AN: Again I apologize for the spazmodatic updating. I don't anything that you recognize, I bet. If I do…well, for the sake of my not getting sued, I don't.

Chapter is dedicated to: Thandronen, Trevor, and Tyrael. The fact that they all begin with T's is completely coincidental. Thandronen because he's left FR, Trevor because Seimiya may be marrying him, and Tyrael because he's altogether cute and theify.

Chapter XXIX: Back to the Beginning

He falls to the ground, writing in agony. Immediately I am at his side, trying to still him.

I pull my switchblade out of One's hand, closing it and deftly putting it into my pocket. One still squirms, digging his fingers into his head, and altogether spasming. With quite some effort, I finally grab his wrists  and pulling them away from his head. Placing one knee on his legs to keep them from kicking, I look into his glaring, hateful eyes, ripping away the glasses and pulling off my own.

"You tried to hurt him! You tried to kill my brother!" He spits at me.

"Stop this, Neil," I reply calmly, though the hate in One's eyes struck at me dearly, "Give our brother his body back."

"You tried to kill him!" He snarls again, fighting with renewed energy, "I should kill you! Kill you and this thing that took my body and my brother's body and my life and his from us! Get off of me, you freak! Get off!"

I press my weight onto him, stopping his wriggling, "Stop this, Neil. You're not accomplishing anything. We cannot settle this matter with you shouting like the uncivilized little fool you are." 

He glares at me, his injured hand (which now has a small, switchblade-sized hole straight through it) breaks my grip and wraps around my throat. His face is a mask of agony, no doubt from the hand, but he squeezes.

Spots begin to appear in my vision, and I feel my head growing weaker.

"What the hell, Jason..or Juan, whichever you are?!" Adrian shouts, jumping from and trying to pry One's fingers from my throat. I'm trying to draw breath, but I can't . My grip on his other wrist weakens and the other hand tightens on his first. "Stop that!" The boy shouts.

One turns to Adrian, "He tried to kill you! Why are you asking me to save him?!"

"It has nothing to do with him, but your hand needs a doctor! I want him to burn for trying to bury a knife in my head, but you need help!"

If I had air, I would have laughed. But the exertion is too much, and I feel myself slowly loosing consciousness.

Slowly, One's hands loosen. I breathe in deeply, feeling the artificial air filling my just as artificial lungs.

One turns to Adrian, looking at his injured hand. There is a small hole through it, a small vertical slit that he can see straight through.

//"One?'// I try to call out to him.

There is no answer.

"Yes, let us bandage this hand." Neil speaks, through One's mouth.

"Are you coming…..whichever one you are?" He says, his eyes narrowing at me.

"…..No." I say after a few moments.

"Good." He turns to One and beckons him to follow.  One nods, and then with one last heart-splitting glare, he follows.

It was several seconds after they left that I realized my face was filled with intense hurt.

And THEN I realized that we were being watched. But by that time, they were filing out.

"Adrian! Neil!" Shouts a familiar voice from the now shallow crowd. I see Choi's face, and groan. The last thing I need is the obnoxious human, "What the hell was that all about? You brothers are always together. Never seem that before.  He had a spasm or something. Jeez, you are WEIRD."

I'm too tired and worn out to comment, "Have you talked to Trinity?"

He nods, "Yes, I'm going to talk to her again tomorrow."

"Good. Go away."

Choi blinks, "What?"

"Go. Exit. Leave. Disappear. Abscond. Flee. Pick a synonym."

He looks at me with his head cocked to the side and shrugs, "Sure."

"Thank you."

I phase away, too tired to bother with looking human. But I have no intention of going back to the apartment. I'm heading to strike a deal with someone I know I'm going to get myself screamed and ranted at. I'm going to see my former master. I'm going to see the Merovingian.

I'm going to the Chateau.