The morning light poured through the window of Jizabels room, casting it's calming rays over Death, aswell as the trump card who rested beside him.

Cassians eyes fluttered open, and he raised his head, squinting, to view his surroundings. Upon realizing just where he was, all recollection of the previous night returned to him, and his attention was brought immediately to the still sleeping figure lying beside him.

He sat up, stretching, though trying his best not to disturb Jizabel.

...Just let him be... He needs a break from all of this...

He thought, as he climbed off the bed, crossing the room and opening the window. As he pushed the two large panes apart, several of the Doctors doves descended from the neighboring trees. However, the minute they saw Cassian, they made a turn, circling back up to their roosts. Cassian leaned against the windowsill, watching them land once more on the boughs.

...I guess they just want him.

A soft groan came from behind him, and he turned in time to see the Doctor roll over in his bed, pulling the covering farther over his head. Cassian smirked, crossing back over to him and sitting down on the edge of the bed. He rested his hand on where he assumed the doctors shoulder was, as his superior was completely buried under the blanket, and received yet another groan in response. Cassian drew his hand back, but remained where he was seated, and after a few minutes the doctor stirred, pulling the blanket down from his head.

"How did you sleep?" Cassian asked, though looking down at his own hands, rather then at the younger mans face.

"...Fine." Jizabel responded, in a tone that was barely audible.

In truth, he'd been a nervous, psychotic, wreck until eleven o'clock, tossing and turning in his sleep until one o'clock... and finally falling back to sleep beside Cassian around half past two. These events, of course, never happened. As far as anyone was concerned, last night was no different then any other night. White Owl most likely noticed some disturbance in the usually routine of things, but he told nobody. Afterall, this orchestra was not for him to interfere with, he was merely a spectator to this mad world.

Cassian smiled to himself. Jizabels disheveled appearance may have come as a surprise to people like Cain, the outside world did see him as a more pristine and somewhat foppish figure... but Cassian was used to this side of him. He'd seen it many times, infact, he couldn't count the mornings that he'd enter the doctors chambers to find him asleep against his desk, his own notes strewn all over, or an open book beneath him. He overworked himself, but Cassian knew that none of it would be good enough. He'd kill himself eventually. If he didn't bring about his own death, then his father would. That was okay, for Jizabel, at least... But not for Cassian.

The older man had been on watch for months now, ever since he realized the gravity of the situation, but nothing quite prepared him for last night. Jizabel was cold, so cold, these sick people had done their best to make him this way... and now the ice was shattering to broken glass.

Things that The Cardmaster had told him several days prior returned to his head. That mans words where always chosen so carefully, always potent and precise. At their last brief meeting his warnings where clear, He didn't want Cassian interfering... and yet... if the trump card where to somehow pull Jizabel out of the darkness that enveloped him, Cardmaster would see to it that he took away whatever light was breaking through. Even now he wasn't done destroying all that was left of his son, to him Cassian was just another tool with which to tear even further into what was left of Jizabels sanity. A death threat was the least of Cassian worries, he was more concerned about what impact it could have on Jizabel, especially so in the recent months. Those scars of his, both the physical and emotional, where being torn into and cut deeper every night... and ever since he'd first met Cain in person his hatred had been re-ignited.

Yet It was not the Cardmasters threat that got to him, it was that cruel mans final statement: Cassandra was staying at their headquarters... and it seemed that Jizabel was the one to be "entertaining" their guest.

Cassian gritted his teeth, his fingernails digging into the palm of his now clenched fist, a reaction caused almost any time he thought of that perverse monster. Jizabel noticed this, and stirred.

"...Something wrong...?" he asked, in that usual tone. Cassian unclenched his fist, getting up off the bed.

"...No. Nothing... Doctor." he said quietly. Jizabel sat up, finally, pushing the blanket away from him. Cassian, however, noticed that as he did so he stifled a whimper of pain. So he did still feel something? Somehow, that almost rang out as a good sign. Almost.

"Are you... still...?" Cassian murmured, deciding it was best to not finish that question.

"You're still in pain aren't you?"

He merely looked up at Jizabel, as he pulled his hair up out of his face, and picked his glasses up off the nightstand.

"I'm fine." He said sharply, almost defensively, though his expression stayed monotonous. Silence fell between them as Jizabel walked to the open window, his doves flying back down, eager to see their caregiver. Cassian noticed a slight limp in his walk, for he had Jizabels actions so imprinted in his mind that he could notice even the most minute change. He knew full well who gave him those bruises and scratches, if just his gut feelings weren't enough, his assumptions had been completely vindicated last night. That sick, angry feeling was rising again. Those bastards. Can't they spare him in some way? Must they break him into so many pieces that there is no way to mend them? If Gladstone touches him again I'll...

"...Cassian?"

He was snapped to attention, and looked across the room. Jizabel was still at the window, with two doves on his shoulder, and three more eating from his cupped hands. Judging from the expression on his face, he had been trying to get the his subordinates attention for a few minutes.

"Yes, What-"

"Do not get involved. This is none of your concern."

Cassian, who had been crossing the room to Jizabel, stopped, his eyes locking with the younger man. The Doctor turned, breaking their eye contact, and returning to his birds.

"...I'm already involved."

Jizabel didn't respond, as he continued to stroke the soft feathers of the dove that was currently resting on his hand.

"...Why can't you just stop?"

Cassian asked, then paused, not sure if the doctor was even listening. Jizabel swallowed, almost preparing himself for what was about to come, and Cassian could feel it; Well, he was still listening. The tension they experienced now was nothing new. Cassian took a breath before continuing.

"You can't continue like this... You're doing this to yourself, you don't have to let... You can't let him to this to you!"

Jizabel sighed, shooing the birds away from him and closing the window. Finally, after a full minute of silence, he spoke, though he still had his back to the "boy."

"I've told you. I...my loyalty to fa..." he paused, stopping himself midsentence, for such corrections had become a matter of course. "...the Cardmaster...is... Cassian, this is none of your-"

He took a breath, for he had to control himself, he would not break down. Not infront of Cassian, or anyone for that matter, especially not after last night... but everytime such conversations unfolded, the subordinates words always became harder and harder to shake from his head.

"Bollocks!"

...but his thoughts where cut off by Cassian, who, it would seem, was in far less control. Jizabel stepped back from him, but he was quicker and he reached up, grabbing the collar of the doctors robe, and pulling him towards him.

"Look... I don't give a damn what you think of me, but this-" He grabbed the crucifix around Jizabels neck, his grip on the chain pulling the doctor even closer, "...THIS cannot continue!"

Jizabel was silent, and he had stayed remarkably calm through all of this, although behind the mask he wore, his thoughts where racing. Cassians grip on the cross loosened, and his hand ran up from the chain, and over Jizabels neck, finally coming to rest on his cheek.

"...Jizabel," The doctors eyes narrowed, and he looked past Cassian, "...The Cardmaster won't ever give you what you want... but I do love you."

His heart skipped a beat and he stepped back, knocking Cassian's hand from his face.

"You're no different then the rest of them... You place yourself on a pedestal... You think you're above my father, above Cassandra... You're not." Jizabels tone was venomous, yet hauntingly calm, and his eyes where almost completely unreadable, even to Cassian. The 'boy' took a step back, he knew what the doctor was capable of, and he also knew full well that he'd just scratched deeper into one of his existing cuts, whether he meant to or not.

"All people are the same, Cassian, and all emotions can be feigned," he continued, taking a step towards his subordinate, "...We're vile, filthy, selfish, We are disgusting... Love?"

His calm tone faltered, as he slammed his hand onto his desk, knocking books and jars onto the floor.

"...Do you think I believe that!? Do you believe me to be that naive!?"

Cassians eyes where on the floor, on the shattered glass, and torn pages. He didn't watch Jizabel pass him and walk behind the screen that divided the room, he merely heard the footsteps. Several minutes passed, and the Doctor returned, clothed in his usual suit and coat, the collar and tie covering the cross, and the white coat to mask his dark and tattered wings. Cassian never moved from that spot, although he did finally raise his head to face the younger man once more.

"...I'm going out." he said, rather quietly, before disappearing out the door, leaving Cassian behind him...

"I just wanted you to know... That the world is ugly, but you're beautiful to me.

Are you thinking of me? Are you thinking of him?

You can say I told you so

If you wanted me to go.

I just wanted you to know."

TBC

--

W00t, second chapter, but sort of the first chapter, since the last one was more of a prologue. Oh dear god, So, Cassian/Jizabel/Cassandra... with a little creepy-ness involving Alexis? Possibly, if any incestuous ideas strike me. -dies-

I think we may have an encounter with Cain eventually, but there will be NO Jizabel/Cain. Nope. Not here people.

The lyrics at the end are from My Chemical Romances "The World is Ugly" However, the song title isn't final, and who knows if the lyrics are either... So yeah, if this fic is stumbled upon years from now, and the finished version of that song is different... then that's why.

Thanks for reading, review, plz?