Chapter Two. Serenity.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in Advent Children/FF7 nor do I own any of their circumstances should I choose to use them. I do however own Alena Maria Strife (even though I don't own her parents or her brother).

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"Hey what took you so long?"

I rolled my eyes at my best friend and confidant. She stood in front of me, hands on hips, emerald eyes watching me, a silver brow raised while her silver hair with ice blue streaks was pulled back from her face leaving it unframed. Her face was definitely pretty; she's a model, designer and actress and she doesn't use Glamour to enhance her looks. Her beauty is natural brought about by… well I'm not sure because she eats as much junk as I do, but she does a lot of exercise, every day we go for a jog and once a week we play hockey for the woman's team. Her skin and features are pale and smooth like a Japanese doll, though there is a hint of something mystical within her eyes. She's one of those fey who can choose to morph themselves into an animal, but she doesn't do it very often. Doesn't need to, as I said she's a high ranking person in her clan so therefore she can use the strength of the dragon without having to transform.

She also can manipulate time. I've seen her do it a couple of times. She can't go back to the past or speed time up for everyone. She can only do it for herself and in intervals; otherwise she could seriously injure herself. All Fey have limits on their power so it's very rare that they call on their powers. They only use them in duels, but there is no such thing now, well not that I've heard. We only use incantations now if we do use magic. I rarely use my powers and if I do it's to banish a demon but mostly I prefer to kill them with weapons. Lead bullets are lethal to fey; nothing else will do it. We also have a serious allergy to Iron. I can't wear anything with Iron in it or Lead, it makes me come out in a rash but it's only a minor one because I have some other blood in me too.

"Wes had something important to tell me."

Wesley Grey is my long term boyfriend. I met him when I got a little too up close and personal with a demon shortly after joining the force and he asked me out, Wes that is, not the demon. We got on well and we've been together ever since. He's everything I'm not. Enthusiastic, sometimes a little over enthusiastic; generous; kind and very stubborn but also open and caring, not to mention honest. He's lovely. He has these soft azure eyes that make you want to melt and a thick mop of messy peacock blue hair. His skin is a New England beige and his features are soft and well proportioned to his face. His lips are wide and full. Coupled with the athletic body he's the perfect man and he's a doctor. Can a girl ask for anything more? Well possibly. He's just a tad too nice, but I wouldn't replace him for anything. I knew his complete opposite and I hadn't done too well with that relationship.

"Which was?" she prompted as we wandered up the street.

Already her aura was moving over mine, moving over the gaps and covering them, but not plugging them. Only a certain person could fill the holes in my aura and strengthen it. I knew I was putting myself in danger by leaving myself vulnerable to attack, but I had to. This was the lesser of the two evils.

I shrugged. "I don't know. He got called out and so we're leaving it till tomorrow."

"We're going out tomorrow." Reni reminded me and I winced.

"Right well I'll call Wes later and tell him to reschedule."

She nodded. "So what time are we meeting up?"

Again I shrugged. I'm a really indecisive person; I usually just go with the flow and let everyone else make the decisions. I guess that's why I'm so desperate to stay in LA, I made the decision to come here on my own and I don't want my decision to be in vain.

"Fine how about we meet up at ten?"

I nodded and we wandered up to a queue of people standing outside 'Silent Fantasies' the newest club to open. I was a bit apprehensive of the name; so Detective Tanaka had ordered me to go and see what the big deal was.

"So how's work been lately?" I finally asked for lack of anything better to talk about, my gaze was trained on the multitude of teens in front of us. I didn't want to talk about anything that would make people suspicious. I just wanted them to be normal, and if they happened to be suspicious by being normal then I would consider that a plus.

"Well I've been swamped with scripts from a group of directors, or their casting crew wanting me to star in their films."

I smiled hearing the news. Ever since Serenity's first premier became a box office hit her career has really taken off and it's nice to see. Besides her job is so much safer than mine, at least I don't have to worry about her being attacked on set. She's always been watched by body guards, both fey and human. I glanced over my shoulder and nodded at the two guys dressed in black who followed us at a safe distance. They were far enough behind us to give us privacy but should we be attacked then they'd be close enough to help us out. Though to be honest I'd say Serenity would be the stronger out of the four of us. I wish I had her strength sometimes, but my power is based on Light; I can conjure up a mighty storm with my other powers.

I tucked a stray strand of blond hair away from my face. A lot of people say that I look exactly like my mother, the same refined, chiseled bone structure, the same porcelain skin and the same slender body, though I'd hardly say that it was as curvy as my mother. I guess I took after my father in that and I definitely got my attitude and temperament from him.

Though maybe if my mother had been still alive I might have inherited her gentle, kind and generous nature. Well, I don't actually know a lot about her because dad doesn't like to talk about her, but from what I've heard, she was a virtuous person, always giving of herself and never hesitating to help a friend in need. She wasn't selfish, not like me. Instead I'm cynical, sarcastic and bitchy at times. I don't trust easily but once I do I give them everything, and that has failed me many times. I am loyal; I won't deny that. It's one of my best traits, but also one of my flaws. Being loyal to someone means believing in them and that no matter what they do; they'll always come through for me. It doesn't work that way. But I've been careful here in LA and I trust Serenity explicitly but there are things I keep from her. Little things that aren't really important, but things anyway.

"That's really cool."

"I like to think so. I just hope that by accepting them I don't put you in danger."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You need my aura to heal yours. If I'm out of the country I won't be able to do that."

I felt my eyes widen slightly as I thought of that possibility. "Shit." I whispered.

I felt sympathy in her aura, but she kept it over mine a sort of extra protection while she sniffed the air suspiciously. "Do you smell that?"

I sniffed but all I could smell was the smog and the steam which rose from the grate in the middle of the road. I felt a tingle at the back of my neck, but when I turned around I saw nothing. Frowning I turned back to the crowd which had began to move slowly towards the door.

"Well do you?"

"Huh?" I questioned unintelligently like I often do.

"Do you smell that?"

"What?" I asked with a shake of my head while fiddling with my wrist bands. I felt out of place in the queue, but looking around I realized that I didn't look out of place. I was dressed like all the other twenty year olds here, so I guess my feeling of nervousness was for no real reason.

"Blood." She murmured.

I sniffed again. My senses aren't as good as Serenity's but just under the smog I could smell the coppery undertones of blood. "Mood enhancers." I informed her and then continued at her raise of a silver brow. "They add the scent to dry ice to make the place more atmospheric."

"Morbid." She replied with a grimace.

"What the club or me for knowing that?"

"Both." She shot back with a grin which prompted one of my own.

Just as we moved up to the bouncer a girl snagged Serenity's hand and clasped it in hers. "Oh my Gawd, you're Serene Gainsborough right?"

"Actually it's Ser-ren-it-tee." Reni corrected her instinctively while shooting me a 'what-the-heck' look over her shoulder when I snickered.

"Like, that's what I said." The girl said with an exaggerated roll of her lavender eyes.

I muffled a chuckle as Serenity smiled blandly at her. Really Serenity's great around her fans; but when they intrude on her private time with her friends or when they just invite themselves along with us she gets irritated.

"Great well do you want an autograph?"

Man, I was impressed; she really is a good actress. She seemed welcoming and civil, go Reni.

"Uh yeah sure. My friends will be so jealous. You're like their idol."

I blinked. Great, she sounds like a child, so what the hell is she doing at a club? I quelled the urge to just ask her age and then show her my badge. Sure I'm not an official police officer, but I do get to carry a badge. Means I can get on to a murder scene without having to wait for the tiring and also time wasting procedure of waiting for someone to clear me through.

Serenity just smiled and took out a pen. "Where do you want me to sign?"

I watched warily though slightly bemused –an expression I'd picked up from an old friend- as the girl raised her top. I could feel the humour mingled with horror in my friend's aura. The girl revealed a tattoo of a small bluebird just under the curve of her breasts. The tattoo reminded me of Serenity's and I found my self exchanging bewildered glances with her.

"Nice." It was all I could think of to say.

Serenity gaped at it then blinked out of her stupor. "Isn't it?"

"Will you sign just under the tat?"

"No problem." Quickly she scribbled her name over the girls tanned flesh and the girl grinned wildly before rushing off down the street.

I watched her leave with a frown. She shouldn't have been out on her own, it just wasn't safe, but glancing at my watch I figured she might be ok. It was well past sunset but no demon came out until after midnight. I don't know why but it seems to be the case, I'm never called out to work until after twelve, but I was hoping tonight I'd be left alone. I hadn't had a night off in ages, and I intended to enjoy it. If that made me selfish then so be it.

"Well shall we?" Serenity asked looping her arm through mine.

"We shall."

We both flashed a grin at the bouncer and we headed into the throbbing noise and the pulsing lights which swirled over the crush of bodies.