What's worth the price
is always worth the fight

Dante was out the door with a faint 'sure' so fast that I thought he'd teleported. Vergil got out as well and circled the car before sliding into the drivers seat with a heavy sigh. I watched Dante wander off a bit.

"I think he hates me more for what I tried to do than you do," I said quietly.

"Hate is a strong word," Vergil said and turned to hand me bottled water.

"It's a strong feeling, too," I said and took the bottle from him.

"I dealt with the people responsible. It doesn't change anything, but knowing that scum has been wiped off the face of the earth is as close to peace as any of us will get."

I narrowed my eyes at him and shook my head. "Really? You mean you went to the clinic and killed all the nurses and doctors there, too?"

"I did," Vergil said, taking a sip of his own water.

I stared at him in shock. "Are you psychotic?"

"Hardly," Vergil said, watching Dante with a frown before he finally - finally - looked me in the eye. "Whatever they gave you at the clinic had a compound of salt and iron."

He was watching me, waiting to catch on, but I couldn't. "Sooooo?"

"That's the demon equivalent of a saline abortion, Cora."

"So?" The expression in his eyes was making me want to cry. "What's it matter now? It didn't hurt Karla."

"No, it didn't hurt Karla." He wanted to say more, but turned to tap the car's hooter instead. Dante stopped pacing about in the dust and slowly dragged himself back to the car. "I've told you before, everything I've ever done was to keep you safe. That hasn't changed. If you want to live, we have to split up."

I hesitated. "How would that work?"

"We'll meet at a designated place at a designated time, discuss where we stand, and set a time and place for the next meeting. Until they call off the hunt."

"That could take ages."

"Probably."

"If ever."

"They called off the hunt for Sparda and Eva before, they'll do the same again."

I took a long sip of my water when Dante slumped into the passenger seat and slammed his door shut. We were on the move again, and I regretted not having taken the chance to stretch my legs. There was a brief conversation - Vergil filled Dante in on which plan of action we were going to take. Dante said nothing, broodingly keeping his face turned toward the window. The rest of the drive was quiet, which was good because I needed silence to make up my mind about what I was going to do without having their opinions sway me.

The only time the silence was broken was when I asked one vital question that would either make or break my plan.

"Are they following us?"

"I don't know if they've caught onto our scent yet," Vergil said.

"No," Dante said. "I've left some decoys and booby-traps back in Prosperity. By the time they realize I've been messing with them, our scent should be untraceable."

"Good thinking," Vergil said with an approving glance at him.

Dante shrugged it off.

It was just after noon when we spotted a small town looming on the wavy horizon. We pulled in at the first gas station we came across. This time Vergil put the fuel in. I tapped Dante on the shoulder lightly.

"Got some cash on you? I want to go get some more snacks."

"Oh, now you're cool with it?" Dante grumbled, rummaging in the cabby and pulling wads of paper money out. "I'll go. Do you want anything specific?"

"I don't mind going. I need to stretch my legs and use the ladies room," I said, holding my hand out.

"Okay, fine," Dante said, shoving the fistful of cash into my hand.

"Thanks," I said and headed for the store. It was refreshingly cool inside, and I turned my face away from the camera mounted against the ceiling. I went over to the counter and spread the dollar bills out on it. "We're in that grey car over there," I said to the cashier.

He rung up the bill and I counted what I had left. Forty bucks. Wouldn't get me far but it was better than nothing. I slipped one of the local tourist maps into my sling just as Vergil came in through the automated doors.

"I've already paid," I said as I brushed past him toward the toilet sign.

Once I was in the ladies room, I unfolded the map over the sink and tried to locate where I was, and what my options were. The town was too small. Even if I tried to hide, they'd find me. The next town was eleven kilometers away. That was a two hour walk through the desert. I could go through the mountains, take the route that they couldn't follow in the car. When they realize I've taken off, they'd turn this town upside down, and then the next. And then, hopefully, the next. They'd be long gone before I even get to it.

I had no idea how long it would take me to get to the next town if I went through the mountains. I need to act now, before they become suspicious that I'm taking too long. I peeked my head out the toilet door and glanced down the short corridor. There was the sign for the men's toilet, and the door leading back into the store - and dead ahead was a fire exit.

I went for it. How I was going to hike or climb through a mountain range, I had no idea. I could hardly use my broken arm. They wouldn't suspect me to go this route. It was the perfect escape plan, except of course that my arm was broken. I stepped out into the hot, arid air, and carefully followed the map toward the wilderness, making sure I avoided the main roads. I cut through parking lots, went down alleys, walked through a mall, and tried to run across a stretch of desert toward the mountains. The town was small, so I'm pretty sure they didn't start worrying until I had mastered the first hill and found myself lost between canyons and sand.

I should have brought water with me. The sun beat down hard on me - five minutes felt like hours in that scorching heat. I stopped a few times to attempt to track myself on the map, and after an excruciating painful hike up a very steep hill, I discovered a path along the mountain that was used by sheep. Or goats. Who the hell knew. It was a trodden out path that I could follow with ease. The shrubs around me became bountiful as I walked, and trees started sprouting from the ground, first scattered, then clustered closer together. I turned a corner and stopped to stare at a lush green forest spread out before me.

The track was still bumpy and uneven, but it became more defined as I made my way across flattened undergrowth. The enormous ferns and tall trees offered soothing shelter from the sun and I eventually took a break on a fallen tree trunk. I thought I could hear water. I almost thought I could smell it, too. And voices.

But I was still too far away from the next town to be hearing people. I heard a shout, and bolted from my spot. I was running blind, going off the track and weaving through bushes and smaller trees. The voices didn't sound familiar, but I didn't want to risk it being them.

I broke free of the thick shrubbery and came to a confused, stumbling halt in a meadow spotted with picnic benches and people playing with a frisbee. I slowed my pace, looking around dazedly. I'd taken well over two hours, because the sun was sitting dangerously low in the sky. There were so many people around - in the middle of the mountain range? I took out the map and struggled to get it open.

There was nothing. It ought to have been nothing until I reached town. I scanned the surrounding map from the trail I thought I was on, and groaned inwardly. I'd somehow along the way stopped going east and going north instead. I was way off from where I originally thought I was. The lodge was further up the ranges. I debated continuing on my way, but thought I'd rather spend the night there. It'd be safer. If I'd missed it on the map before, hopefully the brothers would as well.

I headed into the reception lobby, knowing I looked terrible - I hadn't had a change of clothes since the day before, and I was pretty sure I still smelled like pepperoni. There was a blonde woman behind the counter wearing a leopard-print low V neck and gold hoop earrings the size of bracelets. I sauntered up to the counter nervously.

"Hey," I said.

"Hi there, how can I be of service?" The woman asked with a huge, fake smile and a too-friendly tone.

I blinked, and did a double take. Oh my... "Um...I was... hoping to get a room for the night," I stammered, staring. I was tired. Dehydrated. Crazy. I was seeing things.

"Suuuure, what room were you after?"

I tried not to make it obvious that I was staring. "Uh, whatever room you've got available."

I peeked over the counter as she typed away on her computer, trying to look for a name tag, and found none. Don't be stupid, Cora. Just get a room and chill out.

"We have a few studios available, some self-sustaining cottages, too."

"Any of those cost forty bucks?"

The woman's smile grew wider. My fucking word, I knew that smile anywhere. "I'm sorry, ma'am, our cheapest room goes for eighty a night. I'm sure you can find accommodation to suit your budget in town."

"Could you make an exception?" I asked.

"No, I couldn't. I can get you a list of other lodges, though. Hang on a minute." She rummaged about her desk for a few minutes, and flashed that fake smile at me again. "One moment, ma'am."

She went to a door behind her desk, her high heels clicking across the floorboards, and knocked lightly on it before peeking her head inside. I scanned her desk, looking for anything that had a name on it.

"...can't seem to find it," the woman was saying.

"It should be here somewhere." A tall, lean man with a goatee and cropped dark hair came through the door. He glanced at me briefly before moving things about the desk in search. I'd recognize those blue pots of heaven anywhere.

I was still trying to wrap my head around this. That was, undoubtedly, Roman. And the woman - nobody could fake a smile like that but Lorry.

"Found it," Roman said, pulling a thick book from underneath a folder.

"Thanks, honey," Lorry said with a sigh, and started to sit down again.

"Whoa. Congratulations," I said, noticing their matching rings then.

Lorry clearly thought I was referring to Roman, who had stopped to look at me in confusion.

"Thanks," she smiled. "Now, I can write down a few places for you and call a cab for you..."

"A cab? There's a road up here?" I asked, casting a nervous look over my shoulder.

"Of course, isn't that the way you came?" Lorry asked, surprised.

I stared back at her, chewing my lip. Maybe it was a bad idea to stay overnight. What if the brothers came looking for me here? If there was a road coming up here, there were bound to be signs.

"Yeah...you know what, give me that list. A cab would be great. Like, asap."

"Of course," Lorry said again, scribbling down some addresses while she picked up the phone and cradled it between her shoulder and ear.

Roman took the phone from her suddenly and replaced it. He stared at me hard for a minute, dissecting my face just as I had Lorry's moments before.

"Cora?"

If I pretended not to recognize them, would it get me out of there faster?

"Where the hell did you- Lorry, forget it, love - where did you come from? Do you know Dante was here looking for you not long ago?"

"He was here?" I exhaled in surprise. They were more thorough and faster than I'd predicted.

"You look like you've been through a war."

"I kinda have," I said uneasily. "What did he say?"

"Nothing. He just asked if I've seen you and to call him if-"

"Don't," I interrupted, shaking my finger at him. "Don't call him."

"Why not?" Roman asked, eyeing my sling. "Did he do that to you?"

"If I said yes, would you still call him?"

"Cora," Roman shook his head at me. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. I just need a place to crash tonight. I'll be out of your hair by morning."

We stared at each other for a long moment before he turned and took a set of keys off the backboard. "Fine. Our restaurant is through that set of doors over there," he pointed to a pair of French doors just past the lobby. "And this is studio 8. "

I took the keys he held out to me. "Thanks, Roman."

"Don't thank me yet."

"Honey, that's our spare-" Lorry started.

"That's alright, love. To get to the studios, when you go out the lobby just follow the footpath right. You'll pass the pool and spa on your way. At the roundabout, go left. Your studio's got one of the best views," Roman said.

"Okay. I'll be gone early tomorrow, I promise."

"And don't lose my spare keys."

"I won't. Thank you guys,"

I hurried from the lobby before they could change their minds, and followed his directions as best I could. It wasn't that hard to find, thankfully. I was contemplating ringing the lobby from the studio and asking Lorry if she had spare clothes when I unlocked the door. I stepped inside and carefully hung the spare keys up on the metal key rack - and then it hit me. Spare keys.

Why would he give me-

I caught sight of the royal blue coat hanging over the back of a chair at a small round dining table a second too late. I spun back to the door and wrenched it open. It slammed shut again with just as much force as I'd used to open it, and I cringed when I saw his hand pressed against the wood just to the side of my head. Crap. There goes my plan.

I pursed my lips and slowly turned around. I stared down at his brown boots, waiting to be berated and scorned for running off. I glanced up when I heard keys jingling, and frowned when he locked the door before tossing the keys carelessly onto the table. He lifted my chin firmly with his fingers.

His eyes were smoldering blue embers. "Are you going to give me trouble?"

I shook my head mutely.

"Good," he smiled at me before moving away.

I watched him stalk over to a couch and plunk himself down onto it with a deep breath. I glanced around nervously and walked over to him. "Where's Dante?"

"You know all the effort you put into trying to get away from me doesn't pay off. It never does."

"I wasn't trying to get away from just you," I said harshly. "Where's Dante?"

"I'm not sure," Vergil said coolly.

I briefly glanced at the large, glass paneled wall overlooking forest and coast alike. "What do you mean you're not sure?"

"We'll be meeting up again in a fortnight in Prosperity," Vergil looked up at me. His voice was smooth ice, and I got the vague impression that his temper was near breaking point. His entire posture was rigid as though he was very uncomfortable with my presence. But his eyes - they spoke a completely different story. "Whoever found you would disclose the information to you so you can be there as well."

I walked to the single couch and perched awkwardly on the edge. "So you didn't actually go looking for me?"

"No, I left that to Dante."

"Yet here we are."

"With the difference that I didn't go out of my way to find you," Vergil said, watching me intently. He sighed into the silence that followed. "I won't bother asking why you did what you did. I'm fairly sure I can guess. You do know that you could have hurt yourself, don't you?"

I stared back at him, stumped. "So?"

"You could have fallen. You could have broken your neck. You could have gotten stuck in a fissure. You could have been bit by a rattlesnake..."

"There weren't any snakes," I interrupted, confused. Where was he coming from with all of this?

"Weren't there?" he said it as a statement and rolled up the sleeve of his dark dress shirt. I hesitated when he held his arm out to me, and I cautiously leaned forward to see dried blood around his wrist. There was no wound, but then it'd probably healed a while ago.

"What happened?" I asked, wanting to touch his skin just to make sure there really were no wounds.

"I protected you."

I gritted my teeth and looked at him in dismay. "You followed me again? How did you even know I was leaving?"

"It was written all over your face, Cora," he said flatly.

"How am I supposed to accomplish anything with you always one step ahead of me?" I snapped. "Maybe you should just back off, Vergil."

"Had I done that, you never would have made it here," Vergil said icily.

"So? I'd take death by snake bite over Mundus finding me, any day."

"Cora..."

I leaned back when he moved forward, and held up my hand. "You're smothering me."

His fingers circled my wrist and held my arm captive, and we glared at one another. My heart did a back flip when he suddenly let go and pressed his palm against mine instead, and his long, slender fingers slotted between my own. I wasn't sure whether to try hit him with my arm's casket or run. The dejected look in his eye put me on edge.

"Perhaps if you would stop defying me and work with me instead, there would be no need for me to shadow you all the time."

"Work with you? I don't think I can," I said. He lifted an incredulous eyebrow, and the threads holding me together slowly came undone, one by one.

"I beg to differ," he said, gazing at me thoughtfully. "We would work very well together, you and I."

I tried to pull my hand free and stopped when he tightened his hold. "I don't trust you."

"Then the feeling is mutual," Vergil smirked.

"You took advantage of me. That's unforgivable," I said, feeling sick just saying it out loud.

"And you killed a part of my soul," he said, tilting his head patiently. "That's unforgivable."

"You mean your stupid doppelganger?" I fired back. "I didn't kill it."

"I'm not talking about my doppelganger," Vergil said with a shake of his head.

"Then what the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about our son." He was terrifying right that moment; in the way he was holding my hand, how close he was sitting to me, the way he seemed to be fighting between ripping me apart or pitying me. I knew that gleam in his eye. I'd seen Dante get it, when the battle got tough and he was getting hit faster than he could shoot. A deep inner fury ready to unleash itself in violent vigor. It took me a long moment for the words to sink in.

"You wanted to hit me where it would hurt most, and you succeeded," he said softly, and slowly traced his fingertips over the back of my hand. "You were... not quite yourself. You were confused, and afraid. The demon in you was angry and naturally thirsted for blood..."

I tried to pull my hand away weakly, and stared at him in denial. I didn't want him to touch me. I didn't want to face him right that moment. "Why don't I remember this?" I gasped out shakily.

He cupped his hand over mine and looked at me grimly.

"Did you... but no...I should remember this. I got my memories back. Why don't I remember?"

"I don't know," he said finally. He brought my hand to his lips, and I wanted to cut it off right then. Killer hands. I had killer hands. I killed a helpless innocent - but wasn't that what I'd wanted? That part of my mind wasn't under lock and key - I wanted to send the aborted baby to him. I can even remember the gleeful euphoria I'd had at the idea. Now all it did was break my heart.

"I have forgiven you the unforgivable," Vergil said, bringing me out of my thoughts. "You can do the same and make things far less complicated for both of us."

*bounce bounce bounce* I luffles Dante! :D