A/N: This follows directly off the previous chapter. Enjoy!

Guilt and anger warred inside me as I resisted the urge to watch Garnet's retreating figure. She had been rude and immature the entire time, but yet the heat from her knee seared my palm and sight of that blouse hugging her waist haunted me.

Don't turn around, don't turn around.

I turned around.

There was no hesitation in her stride. Her hips swayed, the smooth fabric of her slacks clung to her behind, taunting me with every step.

I shouldn't have turned around.

God, she's gorgeous.

Fingers brushed my bare arm, drawing my attention away from the alluring vampire behind me to the impeccable demoness sitting besides me.

Her smile was stunning, but it held a forced edge I'd long since learned to detect. I offered half a smile in return and gently pulled my arm out from under her. Her eyes flitted down to the table, her lips tightening ever so slightly, and her face lost that innocent sweetness.

"Well," she remarked, "Now that she's gone we can get down to business.

"We have just over four weeks until you join the faction, which gives us plenty of time to prepare. On the evening of your birthday you will be summoned to faction chambers, where the leaders will convene with you. After which your initiation shall begin, which, though different for every member in it's details, always last four weeks."

Four weeks. Four very long weeks. My throat constricted.

"The events of your initiation will remain confidential except to those directly involved, and you will not be able to leave the faction HQ until the initiation is complete. The first section of your faction life is called Apomonosi because it is performed completely isolated from the outside world. Only once you are completely integrated into the faction do you begin the ascension through the ranks, and if you can continue to develop such an aptitude for our nature you're guaranteed an excellent position when you're posted in the faction. After you are welcome to engage with the outside world again."

I must have done a poor job of hiding my panic, because she patted my hand and the sharp inquisitive look in her eyes soften, "I know this is a lot, and it's quite intimidating. Particularly for you, having been so engaged with the human world all your life. But you must understand, the faction can not afford it's new recruits to have any…distractions."

I stilled at the word, the implications clear. I couldn't help looking at Garnet's empty seat. A distraction. That's all she was, a distraction. I tried to grasp at the words, forcing myself to accept them as truth. It was time I stopped clinging to impossibilities.

She smiled, and for the first time it appeared genuine, even warm, "Do not worry Bastian, I will be there, through your initiation and Apomonosi. I swear, I will ensure no harm comes to you."

"I apologize Ms. Fiscarato, I did not mean to display such cowardice." The extent to which I had felt that shamed me. If I wasn't careful I'd ruin any chance of obtaining a good position in the faction. From what I had heard if you screwed that up you'd spend eternity begging like a dog just to ensure you received a decent meal.

What she did next surprised me more than the complex intricacies of Hell's recruitment programme. She laughed, with such honesty and vitality, that I was stunned out of my thoughts.

"Bastian, when I was first approached by the representative from our faction, who was might I add an absolute imbecile, I burst into tears and ran for the closest church!" I couldn't help but laugh with her, envisioning comic image of her bawling in a wooden pew next to a recruitment demon. Just like that the tension broke and I relaxed in my seat.

"So you were completely unprepared for it?"

"Actually no, I was raised by my father, I was fully aware of what would happen when I became of age. Though my powers, at the time, were underdeveloped. I was, what do they call them? A late bloomer. But it was a very different time, and I lived in a very small village in Italy. Despite our demonic blood, we were very faithful church goers. My father often said to me 'we may be creatures who are damned, but that does not mean God does not love us, nor that we should forsake his creation'."

I studied her gentle face, the way her eyes almost glittered with the memory. For a moment I was sure she was mocking me, but there was no denying that serene expression of treasured memories.

Her eyes focused back on me, "I had a very unconventional upbringing, but it gave me strength when I was scared of the unknown. Then, when embraced by my faction, I discovered a new kind of family." She grinned, "I bet you we're expecting me to promote Hell's excellent family values today, were you?"

"It certainly wouldn't have been my first choice in advertising," I was still reeling from the odd turn this conversation had taken.

"Bastian," she paused, suddenly avoiding my eye and playing with the stem of her wine glass, "I am aware of the…difficulties of your childhood. While few associate Hell with families, particularly our faction, we are heavily dependant on demonic families raising their young, to prepare and train them for their future careers. I can't begin to image what you went through, being alone like that."

Her violet eyes met my own, which I knew were shining a vivid green.

'Like emeralds,' Garnet whispered.

"I wasn't alone," my jaw twitched as I grit my teeth, "I had a family. It may too have been unconventional, but I was raised with Others, who loved me, and nurtured my gifts. Not once was I ever alone."

I made myself stop talking before I could tell her of how they'd raised me to respect and honour humans and Others alike, to not abuse my gift. I stopped before I could reveal just how much Garnet and her parents meant to me. To do so would place them in harms way, because no matter how much Sephera boasted the joys of a demonic family unit, Hell wouldn't hesitate to use anything and anyone against me if I fell out of line. And I had no doubts that Sephera would report everything I'd said to her higher-ups.

Her mouth pinched ever so slightly, then she smiled with what I'm sure was a well rehearsed smiled, "Well, thank Heavens for that! Just imagine the state you'd be in if you were. You'd be a rouge I'm sure, if you hadn't conveniently disappeared already thanks to that nuisance of a Council."

She began eating again, talking between bites, "Some day very soon they're going to realise just how far out of their depths they are, and things will turn nasty, fast."

I froze, fork midway to my mouth, "What do you mean?"

"They're like a gaggle of children running around trying to organize forces that were never meant to be controlled. They attempt to place labels on everyone and tell them what they must and must not do, but the truth of the matter is, Bastian, that we are violent, deadly creatures. We are designed to glory in death and revel in corruption. To take what we want, when we want, from whomever we choose.

"The dogs and the leeches may happily fall in line, but Hell will not be made to take it's place among the dirt. We were made superior for a reason. These idiots wouldn't know what to do if we ceased to humour them with our 'compliance'."

Surprise made me bite my tongue. I'd never been the greatest fan of the Council, and I had questioned Garnet's sense more than once when she'd set her heart on working for them, but hearing words not unlike my own coming from another, I realised just how hurtful they sounded. Despite my lack of understanding, Garnet loved her job, and believed in what she was doing. While I worried that belief would be her downfall, every hurtful word I had uttered had bruised her heart, time and time again.

It was a wonder she could even stand to look at me anymore.

Bile rose in my throat as guilt reared inside me, the sickening truth of my actions shook me.

For the next hour I tried to ignore the crushing sensation growing in my gut as I listened to the complicated system of Hell, and all the hoops I'd have to jump through when I began working there. After, as we stood and tugged on our coats, she kissed my cheek and offered me a genuine smile.

"It was lovely to meet you Bastian, I'm really looking forward to getting to know you better. Should we meet the same time next week?"

I nodded then said my farewells and made my way home. The apartment was dark and empty when I got there. I sighed in frustration. Why was she never home when I actually wanted to talk to her?

I threw my keys on the kitchen counter and shrugged off my jacket, hitting the flashing voicemail button on the phone cradle as I went to get changed. The message echoed down the hall.

I was halfway through unbuttoning my shirt when I actually paid attention to the message.

"-this is the last straw Garnet! Don't bother coming back!" Mr Fording, the head of the child protection unit in Chicago, Garnet's boss, yelled down the hall.

What the Hell?

I picked up the phone, frowning, and hit redial. He picked up on the second ring.

"Mr Fording speaking."

"This is Bastian, Garnet's roommate, I-" He cut me off before I could continue.

"Good. You can tell that bitch I don't care how good she thinks she is, she's not having her job back!"

Bewildered I stared at the phone, mouth hanging open, "What happened?"

"She didn't show. Clearly she doesn't want this job as bad as she claims. Here I was, prepared to let her come back, and she decides to go shoe shopping!"

"Shoe shopping?"

"Or something equally as useless." An angry breath, "I'll make sure she never works for the Council again."

My heart thudded painfully in my chest. My stomach rolled as dread filled me, "She didn't show?"

"No, she didn't."

"Mr Fording," I swallowed hard, "I was with Garnet when she left for your meeting. She was determined to get there, I'm telling you now, she wouldn't have missed it. This job is her life."

The director snapped at me, "Well, then would you like to tell me where the hell she is?"

"She's not here…and she didn't make it to the meeting…Mr Fording, that was an hour and a half ago."

Silence met me, "You'd better not be suggesting what I think you are."

I pulled my cell out and dialled her number, "I'm trying her cell," it went straight to voicemail, "Nothing."

"Shit. I'll call the squad. I'm declaring her missing right now."

My heart stuttered and I struggled to breathe. My knees gave out and I collapsed against the wall.

"Bastian, I'm sorry about what I said…I just, I believe in her, I want her to succeed. She's got a gift with the kids, you know. She just needs to keep her head on straight long enough to get somewhere with it.

"We'll find her. We never leave an agent behind."

I hung up, unable to talk. The phone fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Missing.

Garnet was missing.

A/N: Thoughts? Feelings? Opinions?