Rise

Note: You might want to read "Forgiveness" before reading this. 

24th December, 3:20pm

Dominique Destine was not a happy shopper, she had known she shouldn't have left this until the last minute, she'd had two days to think about this.  The streets were busy.  Heavy-clothed humans stalked the streets window-shopping, jabbering, laughing and dropping coins in the cauldron beside an underweight Santa ringing a hand-bell.

She hated crowds, she didn't like having to shove past people to get where she wanted to go.  She had her mind on getting this one gift, but she didn't even know what the gift was. 

She'd been walking for four hours, with no sign of success, she didn't know what to get as a gift.  She'd never had to shop for gifts before. 

Music poured out of large shopping centres.  Cheerful merry little tunes with sleigh-bells and flutes and choirs.  Dominique tried so much to despise them, she'd spent around five Christmas's in New York, and she'd hated every one of them.  The first three she'd been unable to see things by day, but even then she'd hated the music, the cheerful people and so on.  The next two had been just as bad, except she'd been around at day too.

But now…

Now the sound of Mariah Carey and 'All I Want For Christmas' somehow warmed her heart, as much as Brooklyn's forgiveness had done two days ago.  His forgiving her had been the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her.

She would never forget that.  

In a way, being forgiven had inspired her to be cheerful – more than usual.  She found it unusual to be in such a good mood.  This morning, after changing from Gargoyle form to human, she'd found herself singing in the shower.  Something she didn't normally do.  Then, when she'd had breakfast at a restaurant near her company – Nightstone Unlimited – she'd actually had an interesting conversation with a woman who had a cosmetics business which was almost as famous as Chanel.    

Dominique frowned, shaking her head.  It is strange to feel good again, she thought, she stopped at a store window, and peered in, her turquoise eyes examining a beautiful white dress with a lacy breast and shoestring straps.  She wondered how she would look in it.  She realised she wouldn't have anywhere to wear the dress to.  It was an evening dress, and she was a Gargoyle by evening, and by then she wouldn't fit into something that looked so fine…

Hardly my style… she told herself.

She turned away and began looking around at the crowd.  I'm adapting and its terrifying, she thought, she smiled slightly, and tried to hide it.  Its nice to stop thinking about doing evil for a change, and just think about other things.  Like shopping for the perfect gift.

She was about to start off again, when she saw a colourful figure on the road, trying to dodge cars zooming by.  A child, probably about three or four, with masses of curly golden hair, and a red duffel-coat was screaming hysterically.

"Oh my God!" she cried, she put a hand to her heart, something about it suddenly made her heart stop, she didn't know what she was doing, until she was already on the road.  The Screeching of the cars increased, she somehow managed to grab the child without being hit by a car, and dash out of the way. She shoved the child on to the pavement, then she felt a sudden Whoosh as she felt herself glide over a car roof, and onto the glass, then she bumped onto the gritty road. 

She moaned lowly, her thigh and her shoulder had both hit the road hard, and were now throbbing badly.  She looked up to see the child's dumbstruck mother holding her daughter, and some passers by cheering her for her bravery.

What did I just do? She asked herself in thought leaning up.

Then it struck her.  She'd saved a life without reason.

The driver of the car that had hit her dashed over, knelt down and looked at her, placing her hand on her shoulder.  "Are you alright?" he asked loudly.  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you, I tried to swerve but…"

Dominique lifted her eyes to his, she blinked.  "Yes…I'm fine…"

There as an applause as she stood, whistling from the crowd who'd seen her save the three year old, the mother came over and thanked her personally. 

It felt good.

Night-time, 10:21pm

"I have a feeling this is going to be the best Christmas yet," Brooklyn smiled, he put a decorative bauble on the large Christmas tree in the centre of the grand hall of Castle Wyvern.  This tree was real, and the scent of it was very fresh and new, somehow, the tree's being real made Christmas seem more traditional.  The last Christmas the Gargoyles had spent had been at Elisa's apartment and her Christmas tree was small, a fake one that stood on the top of the television. 

            "I dunno," Broadway mumbled, reaching up to hang a popcorn string on the tree.  "I mean…it was really nice last year at Elisa's…"

"Yeah, but this year, we're celebrating it beside a real fire, and everyone is going to be here…"

Angela leaned over sideways and peered at Brooklyn through a couple of large bushy branches of the tree, her dark lashes blinking over her mahogany eyes.  "We didn't celebrate Christmas on Avalon, so this is all new to me," she admitted. 

Lexington was standing on a step-ladder – borrowed from the library – to decorate the top half of the huge Christmas tree.  "Well, as long as we're together it will be an alright Christmas," he said.

Broadway smiled.  "Yeah.  After all, it is a time of family."

Brooklyn glanced over at Angela, he could see the upset in her eyes when Broadway mentioned family.  Demona was Angela's mother, and Angela had yet to wonder if she would see her mother for the holidays.  "Cheer up, kid," Brooklyn patted her shoulder.

              Brooklyn was actually at peace with Demona, he'd made up with her two days ago, he'd forgiven, he'd offered to be her friend but Demona decided it would only cause havoc between them.  Still, it made Brooklyn feel guilty leaving her alone there, with no one to talk to, no one to be with.  Its her own fault, Brooklyn tried to tell himself in thought.  Demona buttered her bread, and now she has to lie in it.  She knows herself that if she hadn't rebelled against the clan, then she'd still be a part of us.

Angela went back to decorating the Christmas tree, humming along to "I'll be home for Christmas" from a CD Broadway had put in the hifi in the back of the hall.

Brooklyn sighed.  Angela's sad expression reminded him so much of Demona when she looked that way, she looked so much like Demona right now. 

If only there was some way I could cheer Angela up…

For moments Brooklyn considered something to cheer her up while they kept on putting decorations up and trimming the tree.  The music went on, and Angela's humming went on, and the four Gargoyles kept on as they were.

Brooklyn looked at them all.  "Tell you what, when we get finished, why don't we go to Central Park…it will be deserted by the time we've finished and we could make snow men or something…" it was the best he could come up with, to cheer Angela up.  He hoped by getting her mind off of things, that she'd smile genuinely again, and maybe it'd help alleviate her emotional pain for the time being.

"Good idea," Lex announced.  "We did that last year, it was really fun," he said.

            Broadway nodded eagerly.  His smile widening.

Angela looked at Brooklyn.  "But would it be wise to go out in such cold conditions?" she asked.  She didn't feel much like fooling around right now, especially when she couldn't spend her first real Christmas with the Gargoyle who'd made her life possible.  Spending it with her father was an asset to the holiday, but she'd been told it was a time of family, and how could that be when she couldn't spend it with Demona?

"Of course, we're used to it by now, and anyway, a little fun-time will do us all good, this weather makes us miserable," Brooklyn shrugged.  "Lets finish up the tree…"

Dominique Destine's Apartment, 10:30pm

Demona was indoors, and she wasn't happy about it.  Her shoulder and thigh throbbed continuously, and her head was pounding.  She'd finally managed to find something suitable as a gift, but she was convinced it wasn't perfect.  She wanted to wait until midnight before she took off to deliver her gift.

She found herself thinking about Brooklyn again.

I should have told him I wanted to come back, but how can I swallow my pride to say something like that?  Saying sorry was hard enough, Demona sipped at a glass of Scottish Whisky, it was warming her from the frightful cold in the apartment, she realised she should have had the heating fixed when she'd had the chance weeks ago, but she didn't think she could stand having a human wandering around the apartment.

Demona had been sitting trying to read, but it was difficult.  Her attentions kept returning to her damn bruises and her pain.  She'd been very courageous today, she was still asking herself why though.  She'd saved a little girl from being hit by a car, and she'd been feeling good about it all day. 

Brooklyn would be proud of me for this, she tried to tell herself, but she wondered if it were true.

Demona sighed.  It was a long while to midnight, but then, in that time she could try and finish her book, she sighed and turned on the radio by her chair on the little crooked table she'd bought cheap in a furniture store.  The radio immediately began to lull her into closing her eyes and listen to the words of a beautiful song that was playing on the radio.  She didn't care much for modern music, but this song was just something extraordinarily calming.  She listened to each word carefully, swaying to the soft tune.

I know that it's over

But I can't believe we're through

They say that times' a healer

And I'm better without you

It's gonna take time, I know, but I'll get over you

Look at my life, look at my heart

I have seen them fall apart

Now I'm ready to rise again

She got up, and slowly paced, the song kept playing on.  This is strange, for the first time in my life I'm smiling  again…

"I think I'm beginning to change, and although I don't really like the humans…I have to learn to accept them, I can't destroy an entire world…" she said to herself, as if speaking to herself offered some comfort in the otherwise empty apartment.

She looked at herself in the mirror, and touched her reflections face.  The song she'd listened to had proven true about how she felt about Goliath, but now…she realised it was definitely over, and she felt differently about him now, she felt stronger about someone else.

Brooklyn.

Central Park  - near Midnight.

Brooklyn felt the sudden slam in the face from a very solid snowball, he wiped the cold snow from his face, and turned to see Broadway grinning in a very Puck-like way, eyes glittering in a way they hadn't for a long time.

Central Park looked beautiful, even in the harshest of winters, the lake was frozen solid – solid enough to take the weight of the Gargoyles.

Angela skidded by on the icy lake, her hair flowing behind her, she slammed into Broadway and they both fell over laughing.

Brooklyn sat on the pier, keeping himself to himself while the others fooled around on the ice, and Bronx tried to walk on the ice and failed miserably, sliding along everywhere.

I haven't seen things like this for a while, Brooklyn decided, he felt the gentle snow flakes falling onto his bare shoulders, and remain there a few moments before melting into water and sliding down his arms. 

Brooklyn once again couldn't stop thinking about Demona.  He felt guilty about leaving her alone her.  This had been the exact spot they'd been two nights ago when she'd asked for forgiveness.  He wondered what she was doing now, and if she was even alright.  He sighed. 

He hoped so, something told him that she was beginning to regret her past decisions.  Maybe she was worthy of the clan again.  It would take some convincing Goliath of it, and Brooklyn wasn't so sure he was ready to believe it himself.  But the moment Demona had touched his hands two nights ago, the moments she'd held his hands in hers, he'd known she was capable of feelings, or regretting.  Her hands had been so warm…and this was strange coming from someone who'd previously given the impression of a heart of cold stone.

Then again, Brooklyn decided, tilting his head skywards, seeing the snow falling out of the misty sky.  Cold hands is supposed to equal a warm heart, so does that mean warm hands equal a cold heart?

He frowned at the thought of it.  It wasn't possible she was putting on an emotional scene the other night so she could get back with the clan, she'd seemed too hurt when he'd refused at first, and then the smile had been so…real, so beautiful.

Don't think like that, you may have forgiven her for what she did to you, but for what she did to this clan can't be forgiven ever…

Something white, by the trees caught Brooklyn's eyes, it had just passed by.  "I don't believe it," he muttered to himself.

            Standing hidden in the shadows, was a gargoyle.  He knew it was Demona by the way she was standing.  She stood casually, yet, there was something tense in the way she stood.  Brooklyn called over to Lex as Demona hid herself in the darkness un-noticeable from the others. 

Lex skidded over on the ice, trying desperately to keep his balance. "What?"

  "I'm just gonna go take a walk in the trees and stuff, I really need to answer the call of nature, I'll be back in five minutes…" Brooklyn lied and then he got up quickly, making his way into the trees.

Demona stood against a tree, her long red hair combed down smooth, unusual for her to look so neat, so groomed.  Usually, her long red hair was spiked and tousled, but now it was in gentle waves, and she was not wearing the golden crown she usually wore.   And she was donning a different attire, usually, she wore a loin-cloth and a tattered white top, but now, it was a white dress, lacy at the bust, with shoestring straps.

"I thought…you weren't…" Brooklyn found himself suddenly provoked by her appearance.  Why did she look this way?  She'd never bothered about her appearance before.

"I know I said that I would not bother your clan again, it was you I wanted to see," Demona said before he could finish. 

"Why would you want to see me, I forgave you, I thought that was it," Brooklyn said, they began walking further into the trees, to avoid being seen by the clan should they make their way into the thickets. 

Demona stopped, she smiled lightly.  "Would you believe for the first time in years I saved someone without a cause?"

"You're kidding?" Brooklyn asked, folding his arms.

"No…I saved a child this afternoon, I just stopped the car from hitting her…that's it…" Demona pulled her hand out from under her wing and held out a small velvet box.  "I brought this for you…"

"Huh?"

"It is a Christmas gift…" Demona answered, her turquoise eyes glittered happily, and she gave a soft gentle smile.

"Demona, this is…really weird, even for you…" Brooklyn held the box in the palm of his hand, looking at the red velvet. 

Demona sighed.  "You could say that something changed, Brooklyn…"

"What changed?"

"I did….for now anyway…I'm starting to see the error of my ways…" she motioned for him to open the present.

"Really?" Brooklyn opened the box, and he looked inside.  "Demona…." He uttered low under his breath.  What was there was a surprise.

"I…thought you might like it…"

It was a leather string necklace, with a pendant on it, he took the necklace out and held it up.  A silver dragon holding a glittering colourful crystal.  "I…don't know what to say…" he admitted, and he didn't.  He'd never been given  a gift like this before. 

Demona sat on a very low branch, folding her hands in her lap. 

"You…always liked dragon stories as a hatchling…do you remember?"
              Brooklyn tried to think.  "Vaguely…" he admitted.  "I can't believe you remember that…"

Demona's expression changed somewhat to a dreamy one, she smiled.  "I remember everything…" she admitted.  "Even to the first time you and I met…"

"I don't remember that…" Brooklyn sat down beside her.

Demona smiled.  "It was just about the time you and Broadway were facing your last training practices.  I remember it well because I'd only been at the castle for a while, but me and Goliath had already become good friends…"

Brooklyn turned to her.  "So how did we meet?"

Demona glanced.  "Can't you remember?"
            "No…" Brooklyn lowered his head, looking to the snow covered ground.
             "You were asked to fight Goliath…and I decided he got too rough so I cut in…the reason he picked me to be his second in command was because I was the only one who'd ever been able to beat him in a fight, and he thought I was as born to be a leader as he was…as you were…" Demona placed her hand on Brooklyn arm.  "Anyway, after the fight…I helped you up and—"
             Brooklyn raised his head.  "You helped me up, cleaned my wounds and told me the best way to stop Goliath…"

Demona smiled widely.  "You DO remember…"
            "Yeah…now that I go back on it," Brooklyn smiled.  "I can't believe you remember that though…it was over a thousand years ago…and you've been around so long…"

Demona looked at Brooklyn.  "Brooklyn…I didn't come here just to commemorate old times…" she sighed.  "I wanted to speak with you…privately again, to…ask if the offer of friendship was still open…"

            Brooklyn thought for a moment.  "I don't know…" he sighed.  "Can I trust you, can I trust you to stay away from the others and never hurt them?  Can I trust you not to kill them or me, can I trust you not to kill humans?"

            Demona seemed to think about it for some moments, then she nodded.  "Yes, I think I'm ready to make a change."

            "Then I'm ready to forgive – and forget – if you're ready for the burden of friendship…but one false move and you're on your own…" he reminded.

            "Thank you, Brooklyn…you…don't know what it means to me to know I have a true friend in this world…"

"I think I do," Brooklyn said.  "But I am warning you, Demona, if you ever try anything to hurt me or my clan, I will honestly kill you…"
            "I know," Demona smiled, she reached out and hugged him tightly, Brooklyn was surprised by the display off affection, but he slid his arms around her and hugged her back awkwardly.  He wondered what Goliath would say about this.

            Brooklyn sighed, and got up.  "I wish I had something to give you…"
            "Your friendship is more than enough…" Demona confessed.

            Brooklyn caped his wings over his shoulders.  "I have to go, the clan will wonder where I am…"

            Demona nodded.  "I understand."

            "Merry Christmas," Brooklyn said softly, then he stepped off.   He heard Demona call Merry Christmas back, and he smiled to himself.  "If I can get her to change for the better…just maybe things will work out from now on…" he told himself.