DICLAIMER- Pendergast, Proctor and Constance belong to Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Halo Spencer, Ryan Elmasy and the plot belong to me. -Gadget

Chapter 2 Pendergast's POV

Halo didn't answer me and I sat there for the entire night until Constance came into my room looking for me. She was wearing her usual cream-colored dress and the light shade made her long hair seem even darker and her skin seem even paler. She looked to be around Halo's age, but in truth she was actually much older than me. She had been an experiment of my great-grand-uncle; he had extended his life and her own but as far as I knew, neither of them were immortal. After all, Uncle Antoine had been murdered and that was why Constance now lived as my ward.

"Aloysius," She began but stopped when she saw that I wasn't alone.

"Just speak softly," I whispered to her.

"Who is that with you?" She asked, coming closer to stand beside me.

"His name is Halo Spencer; he's a... friend of mine." I told her. "Something tragic has happened to him Constance; I need you to help me look after him."

She nodded and reached out to smooth Halo's hair down like I had been doing for most the night. "What happened to him?" She asked.

"I don't know." And it was the truth although I did suspect that something had happened to Ryan, Halo's longtime lover, otherwise the young man would be here as well. "He has not spoken to me yet, I'm sure he's in shock."

Constance made that sympathetic sound that only women and girls can make, her eyes softening as she looked at Halo. "What can I do?" She asked.

I hadn't managed to get any of Halo's things before I'd left his house, simply wanting to get him out of that environment as quickly as I could. "Would you try to find him something to wear? I'm afraid his clothes were ruined."

She nodded and left me alone with Halo, who slept unaware of anything that had transpired. I watched him for a moment more as the sun began to shine through my window and then I stretched out beside him, needing, at the very least, to rest my eyes.

I felt movement beside me, frantic movement. Almost like someone was tangled up in something and trying desperately to free themselves. I opened my eyes, slowly becoming aware and remembering the night before.

I turned over, finding that Halo was struggling beneath the covers, and he was struggling violently, literally fighting with the blanket.

"Halo," I said, pulling him free. "Halo, it's okay. It's okay, you're safe now."

"Oh god...oh god." He was saying over and over and I wrapped my arms carefully around him. "Pend? Where am I?"

I smoothed my hands over his face and hair; letting them trail down the rub his back in a comforting manner. "You don't remember?"

He stared at me blankly. "I...oh god Pend... Ryan... Ryan's...he's..." He didn't finish whatever he was trying to say; instead he broke down and started crying silently.

Constance picked that moment to knock gently on the door, but she didn't wait for my permission to enter, she just pushed the door open. She held a small bundle in her hands and I knew it was the clothes I had sent her after before I had fallen asleep. Halo went completely rigid at the sight of her and she stopped in her tracks, holding the bundle protectively over her chest.

"Hello," She said to him softly.

Halo clutched his hands in my shirt, trying to hide from her. "It's alright Halo." I told him, caressing his spine comfortingly. "This is my ward, Constance Greene."

Halo licked his lips, wetting them so he could speak. "Hiya," He said, his voice rasping over the word.

Constance blushed and I abruptly remembered that Halo was nude under the sheet that barely covered him at this moment. I tried to shift the blankets while he and Constance were looking elsewhere, but Constance noticed the movement of my hands and then so did Halo and they both turned dark shades of red.

"I'll just leave these here for you Mr. Spencer," She murmured, laying the clothes on my dresser. "Aloysius," She turned quickly and left.

Halo began to edge away and I let him, getting up and grabbing the clothes for him. "You can wear these until I can replace your clothes."

He took the bundle silently, running his hands over it before he pulled the shirt free. It was black and two sizes too large for his slender frame; he pulled the pants out next. They were loose-looking dress pants and again I was sure they would be too big for him, but I didn't say anything. Halo liked to wear his clothes a little too large; he liked the freedom of movement. I looked at the clothes in his hands and didn't see any underwear or socks, Constance must not have been able to find something in his size.

Halo noticed this too. "We'll go get some of your things later today." I told him, standing. "For now, I'll leave you to dress." I left the room before he could say anything to make me want to stay.

He came down to my sitting room a few moments later, looking young and fragile in the oversized clothes. Constance was drinking tea and she sat the cup down with a clank at the sight of him in the doorway. I arched my eyebrows suddenly realizing that Constance was attracted to him; there was no other explanation for her behavior.

She stood, smoothing down her dress. "Good morning Mr. Spencer. Would you like some tea or something to eat?"

Halo wrapped his arms around his middle, hands holding onto his elbows. "No, no thank you." He murmured and Constance blushed at the sound of his deep voice. People never expected the voice to come from Halo; a sound like the rumble of thunder, but still so soft. He had a voice like velvet, devoid of any accent to give away his birthplace, his voice seemed to crawl over my skin and stay someplace low in my body; someplace warm. It seemed Constance had felt his velvety voice somewhere low as well.

She smiled at him. "I'll leave you with Mr. Spencer, Aloysius." She kissed me lightly on the cheek as she passed.

Halo was silent a little longer. "Aloysius?" He asked finally.

"It's my name," I told him. "Aloysius X.L. Pendergast."

"X.L? Like extra large?" He was trying to put a joking tilt to his voice but he was failing.

I just smiled. "No, just my middle initials. What are yours?"

At this point, I knew Halo craved a sense of normalcy, a sense that nothing had changed and I would give him that feeling if I could.

"My middle name is Edwin." He said; he still hadn't lowered his arms from their protective/defensive position around his stomach.

"Are you sure you're not hungry?"

He shook his head.

"Is that a 'no' Halo"?

He nodded.

"Very well then," I stood crossing to him and putting my hands lightly on his shoulders, massaged them gently. "Halo, I need to take you to the precinct so that you can give your statement to the police."

He nodded and then leaned into me but he didn't try to touch me, he just let me take some of his weight. I led him from the room; he would have to wear his own shoes even though they were still caked in blood.