[IC] The Ties that Bind

[Nephriel]

Three days passed in no time and in that time, Seb was surprised not to hear much of anything out of his parents at all. It wasn't until the ceremony that he even saw them and when he did he thought their heads would explode when they realized he'd brought Serena to what was supposed to be a 'moroi only' event. So much so that even the Guardians were made to wait outside the throne room. Airen had begged numerous times that Sebastian reconsider but there was no convincing him. Serena was going to be his wife and wherever he went, she'd go... end of story.

He'd helped Serena dress for the occasion, it was one that required a person to wear their wealth on their bodies. In the end though, he thought she was beautiful in the gown he'd gotten her as a surprise. It was cinched tight under the breasts but had extra cloth that rippled out over the belly. It didn't hide her pregnancy but it fit her well during it.



As they moved through the crowd you could have momentarily heard a pin drop before the Queen stood and greeted them. "Sebastian Lazar, Serena Abatangelo, it is good to see you both..."

Her mother cleared her throat slightly and the Queen glanced at her, "Yes, Mrs. Lazar?"

"Your grace... you knew that this Dhampir was coming?"

The Queen arched a brow, "It is customary for the wife or fiance of the soon-to-be head of the family to be present during the ceremony. So yes, I had thought so."

His mother declined to say anything further and Seb squeezed Serena's hand gently. The ceremony itself was a bunch of fancy words and the handing over of a medallion from the queen to his father and from his father to him. Though, for a moment Seb was certain his father didn't WANT to put the medallion on him in front of all these people with a dhampir at his side. The thought made Seb grind his teeth but it was over in a moment. He turned, gave a sharp bow and then went back to Serena's side. However, he saw his mother walking away with a smirk on her face and was immediately concerned over what had happened...

~*~

The minute that Sebastian was forced to leave Serena's side his mother slid up like a snake. "Isn't he handsom," she asked quietly.

"I had such high hopes for him but now... Well, now he's disgraced himself in front of the royal families... No one will take him seriously after this... All because he chose a Dhampir blood whore over a suitable Moroi wife."

She smiled falsely, "Do you think your child will ever be seen as anything more than a puppet to be trained and used as a Guardian... if she's lucky. If she isn't, well... We both know what happens to female Dhampirs who don't make it into Guardianship. Dragging my son down by forcing him to marry you gains you nothing... No money, no title... no one will ever see you as more than a mistake... and sooner or later... Sebastian will see that too."

The ceremony was completing and his mother walked away from Serena just as he walked towards her. Seb frowned and watched her go, "What happened, are you alright?"

~*~

Anna had dug through every report she'd been given, she'd followed every lead, and they all tied in here... this commune and it's thick woodlands. Still, she'd been here three days and she and the other Elites had went with nearly every hunting party and not once had they come across any signs of strigoi or Gunner... That is, until this morning.

Word had come in that another commune had been attacked on the other side of the woods... It had been almost completely wiped out. It was hard to believe that Gunner would make an attack so obvious but after his last overwhelming success over the Elites perhaps he'd gotten a little too cocky. They'd left immediately and the sun was just starting to sink when they'd tracked the Strigoi trail to yet another set of caves. This was all seeming a little too easy, perhaps Gunner knew she was with the Elites... maybe he was luring them in to kill them all off once and for all... However, she knew he wouldn't be expecting their secret weapons.

Anna glanced behind her and nodded at the other Elites and the ones they had with them. As they entered the caves, Anna headed them off a stake in one hand and a flashbomb in the other in case they got surrounded.

[tsubasa]

Serena couldn't lie to herself, she was incredibly uncomfortable. It wasn't the shoes or the dress, no Sebastian seemed to have gone out of his way to ensure that she was comfortable during his ceremony. It was that eyes that were on her. From the moment she walked into the room, all eyes had been on her and it wasn't in a good way either. It was quite clear that Serena was not a Moroi, she had slightly more colour to her skin and she was significantly smaller than any of the other people with in the room. She wrapped her arms around Sebastian a little tighter. She was here for him, she was here to support him and be proud of him as he took his title.

She curtised to the Queen when she addressed the both of them. She didn't dare steal a glance at Sebastian's mother as the woman spoke up to the Queen asking about her knowledge. Lissa handled it so well, acting as though Serena's being a Dhampir hardly meant anything in the situation. It was these little gestures that hinted toward the Queen's stance of Moroi and Dhampir relationships. She allowed Sebastian to guide her to where she would watch the held her hands in her lap as he went to the front of the room to begin the ceremony. Her body tensed when Mrs. Lazar moved to her side and spoke. Her jaw clenched, "Yes... He's quite handsome..."

However, the words that followed were like a slap to the face as she spoke ill of not only her and their relationship but their child as well. Her blood started to boil as she clenched her fists. She hardly had a chance to say anything before the ceremony was over and Sebastian was at her side and asking her if she was alright, "No," She said simply.

She was done with it. She was done with being the perfect guardian that took all of the Lazar family's venom and sat quietly as they harassed her. She was done with letting Sebastian fight her battles with them for her. She walked over to his mother and looked at her with a rather terrifying look in her eye, "That's enough, Mrs. Lazar," She took a deep breath, "Keep in mind that your son asked me to marry him. I don't want money or a title from him. All I want is his promise to love me. And you can keep calling me whatever you want. A whore, a mistake, a disgrace but if you dare even whisper an ill word about my child I will make you regret every last syllable."

She took another deep breath and looked around the room at the Moroi, some of whom were looking on with pride and respect but most of whom were looking at her with terror and disgust. She turned her attention back to Sebastian's mother, "There was once a time that I wished to be close to you and your husband... When I thought that you all were my second chance at a family. I no longer wish for that. I will not permit you to see your grandchild whether or not you wish to see her and you will keep your distance from both of us, am I clear?"

She held the woman's gaze for a moment longer before nodding her head, "Good."

With than she looked over her shoulder at Sebastian and gave him an apologetic look before she walked out of the room with her head held high.
~*~
Gunner was sat in the caves twiddling with a child's toy that he had snatched away from some Moroi child before sending him off to a different set of caves with a few women. He learnt fast that children's cries carried easily through the cave walls and became very irksome, so he had relocated the few children that he had seen potential in to make something great out of. Most of his strigoi army was in multiple different cave networks. He didn't trust any of them to behave and figured it best to ensure that if someone was naught that the entire army wasn't found. Not to mention, it was a wonderful way to hide his hand from the Dhampirs that would be coming after them. After all, he had just given the biggest hint he could to their location.

After he was certain that it was the Elites that were 'hunting' them, he set the plan. It wasn't so much of a trap, since they knew what they would be walking into but they knew what was ahead of them before and he had still slaughtered them. However, he was no longer new, he had gained a lot of control. He no longer sought to kill them as he had in their first encounter but this time had his mind set on changing each and every last one of them. After all, these were the best of the best of the Guardian world, if they were Strigoi... well, the rest of the world hardly stood a chance. He tossed the toy aside and placed his hands behind his head, "Tell me when they get here," He ordered one of his soldiers before they nodded and ran off down the hall to keep watch.

[Nephriel]

Sebastian was hot on Serena's heels as she walked away, his mood quickly darkening. As they approached his mother Sebastian was about to open his mouth and confront her when Serena surprised him and did it herself. Seb felt proud, she'd been so soft spoken... taking everything his parents had dished out with a quiet grace he envied. He'd only managed to keep hold of his temper this long because he'd been afraid what would happen if he allowed himself to blow up. What usually followed was a dark spell that would affect them both and he didn't want to risk Serena's pregnancy.

As Serena went off on his mother, Sebastian caught himself smiling and tucking his hands in his pockets. His mother's eyes boggled and her face went red and as Serena turned on her heel and stomped off his mother sputtered. "You're going to let that... that... blood whore talk to me that way?"

Sebastian's smile fell from his face and his hands exited his pockets, "I didn't want to have to do this... but I'm done. In front of full view of everyone there Seb lit into his mother. "You will never speak to Serena that way again. In fact, the next time you see her you will apologize. You will beg her forgiveness and after that you will avoid us both and stay away from both she and my child. The only time you will see either of us is when it is absolutely necessary and when you do you will go out of your way to be polite."

His father stepped up beside his mother, "You will not talk to your mother that way Sebastian."

Seb sneered, "I can and I will. Both of you have been nothing but cruel. I'm tired of it and if I have to repeat myself... I'll do it using compulsion and I'll make sure neither of you sleep for a fucking month do I make myself perfectly clear?"

His mother gasped, "Sebastian! Compulsion-"

"Is something I'm very good at and the only reason I haven't used it against you already is because of the effect it could have on my soon to be WIFE and child."

His mother took a breath and stomped off and his father frowned, "You've shamed this family. Don't come back home..."

Sebastian laughed, "Why would I?"

His father stomped off as well and Sebastian went after Serena, catching her wrist. "They'll be leaving us alone now... I'm sorry I didn't face them before now.."

~*~

As Anna moved through the tunnels she grimaced... The place was like a maze but they had a plan this time. "Are you ready?"

The two Moroi earth users nodded and stepped up to the plate. The cavern rumbled and the two side cavern passages caved in, effectively leaving only one direction they could be attacked in. There were a few outraged cries and Anna took a breath, "Here they come..."

As six strigoi came up the tunnels the three fire users went to work, casting fireballs at any strigoi that broke through the line of Elites.

It took no time at all to put the Strigoi down and Anna began to feel some hope that maybe the Queens plan of attack would work after all...

[tsubasa]

Serena stopped in her tracks when she felt a hand grab her wrist. She took a deep breath and slowly turned to see Sebastian. She sighed in relief, fearing it was someone who hadn't appreciated her tirade. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, "It's okay," she said quietly as he apologized for letting it ever go that far.

She stayed like that for a moment, just holding him before she looked up at him, "Besides... I think your parents needed me to speak up.... they would have just tormented me when you weren't around because.... I just took it."

She rested her head back on his chest, "I wish it could have.... been different with them," she sighed, "It... would have been nice to have a family."

She leaned back and smiled up at him, "I suppose I'll have to settle for the three of us being a family."
~
A slow clapping sound echoed off of the walls as Gunner came into view. He grinned, his fangs in full view as he looked over the group, "Look at this... You managed the ivory dolls to actually fight rather than just let you all die. Funny that you protect them to keep making little Dhampir babies and they treat you mothers like shit and let the fathers die and god forbid that you fall in love," his eyes moved to look at Anna, "Well, Ross knows all about how they look down on that sort of this."

He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked them over, "Don't think you've won. This isn't the only nest, hell this isn't even the biggest nest... it isn't even the one that you want to find... because, I'm the only one keeping those Strigoi ripping into the children's little necks."

He laughed and held his arms out to the side, "But by all means, kill me," his eyes moved to Anna again and his smile softened a little, "That is if you can, Banana."

[Nephriel]

((Seb and Serena to be cont. after the Gunner Anna thing so we can time jump))

~*~

Anna tensed as the clapping began, they'd torn their way through quite a few Strigoi till this with the Moroi help and none had been wounded or injured. As Gunner stepped into view Anna's heart cinched up, his words were nothing like what Gunner would say but they were in his voice and the Strigoi inside him was wearing his face. As he mentioned children Anna's heart ached again, Gunner would NEVER hurt children, not HER Gunner but... this isn't her Gunner. She shook her head, "Unfortunately, we knew about the children Gunner. We put it together a while ago, maybe you forgot what it means to be Elite since you tore through the last ones so easily but this time we did our homework... and I was expecting... you."

She nodded behind her and the cavern behind Gunner collapsed before fire burst around both he and Anna, caging them in. "I'm not going to kill you Gunner... Just like you said... We need you."

She took a fighting stance, but there was no stake in her hand... The other Elites had moved in front of the Moroi and were making no move to help Anna, instead... they looked just as grim as she did.

Anna had been training with the other Elites, brushing up on styles and techniques she'd never used before because Gunner knew her too well. If she came at him with the things she'd known before he'd mop the floor with her. She'd taken her time picking up different style focusing mainly on Jujitsu and it's other forms such as Judo and Aikido. She was small and these enabled her to turn another's force and momentum against them instead of confronting it with her own force. It also focused on pressure points, joint locks, and other types of submission and restraint that would come in handy if she wanted to take Gunner down alive.

He was much bigger and stronger than her, even more so now that he was a Strigoi, and now their speed was more on par with each other whereas she'd had the advantage there before. She'd have to use his attacks against him if she wanted to win. So, she slid one foot out behind her and brought both hands up. "Come on Pretty Boy... or did you plan on standing there all night?"

[tsubasa]

Gunner cocked an eyebrow when she mentioned knowing about the children, "I know plenty about what it means to be an Elite. However, sooner or later, Ross, you need to realize that I'm not in your league. Isn't that why you left? You thought I was to good for you."

A hiss escaped his lips when the cave collapsed behind him before the fire surrounded him and Anna. He looked at her for a moment before he started laugh, "You couldn't take me as a Dhampir, Ross. You think that you can now?"

He kept his eyes on her as she took a fighting stance and egged him on. He grinned, "No, please, ladies first," He took off his suit Jacket and rolled up his sleeves as he watched her, "I'm terribly interested as to how it is you think you are going to beat me."

[Nephriel]

Anna slowly circled him, following the line of the blaze. That's right Gun... keep talking...

She shook her head, "Not just beat you Pretty Boy, take you back alive."

As he stripped out of his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, just like Gun used to she found it easier than she should have to focus on the red around his iris. This is what she'd been training for, she was ready.

Anna came at him, the same way she used to... head on. This time, however, she kept her hands up and lashed out with her feet for his knees. If she could take out his legs, even briefly, it would make subduing him much easier. She stayed ready for his retaliation and the Elites still made no move to help though the fire users kept the flames burning.

[tsubasa]

Gunner chuckled at her, "You intend to take me alive? You'll be lucky if you get out of here alive."

He looked at the other guardians who merely watched on, "Is this just a little show? Going to watch on as I burn the bitch you all chased away."

Then he caught movement out of the corner of his eye as Anna moved on him. He laughed, "Oh Anna, always the same," he went to block her movement when suddenly she was going after his legs. He hissed as she felt her foot connect with his kneecap and knocked it to the side. He looked down at his leg and grabbed the floating kneecap to move it back into place.

[Nephriel]

He took his eyes off her, and why wouldn't he? He had always known her like the back of his hand and she didn't have a stake for him to worry about. As he leaned down Anna brought her knee into his nose and an elbow down on the back of his knock promptly afterwards.

Suitably subdued for a moment Gunner would suddenly find all the air in his lungs gone just as the blaze died and a net descended as Anna rolled out of the way. The netting would burn his skin and any struggle he made would only find him more tightly ensnared. Anna stood back as the other Elites moved in.

"I knew you would underestimate me... you always knew me so well."

Air would be returned to him just as an elite struck him with a needle. It was a powerful sedative but none of them were sure it would work.

"I'm sorry Gun... I know it burns but it was the only way..."

The Elites cinches the net tightly closed and they began hauling him down out of the caves to the sedan.

[tsubasa]

Gunner hardly had a chance to react, which was saying something due to his heightened speed. His nose was bleeding when he hit the ground. The air that he had become accustomed to breathing over the years escaping his lungs. He tried to breath before he gave up, air wasn't something that he needed anymore and wheezing didn't make it any better. He sat there for a moment, lying on the ground, Anna had said that she had no intention to kill him, so this was hardly a problem. He could jump a moment later and catch her off guard.

However, he never got the chance to enact his plan when the silver net dropped down and enveloped him. He hissed as he felt the bite of the metal burning his pale skin and started to thrash. The movement didn't help much as he was pushing his body further into the wire. Although, it did allow for some skin to move away from the metal and heal, only to be cut into again a moment later when he moved against it. It didn't last long though before he felt the sting of the injection and his entire body went slack in the net. He was unmoving as he and the net were dragged out from the cave system. By the time he woke, they were in court and he was surrounded by silver bars. He lay on the ground where they had left him and hissed, "Fuck." He made the decision that someone would feel the need to check up on him. He could simply compluse them to release him and then he had free reign of the entire Court. This time he wouldn't underestimate Anna and they would all be at his mercy.

[Nephriel]

The ride had been miserable, Anna had been unable to release Gunner from the netting. For everyone's safety she had to leave him in there because he could be faking his unconsciousness. Anna knew better, Gunner's cries as the net had fallen on him had torn her and they'd only stopped once he'd been sedated... She was glad that the other Elites had suggested it, she didn't think she could have taken watching him burn in agony the whole way to court. As they arrived, Anna allowed them to take Gunner away from her... She had to find Seb and Serena, let them know what was going on even though she didn't want her friends seeing him this way.

She took a breath and knocked on their room door and an unfamiliar Guardian answered it, "Guardian Ross... you've returned. One moment, I'll inform Sebastian."

Anna shook her head and brushed past the woman, "It's important."

~*~

Seb had taken Serena back to the room, he'd planned to change into less formal clothing and take her to the hotsprings to relax them both over the fiasco earlier when a knock came at the door and Anna barged past Airen.

"Anna... are you alright?"

Anna shook her head, "I'm... not really sure how to answer that. We found Gunner... and we brought him back with us."

Seb smiled, "He's alright then?"

She shook her head again, "He's strigoi..."

"They... brought a strigoi into court?"

She nodded, "He has information on missing children and he has an army hidden somewhere... we couldn't kill him."

Seb flinched at the words, "I'm sorry Anna, how did you manage to bring him back?"

"Silver netting... enchanted." Sebastian winced and Anna reassured him, "We sedated him... He didn't feel most of it." She took a breath, "Seb... I don't want you to see him this way but... you're the only other spirit user aside from Jace and the Queen around..."

He nodded, "I know and -"

"I'm going to ask Serena... I know it's your ability but you're hers too... and she has your child... Plus, Gunner isn't exactly a puppy at the moment. He'll be waking up soon... Even if we manage to sedate him again you'll be in danger. Talk to her... let me know what you decide. Text or just come down to the cells... depending on the answer..."

Anna left and went back to the cells, sure enough... Gun was awake and he wasn't happy. She stuffed her hands in the pockets of her jacket and moved just out of arms reach from the bars. The other Guards were staying a sufficient distance away to avoid an issue with compulsion. "These bars aren't just silver...they're enchanted too." She sighed, "And the whole diameter of your cell is warded... If you compulse me, they'll sedate me. You're out of options here Gun..."

She took a breath, "I know you won't want Seb and Serena to have seen you this way but thanks to your stunt with Jace... Seb is the only spirit user aside from the Queen who can turn you back unless they call in Adrian or Sonya Karp and they're too far away right now. You're too much of a risk to keep this way for long..."

~*~

Seb sighed, no rest for the weary. He moved to find Serena, thinking she was probably still changing. He pushed open the door and smiled at her, "Hello beautiful..."

He ran a hand through his hair, "Anna came back..."

[tsubasa]

((On my phone still. Heading home. Posts will be better in an hour.))

Gunner hissed at Anna when she spoke and snacked his hands against the bars before retracting them as it burned his skin. He sneered when she brought up Sebastian and Gunner, "You don't know a thing. This is who I am. Who I was meant to be. I'm better now, the best. Sebastian deserves to see me like this, my full potential realized," he started to pace in the small cage, "Maybe I'll let him see me like this before I drink him dry... Serena's still pregnant isn't she? Oh how upset she'll be that you got him killed. I won't even awaken him. Killing him will hurt you more."

He gave her a sickening grin, "I'm going to destroy everything you love before I show you the mercy of killing you," he laughed, "That's what you deserve after leaving, after this. Those children are going to die and it is all your fault, Ross. This is all your fault."

~

Serena was only partially dressed when Sebastian came into the room looking for her. She smiled at him when he called her beautiful, somehow it always felt like the first. When he mentioned Anna being back, she nodded, "I heard her... I also heard what she said about Gunner."

She wrapped her arms around him, "Go... I know you want to. Gunner is family... whatever he is... the real him hates it. He is too good a man to live like that," she moved one of her hands to his face and smiled softly, "And you are to good a man to leave him like that."

She sighed, "But you had best come back to me. I'm not raising our baby alone. I don't if I'll even be able to," thoughts of Vladimir's Guardian's quick decent into madness after he died popped into mind. A possibility that was all too real after her stake incident.

She moved her hands to his and squeezed them lightly, "I'll go to the infirmary and get more enchanted silver for the both of us for after you turn Gunner back," She leaned in and kissed him, "Be safe..."

[Nephriel]

Anna sighed, his words hurt but she kept the emotion from her face... "I know you Gunner, and this isn't you... Even when you get wrapped up in being the best you've always been the most caring person I knew. So, you can say what you want but you're just a monster wearing Gun's face and I won't let you hurt me or my friends... I will kill you if I have to because Gunner would hate knowing he'd hurt anyone of us. It would destroy him... and you're not him."

She stood, "You can call me Anna Banana all you want 'Pretty Boy' but I know what you are... You might be in control of him now but you won't be for long... One way or the other."

~*~

Seb sighed and kissed Serena, "You're wonderful, you know that... Keep an eye on things... up here." He tapped his forehead and then kissed her again, "You're right though... We have to make sure Gunner comes back. He's part of our odd little family."

He wrapped his arms around her, kissed her belly and then ran a hand through her hair... He would be lying if he said he wasn't worried but Anna had to have a plan. No way would she put him in danger without one.

"I love you, call a feeder for me?" He was going to need it by the time he came back...

When he got to the Cells he heard Anna talking and came up beside her shortly after. The minute he saw Gunner he was struck by both the similarities and the differences... He was wearing Gunner's face but the menacing look on it was one Gunner had never directed at his friends... The eyes were the same sky blue but the red ringed the iris darkly and his skin had paled significantly in the time he'd been gone.

He didn't bother addressing Gunner, he knew he wouldn't like hearing the monster talk with his friend's voice. "What do you need me to do?"

~*~

Anna turned her gaze back on Gunner, "Sorry Gun, we aren't playing fair... We can't take the risk..."

Two moroi came up to her and she nodded... Earth and stone burst from the ground and wrapped around Gunner's legs up to his hips and then Anna yanked the door open and darted around behind him, catching him in an arm lock.

"Now!"

A batch of dirt flew into Gunner's eyes just as Seb lunged forward and brought the stake down...

[tsubasa]

The blinding white light filled the room as Sebastian staked Gunner in the heart. As Gunner's soul came back to him, the earth fell away from his body and Gunner collapsed to the ground. It took only a moment of being down of his hands and knees for him to vomit. Tears filled his eyes and thoughts about all the terrible things he had done. He had only been gone just over a month but he had caused more mayhem that most Strigoi. Strigoi liked to lie low, take the Moroi they need to feed and not show their faces. That was not what Gunner had done. Sure, he was elusive but he wasn't in hiding. He had destroyed communes and Moroi homes, he had attacked defenseless people... He had killed his friends. He vomited again before he moved and sat back. He covered his face and rested his elbows on his knees, saying nothing.

Gunner had normally had his hold on his feelings and he had rarely cried... in fact, the last time he cried was when he thought Anna had become a Strigoi. Now, as he sat there on the ground next to his own vomit, he was sobbing. His entire body trembled as he seemed to try and hide himself away from those who were looking at him and everyone was looking at him. Not only because he had just been brought back from that horrendous state of being but also because this wasn't the Gunner they knew. The Gunner they knew was strong and powerful. The man before them was broken and scared and trembling.

~

Serena smiled at him, "Besides, we need someone to come to our wedding," She joked, trying to make light of the situation.

She placed her hand on the back of his head as she kissed her stomach before requested that she call up a feeder for him. She nodded, "I'll have one waiting in the bathroom for you," She said quietly. She watched him as he left and took a deep breath. Her hands were shaking, she was terrified. The last time this happened to Sebastian, he nearly went insane. However, he had also brought her back from death and really, that was what pushed him over the edge. Not to mention, because of what had happened with her cutting herself Sebastian had completely avoided using any spirit that he could. Which meant the darkness in him was really quite low right now, hopefully bringing Gunner back would only make him a little thirsty. She grabbed a charmed necklace that Sebastian had given her and put it on. She began to play with the pendant as she walked over to the phone.

She called down to the feeders and asked for them to send on up and informed them about how she didn't want to see whoever it was they were sending. She informed them that the feeder was to be brought into the bathroom of the main room and was to wait for Sebastian there. With that all handled, she grabbed a shirt and pulled it on before climbing onto the bed and leaning back against the headboard. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Due to her medication, connecting to Sebastian now actually caused a bit of focus. All the same, she watched on, pushing down any feelings that she had when she saw Gunner, reminding herself that that would soon be gone.

Then it happened, it happened rather quickly as well. Sebastian pounced on their trapped friend and then she was forced back into her own head as their bond was lost for a few moments after the change. She exhaled in relief, that it had all worked out. She assumed that the three of them would be in the room soon, so she didn't go back into Sebastian's head but instead waited for them to come back on the bed.

[Nephriel]

Seb nearly collapsed as well when it was over and done with... He hadn't used spirit in so long that it had nearly wiped him out. He leaned against the bars and sank into a seated position and Anna shooed the other Guards away when she saw Gunner collapse. She'd only been a strigoi a few moments before but it had been enough to make her know the kinds of things you were capable of in that form. As Gunner vomited Anna winced and ran a hand through her hair before glancing at Seb. "Can you...?"

He nodded and struggled to his feet before leaving the cell. He understood what Anna meant, she didn't want him to leave completely... just to give Gunner a moment to recoop.

Anna moved to his side, careful not to touch him. "It's okay Gun... We brought you back so you could help fix it. We'll make it alright..."

She took a breath, "I'm sorry Gun... I wanted another spirit user to do it so Seb wouldn't see you like this... but they were too far and we're short on time..."

She felt horrible, she knew she should be comforting him but she didn't know what to say or if he'd want to hear it... Risking it, she reached out and brushed his hair from his brow.

[tsubasa]

Gunner couldn't control his crying which was a first for him. He just couldn't stand the idea of what he had been. He wanted to shy away from Anna when he heard her speaking. All the things he had wanted to do to her... The ways he had planned in his head to destroy her... To ruin her life. Not just her life either though, Sebastian's and Serena's as well. He was ready to kill his best friend and leave his pregnant wife alone... Hell, given the chance he'd probably just have offed Serena as well knowing that Anna would be worse off alone. He didn't shy away though, he just lowered his head onto his forearms at his knees and the girl tried to console him. To be honest, he was glad that it was Sebastian that had brought him back. Sure, he hadn't wanted his friend to see him as Strigoi but he didn't want anyone to see him like this... He was just glad that it was his friends that were there for him.

When he felt Anna's fingers against his forehead, he turned and leaned into her. She understood, to an extent what it was like... What you became. She had bit him when she was turned by Anya all those years ago and it had devastated her. He rested his head against her chest and cried into her, his breathing shallow and irregular. His fingers moved and clung to her shirt before he slowly managed to get a grip on himself. His sobbing quieted leaving him sniffling. He sat back, finally showing his fact to the two of them. His eyes were red making the blue of them stand out more than ever. His jaw was clenched as tears dripped from it and he looked between the both of them. When he finally spoke his voice was hoarse and cracked, "Thank you..."

[Nephriel]

As he leaned into her hand Anna's heart thawed... she could relax now. HER Gunner was back, he was back and he was hurting. All the emotion she'd locked down in case she had to kill him came flooding back and as he cried into her she lowered her head and cried too... Running her hands over his back as she kissed his head and his cheeks. She'd been so terrified she wouldn't get him back, that trying to get him back would get her friends killed but she hadn't been able to fully give up on him... Even when she'd staked him that first time in the caves, she'd done so half-heartedly and truth be told if she'd have meant it instead of hesitated Gunner wouldn't be here now and she'd be dead too thanks to his Mom.

"I thought... I was scared I'd lost you..." She took a breath and gave him a shakey smile, "Welcome back Gun..."

Seb was still there, still listening and when he heard the sobs slow he came back around to find Gunner looking up. As he thanked them Seb felt a knot in his throat, he was glad to have his friend back... "You're welcome, Marks..." He shook his head, "We missed you..."

Anna ran her fingers through his hair again and took another breath, "I'm so sorry Gun... I tried to find you sooner but all the information was mucked... We'll put this right though, you and me... I promise."

She glanced at Seb, "You feel okay enough to help me get him out of here?"

Seb nodded, "Yeah... I don't like seeing him down here, and I'm sure Serena wants to see him."

[tsubasa]

Gunner looked at Anna when she ran her fingers through his hair again. He didn't smile, he felt like he wouldn't smile for a while... Not after all this, however, he felt a warmth spread through his chest. A warmth that had been long absent from him... even before he was Strigoi. He nodded his head, "I didn't exactly make it easy... I knew what you would be looking for..." He said quietly. He flinched a little at the thought of it all and clung to Anna. Yes, he was holding her because she was Anna but it was also due to the fact that she was the one that he was closest to when he changed due to the fact that she asked Sebastian to leave while he was vomiting. He held back a new flood of tears and looked at her, "I need a map," He said quietly, "And my phone... I need to call..." He got to his feet and stumbled slightly to where he knew they would be keeping his things and dug his phone out of his pocket. He held it in his hand for a moment before opening and dialing someone. He took a deep breath when the phone was answered, "You better not have done anything to the kids," He hissed to the Strigoi on the other end of the line.

He was quiet for a moment as he listened to the reply before he rose his voice, "I don't give a shit what you heard. I'm alive and well and going to rip your head from your body if you have laid a finger on those kids. I saw potential in them... They aren't little blood bags for you to sink your teeth into, am I clear?" He didn't wait for a reply, "Don't touch the kids... I'm going into hiding for a short while... Regrouping my thoughts. You wait for my orders and you raise those kids... not eat them."

Then he hung up and tentatively placed the phone back down on the table that he was leaning against. He hung his head and brought a hand to his face to wipe away a couple tears that were escaping from his eyes... Those kids were probably terrified. The Elites themselves needed time though before they started to go after the groups and Gunner knew that he couldn't be part of that. He'd give information and he'd keep ties with the Strigoi, ensuring that they never fully disappeared on them... That was almost worse though... having to go on pretending to be one of them. He turned and looked at his friends before stuffing his trembling hands into his pockets, "Let's go see Serena... Another friendly face will be nice," He said quietly before he looked to the ground, "And I can mark where the caves are and the amount of Strigois in the room..."

[Nephriel]

As they headed back to the room, Anna couldn't help worrying about Gunner. She knew how being a strigoi warped your thoughts and twisted the things you loved into something dark and possessive. She'd only experienced for a few short moments but in that time she'd nearly turned Gunner into a Strigoi so she could have him all to herself forever... even knowing he would hate it. The thought he'd hate it made her want to do it that much more because it was making him feel something, anything, for her and that was all she cared about. She rubbed the back of her neck at the memory and caught up with he and Seb just as Seb was opening the door and half stumbling through.

Airen, the new Guardian, basically caught him as he nearly fell into her and she frowned before she noticed Gunner and Anna behind him. "Both of you are Guardians and neither of you thought to help him?"

Anna's eyes narrowed on the woman who was already quickly earning her way onto Anna's shit list. "Mind your own," her voice was almost a hiss.

Seb cleared his throat, "It's fine Airen, Gunner was... wounded and Anna was making sure he was alright. I told them I was fine."

Seb brushed past her and Anna locked glares with the girl before she followed Gunner into the room and smiled at Serena. "Hey..."

Seb had moved to her side and basically collapsed next to her tiredly, the circles under his eyes were deep and his face looked a bit sunken and paler than usual. Anna frowned, "You need to eat..."

She glanced at Gunner before reaching in her back pocket and withdrawing the small folded up map she had used to mark the cave systems that Gunner had been hiding in when they'd found him. "Will this work?" She smiled tiredly at him, "I'm sorry you have to do this now..."

[tsubasa]

Serena sat up when she heard the door open and watched as Sebastian stumbled in. She moved over to allow him more room and wrapped her arms around him when he collapsed beside her. She kissed his head and looked toward the bathroom door, "The feeder is just... I'll get her," She said quietly before releasing Sebastian. She moved to Gunner before she did though and wrapped her arms around, "It is good to have to back... Lie down with Sebastian, you look tired."

Gunner wrapped his arms around the pregnant woman as well and held her close. Maybe it was the fact that no one would let him near her if he posed a threat but being close to the small girl made me feel like he really was himself again... Like the Strigoi was really gone. He released herand let her go and get the feeder. Serena was awkward and incredibly uncomfortable around the feeders but Sebastian needed to feed and she wasn't going to make him get up to do it. She opened the door to the bathroom and looked at the girl, "He's over there," She said quietly, not making eye contact. When the girl walked over to him lazily and held out her arm for him, Serena turned away and took to facing a wall over the rest of them.

Gunner looked at the map that Anna was handing him, "Ya..." He then looked over to Serena and gently took her arm, "Let's give the guy some privacy to feed," He lead her out in a way that avoided her having to turn around before he lead the two girls out of the room and closed the doors behind him. He took a seat on the couch and opened the map. He sighed and started to make the different caves and writing the number of Strigoi in each of them as well as the order that they should be hit in.

Serena wrapped her arms around Anna and hugged her as Gunner set to work, "I've missed you," She said quietly, "No more running off, okay? At least, not for so long... If you keep up like this you are going to leave next time and come back to a baby," She joked.

Gunner circled one of his markings and wrote, children, above it before sighing and sitting back, "There..." He said quietly, "That's all of them...."