Hello! Here I am with another chapter. I got some follows last time…. But reviews are nice too you know! Don't be one of THOSE people…. Haha. Anyways… Hope you are enjoying it so far. I'll keep writing as long as you keep reading!

The dark side of me: Chapter 2

The realm of the unwanted was still the perfect place to hide. Here, no one really cared who you were or where you came from. Even in this time of re-established peace in the OZ, the realm was teaming with miscreants and vagabonds alike. It was also a good place for information if you kept your ears open.

This is what had prompted today's urgent meeting between the Cain men.

"You know, this self-imposed exile is a little over dramatic, even for you." The younger Cain said as he took his place next to his father at the bar. The elder Cain ignored this statement and continued sipping the cold glass of whisky in front of him.

The bartender came by but Jeb waved him off, this would hopefully be a quick visit. He loved his father, but something had changed in him since he came out of the suit, and even more so when he left the city. He was colder, definitely not the man he remembered growing up. Jeb knew it had something to do with the young princess his father left behind, but also knew it would take an act of Glenda to get him to admit it.

When Jeb had initially gotten the letter from Cain, he had thought something was wrong. He rushed out of the city immediately, taking a few days leave of his duty in the newly appointed TinMan division of the Royal Guard. Sitting here now though, he began to second guess that scenario and was leaning more towards his father just needing someone to talk to.

Cain set his glass down and finally spoke, "What's going on top-side Jeb?"

Seriously?! Is this what he had called him down here for? A report… "In what regards, father?" Jeb said coyly.

Cain turned towards his son, his face grim, "I think you know what I'm talking about…"'

Honestly he didn't. It could be any number of things, should he just start going through them all?

Jeb's continued silence only irritated the former TinMan. He slammed his empty glass down on the top of the bar and turned to his son, "Why didn't you tell me about the assassination attempt?"

This caused Jeb to quirk an eyebrow, "Which one?"

"Which one? You mean to tell me there has been more than one attempt!?" Cain was genuienly shocked.

Jeb didn't say anything, only gave his father the most disapproving look he could muster. He could clearly see the clenched jaw and vein poking out right above his father's temple. It was true that there had been multiple attempts on the Royal Family, but it was nothing unusual. Nothing so organized as that would cause for alarm. Most people were caught before they even made it within a mile of the castle. All of them small time operations, usually consisting of just a few people who think they have the right idea.

Except for this last one...

It was this reason that it was suggested to keep the princesses locked in Finaqua for an indefinite amount of time. He could only assume that this was what his father was speaking of. Word had spread quickly about a plan to assassinate the older princess and kidnap the younger.

Jeb rolled his eyes, "You know, you would know more if you would just move topside again. I understand wanting to get out of the palace life, but living down here... it's insane."

"Jeb..." Wyatt warned.

"Fine," Jeb sighed, "I'll tell you, but I really don't understand why you care so much. You left remember? What the hell are you going to do with this information down here? Nothing, except brood over it and make yourself crazier than you already have become."

"JEB!"

"Alright!" Jeb signaled for the bartender, he needed a drink after this shit. He took a sip of what was passed down to him and turned back to his father, "A detective stumbled upon a very intricate plan to kill Princess Azkadellia and kidnap DG. The house was abandoned, and even readers couldn't tell who had been there. The big details of the plan were not released, but whatever it was was enough to scare the family into moving the princesses to Finaqua."

Wyatt regarded this information for a moment and huffed, "And you don't know anything other than that?"

Jeb shrugged his shoulders, "It's not my department... they don't just share information. Most of what I know I picked up in the rumor mill, just like I'm sure you did."

Wyatt huffed and rested his arms on the bar, "So what now? How long are they going to keep them locked away?"

Jeb took the last sip of his drink, "Indefinitely... Of course, the 'official' reasoning behind the princess' abrupt departure was a vacation."

Wyatt nodded. Jeb stood placing a hand on his father's shoulder, "Come back top-side, I am sure there is a place for you with the tinmen again..." Jeb pleaded.

Waytt shook his head, "That's not my world anymore, son. Even if I wanted to go back things have changed, too much for a dated model like me. I don't belong there."

Jeb sighed knowing he was fighting a losing battle, but he decided to try one more thing, "DG is miserable." At the mention of the youngest princess Wyatt turned to face his son, but he was already out the door.

Wyatt had thoughts of chasing his son out the door and question his meaning, but knew the statement was an attempt to goad him into revealing information to Jeb about the nature of his relationship (or lack there of) with the younger princess. He stood up, threw more than enough money on the bar to cover his and Jeb's tab and stalked out of the bar.

Cain made his way down the crowded streets, ignoring the hustlers and women of ill repute who made an attempt to approach him. It wasn't that he particularly enjoyed living in the realm, fact was, he hated it, but this was the only place he felt he belonged at this point. He made a living by taking care of odds job for people here and there, sometimes security work, sometimes collecting money for loan sharks, or anything else he could convince himself was honest work. In reality he was lost.

When he first left the palace, he meant to move back to his old homestead and re-build. Upon arriving there, be began to second guess his decision. He sat in front of the delapated house for two whole days before finally deciding to burn the place to the ground, and he did. As he stood there, watching everything he use to live for fall before his eyes, he realized he wasn't that person anymore, that person didn't make it out of the suit alive. He promptly sent Jeb a message advising him that the property was now his, and he could do anything he wanted with it.

He decided upon the realm as a pit stop, initially, while he figured out what he really wanted to do. At least in the realm he would be left alone while he did so. However, over a year later, he was still there. He had plans to move from the OZ all together. He thought about heading towards the coast and disappearing into the outlying cities there, or maybe to the desert and assimilate himself into one of the still present nomadic tribes, but everytime he tried to leave, something stopped him. He constantly told himself it was because of Jeb, but deep down, he knew that was only partially the reason...

The thought about being that far away from DG made him physically ill.

Even here in the realm, after over a year of being away from her, it still hurt. He thought that the pain would go away with time, and at times, he would try to convince himself he was over it, but the pain was still there. He could still feel her, pulling at him, calling out to him. He would almost say that it was magic.

He left for her own good. She needed to be able to stand on her own two feet. She would be queen someday and the last thing she needed was some former rusty tinman as part of her entourage. At least this is what he told the Queen and Consort when he approached them about his leave. They tried to convince him to stay, but his mind was set.

In reality... he was scared.

He was afraid of being close to her. He felt something for her that he never felt for Adora. He loved his late wife, but the unexplainable force that drew him to DG was something darker, Something primal, and in the few times he would catch her looking at him, he knew she felt it too, even if she didn't realize what it was. It took every bit of will that he could muster to keep from giving into the feelings... but finally he had to get out altogether.

Cain took the back alley stairs to his small, yet cozy loft above a tattoo parlor. He pulled out his keys and unlocked the 6 or so deadbolts on the door and then mumbled a few incantations to release a protection spell that was put on the apartment. You could never be too safe here in the realm of the unwanted... Once he was inside, he collapsed into the worn chair he had placed next to the small window. He rid himself of his shoulder holster and sat the gun on the side table, never out of arm's reach... To say that he was paranoid was an understatement. He finally leaned back and exhaled heavily as he closed his eyes thinking back over the conversation with his son.

He knew that Jeb had some inkling of why he left. Cain had not been able to bring himself to admit to his son that he loved the princess. He felt that was an awkward subject, and was worried that Jeb would feel like Cain was betraying his mother's memory. However, in most of his visits with Jeb, his son would make it a point to tell him what is going on especially with DG.

When he had heard the rumors of the princesses moving to the palace at Finaqua, he found it suspicious. There was much to be done in central city and an extended vacation was the last thing he would figure for the royal family, he knew there was more to it. He needed to know for his own piece of mind that DG was safe... Apparently that was not so. DG was in danger and he was not there to protect her. He pinched the bridge of his nose trying to relieve some of the pressure that was slowly building there, but he knew it would not help...

He was going to have to come out of hiding... even if it was just to get to the bottom of what was really going on. If the assassination attempt was serious enough to spook the queen into hiding the girls, he couldn't just sit here and do nothing...

As he drifted off to sleep in the chair, his stomach was in knots... he didn't know what would transpire when he finally did come to face DG again... but he felt it was not going to be pleasant.