Sometimes the emptiest of situations contain the most intensity. Eric made regular visits in the night to help Lina develop her abilities. Dominic, though not leaving, left a cold silence in the air that broke Lina's heart. His frustration with not being able to find his brother anywhere, and the occasional reports of deaths that he knew he was responsible for, made him all the more bitter. The weekend crept upon them slowly, and Saturday morning started out like all the others.

Lina cooked breakfast, bacon, eggs, and hash browns, on the stove. Dominic was attempting to read the morning paper, even though the language was still new to him he was a quick learner and interested in seeing what was going on. Lina recalled her uncle saying they acted like an old couple who had lost their love for each other several years back and were now nothing but empty, fragile, shells. Lina agreed, they may not have been a couple, but their relationship as they knew it was on the line.

She took the eggs and bacon out of the frying pan with her spatula, and set it down on his plate. She had taken the time to pick out a rather decorative plate for her friend, and even went as far as to set down the food in a particular manner. Normally she did not try to play restaurant chef, but doing these things for him gave her a small sense of redemption, though in the back of her mind she knew that it wasn't going to work.

Dominic had bounced back and forth between trying to see Lina for the person she was, and for the necromantic powers she was about to embrace.

It's going to consume her, if not now, later. She will have to kill in order to test her power. She won't get anymore powerful if she doesn't become a regular practicioner, and who knows who she will turn against when she gets to that stage. I don't trust her uncle, not at all. He is way too casual about this ordeal, and in this setting that makes him twice as suspicious than if he were in my world. I should do some research on Lina's family. Maybe if I show her the unsavory characters of her ancestry, she'll abandon this stupid crusade.

With the scent of hot food drawing him, Spark trotted into the kitchen and sat at Dominic's feet. He purred and rubbed up against his leg. With a rare smile, Dominic reached down and scratched behind his ears, making him purr louder and deeper.

It's nice to be greeted.

"MeeOoowWWW" Spark jumped onto Dominic's lap, rested his paws on his shoulder, and pressed his semi-wet nose against his cheek. "MeOOWwwwww"

"Spark stop it." Lina spoke to the cat in a low tone, and quickly removed him from the seer. She went to the refrigerator to open up a can of cat food, poured it out onto his plate, stirred it up, and allowed Spark to inhale it. She washed her hands and went back to perfecting her plating. Once she determined that everything was in set order, she brought the plate over to Dominic, and set a large glass of milk beside it.

Dominic nodded his thanks but did not speak a word. Neither did Lina. She went to the bathroom to splash some water on her face, and in the process got a good look at herself. The lines on her face indicated that she hadn't been getting much sleep lately. She felt years older than she actually was, and in response to that, sat down on the bathroom floor and put her head on her knees. Spark came in with her, licking his lips, and sat down between her legs and stared up at her.

"I'm trying not to be overdramatic, but its hard. Its rare that I get friends like this, you know that Spark. I don't want to lose him as a friend, but it looks like I've already done it. And I have to use my powers, right?"

Spark looked around and then nuzzled against her leg.

"It scares me too. I just think that maybe my uncle is right, as long as I don't use it for evil I'm not a bad guy or anything, I'm just me. If I have to fight a necromancer, I should know what type of stuff he is doing. I want to be able to protect Dominic. He has to live long enough to get back home to his girlfriend, doesn't he? I mean, I…even if I can't have him I still care for him. I keep telling myself in the end that everything will work out, but in reality I just don't know."

"Thank you for the breakfast."

Lina turned to see an equally tired looking Dominic standing in the door way.

"Everything will work out. I guess." With that Dominic left her sight.

"I guess I should be happy he is speaking with me." Lina let her head drop against her knees. Spark chewed on her hair.

"So, does anyone know any cities that begin with the letter 'R'?" Pam asked what was left of the group.

"I'm going outside," Luna waved to them and stepped out the door, but was stopped short by Pam's hand.

"You can't leave, remember? The witch doesn't think it safe. If something goes wrong and she isn't there to ward the darkness away, you could die."

"Yes, but I don't want to be cramped up in this room either. I don't even have all of my notes with me." She responded.

"Well where are your notes?"

"I.." Luna sat on the bed and crossed her legs, "Dominic stashed them somewhere."

The nurse sighed and hit her head lightly against the wall. "I'm so bored. I think that witch sleeps more than she does anything else. Everyone else left a long time ago."

Luna frowned and pulled her legs back up on the bed. "I guess they got tired of me.." She frowned and shut her eyes.

"No, they just wanted to get out of the room, stretch their legs. The Deegans have other matters to attend to, but Gregory and I are around?"

"Anyone else?"

"Umm...no."

Luna growled lightly.

Pam stood up again and stretched, taking off her nurses cap for once and revealing her long, beautiful hair. She set the cap down on the chair and touched her toes a few times.

"What are you doing?"

"Keeping in shape. I want to.." Pam blushed and continued her exercises silently.

"Want to what?"

"Look good for..err.."

"Gregory?"

"Shhhh!!" Pam lost her balance and tilted over but regained it by pressing herself upwards with her hand. "Please don't tell him. Its natural for a girl to want to look nice. Maybe Rachel's complete makeover wasn't for me, but I do want to do something. Haven't you ever wanted to look nice for Dominic?"

"Yeah, of course I do." Luna's hand grazed her teeth, "But what can I do? I am the way I am."

"You and everyone else puts too much emphasis on one thing, instead of the whole you." Pam sat down on the floor and stretched her legs. "Have you ever tried buying fine lotions, getting the best shampoo derived from sweet flowers, or even basic exercises."

Luna got down on the floor slowly and began to stretch along with her. "I never thought of it that way." She stuck her toes under the bed and reached backwards to stretch, but her feet lost their grip and her head smacked against the floor.

Pam stopped and quickly aided her friend. "Are you okay?"

Luna's eyes flooded with tears and she curled up in a little ball. "Something is wrong."

"What- What is it?? Tell me!!"

"Dominic. He- He's going to die."

"Dominic? Dominic. Oh sweetheart.....get up, Deegan!"

All the notes and papers surrounding the sleeping seer shot up in the air as he was jolted awake by the voice. He scrambled back to find Dyana standing two feet from him, her arms crossed. She raised her leg and placed it on the bed seductively, and put her hand on his cheek. "Hello."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Guess its going to take your second sight some time to get back in shape, huh? I'll tell you who I am. I'm Mrs. Dyana Deegan."

"Eh..." Okay, she's nuts. "Deegan? I'm afraid I don't have any sisters, and you are definately not my aunt."

Dyana pucked her lips sarcastically and sat on the bed next to him. She slipped her arms around him and rested her lips against his neck and began to lick.

"Ack!" He shoved her away and scrambled off the bed.

"I'm here to give you a message, Deegan. Whatever you may see in that little mind of yours I suggest you ignore it."

He glared at her, and a thick black cloud began to seep from the floor. His eyes took on a light glow and he hissed in an unnatural voice. "I will do no such thing, so leave this place at once."

The white-haired woman laughed and swept her hand through the clouds, causing them to immediatly dissipate. "Don't try your illusions on me, Deegan, your brother told me all about them."

"You work for Jacob!" Dominic hissed at her. "Tell me, exactly what you are planning to do."

"You are the seer, I'm sure you already know. Let me just give my message and leave since you seem so uncomfortable with my being here." Dyana leaned over and tried to kiss Dominic, but he moved away.

"Here is the deal, boy. Im going to give you this one chance for you to live. Stay out of it. I know you've been snooping around and you're already going to pay a very heavy price for your meddling."

"And what is that?"

"Your ugly little friend Lina? Well, she is as good as dead."

"I won't let you touch her!"

"Boy, its high time you learn I do whatever I please... But first, I think I'm going to give you a little preview of what I'm about." She raised her hand to strike him, but another voice stopped her from completing the blow.

"Allow me to go first." Lina ran in and grabbed Dyana's hair and twisted it.

"You bitch!" Dyana freed her hair, "No rookie Necromancer will prove a challenge to me!"

"So you know about me? Then this shouldn't come as a surprise." With a fist full of Death essence she struck at Dyana, hitting her in the side. What looked like black blood poured from her side, but she wasn't phased by it.

"Hm." Dyana lifted her shirt and looked at her wound. There was a small knife lodged in her, and the blood was running down onto the rest of her clothing.

"Idiot. Why injure someone who is skilled in white magic. Nice touch with the knife, though. Trying to give me disease though an open would that you cause yourself. Remind me to applaud you." She yanked it out and proceeded to heal herself.

"Even that takes time!" Lina yelled. She swung at her with her other fist, blade pushed forward and this time visible to the eye. Dyana barely moved out of the way and used her knee to push Dominic in the way.

Dominic was hit in the neck.

Blood splattered around the room.

Lina screamed and ran to his side. "No no no no..Dominic get up. What did I do? What dd- d-..." She let out another peircing scream and buried her head on his motionless body.

"Shame shame. You really should be careful.." Dyana headed towards the door but paused to take a second look at the gruesome scene."But then again...I am in a nice mood today. You see, Lina, you were the one I wanted after all, not Dominic. I just have this thing about other women with power. Perhaps we can, strike a deal.."

It was several moments before the sobbing Lina could speak."What deal? I'll do anything."

"Your life energy. I don't need your pathetic powers, but the hours of your life will do. Allow me to drain them from you and I, being a woman of my word, will heal Dominic. Hurry now and decide, he doesn't have much time."

Lina stared at him, and then back up at the woman. "Fine."

Dyana kneeled down and grabbed the stone that hung on the string around her neck. She placed her hand on Lina's shoulder and concentrated. Lina felt herself weaken considerably and collapsed.

"Good. A deal's a deal.." She placed both hands over Dominic and forced the Death Essence out of his body, and then healed the wound in his neck. By the time Dominic opened his eyes, Dyana was gone and Lina was draped over him.

"Lina?" Dominic sat up and shook her some. "Lina!"

"I'm still here." She opened her eyes and smiled weakly.

"What-did, what happened?"

"I think I just sold my soul or something. Im so sorry Dominic. I wanted to show you I could be good. I tried to save you...but.." She cried, "I hit you instead.."

He sat there stunned. Slowly his hand moved to her back and he rubbed in gently, and from that, pulled him tightly into his embrace. "What did you just do for me?"

"It was the only way you could be healed. I wasn't about to let you die in my arms."

"I..er...damn.." He rested his head on her shoulder. "Just hang on. After I stop Jacob I'll find a way to fix this."

"Maybe, maybe not." Lina gave him a gentle squeeze. "What is important is you getting back home, getting back to your family,

and getting back to Luna. You were telling me about that Diary right? I'll make sure I'm around long enough to find that too."

I can feel it. Her weakness. This is all Jacob's fault. All of it. He's going to pay for what he's done, and if Lina dies I'll never be able to forgive myself. No, she won't die. That's not an option.