A/N: Monkey balls! This took too long. Thank you for your kind words. Update is here. End is nearing. Keep the reviews coming, they keep me motivated. Thank you!

Disclaimer: I don't own FT.

~OoOoO~

It was her own personal joke and Angel relished their reaction. She threw her head back, carelessly, and let forth a piercing and obnoxious laughter that irritated Lucy to no end.

It's like nails on a chalkboard, Lucy thought, pushing the grating peals to the periphery of her attentions.

Her eyes darted from Adassandra to the woman in front of them; to Lilith. The resemblance was without further question, though it was apparent that, for whatever reason, Adie had fared better. Lilith was even skinnier than Adie, her raven locks shorn haphazardly and falling over her forehead in an asymmetrical manner. Her lashes were long and thick, hiding dark purple irises unlike the pale icy ones of her sister. It was her stare that caught Lucy's attention and kept it. It was a look that could only be described as….empty. Adie's twin was disheveled and crazed appearing—as if she were a domesticated animal teetering on the verge of feral. Her robe was tattered along the hems, hanging loosely on her gaunt frame. Lucy thought she saw something glinting in Lilith's left hand.

"Lucy," Adie's voice interrupted Lucy's visual interrogation. "Step back."

"But—"

"Get. Out. Of. The. Way." Adie hissed, turning her head slightly while keeping her eyes on her sister. Only momentarily did she meet Lucy's gaze, and the Celestial mage could see that Adie was terrified by what she may have to do. "I don't know what she's thinking….but whatever it is may be unpredictable. She's not like herself."

"I'll be ready," Lucy affirmed, nodding her head and hoping she could be heard over Angel's cackling.

"Let me handle Lilith," the demi-spirit nearly pleaded, eyes flickering toward the other Celestial mage in the room. "You can hit that bitch, though." Her eyes narrowed dangerously and her expression was tight-lipped with irritation.

Lucy balled her hands into tight fists, as her lips curled back in contempt. "Don't worry, that was my plan."

"A very good one," Adie's lips twitched upward in a hint of a smile. "Get that key."

Lucy followed her gaze. She thought Lilith looked like someone who had given up on life. "What did you do to her?"

Angel smiled sardonically, as if she expected that question. "Nothing. She did this to herself."

Lucy could practically cut the tension with a knife. Adie looked at her sister, taking a half step toward her, toe hesitating as it touched down. The movement was like that of a person approaching a wild animal. "Lilith? Are you…OK? Do you hear me? It's Dee. This is my friend, Lucy Heartfilia…"

Lilith's eyes were on Adie, but it didn't appear as if she recognized her sibling. She didn't reply, and Lucy wondered if she had even heard the question. Or had someone cast a memory charm on her?

"Lilith? Lil?" Adie took another step forward, feet treading softly on the cold floor.

Adie's steps cautiously skimmed the rough stone surface with each guarded move. As she took another hesitant step, Lilith suddenly shrank into nothingness, her robe fluttering to the ground in an empty shell. Adie jumped back, startled, her arms flapping outward like a bird. She stared at the floor, toeing the robe. When she lifted it and saw nothing, she began wildly searching for her sister.

"I'd watch my step if I were you," Angel practically sang in gleeful anticipation as her eyes darted along the shadows of the floor.

Lucy suddenly understood why Angel and Lilith were holed up in this dungeon. It was a tactical move, to Lilith's advantage. Hades…Underworld…darkness.

"Adie! The shadows!" she pointed to the ground as it all came together. She saw the sour expression on Angel's face, and it reaffirmed her conclusion. Adie's eyes flickered past Lucy toward Angel, widening slightly. She quickly turned on the ball of her foot, lunging so fast that Lucy didn't actually see her move.

"Not fast enough!" Angel chirped waspishly.

"Shut up!" Adie snapped from behind Lucy.

The Celestial mage spun around, feeling as if she were moving extremely sluggishly. She cried out, quickly realizing what had prompted Adie into action: Lilith had been behind Lucy, ready to strike her down. With a groan, Adie staggered into Lucy, who prevented her from falling. She had been unable to parry Lilith's blow due to the quick turn of events, and instead became Lucy's shield. On Adie's hand was her glove, but she had refrained from striking her sister in a moment of weakness.

"No!" Lucy gasped as she saw the blood drip from Lilith's left hand, where she wore rings with metal claws, which stretched past the tips of her index and middle fingers. Lucy's eyes darted to Adie's chest, where blood was oozing through her fingertips as the demi-spirit attempted to staunch the crimson flow from the puncture wound. Adie's blood pooled on the ground next to Lilith.

Adie noticed her sister's hand armor, an incredulous look crossing her face. "Mother's—h-how? When?"

Lilith didn't respond, her face somber as she flicked her wrist and spattered the blood on the floor and her bare feet. Lucy looked at Morpheus, hoping he'd intervene. He was watching the interaction cautiously, still guised as Faux.

No, his eyes told her. Not yet.

"Stop it," Lucy warned Angel, her hand on her whip as the anger began clawing at her insides. "She's hurting her!"

"Why? It's so much fun seeing their reunion," Angel taunted as Adie stepped back. "Family love. I don't get it."

"You wouldn't, you heartless bitch," Lucy breathed angrily. "I know you did something to her. First, I'll stop you, and then we'll help Lilith."

She yelled the last part louder than she had expected, and for a brief moment, she thought she saw Lilith waver. She didn't have time to dwell on the reaction as Lucy heard a low growl behind her and she immediately knew that company had arrived. And not the welcomed kind. She watched Lilith gesture with her hand, the room rumbling slightly. Lucy dared to turn her head, catching sight of the Amarok lurking around them from the dark corners of the dungeon. Lucy wondered how they had come so quickly, as they were left on the battlefield. She met Adie's gaze for a fleeting second.

"Lilith!" Lucy called out. "You don't have to do this. Adie's your—"

"End them, Hades," Angel clapped, bored. She stifled a feigned yawn.

With a flick of her blood soaked fingers, Lilith gestured for the Amarok. The large beasts sprang into action. Lucy yelled as one charged at her. She flung up her arm in a meek act of defense, knowing the tiny bit of flesh would do little to satiate its appetite.

"Stop." Adie commanded loudly, her voice booming as she stood at Lucy's side, once again composed.

Her fingers were coated in dried blood as she held them tightly to her chest. The lone attacking Amarok froze, licking its jowls as it watched Lucy with a look of regret. The others sat on their haunches, as if patiently awaiting a new command. Adie stared at the beast, and it hunkered toward her, tail between its legs. It turned a few times before laying before the pale-haired woman. Lilith narrowed her eyes, gesturing more forcibly. It was the first time she displayed any emotion—even if it were only displeasure. Adie slowly removed her hand from her blood soaked shirt, and Lucy saw the healed flesh beneath it. The demi-spirit turned her head, spitting out a clot of blood, which stained her lips.

She turned to look at her sister. "It won't do, Lilith," she spoke softly.

"What's going on, Hades?" Angel hissed, confused. "Can't you control your own beings?"

Lucy grit her teeth, and Adie sent a pair of Amarok at Angel. The mage shrieked before Lilith impaled one with her talons. It disappeared in a pile of dust, this time not regenerating.

Lucy noted the feat. "I-I thought they didn't die!"

"It's Reaver. The ringed claws she wears on her hand," Adie spoke softly and quickly. "Pierced by it twice and it's instant death."

"Instant?" Lucy echoed, her heart sinking.

"Once it tastes your blood, the next blow will be poison to the victim—" Adie explained.

"And you were just injured..." Lucy glanced at the Amarok. For my sake! "The same blood? They bit you! So any blow to them—"

"Or a second to me, yes." Adie confirmed, looking impressed with Lucy's deduction. "It will be deadly."

"How do we stop her?" Lucy asked.

"Simply put?" Adie responded gravely, avoiding Lucy's inquiring look, "We have to kill her."

"I knew you were going to say that," Lucy sighed. "And it's my least favorite option." Her hands fell on the dagger at her side, an idea formulating.

As the other Amarok attacked Angel—and Lilith tried to fend them off—Lucy took advantage of the moment. She quickly pulled her whip from its pouch, lashing out. A streak of blood spattered the floor as the diamond coating deeply stung Angel's face. Lucy's opponent drew back, shocked. Her hand touched the laceration, which cut to the bone. Her fingers trembled as they drew away, coated in fresh blood. Her good eye was wide as she looked at Lucy in a mixture of disgust, anger, and surprise.

Lucy didn't have time to move, as Lilith was before her. She could see the dark circles under the demi-spirit's eyes and the translucency of her pale skin. It was reminiscent of the way Leo had looked before he nearly died. Lilith raised a clawed hand to slash at Lucy's neck, but Adie intervened, fingers encircling her sister's wrist.

"Didn't I teach you to keep your hands to yourself, Lil?" Adie murmured gruffly.

Lilith looked startled for a moment, but the expression was quickly replaced by her earlier emptiness. She turned to attack Adie, who met it with equal vigor. The two women were sent backward in a flurry of fabric. Adie pivoted and threw her sister bodily over her shoulder. Lilith slammed into the metal gate with a cry of pain. Her voice was more high-pitched than Adie's. Innocent-sounding, even. Adie was upon her sister, their weight causing the gate to crumple beneath them. Lucy could see the entrapped Celestial spirits in the background. They were peering at the commotion, curious as to what was happening.

"Faux! Capture Hades' troublesome opponent. Now." Angel commanded. Faux hesitated momentarily, and Lucy knew he was trying to consider his next move.

"Break her bones, limb by limb. I want her begging for mercy before we hand her over to Master Ultear." The brutality of Angel's request made Lucy even angrier and more resolved. She formulated a quick plan of action as Lilith sank into the shadows once again, leaving the fake Faux to feign a death match with Adie. Suddenly, Leo was at Lucy's side as she committed herself to her developing plan.

"I need Regulus," she grunted, her strongest whip unleashed. And a miracle.

Leo nodded, his eyes on Adie. "I hope whatever you are concocting is a good idea."

"My best yet," Lucy informed him, voice lacking the conviction she had hoped to muster.

"Adie, hold Faux off, I'll bring down Angel!" Lucy yelled as she lashed at Angel once again. In a predictable move, Angel called forth Peony, and Leo hesitated momentarily—as Lucy had expected. She used Etoiles to pull the healer away from Angel and into Leo's arms. He caught his mother, using his free hand to grab Lucy and launch her over him and onto Angel, who looked alarmed by the coordinated move. Lucy's opponent was not accustomed to physical combat, and she struggled against Lucy, who attempted to subdue the wrist holding the dagger. Angel fell backward under the blonde's weight, and they rolled on the floor. Lucy dug her knee into Angels' stomach, pinning her. She drew back her fist, and screamed as she hit her with all her might, connecting with Angel's cheek. Her enemy responded by blindly clawing at Lucy's eyes and pulling her hair. She used the heel of her hand to push Lucy off of her and scrambled to her feet, reaching for the keys she had at her waist.

"Looking for these?" Lucy asked, spinning the keyring around her finger. She counted nearly two dozen keys, one of which was a zodiac key. Libra.

Angel spat at her, wiping at her face. Lucy noted the dark, fluid movement from the corner of her eye. "L-Leo now!"

In a blinding flash of light, she could hear both Lilith and Angel scream. Each for different reasons. When Regulus abated, Lucy stood between Lilith and Angel, her hand tightly gripping the former's wrist. Angel sputtered, looking down at Lilith's claw as it was embedded in her stomach. Lilith's face was pale and she seemed to register what she had done. She stared at Angel for a moment more, her eyes trailing up Lucy's hand to her face.

"I'm sorry, Lilith," Lucy told her, feeling guilty for forcing her to harm a human, "But you left me no choice. You're all she has left, you know. Barsky is gone."

Lilith's eyes were wide as she pulled away from Angel, the claws making a sucking noise as they exited the mage's abdomen. Angel shrieked, staggering backward as blood quickly flowed from the wound.

"Do not interfere with what you do not understand."

It was faint, but Lucy thought she made out all of Lilith's words. For a moment more, she watched Lilith gather her wits. She felt the sting on her cheek as Lilith's weapon cut her flesh. She heard Adie yell, and she saw the demi-spirit leap upon her sister. Lilith was too quick, sinking into the shadows once again.

"Faux!" Angel shrieked, her voice cutting through the tension.

"Now, now, human girl," he purred in a spot impersonation. "Look at what you've done."

"Faux. Kill her. Now!" Angel was screaming, red-faced and stumbling, waving the dagger. "Kill her."

"Or what?" he posed, as Lucy's mouth twitched at the corners.

"Or what? Or what?" Angel croaked in disbelief, fingers stretching for her missing keys. Frustration flashed across her features.

"You no longer have your power. That girl has the keys," the real Faux informed her as he appeared next to Morpheus. Angel choked, mouth hanging.

"Gotcha," Morpheus replied, reverting back to his feline form. His sharp incisors glinted in the light.

Angel looked for Lilith. "Hades!"

"Stop callin' her by that stupid name," Adie growled from next to Lucy.

Angel yipped, hoping her spirit would save her. She slowly backed away from them, watching Faux and Morpheus. "You won't dare touch me!"

"Won't I?" Morpheus asked. "Or will I?" His golden eyes glinted dangerously and Lucy momentarily felt bad for Angel. "You see, Lucy has my key. If she tells me to kill you, I'll obey."

"It's against—" Angel's voice grew more high-pitched. "You can't, you—"

"Shuddup," Morpheus hissed. "Don't lecture me on spirit politics, girl!" He paused, "Lucy? Whaddya say?"

"Spare her," Lucy spoke softly, watching Angel carefully. She looked pitiful, cowering against the wall like a child. "She's not worth the effort."

Lucy took a few steps toward Angel, who trembled as blood slowly dripped on the floor from her abdominal wound. "Seems like you don't know half as much about spirits as you pretend. This time I win, fairly. Now surrender or I'll allow Morpheus to have at you."

Angel sneered at her, but offered nothing more. Lucy could hear the other spirits murmuring as they slowly filtered toward the flimsy gate. Lucy nearly whooped with joy as she counted all the spirits that would be freed once they were above ground. In the momentary distraction, she did not see the kanzashi the Angel pulled from her hair. She lunged for Lucy, the needle aimed for the neck. The blonde caught the movement from the corner of her eye, and attempted to raise her arm in self-defense. Adie yelled, and Lucy was knocked into the demi-spirit as a feral growl and the scent of damp hair overcame her senses. The monster lunged for Angel, jaws clamping around the woman's throat. Beast and human fell to the floor, and the Amarok shook its head violently. Lucy nearly vomited from the sound of Angel's neck breaking. Blood was pooling on the floor, snaking between the stony tiles in crimson rivers.

"That was unexpected," Morpheus grunted, gently stepping between Lucy and the grisly scene. "She won't be missed, that one."

Lucy opened her mouth—to vomit or to scream, she didn't know which. She averted her eyes, instead focusing on Adie's face. The demi-spirit was equally as pale as she stared at the convulsing body. Her pale irises flickered to Lucy's face.

"You really have control of those things, don't ya?" Morpheus plucked at a whisker.

"I-It wasn't me," Adie croaked, eyes on Lucy's face. "I d-didn't do that!"

"Then who…?" Lucy asked, her mouth horribly dry. The two women stared at each other for a few more moments, before both turned to look at the far end of the dark room.

"Lil?" Faux whispered softly.

The pale demi-spirit stared at them, eyes rimmed with tears and regret. She looked pathetic and weak—though Lucy knew better. She looked at the other spirits—jerking her head to indicate for them to leave.

Adie stepped forward, but Lilith held out a hand. She stepped backward toward the darkness. Lucy took a step, as well, but Leo stopped her. "No."

The floor shook so violently that they stumbled and fell to the floor. The sound of stone cracking told Lucy that they were about to be part of a cave-in if they didn't leave the room. And soon.

"I'm sorry," Lilith whispered, "This is all my fault. I tried to fix it…."

"My friends will defeat Ultear. We can go home," Adie attempted to reason with her sister, reaching out with her hand and gesturing.

Lilith's eyes flickered to Lucy. "Your friends….." she smiled softly before looking at Faux. "No, there will be no going home for me. I-I—" she shook her head, a tear slipping down her cheek. "Why couldn't you just stay angry at me?"

"Adassandra is telling the truth. We will get past this," Faux tried to soothe his lover, "No one blames you."

"I said to leave! NOW!" Lilith screamed, holding out her hands. She looked at the spirits, her voice commanding for such a tiny frame. "Go with them!" With a quick flick of her left hand, she sliced the tender skin of her right wrist. The blood dribbled to the ground.

"What are you doing? You just-" Adie screamed, eyes wide with terrified realization. She was thrust aside by the violent quake. A few heavy pieces of rock fell to the floor, shattering nearby. A giant crack spread across the room, separating Lilith from the others. She covered her ears with her hands tears streaming down her face as blood snaked down the pale flesh of her forearm. Her fingers were slowly turning black on the hand that's wrist was slit.

"GET OUT!" Lilith screamed at them. Lucy knew that Lilith had intended to commit suicide the entire time. She had cut Adie first, the same blood in their veins. But why put up a fight first? Had she hoped that Adie would end whatever misery she was suffering from rather than she doing it? Lucy furiously tried to think of a way to help Lilith. Before the room collapsed or she disintegrated into nothingness, preferably.

"Lucy, we need to go," Leo told her, "Lilith made her decision. This is between them."

"I can't, Leo," Lucy whispered, tears in her eyes.

Adie ran toward the gap, teetering on the edge, eyes wild as she screamed at Lilith. She stepped back a few meters, quickly launching herself over the small canyon. She landed on the other side, tumbling backward over the edge. She caught herself on a crag, dangling on the cliff and trying to get her grip. Lucy tore herself from Leo, impetuously running toward Adie. She saw the demi-spirit's grip falter, and she quickly let Etoiles loose. She felt a tug of the whip as she dug her heels into the ground. She slid along the stony floor, seeing the chasm quickly approaching and no way to stop her progress. She felt someone embrace her waist, and the added weight was enough to stop Adie from falling and Lucy from following her.

"Thanks," she huffed to her rescuer.

"Don't mention it," Leo grunted in her ear.

She sent a silent message to Virgo, and hoped the spirit could hear her plea to get Adie to her sister. She felt the sudden slackening of her whip, and she knew Virgo had come through for her. She retracted it, tearing herself from Leo's grip and running toward the chasm. She saw the stone in front of Lilith explode as Virgo broke through with a slightly bewildered Adie.

"Adie! Here!" Lucy yelled, pulling her dagger free. She threw it with as much strength as she could muster.

Adie quickly understood Lucy's intent, her fingers easily gripping the dagger. She quickly spun, throwing the blade at her sister. It hit Lilith squarely in the chest, throwing her against the wall. Her eyes were wide as she looked at the weapon, before flickering to her sister. Her features were filled with sheer terror.

"Did you-" Leo began, uncertain if he were following the events appropriately.

"I saved her life. In a way." Lucy told him, wiping her brow. "That dagger has part of Adie's key, and can send her—" It only made sense. The time it would have taken too much time for Adie to reach Lilith and use her own key. That time would have allowed Lilith the opportunity to certainly take her own life by grievous injury.

"Oh no, Adassandra. No no no no no," Lilith moaned, her chest glowing from the dagger as her fingers danced around the hilt. She frantically looked for Faux. Acceptance slowly crossed her features, which also seemed to silently speak, I'm sorry, to her lover.

Lucy was confused by the reaction. Lilith looked sorrowful, but Faux looked slightly relieved-as if a great burden had been released from his shoulders. She turned around to find the keys she had dropped when she fell. There was one important key missing from the ring. Her eyes skimmed over Angel's body and, with an inward groan, she ran to the blood-soaked corpse. Ignoring the gaping hole in Angel's neck and Angel's lifeless right eye that was staring ahead, Lucy's hands wandered over her clothing and in any fold.

Nowhere! It's nowhere! Realization suddenly hit her and she quickly leaped to her feet. She suddenly knew the answer to Lilith's why. "Oh, shit…"

"If you won't go home with me, then I'll make you go home," Adie told her sister as she approached the collapsed demi-spirit. She suddenly felt her blood grow cold by the look that crossed Lilith's face; it was not the reaction she had expected. "What is it?"

"Why do you always have to be the one to sacrifice something?" Her sister's eyes looked up at her, filled with regret. "Why couldn't you have let me save you…just once?"

"Adie!" Lucy shouted from the other end of the room. "Lilith's key—"

"Your friend..she's figured it out," Lilith smiled sadly.

Adie wobbled on her feet as she recognized the predicament that was before them, eyes falling to Lilith's bare neck. There had never been a choker on the delicate, pale skin. Her mouth was suddenly incredibly dry and her voice a hoarse whisper. "Where is it? Where's your key?"

"I tried..." Lilith pulled the dagger from her chest, letting it fall to the ground. Tears streaked her face as she woefully glanced at Faux, shaking her head as he tried to approach. "And I failed, sister. I failed terribly."

Adie grabbed her sister's shoulders as the younger demi-spirit grew more transparent, indicating her journey to the Celestial Spirit World. "I'll-no, we'll fix this! Tell me how to help! Where is it?"

"She knew you'd come. This was her plan," Lilith tearfully confessed, her face now glowing as her body began to disintegrate. "It was never me she was after…"

"What do you mean? That makes no sense!" Adie croaked.

"All this time, Dee," Lilith's voice was fading. "Ultear was after you."