Chapter 6: Family

Jason hurt all over.

He didn't want to wake up, but the harsh light of the sun was shining in his face through the open window next to him. The injured man wished it to go away so that he could go back to sleep, but one could not bargain with the sun.

Jason let out a groan, and tried to sit up, only to relax again as every muscle in his body complained at him.

He groggily opened his eyes and tried to make sense of everything, how he got here. He recognised the guest room he was in. The small single bed room was lit with a warm glow in the mid-morning sun. The rays of light filtering in through the open window were warm on his face, and the smell of fresh grass and meadow flowers wafted in on a light breeze.

It seemed like the perfect day for a nap, and he was so tired and sore. He was about to drift back to sleep when a sudden headache racked his head. A rush of memories shocked him back to his senses.

He grasped his head in pain with his one good hand.

He remembered… going home last night. Yes. Then he went to bed. All was normal, but he was woken by a loud crash. A monstrous silhouette in his doorway flashed in his memory, as vivid as it had been last night. A monster with black scales and glowing eyes. A demon! A demon had attacked him in his sleep. He had fought it, stabbing it with his hunting knife, but it knocked him hard on the head.

Another throb of pain emanated from his head, causing him to let out a quiet moan. He remembered… darkness, and pain. Oh the pain. The demon had toyed with him, as a cat toys with a mouse before killing it.

It beat him, it maimed him. He remembered wanting to be unconscious, wanting the pain to just stop. Almost wishing for death.

Then a light. A light in the darkness. The light of his saviours! Someone came to rescue him. He remembered being so happy, but then the demon got to them. They were going to die, just as he was.

He remembered watching the fight, his vision blurry from the beatings and the tears. But he didn't need clear vision to see that his rescuers were losing. He lost all hope. The demon approached his rescuers, now lying prone on the ground from the fight…

Then it got confusing, because the next thing he remembered was a second demon, this one smaller, attacking the first demon. They fought viciously, it was barbaric. The screaming and slashing like cornered animals fighting to the death. Then, nothing… Did he pass out?

Wait… that wasn't all. He remembered… Leah… carrying him? Wait what?!How did she do that?

He tried to clear his memory, but everything was hazy and it only made his head hurt more.

Yes the person carrying him, they had looked like Leah, but they had horns! And glowing eyes!

He sat up abruptly at the realisation. Leah was a demon! The other demon in his memories! Now fully awake, he finally noticed a figure leaning on the side of his bed, sound asleep.

Speak of the devil. Literally.

Leah lay there resting, her head on her arms on the edge of his bed, looking like her normal self, and sleeping like a log.

He jerked away in fear and revulsion. Had she spent the whole night there? Only inches from him? The thought terrified him.

Another headache sprang up and suddenly, more memories came back to him. A hand gently poking his stomach and asking him where it hurt. A genuinely sympathetic smile, despite her demonic appearance, as her words echoed in his mind "because I care about you stupid." A warm touch and gentle rocking as he was carried home. Her worried face as she tried her best to tend to his wounds.

She had saved him. She and her friends had come to his rescue.

For all the times that he had assured her about being her protector, in the end, she was the one that had been his.

He looked hard at the girl. Such a cute face with soft features. He found it difficult to picture her as the demon that lay underneath. But it was there, burned in his memory. He thought hard about it, trying to remember the details. It was frightening, sinister, powerful, but at the same time, still… her.

Jason was conflicted. He had fallen for her hard in the last few months, but he had also prided himself on being a gentleman. He hadn't wanted to ruin their friendship by moving too quickly. And she really was his best friend. She had offered him a job when no one else would. Her ready smile and sly sense of humour had lit up his day. He trusted her with all his heart.

This, however, was just insane. She was a demon! No man in the right mind should be attracted to a demon. Yet here he was, trying to keep his own emotions and thoughts under control, as the mysterious maiden sleeping next to him vexed him to no end.

Leah stirred, startling Jason. It was one thing to be beside a sleeping demon, but one that was awake was a different story. He tried to shift away from her, but his body protested angrily and he gave up.

The girl sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily. Realising that her friend was awake, she gave him her signature warm smile. "Good morning. How do you feel?"

He tried to move and groaned at the pain. "Like I got mauled by a demon." He said in an accusing tone.

Leah noticed and looked down in shame. "Yeah well, I guess that's natural given the circumstances." She said sheepishly.

Jason studied her face, trying to find any hint that her concern was anything other than genuine. Leah caught his gaze and shirked away. Flushing red and feeling very self-conscious, she got up off the stool she had been sitting on and turned to leave.

"I better go make breakfast." She said hurriedly.

Before she could exit the room, Jason reached out with his one good hand and caught the hem of her shirt. "Leah, wait."

Time froze. Leah stopped very suddenly and turned around hesitantly.

Jason caught her eyes, and he saw such anguish in them. The hurt, the worry, and the fear of… of him?

Of all things, a demon is afraid of me. Jason thought to himself for a moment. He hadn't planned on anything beyond stopping her. It had been a gut reaction. He didn't fully understand why he had done it in the first place. He struggled to find words.

"Just…" He pondered, "Thanks." He let her go and left it at that.

Leah nodded to him and left the room, hey eyes tearing silently. It hurt to leave it like this, but she didn't want to make him any more uncomfortable than he already was.

Jason stared at the empty doorway for a while, regretting what he had just done, but also unable to do anything else.

He leaned back into the soft bed, and pondered the demoness that had taken him in, risked her life for him, and spent the whole night worrying over him… only to flee come morning.


Leah was greeted by the smell of cooked eggs as she walked down the stairs into the main room. The dinning room was clean and well kept, having not been used the previous day. A fire burned merrily in the hearth, and Kormac was sitting at the bar, sipping what Leah hoped was water and not her stock of ale.

Noticing the new arrival, the Templar beckoned his friend to join him. "Come sit. Valla is just finishing up breakfast. You wouldn't know it by looking at her, but she is actually trying to learn how to cook."

Leah took his invitation and sat down next to her friend. Seconds later, Valla exited the kitchen, holding three plates of slightly charred scrambled eggs with only one hand. A feat any person should be proud of.

"And the master emerges from her lair! With crunchy egg morsels for our waiting mouths no doubt." Kormac jested at her.

"Shut it you overgrown oaf. At least I tried." She shot back, placing the plates on the counter.

"Ah you know I kid. I'm sure this egg crisp is entirely adequate for my consumption."

She gave him a glare. "Bite me." Valla tried to look offended, but the slight smile at the corner of her mouth gave away her true feelings.

Leah just sat in silence, appreciating the moments she was sharing with her friends. Not worrying about demons or undead, just having fun.

They sat and ate and laughed, just enjoying each other's company. Everything felt so normal. Safe.

When the meal was done, Valla cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. The huntress turned to look at Leah, not accusingly, but seriously.

"Leah, I was talking with Kormac last night, and well. We need to talk."

A feeling of dread washed over Leah, she had no idea what her friend was going to say next. And the tone of her friend's voice didn't inspire any confidence.

Valla cleared her throat again. Showing her discomfort with the topic about to be discussed. "You know of my mission, and my hatred for the dark forces of the world." She began, "I took an oath to wipe demonic evil from the face of sanctuary. To avenge the deaths of my parents and protect the innocent from the forces of chaos and darkness." Valla's neutral expression hadn't changed, and Leah was fearful of what her friend might be implying.

"I would be lying if I said that I was completely okay with you being a demon. The daughter of Diablo no less," Valla broke her gaze, slightly ashamed of what she had just said. Nonetheless, anything else would have been a lie.

The huntress quickly continued. "But you're my friend, our friend, and… I still want to trust you." Valla tried a small smile. "So just, be patient with me getting used to all of this. I promise I will try." Valla let out a quiet chuckle. "Plus, there is always room for one more archer in this party of idiots."

Kormac lifted his mug in a toast. "Hear hear!" He patted Leah roughly on the back, almost knocking her off her stool. "You're one amazing woman Leah. The world needs more people like you."

Leah sat in stunned silence. She had expected icy silence, anger, threats, but this? This felt like a dream. A good one too. She couldn't believe it.

Unable to contain her emotions, she started to tear up. Sniffling to herself like some child. Valla looked concerned. "Are you alright?"

Kormac put a strong arm around Leah. "I think our friend here is happy is all. Nothing to be concerned about." He pulled the small girl into a bear hug, "You don't have to hide anymore Leah. Not from us."

That made Leah only sob harder, hugging the teddy bear of a Templar back. Valla took the hint and walked over to awkwardly join the group hug.

For the first time in over a year, Leah felt truly at home. Surrounded by those who cared about her. He true family. Not her witch of a biological mother, or her literal demon of a father, but the embrace of true friends. Friends who trusted her. Who would risk their lives for her, and she for them.

If she imagined really hard, she could almost feel Uncle Deckard with her too.

She savoured it, every moment of it, even as tears streamed down her face.

And it was the best feeling that she had ever felt.


A/N

This story is almost over. Next update will be the epilogue/ last chapter. Hope you liked it so far. We are almost there.