Author Note: Thanks goes to danicrouch860 for the awesome review. Thanks also goes to Niiki, weekendrusher and lovencrazy86 for becoming followers to this story. I believe this chapter is a breakthrough for our little Ayva and Finn's relationship. At the same time it's kind of dark in some places; but I hope all of you enjoy it all the same. Let me know what you think.
"This love is keeping me alive
When push come to shove will we survive
Is there enough when you look into my eyes
All I want is everything
All I want is everything
I won't give up until this feelings over
I've had enough of drinking myself sober
I really want to let you know
I never want to watch you go
All I want is everything
All I want is everything
From you"
'Everything' by Art of Dying
Chapter 11:
Things seems to return to normal for Finn after talking with Sera Castello a few weeks prior; but he couldn't seem to shake what she told him about Ayva. He questioned it and even tried to push it to the back of his mind in attempts to forget that it was ever mentioned. Her training intensified and continued to excel in learning everything given. It almost scared him how much her power has grown in the short amount of time. In the long run, it was a good thing.
"Finn..." Becky called hesitantly.
"Hmm..."
"Are you okay? You've been staring off into space for a while now."
"I'm fine."
She by no means believed him. There was obviously something amiss with him. He barely left his room to make an appearance, avoided getting involved with Ayva's training, and spoke very little when asked something. It wasn't like him. She felt like he was starting to become the person he was when Aluxia broke his heart. "You're not fine and it's scaring the hell out of me."
"Don't be dramatic."
"I'm not being dramatic, Finn. You are not yourself and I want to know why. Did something happen between you and Ayva?"
He turned away from her. Ayva wasn't all of the problem. There was so much more to that. He could tell her; but knew that it would be a bad idea if he did. Becky would immediately tell her best friend everything and that couldn't happen, so he opted for silence on that matter. What else could he do? "No, she is still as perfect as ever..."
"Then what's the problem?"
"It's nothing you can help me with." He stated just before he vanished from the spot he had been standing in.
"Damnit..." Becky softly cursed flopping down upon the couch.
The warm breeze hit Ayva in the face. A smile formed uncontrollably. Holding the camera in her hand, she held the perfect image of nature in its lens. After exploring a little more passed the clearing, she came across a small stream that ran through the woods. The tranquil sound of running water eased the tension and swirling chaos in her mind, allowing her to capture the essence of the beautiful things in life. Things she loved so much. Things that helped her erase the pain of the past.
Kneeling down behind a rock, she watched a grown buck approach for a drink from the stream. Her smile widened, quickly capturing the instance in time. After hearing the shutter, the deer bolted in the opposite direction. Ayva watched him run towards a female in the distance. It reminded her of what she already had lost in Damien; but it also reminded her of what could be between Finn and herself, if he'd let her in.
Of course thinking about him brought his face to mind. She hated how he was avoiding her again. He'd take one step forward in the right direction and then a few steps back, afraid of what would happen. Becky tried to give the best advice she could; but not even she could really understand everything going on inside his heart. Only he could do that.
Laying back on the soft ground behind her, she closed her eyes to listen to the sounds around her. Her mind escaped to the moment Finn had pulled her onto his lap and held her close. In that moment alone, her heart knew that things would be different. They already were different, because she felt things for him. It didn't matter that he's only been in her life for a little over a month. Their connection was undeniable now. "Finn..." She whispered.
A warm suction feeling surrounded her, similar to when Finn traveled with her via shimmering. She found herself out of the forest and falling onto the hardwood flooring, back first. Opening her eyes, she was met with unfamiliar scenery. "Ayva?" Finn's voice questioned.
"Finn? How the hell did I get in here? I was in the woods a second ago..."
He held out a hand for her to take. Accepting, she was pulled up from the floor to a standing position a few inches away from him. Really looking at him, she realized that he was shirtless. The sight of him brought a blush to her cheeks. His perfect toned chest and abs caused her heart to pound against her chest. Her fingers itched to run down the flesh. "It would seem that you've learned to travel like we do..." He commented snapping the intimate thoughts out of her mind.
"I am so sorry...I didn't mean to pop in uninvited..." She pleaded hoping that he wasn't angry with her.
"It's okay...I'm not mad."
"Then why are you looking at me like that?" She asked referring to his confused stare.
"It's just that you had to have wanted to see me. That's what triggers that kind of movement...a physical want for a certain place or person."
His accusation made her take several steps away from him. She didn't want to tell him that she had been thinking about him when it happened; but as it would seem, he already guessed that. Lowering her head to avoid looking at him, the thoughts of what it would be like to kiss him filled her head. "What's wrong? You wanted to see me for a reason, so enlighten me as to why?" He asked lifting her head up by his index finger.
"I was just thinking...that's all..."
"Thinking huh?"
Ayva could see that he wasn't buying her half-assed answers. She also felt like it wasn't fair that he could interrogate her for answers; but he wouldn't give any himself. Taking another step away from him, made him loose the smug smile off his perfectly handsome face. "You can't tell me what's wrong with you; but you want me to explain why I was thinking of you. How is that fair?" She snapped, trying to keep her temper in check for obvious reasons.
"Ayva...I just..."
"Just what? You know...you don't even need to ask why I was thinking about you, because I've told you that I want to know everything about you. I care, Finn...a lot and it hurts that you continuously push me away..."
Finn saw her hands instinctively clench into fists at her sides. Her eyes weren't blue anymore; but a pure white light. Her shadow on the floor reflecting from the sunlight, revealed her wings. The words he wanted to express were locked tight on his tongue. There was nothing he could do to stop her from leaving the room the same way she came.
Anger washed over him, punching a hole right into the wall closest to his reach. No matter what he did to prevent hurting her, he always did. There had to be a way to stop it from happening. It was time to see the witch again. The same witch that Damien went to see several times without him knowing.
His power surged through his veins the moment his hands came in contact with the two large doors that led Rowana's practicing chambers. The broken look upon Ayva's face tore him to pieces on the inside and there had to be a way to prevent himself from hurting her again. He just hoped that Rowana was willing to help.
Stepping foot in the mist covered room, Rowana lifted her head to meet his demonic stare. It had been a long time since she saw that look on his face. The red glow of his eyes grew more intense with every step he took in her direction. "Finn...what brings you to my domain?" She asked playing off like she didn't notice his alluring power.
"What do you know of Ayva Bradly? Do not lie to me this time!"
"What do you want me to tell you?"
"You obviously know things, considering you were in talks with Damien about her without my knowing."
She bit her bottom lip, perceptive that someone must have spilled the beans on that little piece of information. Out of instinct, she took a step back. She honestly didn't know what he was capable of doing in his current state of mind. "Yes, he came to me wanting to know about her. I told him that she was intended for another; but he didn't care. Damien loved her and would have done anything woman, so he asked me to create a spell to bind her Nephilim powers to himself. As long as he was alive, she would never develop them nor would have a need to know you. It was a win-win situation for him."
"He lied to me...all these years...he knew she existed. Now his last words make sense."
"Once he was killed, the spell was broken and she slowly developed her powers.
Finn couldn't believe after all the years he spent with him that he would something like that from him. He may have agreed with the idea; but what really angered him was the fact he lied to him about it. Now her powers were fully awakened and she was confused about where she came from. She met him and now their faded souls were entwined. "Finn, there is nothing you can do about the past. She's a full Nephilim now and there is no keeping that hidden. You also can't run from destiny. All you can do is come to terms with it and accept it."
"Can you protect her from me?"
"What do you mean?"
"Sera Castello informed me of what Ayva is to me. All I seem to be doing lately is hurt her...I can't continue to do that and save her life, so please...will you sever it?"
Rowana never expected him to ask for such a thing. She closed her eyes, leaning back against her alter. Her fingers curled around the fabric, digging her nails into the wood underneath. "I could; but I won't. If you sever it, she will turn against you throwing the balance into chaos. The reapers will have a field day with that, killing just to keep the world from imploding on itself. That's no way to live."
"Then what the hell am I supposed to do. I don't want to hurt her anymore."
"That's something you will have to figure out on your own. I'm not your go to person for every problem you can't handle. I learned my lesson on that one with Damien and I will always regret it."
Day passed on and the night arose in the sky. Ayva sat in her room listening to her new age playlist. She was in a calm state even though the hundreds of things about Finn, that angered her, tried to swim their way inside. After leaving his room earlier in the day, she felt him leave the house and he hadn't returned yet. Becky's anxious movements downstairs was weighing down upon her shoulders, despite Dean's attempts to alleviate the situation. There just wasn't anything he could do. "Ayva, I'm worried about him. He never leaves for this long." Becky's voice entered her mind.
"I'm sure he's fine."
"Can you find him?"
"I don't know if I can...I've never tried to find someone before."
That wasn't entirely true. She had subconsciously willed herself to him that morning without meaning to. It had happened just by thinking about him, so maybe that would work again. Becky wasn't the only worried about him. Deep down, she was as well. The argument they had wasn't sitting well with her, simply because she knew how much Aluxia had destroyed him. "Please try..."
"Alright..."
Ayva thought about Finn, bringing his face to mind. Her desire to see him expanded outward, entwining with her angelic energy. The familiar suction feeling washed over and was instantly taken outside of a sports bar on the far side of the city. He was nowhere to be seen outside of the building. She didn't want to go inside alone, for fear that he wasn't even there at all.
A cold shiver crawled up her spine, alerting her to a presence that was unknown. Soft chuckles perked her hearing to spread out. Swiftly shifting her body around. Three men with glowing red eyes were slowing closing in upon her. Fear attacked from within. She knew they were coming and they weren't coming for Finn. She had walked into a trap.
"So you must be Ayva." The one in front asked. He was around six foot, dressed in nothing but black. What stood out was his long bleach blond hair.
"Depends on who's asking."She asked tensing at the sight of them spreading out to surround her from all sides.
"The Queen would love a word with you." The one from the left side asked. He clearly looked of Asian decent.
"You tell your Queen that I have nothing to say to her."
"We figured you'd say that. In the event of resistance, we were ordered to bring you in forcefully if necessary." The one from the right side asked.
Ayva couldn't make out what he looked like, because she was instantly put on the defensive. Adrenaline surged when energy was expelled through her hands in a massive wave, sending them backwards across the pavement. The one with blonde hair was the first to get to his feet. He stared her down before shimmering behind to land a surprise blow with his elbow. She caught him with her palm. Pure white flashed, replacing the blue in her eyes. Kicking him in the stomach, she flipped backward to create distance between them.
She honestly had no idea how to kill demons, nor did she know if she had the stomach to actually go through with it. The Asian man wrapped his arms around her, pinned her down. Ayva struggled against his grasp before lifting her knee upward into his groin. Instantly letting go of her, she bolted away; but not without kicking him across the temple, knocking him unconscious.
Turning away, she was caught across the jaw by the man she never caught a glimpse of before. Falling down to a knee, she felt the warm liquid of blood trickle down from her lip. The demon towered over her, standing over six foot talk with very short brown hair. Tattoos cascaded down his arms, not leaving a single inch of skin untouched by ink. "Don't make this harder than it has to." He stated.
"Piss off...I'm not going anywhere with you." Ayva replied spitting blood onto the ground as she stood back up.
"You are gutsy, I'll give ya that."
She narrowed her eyes at the comment. The blonde haired demon approach to stand by his comrade. The fear returned, almost crippling her. They weren't going to stop until they've taken her captive. Even after everything Dean taught her about fighting back, they failed to mention what would kill a demon.
She backed away in their pursuit of stalking her. Strike after strike. Defense after defense. Tears burned the corners of her eyes as they came at her once more. "Finn!" She mentally screamed before expelling another wave of energy to send them backward.
It didn't take them as long to get to their feet as it had the first time around. The fear completely settled into her, causing her body to tremble and tears to stream down her cheeks. Just as the tattooed man took hold of her, he froze with wide eyes. Blood rolled out of his mouth before slumping to the ground at her feet.
Finn withdrew the blade from the demon's back before turned to look at the blonde haired one. His eyes were an intense red like she had never seen before. Her mouth opened to speak; but the words wouldn't come out. He shimmered away to appear behind the other, only for his attack to be blocked. Ayva covered her mouth with her shaking hand. Feeling a set of hands behind her, she screamed.
The Asian demon tossed Ayva to the ground hard, knocking the wind right out of her. Finn desperately tried to get to her; but everywhere where he escaped to the second demon was right there with him, preventing his interference. He called out her name out of sheer fear. She struggled to her feet before feeling the sharp stabbing pain of a blade through the flesh of her thigh.
Crying out in pain, her body ignited with pure energy. The desperation to stay alive allowed her to incinerate the demon next to her. Finn shimmered out of the way so the blonde demon would be caught in the blast as well. "Ayva!" He called.
The blinding light retreated just as quickly as it had been expelled. Ayva lay on the ground, her jeans soaked with blood from the open gash in her thigh. Finn rushed to her side, examining her for other injuries. He scooped her up in his arms and took her home. The warmth of her blood rolled down his arm as he lay her gently on the kitchen table. He ripped her jeans open further to gain better access to the bleeding wound.
"Finn, where the hell have...Jesus Christ! Ayva! What happened?" Becky yelled coming into the room.
"She was attacked...get me the first aid kit, I've got to get this bleeding to stop." He countered.
Dean walked into the room to help with applying pressure. Becky hung back to hand them things as they needed. Finn couldn't feel more guilty than he did right then. He couldn't understand why she never called for him before it got out of control. Did she not trust him? That was the question on his mind.
His hands worked diligently to wrap the freshly stitched up wound with gauze and bandage tape. Becky had never seen him so desperate before. It only proved that he cared about her more than he told anyone.
"I'm going to take her up to bed, can you clean up?" Finn asked.
"Of course..." Becky replied softly.
Finn carried Ayva into her room and lay her on the bed. He sat down next to her, watching closely. He had been stupid to think that she wouldn't try and find him. Her wounds were his fault, on his conscious. "This is my fault...and I'm sorry." He said lowering his head, closing his eyes.
"It's not your fault."
He opened his eyes to find her awake and looked adoringly at him. She reached up to cup the side of his face, brushing her thumb across the skin. Her touch was all he needed to make the pain go away. The admiration of her face was undeserved in his eyes. "I went looking for you. How would you have know they would be there?" She asked.
"Doesn't make it any better. I've done so many horrible things in the past and allowing you to get hurt just adds to the list."
She sat up ignoring the pain in her leg. Her moved her hand from his face down to his chest to cover the section that belonged to his heart. The beating pulsed against the sensitive skin of her palm. "Whatever you've done in your past doesn't make you who you are today. What matters is that you did come for me and I'm alive because of it."
"How can you justify anything I do?"
"Because I care about you...all of you, the demon and the human."
He watched her move her free hand to hover over the stitched up skin. The warm light flickered, healing the wound completely without leaving a scar. A smile tugged at her lips, curving them upward. He immediately pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against him. "I was afraid that I'd loose you tonight."
"But you didn't..."
"I could have...and that would have destroyed me completely..."
She pulled out of his embrace to look directly into his eyes. The sincerity in the blue irises drew her in closer. Instead of drawing out the inevitable, Finn held the back of her head gently before capturing her lips with his. He took his time, savoring the feelings the came along with it. Her movements were filled with pure passion. A swipe of her tongue against his still semi-parted lips jerked him away, severing the connection. "Too much...I'm sorry." She apologized.
"No...it was perfect. It's just...that it's been a long time since I kissed anyone..."
Her smile returned laying back against the pillow behind her. He stood up, giving her room to get up. She walked gingerly towards the dresser for a pair of yoga shorts and a light blue tank top. "I'm going to change..." She stated walking into the bathroom.
He reached up to place a finger upon his lips. The tingling sensation remained intact. The door opened back up to have her walk out in the new clothing. Her long hair flowed over her shoulders in large waves. "How about you get some rest and I'll see you in the morning?" He suggested.
"I want you to stay with me tonight...please..."
Her request left him speechless. How could he deny what she wanted? She pulled the covers down and crawled into the bed. He moved quietly to the other side, crawling in to lay next to her. He wasn't quite comfortable to strip down to his usual way of sleeping. It didn't really matter, her head rested on his chest almost immediately. "Goodnight, Ayva..." he said kissing her forehead.
"Goodnight, Finn..." She replied with a smile.