Joss loitered in the dark shadows of a bakery door, staying carefully out of sight; this was not the sort of neighbourhood in which a young girl could safely stand alone in doorways. She didn't want to risk drawing attention to herself all for the sake of an overenthusiastic curb-crawler.

The building across the wide street from her was called Hirogens House, it had once been the best new hope for regenerating this run down area, now, it blended in nicely with the other crack dens and whore houses in the square. The square was called Ehmere Place.

Joss was wearing the two knives that Ferdinand had made for her, one resting on each side of her waist, tucked into her belt. The long black coat she had also taken from him, without his knowledge, had concealed them from any unusually observant members of the NYPD on her way here and, she fancied, made her shadow look rather sinister.

A cigarette hung from the corner of her mouth, wreathing her head in smoke as it mixed with that which she exhaled on every other breath. She had almost been persuaded by Jean to give up but, as she'd said to the man in the store where she'd bought them; "You've gotta die from something."

Occasionally, a dark-windowed saloon would draw up against the curb and pick up one or two of the luckless women from the sidewalk. Joss would draw further back into the shadows, invisible but for the small red glow of her cigarette end. Those few drivers or harried passers by that noticed her obscure shadow continued on their way without indication; this was not a neighbourhood watch area.

There was a dull buzzing and she slapped a hand to her side to muffle the harsh noise that permeated the silent darkness. Drawing her cell from her pocket, Joss flipped it open and put it to her ear.

"He's not there." Came the very English sounding confirmation. "But apparently he normally returns at around one in the morning."

"Apartment?"

"Lucky 13." She sniggered. "What are you up to Joss?" Ferdinand sounded worried. "What is it? A shakedown, a warning call or are you on a payroll to take this guy out?"

"No, Ferdy." She answered quietly. "This one is all me. Thanks for you help." She flipped the phone closed and returned it to her pocket. Almost immediately, it buzzed again, she checked the name, 'Raven'. It could just be a very poorly timed party invite, she reasoned, bringing it back up to her ear.

"Raven, hi."

"Lynx." There was a pause as raven moved across the room. "Are you in danger?" Joss frowned.

"No. Not yet?" she answered. "Why?"

"Your guardian is here," came the reply. "Him and his quiet friend." Joss sighed. She should have known that he would try her friends to fid out where she had gone. At least he was with Raven and the others at 'The Black Lily' and not with Ferdinand. Not that he would have pointed Logan in anything like the right direction.

"His quiet friend?"

"Fairly attractive, in a conservative kind of a way, red glasses." Logan had teamed up with Scott? He must be worried. Joss felt a nasty pang of guilt.

"Don't hurt him." she warned suddenly, there was a soft laugh.

"Not without your say so, Lynx. Shall we send them on their way?" Joss considered, there was always a chance that Logan would find her before she had finished this.

"No." she answered eventually. "Would you keep them there as long as you can? Scott's a total lightweight and Logan's a pretty easy lay, so it shouldn't be too hard."

Raven disconnected her cell and turned to Logan and Scitt, both looking on expectantly. She smiled.

"Lynx is on her way here. I did not tell her that you were waiting." She gestured to the rest of the group. "Won't you have a drink?"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Scott giggled into his drink and Logan tried not to follow suit. The two of the had been sitting on the comfortable sofas for no more than forty minutes but the colourful liquid they had been given to drink had taken quick effect. Logan's increased metabolism was keeping him more sober than Scott, but just drunk enough to wonder why he wasn't slightly more concerned about why Joss hadn't arrived yet.

She's on her way. He reasoned hazily.

"She's on her way?" he repeated to Raven who was sitting across from him. She smiled the same distant smile and nodded.

"Lynx is on her way." She assured him. Logan looked at Scott who was staring dreamily at the woman next to him. For some unexplainable reason he needed to here the same reassurance from him. Scott always knows what's happening. He told him self slowly. He's anal like that. He nudged the man next to him and the red glasses turned to look at him.

"She's not here yet." Logan told him, Scott's brow furrowed and he looked confused. Scott didn't usually drink more than a single pint. Logan's mind began to clear and he growled menacingly.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Nobody of any great interest had passed Joss for a while and she was beginning to doubt her intelligence when suddenly she noticed a dark movement a few blocks down from where she was ensconced. Stiffening. She drew back, the darkness enveloping her.

There was a tall dark figure on the other side of the street, moving towards her. Through the course of the evening there had been any number of suspicious characters on this street but this time Joss was sure. Something about the way he moved, the right height. A voice of reason in her head pointed out that there was no way that she could remember accurately how tall he was when she had only been about three feet tall the last time that she had seen him, but she ignored it.

Lynaes, for by now she was sure it was him, drew almost level with her, Joss held her breath and fought the temptation to screw her eyes shut until he passed. A warm breeze had sprung up in the night and washed over her frozen face, bringing with it the familiar smells of the city; overflowing garbage cans, car exhausts and too many people. Tonight however, there was another, strange to the city but sickeningly familiar to Joss.

A warm waft of bile. The images from her dreams flitted past her eyes as, like a sickening cue, his odour brought them flying back from her memory.

Joss swallowed hard; fighting to keep the same burning fluid in her throat from mingling with the now over-powering stench of his.

He passed under the only functioning street light on the blackened street and was exposed momentarily; he wore no hood, made no effort to disguise who he was. What he was. The yellow light shone on his skin, yellow in itself, making him look terribly jaundiced. Joss imagined his pink eyes shining like raw flesh in the light and her heart stopped for a moment, as she was sure he had met her gaze. Defying all rational thought, she shut her own and refused to inhale. When she opened her golden eyes again he was gone, gliding up the stone steps to the neglected tenement building in front of her.

Overcome with an urge to flee, to run as fast as she could all the way across the city to 'The Black Lily', to where she knew Logan was waiting. Raven had been right when she had called Logan her guardian, he was. Her guardian angel, always there to protect her, defend her. Except now. Except for when she deceived him.

Could she call him now? He would come immediately, fight be her side, she knew he would but there was not way that she could ask that of him. Not after what she had seen in her dreams. Losing him would destroy her. If this worked, she vowed to herself, if this worked she would never leave his side again. She would tell him everything she had neglected to reveal before and never ever lie to him again.

And if it doesn't work? The same annoying voice argued. Then I won't be around to regret it. She retorted stubbornly.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Logan held the blue haired boy against the wall of the club, three claw points tickling his throat.

"Where is she?"

Scott held the others at bay, his visor aimed menacingly at the small now standing facing them. Logan dropped the boy with a snarl and turned on the rest of them, focusing on Raven.

"Don't you understand?" he implored. "She doesn't know what she's thinking! She going to die!" he stared into the emerald green eyes meeting his, they scrutinised his own deep hazel ones, wide and glistening in desperation. "She needs me!" He pleaded.

Slowly the eyes softened and her pale face nodded in gentle understanding.

"Yes." She responded softly. "She does."

Hey, all. I'm sure you've noticed that this one is beginning to draw to an end bu i'm afraid i'm going to have hold out on you all for a while to allow for the horror that is A-Level exams! Please bear with me and normal service should be resumed by the end of June!

(Please note: same applies to Gravity's Weaknesses.)

Wish me luck and please don't forget about me!