Venus's Return
By King Cobra3 (kingcobra49036@yahoo.com)

Author's Note: This is my response to the CCC challenge made by Kali Gargoyle.

Warning: Profanity

In everything we do in life, there comes a time when we are forced to choose. Occasionally fate will pop in a surprise for us. Sometimes it's pleasant, sometimes it isn't. But when these random moments of unexpected incidents occur, we must be prepared to deal with them. To ignore such a happening is to turn our backs on Fate, and that is unacceptable to the Laws of Nature...

On the bottom of the ocean, deep beneath the beaches and sand of the island on the surface, there was no life. The pressure point of the currents was so deep that even fish avoided the depths. There was also no evidence of anything out of the ordinary. No sign of any form on species existing in the waters. No ripples on the chlorine laced top to indicate anything moving far below.

But there was something below. Not alive, but a preservation of life. The stony shelled female gargress squatting motionless on the heavy sand. There was no breath. No movement. Nothing to prove that life dwelled within her. But it did. And her name was Venus.

Watching from somewhere far above, the guardian spirit observed the frightened looking female creature slumbering on the ocean floor, and he made up his mind. This was a creature of love and solitude resting in his domain, and the god of water was going to bring her back, for all the good she had done, giving her life to stop Demona when the evil flame headed winged wonder had uncovered the Medusa Device. In acting against her instincts to kill the Manhattan Clan, Venus realized that she had fallen in love with Goliath and when Demona had tried to turn her affection into stone forever, Venus had taken the sleep inducing laser herself. As a result, the lovely being known as Venus was sent to the bottom of the sea, perfectly preserved in ocean water. Closing his eyes, the Guardian spirit chanted silently, his lips moving in unison as though on their own.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Goliath.

The Clan.

The Medusa device.

Phobos.

Venus opened her eyes gasping. The visions of the last things she had seen before her sleep, which seemed to begin only two seconds ago, the confused hybrid glanced around, disoriented. Where WAS she? Then an even more important question dawned on her: what had happened? Then she remembered everything as the memories returned. Demona had cornered Goliath and attempted to put him to eternal stone rest, leaving Venus no choice but to intercede. As Venus recalled those last moments before her world had faded to black, she realized that she must have fallen into the sea.

Looking around, it seemed that was indeed where she was. Venus realized she couldn't breathe, and quickly flailed her arms and legs, swimming upwards until her dark tresses covered head broke out of the water, and Venus sat in the middle of the ocean, choking and coughing. For a while it seemed that she would never breathe. Then her deflated lungs started rising like a balloon getting Helium, and Venus sucked in mouthfuls of air. Ahhh, how refreshing! Venus laughed in excitement and relief. She didn't know how long she had been out, but to her lungs, it felt like it must've been a long time.

Spotting the shoreline 200 yards away, the brazen hybrid genetically enhanced Gargoyle paddled for shore. When she washed up onto the beach, Venus flung her sopping hair behind her shoulder with a flick of her hand, and gazed around. Where were Goliath, Demona, and the others? She felt a little afraid for the safety of her love and his clan. Then it hit her. Of course.

They must have gone to Manhattan!

Then that's where she would go.

But how to get there?

Peering to her left, Venus spotted the large gas station that sat atop the cliff in the distance. Maybe she could go there and get a map. Maybe she'd get directions to her destination. Either way, Venus knew (hoped) that this Clark Station would be her ticket to finding her mate Goliath again. Venus ran to the nearest cliff wall, and digging her claws into the rough stone, began to climb up. Once she was at the top, the newly reborn creature glided in the direction of the gas station.

A half hour later, she was flapping high above the ocean, eyes steely and determined. The man who had been working at the station had been frightened when she appeared in the store and tried to get his gun to shoot her. The enraged Venus had snatched the man's arm and threw the gun away before politely but pointedly asking for a map. Once he gave it to her, she had flown off, leaving him to sigh in relief.

Now here she was, headed in the direction of California. Once there, she would find something to hide her wings. Maybe a jacket or something, and then she would hop onto a bus to go from town to town, checking into hotels throughout to spend her stone rest in her room until the sun went down. Then, once she was awakened, Venus would keep moving. The ingenious beauty had her road trip all planned out. She would get her money for fare from finding different jobs for people, always keeping her wings covered, of course.

It was so nice and easy.

She'd be there in no time. And then they would be together again.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

3 nights later...

Walking to the parapets, watching the last of the sun slip into the darkness of night, Elisa almost smiled as her ears picked up the familiar sound of Gargoyles roaring and coming to life. Doing so was a nightly habit, and the policewoman never missed a moment of it. Goliath saw her and his face split into a toothy grin that briefly reminded Elisa of a grinning Jack-O-Lantern. "Hey, Big Guy." Elisa responded serenely before going into her lover's outstretched arms and hugging him gently. The others tried not to notice, but held knowing smirks on their faces. The couple madly in love with each other paid the clan no attention, gazing at each other instead.

"How is your job?" Goliath rumbled gently, a purring sound emitting in his massive throat. Elisa shrugged. "The same story every night. We catch the bad guys, and then we do paperwork that costs us - me - sleep." Elisa yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. "I need to get more sleep." Goliath looked at her, and smiled. "Do you wish for me to escort you to your apartment?" he wanted to know. Elisa started to decline, to say that she could just drive herself home, but then thought better of it. What if she fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into the side of a semi? Elisa decided she'd rather leave her vehicle parked outdoors then risk getting herself killed.

"Okay."

Goliath picked his love up in his arms, and flew off, leaving his daughters and her suitors, plus Lexington, Bronx, and Hudson, to go about their activities. Lexington flew off to see a computer expo, Bronx and Hudson went inside to watch a TV crime movie with Broadway and Angela, and Brooklyn decided to check out the Metallica concert in Central Park. Everyone was having a slow night. For once, the entire state of New York was having a crime free evening and the clan was spending it by having fun. There were no patrols issued for that evening, which suited the clan fine. They needed some R & R.

Landing down gently on the balcony, Goliath set Elisa down, and gazed into her face. Elisa smiled up at him warmly. "Do you want to come inside and talk?" She suggested. "We could have dinner, maybe talk things out a little." For the first time in his life as a warrior, Goliath felt uncomfortable. "I had best not. The Clan will be expecting me back." Elisa slumped. "Okay..."

Goliath cupped Elisa's chin. "Fear not. I will return to have a lovely meal and conversation with you. You have my solemn vow." Elisa grinned radiantly. Goliath flew off, thoughts of arousal over the policewoman flowing through his thoughts. What was going on? After Demona, Goliath had sworn to himself that he would never have a mate again. But now he couldn't stop seeing Elisa in his mind, and it was making his heart pound.

Could it be that he was in love with her?

He had feelings for her, sure, but it had never accosted him before. It had never made him question his regards for the beautiful arm of the law, until now. Did he like her as a friend? Or more? What's more, how did she feel about him?

He suddenly needed to stop and think.

Swooping down onto the roof nearby, Goliath sat on the edge, his purple massive legs and feet dangling over the edge, eyes clouding in confusion. How much did he really like Elisa? Was what he was feeling now love? Or was it angst for not having a mate in so long? It had been such a long time that Goliath did not even know what love felt like anymore. It was almost blocked from his memory, simply a shadow that had long since faded away. Ever since they had first met, Goliath had tried to bring up the discussion of his affections for Elisa more then once only to be silenced either by Elisa's unspoken rejection or the rising of the sleep inducing sunlight. There was a time for everything, and Goliath realized he had waited long enough. Even if she turned him down, the bronzed gargoyle knew he had to let her know right away how he felt, and he headed back towards her place, wings flaring against the how of the wind. It was a bad night for a gargoyle, with the altitude making it difficult and bothersome for flight. How Goliath even made it there, he did not know. Perhaps some odd stroke of luck. Or maybe he had managed to defy the wind, which might have died down to allow him access to the balcony. Goliath had been so subdued by Elisa Maza's seductive charm; he had not paid any attention to the goings-on around him.

Swooping down, Goliath rapped on the glass panel of the skylight gently with his knuckles. "Coming," he heard a voice say somewhere inside, and then the velvet curtains opened, revealing to Goliath his possible mate in her white pajamas. "Oh, hey, Big Guy." Elisa greeted, opening the window for Goliath to enter. He did. "I was just taking a quick nap before we had dinner. Why are you here? I thought you wanted to see the Clan for a while."

"I wish to speak with you," the overgrown muscular gargoyle informed diligently. "Okay, what's up?" Elisa asked coolly, wrapping her jet-black hair in a bun. "I...needed to speak with you about our position," Goliath revealed hesitantly. "Our...position? What?" Elisa gave Goliath a strange look. He sighed. "Our positions as friends. I need to know. Do you like where we are, or would you prefer for us to move past it, to a place where my love for you can run free?" Elisa let it all sink in, then rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Oh, god, Goliath, I was afraid you'd bring this up eventually." She paused. "look, I love you too, Big Guy, and you know that..." Goliath's eyes lit up. "...But you also must know that as long as the public fears you and the others, any opportunities to be with you would put my career in jeopardy." Goliath's shoulders slumped. Not this. He didn't want to be hearing this. Elisa continued obliviously. "I can't think of just myself. What would happen to Mom and Dad, Beth and Derrick if it was to be discovered that one of their family members was involved with a Gargoyle? I can't allow that to happen to them. Being your mate would put both us and our loved ones at risk. I'm sorry."

Without a word, visibly upset, Goliath simply turned and left, leaping off the balcony wall and gliding away towards the clock tower. Elisa turned her back on the open skylight window, her arms wrapped around herself as though she were cold. In actuality, she felt as though her heart had stopped beating. She hated to cause pain on Goliath, and she wanted desperately to be his. But it was not meant to be. They both came from different worlds. They had similar missions in life to protect, but Goliath was not a human. He was from Manhattan. He was always in danger from Demona, and Macbeth, and others. She had lied to him for this reason. She had told him that she couldn't be his mate to protect her family, but that was not the real reason. The real reason was because she was afraid. Afraid of their children being killed, afraid of him being killed, and of herself being killed. So while she was thinking these thoughts, she did not pay attention to the heart broken gargoyle flying off.

Nor did she notice the dark haired female shape fly after him.

To be Continued?

Only your responses can answer that question.

King Cobra3 (kingcobra49036@yahoo.com)