off as she took another customer. I tried to give her a smile, but it came out stressed and pained. I was glad she didn't see it.

The streets were the same as when I came to the store. I kept the milk as close to me as I could as I tried to follow my path home. It was silent, with cars passing me ever so often. The drivers looked worn and tired, probably having just worked. I got back to Devil May Cry quicker than I thought I would've and I placed the milk in the fridge; I wasn't hungry anymore.

In the back of my mind, I remembered what Dante and Lady had said about my muscles liquefying, but I found myself ignoring it and not caring anymore. I hadn't walked out of my apartment and followed Brendan, almost dieing in the process, for nothing. Quietly, even though I knew no one was home, I walked out of Devil May Cry for what I hoped would be the last time. I hadn't abruptly fallen asleep for a few days now, and I knew it was time for me to go. I wanted to leave a note behind, to thank them, but I didn't know what to say.

I manoeuvred my way through the streets as well as I could, trying to find anything that would remind me of where Brendan and I's room had been. It took me an hour to find it, but once I did, it neither comforted me nor gave me the feeling coming here was the right thing. The door creaked as I opened it and I walked swiftly to the stairs. I was hoping I wouldn't meet the owner alone here, not without Brendan. Amber wasn't outside like she usually was and I bypassed the spot to get to my own room.

It was much the same as it was before, musty futon and all. I wondered if the owner knew we were gone at all. It was falling pitch black outside and I laid down on the futon to just stare out the window. I thought about Lady and Dante, how generous they had both been to me. How would they feel when they came home and didn't find me there? Angry? Hurt? I couldn't imagine either of them being hurt by my absence, but I could see their anger. I didn't know if leaving had been such a good idea. What would I find out here by myself? The lead Dante had said he could get, he hadn't told me much. I could save Brendan, but I didn't know how. I was one girl, and Brendan was something stronger.

After sitting and thinking for awhile, I realized suddenly that I had stolen Lady's jacket. I slumped my shoulders. I had a reason to go back now, I had made the decision myself. I would not steal from someone who had helped me so much, but I would not go back now. I forced myself to sleep, in this place that was both comforting and frightening, dreaming of waking up beside Brendan, as if nothing had happened.