Author's Note: The Beatles own Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (it's about a painting, I swear!) Enjoy and review.

Chapter Eleven: The Judas

"You know it's funny." Remus said softly as he followed Gabriel, Irvan and Kuso up the stairs towards the flat, shelled out ruins of the Cathedral de San Michel.

This building had once had the typical, beloved history most churches had so near the French border. It had been built in the early 1800's, and had been dedicated by the Archbishop. At the height of it's glory, San Michel had a flock over two hundred and a small abbey right behind her main church. There was a small overgrown pauper's cemetery within eyeshot where gray crosses lined up in various stages of decay. The church itself was gutted, bombed out by the Germans during WW2, with only two walls still standing over it's flat foundation. San Michel served now as a meeting point for would be cultists and wayward children who skipped classes to come and play among the old skeleton.

Kuso, being the closest to Erised, knew immediately why she picked it. The place invoked emotion and mood, and for her, a Kaga unaccustomed to passion, she naturally favored places that could make her feel. "What's funny?"

"I always thought I'd be afraid to die…I'm kind of calm."

"Oh?" Gabriel asked, looking back at him and smiling.

Remus nodded. "Yeah." There was a soft smile on his features that belied his youth. "I mean come on, how epic can you get? We're going to face one of the darkest evils that exist. We're fighting on an abandoned church…under what will be a full moon. Cue the music and chants in Latin, I'm going out a hero."

"Quit being naive." Irvan muttered, then shook his head sadly. "Godric's finest to the rescue."

Remus glanced over, more curious then offended. "How'd you know I was in Gryffindor?"

"Suicidal tendencies run within the House." Irvan said, shortly.

Gabriel put his arm around Remus' shoulders. "Don't listen to him." He told the young wolf. "You're already a hero…and you won't die tonight."

"Should we leave you two alone to finish the inspirational speech?" Kuso asked softly. "I know humans tend to get touchy during those things."

"Naw, I'm good." Remus chirped happily. "But I have a song stuck in my head…"

"Oh?"

They had reached the top of the stairs now and staring across the flat stone Remus seemed to get an idea. Shrugging out of his beaten demin jacket (which he tossed near the stairs) the youth ran towards the center and began to bounce around in the fading daylight, singing at the top of his lungs.

"Picture yourself in a boat on the River… With tangerine trees and marmalade skies." He sang clearly despite his actions. "Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly, a girl with kaleidoscope eyes…'

Gabriel was laughing now and shrugged as if dismissing his aversions physically. "Cellophane flowers of yellow and green, towering over your head."

Remus looked back and smiled, taking a slight bow. "Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes, and she's gone…" He paused and did a riff on his air guitar. "Lucy in the sky with diamonds!"

"How touching." Irvan said thoughtfully.

Kuso nodded and sighed, sitting down on the steps and began to pop his knuckles. "A serenade." He swallowed, glancing around at the old stones and smiling gingerly.

"How can you be smiling?" Irvan demanded between sour looks and mouthed curse words. "We were supposed to be statesmen, not fighters."

"Think of this as…aggressive handling of the situation."

"Not amusing."

"Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies," Remus hummed. He had stopped bounding around and was merely pacing in a tight circle, admiring the purple sky. His face was becoming drawn, his eyes nervous and his hands had been stuffed into his jean pockets to avoid shaking. "Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers that grow so incredibly high. Newspaper taxis appear on the shore waiting to take you a…" The word was broken off by a sharp, pained gasp.

Gabriel tensed, his face haunted as he watched Remus struggle for air. He made a movement towards the boy, not really thinking why or what. He knew there was nothing he could do to help the boy, but it didn't stop him from wanting to scream in desperation to help him. Again, he took a step forward.

"No!" Remus forced out, between screams of pain and choked sobs. He was gasping for air that would not enter his lungs. "Don't come closer!"

Gabriel had meant to ignore that order till he felt Irvan's hand gripping his arm. The Vampire looked at him with those hematite eyes that made Van Hesling's resolve wavier for a moment. "Listen to the man." Irvan said shortly.

Gabriel watched Irvan for a moment then reluctantly agreed. He turned away and stared hard at the walls, attempting with no avail to drown out Remus' screams as they became less human and more beastly. He felt like he was losing something close to his heart that he could not control and he was angry. Despite the truth, Gabriel knew Remus was still only a boy. And this boy was not a monster. He found himself wondering how could God, in His infinite mercy, allow such a boy be overtaken by such evil. How could a merciful Father allow such evil to spread to such a boy- and at such a young age.

Then, in the next beat, he wondered how God could make children into soldiers. How God, in all His wisdom, allowed innocents to be breed, trained, drugged and drilled into emotionless creations that knew only of their Charge. There was nothing good or beautiful about the Kaga, Gabriel realized, only imperfection and inhumanity. In the end, they were just another type of monster.

And his job was to hunt Monsters.

Swallowing down this, Gabriel composed himself. It made things easier now that they were once again in black and white. Irvan seemed to sense this change, releasing his arm and stepping away before turning towards the newly birthed wolf.

"So," He began casually. "How are you suppose to keep that thing from us and on target?"

"Well," Called the familiar voice. "I know I for one am always up to see a good Chuckles beating."

Irvan growled as he looked up, and searching for the voice. Kuso had risen too, being somewhat bolder, and stepping closer to the center and searching. Gabriel pulled his crossbow, and brought it closer.

"I can't say I'm surprised by Gabriel's reaction." Ari continued from her hiding place. Her voice was bouncing from place to place by Charm, and she seemed to be greatly amused by her own cleverness. "But Kuso, I am hurt…are you going to try and kill me now?"

"If need be."

There was a long pause. Remus had began growling fiercely at the far corner, the hair on his back standing at end, preparing himself to fight with whatever shadow he had deemed his enemy. For a moment, his actions distracted them and in the next moment, Ari appeared only a few steps below them on the stairs. Gabriel reacted first, firing his crossbow. She sidestepped it quickly, jerking up her hand to avoid being grazed by the sleeve and staring at the arrow as it impaled itself into the steps.

"You missed." Irvan deadpanned, disbelievingly. "How could you miss? I thought we talked about your aim."

"I forgot." Gabriel muttered and took aim again.

"Don't. Please." Ari whispered, suddenly. She raised her arm and reached towards them but recoiled as unsure. She looked tired, and very frightened as she attempted to move closer to them, then retreated as she stared at the ground, and back to Gabriel. "Holy ground." She muttered.

"Ari…" Gabriel breathed.

"Help me." She whispered, and turned back as if the wind had frightened her "Please help me before he comes."

"Shoot her." Kuso said, suddenly.

Ari's eyes darted to Kuso in terror then back to Gabriel. "Gabriel…please. Help me…I can't come to you…he's too strong."

"Shoot." Kuso said softly but sternly. "Her."

"Don't listen to him, Gabriel…" She pleaded, her voice breaking now. She folded her arms around her stomach and began to step farther down the stairs. "Please, Gabriel…I'm frightened."

Gabriel shut his eyes, and pulled the trigger. This time the arrow hit it's mark. She screamed, and fell to her knees, cradling the arrow that had impaled her side, just shy of missing her liver. She half-screamed, half-howled in anger before looking up with a cold stare. "That wasn't very nice." She whispered.

"No it wasn't." Gabriel and the others spun about to come face to face with the gold sliced eye of the Dark Prince. Gabriel barely had time to recognize his partner as Jack the Ripper before he was thrown back from the hex.

Straight into Erised's waiting embrace.

Remus bounded forward, charging towards the Prince but the Ripper had already drawn two blades, and jutted them forward, ripping through fur and skin with her left as she spun about, preparing to use her stronger right. The Prince had pulled away in the opposite direction, and was thrown back as Remus howled in pain then resumed his attack. Kuso had thrown himself towards the Ripper, fangs bared, and recoiling as she struck out. He swatted at her right hand, unarming her and then swung about slamming his weight into her and spending her sprawling.

Ari had throw Gabriel off and pulled out his arrow, flipping it around and swinging it like a shiv. Her body was reacting to the wound, and Gabriel knew that she would bleed out if nothing were to be done. But he wasn't exactly in a position to help her. She charged again, driving the arrow through the arm just under the skin. It was a superficial wound but a painful one and Gabriel stumbled back gripping the arrow but unwilling to pull it out. Ari was glaring at him, then looking up for a split second, she dived forward, throwing him to the ground just as the sound of powerful wings swooped over them.

Gabriel looked up as the hell beast landed behind them transforming back into Rene Dracula.

Ari swung off, pulling the arrow out of Gabriel's arm as he screamed in pain. She looked up, giving him a long look then turning away, just as Tale swept into view and grabbed Gabriel away from her.

Rene was smiling walking towards Irvan in his fine robes and pushing away a lock of his hair from his handsome face. He grinned softly, did a slight bow and offered his hand. "I never got a dance." He whispered.

Irvan's reaction was quick and fierce. He threw a punch which Rene side-stepped, one arm tucked behind his back and doing a slight waltz. His dance was short lived as Irvan countered, throwing his weight into a gut punch that fell Rene.

Kuso became aware of the wall a moment after he hit it. Grunting he pulled himself to his feet, winced as he heard Remus give an unnatural howl and then turned back. "…let me guess," He forced out with more mirth then he felt. "Lovely but deadly and terribly devoted to your beau?"

The Bride smiled and nodded, thoughtfully.

"Just my luck…all well, new plan." He took a swing to which she flew back, away from him. He smiled, and struck, again to meet only air. "Cute birdie." He grimaced.

"Come and get me, pretty boy." The Bride cooed. "My beautiful Caesar."

"Caesar was Roman." He told her and moved forward, keeping the punched coiled till she had jumped then slamming against her womb. Fallon shrieked and was thrown to the floor. He smiled, and nodded. "There. Much better."

Fallon jumped back to her feet, waiting for the Ripper to do the same then charging towards Kuso again. Remus was thrown as the Prince rolled away from the wolf. The Prince jumped to his feet and shrugged out of his coat, glaring at the shredded clothing, then looking up.

"It never fails!" He growled under his mask then was thrown back as Remus attacked. "Why do you want to kill me?!" He demanded of the wolf before pulling his wand and hexing him. "I'd hate to kill you before you proved useful to me."

Kuso looked over, frowning. "Useful, Prince?"

"What?" The Dark Prince began, pulling away from the wolf and motioning for the Ripper to pause in her pursuit. "Think I want him around?"

Jack looked over, "What are you plotting, my Prince?"

"I think it's time to end this game, don't you?" He said, then pulled his wand and nodding. The Ripper made a quick movement holding out a knife for him while diving and pushing Kuso out of the way, allowing the Prince a clear shot. The Prince grabbed the knife by the blade and flipped to grasp the hilt and slamming towards Fallon's chest.

"Fallon!" Dracula cried, pushing off Irvan and flying towards the church ground, ignoring whatever taboo might have prevented him. The Bride shrieked and fell to her knees, gripping at the dagger in her chest. He landed before her, and reached out to touch her cheek but stopped shy of actually caressing her skin. His face was torn in despair. She looked up into Dracula's eyes, "Master…I love…"

Dracula rose, stepping back and staring in pure horror as she melted beneath the kill-wound. Tale and Ari had released Gabriel, staring in pure shock. Dracula shut his eyes for a long moment before howling with fury beyond imagination.

"You've betrayed me!" He shouted at the Prince.

The Dark Prince had taken a step back from the howl, then nodded after a beat. "Ye-ah, I did…but check out my history sometime. I'm the original Judas."

He raised his wand, aimed and shouted. "Imperio!" Gabriel watched as Ari seized up and fell to her knees. She looked up, meeting the Prince's eyes, and waiting.

Dracula had turned about, intending to call upon his Brides and then staring in disbelief as his will battled the Prince's. He could feel Ari resisting him now, and willingly curving towards the Prince. He forced deeper into her psyche then until her mind gave him the information he needed. She loved the Prince, and would submit willingly to him. He felt Ari being pulled from his control and a second later, he saw the Prince remove the spell.

"You asked for release." The Prince told her, "Now take it!"

Ari's action was quick and brutal. She readjusted her grip on the arrow, jumped to her feet and plunged it into Tale's chest.

"There, the odds are better now." The Prince said, now directed to Gabriel. He grabbed the Ripper by her waist and pulled her closer. "In this, do not fail."

That said, he and the Ripper Apparated. Dracula, now abandoned, swung about and stared wild-eyed around him. He stepped back and spread his arms out as if he meant to escape. Three clear shots from Gabriel's crossbow pierced through Rene's hands and one of his legs, forcing him to stumble back, unable to cope for a second.

And the second was all Remus needed to react. The wolf threw back his head to howl before pouncing on the Count.

Gabriel felt his whole body shake and he forced himself to turn away. One hand tucked over the other, playing with a small silver ring on his hand and remembering. There was a stir beside him, causing him to turn and regard Erised. She was slumped over, cradling herself and with a dead look that clouded her features and touched them with pain. She looked like she wanted to scream but no longer had the strength to do so. So unable to find release, she forced herself to watch the grisly scene before her.

Gabriel took a step towards her, kneeling. "Erised?"

"My love." She whispered, not acknowledging him. "Isaiah…" Her eyes closed, and she slumped forward, into his arms. No tears, no sobs, just the total desperation that came with enlightenment and understanding of what had to be sacrificed to complete this terrible mission. "Isaiah…"

"Where is he, Ari?"

"He's…" She broke off, and clung to him. No longer finding the strength to trust herself to remain composed, she went silent. And Gabriel, knowing no other means to help her, put his arms around her.

"It's okay." He lied to her. "It's over."