Author's Note: Thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following! Enjoy!

Chapter 14:

Val gasps and doubles over as he feels darkness swarm him, and the others jump and look toward him with concern.

"Val?"

"It's Fever." He gasps, and they are instantly on alert. "She's taking on Luke by herself."

"What?"

"You said she would be okay!" Aster yells, his eyes filling with anger.

"I thought she would be."

"Where is she?" Aster demands, drawing his boomerangs and ready to open a tunnel. This can't happen. She was supposed to keep herself safe!

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Just find her with your telepathic connection!" Jack yells.

"She's cut me off. She doesn't want me to find her." Val says with a pained look.

"I can't find her either." Truth says with a concentrated frown. As an angel she was usually able to find whoever she needed to. She shouldn't be having any trouble. She focuses on the block that she reaches as she tries to find Fever in her mind, and then a bright white light takes over her vision. "She…" Her eyes narrow and she lets out a surprised gasp. "A spirit is shielding her from me. Val!" He sees the familiar look in her eyes and nods.

"It's him. She's at his gravesite. Come on."

xoXox

Fever had never felt so strong in her entire life, mortal or immortal. It was clear that John was doing much more than watching over her; he was giving her strength and speed that was evening the playing field. Luke notices the change in her and his red eyes narrow as he searches for some kind of weakness, anything. No malicious taunting would break her this time. She had a spirit on her side and he was pretty sure who it was. He had made the man kill himself to bring her further down with him. He had wanted her to follow John into darkness, but instead she had risen as a Spirit to work against him, and now she had risen above her own darkness to best him at his own game. He had underestimated both of their souls after all.

"Damn…" His low curse is lost to his own ears in the screeching of his leeches, and he is going to call them back till another day before he realizes that he has lost sight of the girl. He turns around wildly, his eyes searching for her, and then suddenly she is above him, coming down for a vengeful strike of her sword. He dodges and growls at her, more demons removing themselves from his body to fight against her. However, she just slashes through them with speed that shouldn't have been possible.

He begins to get worried and just turns his back on her and runs, but she leaps above his head and lands in front of him, her sword slicing through his left arm, sending it falling to the ground. He lets out a pained scream, watching his limb twitch for a moment before dissolving, and he barely catches her triumphant smirk before he catches her reaching for the gun in her thigh holster. Luke lets out an angry shout and dodges the bullet that nearly grazes him, and he lashes out at her outstretched arm. Fever's eyes widen as she catches his intent, but she can't pull back fast enough.

"No!" His remaining hand latches onto her and the last of the leeches formed to his body release him in favor of her flesh, creeping up her arm as the black staining begins to once again cloud her brain. She feels the strength leaving her again, being drained, and not even John's spirit can help her now. No! I have to survive this! I have to end this! Luke laughs as the tendrils of evil begin to overcome her, and her frightened eyes meet his.

"Don't you see, Fever? The world will be devoured by lies and malice. You couldn't stop me before. And you can't stop me now." She keeps her eyes on his as she attempts to move her burning arm. She could twitch her fingers, and there still seemed to be some mobility. The gun is right next to his foot. If she can just… "A pity that the darkness in you just isn't powerful enough to defeat mine." She doesn't allow his words to get to her this time. She knew that there was darkness in her because he had put it there. And thanks to him, now she could use it to her advantage.

"There is darkness in me, Luke…" She says, and ignoring the pain growing in her suddenly heavy limbs, she grabs her sword from the ground and slices at Luke's knees. He cries out in pain as his tendons are cut and he falls to the ground, his hand reaching out catch his body. He snarls at her and tries to get up, but she picks up her gun and, with a deep breath, raises it to his chest. Fever feels her pupils dilate as she is overcome by his wicked influence, the entire peachy complexion of her flesh covered by sludge. "… but it will be gone soon."

In her last moment of awareness, she pulls the trigger with both hands, sending the holy water infused bullets straight into the empty cavity of his chest. His body jerks from the impact, and then it begins to disintegrate before her eyes. As his flesh turns to dust and falls to the ground, the leeches around her begin to do the same, and the hold Luke had over her disappears. Her limbs become light again and her mind clears completely, the sudden ability to breathe deeply making her gasp for air as if she were underwater.

The dust that was Luke and his leeches is carried away in the wind, and she feels the sun finally reach over the horizon, bathing the cemetery and what feels like her entire world in comforting heat and hope. A small smile touches her face as she feels a shift in the atmosphere without Luke's lingering presence. It felt happier, safer, exhilarating, and full of possibilities.

Fever hears a commotion behind her, and turns to see the Guardians and her friends running toward her. She lets out a laugh, feeling overjoyed, and Truth grins back, already feeling the change as well.

"Fever, you…" The angel gasps and then rushes up to her best friend to embrace her. "You idiotic girl! We were so scared!"

"I'm okay. Everyone is going to be." Fever says, holding her tightly. She peeks over the other girls' shoulder and sees Val glaring at her, but he has a smile on his face as well. The Guardians are watching her with awe that is quickly overcome by happiness. Well, except for one of them.

She bites her lip as Aster runs toward her, his expression absolutely livid, and she gently pushes a laughing Truth away when he approaches them. He moves from all fours to his full height and glares down at her, opening his mouth to yell at her for her stupidity and carelessness. But then she reaches up to the leather strap across his body holding his boomerangs, and pulls him down slightly to cover his mouth with hers, her other arm wrapping around his neck.

He groans at the unexpected contact and then his arms are around her waist, his lips moving against hers passionately, pouring all of his concern and love for her in that one act. She smiles into the kiss, even when she hears Val making a comment about "not wasting any time." She and Aster break apart for a moment, and a small laugh leaves her. She holds Aster close, finally able to do so without the doubt or guilt hovering over her. It is like an emotional release, and then she is overcome by the fatigue that suddenly hits her and her eyes drift shut as she sags against him. But she knows, as she loses consciousness, that she will be safe and happy so long as she has him.

xoXox

Author's Note: Okay folks. The next chapter is going to be the epilogue. I have to ask so I can make alterations if I need to; do you want Aster and Fever to finally get some "alone time?" Because it's not cute or fluffy. It's what you'd expect from these two after all of the sexual tension in the past so many chapters. If there's ever a time I need to hear from at least a few of you, it's now! Please let me know!