First off….I am so so sorry for taking so long to update! First I had writers block…then I had a Saiyuki obsession and wrote stories for my baby pairing…then I had block again. But I forced this out. It needs updating.

Huge love to everyone who reviewed, I seriously adore all of you. Extra love to takai-megami-chan for making me giggle – I'm using the part you mentioned in here to some degree so thanks! - and lyless and lockesilverfor all the C2 stuffage. XD

Oh and about the Tarot cards mentioned here…no bitchy comments about meaning you may have learnt from Godchild or wherever, I actually read Tarot so I know what I'm saying, okay?

Off we go…

Darkness. All he could see was darkness. It surrounded him, pulled at him, reached inside of him and filled his lungs, his eyes, his mind, everything. It was like sleep but heavier and he knew the feeling only too well. Every now and again the darkness would fade into shades of grey, a dark wall, a figure approaching. Then there would be more pain and sneering voices.

He could see them if he chose to. He could wake up and face them but what was the use? If he was going to die here anyway, best to spend the final moments thinking about what mattered most. Like family. Like love. Certainly not like the blood running down his arms or the hair in his eyes.

Sunlight filled the large room but no warmth seemed to touch Mary as she crouched on the floor. Before her lay a scattered pack of Tarot cards which she had thrown around in a fit of rage after what they had shown her.

She had decided to draw a card at random to see what was happening to Cain. He hadn't come home that night and still wasn't back now. She was worried and she was lonely; the servants were too busy to stay with her and although his company wasn't perfect, even Oscar would have been appreciated had he been there. In absence of company, she had turned to the cards and hated what she saw.

First of all she had drawn the Hierophant, reversed. This meant stifled feelings or a crisis of self belief leading to disorderly conduct. She had thrown this aside and gone for another one. Then she had drawn the Moon, also showing confusion and discontent. Finally, she had drawn Death and although it may only symbolise change she had given up entirely.

Something was wrong with Cain, she knew it. What was she going to do? What could she do? There was only one thing she could think of…the paper hidden in her room. Did this constitute as important enough to bother Riff with?

Mary realised this was a ridiculous question. Cain's safety was everything to Riff and Mary knew that. Without further ado, she grabbed the address she had hidden in her room, tied a bonnet onto her head and left the house purposefully.

"Riffriff, sit down before I tie you down, do you hear me?"

Riff turned and sat back in the chair he had vacated. Caroline sat in her wheelchair beside it glaring at him. This was the third time he had tried to escape in as many minutes.

"Honestly," she sighed, "I don't know what's wrong with you. You agreed to come here so that I could help you so why are you trying to avoid this?"

Riff shook his head and smiled a little weakly at her, not having an answer. She sighed and theatrically adjusted the sleeves of her shirt. Riff suspected this was because she enjoyed wearing it so much. The shirt was of a mans cut but with billowing sleeves, all dyed a bright yellow. The cuffs and collar were orange and decorated with tiny flowers. Under this, she wore black trousers and riding boots; Caroline at home was certainly an interesting sight.

"Now…"she said at last. "Are we ready to try again?"

Riff nodded. "I suppose so. Unless there's some other chore that I have to-"

"Not another word!" Caroline raised a finger in warning. "There's no one but us here, we've eaten and the place is as clean as a king's plate. Are we ready?"

Riff nodded. "Yes. Sorry. It's just…this is all rather…"

"Embarrassing? Deal with it."

Riff almost gasped at her blunt reply but then smiled. Somehow, her forthrightness was soothing. She wouldn't judge him on anything she saw and this would ultimately be for the good. He could return to the estate as soon as he worked this out and if he never started he might never return.

"Okay, you win," he smiled. "What do I do?"

Caroline took his hand gently in her own. "Just think about him. An event, anything. What's the first thing that comes to mind. You don't have to speak. I can do that for you."

Riff just let his mind wander and eventually it settled on one night a while ago, while Riff had been tidying Cain's clothes away. The moment had been completely innocent, despite the fact that Cain was completely undressed. That was, until he had turned and said it. You're the only one that can touch my scars, Riff. Why had he felt the need to say that? Glancing so carelessly over his bare shoulder with those golden eyes…Riff had had to excuse himself soon after that and sit alone for a long time forcing the impure thoughts out of his mind. Something in Cain's voice had been different but Riff couldn't recognise it. It might have been nothing, t might have been-

"He wasn't mocking you," Caroline said, her eyes shut. "I can hear him. I know. You started thinking about….you started thinking that way not because you're disgusting or any of these words you've got flitting around. You thought those things because that is exactly what he was thinking too. I'm a city girl; I know lust when I see it. How could you miss it so completely?"

Riff opened his mouth to speak and didn't have an answer. Inexorably, his mind drifted to the night of that incident. He had awoken after a disturbing dream he could no longer remember and found himself watching his straight razor carefully. The thoughts that had crossed his mind had been so impure that part of him wanted punishment…

"But you didn't do it. Thank God. You knew Cain would be upset if he found out, and you were never good at keeping secrets from him." Caroline opened her eyes. "My God Riffriff, you've loved him for so long and he's felt the same way…why have neither of you said anything?"

"I was hoping you could tell me," Riff replied simply. He was slightly shell-shocked at the revelation of Cain's feelings. He had told Caroline about the letter but this was something else. "Shall we stop now? I need to think about something else for a while."

"I was thinking the same thing." Caroline said, still holding his hand. "But why haven't you stopped thinking about him?"

Riff frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Right now. I can see a dark room…people…I can feel-" Suddenly, she gasped and bit her lip. "Pain. Something's cutting…what's going on, Riff? Stop it!"

Mary virtually bounced up to the large door and knocked. She had visited the address that Riff had given her, to find a young woman living alone. This woman had told her where Riff was now staying and Mary was worried about Cain even more. Riff had been at one of the places Cain was meant to visit the day before, so why weren't they together and back at home?

This house was a large town house with a bright yellow door surrounded by flowers. Mary liked it already but was still worried. She tapped her foot impatiently while she waited for someone to open the door. What was taking them so long?

The door swung inwards so suddenly it made her jump. She gasped; she had been expecting some servant to open the door and so had been preparing a speech but now it was Riff that was standing before her.

He looked different. He was tenser and there were fine lines around his eyes meaning he hadn't been sleeping well. At this moment, he was frowning but the frown was swiftly being replaced by a look of surprise upon seeing Mary.

"Miss Mary? Why are you-"

"You need to come home, Riff!" she cried. "Cain's gone missing and I think something awful is happening to him!"

Riff remembered Caroline's words: Pain…something's cutting…

He paled.

"We need to go and find him." Mary said urgently, running towards Riff and hugging his legs tightly. "I'm so scared! It doesn't matter what he said to you or whatever. I tried to work it out but I can't. But whatever it is, surely you can't ignore him now?"

Riff shook his head. "No. I'm sorry for leaving and making this happen, Mary."

"How do we find him?" She asked,

Riff nodded slightly. "I think I have a way…"

Back in the other room, Caroline was shaking from the last thing she had seen. She had seen a man, a large filthy man bending down in front of her and she had ehard the whispered words.

Unconsciousness will be your friend.

Tada, and so it ends. Only one chappy after this and then maybe a sequel…depends. Tell me what you want!