Title: Seeing the Light (6/?)
Author: QueenC
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate from Hogwarts.
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
******
Once Cordelia had sent the owl to find Giles, she turned to face Lucius, smiling faintly. "Okay, so now you can explain how you know Giles' alter ego," she exclaimed. "But first, let's go sit down, okay? As a single mom, I've learned that, when the kids are asleep, you take the time to relax."
Lucius nodded, leading her back into the sitting room. "Would you care for something to drink?" he asked quietly, leading her to the two chairs by the fire.
Cordelia gently pulled his cloak off and sat down. "Actually, a cup of tea would be great," she replied.
Snapping his fingers, he watched as one of the house elves entered the room. "Two cups of tea," he said, his tone stern, though not harsh.
The elf nodded. Snapping its fingers, a tray appeared with two cups and a steaming tea pot. Once the tray was placed on the table between them, the elf began bowing backwards out of the room. Cordelia watched it go, then glanced at Lucius. "That's going to take some getting used to," she commented.
"House elves?" he questioned. "They aren't any different from other servants." He sat down in his chair, watching the shadows from the fire dance across her face. Snapping himself out of his thoughts, he poured her a glass of tea and handed it to her with a small smile.
Cordelia laughed softly, gracefully taking a sip of the hot liquid. "That's what I mean. It's not like I've had servants to get things for me. Not since high school, in fact." Shrugging, she placed the cup down and began fiddling with the seam of his cloak. "Okay, so you were going to tell me how you knew Giles."
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "You mean the man that you feel comfortable contacting for help never told you about his youth?" he asked dryly. "The Giles I remember could speak of little more than himself."
The Seer shook her head. "No, he told us about Ripper. When a bit of his past showed up and started killing people. We got to meet him for a bit, too." Off his shocked look, she smiled. "There was this whole deal with some enchanted candy. Made all the adults act like teenagers. Can we just say that there should be a law on how old you have to be to wear certain clothing? Trust me, my mom in lycra pants? *Not* a pretty picture, " she shivered.
He decided not to question who or what this lycra was, and instead focused on answering her original question. "Yes, well, while you may have had to deal with him for a few hours, I had the misfortune of knowing him for six long years," he stated.
Cordelia's eyes widened slightly. "Really? Wow." After a second, she questioned, "How's that again?"
Lucius chuckled. "Ripper and I were in the same House during my time at Hogwarts," he explained calmly.
The woman nodded. "Okay, so you went to school together. I'm still not really understanding, though. I mean, from what I've been told, Ripper was all about the bad mojo. You two should have gotten along pretty well," she stated.
The blonde's lips thinned for a moment as he felt the all-too familiar feel of guilt wash over him. Distantly, he could hear the screams of the people he'd hurt over the years; the pleas of Muggle mothers as he took his time torturing their children.
Cordelia's frowned. "Stop it," she suddenly ordered, her sharp tone invading his thoughts.
Lucius blinked, his gaze re-focusing on her. "Pardon?" he asked.
The woman rolled her eyes. "You were brooding. Cut it out. We've got a lot of stuff to talk about and we don't have time for you to pull an Angel. Now, stop thinking about whatever horrible things you've done and focus."
He stared at her for a moment, unable to believe what he was hearing. She wanted him to *not* feel guilt over his past? Shaking his head, he forced himself to continue his tale.
"Ripper was a year below myself, although that really didn't matter. He was every bit as...ambitious as anyone else in Slytherin, sometimes more so than even myself. Upon my graduation, I truly expected to see him in the Dark Lord's fold come the following year. However, he never came. Eventually, I learned that he had not even returned to Hogwarts for his seventh year. He simply disappeared."
Cordelia nodded thoughtfully. Taking another sip of her now almost cold tea, she stated, "Well, I'm guessing that's around the time when he went into training for a Watcher. But, I may be wrong. The Scooby Gang was around almost a whole year before I really joined. There's no telling how much of his past I may have missed hearing about." Shrugging, she grinned. "But, I guess we'll find out soon enough."
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?" he wondered.
The former May Queen shrugged. "Well, knowing Giles, he won't be able to pass up a chance to check out this shadow creature first hand. So, he'll probably be here by dinner tomorrow," she answered.
Lucius resisted the urge to groan, instead merely nodding dumbly. Turning his attention to the fire, he tried to decide how he felt about seeing Ripper again. No, not Ripper, he reminded himself. Rupert. He's changed, as well. Frowning, a thought suddenly occurred to him. Looking back at Cordelia, he asked, "And just how can you be so certain that he'll know where to find you? The Manor isn't exactly in a well-known location."
Cordelia grinned. "Simple. He's the one who found it for me when I had the vision," she said calmly. After a moment, she added, "Which reminds me. Professor Dumbledore and Arthur Weasley are going to be here in the morning to meet the twins."
Lucius paled slightly. "Arthur is coming? Since when does the Ministry know about the children?" he demanded.
The brunette raised an eyebrow. "They don't. We covered this already, remember? I lied about who the father was so they'd leave me alone..."
He sighed heavily. "Cordelia, you don't understand. Arthur Weasley is the Minister of Magic. He is the person in *charge* of the Ministry," he explained.
Cordelia's eyes widened slightly at this information. Swallowing, she replied, "Oh. Well *that's* not good."
"No," he said dryly. "It isn't."
******
Draco stood on the front lawn, staring up at the Manor. The place he called home. The place he'd learned to crawl, walk, talk, and do everything else that young children did. The place he'd been taught his first spell, and flown his first broom, even caught his first snitch. The place he worked side by side with his former enemies to make the wizarding world just a little bit safer.
The place that he'd give his right arm not to have to enter again.
He wasn't sure why he felt this way. It could be blamed on the shadow monster *thing* that was currently living in the dark recesses of the Manor. That alone was enough to cause chills to run rampant across his spine.
However, Draco didn't think that were the case. No, any fear he may have in regards to the unknown creature of evil was outweighed by this need he felt to keep Bella and Korben out of harms way.
But, if that was true, then why was he finding it exceedingly difficult to enter his own home? Shaking his head, he knew the answer the moment several loud pops sounded behind him. Because he was about to take Sirius Black and Remus Lupin with him.
Now, it wasn't that either of them were likely to cause any problems. No, they, along with most everyone else, truly considered both Lucius and Draco changed men. However, Draco couldn't help but be apprehensive at inviting them into his home, into his *father's* home, to stay for an undetermined amount of time. After all, he hadn't even asked Lucius how he felt about the idea.
Sighing heavily, he knew he really had no choice. Hermione was right, of course, when she'd said that they could provide quite a bit of insight and help. After all, Lupin *was* one of the best Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors that Hogwarts had ever seen. And if some shadowy thing that attacked children wasn't dark, then what was?
And as for Sirius...well, Draco could only imagine what he must have faced while on the run from the Ministry for so many years. And he had to be able to think quickly in a crisis to elude capture for so long. Not to mention his time spent in Azkaban, coping with the horrors the Dementors caused him to feel every moment of every day.
Deciding that the safety of his new-found siblings was more important than his father's potential anger, Draco began moving across the lawn. He heard Hermione fall into step beside him, and could only imagine that Harry, Ron, and the two newest additions to the group were following.
Walking up the steps to the front door, he took a calming breath. Telling himself that it was all for the children, his father's wishes be damned, he opened the door and stepped into the partially lit entrance hall.
And promptly passed out.
******
It is a well known fact that shadows exist. They are, after all, what you see when there is only limited light. Not complete lack of light, of course, for that would be darkness. And shadows and darkness are very different creatures indeed.
You see, darkness is temporary. It appears when the lights are extinguished, and disappears once the light returns. It has no true shape of form, nothing to define it as unique, for it takes on the appearance of its surroundings. It isn't real. It has no feelings. No emotions at all. It can't move, eat, breathe, or even think.
It simply appears and disappears depending on the light.
Shadows, on the other hand, they are not so simple. They exist all the time, and in harmony with light. For, where there is light, there is a shadow. You can see them lurking in corners, around hallways, even directly beside you. While they, too, may change shape, they are always there in one form or another. And, unlike darkness, they are very much alive.
They breathe in the light that accompanies them, hiding it away until it becomes another shadow. They move from place to place with relative ease, for nothing is entirely bathed in light. They most certainly think, for how would they exist if they were incapable of creating a plan of survival? And, of course, they feel.
Mostly hatred, of course. Anger and frustration at the lot they've been cast in life. Rage at the creatures that dare to extinguish them by creating more light. They watch, unable to do intervene, as their homes are destroyed by candles and lanterns, even by the sunshine beaming through an uncovered window.
Then, when their emotions become too great, when the light becomes too bright and they risk extinction, then they strike out as only a shadow can.
They feed.
The resident shadow of Malfoy Manor is no different. For nearly two hundred years he has lived within these walls, hiding from the light that the pathetic humans shine about.
His given name was Ciandelano, although he'd been dubbed 'the shadow' by the only daughter of the first family to invade his home. At first, he bid his time, watching as one by one the mortals perished, only to be replaced by new ones. And never once was he discovered by anyone other than the children.
He liked children, he decided. They were the easiest to feed from. Their fears and terror were quite filling, like a five course meal. And their innocence and tears were as sweet as any wine.
However, as time progressed, Ciandelano found himself growing weary of having to share what he deemed *his*. So, when this latest family had moved in, he had decided to act.
Striking out at the only child to now roam the halls, he had been most disappointed when both of the child's parents had forgotten about the incident. Apparently, if humans weren't capable of understanding it, they tended to forget or rationalize it away.
So, once more, he'd waited, knowing that he'd eventually get another chance. He'd hidden behind his door, safe in the knowledge that no one would find him until he wanted to be found. And finally, after two decades, he'd gotten his chance again.
The little girl had simply reeked of innocence, and her horror had been magnificent. However, before he could get close enough to strike, her brother had appeared with filthy, disgusting *light* and Ciandelano had been forced away for his own safety. And if that weren't bad enough, they'd been rescued by their mother.
A mother that believed her children's tale of shadow monsters.
Now, he found himself in a dilemma. He could go into hiding and hope that they all forgot about the incident. Or, he could do something different. Something that, to his knowledge, had never been attempted by a shadow before.
He could feed on them all.
Deciding he liked that idea much better than running scared, he made his way through his home. Past the whispering paintings, past the uncovered windows and candles, past everything that was familiar and not, until finally he reached an area with voices.
Floating outside a door, he watched unobserved as two adults sat in chairs near a fire, speaking quietly to one another. Knowing that he couldn't get any closer, he opted to hide in a corner of the hallway and wait for one of them to exit, which is what he was doing when the front door opened and the blonde boy from so many years before walked in.
Scarcely able to believe his luck, Ciandelano had struck instantly. Looking beyond the light that now surrounded the boy's heart and soul, he quickly entered the darkness that still resided deep within.
And, from there, he put his plan into action.
******
A/N: I am SOOOO sorry for how long it took to get this part out. My muse just decided to take a vacation without telling me, and there wasn't much I could do about it. But, she came back this evening and here's the part I've been getting email's about posting. Hopefully, it meets everyone's standards. Lol.
So, I've done my part. Now it's time to do yours.
See the adorable review button? Take three seconds, press it, and let me know what you thought!
Thanks!
*hugs* QueenC
Author: QueenC
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate from Hogwarts.
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
******
Once Cordelia had sent the owl to find Giles, she turned to face Lucius, smiling faintly. "Okay, so now you can explain how you know Giles' alter ego," she exclaimed. "But first, let's go sit down, okay? As a single mom, I've learned that, when the kids are asleep, you take the time to relax."
Lucius nodded, leading her back into the sitting room. "Would you care for something to drink?" he asked quietly, leading her to the two chairs by the fire.
Cordelia gently pulled his cloak off and sat down. "Actually, a cup of tea would be great," she replied.
Snapping his fingers, he watched as one of the house elves entered the room. "Two cups of tea," he said, his tone stern, though not harsh.
The elf nodded. Snapping its fingers, a tray appeared with two cups and a steaming tea pot. Once the tray was placed on the table between them, the elf began bowing backwards out of the room. Cordelia watched it go, then glanced at Lucius. "That's going to take some getting used to," she commented.
"House elves?" he questioned. "They aren't any different from other servants." He sat down in his chair, watching the shadows from the fire dance across her face. Snapping himself out of his thoughts, he poured her a glass of tea and handed it to her with a small smile.
Cordelia laughed softly, gracefully taking a sip of the hot liquid. "That's what I mean. It's not like I've had servants to get things for me. Not since high school, in fact." Shrugging, she placed the cup down and began fiddling with the seam of his cloak. "Okay, so you were going to tell me how you knew Giles."
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "You mean the man that you feel comfortable contacting for help never told you about his youth?" he asked dryly. "The Giles I remember could speak of little more than himself."
The Seer shook her head. "No, he told us about Ripper. When a bit of his past showed up and started killing people. We got to meet him for a bit, too." Off his shocked look, she smiled. "There was this whole deal with some enchanted candy. Made all the adults act like teenagers. Can we just say that there should be a law on how old you have to be to wear certain clothing? Trust me, my mom in lycra pants? *Not* a pretty picture, " she shivered.
He decided not to question who or what this lycra was, and instead focused on answering her original question. "Yes, well, while you may have had to deal with him for a few hours, I had the misfortune of knowing him for six long years," he stated.
Cordelia's eyes widened slightly. "Really? Wow." After a second, she questioned, "How's that again?"
Lucius chuckled. "Ripper and I were in the same House during my time at Hogwarts," he explained calmly.
The woman nodded. "Okay, so you went to school together. I'm still not really understanding, though. I mean, from what I've been told, Ripper was all about the bad mojo. You two should have gotten along pretty well," she stated.
The blonde's lips thinned for a moment as he felt the all-too familiar feel of guilt wash over him. Distantly, he could hear the screams of the people he'd hurt over the years; the pleas of Muggle mothers as he took his time torturing their children.
Cordelia's frowned. "Stop it," she suddenly ordered, her sharp tone invading his thoughts.
Lucius blinked, his gaze re-focusing on her. "Pardon?" he asked.
The woman rolled her eyes. "You were brooding. Cut it out. We've got a lot of stuff to talk about and we don't have time for you to pull an Angel. Now, stop thinking about whatever horrible things you've done and focus."
He stared at her for a moment, unable to believe what he was hearing. She wanted him to *not* feel guilt over his past? Shaking his head, he forced himself to continue his tale.
"Ripper was a year below myself, although that really didn't matter. He was every bit as...ambitious as anyone else in Slytherin, sometimes more so than even myself. Upon my graduation, I truly expected to see him in the Dark Lord's fold come the following year. However, he never came. Eventually, I learned that he had not even returned to Hogwarts for his seventh year. He simply disappeared."
Cordelia nodded thoughtfully. Taking another sip of her now almost cold tea, she stated, "Well, I'm guessing that's around the time when he went into training for a Watcher. But, I may be wrong. The Scooby Gang was around almost a whole year before I really joined. There's no telling how much of his past I may have missed hearing about." Shrugging, she grinned. "But, I guess we'll find out soon enough."
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?" he wondered.
The former May Queen shrugged. "Well, knowing Giles, he won't be able to pass up a chance to check out this shadow creature first hand. So, he'll probably be here by dinner tomorrow," she answered.
Lucius resisted the urge to groan, instead merely nodding dumbly. Turning his attention to the fire, he tried to decide how he felt about seeing Ripper again. No, not Ripper, he reminded himself. Rupert. He's changed, as well. Frowning, a thought suddenly occurred to him. Looking back at Cordelia, he asked, "And just how can you be so certain that he'll know where to find you? The Manor isn't exactly in a well-known location."
Cordelia grinned. "Simple. He's the one who found it for me when I had the vision," she said calmly. After a moment, she added, "Which reminds me. Professor Dumbledore and Arthur Weasley are going to be here in the morning to meet the twins."
Lucius paled slightly. "Arthur is coming? Since when does the Ministry know about the children?" he demanded.
The brunette raised an eyebrow. "They don't. We covered this already, remember? I lied about who the father was so they'd leave me alone..."
He sighed heavily. "Cordelia, you don't understand. Arthur Weasley is the Minister of Magic. He is the person in *charge* of the Ministry," he explained.
Cordelia's eyes widened slightly at this information. Swallowing, she replied, "Oh. Well *that's* not good."
"No," he said dryly. "It isn't."
******
Draco stood on the front lawn, staring up at the Manor. The place he called home. The place he'd learned to crawl, walk, talk, and do everything else that young children did. The place he'd been taught his first spell, and flown his first broom, even caught his first snitch. The place he worked side by side with his former enemies to make the wizarding world just a little bit safer.
The place that he'd give his right arm not to have to enter again.
He wasn't sure why he felt this way. It could be blamed on the shadow monster *thing* that was currently living in the dark recesses of the Manor. That alone was enough to cause chills to run rampant across his spine.
However, Draco didn't think that were the case. No, any fear he may have in regards to the unknown creature of evil was outweighed by this need he felt to keep Bella and Korben out of harms way.
But, if that was true, then why was he finding it exceedingly difficult to enter his own home? Shaking his head, he knew the answer the moment several loud pops sounded behind him. Because he was about to take Sirius Black and Remus Lupin with him.
Now, it wasn't that either of them were likely to cause any problems. No, they, along with most everyone else, truly considered both Lucius and Draco changed men. However, Draco couldn't help but be apprehensive at inviting them into his home, into his *father's* home, to stay for an undetermined amount of time. After all, he hadn't even asked Lucius how he felt about the idea.
Sighing heavily, he knew he really had no choice. Hermione was right, of course, when she'd said that they could provide quite a bit of insight and help. After all, Lupin *was* one of the best Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors that Hogwarts had ever seen. And if some shadowy thing that attacked children wasn't dark, then what was?
And as for Sirius...well, Draco could only imagine what he must have faced while on the run from the Ministry for so many years. And he had to be able to think quickly in a crisis to elude capture for so long. Not to mention his time spent in Azkaban, coping with the horrors the Dementors caused him to feel every moment of every day.
Deciding that the safety of his new-found siblings was more important than his father's potential anger, Draco began moving across the lawn. He heard Hermione fall into step beside him, and could only imagine that Harry, Ron, and the two newest additions to the group were following.
Walking up the steps to the front door, he took a calming breath. Telling himself that it was all for the children, his father's wishes be damned, he opened the door and stepped into the partially lit entrance hall.
And promptly passed out.
******
It is a well known fact that shadows exist. They are, after all, what you see when there is only limited light. Not complete lack of light, of course, for that would be darkness. And shadows and darkness are very different creatures indeed.
You see, darkness is temporary. It appears when the lights are extinguished, and disappears once the light returns. It has no true shape of form, nothing to define it as unique, for it takes on the appearance of its surroundings. It isn't real. It has no feelings. No emotions at all. It can't move, eat, breathe, or even think.
It simply appears and disappears depending on the light.
Shadows, on the other hand, they are not so simple. They exist all the time, and in harmony with light. For, where there is light, there is a shadow. You can see them lurking in corners, around hallways, even directly beside you. While they, too, may change shape, they are always there in one form or another. And, unlike darkness, they are very much alive.
They breathe in the light that accompanies them, hiding it away until it becomes another shadow. They move from place to place with relative ease, for nothing is entirely bathed in light. They most certainly think, for how would they exist if they were incapable of creating a plan of survival? And, of course, they feel.
Mostly hatred, of course. Anger and frustration at the lot they've been cast in life. Rage at the creatures that dare to extinguish them by creating more light. They watch, unable to do intervene, as their homes are destroyed by candles and lanterns, even by the sunshine beaming through an uncovered window.
Then, when their emotions become too great, when the light becomes too bright and they risk extinction, then they strike out as only a shadow can.
They feed.
The resident shadow of Malfoy Manor is no different. For nearly two hundred years he has lived within these walls, hiding from the light that the pathetic humans shine about.
His given name was Ciandelano, although he'd been dubbed 'the shadow' by the only daughter of the first family to invade his home. At first, he bid his time, watching as one by one the mortals perished, only to be replaced by new ones. And never once was he discovered by anyone other than the children.
He liked children, he decided. They were the easiest to feed from. Their fears and terror were quite filling, like a five course meal. And their innocence and tears were as sweet as any wine.
However, as time progressed, Ciandelano found himself growing weary of having to share what he deemed *his*. So, when this latest family had moved in, he had decided to act.
Striking out at the only child to now roam the halls, he had been most disappointed when both of the child's parents had forgotten about the incident. Apparently, if humans weren't capable of understanding it, they tended to forget or rationalize it away.
So, once more, he'd waited, knowing that he'd eventually get another chance. He'd hidden behind his door, safe in the knowledge that no one would find him until he wanted to be found. And finally, after two decades, he'd gotten his chance again.
The little girl had simply reeked of innocence, and her horror had been magnificent. However, before he could get close enough to strike, her brother had appeared with filthy, disgusting *light* and Ciandelano had been forced away for his own safety. And if that weren't bad enough, they'd been rescued by their mother.
A mother that believed her children's tale of shadow monsters.
Now, he found himself in a dilemma. He could go into hiding and hope that they all forgot about the incident. Or, he could do something different. Something that, to his knowledge, had never been attempted by a shadow before.
He could feed on them all.
Deciding he liked that idea much better than running scared, he made his way through his home. Past the whispering paintings, past the uncovered windows and candles, past everything that was familiar and not, until finally he reached an area with voices.
Floating outside a door, he watched unobserved as two adults sat in chairs near a fire, speaking quietly to one another. Knowing that he couldn't get any closer, he opted to hide in a corner of the hallway and wait for one of them to exit, which is what he was doing when the front door opened and the blonde boy from so many years before walked in.
Scarcely able to believe his luck, Ciandelano had struck instantly. Looking beyond the light that now surrounded the boy's heart and soul, he quickly entered the darkness that still resided deep within.
And, from there, he put his plan into action.
******
A/N: I am SOOOO sorry for how long it took to get this part out. My muse just decided to take a vacation without telling me, and there wasn't much I could do about it. But, she came back this evening and here's the part I've been getting email's about posting. Hopefully, it meets everyone's standards. Lol.
So, I've done my part. Now it's time to do yours.
See the adorable review button? Take three seconds, press it, and let me know what you thought!
Thanks!
*hugs* QueenC
