Danielle made the living room just as the clan was waking. As she moved through, a detour and a quick kiss to Hudson's check had her smile growing. "Good ta have ya home, lass."

Nodding, she exchanged smiles with the rest of her family, and turned towards the battlements. Once outside, she found Brooklyn where she'd expected to, crouched on the wall. He seemed lost in thought, and she could see the slight shutter of his shoulders. "Brook?"

He stood, turning in her direction. His expression softened as she reached him and pulled him down to stand in front of her by the hand. "Danni I…"

She didn't give a chance to finish, rushing forward to crush her body against him, her arms encircling his waist. "Just hold me for a minute."

He found himself unable to deny her request, he simply didn't want to. Hesitating only a moment, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and began running his talons through the top of her hair. "I wasn't going for booze tonight."

She leaned back, tears in her blue eyes and smiled. "No, you're not. You're going to come in, have a good meal, and start getting your body and mind healthy again."

He nodded. "How long are you here?"

Knowing the answer could set him off again, Danni hesitated. "Just tonight. I need to make a call and arrange a flight back for in the morning."

His body went rigid, and she could see the hurt in his eyes. "I see." He stepped back, forcing her to release him. "Well thanks for coming by Dani, it's always fun."

Despite her own emotions screaming at the loss of contact she knew better than to touch him again. Instead she sat down on the battlement wall and met his stare. "You think that's what the last twenty-four hours has been for me, fun?"

He crossed his arms, staring her down. "Well you sure as hell haven't proven anything else. You're gone, don't hardly call, only home once in a year and then here you come in concerned about me for less for less than two whole days? Let's break out the party plates so Danielle can feel good about herself!"

That stung, but he wasn't completely wrong. Still she wouldn't escalate this fight, she crossed her arms with a sigh. "You're right, I've been a terrible clanmate and a worse friend. When Hudson's call finally reached me, I didn't waste time trying to free up a month, forgive me."

Brooklyn's shoulders fell, he realized how nasty this had already become. He turned away, taking several steps. "You don't need to worry about me, Dani."

She stood and matched his pace but still resisted the urge to touch him. "Everyone is worried about you."

He scoffed. "Yeah."

Angry now, more than she was going to allow, she moved in front of him. "You're going to kill yourself!"

He shrugged and tried to pull of an imposing smirk but failed. "It's just a little booze."

"It's not 'a little booze' when it affects you!"

"Everyone gets drunk, it's not a crime unless you're on the street."

"You have gone out, you don't know your own limit!"

He smirked again. "Thankfully I have a built-in hangover cure. I'm fine now, and I've been fine every night as soon as I wake."

A tear slipped down her right check. "After dusk isn't what worries me." She reached out, catching his arm. "What if someone catches you or you simply don't get back here at all? Anyone who hates gargoyles could find you during the day."

He shook his head and removed her hand but didn't release it. "I'm a big gargoyle Dani. I can take care of myself."

"Really, cause you look healthy."

"That's not your concern."

"Isn't it? I'm your clanmate, am I not? Should I not worry about all of you?"

"I don't need your pity."

She sighed, more tears falling, and removed her hand. "Do you really believe that's why I'm here? Do you think I kissed you out of pity, or obligation?"

He shrugged. "You could have fooled me."

She laughed, sadly. "I've never done anything out of pity. Not being here, not kissing you, not risking my career to rush to the side of a jackass of a gargoyle who can see the truth two feet from his feet!" Her free arm pointed out the discarded bottle sitting just behind them.

His eyes glowed bright and a growl emerged in his tone as her hand was released. "The truth?! You want to talk about the truth Danni?! Fine! Has it crossed your mind that your career played its part in all this? That your caree…"

"Everyday." That caught him by surprise. "I think about how my career changed my life, our lives nearly every day. And I've come to realize something Brooklyn." He remained silent, staring. "Yes, my career came between us, but you never once asked me to stay."

He sighed. "I have nothing to offer you, Danni."

She laughed, heartbrokenly. "You could have offered me the only thing that matters. I'd come to realize that what we were giving each other on those nights in the library were the only things I could ever want. I thought it was all you could ever want. Instead, you got jealous of what you thought I wanted from a human man and insisted I go after this promotion. You set your sights on a gargoyle mate before I'd even left!"

"Danni, I…" He reached out, brushing a loose group of hair from her face but she retracted from him.

"Forget it! I came because I cared, and Hudson was worried. He hoped I could snap you of this, but all we've done here is run circles around the past mistakes we've made, and I can't continue to place blame on one or the other of us. We're both to blame." She sighed. "I hope you get the help you need from someone someday, but I've done all that I can." Without waiting for him to reply she turned and ran from him, back into the castle.

He watched her go, feeling every bit as lost as he had the night she'd kissed him on her balcony. For the first time in months, he sat down and wept.