AN: This fic was inspired by Saliva's song 'Bleed for Me' If you haven't head the song you're missing out. It's on the Dare Devil Soundtrack.
Bleed for Me
He stared at the headstone, too consumed with grief to care about the falling rain. He didn't care if he got wet. What did it matter if he got sick? She was gone.
He never knew how long she struggled alone. He never noticed her silent pleading. He had no idea until it was too late.
The tears mingled with the rain, blurring the words of the headstone as he remember the day he found her, bleeding on her bathroom floor.
"Devon! Come on we're gonna be late! I promised Cathy I would be on time tonight." He yelled as he entered her apartment.
They were supposed to be going to a club. Devon, his best friend since childhood, promised to go with Cathy's brother. Cathy was a girl he just started dating. Her older brother was a little overprotective of her.
"Devon! Come on! We don't have time for your games tonight. Let's go!" He demanded as he wandered further inside.
He approached her bathroom door and saw the light peeking out from underneath. He grinned, deciding to give her a scare.
He pushed open the door violently and yelled 'Boo!'
His smiled faded when he looked down and saw her collapsed body in a pool of dark red liquid. Slowly it grew bigger, as if death were reaching for more to hold in it's grasp.
His world darkened. All he could see was her body, still and unmoving. His breathing seemed to stop. He tried to call her name, but no sound came out. He fell to his knees, staring at her lifeless face. Her eyes closed to him. He looked at the floor and saw the razor in her hand. His mind screamed in protest. NO!
Tears filled his eyes before he could stop them. As he breathed in the air his body demanded they fell down his cheeks.
"DEVON!" He cried out in a tortured voice.
He couldn't remember how, but he had managed to call the police. He sat on her bed in a daze as he heard all of them talking. He heard the clicks of a camera.
He tried to answer their questions, but he couldn't.
They found her note in the sink. They let him read it. He was even more confused. He didn't know any of her true feelings. She kept them hidden from him.
He could still see the words written in her beautiful handwriting. The last words he would ever hear in her voice.
...I'm sorry. I tried, but I can't do this anymore. I can't keep pretending I just love you like a friend. I love you more than that. I can't go on watching you with others, knowing you will never feel like that for me.
I tried to tell you, but you didn't understand. I can't be alone anymore. I don't want to. I'm sorry, I will miss you. Don't cry over me. I'm not worth it. I'm just too weak to face reality. Goodbye for now.
Love Always,
Devon
He scowled at the rain.
"Why did you give up? Why didn't you talk to me? We could have gotten thru this! Damn it Devon, you were all I had left! What the hell am I supposed to do now? What if I can't do this on my own? I don't think I can live without you. I don't want too!" He screamed at the cold headstone.
He was angry. Angry she gave up and couldn't go to him for help. He would have helped her. He would have done anything for her.
He wiped impatiently at his tears. "Baby I'm sorry. You didn't have to go. I love you too." His voice shook as he pulled the gun out of his pocket. It was small, but lethal just the same.
"I can't be with out you, Dev," he said and lifted the gun to his temple.
He closed his eyes, preparing himself. Just as he was about to squeeze the trigger he felt someone snatch the gun out of his grasp.
He opened his eyes angrily, intending to scream at the person for interrupting him.
The first thing that popped into his mind was, i Are her eyes really violet? /i
"Give that back," he demanded quietly. Not bothering to wipe away the tears. He didn't have anything he wanted to hide or be ashamed of like most men.
She scowled at him. "No," she told him defiantly.
He sighed deeply. "You don't know anything. Don't think you can come and play hero because I don't need one. Just give it back and walk away." He said calmly.
She frowned at him. How could he expect her to just leave him to kill himself? She couldn't do it. She wouldn't do it.
"I can't. I'm sorry about her. Believe me I understand more than you think. But, doing this won't change anything. She's still dead. She wouldn't want that for you, I'm sure."
He looked at her sharply. "What do you know? Nothing! You don't know Devon. You didn't know what she was going thru. You don't know anything!" He snapped at her. He stood at his full height to try and intimidate her.
She took a small step back, but only so she could look into his eyes better. She still faced him head on.
"Fine! Do it your way!" She snapped back. She handed him back his gun, but made sure to expose her wrist to him.
He froze when he saw the scars. An image of Devon flashed thru his mind. The blood flowing from a cut in Devon's wrist. A cut similar to the scar on this woman's wrist.
He took the gun silently, but unloaded it instead. He tossed the bullets aside and shoved the weapon in his pocket.
She glanced at the newly placed headstone and then back at him. "Who is she?" She asked, knowing he wasn't ready to talk about her in the past tense yet.
"She's my best friend," he told her.
The woman nodded sadly. "I'm sorry." She said.
It didn't sound automatic with her. He could see in her eyes she meant it.
He nodded.
"Would like to go get some coffee? My treat. I would like to hear about her if you're willing to talk." She offered.
He looked down at her. He did want to talk about Devon, but this woman is a complete stranger to him.
"Leon Antonelli," he said sticking out his hand.
She smiled slightly at him. "Ares Vasilios," she replied shaking his hand.
"Come on, we're both soaked. I really could use that coffee." She said and walked away, leaving him to follow her.
Leon looked around his car, blinking madly. He spaced out while driving, thinking about the past. He heard his cell phone ringing and grabbed it off the front passenger seat.
"Yeah?"
"Leon, it's Mia," she said quietly.
Leon frowned. She sounded weird to him. He was almost in Mexico. After the last heist they had to hurry and leave. Dom had said he would find Jesse before taking off. Leon didn't worry about it. He was worried about V. Maybe something happened to Vince? He thought.
"What's up Mi? Where's Dom? Did he find Jesse? How's V?" He asked worriedly.
"The Trans pulled a drive-by on the house. Brian was talking to Dom and Jesse pulled up. Then they drove by on their bikes. Leon I'm sorry."
Mia hesitated. She knew that telling Leon would upset him.
"Mi, what is it? Did anybody get hurt?"
"Leon, I'm so sorry. Jesse's dead. They said he died instantly," Mia explained trying to hold back tears.
Leon's whole body froze. It's not true. It can't be. We just saw him yesterday. Leon was in denial.
"I'm sorry Leon."
Leon couldn't breathe. he slowed his car down and pulled over to the side of the road.
"Are you sure? He's gone?" He asked, while hope was waiting for the chance to live.
It had to be some kind of sick joke. Pretty soon Leon was going to get a call from Jess asking where he was at.
"I'm sorry Leon. He's gone."
Hope died, alone, never having the chance.
"How's V?" Leon asked quietly. He wouldn't be able to stand losing another friend.
"He'll survive the gunshot wound, they say. But they don't know if they'll be able to save his arm. I'll call you when I know more. Brian said he can get the cops off the team's back so you should be able to come home."
Leon forced himself to breathe.
"I'm coming back right now. I gotta stop and get someone. I should be there by tomorrow. See you Mi," he said not giving her a chance to respond and hung up his phone. He tossed it away as if it were the phone's fault Jesse was dead.
Ares. I need Ares.
Leon started his car and got off at the next exit, turning back and heading into the direction he had just come from. Leon knew he couldn't be alone right now. He would end up doing something he wouldn't live to regret. There was only person who could help him thru this. She would understand. He needed her.
Ares woke up from a deep sleep to the sound of persistent pounding on her front door. She frowned and hurried down stairs to the door. After turning on the porch light she opened it to find Leon staring at her. His eyes were red and swollen. His cheeks were tear streaked. She opened her arms to him, not needing to ask what was wrong. She knew he came because he needed her.
Leon's throat caught. He couldn't even speak. He just let out a quiet sob.
Ares squeezed him tighter, rubbing his back. She pulled him inside to the couch and held him, letting him cry quietly. She didn't know what was going on, but she had a feeling this wasn't about Devon this time. Something told her it was much more serious.
It was a while before he could tell her what was wrong.
"Jesse's dead," he managed to say.
Ares could feel her breathing stop. She felt like her whole being just stopped. For a brief moment time stood still. She knew Jesse. She's met the team and hung out with them on a few occasions. Jesse was the one she liked the most. He was sweet and lovable. He accepted her with no questions asked just because she was a friend of Leon's. The others were a bit hesitant at first.
Tears filled her eyes. She held him even tighter. "Baby, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She whispered against his him, allowing the tears to fall.
Leon had pulled her into his lap, wanting nothing more than the pain to go away.
"It's all my fault. We just abandoned him. We left him and did the job without him. If we went searching for him instead things would be okay. He would be alive." He said painfully.
"What happened Leon?" She asked quietly.
Leon told her. He told her about Race wars and how Jesse raced for slips. He told her about how the heist they pulled yesterday went bad. Then about what Mia told him over the phone. He even told her about Brian.
Ares knew about the team hijacking trucks. Leon told her about it when the was still thinking about it. Leon told her everything. She was worried something bad would happen and someone could get hurt, but she remained quiet. They were all adults and knew what they were doing, even if it wasn't smart.
"I can't do this Ares. I don't want anyone else to bleed for me. I don't want to be the cause of someone else getting hurt or being dead. Everyone gets hurt because of me. Devon's dead because I wasn't a good enough friend. Jesse's dead because I didn't look out for him like I promised I would. Now V's hurt too. I can't do this anymore Are'. I just can't," Leon pleaded with her. His eyes closed tight.
Tears continued to fall down Ares's cheeks. She knew what he was asking her. He wanted her permission to end his life. She couldn't let him. He meant so much to her now. Ares finally found a reason to live and she couldn't lose him now. She knew she was in love with Leon and had been for some time now. She couldn't tell him because of what happened to Devon. Ares didn't want him constantly worrying about her. He needed to know that he was needed.
Ares looked into his face, staring at his closed eyelids.
"What about Mia? Or Letty and Dom? Vince is still alive," she pointed out.
Leon shook his head. He didn't care. What did it matter now?
"What about me Leon? Don't I count?" She asked sadly.
Leon opened his eyes and looked at her stricken.
"You would just leave me? Just like that?"
Leon shook his head again. He couldn't leave her. He didn't even think about that part. How could he leave her?
Leon pulled her close again and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, baby. I won't leave you. I won't ever leave you. Not if I can help it." he said into her hair.
"Good because I can't do this without you," she whispered back. A deeper meaning that she thought was lost on Leon, but wasn't.
Leon knew what she meant. He knew she was only here because of him. In that moment Leon never wanted to be apart from Ares again. He didn't care if he had to handcuff Ares to his side. She was never leaving his sight. He loved her too much to ever chance losing her.
"Come on. It's late and I'm tired. Let's go to bed. We can get up early so we can get a head start. We have a lot of driving to do if were gonna get to LA by lunch." She said and climbed off his lap.
Leon looked at her amazed. "How do you know I want you to come to LA with me?"
Ares smiled. "Because I love you too."
Leon allowed her to pull him to her bedroom. He went to sleep that night wrapped in her loving embrace. He knew things were bad, but as long as he had her they would get thru them. Together they would survive and be stronger. He knew they both went through so much, but if they hadn't they wouldn't have found each other. Leon missed Devon, but he didn't know where he would be right now if he didn't have Ares. She may be named after the God of War, but she brought peace to his soul.
The End