The Way Things Are

Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Darksiders.

He found Death sitting on the porch quietly looking off into the distance; the twilight was coming earlier this time of year on this world. He sat next to his brother and regarded him silently. "Something is bothering you War, what is it?"

"I know her from somewhere, as do you I will wager. She is familiar now that I have time to truly slow down and look at her." Death nodded slowly. "Are you certain you want to talk about this War? Some things are better left forgotten lest they change out perspectives."

He nodded and sat back to listen to whatever his brother had to say. "Not many years back there was a great clan war among two groups of demons that live within this realm. The demon that we saved her from was the leader of one clan and had fooled an exceptionally strong Gate Guardian into his way of life using love. We both know now who that Guardian was. She assisted him in the battle because she is truly powerful when riled, hence why she pushed you back earlier. His clan was not happy about the union because it was an abomination even to them and we were called in to observe then eliminate the problem because it was a threat to the balance. "

Death stopped to chuckle, "However the girl is, as you have seen, stubborn when she believes in something. So despite many warnings and close calls she continued down the path she had chosen. Finally though something happened that turned her against him. She was attacked outside the clan encampment by the one who fled earlier with her own sword that she had received from the prior guardian, which yes the demon murdered. Anyway he ran her through with it and left her for dead. She was in truth dying. I would have killed her, I should have killed her."

"I remember her now; I watched her fight upon the battlefield in the distance once or twice before. She was truly a great warrior and I agree she would have been devastating to the balance had she continued on the path she was on. What happened to change her allegiance so quickly?"

Death nodded before continuing, "She finally began to see the truth when he found her mortally wounded and then abandoned her there at my very feet. He cast her away when she was no longer of use to him; he had no need to nurse an injured tool. You remember those days well as do I and how ruthless both clans were. When I appeared before her she could no longer see, only hear, as her life ebbed away slowly and yet she clung to this world with a ferocity I have seldom seen. It amused me so I sat close by, something stilling my hand, and listened to her curse the demon and everything she had allowed herself to be tricked into. She was devastated that she had been so misled."

"You couldn't kill her could you?" Death nodded, "For once in all my long life something about her pain and determination affected me more than it should have. Her strength also impressed me. While I watched her silently she must have thought I was the one who injured her or someone sent to watch her until she died and she was determined to fight to her last breath. She pulled the sword from her own side and tried to wield it against me."

His brother finished the story for him, "You healed her and let her live." Death nodded, "Now you know." War sat there pondering what he had been told, "She is a truly remarkable young woman War, and if I was you I would seriously not let her walk away thinking that you do not care for her if in truth you do. Remember I allowed someone I loved to die without ever knowing how I felt. I find that it hurt me more for not telling them than it would have had I said it."

War watched his brother intently for a few minutes more before moving to go back in the house. He stood at the doorway to her room and studied it and the young woman who slept so trustingly in the house with four beings that could destroy her. He moved to sit next to her on the bed carefully reaching his hand out to run it through her soft auburn hair.

He frowned when he noted the bruises forming all over her body from the previous few days and the battles that she had been in. Even with her Nephilim blood and ties to the magic in the Earth she was still only human and extremely fragile. He made a note of that even more as he noticed that when he placed his hand on her back the heel of his hand rested against her hip and his fingers curled past the other hip. She barely came to the bottom of his chest.

Gently he stroked her face with the backs of his fingers as he watched her lips part softly as she sighed, nuzzling deeper into his hand. A smile touched his lips as he remembered kissing her earlier in desperation because he had truly feared something, he had feared losing her but should he tell her? He was so lost in thought that he didn't see her grey eyes flutter open. "War?"

"I am here." She settled back against the pillows and watched him warily. "Have you all decided whether I should live or die after my outburst earlier?" The question was a sincere one but it took him completely off guard and made him angry. "Do you think we are the demons that nearly killed you earlier in your life, Guardian?" She couldn't help but notice the tight clipped way he spoke, or the way his eyes hardened.

"I didn't mean it like that but it is what was said earlier and you didn't seem keen to protect me from your kin after my outburst." He calmed himself and stretched out next to her, actually startling her for moment as he towered above her. "I would never have allowed any of them to harm you for any insult or injury." She blushed heavily and nuzzled her face against his chest; a move he had quickly learned was her way of seeking comfort.

"Come I know you need a shower. I will stay close if you fear you may lose your strength and stumble." Katie smiled then at him, she was tempted to turn him down but her turncoat mind wouldn't let her. She nodded and moved stiffly to get her bathing items, her stiff movements being the only thing belying her pain or tiredness. She went into the bathroom and started the shower. War entered the bathroom behind her and stood by the door after she had gotten in the shower.

Suddenly a loud sharp smell spread through the small room making War wrinkle his nose at how familiar it smelled. "What is that smell." A soft laugh was the first thing that he heard before her reply, "It is my hair shampoo and conditioner. Don't worry I know it smells strong now but it fades out as my hair dries." He smiled to himself; he knew it had smelled familiar. It was the soft scent her hair gave off.

He noticed another, much more pleasant scent soon after and couldn't help the small growl of approval that escaped his throat. Suddenly her face peered, with dripping hair framing her face, around the shower door at him, the cloudy door not doing much in the way of shielding her shape. The smell got decidedly stronger as the door had opened, "What is that smell?" She gave him a puzzled look before sniffing.

He was met a moment later with a white lathered arm stretched out to him holding an amber colored bottle with an open top on it. "Here smell and tell me if this is it. If it stinks I can find another bodywash." He sniffed lightly at the bottle and it was indeed the source of the smell. "That is it but do not change it, I like it." She blushed heavily before retreating back into the shower. A few minutes later the water shut off.

"War could you hand me the towel beside you on that rack?" He regarded the towel before smirking at her. He grabbed the towel and held it out to her but as soon as she reached for it he yanked it back out of her reach. "Hey you, give me that damn towel will ya!" He laughed softly and shook his head as he held it out again only to pull it away once again.

She gave a low frustrated growl in the back of her throat. "That is not funny." He smiled teasingly at her, "Oh but it is."

"War I swear to God if I have to come out of this shower to get my towel I will chase you from one end of this house to the other beating you with that towel!" She threatened from behind the shower door and he of course did the worst thing he could have. "Prove it."

His jaw dropped as she slid the shower door open with a bang. She looked like a wraith as the steam rolled out of the shower and rose around her, granted a rather lovely wraith. "I gave you plenty of chances." With that she sprang at him and yanked the towel away from him as he was still too stunned to react and she grinned wickedly at him, "You had better run." He believed her threat as she started toward him and began popping him with the towel. "Damn it woman that hurt. Stop this; you cannot be serious about leaving this room unclothed."

"Oh aren't I?" She started hitting him again with the towel and he fled from her. She gave chase down the hallway and into the occupied living room. Strife, Fury, and Death froze mid conversation about silly human forms of entertainment. They of course were talking of the television but War being chased by a naked Katie stopped that. She was hitting their brother with a towel and giving chase to him everywhere he went. Through the living room, the kitchen, dining room, and finally back to the living room.

She noticed everyone gazing at her which stopped her mid stride and she very primly wrapped herself with the towel before striding back down the hallway. Strife looked at his family, "I think that beats the television." War growled menacingly at him and Strife held his hands up in mock defeat.

Fury regarded War for a moment, "Dare I ask brother, how you managed to rile her up like that." War actually grinned at them in true amusement, something he didn't do very often. "Simple I wouldn't give her the towel." They regarded him oddly as he walked back down the hallway only to hear a thud and curse from him a moment later. Their brother being playful was a rare thing.

"You know I think he will be just fine and that young Gate Guardian may actually be good for him." Death said with a chuckle. "I have never seen him so willing to give up his own life for someone who wasn't family." Strife said with an amused look on his face. Fury just shook her head and laughed as Katie's shrill screams reached their ears along with another thud and curse from War.