Chapter X

"How am I supposed to know where it'd be? He's your son," Dante muttered into the receiver. Trish huffed and he could see her brow creasing and her lips pulling into a pout.

"He's your son too," Trish shot back holding the mobile phone to her ear with her shoulder as she ransacked Alex's room. She'd pulled all the draws from his cupboards out onto the floor the bed had been upturned, and clothes were strewn across the room, but she still had nothing. "And you were a kid too where'd you hide stuff?"

Dante shrugged. "Under the bed… in the dustbin…" He ran a hand through his hair, it was still wet from his shower and water dripping onto his face every few seconds was beginning to become annoying. "My half of the amulet is still under my pillow," he added as an after thought. It was probably an overly sentimental place to keep it, but it was safe and only Trish knew it was there.

"Yeah I've got it," Trish said quickly though they were both thinking the same thing. They were walking right into a big mess, not only for themselves, but for humanity and once they handed over the amulet there was nothing to stop Castor from not going through with the deal.

"Well if you can't find it come back over here, Lady will be here soon maybe she'll think of something," he glanced over at Evey who was sitting on the couch looking bored. Every so often she would glance around the room or pick a new hole in the moth-eaten sofa. He hoped that she would be alright with Lady, he by no means doubted the woman's ability to keep her safe he just wasn't so sure about how she'd react to being left behind.

Trish nodded at her end nearly dropping the phone in the process. "Okay I'm going to just finish up here. I'll be back soon"

The phone clicked off and Dante threw the receiver back into the holder sighing and leaning back in his chair.

"What's the matter?" Evey asked looking up from where she sat. She wanted to help, but she didn't know what she could do, she didn't completely understand what was going on. Whilst her father had been in the shower it had given her some time to examine the room properly, which basically meant going through all the desk draws and studying some of the weapons. She'd even looked in the fridge only to be disgusted by how un-hygienic her father was without her mother there to clean up after him.

"Your mother doesn't know where Alex hid the amulet," Dante answered staring at the ceiling fan as it sliced the air above him. "It could be anywhere," and Castor could have already got the answer out of Alex anyway. The idea was sickening and he pushed it aside. If Castor even dared to hurt his son… "I'm going to check upstairs okay?" There was the very slim chance that Alex had hidden it here, he doubted it, but waiting around like this was killing him.

Evey nodded vaguely as her father headed for the stairs already lost in thought; her eyes narrowed and her brow creased. She was trying to remember everywhere her brother would hide things and couldn't come up with anywhere her mother wouldn't have looked. Unless… she was just beginning to put the smallest snatches of a memory together and the thoughts were eluding her.

She was jarred from her reverie by the sound of someone walking up the front steps and jumped up quickly, heading for the door. It wasn't her mother; at least she didn't think it was Trish wouldn't be back yet if she'd phoned from the house. So it must be her dad's friend, she wanted to meet the woman, and interrogate her before her father came back downstairs.

It was only when her hand was inches from the handle that she realized something. She had over-looked it in her haste, but now it was blazingly obvious, it made her hand shake and her mouth run dry. The steps were heavy, too heavy to be a woman and rung with confident strides that were distinctly masculine. She turned to run, but the door had already burst open, it caught her ankles and sent her stumbling forwards. Evey barely caught herself in time and she only had the chance to suck in a breath before a hand tangled in her hair.

"Dad!" the shout was strained with panic as she was tugged up by her silver locks. She tried to pull away, but was yanked back and cried out again scrabbling uselessly at the hand in her hair. "Dad!"

She struggled madly against her attacker until a hand was wrapped around her shoulders and the cool barrel of a gun was pressed against her temple. When she was finally still she could hear and see again. Around the blood pounding in her ears she heard Dante's footsteps thundering above her and on the stairs, clearing the bottom half of the staircase in one leap.

"You," Dante bit out the word angrily his hands balling into fists though he had barely moved from the bottom of the staircase.

"I've come to collect the first half of your payment, its midday you know," Castor's voice drifted across the room in a languid drawl, his bottom lip curled into a sneer, the shades still obscuring his eyes from Dante's view.

"Where's Alex?" Dante demanded ignoring the man. He was also trying to shut out the terrified look in his daughter's eyes. She had demonic blood in her, in some cases more so than he did, but could he really take that risk…?

"I don't think you're in the position to be asking questions," Castor reminded him pressing the gun a little harder into Evey's skull. Evey grimaced and tried to stop shaking. She was frightened, she didn't understand how people in movies always made it look like a piece of cake, but she really did not want to die. Panic was flooding her as well as confusion, whilst her parents had told her the truth she still felt like she was out of her depth. Why hadn't her dad asked the man to let her go? He wasn't even looking at her he was glaring over her shoulder at he man.

"What have you done with my son?" Dante repeated and made to move forwards. Castor dragged Evey back a step and held her tighter. One foot was holding the door open in case he needed to run – he wouldn't get that far with Dante on his heels, but it was yet another risk Dante wasn't willing to take.

"You'll get him back when you deliver the second half of the amulet to me tonight," Castor answered smoothly. "I'm just visiting now to make sure you remember our deal, and collect a little insurance if needs be." He gestured towards Evey; her face was pale, eyes wide and staring.

Dante's own eyes narrowed and the muscles of his jaw twitched. "Let her go."

"Why would I do that when you still haven't given me what I want?" Castor questioned in that annoying patronizing tone. If he didn't have a hold on Evey Dante would have already torn him to pieces. When the demon slayer was silent the man continued. "The first half of the amulet if you will?"

"That wasn't the deal," Dante growled a hand groped at the air by his hip searching mindlessly for a gun though there was none, they were laid out on his desk. Castor wouldn't let him move that far…

Castor laughed though the sound seemed genuine it was cold and malicious. "Still sore from our little chat last night? You don't like being beaten do you Dante."

"You don't fight fair," Dante snapped back drawing the attention away from his daughter. Trish would be back soon, she could sneak up on Castor from behind, even if a gun-shot wouldn't kill Evey he didn't want her hurt – or traumatized though she probably already was – and was determined not to loose another of his children.

"I don't gamble I win, real men make their own luck, and if you're stupid enough to walk into a trap it's your own fault," Castor answered with a shrug. "And would you look at that it's happened again, I'm a busy man I can't stay here all day."

"I don't have the amulet," Dante answered finally. He didn't know whether he should tell Castor that or not. If he didn't have the amulet there was no reason not to hurt Evey, but there was nothing else he could say and he knew that the man's patience was running thin.

Castor's lips curved into a dissatisfied frown. "I don't believe you."

"I don't have it," Dante replied, hands spread wide.

"Well then," there was the soft click as Castor pulled the hammer back on the gun. Evey flinched and her breathing hitched, her eyes were glassy and Dante could clearly see that she was shaking.

He took a step forwards out of panic and Castor raised his head warningly, Dante could feel the man's eyes staring into his own even if he couldn't see them.

"Let her go," Dante repeated through clenched teeth trying to hide the fear in his voice and failing miserably.

"Dad…" Evey's voice was a broken whisper that barely carried across the room, but Dante's ears caught the small sound. It made his stomach twist and he felt icy fingers wrapping around his throat. Not again, this couldn't be happening again he wouldn't let it.

"Sorry sweetheart," the man hissed into Evey's ear. "Looks like daddy doesn't love you after all."

"Shut up!" Dante yelled. He didn't know what to do, whether to move for a gun or stay still, the decision was made for him when Castor's finger twitched on the trigger. Evey's chest was heaving as she realized what was about to happen. Dante had broken into a run across the room when everything stopped.

The voice was firm and commanding with a hint of mirth to it and there was something distinctly… feminine about it. "Move and I shoot."

Castor swallowed and his lips pressed into a thin line.

"If you kill me you'll never see your son again," Castor threatened though for once his voice was uncertain, eyes sliding to the side behind the dark glasses in an attempt to see the woman behind him.

Dante didn't think he'd ever been more relieved to see Lady in his life. Especially with a gun in her hand, normally it would be aimed at him and he would be required to run and hide for something he didn't even know he'd done. That had been a long time ago though…

"Let her go, she'll get back up again, you won't," Lady's voice was as steady as her hand despite the seven years in which she had never touched a gun.

Dante could see that Castor was weighing up his options, not that he had any. Even if he walked away there was no certainty Lady wouldn't shoot him. Though Dante was pretty sure she'd wait for a signal from him and if what Castor said was true then he didn't think he could risk Alex's safety for the satisfaction of seeing the man dead. Despite the fact that they had him well and truly trapped he still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

"Drop the gun and I'll let her go," Castor answered his voice cool, nerves in check once again. If he was going to die he'd have been dead seconds ago and Dante wanted to kill him after all. He knew the man wanted to rip him limb from limb and had the smallest of suspicions the demonic side of Dante would let him go for the chance to do so later.

"You first," Lady ordered not backing down. "Let her go, put down the gun, then leave and none of this has to get messy."

"I guess you wouldn't want the brat mentally scarred would you?" Castor asked voice bitter with defeat. "As if having murderous demons for parents wasn't bad enough."

"Shut up and get the hell out!" Dante barked vehemently. He'd had enough of Castor and his games.

Lady cocked her gun and that seemed to decide the man pretty quickly. He pulled his gun away, hands up and let the hammer click back into place as Evey raced across the room straight into Dante's open arms. He bent down to accommodate for her height and she buried her head in his shoulder, arms wrapped tightly around his neck. She was shaking. He circled his arms around her protectively, right hand cradling the back of her head as he glared over her shoulder at Castor. Despite it all the man was grinning.

Dante wanted to tell Lady to pull the trigger; instead he shook his head slightly and tightened his hold on his daughter instinctively.

"Drop the gun," Lady ordered fiercely and Castor did so after a moment of hesitation, kicking it across the floor to where it stopped at Dante's feet. Lady held the door open, gun still trained on the man. "Now-"

"Wait," Dante's voice stopped her from ordering the man out and there was something harsh in his tone which told her he was seething. Not that she really had to guess, his eyes were blazing and a vein in his jaw jumped. She didn't think she'd seen him that angry in a long time, or ever to be precise.

Dante stood, mindful of the girl still clinging onto him, Castor's gun now clutched tightly in his right hand. The man's face paled a little, but nothing else showed that he was any less calm and collected than he was before. Dante had his free hand wrapped protectively around Evey's shoulders; the other slowly rose to level with the man's fore-head.

"Lady can you take Evey upstairs please?"

The words were as good as any threat Castor's lip twitched and he grimaced, eyes fixing on Dante through the shades. The air had suddenly become thick between the two men and Lady waited a moment then nodded. She didn't know what was going on here, Dante hadn't told her all that much on the phone, but the look in his eyes told her not to get involved.

"Dad?" Evey's voice was quiet as she stared up at her father. "What are you going to do?"

"It's alright Evey, go upstairs with Lady okay?" Dante said placating, eyes still fixed on Castor. He was going to finish this now, letting the man live would be stupid.

Evey's eyes widened as everything fell into place, Castor, the gun… she knew that her dad killed things for a living, but this man was clearly human. He wouldn't kill him in cold blood would he?

Castor arched an elegant eyebrow. "Don't want her to see how right I am?"

The door next to Castor's head splintered and shattered into frayed slivers of wood. He glanced furtively at the ruined wood before fixing his gaze on Dante and the smoking barrel of the gun.

"Lady," Dante ground out. The woman nodded hesitantly and crossed the room to where Evey still clung to her father's waist. She took the girl's hand and gently tried to pull her away, but she held fast.

"You're going to kill him?" The girl whispered still starring up at the man above her. The man she knew, but failed to recognize now. His eyes were sparking an electric blue and his jaw was clenched. He looked like a bull who'd seen red and was about to charge.

Dante ignored her; there was little else he could do. Children were so very innocent and naïve. He'd lost his own naivety at a young age and whilst he'd never wanted the same for his daughter it looked like he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Parents were supposed to teach children that two wrongs didn't make a right, and how to play fair, not how to fight or shoot or kill. The accusation in his daughter's voice was nearly enough to stay his hand, but then he fixed his eyes on Castor and reminded himself that he was the man who had ruined all the dreams of a normal life which he had had for his children.

"Come on honey it's alright," Lady said in a motherly tone finally easing Evey away and half-dragging her towards the stairs. She was still rather dazed from the previous ordeal and it didn't take much to get her upstairs, though her eyes remained fixed on the gun in her father's hand.

"You're willing to risk your son's life simply for the satisfaction of killing me?" Castor asked his pale lips pressed into a thin line. It was a nice change from the sardonic smile he always wore.

"Alex is tough," Dante answered, because he had to keep telling himself that. He had to believe Alex was alright. "He'll survive, you on the other hand…" He was steadily making his way across the room and stopped half way. Castor couldn't dodge now even if he wanted to, and even if, by some miracle, the first shot missed the second wouldn't. "Won't."

Castor laughed; a hollow bark which reverberated around the room. "Maybe you'd be a little more worried if you knew who the master-mind behind this little plot was."

Dante's eyes narrowed. He had never considered that Castor wasn't the ring leader of this whole thing, he seemed too confident, too sure of himself and he couldn't imagine the man working under anybody else. "Who?"

The man seemed to pause dramatically, tension hung thick in the air and once again and Dante felt the man's eyes bore into his own before he answered. "Your brother."

Dante tightened his grip on the gun and swallowed. "You're lying."

"I'm offering you a friendly piece of advice, it's up to you if you take it or not," Castor shrugged, the door had slid closed behind him. They were alone meters apart, Dante was staring at him down the barrel of the gun, his finger itched on the trigger, but for once in his life he wasn't quite sure if he could.

"Now I need to get going, if I don't return-"

"If you're telling me the truth then my brother isn't going to care one bit whether you show up or not," Dante cut across him. "So," he pulled the hammer back on the gun, had the small satisfaction of seeing Castor's mask slip. "Checkmate."

The man yelled something, but it was lost over the sound of the gun going off. One bullet and then another slammed through the man's skull and then he slid to the floor leaving a trail of blood in his wake. His expensive suit was ruined, the shades fallen from his face and smashed on the wooden floor. Castor's emerald eyes were fogged over and staring.

Dante breathed a sigh of relief, and turned away from the bloody sight before him depositing the gun on his desk. Revenge was a bitter taste in his mouth and didn't come with the sense of satisfaction it usually brought. Not that he went about creating vendettas, but Castor was one man he had wanted to see dead. Maybe it was because he still didn't have Alex safe with him or maybe because of the hurt in Evey's eyes when she realized he was capable of killing.

It took him more effort than he would have liked to eventually move and cover Castor's body before taking it to a store-room at the back of his shop. The blood was wiped away hastily, leaving traces still on the doors and floor. As he began to ascend the stairs, the job taken care of, at least for the moment, Lady came down to meet him.

"Where's-"

"Sleeping," Lady answered bluntly and Dante hesitated a second before turning and walking back down the stairs his foot-steps heavy on the wood.

Dante wandered over to his desk and slumped into a chair closing his eyes. He felt worn out again, he didn't know if he'd ever been so stressed out before. Normally things like this, things worse than this, saving the world et cetera; normally it was a breeze to him, but he'd lost all the energy to joke about it all a long time ago.

"Looks like I got here just in time then?" Lady said from above him and he looked up, he hadn't heard her follow him. It felt strange seeing her again after such a long time. She was still the Lady he knew, but the differences were there and stood out against the image he had of her in his mind. Her hair was a little longer, and the faintest lines had appeared on her face around her eyes and mouth. She had aged well, but it was still blatantly clear that she was older. It was her bi-coloured eyes which told him that the most though. They were lively and energetic as always, but beneath the surface there was an age which had been growing there since Temin-Ni Gru. God that seemed like ages ago now…

"Yeah you did," Dante replied softly. "Thanks." Before he might have thrown her some casual remark that he could handle it, before when he was an arrogant kid.

Lady's head tilted slightly and she smiled. She had chosen hunting gear more suited for her age though it was clear that she had more or less grabbed whatever was in her closet which was both practical and fitted. As always she wore a dark pair of shorts nearly hidden by an ammo belts, a form fitting white shirt and khaki jacket. Kalina Ann was slung across her shoulder and a pair of brown leather gloves completed the ensemble. A little slap-dash maybe, but he was amazed that she'd kept half of her stuff, unless she'd gone out specially to buy ammo and guns for his benefit. He'd have to ask her about it later, for once he wouldn't mind paying her bills.

"I was going to say you haven't changed a bit, but I'd be wrong," Lady said her back to him seemingly studying his corpse strewn walls though her mind was elsewhere. "You've finally grown up haven't you?"

Dante shrugged and kicked his chair up onto its back legs leaning back with his head rested in his hands. "If you say so."

"It wouldn't have killed her would it?" Lady asked turning to him. "Being shot in the head?"

"Probably not, but you know I never really thought about testing it out," he rubbed his own forehead in the centre where the phantom scar of a bullet wound was. "And besides it hurts like hell."

A flicker of something like guilt crossed Lady's face. "So what's going on then? You didn't exactly give me a proper explanation on the phone."

"That man, Castor," Dante's lips pulled into a grimace at the name. "He's got Alex and wants the amulet, Trish and I have to go get him back and I'm not about to leave Evey here by herself."

"Couldn't one of you-?"

Dante cut her off knowing what she was about to say. "I was with Alex when Castor got him the first time, I don't know if Trish trusts me on my own now."

Lady's brows knitted, she looked like she was going to speak and then changed her mind. Instead she sat down on the edge of Dante's desk – something she had not done in a long time – and studied his face.

"You haven't aged a day."

He turned to look at her a grin slowly creeping across his face.

"Don't make me hit you," came the sharp warning before he could utter a word.

"What?" He asked his expression immediately changing to one of feigned hurt. "How do you know I was going to say anything?"

"I know you Dante even if you seem to have grown up I am starting to doubt my judgment," she replied though there was the faintest edge of a smile gracing the corner of her lips. It was nice, she had to admit, to be back here with Dante being the idiot he was it somehow made her feel young.

"Whatever," Dante huffed reaching for a magazine and pretending to ignore her though she could tell he wasn't reading because he was holding it upside down. She was about to point out this fact when he threw it back down anyway and let his feet drop from the table. He stood up walked around the room and sat back down again, by the time he completed his third circuit of the desk Lady knew he was worrying. That in itself was strange because Dante didn't worry about anything ever. This was different though, his face might not be showing any sign of age, but his eyes did. Things really did change.

A/N: Ah I know seriously probably crappiest chapter in this whole fic and despite being an evil bugger Castor deserved a better send off than what I gave him. Also it ends really randomly. Why? Because I needed to just get this chapter out of the way even if it is terribly written. Normally I'd try and make it better, but it's nearly been a month and if I leave it any longer it won't get any better and it'd just drag on. So forgive me, a mixture of writers block and DMC4 coming out means that my writing is rather sub-par and I probably made hundreds of mistakes TT

And well if I was ever worried about them being OOC before DMC4 they're most certainly OOC now. Then again the whole point of this fic was probably to be OOC...

Gah I reckon my problem is now that I'm in un-charted land so to speak, as in I have not planned anything from this point and no new ideas are cropping up. So I apologise if I take just as long to write another chapter.