A/N: this chapter is smaller then the rest but don't worry it was just as much twists and turns as the others…Enjoy…Thanks again to Suzy.
Chapter10: Hope rising, then falling
When he couldn't find them
Darien took his chance. He put down Claire and then jumped towards Cassandra
grabbing the fully armed gun on her side. He dropped the quicksilver and
pointed the gun at her.
"Don't move!" He yelled.
"What are you going to do, Darien? Shoot me?" she taunted.
"I just might," he said as he pulled back the hammer.
"Darien don't." Claire said as she came up behind him placing her
now visible hand on his shoulder. "This isn't you; we have her and Arnaud, and
they are going to jail for a long, long, time." Darien started to lower the gun
un-hooking the hammer gently resting it back into place. Bobby took down the
chains that had held both him and Claire. He tied up Cassandra first then with
Darien's invisible aid they tied up Arnaud.
"You wouldn't get away with this, Darien." Cassandra hissed as she
struggled with her restraints.
"Get away with what? I'm the good guy remember."
"That's not what I meant," then suddenly she broke free of the
chains. Whipping the end around to circle around Claire's neck. Causing her to
fall face first to the floor in front of Cassandra, choking trying to pry the
chain from her throat.
"Darien," she choked out.
"Claire," he raised the gun and pulled the hammer back, pulling
the trigger. The recoil shocked him and he had to take a step back to stop
himself from falling. He looked up. Cassandra was holding her left shoulder
with a smug look on her face. Then she turn and ran out the door not even
looking back.
It was a few seconds before
he realized someone was calling his name. He looked over to Bobby and saw that
he still had a hold of Arnaud. 'At least it wasn't a total bust,' he
thought.
Claire was undoing the chain
around her neck when Darien slowly sank to the floor. Claire looked over at
Bobby. He shook his head indicating that he didn't know what was wrong. Claire
was stiff and sore and her back had an ache in it so bad it felt as if lions
were ripping at it. But nevertheless she got up and moved to her co-worker, her
friend, the man she loved with her whole heart.
"Darien, what's wrong?" she asked taking his head into her hands.
When he didn't answer Claire shook him. When she looked into his eyes she saw
nothing but sadness, hate, and deadly anger. She shivered the only time she had
seen that type of look had been when he went through QS madness.
"Darien," she said pausing before going on. "Sweetheart, it's over."
"No, it's never over."
"Darien look we have Arnaud."
"He means nothing. God he is nothing." Darien muttered.
"Hey I'm valuable, more than some lowly ex-thief like yourself,"
came Arnaud's disembodied voice.
Claire growled at the seemly
open space near Bobby. "Shut-up De-Fern." Bobby pulled at the chain reach that
held him.
Darien shook his head. "Guys,
lets just get out of here." He slowly lifted himself up leaving the gun on the
floor. He pulled Claire into his arms and let her relax against his chest. Fast
enough she was asleep before they even reached the front door.
As Bobby got a car and
strapped Arnaud down Darien glanced down at Claire. 'God, I hope she's okay.'
He must have been staring for longer then he thought because the next thing he
heard was his partner blowing the horn calling to him.
"Coming, Bobby," he said gathering himself and walking over to the
car laying Claire in then got in himself
