((YES *.* :D i would love that!))

((Stupid laptops with freakin faulty internet! >.> Going home tommorow so I'll have a reliable internet source. Finally!))

Jace mentally twitched at the companion part and suddenly wondered if there was not somthing going on between James and Meri that they did not want himself and Faythe to figure out. The very thought sent him on edge and he straightened up from where was sitting, one arm drapped lazily over one knee and the other sitting in the gr*censored* beside his pocket where one of his knives resided. It suddenly occured to him that they could be traps, why else were people who could so easilt connect be sitting around in broad day light like this and so easily strike up a conversation? He knew his face went suddenly, carefully, blank and his mouth a hard line. It was the same look he t times gave the few cops that had caught him. "Well since I know quite a bit about you and James, Meri, I'd like to tell you something about me. I do not like being double crossed or played like some dog." He growled, voice dropping a few octives and going into a cold whisper. Hois eyes lost their light and turned a dark brown almost black. He knew people around town, those that had eyes and ears for the gangs, feared himself and Faythe, as much as they did the leader, Raze. They were ruthless and cold, with looks to match their personalities while on the hunt. He knew he loked it now, but if cops of someone was watching them now then the'd learn. "Your setting us up, are you not?" He asked snidely, getting into a slightly crouching position.

Faythe looked away again to hide her blush, mortified at the very thought of being caught twice by the dame guy with that ursed red dust to her cheeks. "Me? Look good in anything, particurally something that you say makes Meri look even prettier then she is? Hah! There ain't no way." She mused, a helpless lopsided grin on her face. "Next time you become a merperson let me know, I want to watch." Opening her mouth to say somehting more she realized Jace had lost his flirting and was in a defensice crouch, looking at Meri as if she was a plauge. One look conveyed between them and she knew what Jace was thinking. They were being double crossed. Jumping nimbally to her feet, she curled her fist up to take a swiong at Jame's face. One quick look thbough and she stopped, not able to hit him. That was the first time she's ever stopped a punch. Shre just could not. He was the only person to acually make her feel like a person, a girl and pretty, even if he was going to betray her in the end. "You double crossing evil liar!" She spat. "What, you think your going to turn us into the police? Get what info. you can and get some reward. Well sorry, but we're not that stupid." A hand cloed round her mouth tp efecivly shut her up. Looking over at her partner in crime, she was a bit surpirsed to see a slight pain in his eyes when he looked at Meri, the same pain she felt when she would look at James. Now she remembered why she refused to get close to anyone. But what if Jace is wrong? She thought, and their not going to turn us in? No, Jace has not been wrong before.

She saw the change, and to be quite honest, she didn't know whether to be scared or ticked off. Jace's accusation struck a nerve, one that caused both of those emotions and a touch of sadness to leap into her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut, turning away for a moment. Her jaw clenched as she tried not to cry from either of the three. After taking a deep breath she turned to Jace, allowing some of those emotions that shone so willingness into her eyes seep into her voice.

"That hurts." She turned to James, who hadn't even flinched. He wore the same ex
pression as Merielle, and turned to meet her gaze. He shook his head, looking down at his feet. "Lovey, we've been called a lot of things in our day, but traitor was never one of them. Never would I think to dishonor Ma's name like that. I hope she isn't watching now, else she'd die all over again." Meri gave a short, humorless bark of a laugh, her once warm, shining eyes now cold. She turned back to Jace, pushing away the sadness to show through her general confusion.

"Now, I've never been that good an actress. Couldn't even convince Chloe that I liked her roast beef. Remember that, Jamie?" In the heat of their frustrated emotions their accents shone through thicker than ever, showing just how hard they'd tried to hide them. Now James laughed, a deeper imitation of the sound Merielle had made moments before. He sighed, watching as Meri's features tried to decide whether it wanted to cry, snarl, or just look baffled, so it settled for a strange mix of the three. Tears began down her cheeks, and she bared her teeth as threateningly as possible.

"I don't care about money. Since coming here I decided what mattered was surviving, and making sure Merielle survived, too. And you know what? It's better you leave us anyways. We can't have anyone knowing our business. It never turns out prettily. Especially not for Meri." At this the girl gave up all semblance of being scary, turning away from Jace and his cold eyes. Cold as stones. Her shoulders shook with sobs. After kissing the side of her head James turned to Jace, his eyes meeting daggers for daggers. Other than that, his ex
pression was blank.

"You know, we were starting to like you two. Or at least, I was. But judging from Meri I'd say she felt the same way. You two have fun being paranoid, never trusting a soul. Just think that maybe next time there are others who have the same problem as you, not trusting a soul for fear of death or whatever is worse." He hugged Meri close, whispering against her hair. "Hush now, little sister. Don't make me try to sing that lullaby. We both know what happens when I try to sing..." He tried to block the two from his mind, pretending they weren't there. This was a dream. As if on cue Merielle began to dry her eyes, singing softly. The sound at first was weak and strained, but it grew in strength as she went, clinging to the words that she'd heard so often as a girl.

ooc:// song she sings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xn7rjlOxfc

Jace met Jame's eyes with equal fury, standing up fully and stuffing his hands into his pockets. He was glad when Faythe walked over to him, standing at his side. Always there, never behind him like some scared girl looking to a male to comfort her. He looked over at his partner in crime and tried to read through the ex
pression there. She'd always been better at that, disclosing what she really felt, even if it meant heartbreak. And he'd be damned to let anyone else leave scars on her, physically or mentally, as her father had. It was times like these when she looked her most vulnerable, thought to most it would not look it, with a closed off ex
pression that made his overly protective side leak out. She normally looked angry, or just plain bored. But when she hid everything, that meant she was hurt, or sad, or perhaps even a bit happy. He wrapped a protective arm around her shoulder, and to his surprise she did not snarl at him but only glared harder at the two of them. 

Perhaps it was to hide his own confusion, his own paranoia that he concentrated on Faythe's sudden emotionless state. Something about those crystal tears falling from the exotic beauty's eyes made him want to wipe then away and tell her everything was alright, to pummel who ever made her cry into the ground so they would never wake up. But it was himself that had caused her hurt, and he mentally smacked himself for letting the girl get under his skin so fast. He listened to Jame's words, though did not think a lot about them. "Surviving, what do you think we do?" He asked coldly, voice biting out in anger. "This word is cruel to everyone who was not born to a rich family, to those of us who were born in poverty." His eyes turned almost black, and he curled his fist up and stared at a unseen enemy before him. "And some of us were born as nothing but punching bags to those who think of no one but their selves. That is the way of the world and we're doing nothing but living in it and doing the best we can." He snapped. "It's best we leave you as well, you might get hurt." He sneered, and held Faythe closer. He noticed suddenly that she started shivering, almost uncontrollably, and he itched not to shot himself right then and there. Out of all the accursed things to say he had to remind her of the past. His anger and bitter betrayal of someone who he actually liked turned him into a monster, a creature that hurt the only person he knew cared about him. The Meri started sining and he stared, surprised by the beauty of it, and let hid arm around his still almost convulsing friend slack. The song ended and Faythe was gone, bolting through the street's as if the devil was one her feet, then again her own personal devil probably was. "I do not want to know what your business here is, but i'm not going to leave on a bad note." He growled, guilt flooding his mind, washing away his anger. "Good luck, and may our paths not cross again." He turned and tok of after his swiftly fleeing friend, calling for her to stop, she only moved faster. 

--

Faythe watched as Jace and Jame's squared off through their eyes and got up to stand beside her best friend. The words the two others spoke stabbed through her heart, opening one of the many wounds she thought she had closed long ago. Though who have the same problem as you. Those words rang in her head and she shivered at the very thought of either character, no matter how infuriating, going through what she had that shaped her into such a cruel, evil person. She itched to sling out the small gun in her pocket and go on some shooting spree. Not like they'd last much longer on the street's anyway, even if the two in front of them were telling the truth or not. "There are worse things then death." She whispered to no one in particular, looking off into the shadows, her eyes she knew were a dark void of emotionless green. The way she preferred them. No one needed to know what she was feeling, except Jace, and no one cared. She thought perhaps James and Meri might be good, nice and right for them, but she had thought wrong. Clearly she was not judge of character. 

Then Jace spoke of being a punching bag, and she saw a fist, almost as big as her eight year old head, coming straight towards her and she shivered. Closing her eyes tightly, she tried to block the memory like she always had. But it had been let loose, and would not go back to the dark caverns of her mind that she never explored. Her shivered increased as did the memories, and she felt Jace hold her tighter, whispering softly that everything was alright. But it was not, and it never would be. A song suddenly broke through her darkness and she opened her eyes to look at Meri. The words were unfamiliar, unknown but the voice sounded so like another, only younger and lighter. The shivering increased until she felt as if her teeth would break on one another. That voice sounded like a woman, she would not call her her mother, who used to sing to her, make her feel loved and warm and she freely smiled. Then the happiness was gone, replaced by darkness and pain, and cold, always so cooled. The singing, not the woman who birthed her continued until the end, where a gunshot, on in her mind, rang loud and she bolted. Feeling the concrete slap under her feet rhythmically she did not hear Jace calling for her to stop, and only moved faster. She did not care where she was going, or who she would run. She would run from the past though, and not let it catch her.

James shook his head, the anger finally breaking down into pity. These people might have gone through worse than Meri had, though how such a thing was possible James couldn't fathom. He sighed, looking at Faythe as she bolted. His head spun, but his body refused to move. Just like a dream. No control over himself. All he could do was turn to Meri, who was now watching both of those two who had come so close to them.

Her face was blank, but for the minor etches of pity across her dark face. Then she began doing what she'd promised never to do in public, invoke her Goddess. James felt a moment of fury, until it p*censored*ed. This was their secret, and if Meri chose now to show herself then this was her choice. Obviously she believed that the ends justified the means. Quietly she pulled away from James a little, tracing the five-point star and circle in the ground, her unusually long nails etching the marks into the earth. She began tracing runes around the mark, whispering in old Gaelic.

Translated her words were a prayer, a call to the one who's blessings had killed those she loved. And still Merielle trusted in this call, knew that it would be heard. "Mhathair, Danu, Gaia, all that you are is earth and life. Please help my friends. They're hurt and scared, but only of what's inside. Please make them stop. I will do the rest. Convince them that I'm not scary, and that it's a good idea to stop." Her etchings glowed, flashing before disappearing. Out of habit Merielle turned up, looking to see if and how she had been answered.

ooc:// Hope you don't mind I pulled out the big guns for this. ^-^

Faythe knew Jace was right behind her, having slowed down considerably since her initial flight and was glad for his strong presence. But she'd never say it aloud. He knew, knew he meant more to her then she would ever let on because he understood her, even if he had never really been through what she had, nor did he want to. Something clicked in his mind, though he did not know what it was or what it could mean and he looked around in confusion. Something was telling him to stop and he shook the thought away, seeing that while he slowed Faythe never wavered her break-neck pace.  He moved faster, reaching out to grab her arm and forcefully stop her. He'd seen her act like this before, running from something that was long gone but so etched into her memory that is haunted her, killed a small piece of her heart each and every time it appeared. A small part in the back of his momentarily cloudy mind asked if that was why James and Meri were so close, and why James clearly looked after her, protecting her from something no one else knew about? Was there something that painful in Meri's past that caused them to be so close, like himself and Faythe. The realization started him, and that voice commanding him to stop spoke again, louder and more forceful as if his thoughts on the two newcomers in their life gave it power. 

Faythe suddenly wavered in her desperate run, slowing for a second while almost stumbling because of her still convulsing body. She looked around, he he flinched at the lost look in her eyes, lost and scared, something he so rarely seen in the girl that it nearly knocked him over. He hated it, hated what the man that sired her did to make her so full of fear, though she never really showed it. If the man was not dead already, killed by the very girl he tortured for all those years, he'd kill him himself. He watched wearily as she picked up speed again, then slowed, as if hearing the same thing he was. This repeated over and over until she collapsed against a nearby wall mentally, physically, and emotionally spent. Jace sat beside her, panting as well as death glaring everyone who gave them odd looks. The voice spoke again, telling him to go back. He snarled viciously and pulled his friend closer, protecting her from the unseen.

--

Faythe tried to keep ahead of Jace, knowing if he caught her he'd force her to stop, then the person who'd sired her and raised her would catch up and the pain would begin yet again. She was not about to let it happen. The street blurred together, the colors nothing but symbols of happiness that taunted her, and the murmuring of others blending together to make the sounds of the scream of rage and howls of pain for the past. It would not get her, not again. She was surprised to say the least when Jace slowed down, his foot steps no longer right behind her. This was good, she would not be caught. She did not contemplate what had stopped him, nor did she care. All that mattered was that she kept going. The a voice spoke, sounding so much like that hated voice she nearly screamed. Instead she stumbled, almost falling over and terror welled up in her troubled heart. He'd not spoken so clearly before, only yelled or cursed. But the voice, his voice, was telling her to stop, and she almost did, scared what would befall her if that happened. She started running again. Jace was clearly following her now, having his own mental battles by the fall of his foot steps, getting louder, then softer as he slowed, then louder again. 

That voice lasted for what felt like hours, telling her to stop, and she did. Then she would realize what would happen and she took back off, not willing to feel pain, see the blood. It kept taunting until she felt as if the world would be blown apart. She hated being weak, and knew sher was right now. But only he could make her like this, like a scared puppy running back to her abusive owner. Finally exhaustion got to her and she did not care anymore if she was caught or not, it would mean the end and the beautiful darkness. Collapsible onto a nearby wall, the voice still telling her to stop, she buried her head in her hands to muffle a scream. Jace sat beside her, murmuring comforting things, yet she hardly heard him, the voice yelling now, lighter then her fathers and more feminine. It was telling her to go back, and when she looked at Jace's face, it seemed almost like he was hearing the same thing. She more felt then saw Jace get up and yank her up. It felt like mere minutes, and really she did not care where she was going anymore, before she realized she knew where they were. The park. "Whats going on?" She asked, voice raspy and hard, lost and awkward. "I don't know. Something keeps telling me to go back." He mused, more dragging her then her actually walking. She blinked as the two people from earlier came into view, but she did not have the energy left to tell anyone off or even look at them. As soon as Jace let her go she collapsed onto the ground, again burying her head in her arms, seeking the comfort of the dark. "Whats going on?" She heard Jace snap, but there was little venom in his voice. 

They waited for what seemed like an eternity, watching Faythe start and stop many times. Soon the two were out of view, and Merielle held her breath. James held her to him, silently cursing himself. There was no way that this day could prove more devastating. Or at least, so he thought until he saw the two figures striding over the horizon towards them. A smile broke across Meri's face as she caught sight, and she lept to her feet.

Without a second thought she sprang forward, throwing her arms around Jace's neck. "Oh, thank the Goddess! I thought for a moment that she wouldn't reach you until you were too far away but I was wrong to ever doubt her!" She pulled away, tears of joy and guilt pouring down her cheeks as she looked. "I couldn't live knowing that you two ran off because of us. It killed me to see you hurt, Faythe, even though you don't show it. So I brought you two back to us and told you my biggest secret at the same time. Please, stay here. With us. I don't want to lose any more friends."

James watched this all silently, though he smiled a little at the trust Merielle could put in two total strangers. Really, it was only possible for her. She always gave herself completely, which is why they had so few friends. It would come out in one way or another, Merielle's blessing from her Goddess, the blessing that some called witchcraft.

Meri nodded, wiping her tears after a moment. "No. Not a clan. The closest thing I've ever seen to a clan dedicated to a Goddess was... A while ago. I can tell you if you like, but after you." She and James listened as the situation was explained, and Merielle wanted to stop herself from laughing. "We wouldn't turn you in. If anything, I would convince James that the best course of action would be to kidnap both of you, take you somewhere remote like... New Zealand. More sheep than people. And set up a sweets shop like we always wanted to do, and make it so neither o' you had to commit another crime ever."

At all this James chuckled, then nodded. "She's right. That's exactly what would have happened. I'm fairly sure that that's what Meri's thinking as we speak. I could swear she was looking at flights to New Zealand last night." He looked down at Faythe, and took a step towards her. "I understand now why you two were so easily scared. But Meri and I aren't like other people. We've never done anything to hurt anyone else in our entire lives. Heck, Meri, remember the time we got robbed down in New Orleans?"

She nodded, giggling. "I gave him a hug and my bank card, told him to take all the money that he wanted and that I forgave him, because something real awefull must have happened to him to put him on the streets at such a young age." Her eyes shone at the memory of his puzzled, then grateful ex
pression. "He took $25,000 out, and left the card on the porch with a note that said thank you, and telling us he was gonna use the money to buy a suit and pay his rent, and that he'd pay it back when he could."

James smiled, thoughtful. "He found us again a year ago, paid us back three times over. He'd worked his way up the corporate ladder real quick. Owns his own major corporation now. Moral is, we did that for a guy we barely knew. You... You two are the closest we ever had to friends, and we just met you. Come back to our place, I'll put some tea on and we can talk there, eh?" He and Meri looked at them hopefully, eyes wide.

Jace grinned slightly, lips crooked at the entire unbelievable scene unfolding. They'd never hurt anyone, and instead helped so many it seemed. While him and Faythe hurt everyone that came within three feet of them. He blamed karma really. Listening to the two talk so easily he suddenly wondered if perhaps one day he could find someone who understood him, knew him, and accepted him, the way these two did towards each other. The more he watched them interact, the more he noticed they were closer then most siblings. Sure him and Faythe were close, but that was because they only had each other and refused to let anyone else near them, keeping their hearts guarded. When James spoke of them being friends a warm flutter rose in his heart and he almost leap forward to engulf them in a hug, keyword, almost. He still had some pride, and thought not weary of their intentions anymore, he was unwilling to let hs carefully placed up guard completely down. 

He jumped slightly as Faythe twitched and he remembered her comatose state of mind. It had happened before, and thought strange and unnerving she always woke up a few minutes later in a mood foul enough to make anyone run screaming. He hoped she was willing to listen now. "So you let some stranger take off with that kind of money?" He asked, eyes widening at the sheer amount. He shook his head, deciding to keep the rather gruesome retort on his tongue to himself. "Dang." He mused, eyes sparkling once more with boyish mischief. Leaning down to grab his slowly awakening partner by the forearm, he slung said arm around his shoulders to heave her up and pretty much carry her where ever was needed until she revived. "Lead the way." He told James, situating the heavy girl around so one of her many knives would quit sticking him. 

Meri clapped with glee, taking Jace's hand to run off toward their car. Looking back at him once she sighed, her entire body filling with nothing but good emotions. These people were her friends. They new her, what she could do, and they hadn't run. Hadn't condemned her. He hadn't screamed, or even given her a dirty look. Just shrugged and smiled. Some part of her wanted to kiss him, but she held it back. This was a delicate time. She wanted to give him all her trust, and hopefully recieve his in kind. Instead she focused on the warmth of his large, rough hand wrapped around her tiny, delicate one, and the warmth that it sent through every fiber of her being. 'Thank you, Mhathair.'

"It's right... Here!" She pulled them to a stop in front of James' Pontiac Solstice, its sleek, dark grey exterior shining. She shrugged, pursing her lips. "It would have been Bumblebee, but James says that he's too flashy. It's ridiculous. My baby could never be flashy." With a smile she ran her hand over the hood, gently touching the hood ornament, which was the Autobots symbol. Upon touching it she smiled up at Jace, amusement written all over her face. "Jazz is sleeker, but Bumblebee is hunkier." At this point James walked to the driver's seat, sliding into the black leather interior.

"Yes, it's geeky, and no, we don't care. We have a car for each one of the Autobots. We'd have all the Decepticons, too, but the government thinks it's dangerous for civilians to have tanks, jets, and all that nonsense." He started up the engine, taking a moment to appreciate the way it purred. "Well, get in." Merielle was quick to obey, hopping into the p*censored*enger seat after opening the door for Jace. "You'll love the apartment. They let us add a pool."

ooc:// By the way,

 = Jazz. *hugs jazz*

Sliding one hand down the hood of the car, a look of delight and p*censored*ion crossed Jace's face. He'd seen the cars before, heck he'd even contemplated stealing one for himself though not exactly this exact type of car. He knew nothing about cars, how they worked or the build of them. He did not want to know either. All he knew was that they were fast, oh so fast and the adrenaline rush they could give. A bubble of wild laughter nearly escaped his lips. He itched to drive over the speed limit and out run the cops, on wheels this time instead of on foot. But he resided his fate of being in the back seat. Finally tearing his eyes from the car, he smiled brilliantly at Meri and wrapped one arm around her shoulder playfully. "If i'd have known you two, particularity you," He whispered to her flirtatiously, "would be the answer to all of my dreams and prayers I would have tried finding you earlier." 

The warmth seeping form her body made him relax more then he ever knew one person could, and he reflexively leaned slightly against her. "Ready to go?" He asked, not wanting to completely lose himself to her so fast. He glanced over to his partner, who seemed to be waking up, her green eyes looking over the car in admiration. 

ooc:// ... You can't. We're way too into this to accept another person. Besides, I don't ever remember saying that you could join.

bic://

Merielle blushed deeply at Jace's words, trying desperately to hide the pleased smile that broke across her face. James, on the other hand, was not so quick to soften. Being the overly protective big brother that he was James naturally felt some suspicion, having seen how Jace eyed the car. Still, Meri was happy, and that was what counted. And so, with these new companions in tow, James drove off toward the penthouse loft that Meri had so understated, calling it an apartment.

The drive was relatively short, taking them a little closer to the beach. Finally they stopped infront of the building, the doorman smiling warmly in greeting as James got out of the car. "Ah, Mr. Adelaide. I trust you and Miss Meri had a fun time?" James smiled warmly, nodding. "Yes, we did. Thank's for you're concern, Douglas." Once the others were out he tossed the vallet his keys, then led the troops inside.

And elevator took them to the top floor, leading them into the loft shared by James and Meri. She shrugged, throwing herself onto the couch with a grunt. "They wouldn't let me add the pool on directly, but it's okay. My pool is on the second floor and I need to give spoken permission for anyone else to use it and it has lights on the bottom so I can swim at night. Pretty stinking awesome." She giggled, sighing happily. James held the door for Jace and Faythe, smiling. "Welcome to our humble abode. If there's anything you need just let me know."

ooc:// I really like getting pictures of things.

((Wow, that would be an amazing house.))

Jace had noticed Jame's look of slight annoyance as he spoke to Meri, and completely understood it. If anyone even so much as tried to flirt with Faythe he would not be near so lenient as James. He'd knock the crap out of the guy (or girl), at least if Faythe did not first. As they reached the house, Faythe was completely woke up and watched with slight annoyance at anyone and anything that walked by. As they got out of the car, Jace was completely awestruck at the sheer size of the penthouse, and Faythe smacked his jaw to keep it up. "Stop gawking." She snapped, but his eyes twinkled with humor as she discreetly looked around herself.

"You said apartment? Have some plastic junk thats actually diamonds as well?" He asked humorously. Walking through the room they had just entered, he walked along the walls and looked in awe. "Dang! What kind of job do you have to get all of this stuff?" He asked. Faythe mimicked his question.