Author's Note:

Just a real fast heads up. This is an introduction to one of two OC protagonists that are going to be prevalent in this story. Having an OC caught some people off guard a little, so I figured I'd post this when I updated the fic.

MOVING ON!

Day 0: 2:17 PM - Seattle, Washington: City Overpass
Cold wind swept through the streets of Seattle sloshing around the slush that was falling heavily from the sky. Under an overpass, behind a large concrete support, burned a small, but persistent fire. Housed in an old oil drum, the fire did its best to keep its audience warm. Huddling around the hard working fire were two figures. The first wore a thick, tattered jacket with equally ratty gloves covering her hands. A dark wool cap rested snuggly on her head and black hair flowed from beneath it stopping just past her shoulders. A cold, rosy nose sat between two vibrant cobalt eyes. A row of light freckles were etched along the center of her pale face. The second figure was covered in matted white fur. A nearly hairless tail was curled tightly around a small body trying to conserve as much heat as possible. The small terrier gave a visible shiver, a sentiment that was shared by the teenage girl.

"Bit chilly out isn't Fergy?"

Fergus turned his head to look at her and had an expression that seemed to indicate a distinct lack of amusement. An audible snort was the only response the dog gave. Eralyn Shaw gave a chuckle, "Sorry. Just trying to keep the mood light."

Fergus gave another huff and flopped into the slush splashing Eralyn. The teen scowled and said blandly, "Thanks a lot..."

Eralyn breathed into her hands and then held them out to the fire. Glancing at the dog she asked, "So any idea what to do for lunch?"

The mention of food made the terrier's ears twitch. He dragged his head through the half melted snow and looked at his master waiting for her to come up with something. Eralyn thought for a little bit before suggesting, "Dumpster diving behind Fong's?"

In response, the dog moved his paw up to his face covering it. The display of disapproval was easy to decipher. Eralyn furrowed her brow, going back into thought, "Um...Mike might be working at Scardoni's. If we look extra pitiful we might be able to mooch a slice of pizza."

That drew a positive reaction from Fergus. He picked his head up off the ground and began energetically wagging his tail. Eralyn gave a half laugh and said, "Fine. Make sure you've got your pout ready to go. You know how much of a sucker for poor looking dogs Mike is. Come one."

Eralyn waved her hand to encourage Fergus to follow and he complied without hesitation. The trek through the snow took about twenty pain stakingly cold minutes, but their destination was finally in sight. The roads were empty, everyone warm and snug inside their homes. Most of the shops were closed due to the harshness of the snowstorm, but a small, single story building wedged between two massive office builds still had its lights on. A thick plume of steam billowed out of a smokestack at the back of the building indicating that food was cooking. Eralyn trudged over to the corner alley and welcomed the shield the restaurant provided from the storm. Seeing the side door, she made her way to the nearby dumpster and lay in wait behind it.

It took almost another half hour before the door finally opened. A middle aged man with a portly figure walked into the alley with two full trash bags. He was wearing a stained sweatshirt over top of a grey tee and apron. His faded blue jeans were tucked into a pair of loosely tied boots. He scowled at the burst of cold, the pair of thick lips behind his choppy goatee contorting into a heavy grimace. He hurried to the dumpster and quickly tossed his load into it. Eralyn took this opportunity to strike. She moved out from behind the other side of the dumpster and announced herself, "Hey Mike."

Mike gasped and jumped. He lost his footing in the frozen rain on the ground, but caught himself on the dumpster. His already sour demeanor quickly worsened and he bellowed, "Goddamit Ella! Don't freaking sneak up on me like that!"

Eralyn couldn't help but let out a laugh, "Sorry Mike. Couldn't resist."

The older man righted himself and straightened out his clothing. He let out an irritated sigh, but did his best to reign in any anger he was feeling. Looking her over he said, "I take it you wanted me to spot you some food."

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble," Eralyn grinned at him.

"Well prepare to be disappointed. Sardoni's caught on and doesn't want me feeding any stray kids. He'll have my hide if he finds out I'm giving anymore of his food away."

Eralyn's grin devolved into a frown. Deciding to play the sympathy card she whipped out her best puppy dog pout and said gingerly, "Would you seriously let a young, growing girl without a home starve in the streets?"

Mike narrowed his eyes, clearly unaffected, "Yes."

The frown returned and Eralyn murmured, "Jackass..."

Mike was about to retort when a small whimper made itself audible. Eralyn and Mike both looked down to see a sopping wet Fergus sitting in the snow nearby, shivering. His eyes were huge black globes of pure pity and the whimpering became louder. Mike looked away and crossed his arms over his chest, "Not going to work."

Fergus took the man's resistance as a sign to step things up. He let out a sickly cough and fell to the ground, legs out spread, and let out a low whine. Mike kept his head turned, but Eralyn saw his eyes darting back and for between the dumpster and Fergus. He did this a few times before eventually dropping his arms to his side and grumbling, "Goddamn dog...fine. Wait here. I'll see what I can scrap together."

As Mike made his way to the door, Fergus began wagging his tail excitedly. Eralyn grinned at the dog and said, "Good boy."

There was a little bit of a wait between Mike heading back inside to when he returned. As the door opened the smell of cheese and herbs and grease wafted into Eralyn's nose. She took in a deep breath, savoring the smell, before quickly moving up to Mike. He held three plates on one arm and used the other to fend off Eralyn. The snowing had died down so there wasn't too much falling from the sky. This allowed Mike to clear off some nearby crates to use as makeshift chairs. He sat down and handed Eralyn a plate with a large slice of pizza covered in thick, gooey cheese, an assortment of vegetables, and an array of meats. He dropped another plate on the ground and it was immediately attacked by Fergus. The last plate being for him, he gingerly picked up the slice and started eating. Eralyn did the same. As she ravenously dug into it, Mike, after swallowing the food in his mouth,said, "So you do know that there are shelters you could spend the night in, right? You'd have a hot meal and be out of the snow."

Through chewing, Eralyn said, "Too many eyes. Don't want any extra attention."

"On the run or something?"

Eralyn stopped eating and frowned at him, "What's with the sudden interest in me?"

Mike scowled, "Sue me for wondering about the homeless chick I've been feeding for going on three years. Kinda figured since we were at the 'Give each other heart attacks' stage we'd be allowed to ask a couple questions and get to know each other a little better..."

The girl's frown persisted as she scrutinized her company. Letting out a sigh she took another bite and said, "I'm on the run kind of."

"Run away from home? Trying to avoid your parents?"

"I..." Eralyn hesitated and decided to scarf down the rest of her pizza before finishing, "I don't have any parents to avoid..."

She looked at the ground, not wanting to see whatever expression Mike had on his face. Following a short pause Mike asked, "So how old are you, Ella?"

Eralyn glanced up at him and said in a not so confident fashion, "21."

Mike narrowed his eyes and gave her an expression that very obviously showed he knew what she'd said was a flat out lie. Eralyn groaned and leaned back on the cold wall, "Fine...16."

"What in the hell are you doing out on the streets, girl?!"

Eralyn jumped a little at the intensity of Mike's voice.

"What's wrong with that?" she hastily responded.

"You should be in school! You should be warm and not smell like a dead racoon."

"Wow. Thanks," Eralyn interjected blandly.

Mike ignored the comment and kept going, "You shouldn't be scavenging for food in freezing weather and wondering where you're going to find the next cardboard box to sleep in! You do know that there's this little thing called the Foster system, right?"

"Tried it," Eralyn answered, "Didn't like it...don't see why you care though. I'm doing just fine on my own."

"I care because I've got a daughter myself. And I sure as hell wouldn't want her going through what you're going through if there were alternatives. Think it over would ya? If you want I could call-"

The back door opened and someone stepped into the alley. He was average in height and stick thin. He wore a green striped shirt with the collar popped and dark black jeans. He had a head of short, gray hair and looked older than dirt. Mike cursed under his breath as the man hollered, "Mike! What did I tell you last time! Don't be giving out my food to those homeless urchins!"

"Mr. Sardoni-" Mike didn't get any farther than that. Sardoni poked his head inside the door and whistled.

Eralyn heard Mike gasp. He turned to the girl and said, "Hightail it out of here! He just called-"

"Grover! Sic 'em!"

A large, black bulldog came barreling out from behind the door and began barking. Eralyn turned on a dime and started sprinting down the alleyway. Fergus tore past her and left her in the dust.

"Mangy dog!" Eralyn shouted as she hung a right at the end of the alley, "Way to just leave me behind to be kibble!"

Eralyn cursed loudly as she heard Grover closing in on her. She was passing a garage entrance to the office building when a pair of hands grabbed her and yanked her into a door. The door was swiftly closed and Eralyn was pushed against a wall. A hand covered her mouth and she registered a man's voice that said, "Be quiet."

Eralyn squirmed a little, confused as to what was going on. The garage lights were off so she couldn't see who had grabbed her. She heard Grover trample past the door, still barking. After a couple seconds the dog was out of earshot. The person took his hand away from Eralyn's mouth and backed off. The second he did that Eralyn lashed out with her foot and caught the guy in the shin. A loud curse trailed into the air and the guy said, "Damnit it Ella! Why'd you kick me?!"

Able to hear the voice more clearly, she immediately recognized it, "Charlie? Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you! I thought you were a creeper or something!"

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she saw Charlie hunched over, rubbing his leg. He righted himself after a moment. He was tall, almost a head and a half taller than Eralyn who was 5'8". He was wearing a brown jacket and baggy jeans as well as a pair of fingerless gloves. His clothing was in similar condition to Eralyn's. He had thick, sandy blonde hair and dim blue eyes. Charlie took a deep breath, fending off the residual pain, and said, "You're fine. Probably should have announced myself right off. Just didn't want to alert Sardoni's guard dog."

Despite the man's assurance that she didn't need to feel sorry, she still did. Charlie was nineteen and homeless as well. Eralyn had known him for almost three years. She and Charlie had struck up a strong bond a few years back because of the similar circumstances that had led to their homelessness and had been watching each other's backs ever since. Charlie had acted as a sort of mentor to Eralyn teaching her how to stay alive on the streets; everything she knew she'd basically learned from Charlie's teachings. She owed him a lot and trusted him more than anyone else she knew.

Eralyn maintained her concerned frown as she asked, "So why were you even near here?"

"I guess great minds think alike. I was heading over to see if Mike had any food to put towards a good cause."

"That 'good cause' you?" Eralyn asked, half smiling.

Charlie returned the smile with a wide grin, "You know it."

Letting out a sigh he continued, "But I guess I'm out of luck now."

"Sorry..."

Charlie walked over and plopped his hand on her head. He gave it a rub, turning her cap askew, and said, "Stop apologizing. You're fine. I'll make do. Always do."

He gave her another grin to reinforce his sincerity. Eralyn did her best to bury any feelings of guilt that lingered and nodded. She straightened her hat and asked, "So what now?"

"Well as much as I'd like to stay and chat, I've actually got a meeting I need to go to."

Eralyn immediately knew what he was referencing. She gasped and exclaimed, "No way! You got the interview?!"

About three weeks earlier, Charlie had helped out a man with a flat tire. The two got to talking and the man had turned out to be one of the senior partners at a private tech firm in the heart of Seattle. It was a multi-billion dollar company whose employees were paid handsomely. Charlie was a whiz with computers and technology in general and their conversation had made that apparent. The man had taken a shine to Charlie and mentioned that there was an opening in the firm that he worked at. He and Charlie had met a couple times to discuss it, but neither of the kids had actually expected anything to come from it. Apparently they were wrong. Charlie beamed as he said proudly, "Yeah! His name's Gregory; he's really chill. He even got me a suit for the interview with his coworkers. He also told me the interview was just a formality. I'm basically guaranteed the job!"

Eralyn let out a giddy squeal and rushed up to him, hugging him tightly around the neck. She gave a laugh as she said, "That's great! I'm so happy for you!"

As she backed off, she noticed Charlie's grin hadn't faded. He took a deep breath trying to calm himself and said, "Thanks. Well I've got to scoot. I'm meeting Greg at his apartment to clean up before the interview. I'll track you down later to tell you how it went."

"Okay," Eralyn replied. She quickly gave him another hug which was returned enthusiastically.

Charlie made his way to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked his head out and looked around. When he was positive the coast was clear he moved out into the open. Eralyn followed him. The two exchanged goodbyes and then went their separate ways. As Eralyn made her way down the empty street, she couldn't help but continue smiling. This was great. Charlie had finally caught a break after almost seven years of living on the street. He was going to get a home and a job and was going to be happy. Eralyn's smile faded slightly as a thought came to her mind. She was happy for him, but she also realized that this probably meant that he was going to be gone for good. If he got the job, the location was on the other side of the city. She was sure he'd try to visit, but with the distance it was going to be hard. A pang of sadness resonated inside her as the realization hit her. She was very likely about to lose the person she cared about most. Eralyn took a deep breath to try and stem back the tide of emotions she felt coming. She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head to dispel any negative feelings. No matter what happened she was going to be happy for Charlie. And she sure as hell wasn't going to lose her composure in front of him. When she was confident the feelings were under control she exhaled and opened her eyes. She jostled around in her jacket to warm herself up and then set out back to the overpass.

Day 0: 10:27 PM - Seattle, Washington: City Overpass
Eralyn woke up abruptly. She'd been having some sort of bad dream, but couldn't remember what it was. Her body registered the cold and she shivered. As she did so she heard an annoyed whine next to her. She rolled over in the box and found Fergus curled up between her and the side of the box she was sleeping in. He must have found his way back after she fell asleep. She gently rubbed his back and murmured, "Stupid dog..."

She gave a tired yawn and lifted the thin blanket that acted as a barrier between her and the snow. The snowing had picked up while she was asleep. Almost a foot and a half was layered on the ground. Under the overpass, the conditions were slightly better due to the cover, but it was still pretty deep. She sat up a little and decided to exit her bed. Stepping out into the night she stretched in an attempt to get rid of her stiffness. It worked and she slumped into a relaxed posture. With the snow letting up some, she decided to go for a walk. She wasn't presently tired and figured some walking would tucker her out. Eralyn lifted the flap on her box and asked, "Wanna go for a walk, Fergy?"

Fergus gave a huff voicing his obvious refusal. Eralyn shrugged and let the flap fall back down. Picking an arbitrary direction, she started off on her walk, no specific destination in mind, just randomly walking about. As she walked she found her thoughts drifting toward Charlie. She began thinking about all the trouble they'd gotten into over the years and all the narrow escapes they'd made. One event that remained prominent in her mind was the day they'd first met. Eralyn had been on the run from the Foster officials and been living on the streets for about a year. She'd been making it by by stealing what she could and occasionally getting food from Mike whom she'd met during her first year being homeless.

It was mid-winter and everyone was wearing heavy clothing which made it an ideal environment to pickpocket someone. She'd been scoping out an official looking man and had figured out he kept his wallet in his front left jacket pocket. Just before she could try and thieve him, someone else got to him first. She saw a guy, a little older than her, bump into the man and then quickly apologize. Anyone else would have missed the swift movement, but Eralyn was already intently watching so she saw the guy's hand tuck into the other man's jacket and then smoothly move into his own pocket. Eralyn, not to be denied her ticket to a warm meal, pursued the boy and tried to pickpocket him. It didn't work out the way she planned.

She managed to swipe the wallet, but the guy caught on immediately. Eralyn bolted, trying to lose him in the back alleys, but was eventually cornered. The boy demanded that she give him 'his' wallet, but when Eralyn revealed she knew he'd stolen it, he backed down slightly. After introducing himself as Charlie, he suggested that they split the find. Wary at first, Eralyn eventually conceded and the two went to a cheap fast food joint to get a decent meal. As they were eating they got to talking and found that they were in very similar circumstances. Eralyn's parents had died in a car crash when she was ten and she'd spent two years in horrible homes via the Foster system. She grew tired of the environment and decided to run away when she was twelve. Charlie's parents had been missionaries working in the Sudan. Charlie had been too young to travel and was left with his aunt and uncle. His parents had gotten caught in a crossfire between the natives and been gunned down. Both his aunt and uncle turned to alcohol following the news and were both abusive drunks. Charlie decided to risk life on the street. The similarities made them decide to stick together.

Eralyn chuckled to herself. A one in a million chance encounter gave her the best friend she'd ever had. She sighed as once again the knowledge that he'd likely be leaving for good. Eralyn didn't have a chance to dwell on the thought, however, as a voice called out behind her, "Eralyn! Ella!"

The teenager turned to see Charlie skidding to a stop in front of her. Eralyn almost didn't recognize him. His hair was clean and styled. His face was clean shaven and he was wearing an expensive looking suit and jacket. The only thing familiar he was wearing were his fingerless gloves. After catching his breath he beamed, "I got the job!"

Eralyn covered the short distance between the two of them and hugged him, "Fantastic! Congratulations!"

He hugged her back and stood up tall, lifting her off the ground some. He twirled around in a circle before setting her back down. Still grinning he said, "I start next week. I'll be working with Greg's IT team."

"That's great," laughed Eralyn.

"Yeah! And look at this!"

Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled out a slightly crumpled piece of paper. He handed it to her. She looked down and when she registered what it was she gasped and almost dropped it. It was a check written for five thousand dollars. Eralyn looked at Charlie in awe, unable to find words. Charlie laughed and took it back, "I did the same thing when I saw it. Five thousand dollars, Ella! We can pay off a decent sized apartment with that for a couple months and still have money left over!"

Eralyn raised any eyebrow, not sure if she heard him right, "We?"

Even in the dim moonlight, Charlie's face turned noticeably red. He chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head as he said somewhat sheepishly, "Oh yeah. Um...I didn't mean to assume anything, but...if you wanted to...I'd love to have you come with me. Like I said, only if you want to."

Eralyn felt something warm roll down her cheek. She audibly cursed and started wiping away the tears that were falling down her face against her wishes. Charlie looked concerned and started, "I'm sorry if that was weird. Just forget-"

Eralyn punched him in the shoulder and said, trying not to choke on her words, "I'm not crying because I'm sad or weirded out, you idiot. I just wasn't expecting you to say that."

She sniffled to try and combat her dripping nose and continued, "I...I thought you were going to disappear forever what with your job being on the other side of the city. I...I...damnit!"

Eralyn aggressively fought back the tears and finally managed to get them somewhat under control; she couldn't stop sniffling, however. As she redirected her attention back to Charlie he said, "Ella. Why would you ever think that I'd abandon you? We've been through thick and thin for years! There was no way I'd leave you behind! Greg actually got me this advance because I made it clear I needed enough to bring you with me. I wasn't going to take the job otherwise."

"Son of a bitch," Eralyn grumbled. The tears were back.

It was Charlie's turn to initiate the hug. He drew her in and chuckled asking, "So is that a yes?"

Eralyn light slapped his chest and said, through her tears, "Obviously you dolt."

The two stood there for a moment, processing everything that was happening. Eventually Eralyn pulled away and started to say something, but was cut off by Charlie. His voice was leagues more serious and he was looking past her, "Ella. You need to go."

"What?" Eralyn asked, confused.

She turned to face the direction Charlie was looking in and saw four men a short distance away. Two were black, one was white, and one was hispanic. All of them sported a number of tattoos and were dressed in baggy clothing. She didn't know them personally, but she was positive they were a part of the local gang. Eralyn turned back to Charlie and asked, "What's going on?"

"Eralyn, take the check and get around the corner. Greg is waiting a block down. He was going to drive us to his apartment for a congratulatory dinner. Get him. These guys aren't going to try anything if he's around. They aren't that stupid."

Eralyn hesitated, worry quickly welling inside her. Charlie nudged her and she quickly nodded. As she began to back up the taller of the two black men called out, "Yo Charlie! Hold up a second bro. I wanted to congratulate you. I just overheard you say you came into some money. That's great man! Conrad's going to be so grateful that you can pay him back!"

Charlie positioned himself in front of Eralyn and said, "I already paid Conrad back weeks ago, De'Shawn. He's done mooching off of me."

The group stopped a couple feet away. De"Shawn obviously didn't like Charlie's response. His face contorted into one of anger and he growled, "What? You've got a respectable job now and are too good for us?"

"I'm done with the Hustlers. Now get out of here I don't want any trouble."

De'Shawn let out a sarcastic laugh and turned to the others, "Hear that fellas? Charlie here doesn't want any trouble after blatantly disrespecting us. I think he needs a lesson. Maybe we should ruff up his girl there a little. That'll get the message across."

As the others laughed and nodded in agreement, Charlie took a step forward and spoke with a venom Eralyn had never heard from him, "You touch a hair on her head and I'll kill you."

De'Shawn's laughter ceased immediately and he stepped forward to get up in Charlie's face, "What are you gonna do, huh? You're too chicken to do any-"

Charlie's knee rocketed up into De'Shawn's groin. The man let out a strained cough and was knocked back as Charlie sent a punch up into De'Shawn's chin. The impact was so forceful Eralyn saw a tooth break. As he hit the ground Charlie shouted, "Go get Greg! I'll keep them here!"

Eralyn turned and bolted down the road, following his instructions. She heard the sounds of a fight starting, but didn't look back. She rounded the corner and like Charlie said, she found a nice looking black sedan with its engine running. As she moved up to it, the window rolled down and a middle aged man with salt and pepper hair smiled out at her. His smile faded when he saw the worry on Eralyn's face. He opened his door and got out as he said, "You must be Eralyn. Where's Charlie? Is something wrong?"

Eralyn nodded quickly and said, "Charlie's in trouble. Some guys showed up and he's wound up fighting them!"

Greg cursed and said, "Get in."

Eralyn speedily did as he said and the second she was in, he took off. It took only seconds to get down the block. They arrived just in time to see Charlie get hit in the face by De'Shawn. The impact caused Charlie to slip in the slush and he fell to the ground hard. As the headlights moved onto the skirmish, the gang members quickly scattered. Before Greg's car came to a complete stop, Eralyn was already exiting the door. She rushed over to her friend and called out, "Charlie!"

When she didn't get a response, she slid next to him and tried to lift him up by his shoulders. As she did so, she noticed the red colored snow beneath his turned around and hollered, "Greg! Help!"

The older man was already getting out of the car and was quickly next to them. He noticed the blood and frowned. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. After a second or two he said, "My name is Greg Heartfield. I'm at East Marion Street and 26th Avenue. There's a young man with me who's seriously injured. I need an ambulance right away."

There was a short pause before he nodded and said, "Thank you."

He hung up and announced, "An ambulance will be here in a couple minutes."

He looked over Charlie and said, "Come on, Charlie. Hold on."

Eralyn felt the tears already welling at the corners of her eyes. What was probably only five minutes or so felt like hours. The sirens reached the small group first. Loud wails in the distance signaled the emergency vehicle's arrival. A large white and red van tore around the corner and came to a screeching halt next to the group as Greg waved them down. Two medical personnel hastily left the back of the vehicle with a blue stretcher. They moved Greg and Eralyn out of the way and set the stretcher down next to Charlie. After briefly inspecting him and attempting to get a response, the placed a brace around Charlie's neck and gently, but swiftly moved him to the stretcher. They whisked him away to the ambulance with Eralyn and Greg right on their tails. One of the medics turned to them and said, "We only have room for one person."

Before Eralyn could say anything Greg said, "Go with him Eralyn. I'll follow behind with my car."

She nodded and quickly got into the ambulance. When they were settled the medic closest to the front knocked hard on the divide between the back and the cabin. The ambulance shuddered and then took off. Eralyn looked at the medics and asked, "Is he going to be alright?"

"I'm not sure," one said,

They began looking him over again. The one closest to Eralyn took out a small light and leaned over Charlie's body. He opened one of his eyes and flashed light in it. Eralyn saw him frown and say, "Skull could be fractured, pupils aren't dilating. Possible brain injury."

He moved over to a cabinet and started rummaging through it. While he did so, he asked the other medic, "How's his breathing?"

The other medic slipped a stethoscope under Charlie's shirt and listened. Very quickly he stated, "His lungs aren't expanding! I don't think he's getting any air."

"What?! He was breathing shallowly just a second ago! Do you have a heart beat?"

"No. We need to start compressions!"

Eralyn was shifted to the back as the closer medic began frantically pushing on his chest. Eralyn watched helplessly as both medics began attempting to resuscitate Charlie. The process went on for minutes. Eralyn felt the ambulance come to a stop. As it did, the medic toward the front tried to find a heartbeat. The back doors were thrown open and additional doctors and nurses were ready to assist. Unfortunately the medics slowly shook their heads. There was a visible look of disappointment amongst the staff. Greg made his way through the crowd, just arriving, and groaned, "Oh no…"

He looked around and saw Eralyn stepping off the ambulance. He moved over to her and said, "Eralyn….I can't even begin to know what you're feeling…"

Eralyn only half heard him. Her focus was completely shattered. She barely heard him offer to take her to his apartment for the evening at least. She then heard her voice say she just needed some time to sort through things, but she didn't feel like she actually spoke. She vaguely registered him handing her a card and telling her to call him if she ever needed anything. He told her he'd take care of Charlie and come find her later if he didn't hear from her in a day or so. Eralyn just nodded and slowly walked away from the clamoring.

As she turned the corner silence filled her mind. Without direction, Eralyn simply walked. For hours she traversed the sleeping city with no meaning. She had no thoughts in her head, no awareness of her surroundings, felt no cold on her skin or warmth in her body; her being was diminished. Charlie was gone. In mere minutes, her entire life had collapsed. When happiness was within the reach of her hand, it was violently snatched away from her. Finally she came to a stop.

She looked around and found she was standing in the light of a storefront window. There was a clock on the counter of the desk that read "12:24". She'd been walking around for almost two hours. Her eyes then saw her reflection in the dim glass. Upon seeing herself, upon registering the fact that she still existed, the world returned to her. Everything rushed back at once; the pain she'd suppressed, the sense of being completely lost, the terror of being alone. The rush completely overwhelmed her. Tears began to stream from her eyes and she began to sob uncontrollably. Every ounce of strength she had left her body and she couldn't stand. She collapsed to her knees and bent over, crying incessantly. As her sorrow peaked, Eralyn felt something build inside of her. Letting out a wail of despair, whatever swelled within her pulsed outward. The window she was in front of as well as the windows on the parked cars around her shattered from the force that emanated from her body. For a brief moment her face felt intensely hot. The feeling subsided as quickly as it had come. Eralyn looked up to survey what had just happened, her face streaked with tears, and saw the damage. Before she could even try to comprehend what had taken place, a column of light dropped from the sky.

Eralyn had to shield her eyes. She parted her fingers and squinted to try and see clearer. A silhouette was just barely visible in the pillar. The light dimmed before completely vanishing. Eralyn blinked away the combination of residual tears and disorientation from the light. As her vision focused, she saw a tall man standing where the light had been. He had semi-short brown hair and smooth white skin. He was clad in a dark brown aviator jacket lined with tan fur as well as a pair of faded blue jeans. The man made his way over to her, his thick black boots making barely any sound as they trudged through the snow. Eralyn couldn't bring herself to move or react as he crouched down next to her. He smiled at her lightly, an act that immediately and for reasons unknown to Eralyn caused her sorrow to diminish slightly, and asked with a soft, but strength filled voice, "Are you alright, Eralyn?"

Eralyn blinked at him. What was going on? Who was he? How did he know her name? What did he want? Despite the numerous questions she had, she found she could only respond with, "No. I'm...I'm not…"

She began to choke on her words as the sadness began to return. The girl bowed her head, not wanting to see him, not wanting to think about the questions the man brought forth. She didn't want to stop thinking about Charlie. In spite of all the misery his memory wrought within her, Eralyn couldn't let his image slip away. In the midst of her anguish, she felt a hand fall lightly on her head. She picked her head up again and saw the man frowning, concern apparent on his face. Looking unwavering at her he said, "Eralyn, the loss of a loved one is tragic and something that I doubt you will soon move past if ever you do at all. Normally I would stay with you and consol you to the best of my ability either by offering words of solace or acting as an ear for you to vent your sorrow into. However, time is of the essence and not only are you in danger, but so is everyone you care about...including Charlie."

The man's final addition overrode her want to grieve, "What are you talking about? Who are you?"

"Eralyn Shaw you have been chosen by an artifact of immense power to help lend aid to a world in peril. I have been called forth to act as your shield and sword by the same object. Both the mortal realm in which you reside as well as numerous other planes of existence are at risk of being completely wiped out. This includes the realm of the divine, the place where souls go after departing this world."

Eralyn simply looked at him too in awe of the response she was given. Fumbling for some sort of response, she finally managed, "Are you serious?"

The man nodded and moved into the middle of the road. Directing his attention to Eralyn he said, "I understand that the information I gave you is hard to taken in, but I hope this will dissuade any doubts you may have as to the authenticity of my explanation."

He rolled his shoulders and took a deep breath. As he exhaled, two objects began to become apparent behind the man's body. Rapidly, two brilliant white wings unfurled to a their full length (which was by Eralyn's guess to be over fifteen feet as they eclipsed nearby vans in lenght). As Eralyn looked on incredulously, the man said, "My name is Michael Inlustrem, archangel of the Host of the Divine, and we must make our way to London immediately. I know you have a plethora of questions and I will answer all of them on the way. Now-"

He moved back to the sidewalk, his wings still open, and held out his hand, "Will you come with me?"

Eralyn couldn't think properly for a moment. None of this made sense, but he was obviously telling the truth to some capacity; he was not a normal man. If what he said was true, there was no way she could say no. She frowned. Charlie would tell her to do it. She closed her eyes, trying to mentally prepare herself for what she was about to do. Finally she wobbly got to her feet and timidly extended her hand. She placed it slowly in his and he smiled, "Thank you. Now let's go. It will take quite some time to make it to our destination."

He tightened his grip on her hand lightly and effortlessly scooped her up into his arms. He crouched down slightly before rocketing into the air. Eralyn managed to briefly see the city she called home one last time before Michael breached the cloud cover, obscuring her view completely.