Everything has an order. Everything has an end.

Even those immortals must follow paths and rules, call it nature, call it cosmos, call it balance. Gods fight to break those rules just as man does. Each wanting more. But success is brief, fleeting, for those who manage to stretch their place. Fenris was no exception as powerful as he was. He saw the chance, he set the course, but he like those before him, he failed.

Here the powers of the underworld, the death, the undefined, the nature and order of things took hold. They took Max back. With the help of his Reaper friend Daisy, he had escaped the order, but like the wolf god his time was done. It was time to follow those rules, those powers that governed all.

Through Max, that power forcefully embraced the god wolf of old. It wrapped around Fenris bringing the monster wolf into the new order of things. It’s hold would be tight. But the swamps of the dead could use more gods to fill their vacuums and this god could roam around in this order of things. He was not done or gone. He was just captured again by a different chain.

It was Max that was gone. His body now one of the same that Semyon so easily swatted aside. The fire sent for help by Kata caught light on his face just as he accepted his fate. Max knew of order. He had his time to break the rules and the pride in his face showed it. He showed Daisy. He showed Kata. He showed Semyon. Before he faded. Before he turned into just another beast in the swamp.

As Max was taken fingers of the order of death reached far to the other half, to the other side. Thad was tied to Max. Max was a creation that took more than just a body from the warlock. It took part of him. Death’s cold hands reached for that part too. There is after all, an order to things.

Thad felt Veti close. He knew her scent, her touch, the form of her curves, the softness of her hair and the tuffs of her fur. When the ice cold grip took hold of him he fought it. At first. Veti needed him. He could not leave her.

But he was the chemist, the alchemist, the mixer of life forces, the spell caster. He knew of the science of things. He knew of reality. He was going to die.

Death was just another transfer of energy, of force. He would never leave Veti with nothing. He could mix the atoms, the water, the elements in his form and give them back to the one he loved. She would never be without him.

Thad gather the last of his warmth, the last of his body force, and he rolled that together, just as he did with the rain, and the glass. In a burst of all he had he opened his eyes, reached for Veti and moved to kiss her. His lips did not really touch but he let loose a last breath of his heart, his soul, his chemistry, his love,and blew into her mouth and nose. Take that with you love, and move on. All that he had he emptied into Veti.

Then he fell to take his own order of things. His own place. His own end.

He felt death take Max. He felt atticus leave. He felt emptyness, void where people should be. And yet he was still serene. He had to be. Atticus had relied on him for years to be this, and in his boss absence, things needed to carry on. He hoped Veti would take Max, no, take Thads words to heart. To move on this time. Death had claimed him now, real death. He had given her the last, ultimate gift, life. To give up had never been her style, and it would have been such a waste of such gift. He knew that this time, Max and Thads sacrifice would not destroy them like it did the first time. This time, it was the way things went, a choice taken by them, and nobody else. He would never forget them, hell he would make sure their names would be whispered in every river, in every flood.

He collected the now fragile form of Jay Jay into his arms fully. ”Indeed. The world keeps spinning, bur for us it is forever changed. It is the way of things. Nothing is constant, nothing is more fragile then our perception of the room.”

”We wait for the last ones to arrive, pray that they actually do. And then we go home. There are repairs needed to be done, healing to take place. We all lost something today.” His eyes fell upon Veti and let his confidence waver ”Some of us more then others. But we are a family, we stick together. We make it trough.” As to cheer himself up just as much as Jay-Jay, he noted.”

I am sure we will see Siya and Atticus again somehow. I felt no last breath from Either.” He said the last part with conviction. For him, the struggle was not over. He had to finish this with the ice witch once he had healed, he had to make her pay. And he would, in time. He was stronger now. He would help rebuild the company. Help heal those that needed healing. Henry would not let this be in vain. A new beginning, needed a proper end.

”Besides.” He started suddenly, a smile braving his otherwise concerned features. He was looking at Jay Jay. ”I owe you a date don't I?”

Nothing had ever happened for Daisy the way she expected it.

Not the expensive, Santa Monica date with the absurdly hot Parker Travis a few years back. Not taking the homecoming crown in those few minutes she'd spent in high school. Not the friends she'd callously disregarded despite their relentless grasp on her, or on whatever she had left of a heart.

She was used to things not working out. She was every bit the cynic, expecting, receiving the worst in an endless cycle of self-fulfilling prophecies.

This was different. All around her, on both sides of the gate, a great many creatures were rising and falling. She felt them within her, flaring and dying like stars going super nova, for better or worse. Atticus and Siya vanished. Jay-Jay's ghost lady dragged God Wolf to the other side. And Max...fucking Max...he gave whatever was left of his life for whatever was left of hers.

None of it worked out like she'd expected. And Daisy had never liked to be wrong. She'd have followed them all happily into the mist, taking Fenris and Max and Kata with her, fuck it all, even the Wight, if thats what he wanted.

But he didn't, of course. He wanted, needed to live, and Daisy was the only one who could do that. She didn't know how she knew it about him. But she did.

And Veti. Veti would want to know her stupid boyfriend had saved her stupid life.

It was over in a matter of seconds, the three of them gone in a flurry of fog that left Daisy trembling and wide-eyed, and then it was just her and Semyon and a silence in Death Daisy had never seen before. She knew without looking the marks of decay wrapped around her arms and torso were gone. Kata and Max had done that, too.

Daisy felt...not tired, but drained. She knew she would be returning to fewer than she had left, with fewer than she'd left with. She knew, too, the others wouldn't demand an explanation. She knew Jay-Jay would need help, and Veti, too.

She knew the Wight had something important for her.

She stared at the Gate for a long time, and for the first time in a while was not afraid of it.

Without looking at the Wight, she opened to portal and pulled them both back through.

As they crossed over, she spoke:

"All this," she said simply, and with no form to speak of, she had to trust him to know what she meant. She wasn't sure she did, not fully. "None of it is like you think. I thought you might like to know that."

((featuring DotCom - thank you for all your help!))

He heard her - she knew he did. Regrets were for a lifetime, but so was love, and Veti breathed him in, her sweet love. Max, Thad - there was not one without the other, all the same man she loved like life and breath - the very last breath he gave her. She took that breath in, took him in, all the way down to the seat of her soul, all his life, every last thing that made him so... Beautiful. Shimmering, a glistening golden light like none she’d known before, or ever would again.

Veti closed her eyes as she held him there, within and without, her love.

Let go, Veti. She heard the words, the voice, singing through her head like celestial music.

I don’t want to let you go. Please don’t make me. Not again… I know I said I could, but I can't. I'm not strong enough to let you go again.

The laughter in her head was gentle and loving, but tinged with a wistful sadness. I’m not leaving you babe. You have me. You always will - the very best part of me, all your life. Take that with you love, and move on…

Veti groaned softly in the back of her throat, wincing in pain. There would be no runs in the woods when he finally embraced his own wolf. Max would never roam with his mate through the green hills, never slink through the alleys in the cities of this world or run with her on a hunt through ancient woods. Thad had so wanted to keep those promises he made, the plans, the futures, the pledges, but he could not.

And she could not keep him here. Not like this.

Veti exhaled, and opened her eyes, and chose to live the life she promised she would.

The werewolf felt the sweeping wind of deathly cold beside her, heralding the arrival of her Reaper friend from the other side. She felt Daisy’s approach, but did not lift her gaze from her lover’s still face, cradling him closely still because she simply could not let him go. Not yet. Loving fingers traveled over those cherished features, committing every last touch, every last plane and angle to precious, lasting memory.

"I know Daisy," Veti whispered, trying not to choke on the words and yet, somehow, smiling so softly nonetheless. "I know he's gone. Thank you for helping give him back to me, just one more time. Not everyone gets that chance… “

Daisy was quiet for along moment, telling herself she was giving Veti time to adjust. But they both knew no amount of adjusting would do anything to undo what Max had done.

She shook her head, and for once, there was no scorn or sneer or hint of derision or annoyance on her eyes. She tried not to think about the fact she was giving Veti the same shitty news twice in one day.

"You don't, though, Veti. What he did for me." What he almost did to me, but she didn't add that part, and never would.

"He didn't have to go. He could have come back. He should have come back. But he didn't. He gave himself back over to them. For me. For you, Veti. I'm here because of him. I just...thought you should know."

Veti nodded, and bit her lip, blinking back tears all over again as she turned to look up to Daisy, to those sad, strangely ancient eyes beneath all those long pink tresses. She did not really succeed though, and even though she smiled to her friend, tears fell down her cheeks. Yes, it stung still, hearing the words that he could have returned to her. That Max could be in her arms right now, alive and laughing, her sweet Thad saying the words with his own lips, his own breath, just how much he loved her...

But he had done exactly what he always did. Always would do. Max would have laughed, loud and long, if she'd called him a hero. Thad would have simply smiled and waved her away with a grin. But he was, and she loved him all the more, even now.

Veti's mouth opened, as if she might say something. But the weight of all Daisy told her, the weight of the grief and yes, the pride she felt in the man she loved, stopped her words for a moment like an invisible damn. She closed those sapphire eyes for some seconds before taking a long, painful breath, letting it go before she opened them once more. "I am glad, Daisy. I am glad you're here, and I am glad you told me. Please, for me - don't blame yourself. No more blaming yourself, not anymore. Max knew what he was doing."

Daisy smiled wanly at her lupine friend's words. She didn't know where Atticus and Siya had gone, only that they had. Max was gone. Thad was...an enigma at best. WolfGirl had lost far more than her fair share that day.

Daisy had never wished more that she had something to offer other than bad news.

"I'm back, aren't I?" She shrugged. "You say jump, Veti, I'll ask how fucking high. If you're glad, actually glad... It's good enough for me."

“I am.” Veti nodded but said no more as she let the wolf return, the first rays of dawn warming her crimson fur. She stood with her lover’s body cradled in her arms once again, her amber gaze running over the ruin of the stones of Ardgroom and all the lands about them. The enormity of all that was torn from her world today would not – could not – truly settle in for days to come. Not even the werewolf was strong enough to bear that burden all at once: Thad and Aislinn, her dearest Siya and Atticus – even poor Jay-Jay’s brave demon though Veti never knew her true worth til the end.

Daisy and Artie, Reginald and Henry, Semyon and Jay-Jay and even the new guy Gabe, these were the pillars that remained. She had no way to know then, how precious and strong they would truly be.

**********

Such a difference a year and a day could make.

A difference Veti never could have imagined, a world she could not have foreseen in her wildest dreams. “Another arrived yesterday, Reginald,” she said softly, closing her eyes contentedly as she smiled up into the warm Irish sunlight. “A lone wolf, ready to find a home… I like the smell of him. Marcus’ll be by tonight. I think he’d be worth your time to meet – if I can tempt you to stay for dinner?“

Those sapphire blue eyes opened once more, falling over the green hills of Ardgroom, her gaze lifting to follow the majestic forms of the restored stones, fingers of power in that ancient circle reaching to the dazzlingly blue heavens above. So much had been lost, and yet so much more had rushed into those empty spaces left behind. Veti could not bear to return to that old Boston loft, not with Siya gone. There was nowhere to turn, nowhere in that city she did not see her precious friend’s pale face in its shadows, silver blonde curls bouncing over her slight, slender shoulders, that sweet little pout of a smile with the glint of tiny ivory fangs…

But a new home, and a new purpose, were calling her back to these Irish hills at the coast. Aislinn Hoyle’s blood ran with hers now. Thad had made sure of that, one of his last gifts to her. The warlock who created her, had given her a pack as well. And in the aftermath of the battle with the Fenrir and the decimation of many of the great werewolf clans of the Lupus Naturae, the ranks of the Teachglach MacTire – a tribe once teetering on the brink of extinction – had taken root once more in fertile soil.

But a pack of her own wasn’t the last gift Thad left for his love. Not even the greatest. Veti’s gaze fell to her arms, to the precious bundle of warmth and sweetness and light cradled there, wrapped tenderly in a quilt as she snoozed away. Aislinn Nastasiya Blasko. Thad promised he would leave the very best part of him with her, all his life and all his love. Veti’s fingers ran lightly along that petal soft cheek, the whole of their daughter’s beautiful face framed by a halo of golden ringlets.

Oh, how he had kept that promise.

“Mmm… Tempt away Victoria. You know I’m yours where dinner is involved! Well, at least now that you know not all Irishmen will eat boiled ham… And… Cabbage! Ouch, ya little rascal!“ The ancient werewolf laughed heartily, despite the chubby little fists buried deep in handfuls of his beard.

“Maximillian Atticus Blasko!” Veti whispered with a hiss, eyes wide and incredulous. But her boy only giggled with delight at the funny face and funny noises “Uncle” Reginald made. God above, but she was still amazed at how quickly that crimson-headed babe could get around. Well, the both of them really, Aislinn and Max. Were they merely human children of this age, they might just be able to roll over and hold their heads upright. But the twins were anything but “merely.” These two wolf pups had already tussled and fussed, chewing on one another’s tender ears and wee tails by the bonfire of their first den circle.

Veti sighed good-naturedly, rolling her eyes with a soft laugh as Reginald waved her on, not minding little Max’s attentions in the least. The old werewolf carefully disentangled one chubby fist with a finger, returning the babe’s sweet wide smile with one of his own. It was good to have family again. “So Victoria, back to the topic at hand. You really aren’t going to try boiling another ham for dinner, are you - “

As if on cue, a deep, low howl of a bark sailed over the hill, rising toward them with its bearer on the enormous paws an ebony-colored Irish wolfhound. Artie bounded up the hill, his enormous tail wagging in a great sweeping arc behind him. The expectant sparkle in those great black eyes said he had an inkling that something about food had been involved in this conversation, and wherever there was food and his Veti, and her pups too? Oh, the hellhound was all in!

“Your lack of faith in my ability Reginald, to master the cuisine of my adopted homeland… That hurts, you know,” she quipped with a wide, playful grin that said she was anything but. Veti felt the chill of Daisy’s own imminent arrival and smiled. Where there was an Artie, of course her dear Reaper friend would not be too far behind.

Veti giggled as she bent to kiss the top of Artie’s great head, cradling Aislinn gently to her chest as she began to whisper to the hellhound in the sweetest little sing-song voice. “But if Weginald will not eat Veti’s dinner winner, I bet Artie will! Oh yes, he will! He will! Who’s a good hellhound who woves his Veti’s cooking? Who is? Oh you are Artie! Yes you are, you wuvin’ lumpkin!”

In the underworld, Katago̱gí was forced to watch as Max went to work against Fenris. To see a human put up such a fight was inspiring, even if he wasn't completely human. It brought a little smile to her face, as Max began the process of pulling the World-ender into the swamp, she saw the clutches of death embrace him: and the satisfaction on his face as he was taken.

However, the god wolf fought hard against Max’s efforts: and the Ifrit had no desire to let such herculean effort be wasted. She would be the foil to the god wolf once more: with the Daisy’s help of course. She didn’t know what Daisy had done, but she heard the proverbial call to jump, and Katago̱gí jumped.

A shackle of fire and darkness seemed to lash out from the Ifrit’s wrist, wrapping and coiling around the God-wolf’s neck like a choker chain. Plunging underneath the water, Kata felt arms grip around her, dragging her to the big-daddy reaper and the end that came with it. She felt the her own strength pulling on the god wolf, already half-submerged, as well as the strength of Max, and the other dead spirits. They clutched at her, grasping under the river Styx and pulling her and the world-ender underneath the waves. It felt oddly serene, despite it all. She had toyed with the idea of leaving Jay-Jay a message with the reaper, a last hurrah, if you will. In the end, Kata left the reaper well enough alone. She was going to have enough to deal with, and Kata had said her goodbyes.

Everything faded into nothingness as her conscious thought became obliterated by death. She seemed to fall into sleep, only to open her eyes in what seemed like a moment later. She was alone, out of the water: in an empty hall that seemed devoid of anything except a chess board. Sitting on the black side of the board, a familiar-yet-unknown creature sat there: a shrouded man, with skeletal fingers toying with a black pawn. The demon could only smile at the figure, before sitting at the chess board, opposite death itself. “I suppose one game wouldn’t hurt.”

She moved a pawn forward, feeling the comforting embrace of death: and the challenge of one last game, before oblivion.

---

It took a while for the tears to stop. Jay-Jay was spending so much of her time wallowing in her own self-soothing that she ignored the other sad sights on the field: Daisy’s near-empty handed return, Atticus’ departure with Siya in tow, Veti’s desolation at the loss of Max-Thad. If she had been half the friend to these people that she claimed to be, she would have been trying to console some of them.

Eventually though, the tears dried up, and Jay-Jay looked up at the consoling Henry. “The one who summoned him, Fenris I mean. It was the same Ice bitch from the bridge, last year, wasn’t it?” Henry nodded grimly, a moment of sadness in his eyes, as if he were about to start blaming himself. “Well then. I want to make a deal with you: I’m going to finish my apprenticeship with Oro-mai, and then you and I are going to end that bitch. Deal?”

"Afraid it is not that easy. She is powerfull. But In time, we will end her. She and I go way back. Before you, before Atticus, she stole everything from me. Once not only you, but I and everyone else is at full strength. Then we can end this. But we have a deal little flame. That once your flame is a blazing inferno, we'll melt the bitch. One way or another."

She nodded, listening to the words of Henry and gaining a bit of pride and conviction with each utterance. She slowly leaned up and planted a soft kiss on the Siren's cheek. "Thank you Henry."

The office of Henry was not his, it was a loan. Or so he told himself anyways. It was still Atticus office, and he only planned to hold onto it untill the smarmy bastard showed his face again or Archibald found a replacement. The latter he didn't want to think about. Veti was raising kids, cutest toddlers he had ever seen. She was radiant now he , the way only mothers could be. Max had not exactly been on his list for potential dads of the year, but Max and Thad deserved a eternal spot in the Fathers hall of fame for their sacrifice and that last little trick they pulled. Had pissed off some wolves he was sure of it. But, with the lupus Natuere being weakened and their revered god dead, Henry had pushed with every resource at his beck and call to get them to back off. His war with the Ice Queen was on the back burner aswell. But the defeat of the Fenrir had managed to shake her as well, and people were leaving her ranks in droves. Like a General, he marshalled his own forces and ready himself for the ineviteble confrontation. But that to, had to wait. He was fighting paperwork at the moment.

”Sir.” A short, fey looking thing called his attention. His new assissant, thrown at him by the higher ups, smiled at him. She was about 4'3, with red, bright hair full of flowers. Her dress was in fact her very own petals. She refused to wear her glamour in the office, stating that it was unbecoming to hide ones true nature. Atleast her true form was adorable, his was that of semitransparent demi-god and nude man with rivers behind his baby blues. He quite preffered his human form.

”Names Henry, I've told you not to call me Sir, Rose. ” Henry rubbed his temples in annoyance while signing yet a another document regarding a new applicant to the company. This one some kind of Mesopotanian Bird man. He didn't even blink when the paper said '4000 years old, unearthed by insurgents in Iraq.'

”Henry.... Sir. We got a another defectee from the Icequeens ranks.” Rose spoke up, undettered by her boss stubborn avoidance of rules and common practices. She had gotten used to it. Instead she sashayed over to him and handed him yet another paper for him to sign. Henry sat up and took the paper in turn.

”As with the others, protective custody. Find out what it knows, new identity in the south, any charms, fetishes or talismans it has brough will be destroyed.” He stated flatly, reciting what he always did in these cases. He was getting good at the whole 'General' thing.

”Sir, you still have a Meeting with Sir Archibald.” Rose said the last part with all due reverence, as if the name would summon the great Vampire. Henry chuckled at this and simply waved her off.

”Reschedule it for tommorow. I am sure he won't mind. Oh. And Rose. Call it a day for now. Go home to your family, take the weekend off.” He spoke the last part softly. Rose stood there like a raindeer cought in the headlights of a hunters Semi. She blinked in such bewilderment that it made Henry laugh. He began laughing so hard he almost fell of his chair.

”Sir?” Rose, looking both bewildered and thankfull tried to get him to listen again. He looked up at her trough brigh, happy eyes.

”Yes?” He inquired, catching his breath. Settling down he wiped a tear from his eyes and studyied the girls features and tilted his head. Waiting for her to speak her piece.

”Thank you.” She simply smiled at him.

”You are welcome Rose.” He said and spun to look out the window. ”And tell your mother I want some of that Nectar Ale of hers again. Human stuff hardly buzz me.” He waved her off, Rose quickly hurrying out to make the most of this rare respite from meetings and work.

Henry sighed and leaned back in his chair, watching the sun go down over the city of Boston. The desk behindhim was cluttered with papers. It felt like he was drowning in it. As a water spirit, the irony wasn't lost on him. A half empty bottle of wine tempted him with its presence. He rememembered Atticus educating him in the subtleties of it, and smile forced its way onto his features.

”Heres to you, smarmy bastard.” He filled the empy glass beside the bottle to the brim, then slowly drank it. Enjoying the rich taste, the feint buzz of alcohol running trough him. Only to hear his door slam open in the fashion that always lifted his spirits tenfold.

---

Jay Jay

---

Another year of training was gone and done, and Jay-Jay felt a little ember of pride burning in her chest. Oro-mai had finally admitted that she had learned all she could from him, and that meant their formal contract was over. Over time, Jay-Jay had grown to appreciate the Demi-god, even if he presented the visage of a distant dickhead at times. In truth, the bird was helpful in dealing with loss, and he offered very sincere condolences. The loss of Kata seemed to affect him more than he would admit: perhaps it was the whole 'immortal' thing, but it seemed the raven was fond of the Ifrit.

To test out her new skills, she decided to start things off with a bang: and try a spell that most would consider 'reckless, pointless and silly.' Transportation magic was a risky business, because there was a bunch of rules about occupied space and stuff like that: Think 'The Fly' but with more mushy-ness. 

Because of her innate desire to not end up a mutated lump of flesh, Jay-Jay decided to use the simplest solution: Fire-walking. It had the same basic principals as scrying: Use a flame, be able to see through a second flame: be that a natural one or a crafted one, as was the case with Fenris. With Fire-walking, you just took a step through...easy really. Except for the seven different incantations in two dead languages as well as the rune stones and the...

Never mind. Either way, from one moment, Jay-Jay was stepping inside the fireplace of Oro-mai's home, and the next, she was in the grand hall of the Bain and Hoyle agency. One of her favorite tricks she'd learned from the Raven was her ability to keep her clothing from incinerating...The amount of times she'd been naked in front of people, you'd think she'd develop a phobia or a fetish. 

Stepping out of the fireplace, Jay-Jay took a moment to stare at all the slack-jawed people who watched a woman step out of a previously empty fireplace. "Seems like there are a lot of new people, huh?" None of the new-blood moved close to her, either too scared or too awe-struck at the sight. She pointed out one particular newbie, a small looking girl with flowers coming from her everything and conveniently showing nothing. "Hey...Uh..." The fire-witch paused, trying to think of the race she might be: A dryad maybe? "...Flower power, where is Henry?" The rose-petal lady pointed up the stairs, seemingly half-aware who she was. She bowed and offered the dryad-thing her thanks, before skipping up the stairs in a good mood.

She stood outside the door of Atticus' old office for a moment, lost in nostalgia. She remembered first meeting the Incubus, and then the rancor of the following meeting. She'd accidentally set someone on fire, if she remembered correctly. Back then, she had been an embarrassment of a magic-user: out of control at the best of times, useless at the worst. She had been carried by Katagogi for such a long time. A slight smile crept onto her face, she felt a certainty that the Ifrit would be proud of her.

Shaking out the memories and nostalgia, Jay-Jay decided it was time for her entrance. She turned the handle of the door as silently as possible, twisting the handle slowly, slowly, slowly until she had the latch free of the door: then she shoved the door open and walked into the office with a smile on her face and a skip in her step. "I was promised fan-fare and pomp: Where is my party?" She looked around the room until her eyes fell fondly upon the man behind the desk. She felt her breath catch in her throat, the same way it did every time she saw him: at first, it was just his charm as a Siren, the desire that a water spirit could inspire in a person. Nowadays, it was just because of the romance and the honest astonishment that she was going out with a watery-Adonis.

"Suuuuup?" She stood in the doorway, waiting for Henry to unbury himself from his begrudging Mistress: Paperwork.

"Why, hello my little Flame." Henry said and grinned widely as he put down the wineglass and moved over to her with swift strides. He pulled her in for a tender, but none the less heated kiss. There was steam pun waiting to be said with the two of them together. No doubt Atticus would have made it if he saw them. He buried the thought underneath the mountain of happyness that Jay caused him to conjure.

He quickly led her out the room, not turning around to look at the mess that was his desk. "You look amazing. But smell of charcoal. Firewalking again?" He asked as the door closed behind him. "Let's have dinner shall we? I know just the place, the cook has a temper and two kids. And Ireland is great this time of year."

She happily melted into the heated kiss with Henry, ignoring the puns or the innuendos just waiting to happen. Jay-Jay couldn't hide her obvious pleasure at the attention the Siren offered: after all, he was more than a little scrumptious. She shrugged away the accusation of smelling like charcoal. "Dinner sounds great, although I've never heard of angry cooks or children as a selling point." The fire child was a bit out-of-the-loop in regards to Veti, after the whole Max-and-Thad-saved-the-world thing that she had to deal with. It turns out that studying with someone like Oro-mai had the effect of making a recluse of near enough anyone. 

"After dinner, we can talk about a certain Ice-bitch who needs a fist full of fire shoved down her throat. I can't think of many things that might distract me from that." She wraps an arm around the Siren's waist, pulling him closer as she offered a salacious grin. She may have become some sort of semi-recluse, but that didn't stop her from wanting the perks that came with dating a Siren. "We'll need to swing by my old apartment though, if I smell like charcoal, I simply must have a wash." She playfully pushed the siren back, before turning around and walking towards the doorway. A more adept woman might sway her hips enticingly, but Jay-Jay simply offered a playful skip as she turned the corner. "You coming?"

Henry made a the face of a man who just knew he lost all say in the matter. "I know a few things to that distracts you well enough." He countered her enthusiasm with a wide, knowing grin and a wink. Then he followed her out the door, away from the company, away from paper work, off to enjoy life, if only for today.

Gabriel shook with a discomforting sadness as the incubus leader, and the vampiress he held with his arms and wings, disappeared into nothing before the morning sun. He was sure that nothing would dull the pungency of that moment in his eternal memory. The field was quite aside the low cries of Veti for her lost lover, and the gentle whispers from Henry and Jay-Jay. The Archangel eyed the rubble around his feet, the grass and weeds which tumbled underfoot; the fields afar and the small, rustic, broken house which sat at the edge of his vision. Gabriel smiled then, briefly. He looked again at the trouble around him, his meaninglessness there. After everything seemed to be settled, and all that could be done, had been, Gabriel excused himself and set down the dirt road. He strolled up to the farm house with a boyish shyness, knocked on the door.

The redheaded woman opened the door, the morning sun creeping in through the door, she’d nailed a bedsheet to the roof to cover the hole. The woman smiled when she saw Gabriel, there was a familiarity between them which spanned eons and was, somehow, well-formed. She invited him in for tea and toast, he accepted. And then he fixed her roof—well, he fixed her roof as well as he could. He nailed some boards up and put in a temporary support beam until her son got home. After everything was said and done, and Gabriel felt like he ought to head back to London, he stood and walked toward the door.

“Did you all win?” The woman asked abruptly, they hadn’t actually spoke all that much in the time he spent there.

“Yes,” Gabriel answered as he opened the door, he looked back a little apologetically, “I’m sorry I wrecked your car.”

The woman waved her hand, “pfftt, don’t worry about it, darling. It’s a price worth paying.”

Gabriel looked at the woman with a sort of far off stare, what she said had resonated with him in a way she would never understand. He thought of the price, far higher than the woman could conceive, everyone had to pay in order to take down the despicable, so-called God-Wolf. Some more than others, but everyone that was there through the fight felt the price, it was a collective burden. Gabriel understood that now, and he didn’t know how to thank the woman, he never would be able to. So he just nodded, walked through the door, and closed it gently behind him.

---

*A Year Later*

Gabriel’s hair was tossled in the wind as he drove down the little paved road which yielded to the dirt passage way he’d seen more than a couple of times before. He hadn’t driven himself here more than once before, so he was a little more than please when he was able to make the left turn into it. He held a spliff between his lips and puffed as he made the motions, then drove parallel to the hill owned by the woman he’d come to know and respect, Veti. The two worked briefly as partners after their return from that fateful battle. Gabriel came to know more about her past and her dramatic relationship with Thad/Max. She was a strong woman, and an even stronger agent. But, then she announced the beautiful surprise, she was pregnant, and with twins no less.

Gabriel had worked hard, he showed his usefulness as an fighter, an undercover agent, a leader, a source of an oxymoronic innocent wisdom. Since he worked so hard he was able to afford the classic mustang he drove down the dirt road now. A black and yellow masterpiece, he was quite proud. He’d been working on other things as well. At every opportunity available he would pay Jerusha a visit. They’d built a nice, unassuming relationship which could heat up at any moment, Gabriel felt confident in that.

The Arch angel glanced over to his sword, which sat in the seat next to him, a signal of the steely justice he’d been meting out. He had not, however, forgotten his original mission. The horn His Majesty had sent him sat under his bed at the London HQ, ready to be used when the time was right. And he’d been taking great pains to understand the struggles of the human experience. Gabriel still wasn’t entirely sure what was expected of him, but he was always revitalized when he remembered that his creator had placed great faith in him, in all his wisdom. Gabe smiled as he remembered that now, making the final turn to head up the hill toward the cottage. He discarded the herbal remedy he’d taken to in the ashtray next to him.

Artie ran along the car for a little while, looking at Gabriel every so often, then he ran ahead. Gabe pulled up to the house just as Veti greeted her panting hound. The angel stepped from the car, one pistol holstered on his hip, as he necessitated, and waved to Reginald ahead of his arrival.

“Hey there, old man.” He gave his boss a handshake, smiled warmly. Gabriel looked at the babes nuzzled in Veti’s arms and made baby noises at them, entertaining himself and the little bundles of joy. He found peace here, amongst friends and an adopted family, something he never thought he’d have in all of his desperate dreams.

The morning sun caressed the green carpet of trees in the Paro valley, some three-thousand feet below the Taktsang Palphug Monastery. The ancient complex stood beautifully upon the precipice of its granite pedestal, greeting the coming day with a splendor and reverence few man-made structures could achieve.

In the cool, still air, the spicy notes of long-burning incense lingered, coalescing with the pleasant mustiness of ancient stone and lacquered wood. The rich smells were accompanied by the sounds of songbirds, the light tinkling of wind bells, the ghostly flutter of prayer flags, and the muffled chants of the Buddhist monks from within the main hall of the monastery.

It was to all of this simple grandeur that Atticus Mac Cleírich greeted the promise of the morn. In a high room of the monastery, the incubus walked out upon the small balcony, and took in all there was to see. The clear mountain sky seemed so pure and bereft of blemish, as if it were being focused by the lens of some divine being, and made to achieve some ethereal level of purity.

Atticus stood in a simple outfit of gray rough-spun linen, and brought the small cup of sweetened milk tea to his lips as he appraised the world around him. With the warm liquid cascading over his tongue, a soft smile came to the demon’s bearded face, and his eyes closed in contemplative satisfaction.

In the year that had passed since Fenrir’s fall, it was mornings like these that had helped to coax peace and hope back into Atticus’ infernal heart. The world, it seemed, was indeed carrying on despite the best efforts of the god of destruction. Even in the face of all the grave sacrifices needed to achieve that end, Atticus finally felt at ease with it all. There was no satisfaction in regret, and no harmony in despising the cast die of fate.

Finishing his tea, a pleasant idea came to Atticus. He retrieved a small walnut lap desk from within the simple confines of his room, along with parchment, and an ancient ink well and pen. Sitting down upon the smooth wood of the balcony, Atticus set to writing.

Over a year’s worth of thoughts and experiences flowed through Atticus’ pen as he wrote a letter to every single one of his comrades that had survived the final wrath of the god-wolf. He told them of his feelings for them, how much he missed their company, and how much he appreciated all they had sacrificed for all the world. Atticus wrote of his time lost in the mountains, of all that that he had found and achieved, both personally and universally. He left nothing out, hoping to leave a true piece of himself with each and every stroke of his pen.

The next several hours were passed in this way, until at last each letter was folded, sealed with black wax, and embossed with a large ‘AM’ monogram. One at a time Atticus took the letters and sent them away to their addressees in a puff of dark smoke, sparks, and brimstone. A smirk came to his face as he envisioned the surprise of each of the recipients, starting at the appearance of a letter out of thin air before their eyes. He very much enjoyed the many adaptations of his new powers.

With his work finished, Atticus set the lap desk aside, and leaned back against the old wood of the balcony’s railing. He regarded the sky above again, and let out a contented sigh. Several long minutes came and went, seeing the incubus sitting in silent enjoyment of the moment, wholly satisfied with the time and space in which he occupied.

His reverie was broken by the sound of a richly accented, and beautifully feminine voice.

“Good morning, Atticus.”

The incubus smiled, and turned his head to peer back into the relative darkness of the room. His golden eyes flared with delight, and he breathed a breath of delicious fulfilment.

“Good morning, petit prédateur” Atticus said. He stood and walked into the room, stepping to the tiny, resplendent vampire, and encircled her in his arms. His eyebrow arched as he looked down into her large and doll-like eyes. “What do you think, my dear? Is the world ready for our return?”

Nastasiya Pavlenko looked back up to Atticus, and offered him a devilishly salacious smile before standing on her tip toes to press her full lips against his own. When she broke away, the glint in her eyes rivaled the glow of even Atticus’ bright pupils.

“Not just yet.”

Familiar... did not always make things easier to bear.

A bright flame sputtering out, a man he had barely gotten to know falling away, a enemy he had never gotten to fight dragged down in a final defeat. There had been battles like this, there had been wars like this, even if the scenery was so utterly alien to anything he had known before. There were always times like these...

And like always, Semyon wished that wasn't the case.

They had... won. Fenris was dead, the threats posed to the world defeated for now. Everything they had been asked to do... they had done.

All that was left was to return to the realm of the living.

And Semyon did so. Only Daisy there by his side, to accompany him through the gate.

"Thank you..." The Wight looked out over the ruined hilltop as he whispered the words. Even here, people were missing. Atticus. Anastasia. Both forces had suffered losses. It always happened. "That... tells me something. A lot."

He didn't look over at Daisy, didn't dwell further on the thoughts her words had kindled. The young lady he had never gotten the chance to really meet was crying beside Henry Grimm. Tamarind was with whatever had been left of Max-or-Thadd. Gabriel was walking away... yes... that might be a good thing.

A buzz distracted Semyon, briefly, the Wight pulling out the cell phone that had somehow survived within his coat. More missed messages, of course there were. Bain and Hoyle's man branch was in ruins, the plans he had been making before delayed... probably for too long. It happened in conflicts, deadlines could almost never be met on time.

He stood there a moment longer, then shook his head and turned away. The ground was torn and rutted by the devastation Fenris had unleashed, but his feet kept their balance without care. Each step took him away from the rest, down towards... whatever he happened to find.

He'd make it to a town, or village, or city. He'd find a ride, or contacts, and eventually return to Boston. In time, the company would contact him again. To research, to guard, to fight, to consult, whatever the need happened to be. He'd come across scenes like this one, again. And again. And forever again and again.

At least until he had a village once more. Until then, ten years or a hundred years in the future, with everyone who had managed to survive as long as he... and maybe some who had been surviving long before...

Those thoughts in his mind, Semyon's lips managed to tug themselves upwards in the barest hint of a sad smile. It was the one hope that made times like these bearable. He'd walk through war after war, loss after loss, empty victory after hopeless defeat, if only it meant he'd succeed in the end. To have a small village hidden within the empty expanse of an unforgiving land. To stare up at a boundless sky, stride across hoarfrosted ground, and share stories before towering bonfires. To have a scene that familiar, would be nice...

...It would mean he'd finally have something familiar, that he wanted to bear.

Daisy knew when it was time to leave Veti be, which was just as well, because she was still watching the Wight. She couldn't help but play his words over and over in her mind, and yet there was nothing more she could do to understand them.

But she did.

It was not a simple understanding, not a basic translational knowledge that made the word 'muerte' into 'death', or 'lost' into 'égaré'. This was an inherent knowledge, at the very least, the way a baby learned to smile, or a bird to fly. Which was strange, of course, because there was nothing inherent to Death but inevitability, and hadn't his presence already refuted that?

Artie stayed at Veti's side, silent and unmoving as the proverbial guard dog he had never really been. But Daisy was already crossing the grassy field again, her gaze never once breaking from the Wight's pale face. She got halfway there, then turned around and went back to her mourning friend, one hand resting between wide set ears -- as close to a voluntary hug as Daisy would ever get.

"I'm coming back," she said evenly. "I...I have something I need to do first..." She glanced over her shoulder at the Wight again, and her face clouded, half confused, half terrified. Then she shook herself and turned back to the wolf. "But I'll be back." Then, as serious and solemn as she'd ever been. "Okay, Veti? Understand that -- I am coming back. I promise."

--

*One Year Later*

She'd asked for her name, and after a while, he'd given it. It hadn't been an easy process. Daisy had, despite her promise, disappeared for weeks after their first breakthrough -- and that was just weeks in real time. It was far longer in the strange Nowhere she could access now. It certainly wasn't life, but then it wasn't quite Death, either.

Death had been different, at least for Daisy, ever since Max and Kata had wiped her slate clean. She'd taken, at the very least, a year-long hiatus from the shenanigans B&H were pulling, even without Atticus and co. Besides, and Veti eventually showed her, staying put wasn't all that bad. She'd never liked kids, per se. But puppies were something else entirely. And that -- something else entirely -- was the same phrase she'd have used to sum up her life, and her death, and everything in between, everything she'd learned from Semyone's stories, mixing old legend and new superstition, and a whole plethora of things only Wikipedia could claim to be true.

In the end, she took what was left and made just that -- something else entirely.

For the moment, she'd promised to meet Veti and Wolfman Boss for dinner. Mostly, though, she was going to play with the twins. Artie absolutely adored them, and she worried sometimes that he was going soft. Also, that they were neither puppies, nor his. But Veti didn't seem to mind, so neither did she.

Her lupine friend had asked only once what she did on all those trips with Semyon, polite as ever, never more than a light touch.

Daisy shrugged. "I told him he had something that belonged to me."

At the quizzical look, the young maybe-Reaper had smiled.

"He knew my name. My real name." The creature with the pink-haired visage made a face and tucked her arms behind her head on Artie's furry flank, laughing as Bitty-Aislinn licked her face.

"Lucky for you," she'd said to no one in particular, "'Daisy' makes a better Twitter handle."