Taking a deep breath, Chris gripped the flowers in his hand tightly and stepped into the graveyard, feeling as if it was his father dying over again. But no, the person he was here to see wasn't blood, but she'd meant a lot to someone he knew, and he wanted to pay his respects. He walked passed the graves of other dead people, bodies of loved ones come and gone, some taken prematurely. He slowed as Cherise's grave came into view, coming to a stop and shuffling nervously in front of her headstone. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, feeling as if his windpipe was constricted with each attempt. He knelt down, placing the flowers next to another group of semi-fresh ones. He cleared his throat, reading the gray words as he tried to think of something to say. All that came to mind was "Hey, we've talked before." but that wasn't necessarily true.

He sighed, scratching his head then shoving his hands into his pockets as he stood, his cheeks puffing out as his mind whirred. "I'll be here to help him out ASAP, Cherise." was all he mumbled, he himself not even sure if he'd spoken aloud. His eyes welled, his brain going to the place of: what if it was his mother? Chris had lost his father when he was young, and his mother still didn't believe Chris worked for his Uncle. But for all her crazy, he loved her. What if he was in Nick's situation? Would he have acted the same way?

"I know what you're thinking, and the answer's no." A deep voice broke his spiraling depressing train of thought, a man in head to toe black coming to stand beside him. "You have others to live for." Nick smirked, his long jacket open and his hands tucked into his back pockets.

"Hey." Chris squeaked, coughing before he tried again. "Hey, Nick." He kept his eyes downcast, an instinct to run taking over his senses, yet he couldn't bring himself to run and leave his friend to his sorrow. "I didn't know what flowers she liked, so I brought a big bunch of everything." He pointed slightly at the group of flowers.

"Eh. She'd like 'em. Mama loved all kinds of stuff like that." Nick reached up and took his sunglasses off, something he only did for his mother. "Why're you here, Chris?"

"Well, I'm visiting Talon for a bit, then I'm going to visit my Aunt and Uncle...you probably meant in the graveyard, huh?" Chris smiled in spite of what felt like his impending doom and looked over and up at his future boss. "Figured I'd say hi. I just feel like I needed to. You know?"

"No, I don't." Nick bent down and picked up the dead flowers, the wilted roses bursting into flames, highlighting the shadows under his eyes and the Dark-Hunter mark on his face. "You need to go back to Talon's. Daimons have killed one human today. I don't think the Council would like it if you died too. And your Uncle would probably blame me."

"I've been trained. I can handle my-" Chris started, but was cut off with a sharp look from his former friend and website webmaster. "I can handle myself, Nick."

"Does it look like I care? Go home." Nick placed his sunglasses back on his face and turned, walking away without a backwards glance.

"Nick?" Chris called after him, frowning when Nick stopped. "Would Cherise be happy with how you are nowadays? Fighting with everyone and refusing help from everyone?" And just like that, he had a demon right in front of him, the dark-hunter's hand around his throat and lifting him off the ground.

"Don't you ever talk about her. You didn't know her." The anger rolling from him made Chris shake, but that could also be the struggle for air that he was desperately needing. Nick tossed to him to the ground, Chris's head hitting a tombstone with a loud thump. "Go home." Nick turned again on his heal, pausing briefly. "And no, I don't think she would." Before Chris could get enough air to say something, Nick flashed away. Well. Interesting.

Slowly he got back up and headed back to the entranced, leaning against his hummer for a moment before fishing out his keys. As he fired up the engine and started back to Talon's, he had a thought that Nick was wrong. He'd protect his mother with all his skills, and if he failed...well, maybe the demon was right on one thing. He wouldn't hurt Wulf or Cass, or the kids by removing himself further from their lives. It was bad enough that he had to move out already.

He parked in Talon's garage, pulling out his wallet, opening it up to the picture of his family, the only one he had with his dad. He stroked the picture a moment, then shook his head and put it away. Why was he thinking like this when he'd forgotten to get the groceries for Talon? He was dead meat...