Lone Clone

By Princess Alexandria

………………………………………….

Prompt: Awkward Moment: section 48

………………………………………….

I felt shaky as we moved to land on the castle, I could see the statue that had been Brentwood and the other clones nearby. It had almost shaken all the work I'd done to be strong tonight.

I felt Demona's wing brush me and I glanced over at her as my feet hit the stone. She gave me a tender look and her wing brushed me again, before she caped it around her and her expression became more guarded. The Wyvern clan approached and I had to pull my eyes away from Brentwood to face them.

"Lilith." Angela spoke, and I could tell she'd been crying earlier. It made me feel a bit better about her that she had cried. I nodded to her and turned to glance at Brentwood and the others. My eyes traveled to Malibu almost against my will as I compared him to how Brentwood looked last night. It wasn't comforting to see the rough rashes over so much of him.

"Look, I'm sorry for your loss and all." Brooklyn spoke quietly and I turned to stare at him in surprise. He had, even just yesterday, claimed I was here to prevent a cure from being found. I just stared at him, my eyes cold. I didn't want to feel and focusing on him made that easier. I felt nothing but a small hint of satisfaction at how awkward he looked apologizing. I focused on that so I didn't stare at Malibu.

"I need to get to work." I muttered, trying not to look at the clones, but I could tell they were coming closer. I really didn't know if I could do this.

"Lily." A voice spoke, so soft and hesitant. I clenched my fists, to keep my pain in my hands as I turned to look at Malibu. He moved slowly, watching me carefully. "Brentwood's not waking up." Malibu had been told to call me Lilith before, but I didn't correct him now.

My talons almost cut into my skin, but I did my best to not tear up as I looked at him. He really didn't understand what was happening to him, to any of them. He was breaking my heart, but I did my best to smile at him. "I heard. I guess he was extra tired." I lied right to his face.

He paused and appeared to consider that hard. He nodded and just turned toward the others. "I better go rest, I don't want to be extra tired." He told them and I felt myself whimper, but I did my best to not let it make much noise.

The other males nodded their heads and followed him, but Delilah stood there staring at me. She was smart enough to know better. I just stared at her, not sure how I could apologize for being too late for Brentwood. For thinking I might never figure this out. "I wish I was the one they made smart." Delilah's voice was harsh. "I hate this. I can't do anything."



I didn't really feel like the smart one, but I just lowered my gaze as she stared at me. I was submitting out of pity really, because it hurt to know she felt this. My 'smarts' weren't helping. I couldn't do anything either. As she stared at me it felt like an increasingly awkward moment. I should say something, I knew that, but all the smarts she claimed I had weren't paying attention and I had no clue what to do.

Angela stepped closer. "I'm sure Lilith won't stop until this is figured out." Angela told Delilah, and I just nodded weakly. I knew why I hadn't said that, but I didn't say it, not in front of Delilah. I wasn't so sure there was a cure anymore. I was just doing all I could to be here, knowing it was going to hurt when I failed.

Delilah just stared at me for far too long before she nodded. "You'll figure it out." She muttered and wrapped her wings and arms around her torso, looking so fragile. I could see her skin was blemished like the others, only it wasn't covering nearly the same amount of her body. She'd be the last to die. My heart ached for her, and as she walked away I stared at her back.

"I should get to work." I spoke softly, reluctant to do it, because each day I didn't solve this was another day someone could die. I didn't want to go down there and see the Doctor, to hear her tell me the last test wasn't inconclusive yet again.

I didn't know how much longer I could take this and I felt selfish for thinking that, because I, at least, wasn't dying.

……………..

"Lilith, how are you holding up?" Dr. Lambert asked and I could understand why she came over to say that. I was hunched over the microscope staring at the little killers. I was a little surprised to feel her hands touch my shoulders and I looked up to see the human looking concerned.

I was about ready to say I was fine, but then I just stopped, my mouth opened with the lie. She looked like she understood. "Is this the first time you've seen death?" She asked and my throat started to feel like it was closing up. My eyes teared up and I damned myself for the weakness. I didn't have time for this.

I glanced around and for the first time ever, didn't see Demona in a corner of the lab. She normally was there. It explained why Dr. Lambert felt safe enough to come closer to me. I knew the Doctor had been rather kind to me, but a glare from Demona kept it at a distance. Demona didn't like humans, I just didn't think much about them, but when Dr. Lambert wiped my tear away I started to change my mind a bit. "I became a medical examiner and a researcher to avoid that personal connection. It always hurts to lose a patient, and you lost a family member as well." My tears increased with her words. She was lousy at comforting, but I couldn't deny this was trying. "Lilith, you need to take a break."

"I can't." I told her quietly. "I'm only good at night, that isn't enough time."

"Everyone else on this project takes some time off during the day to unwind." Dr. Lambert told me. My eyes started to burn at that thought. They should be working on this, my clan was 

dying. "Tired minds don't come up with new ideas." She explained. "I came up with this latest testing plan while eating ice cream and watching a made for TV movie. I needed the time to not focus so I could see it. You need that even more than I do, you have a lot more than a reputation at stake here."

I sighed heavily and my shoulders slumped as I admitted to myself that I was running on empty. My mind just kept circulating around what we'd already done, and no new ideas were coming to me. She squeezed one of my shoulders and stood up a bit taller, that's when I realized how close she'd gotten to me. "I've worked on friends before, and if I thought I could have spared you that pain I would have." The Doctor gave me a weak smile.

Her stance became more relaxed. "Could you go find Goliath and get a blood sample? I want to test his DNA and compare it to yours and the other clones. After that, we're just waiting for results. You should take that time and do whatever gargoyles do for fun."

I grabbed the needles and test tubes I'd need, and I expected he wouldn't be thrilled to see me when he caught a glimpse of them. I glanced around the lab again, a little confused as to why Demona and Goliath weren't here. She usually watched over me and he usually just watched me.

I was irritated to be hunting him down, but I methodically considered where to find him and didn't like that I suspected he was in the castle. I sighed as I made my way to a window, because I wasn't getting in the elevator.

I heard his deep voice before I made it that far and I slowed down as I heard him say my name. "I told her about Lilith and she was interested."

Demona's voice was harsh and angry. "What right do you have to interfere with MY clan?" I stopped walking and moved toward the wall as silently as I could as I tried to understand what they were arguing about, because it was clearly about me.

"You know how hard it is for our lesbian sisters. How can you be so selfish as to deny her an opportunity to meet another of her kind?" His voice was a growl and I stood stunned as it dawned on me, he'd found another lesbian.

"And I suppose you expect that if she found a mate she should leave my clan, rather than having my clan absorb the pair?" Demona's voice was cutting and my heart ached at her words. Did she want another lesbian in our clan? One that was a real gargoyle and not a clone? "No, Lilith isn't going anywhere. Not to meet this female and not to leave me for Japan."

I let out a slow breath as my panic started to fade. She wasn't talking about bringing the other female here yet, maybe Demona wouldn't see that she could have a female without all the programming issues I had. I had shocked her our one night together, with my words. She didn't like hurting me, and apparently I liked being hurt. Or at least I was programmed to like it.



"Clan leaders have a responsibility. Even you should understand this." He growled and I blinked hard and pulled my bag of needles and test tubes closer to my chest as I listened. He was fighting for me to have a mate, which was really unexpected.

"I take care of my clan just fine. I don't need your help." There was a click of talons on the floor and I heard Demona's voice go quieter, but still angry. "So you tell that Japanese whore that she doesn't need to come visit here either."

I felt like a tone of stone that had been encasing me just disappeared as Demona said that. I was enough for her, clone and issues, she wasn't looking at this other female to replace me either. She didn't want me to leave and she didn't want an excuse to meet someone else.

"Who is there?" Goliath's voice was commanding and I almost found myself saying Master as I answered.

"Me." I bit back the programming and felt the blush covering my face at this awkward moment. I'd been caught eavesdropping on them talking about me. I wished I could just turn around and walk away, but I slowly took a step forward and turned to the side to see they were just inside a small room. He was almost hunched over Demona in silent threat, but she was just looking at me, even as he stood up and took a step back from her.

"I was telling Demona that I found a clan with a lesbian." Goliath spoke, but I watched Demona's expression. She looked irritated and a bit concerned. Why would she need to worry? I was part of her clan, and I liked that. She was, words escaped me. She was special, and graceful, and giving. Okay, maybe I could think of the words. I gave her a small smile.

"I'm fine here." I turned to him, unsure of what he was doing.

"You told me I abandoned the clones, and you were right. It seemed the right thing to do, but I can see now that I was unfair. I don't want to be unfair to you." He spoke softer. "The Ishimura clan is a very honorable one, and they are eager to meet you."

"That is enough." Demona's voice cut through the room. "She is my clan and I did not give you permission to do this."

"She needs a mate!" Goliath's voice rose again and I was stunned to see them start to argue so quickly with me right here.

"I have a mate." I spoke firmly, but quietly. "I don't need to leave my clan for one, I have one." I glanced at Demona a little fearfully, hoping it was okay I called her my mate. I had never said it out loud before. I swallowed hard and let out a deep breath at her small smile, before turning to Goliath. "We need a sample of your blood." I told him, but he was still looking too stunned to understand me.

"You found a human?" He asked quietly and I got the impression he knew better, but I shook my head no and pulled my bag of medical supplies forward without speaking.

"Lilith told me you told her of the clans concerns when I was a hatchling." Demona spoke quietly and I found I couldn't look into his stunned expression as she spoke. I pulled the needle out and found his arm didn't resist as I held it and pushed the needle into his skin. "I was only a slow bloomer in one way Goliath. I always knew I liked females, but there were no females for me in the clan. I had no desire to leave my clan for a mate." I loaded the test tube and his red blood filled it quickly. There was too much silence and he wasn't moving much. I loaded another test tube as Demona spoke more softly. "Lilith is my miracle. That bastard made her to replace me, but she replaced him."

It was very hard to remain invisible while putting the blood samples in the bag, but even though this was about me, I could feel the unresolved issues between them. I pulled the needle out, but his jerking back almost made me slice his vein wide opened. He didn't even notice, he was staring at Demona.

I pulled it out the rest of the way carefully and he pulled his arm away after that more slowly. "So what we had was not real?" He spoke and I wished I wasn't here for this. She was my mate, but I could tell this was dangerous to us.

"It was real." Demona spoke and I didn't like the moment where her eyes looked at him with affection. "I did, foolishly, love you." Her hardening eyes comforted me and the affection being turned to me even as I was walking backward slowly to leave them to this talk helped even more. "But in the time before you and in the time since, I had always dreamed of a female lover."

I could see him looking at me as well, and I stopped backing up. He studied me. "Always my clones Demona?"

"She is far more than a clone of you." I felt my heart stop, and fill with love, at her words. She saw me, I could hear that, and I was so grateful. "Since this issue is resolved, I need to get back to the lab. My mate needs me." Demona spoke and turned toward the door I'd been trying to make it too subtly. Her wing caressed mine and her arm took mine, to guide me out the door. He didn't follow to watch me like he normally did.