Disclaimer: I don't own Legacy of Kain or any other identifiable pop culture references.
Jennifer rose early the next morning. Raziel was aware of her sleeping habits, and knew that it was strange for her to be awake at this hour.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"I was just dreaming badly," Jennifer said, sipping at a cup of coffee. "Sometimes I become convinced that my nightmares are real and can actually hurt me. I kept jarring awake, and it's not worth it to try and stay asleep when that happens."
"Your fears may not be unfounded," Raziel said gravely. "He likes being a vampire."
"What are you going to do, then?" Jennifer asked.
"I don't know," Raziel said. "I still don't want to kill him, but he is dangerous. I certainly don't want him here; he might decide to go after you."
Jennifer pursed her lips in thought. She knew that she couldn't keep defending herself if Azrael was determined to hurt her; she would eventually make some fatal slip. "Maybe it's time to ask for some advice?" She finally suggested.
Raziel nodded soberly and dialed Janos' number. He was glad that one of Janos' acquaintances had given him a cell phone; it meant that Raziel didn't have to leave Jennifer alone with his bloodthirsty twin. Raziel briefly described his predicament.
"Perhaps it is best if I take him in," Janos answered. "I think that with a bit of time, I could set him straight."
When Janos came to take Azrael back to his tower, Raziel asked him, "Are you sure that this is a good idea?"
"Are you concerned for my safety, Raziel?" Janos asked, chuckling slightly. "I fear that you underestimate me."
Raziel had to remind himself that Janos was far more capable than he appeared. Furthermore, Azrael did not seem to have the slightest interest in attacking Janos. It was weird, but Azrael instead seemed to be in awe of the ancient vampire.
Later, Raziel was still pensive. He stood on the balcony, staring into his own thoughts.
"Come on, Raziel, you need to relax," Jennifer said.
"I don't need to do anything," Raziel said, mocking a haughty tone.
"Nope, you don't," Jennifer said, picking up on Raziel's very weird mood, and knowing that any argument would only lead to more arguing.
After a long silence, Jennifer asked, "So, are you willing to relax?"
Raziel snickered against his chest, "You're not going to give up, are you?"
"Not this time," Jennifer said smugly. "I've got just the thing."
After a quick trip to the import store for picnic supplies, Jennifer and Raziel got off the bus at the local arboretum.
"Is this the sort of tree museum that song was about?" Raziel asked.
"Who knows? Songwriters are strange people." Jennifer giggled as she slipped their entrance fee into the collection box.
The pair picked a random path and began walking. Raziel jumped as something small went crashing through the bushes.
"Relax, Raziel," Jennifer said, "You're the most dangerous creature here, and I count as the second."
Raziel stared intently at the spot where he had heard the noise. "There's so much life here it's hard to believe. It's so much different than the world I lived in."
They came out of the forest and stared out over a meadow. Small birds and insects flew over the tall grasses and wildflowers. Jennifer stared with a newfound appreciation that was encouraged by Raziel's reflections on a dead world. The two settled in the shade at the edge of the meadow and began nibbling at the food that Jennifer brought.
"It's amazing how experiences can change a person," Raziel mused as he patiently waited for a wasp to finish taking a bite out of his sandwich.
"What are you talking about?" Jennifer asked cheerfully, well aware that Raziel could be talking about almost anything.
"I kind of regret killing my brothers," Raziel said casually. "We weren't exactly what you'd call close, but we did have each other's respect." He paused a moment, remembering. "At least we did at first."
Jennifer laced her arm around Raziel's shoulders, careful to stay clear of his wings. "How do you feel about Azrael?"
"We aren't the same person anymore," Raziel said. "I don't know exactly what to make of him now."
"He's family," Jennifer said, letting in the subtle hint that it was only a suggestion.
"As long as I don't have to kill him," Raziel said.
Suddenly, Raziel noticed a flash of silver in Jennifer's dark hair. He stroked his fingers along her scalp and found several light strands. "You're going gray," he remarked.
Jennifer batted his hand away and said, "I've been getting those since I was fourteen," she said in reproach. "I'll get about a dozen of them at a time, but they fall out easier than the rest."
"Still, you're growing old," Raziel said. "I don't know for sure, but I probably won't."
"It's either grow old or die young," Jennifer said fatalistically.
Raziel turned away sadly, "I don't want that to happen."
"Raziel, you can drag me into darkness if you cannot bear it alone," Jennifer said, knowing that he no longer had the power to make vampires, but would have to ask another to do it for him.
Raziel knew what she meant, but he said, "I couldn't. I would rather follow you into oblivion."
They both sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the sun set over the meadow. Somehow, they knew, everything was going to be all right.
A/N: And they lived happily ever after.
Let's see, lose ends…Kain is still wandering around, (there are enough 'Kain mysteriously showing up in a fan kid's home' stories floating around to account for his presence,) and he does hear about Azrael's situation. Janos does manage to hold onto Azrael, (gotta love ward-gates that keep people from leaving,) but I don't yet know what's going to come out of that situation. As for Janos' friends… I think I could do a "Random Adventures in the Razzy Plush Reality," being as I left some nice big gaps of missing time, though I'm not promising anything.
Okay, final review acknowledgements and explanations.
A lot of you seemed to be worried that I was just going to abandon this without finding a stopping point. As it is, I've decided to find a place to land and take care of the other twists in a sequel. Though the problem is that I've got to get a stopped story going again. I had some trouble getting it running, but I'll post it once I'm sure I can keep it spinning and find a title for it. If I can't get it stabilized, then this is the end.
Tom T. Thomson: Thanks for adding your voice to the opinion.
Abbil: I'm honored to be on your list.
Rose Likes Chicken: Thanks for the compliment.
Lunatic Pandora: I value your observations. I do think about what you say, even when I stick with my first instincts.
Phoenix: Thanks for the encouragement.
Sephiroth Hates You: Wow, sugar makes you hyper.
Za: You're not always wrong, just sometimes. You identify the most predictable path, but I'm trying to stay away from it. That and sometimes I go in a different direction just to spite you. (I'm kidding.) Btw, Jennifer never had control over Azrael; it's just that she's always in the company of someone who's more powerful than him.
Varewulf: Your comments have always been the most thought provoking for some reason. There's too much to reply to here, especially since I think the story might've eventually answered most of your questions. I do think it would be a good exercise for you to try a calm moment if you don't normally do that.