A/N: Standard Disclaimers Apply

Chapter Ten: Anger and Forgiveness

The uniformed police showed up twenty-six minutes before the thunderstorm. It rolled in off the cost and began dumping buckets of rain on the city. Typical. I crouched under a fire escape from a nearby building at watched as detectives from the crime scene unit finally arrive. As I waited, everything that happened began to sink in.

Lenny was dead, and it was my fault.

I got back to my bike and went home; even rats know when to stay out of the weather. I got back to my garage, parked my bike as calmly as I could. I was ready to explode. I overplayed my hand and drove him to suicide. I couldn't contain it any more. I yanked a stool off the ground and clubbed the wall, the floor, the support beam. I screamed. Soon I was panting, my heart was still pounding hard, and I held the mangled remains of a metal stool. I flung it down the hall and balled up.

Lenny was scum.

But he was dead.

I caught the scent of jasmine.

"Dick? Are you well? The sensors in the Tower told us you returned."

I closed my eyes and actually wished that Kory would go away. I could tell she was looking around.

"What has happened here? Why are you just sitting like that? And why are you so wet? Did you get caught in the…"

"Just… shut… up!" I jumped up and shouted at her. "I'm not going to answer any of your stupid questions!" My voice trailed off, "Just go away."

I turned from her before I could watch her large green eyes glass over with tears. As I heard her fight back her sobs, I closed my eyes, more angry at myself than ever. I lashed out at her, and Kory didn't deserve it. I felt her soft hand on my shoulders, and she wrapped a towel around me. I felt her head lean against my shoulder, and I took a deep breath, thankful Kory didn't listen to me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered softly. "Can you forgive me?"

She took a corner of the towel and dried off my cheek before kissing it lightly. "Of course I can. You know that I worry about you all the time."

I turned and completely fell into her green eyes. Kory was so damn beautiful. She put her soft hands to my temples and gently removed my mask. Her lips pressed to mine, and I wrapped my arms about her waist. The kiss continued as we slowly made our way to the floor.

I woke up when she shifted. Her long, slender arm snaked around my chest, and I felt her mould her body to mine. I could have spent years just feeling her breathe lightly on my neck and her jasmine perfume in my nostrils, but I had work to do. As quietly as I could, I slipped away from Kory and just watched her. The storm passed and the moon now shone in through the windows, and she shimmered like gold in the silver light. I sighed quietly before picking up my mask and donned it.

I wheeled my motorcycle to the door.

"Are you leaving again?"

I turned. Kory sat up and pulled the blanket over her body.

"I didn't mean to wake you," I said.

"I know."

She stood, wrapping the blanket loosely around her body and walked to me.

"Kory, I…"

Kory put her finger to my lips and smiled softly.

"I know," she whispered.

We kissed, and I straddled my motorcycle, kicked started it to life, and rode off again into the night.

…..

I went back to the foot of Finger Hill and crept back into the Loft. This time, I took out a leather jacket from my bike's saddlebag and stuffed my mask in one of its many pockets. The place was more crowded than the last time, and the Raven shrine was still set up in the corner. Some of the patrons stopped and bowed to it, like they were praying. Then I noticed they were all drunk. Even the morose Goth kid was here. He didn't see me. Good.

"Hey," someone said to me. "Looks like you're having an off night."

I turned and saw a pale, spiked, purple haired punk rocker type. He had eight hoops in his brow and an almost incalculable number in his ears. He wore a torn jacket and an even more torn Sex Pistols tee shirt.

"You could say that," I said taking a sip of my soda.

"Well, I got your answer right here, friend."

He looked around and pulled out bag after bag of pills. My eyes narrowed. There were reds, blues, and purples: an entire rainbow of colors. I recognized the Valium, Prozac, Viagra, and Quaaludes immediately.

"Not my speed," I said as I locked his appearance in my mind.

"Okay, then."

The pusher wandered off, looking for another mark. I narrowed my gaze and tracked him as he walked through the club. I set my drink down and reached into my pocket for my mask.