~ You can Run, but you can't Hide ~

Chick-a-tee-in-ur-face

Disclaimer: SM does not belong to me.

Chapter 2: Losses!


"Oh Melvin!" a shrill voice exclaimed. "It's beautiful."

Smiling, Melvin replied "Only for you, my dear sweet Molly."

"It must have cost you a fortune."

"And it was worth it."

Melvin took the Brooch out of its velvet box and pinned it on the pocket just above Molly's heart. The brooch was a heart shaped gold pin with an arrow of amethyst crystal set in the centre surrounded by smaller diamonds at its point. It was beautiful. The light reflected off the stone like magic.

Molly tore her blue eyes away from the pin for a minute to look into Melvin's brown ones. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world just then. If only he would ask her. She would have said yes immediately. He meant the world to him.

Melvin stared down at the beautiful face of young Molly Osaka. He wished and longed to have her. And all he had to do was ask. Ask her one simple question. But he was afraid, he was afraid she would say no. That she wasn't ready. That simple question would be the turning point of his life. Nothing would be the same again after he had asked.

'Just seize the day you fool.' He heard his mind say. 'Take this opportunity before it's too late.'

Melvin concentrated his brown eyes at her eager face. Her blue eyes shiny, filled with adoration. Her lips slightly parted and curved at the sides. Her copper red hair styled neatly to accentuate her high cheek bones.

'Now or never' he murmured. "Molly...I..."

Molly's heart started pounding faster as she waited for him to finish what he wanted to say. "Yes Melvin."

"I...I wanted to ask...ask..." Melvin didn't think that asking a question would be this hard. He swallowed back his fear keeping his momentum. Taking her hand in his and getting down on one knee, he asked "Will you Molly, will you..." Taking a velvet box out of his back pocket with his free hand and opening it "...marry me? Make me the happiest man on earth. Say yes."

Molly felt her heart leap for the man who knelt before her. She stared at him long and hard, her mind went over all the love he had showed her, the tenderness in which he had looked after her. Smiling Molly felt tears stinging her eyes.

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! "How very romantic. Tell me, how many hours did you spend in front of the bathroom mirror rehearsing those simple lines?" Laughter could be heard coming from the shadows.

The two lovers were stunned. Melvin protectively grabbed Molly keeping her behind him.

"Who's there? Show yourself." He said. Keeping Molly close to him He slowly made his way across the room towards the phone.

Molly was shaking as she stayed close to Melvin. She couldn't believe the rotten luck. Just when Melvin had gotten the nerve to ask her to marry him and right before she could reply, an intruder had to come in and interrupt them.

"Who is it? Show yourself you coward."

The man in the shadows snickered at this remark. The boy had attitude, but that could be fixed.

"I've come to take what belongs to me." The man said. "Give it to me and no harm will come to either of you."

"Take whatever you want and leave my house." Melvin shouted.

"Melvin." Molly whimpered, "I'm scared."

"There's nothing to be scared about sweetness." Melvin whispered reassuringly. "Don't worry, you're safe."

"Brave words for a young boy don't you think?" the man replied coldly. "Give me the crystal, and I'll be on my way."

Melvin was confused. Crystal... "What crystal? We don't have any crystals."

The man was slowly losing his temper. "Don't aggravate me boy. Hand over the crystal...if you know what's good for you."

"Is that a threat?" Melvin challenged. He could hear Molly whimpering from behind him. Before he knew it all the lights had gone off and he had been knocked to the ground. He heard Molly hit the wall behind them crying out in surprise. Anger quickly filled Melvin. He quickly clambered of the floor only to be knocked back down again. The man held him down with his knee, bringing his face close to Melvin.

Sneering he said in a whispered tone, "I warned you boy."

Melvin felt the man's knee dig into his ribs. It was painful but he bit his lip to keep from crying out. He had to stay strong for Molly. He promised he would protect her, even if it killed him.

With all his strength Melvin pushed the man of him and clambered back onto his feet. For a while nothing happened, everything was still. He could hear the clock ticking, the tap water dripping.....Molly crying where she was thrown and nothing. Absolute silence.

Letting his guard down he fumbled his way towards Molly. "Molly, Are you okay sweetness?"

As he crouched down in front of her he felt a pair of strong hands grab his shoulders and throw him across the room. Melvin was stunned. From his position on the floor he could hear Molly gasp.

Molly stared at the icy expression in the man's eyes. They were an odd colour. Looking into them made her shiver, she didn't like the man. She didn't trust him. She slid back pinning herself against the wall, tears falling down her cheeks. She was scared. She heard Melvin hit the wall across the room and all the man did was pick him up and throw him, apparently without using much strength.

The man walked slowly towards Molly who was trying to squeeze herself into the wall. He snickered at her fear. They were always afraid of him. Dropping down beside her, he smiled. He moved his hand down the side of her face. His touch made her shake, crying harder. He slowly moved his hand down her chest making its way to the brooch. He stopped his hand above the brooch.

"No." Molly gasped. "Please no, don't hurt me."

The man cocked an eyebrow. She obviously got the wrong impression by him but it didn't matter she can think what she wanted to think, he only came for the crystal. Fingering the crystal he tore it from her dress.

Molly closed her eyes waiting for the inevitable. She was still crying. She had stopped breathing though which had made her little light headed. She felt him pull at her dress. She shut her eyes tightly trying to steady her breath. After a while she heard some noise, she opened an eye and to see what was happening.

Melvin was furious. He had seen him make a move on Molly. His Molly. He had snuck up behind him and crashed a light lamp over his head. He was shocked when the man didn't get affected by the lamp shattering. He just stood up without faltering.

"Boy..." he said menacingly.

For the next few minutes Melvin struggled with the man, throwing punches here and there always missing and hitting thin air. Molly watched in horror as the scene played before her. The two silhouettes would kill each other the way they were going at each other.

Melvin was getting tired. It was hard keeping up with the man. He kept his eyes on him avoiding as many kicks and punches as he could. Then in one swift movement he felt something kick him in the abdomen. He flew across the room through a window.

Molly stared as she saw one body kick another. She saw the unlucky guy fly across the room straight through the window. The moonlight displayed Melvin's agonized face. She screamed as she watched his body fly through shards of glass. When she got up she realized the room was empty, thinking it was safe to go outside Molly ran to Melvin's limp body.

"Melvin." She screamed. "Melvin." She stumbled over her own feet trying to get to him. "Melvin please hang in there."

Molly felt her throat tighten as she saw Melvin lying on the ground. There was a pool of blood around his body. "Melvin..." Tears sprung to her eyes as she waited eagerly for him to say something. "Melvin..." kneeling down beside him Molly cradled Melvin's head in her lap."Melvin please, don't leave me. You promised me you'll protect me." Her tears landed on his cheek as she cried for him.

Melvin blinked slightly. It hurt too much to hear her like this. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her he was alright but he couldn't move. He couldn't feel his body. He was finding it even difficult to breathe. With the little strength he had he took out the box from his pocket again and asked, "Molly, will you......will you marry me?" He opened his eyes and looked into her own.

Molly stared down at him. Smiling she gave him a reply. "Yes. Yes I'll marry you Melvin Harrington." Stifling a cry she added, "I love you with all my heart."

Melvin smiled at her. His angel. He took the ring out of its box and placed it on her finger. He watched as she closed the gap between them giving him a kiss. The kiss was the symbol of the love they once shared. Letting go reluctantly Molly smiled down at Melvin. Their hands had been intertwined and he had been holding tightly on to her small hands. With his last breath Molly felt his grip loosen, his body limp and lifeless. Bursting in tears she held on to him, cradling him, crying.

* * *

He shimmered into the vast darkness of his sanctuary the brooch still clasped in his hands. Smiling he clutched the object and laid it on a soft plush velvet cushion on a tall stand waist high.

"I see you have retrieved one." He made an about turn and bowed. "Of course milord."

"You have done well, Darien son of his and her high lord of the shadow world."

Darien bowed lower a small smile of triumph on his lips. Praise from his captain-general was always a great honour. However, his smile was soon turned into a frown and his light blue eyes paled to an icy colour and he clenched his jaws so hard it began to hurt. He felt his muscles tense as he listened to the captain continue.

"I would have thought that someone of your experience and calibre could tell the difference between an ancient crystal and," he picked up the crystal which Darien had just placed carefully on the cushion and dropped it on the floor with a loud shattering noise, "glass."

Darien gasped but not enough for the captain to have noticed. His cold eyes narrowed and his lips formed a thin line. He stood stiff as he felt the captains silver eyes boring through him.

"Don't disappoint me again." Then he left Darien alone in the dark of the room the only light came from a torch, the shards of the scattered glass sprawled all over the floor reflecting pale red lights on the black marble floor.