Isn’t it strange how sounds blur into nothing when the mind is preoccupied? Duo heard the enraged words of Mrs Reviara but they were distant…a triviality amongst the carnage of other thoughts and concerns.

“And if that atrocious hair dye isn’t out of you hair by Monday morning you are going to be in serious trouble young lady!”

Duo almost laughed at that… ”young lady” …Duo herself was certain that she was older than the woman; she only appeared to be in her late thirties! She wondered what her teacher would say if she said that the “hair dye” was permanent, a stain of Vittorio’s life that could neither be washed nor cut from her hair…

“Look at me when I am speaking to you Duo! And what about your absence for today, everyone of your teachers has listed you as absence from today’s classes and not a single excuse had been presented…”

Duo couldn’t hear the rest of the rant…what could she have said anyway…<I’m sorry Miss that I was absent today, but after last night’s activities, in which I killed one of the few people who I have ever truly loved and hated, I really couldn’t be bothered to turn up for you biology lesson!>

But Duo remained silent, her chestnut and red locks hanging into her face, obscuring her eyes that stared expressionlessly at the floor.

Mrs Reviara’s rant slowly ground to a halt when she released she wasn’t being bombarded with the usual cocky yet witty retorts from Duo, and for the first time that Friday evening took in the sight of the girl in front of her other then the red streaks in her hair. She looked ragged and worn as though she hadn’t slept that night, her hair was in disarray and the smooth skin of her cheeks grubby…thankfully all the grazes and injuries she had sustained were covered by her clothes or her hair…the punch to the face she had received from Vittorio and other pains were concealed…as long as she wasn’t examined too closely.

“Duo…are you ok?” The teacher’s voice taking on a worried tone as she made to move a few stray strands of Duo’s hair out of her face to get a better look at the girl beneath.

“She’s fine!” The slim, blond form of Cissie King-Jones barred the path to Duo as she looked up at Mrs Reviara with a beaming smile. “I’m sorry that I didn’t explain before but Duo has been feeling really ill today…she even fainted earlier, hence the less than appealing appearance…nothing to worry about though…I’ll take her back to her room!” She stretched the corners of her mouth even further to incorporate her forced smile in the hopes that her “goody goody” track record would make her believable.

“Oh…okay…make sure she gets some rest, if your still feeling unwell tomorrow Duo I think you should be properly be checked over…” but her words were already fading into the background as Cissie grabbed one of Duo’s arms and steered her towards her room. Cissie reached her palm out towards the wooden door when Duo stopped her, grabbing the hem of Cissie’s sleeve and yanking backwards gingerly. “Is…is Cassie in there?”

Cissie looked at her friend in mild confusion, but gradually the expression softened as she regarded Duo’s bedraggled state. “Not up to a confrontation huh? Hang on and I’ll check…” Cissie rapped gently on the door calling Cassie’s name. “Cass…I’m coming in okay? If you have any boys stashed in there either hide them or be prepared to share!” The metal doorknob was cool to touch under her palm as she wrapped her slender finger round it to open the door. A sharp click resounded throughout the quiet room as Cissie flicked on the lights to illuminate the deserted room. The drapes in the window fluttered softly in the late evening breeze, the wisps of material swaying diligently to shroud the reveal the moon enclosed in the window’s frame.

“No sign of her Duo…I think she took an exit through the window…don’t know how long ago though…” Cissie stood to see Duo staring aimlessly about the room…it was all the same, yet all so different. It felt more then ever that it could belong to her, that this could truly be her life, yet at the same time she felt she didn’t deserve it…

“Look Duo…I have no idea what happened last night…Cass was vague at best.” Cissie looked around the room as though trying to gain inspiration from her friends’ belongings, racking her fingers through her long blond hair. “All I know is that something bad has happened and it’s caused a rift of gigantic proportions between Cass and Will and you! I mean…for the love of God Cass has only just gotten back into the dating realm after the whole Kon thing and now it’s blown up again! There’s only so much guy trouble a girl can suffer through before she cracks! And…she really seemed to be into Will…” Ciss trailed off when she saw Duo physically grimace at the mention of her friends, her head still hung in shame, hiding her eyes for she feared they would reveal too much.

Cissie sighed audibly as she stepped forward and waved a hand frantically in front of Duo’s face. “Duo! Snap out of it girl! Wallowing is not helping the situation any! Now go and have a shower and get yourself sorted…coz from the looks of it you need a medical and then you need a makeover!” Cissie cracked a smile when she saw the horrified expression on Duo’s face. “Thought that would get a reaction out of you! Now go on…if necessary go for a fly afterwards, that always seems to clam you down.”

“How would you know?” Duo asked warily.

“Because you always go for a fly when you’re annoyed as hell…normally after I’ve suggested dressing you in pink!” Cissie’s smile only broadened as Duo eyed her sceptically.

“You spy on me?”

“No…you always just happen to by flying by when I look out of the window.”

Duo managed a faint turning up of the lips at that and she nodded her thanks to Cissie as she went into the joining room to where the shower was situated, stripping from her dirt-smeared clothes she stepped under the hot spray, hissing through her teeth as it caused the grazes and wounds to sear with pain…she stayed under the water edging on an hour, not caring how the hot streams pelted her flesh until it was bright red…

Cissie had been right, she did like to go for flights when she was annoyed as hell or incapable of sleeping…not that she had tried in over 48 hours. So after exiting the shower looking very much like a poached lobster, she dressed in a flimsy shirt and matching skirt, leaving several buttons undone so her burnt skin could feel the cool night breeze, soothing the damage done. She tied her wet hair back in her customary braid, the red strands weaving in and out in an elaborate pattern. She looked at the clock, it was just after 9, she would have liked to fall asleep but her mind was racing, so she called upon her pearl wings and took flight out of the window.

She was being cautious this time; she sincerely didn’t want to run into any more old friends this night. Duo flew as she had the previous night, flying amongst the clouds, relishing the humidity locked in their beings. But she found herself diving in a downward spiral towards the city below although this time she refrained from withdrawing her wings into her back as she dropped like a dead weight.

The outskirts of the city rushed towards her, and slowly the large, semi-detached houses in their rows, encased by neat gardens became visible. The warm, soft glow of the living room lights filtered into the street, bathing the clean, well-kept street with their delicate radiance.

“Dude what the hell is it!!!???” A young male voice exclaimed causing her to turn in mid-flight, her braid whipping round, slinging over her shoulder, it’s red streams reflecting the glare of the streetlights.

There were three of them, all donned in black; they had even gone as far as to black their faces with shoe polish, the smell was distinctive amongst the fragranced flowers that laced the obviously cared for gardens. Each of them was brandishing a crowbar, their intent obvious…car thieves…petty, juvenile and armature by their appearance.

“It’s…it’s a…an angel!” One of the stammered in awe, a contrast to the fear evident in the expressions of the other two.

“Close…” Duo said loudly as she as she flew towards them calling upon her thermal scythe that appeared instantaneously in her outstretched hand and with a swift flick of her wrist cut the crowbar that one was wielding threateningly in half, it clattered noisily to the cobbled floor along with the collective gasps from the three boys. “I’m the angel of Death!” She took another swing at the crowbar, cutting it but centre metres from the boy’s fingers, who instinctively dropped the remained of the metal bar as it instantly increased in temperature under the onslaught of the thermal scythe. He screamed in pain as the palm of his hand blistered straightaway, turning red raw as the flesh swelled. He cradled the hand to his chest looking for help from his two comrades who had already backed up in fear for their own limbs.

“This would be the part where you run away!” She said cockily, thoroughly enjoying the terrified expression etched into their faces as girlish cries escaped their lips. They ran full pelt down the street, not before one of them wildly discarded their crowbar into a neighbouring garden, effectively knocking over a wooden garden ornament.

She shook her head in distaste, this looked like a pleasant little neighbourhood, no wonder the little whelps had decided to try and jack a few cars from here. The cars lining the driveways and street were of an expensive calibre, their sleek bodies carved to perfection in accordance to the money owned by the occupants of the street. Duo, retracted her wings into her back, not wanting to draw more attention to herself in case any of the inhabitants of the houses happened to be neighbour hood watch or generally nosey parkers. She opened the metal gate that led into the garden in which the ornament had been knocked over and bent down to straighten it out. It was an ugly crafted gnome, whose features looked a little worse for wear from the numerous weather conditions it had been subjected to in the garden.

Just as Duo had set the wooden figure into his usual standing position the front door opened with furious force to reveal a slim woman in her early thirties, dressed to please, but elegantly so. She was wearing a long, flowing navy blue dress, the silky material shimmered in the light emitted from the hall behind her and the dress shone with numerous multi-tones all of which meshed together depending on the angle of the light. Her blond hair was a mass of ringlets piled on top of her head to disclose her thin neck, which was bound in a matching choker set with pearls. The woman took one look at Duo and heaved a huge sigh of relief.

“Thank God!”

“They said they weren’t going to supply a replacement, accursed company!” The woman exclaimed grabbing Duo by the forearm and dragging her inside the house. Surprised by the rash welcome she had received it took all her self-control to refrain from calling upon her scythe once more and relieving the elegantly dressed woman of her arm.

“Er…I think there may have been some mistake…” Duo began, tentatively prying the woman’s bony fingers that were grasped surprising firmly around Duo’s arm.

“Mistake is an understatement!” The woman cried in outrage, pausing to look Duo over. “I had requested a more mature individual…” she tutted in annoyance, “oh well, we’re desperate and if you don’t hurry up Bernard we going to miss the start!” The woman said, increasing the volume and tone of her voice as she directed the last part of her speech to an unseen figure.

“Coming dear!” A meek, male voice called from an upstairs room followed by the distinctive sound of muffled feet on carpeted floor as a pair of well polished flat-footed black shoes appeared on the carpeted, swiftly leading to the rest of the figure dressed in a tuxedo. The white shirt glared in the florescent lights, almost blindingly so, contrasting drastically to the bright red bow tie, he also donned with a matching red handkerchief in his right breast pocket and startling cufflinks that Duo did not doubt were set with rubies. The couple were all set for a night out…

“Oh Bernard you bowtie is out of line, how difficult is it to get it at 180 degrees…that looks more like 145!!!”

“Eloise! Please…I am perfectly capable of tying my own bowtie.” He said fondly as he playfully slapped away her hands that were clawing at his throat. He rolled his eyes then winked in Duo’s direction as his wife untied the raggedly constructed tie and retied it perfectly.

Duo stood uncomfortably, trying to get a word in about Eloise’s mutterings and faint scolding directed at Bernard. “Please…There’s been some kind of misunderstanding…I’m…”

It was Bernard’s turn to interrupt Duo as he asked his wife “And who is this?” Bernard’s smile only broadened as his wife gasped, placing a hand to her mouth, the long, carved fingernails painted a royal blue.

“Oh dear, where are my manners!?” She exclaimed. She turned to Duo with a sweet, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, I was just so annoyed when the company called to say that the lady was unavailable! We booked with them over three weeks ago, been planning this night for months and there is absolutely no-way I was going to miss this, Madame Butterfly is my favourite opera and Puccini is a genius!” She said enthusiastically, her eyes flashing with happiness at the impending night, the soft streaming notes of Madame Butterfly filling her mind.

Bernard watched his wife with faint amusement, then turned to Duo, “you’ll have to excuse my wife, it’s are 5th wedding anniversary and this is my present to her, we’re very grateful that you could come, my name is Bernard and this is my wife Eloise…what is your name?”

Duo smiled faintly back, these two appeared to be a loving, warm couple about to share a romantic night out, and for some reason they seemed to think that Duo was here to make it happen, although how and why alluded her. She was sorry that she was going to have to ruin their evening but she was a demonic angel of Death and had enough problems of her won to deal with. She had to put things straight.

“My name is…” <oh well…no sense in lying…> “Duo, Duo Merquise…but I’m sorry you seem not to understand, I’m not with this company, I’m…”

“Oh…so you’re freelancer ay? Oh well, this night is important to my wife so we don’t mind paying more for your services…it’s been wonderful to meet you…Duo…but we really must be going.” Bernard interrupted once more, gaining a thanking smile from his wife.

“But…”

“We must go, you’ll find everything you need in the kitchen, you have full use of the television and there’s plenty of food in the fridge, although I’m afraid in drinks we possess nothing in the “fizzy” variety and we are lacking in sweets also. Although there is a little chocolate in the fridge that you are more the welcome to help yourself to, and there are some selection biscuits in one of the cupboard. All the numbers need is on the fridge including our mobile numbers and all the equipment you’ll need is in the pale blue carry bag in the lounge.” Eloise slipped on her royal blue, 3-inch high heels and grabbed her small, handbag off a side table in the hall and taking Bernard’s hand she steered him to the door.

“But…but…I really think…”

“Don’t worry Duo, we’ll be back about 2 in the morning give or take an hour, Kelsey is in his cot upstairs, but he’ll probably need a feeding soon, everything you need is in the carry bag and I’ve left instructions on his usual schedule. Have fun!”

And within 5 seconds they were in the car and driving off at full speed, hoping to get to their destination in time.

Duo stood dumbfounded on the driveway, staring after the receding car, her mouth open and a look of complete confusion on her face. “OKAY!” She yelled at the top of her lungs as she turned sharply and re-entered the house, slamming the door behind her with such force that she was surprised that the glass embedded in it didn’t shatter. “WHAT IN THE BLUE HELL IS GOING ON!!!???”

The distinctive cry of a young child echoing throughout the silent house was all the answer she needed. “Oh…God no!”

The wailing cry of a young child filled Duo’s head as her onyx black eyes opened wide in horror. She tilted her head upwards, listening for its origin on the second floor.

“Please…no…” she whispered pleadingly, she took the stairs two at a time up the elegant oak stairway, lavishly carpeted in a radiantly rich, red carpet. She listened intently and made her way to the far room on the right side of the hallway, she twisted the gold coloured doorknob sharply and stormed into the room…

Her black gaze met with that of a young child. He sat upright in the middle of a large wooden cot, his frame visible between the bars that had been painted in elaborate colours to represent a rainbow. He had the chubby cherub style face, the flesh ruffling about the chin, the cheeks a rosy red, with faint indentions from the sheets were the child had been sleeping. The mass of pale blond hair was tasselled and fell in front of the wide, clear blue eyes that stared back at her with open wonder. The child could be little older then one, a chubby little pile of flesh that many would have perceived as cute…but was currently wailing at the top of its lungs, crystal tears filtering down his red cheeks.

She scanned the room desperately for something to stop the racket coming from the weeping child, upon seeing no duct tape she was tempted to use the baby’s sheets as a gag.

“Look…er…what did Eloise call you…?” The answer was blatantly obvious, indicated by a large sign on the child’s door that read “Kelsey’s room”.

“Okay…Kelsey…” she said, addressing the squealing bundle of squirming flesh cautiously, as though the wrong words would cause it to erupt even more so then it was already doing. “ You can ball all you want…I have no idea what it is you want and frankly I couldn’t give a damn!” Duo said as an icy note filtered into her tone, her onyx eyes flashing dangerously as the child’s squealing only increased in volume, it’s face almost going blue from the effort.

Duo covered her ears in an attempt to block out the intrusive noise, her eyes fell upon the large bay window on the far wall and she smiled thankfully. “Sorry kid, I’m out of here, you’re parents will be home soon enough, you’ll be fine!” She said mockingly to the child, even going so far as to ruffle the blond locks as she walked past to the window, flicking the latch to open it…

An eerie silence filled the room, slowly sinking into the crevices of Duo’s psyche and she gradually turned around to see those large blue eyes transfixed on her, the crying had ceased and the baby looked at her with a perfect “puppy dog” expression on its face.

“Don’t look at me like that you little thing!” She said stalking back over to the cot and glaring down at the inhabitants. “I’m a God damn angel of Death…do you really expect a cutesy look to work on the likes of me!?” She said, her voice increasing in volume, which only caused the child to begin to sniff excessively as the tears, began to well once more. “Don’t you dare!” Duo whispered menacingly, “You hear me Kelsey? You start that foul noise again and believe me, you won’t get the chance to live to regret it!”

It was a shame that Kelsey’s brain was so undeveloped that the icily disdainful tone of Duo’s voice didn’t cause him to recognise the potential threat, and so he began to cry once more, her head thrown back as the sound shredded the airways brutally.

Duo’s hands were once again clasped over her ears; she ducked her head as though to stop the noise from reaching her but to no avail. “Damn this!” She cried out, instantly red energy pulsated out of the tips of her fingers, developing into sharp knives, long and curved as she reached over into the cot…

The tips of the knives stopped just short of the baby’s exposed throat…the baby’s crying ceased as it started intently at the glowing knifes that wavered in front of it, it’s eyes crossing and staring unfocusedly.

Duo had never intended on hurting the child, she had merely hoped that the sight of a severely ticked off demonic angel hurtling towards him with its knifed hands outstretched would have scared the child into silence…she had gotten silence…except the fear seemed to be a missing factor.

“Oh well…at least you’ve shut up...HEY!!!!!!” She cried in shock as the fascinated child extended it’s chubby digits with the intend of grabbing one of the red knives.

“For the love of…” she exclaimed exasperatedly, staring in alarm at Kelsey, “kid you are too much…I’m out of here…again!” She said to the child, retracting her knifed fingers, shaking her head.

Big, blue eyes…

“Stop it!” Duo said half turning away, attempting to avoid the gaze.

Big, blue, watery eyes…

“I said stop it!” Duo said turning fully back to Kelsey with a look of utter annoyance laced into her features as she regarded him.

Big, blue, watery, beautiful eyes…

“OH FINE!!!” She cried, throwing her hands in the air in submission. “Just for a little while though…until you fall asleep but then I am out of here!” She was tempted just to smack the child around the head, knock him unconscious and bail…unconscious through brutality was a version of sleep…

“Okay…okay…okay…” Duo chanted as she paced back and forth, her mind racing…”I’m stuck in a house, with a baby…parents aren’t going to be back for ages…and I have absolutely no idea what to do with the kid…okay…”

She didn’t know why she wasn’t running away like a bat out of hell…she just…didn’t feel right about abandoning a young baby, leaving it by itself for 5 hours…anything could happen. <Why do I care?!> She thought infuriated.

<Because you don’t want to be responsible for hurting anyone else…> her mind replied swiftly causing her to pause in mid stride…and that was the answer. After last night, after she had killed Vittorio…she had discovered a new form of freedom. Her gnawing hunger was no longer there to plague her, and she didn’t want death to be a blemishing factor in this new freedom …

“But I have no idea what I’m doing…” she whispered hopelessly to the child, she remembered Eloise mentioning the blue carry bag, she needed to get it, hopefully the instructions left in it would provide the insight she so desperately needed to get through the remainder of the evening.

“Okay kid…stay put…I’ll be back in a flash!” She said, wagging her finger at Kelsey, knowing that he probably couldn’t understand a word she was saying but feeling better for saying it anyway.

She raced down the stairs at top speed, and rushed full pelt into the living room, not pausing to relish the beautifully decorated interior, the lavish décor consisting of a rose wood polished floor, beige sofa with matching love chairs situated in a circular fashion so that the television was the central piece within the room. There were also two elegantly crafted tall display cabinets at either end of the lounge, Chinese in origin as depicted through the dragons carved into their hard surfaces which matched those on the games table, with it’s matching 4 chairs, each had a plush, plum cushion placed upon each seat for comfort.

Upon the game’s table was the blue carry bag that Eloise had mentioned. Duo leapt forward and grabbed in roughly, turning sharply she headed back up the stairs, being bold she took them three at a time to cover the distance quicker.

She re-entered Kelsey’s room with a loud thud, the door almost flying off it’s hinges, Kelsey’s head shot up in response to the sound and Duo held her breath for fear that he would start to cry once more, but upon seeing her he let out a childish gurgle and smiled. Duo’s breath came out in a whoosh and she slumped onto the floor, placing the bag in front of her. Within it she found an assortment of clothing in elaborate colours, the most regular of which was the stereotypical pale blue, also a wide selection of bottles, baby food and powdered milk etc…and a long list of instructions on various things to be done by certain times…

“My word…what have I gotten myself into?!” She asked in frustration as she stared dumbfound at the list. “There’s no way I can do this by myself!” She reached into her shirt pocket for her T-terminal…she needed help…serious help…

She was about to call for Cassie, thinking that she would be a logical choice and someone who had probably had some sort of experience with children…but she paused almost as soon as she thought of her. Duo had yet to talk to Cassie after last night’s events…she sincerely doubted that her friend wanted to see her at all, let alone to bail her out of babysitting duty…that is if she could still even call her, her friend.

Duo hung her head at that thought, According to Cissie, Cassie was really hurt, Will too by the sounds of it…she couldn’t call on either of them…they’d probably want to kill her on sight…and Marxy…

Duo had no idea how Supersonic was really dealing with things...he’d come back for her after she’d killed Vittorio…he’d come back for her, even appeared to have forgiven her for hurting…killing him. She blinked rapidly to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill…it was still so raw…the night she had spent grieving by the sea had done nothing to take away the sting…

She was tempted for a few seconds to call Marxy, not only for assistance but just to see if he was okay…but she halted that thought also…her friends needed their space…their own chance to recuperate...to recover…

“Who can I call then?” She whispered slightly disheartened. Suddenly her eyes flew open as she smiled widely, “OF COURSE!!!” She put her T-terminal to one side and she turned to Kelsey, reaching into the cot she awkwardly picked him up and slung him over her shoulder. “Don’t think your mum and dad will mind if I make a quick call?” She asked the wriggle bundle.

She walked gingerly down the stairs and headed for the living room, scanning it she quickly located the phone and punched in a mobile number and waited patiently for the owner to answer.

“Hello?” A pleasant voice answered.

“Err…Cissie…it’s Duo…I, I kind of need you help…I have a major problem!!!”

“Duo…how many time do I have to tell you guys…I am not Arrowette anymore, I’m not a member of Young Justice or the Teen Titans!!!” There was a very audible sigh on the other end of the line. “I’m sorry Duo but if you’re in some kind of trouble I can’t help you...”

“Cissie!” Duo hissed sharply causing the girl to pause in mid-rant. “I do not need the help of Arrowette!”

“Oh…ok…what do you want then?”

“I need Cissie King-Jones that’s what! I’ve got a dilemma! Don’t ask me how but I…well…if you laugh I swear to God I’ll…”

“Duo!” It was Cissie’s turn to stop Duo in mid-rant. “Will you get to the point or isn’t this trouble your in enough of an emergency to continue dealing with?!”

“Fine…I’m…babysitting.”

The was a long pause, an eerie silence filling the airways…even Kelsey was refraining from crying…for a moment Duo feared that the connection had been severed and her salvation along with it…

“HHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Came the sudden explosion of sound down the phone, almost fissuring Duo’s eardrum as she wrenched the offending object from her ear. “You’re…*snort*…you’re baby *snort* baby sitting!? HAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!”

“Cissie! I called you because I need your help…I have no idea how to care for the damn thing! And it’s been wailing its head off until it’s blue!!!” Duo hissed, eyeing Kelsey distastefully.

“Awwwww! Are you trying to tell me, that you, Duo…Shinigami, a demonic angel who has been a servant of Satan’s for the past God knows how many years…can’t deal with one little baby?” The laughter started once again, Cissie was in fits on the other end, rolling about on her bed, her face almost a mirror images of Kelsey’s had been moments earlier, blue and crinkled with tears streaming down her cheeks as her chest heaved with the lack of oxygen.

Duo…whose patience had thoroughly run out, whispered menacingly down the phone, “there’s dealing with the baby and then there’s DEALING with the baby!!!”

Cissie’s laughter halted abruptly as she regarded Duo’s words. “Now Duo, do not hurt the baby, I’m serious Duo, that would not be a wise thing to do, parents seem to object when you hurt their children!” She said, reminiscing over the last time she had babysat with Cassie and had ended up almost getting slice and diced and accused of attempted murder.

“No harm will come to the little brat as long as you promise to come and help me!” Duo said threateningly. A faint sniffing in the background was her only warning as Kelsey tilted his head back and began to howl once more. “Do you hear this!?” Duo asked holding out the phone towards Kelsey so Cissie could get a good taster of the annoying child. “If he doesn’t stop I am going to rip out his vocal chords!!!”

“Duo remain calm…tell me where you are and I’ll be there as soon as possible. Cissie King-Jones is coming to the rescue.”

“I’m in Beaconsfield Road…number…err…14…and Cissie…thank you…” Duo muttered semi-gratefully.

“I’m coming to the baby’s rescue, not yours! By the sounds of it that child is in the worst peril it’s ever likely to face in its hopefully long and extensive life!” Cissie said bluntly, a loud click followed by the dull dial tone to indicate she had hung up.

Duo slammed the phone down. “Well…it looks like it’s just you and me till Ciss gets here!” Duo yelled, the sound of her voice barely audible over Kelsey’s screaming as salty trails made there way down his red cheeks. Duo, even with her distinct lack of knowledge when it came to others, let alone babies, knew enough to conclude that Kelsey’s persistent tears probably meant that he wanted something.

Duo quickly grabbed the list that had been left for her and consulted the long line of possible explanations for Kelsey’s constant weeping.

Feeding.
Burping.
Nappy Changing.
Nap Time.

These were but a few, and underneath each sub-title was a set of detailed instructions.

Duo sniffed the air tentatively, she detected nothing in the air that smelt unpleasant, and she cautiously approached Kelsey, wincing, as his cries grew louder with the proximity. She gingerly poked at his nappy ad detected no unwanted substances lurking in its depths, for which she gave a thankful sigh. <At least I don’t have to deal with that obstacle…yet…> She shuddered at the prospect of changing nappies and decided, firmly, there and then that Cissie would be the one who had to deal with that area of babysitting.

“Okay…so if you don’t need you nappy changed what is it you want!?” Duo asked the screeching child, attempting to goad him for answers. Abruptly she got an idea as Bernard’s words rang in her ears… “he’ll probably need a feeding soon”.

“Food!” Duo said to Kelsey as though it were obvious. “Honestly…!” She said picking up the fidgeting bundle by its all-in-one suit whilst using her other hand to sling the blue, carry bag on to her shoulder, causing her narrow shoulder to slant with the added weight. “You’d have thought that after millennia of evolution that babies would have come up with a more effective manner to indicate what you want!” Duo said as she strode into the kitchen.

It was a pleasant room, smaller than the lounge but lighter n colour. A pale yellow clung to the walls, appearing brighter under the glare of the florescent lights. The cubicles, cupboards and draws were painted in a pale blue wash, the wooden grain still visible beneath it, giving the surfaces a faded appeal that some would claim endorsed character.

The work surfaces were made of white marble, heavy and hardwearing with faint black tendrils slithering through the surfaces in unique, individual patterns. The cubicles lined 3 of the 4 walls, with a grand, beige Aga set in between them on the right wall, it consisted of 2 large cooking ovens, and two smaller simmering ovens and had 8 hobs on its top. The central feature of the kitchen was a cube made of two cupboards, both with transparent glass doors that displayed in one a wide array of wines in their specific spots on the wine rack and in the other the wide array of wine glasses that would accompany the wines. The 4th wall was set with a large window and a door, painted in the same blue wash as the rest of the kitchen, that lead out into the back garden. In the dark it was difficult to make out, but the distinct silhouette of a child’s swing and slide could be made out, obviously there for Kelsey’s benefit.

All in all, the kitchen had both a warm, family element to it as well as a sophisticated charm.

Duo nodded in faint approval, she had to admit that Bernard and Eloise had a very beautiful home. She placed Kelsey. Fairly gently, upon the cube, whose surface was quickly covered in a sheen of dribble, tears and snot.

“Jeeze! Do you have to secrete from every available orifice!?” Duo snapped as she slammed down the carry bag and ferreted through the contents until she came across an empty bottle and a tub of milk powder. She looked at the instructions, reading through twice before she began the process.

She measured out the powder and dropped it into the bottle whilst ignoring the bundle of baby blue that was shuffling its way out of the corner of her eye. She added the liquid and shook the bottle up and down so that the concoction turned a pasty white. She looked at the microwave and smiled thankfully. “Thank God for that, I didn’t fancy trying to use that Aga. Duo said over Kelsey’s cries as she turned to face him

“Kelsey don’t!!!” Duo began as the child continued to shuffle on its butt, not realising he was sending himself on a gradual path the cube’s edge.

Duo stormed to the cube, but within the course of those few steps Kelsey had shuffled too close, lost his balance and sent himself hurtling over the edge…!!!

Duo…quite calmly…extended her right leg and caught the child with her foot; she stood there, balancing the baby precariously as she stared down at him, annoyance clear on her face. “You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you!?” She propelled her foot upwards sending Kelsey into the air, she calmly placed the unheated bottle upon the white marbled surface of the cube and extended her hands and effortlessly caught Kelsey in mid flight.

“Let’s try this again!” She plonked him down on the surface once more and set about putting the bottle in the microwave and heating it to the temperature required. Retrieving it from the microwave she set the item in front of Kelsey, “there you go, enjoy!” Duo said proudly.

Kelsey’s crying gradual grew to a faint sniffle as he regarded the item with interest, he tried to grab at it but the bottle was too big for his little hands, so his sniffling began to grow louder, and louder, and louder…

“Don’t tell me I have to fed you!? You can’t be that helpless!!!”

A sharp rap on the door prevented Duo from yelling at Kelsey anymore a she sighed with relief. “Please tell me that that’s Cissie!” She whispered hopefully as she watched Kelsey begin his butt-shuffling once more, edging closer and closer to another fall.

She picked him up by his clothes once more and placed her hands squarely on his chest she pinned him one handed to the wall, with her other hand she summoned 4 mini spears of red energy and in the blink of an eye she had cast them towards Kelsey so that they ripped into the clothing bunched about his shoulder and wrists, effectively pinning him to the kitchen.

“Hang there for a sec while I get the door!” Duo said with a cunning smile as she exited the kitchen with a chuckle on her lips, if she hadn’t been laughing she may have heard the distinctive sound of fabric beginning to tear as Kelsey’s all-in-one suit slowly began to tear against the spears…

“Cissie!!! Thank God!!!” Duo exclaimed as she opened the door to reveal the pretty frame of Cissie King-Jones, still decked out in her green Elias High uniform, her bright blond hair gleaming in the street lights' glare as she flicked it gracefully over her shoulder.

“Duo, you almost sound pleased to see me! I’m touched!” Cissie said with a pout as she placed a hand on her chest in a dramatic manner.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, now get in here and help me!” Duo said, the niceties swiftly diminishing as she grabbed Cissie’s wrist and dragged her into the warm house. “I am glad to see you Cissie...I’ve been here less then 20 minutes and I’m already sick to death of it!” Duo said, releasing Cissie’s wrist as she turned to look at her.

“Oh Duo! It really isn’t that bad, babysitting is a tradition amongst teenage girls…if you want to be your average, normal girl then babysitting definitely has to appear once or twice on your agenda.” Cissie said, she smiled reassuringly at Duo. She really did need to try and lighten up a little. Many of the girls of Elias High were already very weary of the black-eyed girl who naturally radiated a negative persona of “get the hell away from me”.

Many times Cissie had received querying looks from her class mates, some had even been bold enough to ask why she bothered hanging with the "grumpy, anti-social girl." Cissie did her best to defend Duo, often saying that she was “wonderful when you really get to know her”…but sometimes even Cissie doubted her own words.

Cassie had been intent on getting Duo to feel at home at both Elias High and on the Titan team…but Cissie had always felt that there was too larger a divided between Duo and the others due to her past, <perhaps if she can do more activities like this…she’ll see that she can really fit in…it’ll do her good, it’ll do everyone some good…> Cissie concluded.

The two headed for the kitchen, “Where have you put the baby…DUO!!!!!!!!!!” Cissie yelped, as the two walked into the kitchen to see the remaining fabric holding Kelsey to the kitchen wall fray and the child began it’s decent towards the hard, tiled floor.

Cissie acted instantly, surging forward she braced her hands on the cube and flipped herself over effortlessly, her feet connecting with the ground with a loud slap, she used the downwards momentum to crouch down low, and with her arms extended she caught Kelsey just inches above the ground, the added weight in her hands causing her knuckles to smack painfully into the floor.

“MMMMMMMMHHHMMMMMMMM!!!” Was the cry of pain that Cissie attempted to muffle by chewing into her bottom lip, she looked Kelsey over quickly and sighed in relief when she saw no blemishes to his frame, only to the pale blue all-in-one suit that he had been wearing. Cissie looked upwards and saw the tale-tale remains of red spears lodged into the wall, depicting all to well the events that had lead to the child’s brush with death. She shook her head in anger, <well with Duo what did I expect!!!> She mentally cursed as she hoisted the child onto her shoulder and turned with an angry look in her eye towards Duo who was still standing in the kitchen’s doorway.

“Nice save…” Duo muttered, she stood with her hands clasped behind her back and her head bent, averting her eyes, desperately trying to avoid the death glare she was getting from Cissie.

“WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?” Cissie screamed at the top of her lungs. “You do not, under ANY circumstances, PIN the baby you are babysitting to the WALL!!!” Cissie’s free hand swept through the air in wild gestures as though to add a visual aid to her words as she indicated the spears in the wall. “Not only did you almost get this baby killed, you have also damaged the wall!”

Cissie raked a hand through her long blond hair, her other desperately clasped Kelsey to her as she regarded Duo in exasperation. “Duo it’s not the most gruelling job in the world to look after a child!” Cissie cringed slightly at her words, she knew many people who had messed up that job, her mother included until recently. She sighed heavily, “How are you going to explain to the parents for the four little dents in their kitchen wall huh? And where in the hell did you get those spears from anyway?”

Duo looked up at her then, Cissie knew nothing of what had occurred the other night in that alley when Vittorio had paid her a visit, knew nothing of the new powers she had acquired as a result of that encounter. Duo slowly held out her right hand before her and concentrated on the energy, and slowly felt a pulsating develop in the tips of her fingers which manifested into raw, rouge energy that spurted from her finger tips, sharpening into knives on her command and soon she had five, sharp, elongated blades attached to the ends of her fingers. “Like this…” Duo said simply.

“Oh my…oh my God!” Cissie whispered in awe as she marvelled at the knives, she slowly placed Kelsey on the cube’s surface and carefully took the knifed hand in her own and turned it over to get a better look. “When…how can you do this?”

“Vit…I just can now…it was a gift…amongst other things…” Duo said and in the blink of an eye she and Cissie where enveloped in a sea of red energy spears of all different shapes and sizes, they span in a chaotic whirlwind about them, whipping Cissie’s hair about her and causing Duo’s braid to snap against her spine, and just as quickly…the spears were gone, the power diminished and dispersed back into it’s owner.

“Whoa!” Cissie whispered as she regarded Duo with keen interest. “That is kewl…pretty darn scary, but waay kewl!!!”

“Err…Ciss…the baby…” Duo said with a knowing smile as Cissie turned around and cursed loudly as Kelsey almost toppled off the cube for a second time. “He has a thing for butt-shuffling his way into danger.”

“No wonder you pinned the little rascal!” Ciss said with a hint of laughter in her tone, she then noticed the bottle, “Ah…so you were feeding him?”

“I gave him the bottle but he just sat there looking at it…” Duo said bemused.

“Duo,” Ciss sighed with a smile, “you have to actually feed him, hold him in your arms and place the bottle to his lips, like this…” Cissie said in a lecturing tone as she demonstrated holding Kelsey against her and positioning the bottle to his mouth, and sure enough he clasped a hold and began to drink. “Here…you have a go…my hands hurt and it’s not easy to hold him…” Ciss said manoeuvring Kelsey so that he was bundled in Duo’s arms. “Why don’t you go feed him in the living room, watch some T.V whilst he feeds.” Cissie suggested, “I’m going to get ice for my hands, he weighs more then you would expect for a baby!”

Duo nodded her agreement; Cissie’s knuckles were slowly beginning to swell.

Duo continued to hold Kelsey as Cissie had instructed and made her way to the living room. She sank down into the comfortable sofa, feeling the podgy cushions mould to her shape, she grabbed the remote that had been left on the arm of the sofa and turned on the TV and instantly the VCR kicked in. The television screen came alive with little elves, gnomes and fairies that were prancing around like erratic morons.

Duo looked at Kelsey awkwardly as she held the bottle to his lips, and watched him hungrily devour the contents of the bottle; all the while his eyes were eagerly trained on the television set, his eyes following the pink fairies as the flew across the screen and was seemingly delighted by the sight of their wings…at least he was being quiet, for which Duo was more then grateful.

Soon enough Kelsey had finished the bottle’s contents and seemed much happier for it, he was wriggling in Duo’s lap, intent on getting a better view of the TV. Duo placed him upon the floor by her feet so that he had a full frontal view of the contraption and made herself comfortable on the sofa, curling her legs beneath her and making herself quite at home, she snarled and mocked the…fluffy pinkness of the TV show. “They show children this garbage! No wonder today’s youth is defined as being mentally retarded!”

“Hey! It’s not that bad! Many would say it’s cute!” Cissie said from the doorway. Although she had had her own bad run-ins with apparently cute and adorable children’s programmes…often the cuddly and cute brought out the brutal and psychotic tendencies in society’s youth, although she refrained from telling Duo of that particular experience. “Anyway…it seems to be keeping him occupied…” no sooner were the words out of her mouth when the end credits rolled onto the screen along with a selection of cheesy music, and instantly Kelsey’s tears returned full force.

“Cissie, rewind the tape, rewind the tape!” Duo yelped covering her ears. Cissie dashed for the VCR and accidentally pushed the fast forward button, then half way through the VCR processing the command she realised her mistake and jabbed several times at the rewind button…the VCR, unable to comprehend the various commands it was receiving, slowly began to spit out streams of brown tape.

“Oh no!” Cissie gasped, stabbing at the stop button and then the eject, thankfully the wretched machine complied…but it was too late for the tape… “Curses! It’s chewed the tape!” Cissie moaned from her kneeled position on the floor, she held up the demolished remains of the fluffy, lovey-dubby tape for Duo to see.

Duo, under normal circumstances would have applauded the destruction of such material, but the child on the floor, whose main purpose in life appeared to be to wail the foundations of the house down, had appeared to have been awed into silence by the tape’s images. “Now what are we to do…those annoying fairy things are the only things asides from food that seem to keep Kelsey quiet.

“Duo! I’ve got it!” Cissie cried in delight, she too had to admit that Kelsey’s continuous screaming was incredibly annoying. “You said it yourself! He liked the fairies and stuff…you have wings! Perhaps the sight of your wings will calm him down!” Cissie said, jumping to her feet in excitement.

“You want me to show my wings to the brat in the vain hope that it will shut him up?” Duo asked in a doubtful tone.

“Do you have a better idea!” Cissie said, waving the streams of tape in front of Duo to show that the normal course of action to shut Kelsey up was no longer available.

“No…” Duo admitted sulkily, suddenly she was incredibly thankful that she hadn’t called any of the others for help, especially Supersonic, he’d have taken the mick out of her so badly for her lack of babysitting skills she didn’t think she would have ever have been able to live it down, at least Cissie was almost as bad as she was…between the two of them they would be lucky to survive the night’s events.

“Good!” Cissie said triumphantly. “You get set on getting your wings out, I’m going to throw this tape away, don’t want Kelsey getting caught in the streams.” She said in a responsible tone as she headed for the door, the long streams of brown tape swirling behind her.

“Why not? Perhaps he’ll choke himself!” Duo muttered as Cissie exited the room. As Duo regarded the wailing bundle, which was still clasped in the ruined all-in-one suit, the thought of ripping out his vocal chords was suddenly exceptionally appealing. But Duo decided to use that as a very, very, VERY last resort, for now she concentrated on her wings and within seconds the mass of white feathers was visible.

“There you go kid! Enjoy!” Duo said with a smirk as she fully outstretched her wings. She got the result she wanted, Kelsey’s eyes were fully trained on her and his wailing slowly ground to a halt as she stared at the mass of white feathers. Shuffling on his butt to get closer he held out his hands, the podgy fingers stretch wide.

“I think he wants to touch them.” Ciss said as she smiled at Kelsey, there was urgency in his reaching hands and crinkled face, a need to touch the wings that would probably result in more crying if he wasn’t indulged.

Duo cringed at the prospect but she reached down and picked Kelsey up and held him near her shoulder, instantly he thrust his little hands into her wings and she had to bite back a cry as she felt one of two feathers ripped from her wings.

“Hey kiddo, don’t do that! That...OWCH!!!” Duo hissed as another feather joined the selection already littering the lounge’s floor. “Damn kid that hurts almost a much as when Will decided to blow a hold in my wing…I still owe him for that…” Duo said to Cissie who shook her head to muffle her laughter as Kelsey proceeded in ripping out a few more feathers out. “Kelsey I swear if you don’t stop that I’ll…”

The sound of retching followed by the slick, liquid sensation trailing down Duo’s left wing revealed all too well what had happened. “Oh…my…God…” Duo whispered, stretching out each word as the reality slowly began to sink in. The liquid goo was gradually filtering into the unblemished brilliance of her wings, sliding into the feathers so they clogged together as the substance began to cake quickly, turning it a mixture of colours, the foundation of which was beige but with the odd splodge of green or red swirled into the blend.

Duo’s onyx eyes were wide with horror as she gazed at the open-mouth Cissie, “please don’t tell me he did what I think he’s done…” Duo begged as she tentatively withdrew Kelsey from her. Visibly cringing as she felt the trail of dribble he left behind and the smell of vomit on his breath was all the evidence needed.

“HE BARFED ON ME!!!” Duo shrieked almost dropping Kelsey in her anger and disbelief. Cissie surged forward and grabbed Kelsey from the infuriated Duo, holding him close and even turning her back partially on Duo to ensure the baby was out of it’s reach.

“No Duo it was a little accident…these things happen…it’s perfectly normal…” Cissie said cautiously, attempting to reason with Duo who had unconsciously summoned a horde of red spears that were zipping uncontrollably about the room, barely missing various vases and whatnot that the two girls would have a hard time explaining the damages of to Eloise and Bernard.

“PERFECTLY NORMAL! THAT HORRID BRAT BARFED ON ME!!! NOT ONLY ON ME BUT ON MY WINGS!!!” Duo said pulling her right wing forward so she could examine the partially digested food and stomach acid that was currently clogging her wings.

“Duo it’s all part of the experience, every one has been barfed on by a baby, it’s part of the tradition of babysitting…” Cissie said in a soothing manner as she rocked Kelsey against her, he appeared to have finished his vomiting spree, or otherwise simply liked Cissie enough to avoid vomiting on her school uniform.

“No Cissie! It is not part of the tradition of babysitting to have a horrid little abomination vomit on your wings! Honestly, it’s not so bad on clothing, but I can’t even detach my wings to get them DRY CLEANED!!!” Duo yelled.

“You use dry cleaning?” Cissie asked inquisitively, looking at Duo in mild surprise.

“What? Err…no…I was simply trying to show that I can’t detach my wings to clean them in a washing machine…I don’t care that much about my clothes…” Duo said, attempting to cover up being caught out, in her rambling the red spears had decreased in velocity and were dispersing into the air.

“Whatever…” Cissie said with a hidden smile. She then noticed the floor…”Duo the vomit is dripping onto the rug, go in the kitchen and get yourself cleaned up, take Kelsey too, he need to be cleaned up as well…I’ll grab a cloth and some disinfectant and take care of the carpet!” Cissie instructed as she went into the kitchen.

“Oh so you care about the rug but not about my wings!!!” Duo yelled insulted, she held back an insult of her own and grabbed Kelsey once again by his ruin all-in-one suit and stormed after Cissie into the kitchen. Cissie was busy ferreting through the cupboards looking for the disinfectant, she was withdrawing various items and placing them on the side next to the sink where the hot tap was currently running and filling the blue washing bowl with soapy water. Amidst the collection of assorted bottles was washing up liquid, vinegar, a variety of food dies, sunflower oil etc.

“I found the washing up liquid, perhaps you can use that on your wings, it’s lemon scented so it should get rid of the vomit smell!” Cissie said without turning round, “damn where the hell do they keep the disinfectant…AHA! Found it!” She exclaimed whilst withdrawing a bottle of green solution, she already had a rag in her hand; she turned to Duo with a determined glint in her eye. “I’ll start on the lounge, you clean yourself and Kelsey up, ok?”

Duo nodded her consent and she plopped Kelsey on the side, “Stay put, I’m going grab a cloth and towel,” Duo said as she turned to look in a draw where she had seen Cissie retrieving her own rag.

Now, after the previous experiences involving the cube in the kitchen, many would have kept an exceptionally close eye on the young boy who has a distinct habit of butt-shuffling his way into trouble. Once again Kelsey started his erratic little dance that propelled him forwards towards the wide array of bottles situated but a few feet from him. And as Duo rummaged about in the draw, selecting a couple of cloths and towels that she deemed appropriate for cleaning up vomit, Kelsey, bug-eyed and cheery examined the array of plastic bottles that were currently consuming his vision, and being the happy little child that he was he decided to choose the most colourful of the entire bunch, a beautiful little bottle that fitted snugly within his hand. It’s label was white, a stark contrast to the vivid red liquid within and the writing on the bottle was also written in a wonderful bright red, “RED – Natural food colouring”.

The caps on these particular bottles for some reason never appear to fit the bottles very easily, making them incredible easy to open even to those most clumsy of digits. Within seconds Kelsey had removed the lid and was staring in awe at the contents of the bottle, giggling ecstatically he waved the hand in which the bottle was clasped in the air, finding it incredible amusing how the red fluid flew from the bottle with the movement. The wild flinging caused the small bottle to fly from Kelsey’s grasp…

The faint slosh of something connecting with water was barely audible over the sound of the running water still flowing into the washing up bowl, diluting and mixing the red food colouring into he water, concealing it amongst the foamy bubbles created by the lemon fragranced washing up liquid that Cissie had added to the bowl.

“Here we go!” Duo said, holding up the cloths. She walked to the sink and turned off the tap and dropped the cloths into the washing bowl, watching them sink into the liquid as they absorbed the water, she turned to Kelsey. “I’m cleaning up before you, I’m sure you’re use to dwelling in your own bodily fluids but personally I don’t wish to dwell in your expelled bodily fluids!” She said, shivering with the feel of the vomit that was swiftly turning into a crust on her wings, <my poor wings…I’d rather have Will burn another hole in them then have that little monster vomit on them! > Duo looked at the collection of bottles and set about returning them from whence they came, making sure the surface was clear so she could wash her wings and Kelsey too.

She manoeuvred herself so the her wing was placed as much as possible on the marbled surface but still accessible to her, although much of the top half of her wing was beyond her line of site, and the area where the majority of the vomit had collected. She grabbed on cloth and not bothering to wring out the water applied it to her wing and began to scrub viciously, feeling relieved that the substance was swiftly trickling out of her feathers, she reached in between her shoulder blades and the top parts of her wings, on occasion replacing the cloth to absorb more water before repeating the process.

Kelsey sat patiently on the surface, watching Duo in fascination, his eyes never leaving her wings, they seemed to be growing wider and wider as he regarded them.

“Honestly kid, after staring at the damn things for 10 minutes you’d have thought you’d have begun to get tired of them!” Duo pulled her wing round in front of her to begin washing away the few tendrils that had slithered down to the ends of her wings, she grabbed the cloth for about the 6th time the soaked rag to her wings and scrubbed vigorously again…

“ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The ear-splitting scream almost succeeded in fissuring Cissie’s eardrums as her heart leapt into her throat. Duo had screamed…Duo never screamed…

Cissie ran full pelt into the kitchen, not caring that she banged her already swelled knuckles painfully on the doorframe.

“WHAT IS IT!? WHAT HAPPENED!? ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?” She said, the words a meshed blur.

Duo stood stock still in the middle of the kitchen, grasping her wing, which had change drastically in colour.

“My…my wings…it’s…PINK!!!!!!!!”

Cissie regarded the horrified expression on Duo’s face as she clung to her wings, which had been stained a vivid pink. Usually she would have chuckled at the situation, but Duo’s reaction made her refrain, she appeared to be genuinely upset…she’d even screamed! And Duo does not scream!

Cissie went over to the washing up bowl, the majority of the frothy bubbles had dissolved and the discolouration to the water was now very visible, as was the faint outline of a small bottle through the translucent liquid. Cissie curled her fingers around the edge of the water bowl, ensuring that her fingers did not connect with the water, she tip it so the water went down the sink until all that was left was the little bottle. She reached in and gingerly retrieved the item, the label was a soggy mass but the printed words were still legible “RED – Natural food colouring”. Cissie bit her lip and turned to face Duo who had been watching her like a hawk.

“Erm…this appears to be the culprit…it was one of the bottles that…that I left on the side…it must have accidentally been knocked into the water."

“Accidentally! ACCIDENTALLY!!! I don’t think so!” She said as she roughly grabbed one of Kelsey’s hands and peeling back his clenched fingers to reveal the red dye’s impression into the grooves of his palm. “This scum child was responsible!”

“Duo let go of him!!!” Cissie said smacking Duo’s hand so she released the grip she had on Kelsey. “If you’re going to blame him you have to blame me too! I left the bottles there so it was a combined effort, and for the love of Pete, the dye will fade eventually, it’s not as though it’s on your face or anywhere really embarrassing! It’s only on your wings…”

“Only on my wings…” Duo interrupted in an astonished whisper.

Cissie knew instinctively that she had said the wrong thing; she could taste it in the air. She had come to be able to read Duo quite well, Duo always attempted to hide her true feelings but quite often she made herself all the more transparent through her efforts. When Duo was initially annoyed or only mildly ticked she had a habit of yelling, but when she was truly hurt, she became quite, reserved and spoke to others with an icy cold distain. Duo avoided Cissie look, the flesh about the top of her nose crinkled slightly as she frown and her eyes narrowed. “You’re right…it was only my wings…” She turned from Cissie and began to clean up the cloths she had been using.

Cissie bit her lip hard, <Dammit! I just never know how she’s bloody going to react!> She sighed heavily, she supposed that Duo cared about her wings as much as she did about her hair and appearance, if her hair had been dyed pink, even if only for a few days, without her permission she would be pretty ticked off as well.

“Duo…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. Look, Kelsey has been burped and I’m pretty sure that he’s not going to chuck up again…if you sit on the stool and hold him, I’ll wash your wings. I’ll be able to access them better so we might be able to get more of the dye out that way…” Cissie suggested.

Duo knew that Ciss hadn’t meant to offend her and she readily accepted her apology, no point in taking things out on others just because she felt rotten inside and out, and at least it was Cissie who was with her. Once again she praised the fact that she hadn’t asked Marxy to tag along, one look at her wings and he would have had a field day taking the mick out of her for it, especially since she made such a fuss about hating the colour pink!

“Thanks Ciss…and…” she turned and smiled faintly, “I’m sorry I snapped.”

“It’s not me you should be apologising to,” Cissie said with a knowing smile as she motioned to Kelsey with a tilt of her head.

“You can’t be serious!” Duo said regarding the child with the same dislike.

“Yes I’m serious, you almost yanked his arm off back there, now apologise to him, if we don’t set a good example now then he may very well grow up to be one of the bad guys that we…you have to fight! Now apologise!”

“But…but I can’t…that little wretch…” Ciss cut her off…

“…Is only a baby and cannot be held responsible for his actions, so he cried, vomited and so on and so forth, what did you think he was going to do!? Now if you don’t apologise right here and now I am walking out of that front door and you’ll be stuck with the little tyke all by yourself until the parents come home!” Cissie said in a tartly tone and she placed a hand on her hip and gave Duo a glare that would have made even Superboy back up a pace or two.

“Fine!” Duo muttered in defeat, she walked up to Kelsey who was currently curled quite snugly in Cissie’s arms. “I’m…I’m sorry brat!”

“DUO!”

“FINE! I’m sorry K-e-l-s-e-y!” She said, emphasising his name in a hissed tone.

“That’s the best I’m going to get from you isn’t it!?” Cissie said laughing as she tumbled Kelsey into Duo’s arms, she grimaced as he squirm in her arms until he made himself comfortable, nestling down he rested quietly in her arms, fascinated by her long chestnut braid, he coiled his chubby little digits about the red strands that her teacher has so violently objected to.

Duo sat down on one of the stools, Cissie grabbed the washing bowl filled with luke-warm water, and she double-checked it to ensure that there were no pink tendrils of dye still in its remains. She placed the bowl on the floor beneath Duo’s wings to ensure that no water fell from her wings onto the tiled floor.

She gently took one of Duo’s wings, brushing the feathers flat, she was amazed at how silky the wings felt, and those areas not blemished by the pink splodges were a glistening white, emitting a silver aura about them. <No wonder she’s annoyed…her wings are truly beautiful…>. She soaked the cloth in the warm water and wrung out all of the excess water, the began to softly scrubbed the feather, the pink splodges diluting under the cloths, still leaving their blemishing touch but it was gradually fading. “The pink’s coming off but I’m afraid that there’s still going to be a faint impression, it’s going to take a few days to fully fade…so I would suggest that you keep your wings hidden if their pinkness is to be an embarrassment.”

“Marvellous! Thanks a lot kid, I’m stuck being wingless for the next few days, the terrifying angel of Death with pink wings, that’s really going to instil fear in the villainous scum of the planet isn’t it!?” Kelsey gave her a gurgled smile, twisting her braid through his fingers.

“You know what…I think that you two are growing on each other.” Cissie said with a meaningful smile as she ran a towel over Duo’s wings to absorb the excess water.

“You have got to be joking!” Duo said rolling her eyes.

“Well he seems to be keeping quiet, especially when you’re talking, he must like the sound of your voice, plus he has a thing for your braid!” Cissie said, almost spilling the water from the washing bowl she was carrying to the sink when she saw the ends of Duo’s braid being drawn into the slobbering orifice situated in Kelsey’s face, namely his mouth. “Face it Duo, he loves you, he loved your wings, your braid, your voice, it’s a match made in heaven.”

“Hell more like it! Damn that place won’t leave me alone!” Duo said, she had to admit that if all this had been happening to anyone else she would have been in a fit of giggles. The same when Marxy had performed his super-wedgie stunt on the entire Teen Titans team…it was hilarious, if she hadn’t been a victim of it. “Fine…in some weird, alternate dimension, this puking, screaming, snotty creature could be considered as cute.” Duo confessed.

“Oh my word Duo it’s 10:30!!! The teachers are going to be doing their rounds soon! I have to get back to Elias!” Cissie said, dumping the bowl in the sink and rushing into the living room where she had discarded her blazer.

“What do you mean!? You can’t leave me Ciss!” Duo said, her voice rising as panic set in, bad guys in all shapes and sizes she could deal with, but the thought of being alone with the baby terrified her more then anything.

“Duo, you and Cass are both meant to be at Elias this weekend, what’s going to happen when it’s discovered that neither of you and myself are there! I can’t expect Greta to have to deal with it, and I have a mild influence over the teachers so they may be more willing to turn a blind eye if I’m there to cover for you…honestly the number of times I have to put myself on the line for you guys is unbelievable!” Cissie said ranting whilst walking into the hallway, Duo at her heels with Kelsey still in her arms, he was stirring more now at the sound of Duo’s agitated and anxious voice.

“Duo…I did as you asked, I came and helped, and as long as you keep Kelsey away from food dye and ensure that you burp him properly after feeding you are going to be fine, and note that you owe me big time for tonight!” Ciss said.

“But…but…” Kelsey’s sniffling was growing louder, becoming upset at the alteration in Duo’s tone from the laid back note it held a little while ago when she had been having her wings treated.

“Duo, remain calm, you’re upsetting Kelsey…look he’s probably pretty tired by now, and the calmer you are around him the more likely he is just to lapse into sleep. I suggest that you just keep talking to him, rock him in necessary, once he’s asleep this babysitting will be a breeze, you’ll see!” Cissie said, placing a hand on Duo’s shoulder in a reassuring manner. “Duo…this is normalcy…and I think…, I get the impression that after recent events you need a chill out period, away from the trials and tribulation of being Shinigami or a Titan. I wouldn’t have suggested babysitting…personally I would have done a girls’ night in of videos and ice cream, but this is how things have turned out. Send Kelsey to the land of nod then raid their food supply, crash in front of the TV and pig out to your heart’s content!” Cissie instructed firmly whilst slipping on her shoes, which she had hastily discarded when she had first been dragged into the house.

Duo listened intently to what Cissie had to say, it was true, she did need a supposed “chill out session”, and even though this child had been the furthest thing from a chill out session, she did feel all the more “normal” for having had this experience thrust upon her. “I know I’ll be fine…as long as I don’t mutilate the baby in any way or have him drive me to the brink of my sanity everything will be perfect.” Duo said confidently, even though her stomach was flipping with uncertainties.

“See, you’re already into the swing of things, Kelsey only barfed and turned your wings pink because you pinned him to the wall, so you’re both equal. But you still owe me…so cheerleader tryouts are on Thursday and I’ll expect to see you there!” Cissie added quickly onto the end of her sentence, ensuring that the front door was open before she mentioned it so she could quickly dash outside to safety.

“Yeah, okay…WHAT!!!???” Duo said from her position at the front door, as soon as she raised her voice Kelsey’s sniffles picked up. “What?” Duo asked again. Her voice quieter as to squash Kelsey’s tears.

“Payback…that’s what! I want to try out for the cheerleader squad but I don’t want to alone. I’m already working on Cass and Greta but I want you to try out too. You’ve already got the babysitting aspect of being a teenage girl down, cheerleading is just another step. And I’m sure you’ll be amazing at it!!!” Cissie said, actually jumping up and down with the prospect of it.

“Oh no!” Duo said shaking her head in disbelief at the proposal. “Not a chance!”

“Oh stop being so frigid!!! I bet you’d enjoy yourself but you’re soooooooo busy being reserved and blocking yourself off that you have no idea how to have any fun!” Cissie said, her voice picking up, the only noise amidst the quiet street. “So life has sucked for the last God knows how many years! Get over it, live in the here and now! You are now Duo Merquise, an ordinary, apparently 17 year old girl, you have friends, and you go to school! Grant you have wings and are part of a teen super-hero group but so what!?” Cissie said staling closer to Duo, pointing at her with her index finger to emphasise her words. “That does not excuse you neglecting the teenage girl aspect of your persona! Now stop being so damn stuck in your ways! You are going to try out for the cheerleader squad and I bet you 10 bob that you damn well enjoy it! I bet that on some level you even like the colour pink!” Cissie’s rant ground to a halt, she was breathing heavily, her hands on her hips and a completely peeved expression on her face.

Duo had very rarely seen Cissie get in a strop over anything, the fact that she was for Duo’s benefit meant that Duo could do little more then smile fondly at her. Cissie had summed her up quite well and was willing to put in the time and effort to get her to experience life…even if babysitting and cheerleading was a peculiar way to do so in Duo’s eyes, she could be nothing more then grateful!

“Okay…I’ll do cheerleading…and I’ll take you up on that bet also!” Duo concluded.

“Fair enough. Gotta bail, catcha later. I’ll leave the window open for you so you can get back in. Later!” And Duo was left on the doorstep watching the retreating form of Cissie King-Jones.

Duo slowly turned her attention back to Kelsey, who was staring up at her, his puppy-dog expression firmly in place and the end of her braid in his mouth. She sighed, he looked happy, and as long as he was being quiet she could deal with the drool-covered braid.

“Looks like it’s just us two again!” Duo said with a sigh as she retreated into the living room after ensuring that the front door was securely bolted. She sunk down into the sofa, loving the way that the soft filling melded to accommodate her shape, she kept Kelsey on her lap, her was still curled up against her, his warm little body squirming now and then and he made the occasional faint gurgling sound about her braid. Duo clasped the remote and flicked through a few channels although none of the TV channels appealed to her. She rose and turned off the TV and moved to the CD player and turned it on, not bothering to see what was playing. Instantly the room was engulfed in the soft music of Madame Butterfly, several voices, powerful, ruptured the sound waves with their pleasing speech. An elegant suffusion of power and beauty, an the female voice became the dominant, the notes longer and drawn, laced with a sorrow…

Kelsey began to stir, restless, sleep seeming to elude him as it so frequently did Duo, and the music remained prominent even as Duo spoke over it to Kelsey.

“Look kid…apparently you seem to be more quiet when someone talks to you…I don’t know what to talk to you about.” Duo looked around the room for inspiration…she doubted the child would be interested in the classical music and Duo was a novice in terms of her knowledge on the subject. In truth she knew incredibly little about anything other then pain and suffering that she had seen many endure and would probably continue to see.

Then it seemed obvious…she knew what was on her mind, what she was thinking of. It seemed rather ludicrous to confide in a speechless babe then those she cared for and had cared for her…but perhaps that was the point. He was speechless, and her words would be beyond him…perhaps it was time she addressed this…

“Okay Kelsey…let me tell you a story…let me tell you my story…” Duo said whilst taking a deep breath to still her nerves, and for the first time since it had occurred she revealed the true depth of her lives.

The colours were fading…the majestic glory she had found was dulling as darkness tainting the fringes, marring the kaleidoscope as the shades lost their individual spark…

Someone had told her blood was red…they would never know…

Blood was life, and life was so colourful. It shone like fragmented prisms, refracting the light into all the colours of the spectrum…and amidst the red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet there was so much more…so many more sub-divisions. Scarlet and crimson were the basis, but they twisted and spiralled upwards to give birth to auburn, sallow, emerald, cerulean, mauve wisps that shrouded her vision.

And the beige of her flesh was melding too, enclosed in never ending colour as she swept her hand before her face, marvelling at how its structure unravelled with the crimson flow that engulfed it…

But as the colours meshed and the darkness slipped in, ravaging the brilliance, she found she could no longer raise her hands to shield the glory from the opaque shadows’ attack. They were weighted at her sides, her whole body fading into the pain…and the black mass that made to shroud the sky grew in clarity, and a face took formation.

Slender cheekbones rose high and the structure of his face was long and graceful, the flesh that hung onto the skeletal frame was taut and pale, almost ashen in colour and moulded to the bones. The shadows fell deep into the cervices of the flesh, emphasising the defined features. The mouth was composed of thin, stretched lips, chapped in the centre as he raked his teeth over their surface, the bottom lips slowly unravelling from between the rows of teeth, yellow from neglect and cigars.

His eyes were sunken, embedded deep within the crows’ feet that ripped at the flesh about his eyes, frenzied by his actions, fuelling the sickened glee. And hand reached out and fingers wrapped themselves in her chestnut locks, wrenching her head upwards until she stared into the depths of cerulean blue eyes and his words were lost in the rhythm of the blood pounding in her ears. She sank back onto the hard, cobbled floor as her hair was released, and with the last of her strength, she whispered a plea, "God...someone...save me...".

And the end came in the form of battered boot, stamping down on her face, fragmenting the bones of her nose, the shattered pieces ripping into her brain…the final act that brought about her demise…the colours faded…as did the light…

* * * * * * * *

She had been greeted at the brink of Heaven…in truth it was very different from the visions that many held of golden gates that soured high clasped amidst the cleansed white clouds.

No, it had been a place of neutral energy; neither positive rays from Heaven admitted the vicinity nor the negative of Hell.

He stood off to the side, no more than a hundred meters from her, his waist-length white hair shimmered as it flowed down his back. He stood; his posture was tall enveloped by his wings of heavenly splendor, spread wide as though to regard existence itself.

And then I saw his face…that beautifully sculpted face of pallid porcelain crafted by God’s own hand. And his eyes, their cobalt depths turned midnight blue with his benevolently virtuosos gaze, which was directed at her.

“Hello…don’t be alarmed…” he whispered, his wings flapped gently in the dead air as he levitated towards her, he emitted an endless calm from his physique that bathed her also, causing any fear that she had been feeling to receded swiftly, leaving her in a soothing mood.

“My name is Raphael,” his voice a smooth as velvet, no threatening tinge. “I am here to guide you.” He said simply, tilting his head in a polite manner to indicate his service.

“You’re…you’re an…” he mind was confounded, the last thing she could remember was being…beaten…pain…and the colours fading…and now she was in this empty place with an…

“Angel?” Raphael offered helpfully with a faint smile. He flapped his wings to certify her thoughts, “I am an angel indeed, sent from Heaven to find you…you appear to be a little…lost…” he commented motioning to the neutral area that they were currently stationed it.

“I’m…I’m sorry…I…I don’t know what’s happening” she said helplessly, still feeling peculiarly calm but knowing that her concerns were important in their origin.

Raphael smiled apologetically and rested a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. “Then I shall explain things to you. You were the victim of a most unfortunate incident…torture…” suddenly his tone turned icy and his eyes darkened even further as they were fueled by sorrow’s thrive. “As you undoubtedly have come to realize or will have now is that you did not survive…this is a form of purgatory, a place where those who have had life unjustly stolen from them wonder to for they do not know the way to their final resting place.” He looked into her hazel eyes and saw the light of understanding in their midst.

It made sense, and surprisingly it was not an incredible shock to the system…it was as though the knowledge was obvious and couldn’t be argued with, she was dead…and now she was to be lead to her final resting place by this angel Raphael…then why did she feel…unfulfilled? Obviously in her eyes her life had been cut short prematurely…yet even though she was encased in an endless calm and fully understood the angel’s words…even wanted to abide by them…

“Where am I meant to go?” She asked.

“Heaven of course…your life has been a short one and filled with no deeds of great evil, your place in Heaven is secure and it is there that I shall lead you.” Raphael claimed, holding out his hand to her, a swarm of silver light smothering his being.

“And what of those responsible?” She asked, the calm quickly retreating as she balled her fists and felt the human emotion of anger tainting the neutral environment.

“They shall remain on Earth until their time has come…and when that day comes they shall receive their comeuppance…”

“AND THAT’S IT!?” She yelled, her tone harsh, yet the angel continued to stare at her, a look of sincere sympathy only enhancing the beauty of his features. “They get to continue living…they get to experience the fullness of life! And I’m just meant to go off to Heaven and live happily ever after and leave the memory of it all behind!? It happened but moments ago! The pain, the fear…” she curled her fingers into her hair as though to hold her mind together as her breathing grew ragged.

Raphael surged forward and grasped her in a firm embrace, “child please...I know it is painful and unjust, but they shall receive their punishment in due time, but you should not torture yourself anymore…Heaven awaits you and there you shall find true happiness and peace…” He ran a slender finger down her cheek to wipe away the tear that traced a salty path down her flushed face.

“And what of the others…” she choked out, “what of those they have yet to hurt, scar…kill…” the tears were an endless flurry now, she was a lonely 17 year old girl, refusing consolation from an angel of the Lord. “What of my family? What of their pain, those who have to continue living in sorrow!?” She asked him, begging him for an answer, but in that instant…words left him, he had no answers or the weeping child.

“I’m not going with you…I’m going back…I’m going to stop it, stop anyone else getting hurt!” She vowed backing up from the angel with a sorrowful expression engraved into her features.

“You cannot return…”

“Well…that depends on who you talk to.” Came a sensuous tone from behind her and she whirled round to face him. He was stunningly beautiful…even more so than Raphael with his jet black hair and ashen wisp through the fringe that fell into his violet eyes that swept over her frame wit a luscious look in his stare. He was tall and lean and he was clasped in a tight fitting crushed velvet top that curved to his torso and black leather hipsters. He sauntered over to her with the grace of a cat; pushing Raphael roughly out of the way her placed a tentative finger to her lips to hush her protest of the act. Slowly he circled her, trailing his vision over her, examining her thoroughly, occasionally outstretching a hand to caress her hair or face.

“I think I may be able to help you with your little…” he titled his head to the side as her thought of an appropriate term of phrase…“quest.”

“Step away from her!” Raphael hissed, his voice vicious as he placed himself in between the newcomer and the girl.

“Always such a bore aren’t we Raphael…you’re not still sour about the last time we met are you…if you’re going to get into a fight then you have to be prepared to loose, especially against me.” He smiled coyly filtering a strand of Raphael’s white hair through his thumb and forefinger.

“You fight without honour or moral.” Raphael hissed back, twisting his head to disengage the lock of hair.

“I can help you child…he doesn’t want you to fight against those who hurt you…he wants you to run away crying and forget that it ever happened. But you’re stronger then THAT!” He yelled grasping Raphael by the throat and squeezing. “He has no will to fight and he wants you to be the same, he collects the souls of those who were too weak to fight back and keeps them that way.” He released his grip, thrusting Raphael back cruelly with a forward kick.

He turned to her then and clasped her gently by the shoulders, “I know someone who can help you, give you the power you need to become strong enough to fight, who can let you return to Earth…”

She looked into his violet eyes and felt herself being drawn by his words, his promises, se cast a quick glance over the fallen Raphael, <it would be wonderful to run away and never have to worry about it again…but there are other…others who need saving…perhaps I can save them…> she thought.

“Okay…” she whispered, “I’ll go with you.”

“The journey there will hurt, you will not be accustom to it, but I promise you, it will definitely be worth it!” The stranger promised, smiling brilliantly at him as though he had just acquired a new toy.

“Show me…” she whispered.

“NOOO!!!” Raphael screamed using his wings to fly forward, his hand outstretched to her…but he was too late…she was falling…

And the fires of Hell ruptured the ground as the judgment of her came to consummate her fate. The flames licked at her flesh causing it to blister and burst, melting her frame to liquid magma to quench the fires thirst, condemning her to its realm for eternity. And as her bones turning to charcoaled dust all she could do was cling to the stranger, her arms wrapping about him and her frightened tears failed to fan the flames. But before the malevolent flames fuelled by blacked deeds clamed her completely Raphael grasped her hand and whispered, “the only gift that I can offer you…” and wings of whitened pearl tore out of her spine and shone with the light of Heaven, her only gift before she fell…

“Kelsey…why did you decide to do a dump during me talking about my dissension to Hell?” Duo asked the squirming bundle in her arms, the distinct smell was slowly wafting through the air and she twiddled her nose in distaste. Amazingly, Kelsey had been uncannily quiet throughout her entire speech, her voice, glazed by the emotions of her pass had meshed with the surreal music of Madame Butterfly to generate a serene atmosphere that was alluringly calm and had kept the child enthralled, even though her words were wasted on him her tone was not.

“Okay kid…I suppose I’d have to learn to do this sooner or later.” Duo said, hoisting him onto her shoulder as she ferreted about in the carry bag for a nappy. She placed him on the changing mat on the lounge floor and undid the soiled nappy. She almost gagged at the smell. “Whoa Kelse! That’s almost as bad as the stench coming off some of the residents of Hell…you should be proud!” She said happily to the giggling child. She was amazed to find that it was relatively easy to change the nappy. And as she did so her mind wondered back to her descent to Hell, and after the previous night’s events, and with the knew light that had been shed on events…she supposed that she had been blind…


As the wings exploded from her spine she clung to the stranger even more, and felt his arms gently encircle her waist. “Don’t be afraid…” she had looked up into the violet gaze to see, what she now realized was a look of concern and reassurance. “My name is Vittorio,” he whispered, placing his forehead against hers, “You don’t have to be afraid…”

As she finished with Kelsey’s nappy and placed him on her shoulder once more as she deposited his soiled nappy in the bin. “You know what Kelse…?” She asked, not realizing how easily she had resorted to shortening his name to give him his own nickname. “I think I was a fool…” she said with a sad smile, “I think it was obvious from the start…”

“Vittorio kinda forgot to mention that the so-called person who could help me return to Earth to stop this kinda thing ever happening again would be none other then Lucifer himself, ruler of Hell, Satan!” Duo said, her voice deepening dramatically to dramatise her words to the giggling Kelsey who watched her with wide eyes. “I have to admit that that came as a bit of a shock!” Kelsey pulled on her braid tightly as he pulled himself into a standing position on her lap…he wavered slightly, unstable on his chubby little legs, but his fingers curled tightly in her braid only tightened as he almost toppled. Duo instantly wrapped her hands about his thin waist and steadied him. “Are you going to sit and listen to me or yank on my braid all…OWCH!!!” Duo yelped as she untangled Kelsey’s fingers from her hair. “Damn Kelse!” she muttered as she held him by the waist…he stood there giggling at her, holding his hands out to her, fingers spread wide, pointing at her…

“No, I’m not conjuring any spears just to keep you entertained!” Kelsey suddenly decided that he didn’t like standing and did a little jump and let his legs go limp and he landed on his bum with a little thud. “You ready now?” she asked rhetorically.

“Lucifer wasn’t too impressed with me, I had good intentions so he didn’t think at first e was going to be able to put me to use, remembering back now, Vittorio had to do a lot of negotiating to get me a place in hell…and now I know why I finally got accepted,” Kelsey didn’t notice her change in tone, the slight pang, the hitch in her voice…he was too captivated by her fingers as he wrapped his entire hand around her index finger and shook it slightly, glaring at it with intent as though he was looking for the source of the red knives. “I was accepted because it would cause Vittorio pain…nothing more, nothing less…I remember the pact clearly, it was the same night I made my first kill…”

* * * * * * * *

Vittorio raked his fingers softly through her long chestnut hair, splitting it’s bulk into three strands and braiding it, taking his time to caress the soft bangs…it was the day that she was to be taking in by Satan…the night that she was to become his to mould. Everything was ready…it wasn’t a complicated ritual, nor a long one, but an important one which needed precision in the preparations.

And now she was ready…Lucifer sat lounging in his chair, gracefully her sprawled a leg over one of the arms and looked unconcerned with the events…and Vittorio stood off to his side, watching with a keen interest, his violet eyes reflecting the light from the ring of fire that was swiftly developing around her, the girl he had picked.

She stood, bare of clothing, in the centre of the ring of flame, refusing to flinch as she felt them lick at her flesh hungrily, waiting to claim her as their own, she stood stock still, her eyes intensely focussed on Lucifer, her master to be as she felt the moisture of her skin evaporating and her parched skin begin to crack revealing red raw flesh beneath. Still she did not waver, she had been through worse, worse at the hands of demons of God’s creation, at man’s hand, she would endure Hell to ensure that they would never harm others again…

Lucifer rose from his seated position and saunter over to her, his smile luscious as his sadistic need was curbed slightly as she stumbled to her knees, grunting in agony as the flames no longer encased her but drove themselves into her eyes and began to roast her from the inside out, scorching her intestines as she began to spasm upon the floor, her chestnut eyes never leaving Lucifer’s face, even as a scream of immeasurable pain was ripped from her throat, the fire was no longer a vivacious orange but a crystal blue…

“Are you sure about this one Vittorio?” The voice had been blurred in her mind as her own screams had drowned out all sounds.

“I am!” Vittorio answered without hesitation, his eyes locked on her form throughout the entire process. “I ensure you, if she is accepted this day she will kill, and you shall have your souls.”

“But she has…” he physically cringed at the prospect, “good intentions” Lucifer circled her and with a flick of his hand the fires peaked, as did her cries, and tears of blue flame danced from her bleeding eyes. He smiled, “but then again, I love to break those with good intentions…”

He reached down and yanked her upright by her braid that was slowly beginning to unravel, it’s strands streaming over his clenched fist and he leisurely tossed his head from one side to the other as he concentrated on his free hand and the right index finger pulsated with black energy, filtering from the fingertip to take to shape of a knife. “Kill for me” he whispered seductively in her ear as he trust the knife into her back and scraped his symbol into her flesh, the black energy cauterising the wound so it scarred black upon her back like a risen tattoo.

The energy coursed through her in an agonistic rhapsody and she threw her head back as she cried in both intense pain and pleasure, and her brown eyes slowly turned opaque, a black onyx that closed off her soul and feelings to others. Lucifer, satisfied released her, and without a backwards glance ascended his throne once more, his gaze falling on Vittorio, “she has tonight to kill…if she doesn’t…you both shall suffer the consequences.”

Vittorio nodded his acknowledgement as he paced quickly to her side and hauled her to her feet, draping a velvet cloak about her bare shoulders, he guided her off to the side, a coy smile gracing his features, <kill…that won’t be a problem…> he thought.

* * * * * * * *

“Words don’t do it justice, for how can you describe the agonistic pain and beauty installed in the hunger, in ripping the life from those who deserve to die?” She paused in her words, her hand spayed across her chest as though to quell the silent longing that was there. She was glad to be free of such a burden, but she would have been a fool to say that she didn’t lust after that power…the power of God, not to create life but to destroy it. It had been a part of her for so long she couldn’t help but feel naked, vulnerable without it.

“I had immense power at my disposal but no rationality to control it…it was too strong, too raw the power I had been given, all I could think about was pain and death and all I could taste was life essence and I craved it to the extent that I would gladly have torn out my liver in exchange for some…and…I’m not sure if it was thankfully or not…I didn’t have to wait long.” Duo whispered to Kelsey, who was snuggled in her arms, still clutching her finger and searching for it’s hidden power. And as she held him, all she could sense was his aura, even at such a young age it was there, a sign of his own individual soul…but there was no hunger, for even children, babies, are tainted. The very act of being human taints us for eternity…but she didn’t yearn it anymore, just as when she had hugged Marx…that is what it had been, a clear embrace without the hunger pushing for acknowledgement.

* * * * * * * *

He had saved him especially for this, a real nasty piece of work, rape, brutality, sadistic tendencies, grievous bodily harm, murder, the list was phenomenal, but it was mindless, therefore he had little but a spot of personal torture in hell for him, no promotion to the ranks for her lacked the cruel, sinister quality that all members of Lucifer’s ranks had, and Vittorio new that she would soon obtain.

Thankfully he was only a short flight away, she was lustful for essence, in her eyes anyone would have done, anything to quell the pounding ache in her being that caused her to want to wretch her heart out.

As soon as he was in sight she knew instinctively what to do, as though the entire process was imprinted in her, an innate feeling that she could do nothing but abide to.

She swooped down low, a battle cry ripping from her throat as she grabbed him by his hair and drove him backwards causing his skull to rupture against the brick wall when she had imbedded his head into it. And the violence only invigorated her more as she felt the scar on her back burned intolerably but seemed to ease with her acts of violence. She plunged her thumbs into his eyes, feeling the soft mass of the eyeballs give ways under the pressure and their jelly beings sucked her thumb tips inwards and as she yanked backwards they were tugged from the sockets that turned into a bloody carnage as the connecting nerves between the eye and the socket hung in loose drapes from the empty socket. She tugged viciously on the eyeballs, causing the connecting wires to be fully torn from the sockets but also caused him to stumble forward into her waiting embrace. All the while his screams, pained cries ripped the night’s skies, yet they either went unheard or they simply were disregarded. Either way, no help came for him…he would die this night, and seal the girl’s fate…

She placed her hand to his chest, the eyeball still attached to her thumb and the hand caked in rouge blood. “Your soul is mine!” She whispered in frenzied ecstasy as she dug her hand inwards and tore the blackened essence that made up the man’s soul from his body and felt it pour into her, alleviating the pain of the hunger and bringing clarity of mind with it.

She released the man after she had drunk him dry, his lifeless frame clattered to the ground, his face an embodiment of terror with his eyes wide, staring out to the world in some unholy freeze-frame. She began to shiver as she felt a wave of neausia over take her, she went to raise her hands to her face to prevent her vomiting only to see the eyeballs on her thumbs. She screamed loudly as she tore them from her fingers and threw them on the floor, they made a wet squishing sound upon contact that did nothing to help her state of mind as her eyes flickered wildly over the man’s corpse, the corpse she had created. She turned and placed a hand against the wall to steady herself as she wretched whole-heartedly.

She felt a faint pressure on her arm and the gleeful tone of Vittorio offering congratulations; she shrugged of his hand with a cluster of curse words, her pain and guilt her only thoughts there and then…

And in the depths of hell a new soul joined those already wallowing in the flamed pits of endless torture and Lucifer couldn’t help but smile, not only at the successful creation of a new member of the ranks, but the fact that this one was different. He hadn’t played this game in a while, twisting a good, innocent soul for malicious reasons and intents, not only would she help with the acquisition of souls for hell’s pits, but her own soul would be a tapestry of pain and confusion, not only that but she unknowingly manipulated and twisted Vittorio…Lucifer couldn’t have asked for a better package…


* * * * * * * *

“And I see that now…”
Duo muttered unhappily, her throat constricting as she felt her stomach pull taut…she hadn’t relived this in a while…her nightmare most frequently depicted her own demise, rarely those at her hand…she had absolved herself…or more accurately, repressed her guilt of those actions long ago…but that fist one…that had been the worse…and it still hurt…

“I don’t seem to have enough tears to absolve me…” she whispered pitifully to Kelsey, and suddenly she had felt bad that she had cursed his existence for crying when she was the one who was shedding tears now, e didn’t yell for her to stop, not curse her or taunt her for them. She almost jolted out of her skin when she felt another tug on her braid as Kelsey resumed a standing position on her lap, and as before he had his hands spread wide, but they weren’t stabbing back and forth, more reaching out…

“Who’d have thought it huh? Here I am…a demonic angel of Death who is an emotional wreck after killing her mentor is now seeking counsel from a child” she whispered with a faint chuckle, trying to rid herself of her mild embarrassment, even though there was no-one else there to witness it.

Suddenly the alienated tone of the phone cut through the gloom that had encased the room and her eyes fell upon the side clock. “OH MY WORD!” She gasped…the red digital clock showed the time to be 12:45…she had been talking to Kelsey for more then two hours, and she realised that Madame Butterfly appeared to be drawing to a close in the background. She quickly picked up the receiver and was mildly surprised to hear Eloise on the other end.

“Hello Duo, just calling to say that we’re heading home now, we should be there in about 45 minutes, I hope you’ve been okay, Kelsey go to sleep okay, he should have been dozed for a couple of hours now, hope you haven’t been bored.”

Duo’s gaze fell on Kelsey and she could have sworn that he bore a sheepish expression on his little face as he returned her stare.

“Oh yeah, been in bed for hours, sound asleep…it’s all…going fine, very smoothly!” She blabbed, rather convincingly she thought proudly.

“Okay, that’s good to hear! We shall be home shortly, good bye!” And the dial tone made itself known.

Duo turned back to Kelsey, her red-rimmed eyes flashing menacingly as she regarded him. “Oh so that was your game huh, get me talking so you could stay up pass your bedtime huh? You were using me! USING ME!” She yelled dramatically and received Kelsey’s customary giggle.

“Oh well…As weird as this is to say, you are very therapeutic to talk to, but the session must draw to a close before your parents return…” she placed Kelsey on her lap once more and looked at him questioningly. “Want to hear the end of the story…?” the giggle she took to be a yes and she sighed, not unhappily so. “Kid you are going to be serious messed up in the head if you remember any of this!” Duo said with a pleasant smile…as strange as things were, and despite the fact that her braid was drool cover and her wings pink…she was getting to like the little brat!

* * * * * * * *

As she wretched against the wall, the images of the decimated corpse flashing through her mind across closed lids she heard a whisper in her ear, Vittorio’s voice laced with Lucifer’s…

“I think we’ll call you…Shinigami…”

“Doctors always say that it never gets any easier delivering bad news to people, seeing people weep for those they’ve lost…so what’s so different about seeing someone beg and weep for their own life? Does it never get easier…that’s a lie, it always gets easier.” Duo paused then, to let that knowledge sink in, why she bothered she was unsure, for all she knew these words were wasted, there was an extreme unlikelihood of Kelsey’s undeveloped brain remembering the moral laced within her words. “Power of life…to take that gift from people, no-one ever realises its importance until it is about to be ripped from them…I never realised until mine was taken…” she was gently rocking the drowsy child in her arms, the action was lulling him into sleep’s warm embrace whilst soothing her.

“Doubt begins to set in, you haven’t even experience life yet so a presence, a state beyond this realm, is inconceivable to you…but to us…yes, the human concept of doubt plays a role.” She wasn’t really talking to Kelsey anymore, she was simply talking aloud as she mulled over her thoughts, aligning the scattered debris as she tried to logically sum up and justify the last 50 odd years of her life…it was important.

She had come to the conclusion, last night, as she had wept flurries as she ripped Vittorio’s soul from him…that she didn’t want to do this anymore, she didn’t want to hunt and kill. It wasn’t that she had suddenly become riddled with guilt over every life she had taken…there were only three lives she had taken that she sincerely regretted having done so, Marx, Cassie and Vittorio…and 2 of those had made it back to the realm of the living, 2 now lived to tell the tale and perhaps had lost some of their doubt at the afterlife.

“The reason we fear death is because we are uncertain of what awaits us…even if we are sure of heaven and hell…as to our destination…which are we destined to go to? And, what if our interpretation of life after death is completely inaccurate, and the whole means by which you have lead your life is irrelevant…” Kelsey just looked at her between his drooping eyelids with a faint bemused expression. “Death huh? Means nothing to you right? You’re so lucky!” She said cuddling him a little closer as she rose from the sofa and headed to the stairs.

“Days became a blur, time was irrelevant to me…it’s only now when I reminisce do a place times and dates to that life, acknowledge the fact that my life, that their deaths, reigned for over 50 years.” She paused half way up the stairs, “I don’t even need to calculate the statistics…I know exactly how many I killed, each and everyone of them…I know their names, their stories, their thoughts from which their horrific deeds stemmed, which sealed their souls and fates to me…I know exactly how I killed them…it was engraved in their essence…and eve though I passed that essence to hell, to Lucifer…a small part of it always stays with me.” She said as she reached the top of the stairs and began to walk to Kelsey’s room.

“Actually come to think about it…I now have a little of Marxy’s soul in me…I don’t think that’s such a good thing…and how come the small part that I got doesn’t hold the secret to the perfect wedgie!?” She exclaimed searching through the white flicker of Marxy’s essence within her. She sighed happily as she felt the spark along with the little of Cassie’s, reminders of her friends, “Guess I’ll just have to take him up on that rematch soon, kick his butt, and learn the secret!” She said determinedly, pushing open the door to Kelsey’s room, flicking on the light switch with her free. She walked gently to the cot’s edge; the variety of coloured bars made to resemble the rainbow didn’t seem as ludicrous as when she had first regarded them. Gingerly she lowered Kelsey’s now sleeping form into the cot, his tousled blond hair blended into the white sheets and he made not a sound as his podgy little hand instinctively reached out and grabbed a tatty yellow blanket at the edge of the cot, he grasped t tightly bringing it to his face as he sucked the thumb of the hand that held the blanket.

She sat on the carpeted floor, crossing her legs as she watched in elegant, sleeping form, his long black eyelashes resting softly against his rosy red cheeks.

“I made a choice,…” she whispered to him, gently moving a stray strand of bright blond hair from his face, his skin warm to touch. “I wasn’t fully tricked, no one controlled me to take all of those lives…even when Vittorio fed me his essence last night to change me…that was just an influence that ignited part of who I am…I don’t want to be that person anymore…”

“It gets easier, with every life that goes by, the guilt recedes…I felt sick with the first death…and then I saw the results it brought…the families of those hurt, left to mourn, who have to continue living in sorrow…they rejoiced with the deaths I brought. And yet this rejoicing did not taint them…heaven still awaited them.” She smiled faintly with that, images of individuals clasped together, weeping tears of relief at the news of death, singing praises, but not being soiled by it…I had absolved them of that…how could I refuse them…?”.

She hung her head…the sleeping child could not answer her. “The Titans though…they help people…they make a difference without killing…perhaps I can do that too?”

The click of the front door signified the return of Kelsey’s parents, the happy chatter was somewhat slurred from tiredness seeping in from the long day. And their happy radiance, their auras, filled the house, washing over Duo and she breathed it in, the feeling of a unified family…

“Hold on to this Kid…” Duo said, raising from the floor with the intent of greeting Eloise and Bernard, she turned off the light and whispered to the darkened room… “Hold onto all of this, and I have a feeling that you’re going to turn out just fine!”

She closed the door quietly behind her and began her descent down the stairs, holding a finger to her lips to motion to the happy couple that their child was resting peacefully.

“Ah Duo!” Eloise said in a excited whisper, “he’s asleep! I can’t believe it!”

“Er…why?” Duo asked, suddenly fearful that she had really messed up the babysitting.

Bernard caught onto her uneasiness and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, “it’s just usually we return to the little tyke bawling his eyes out and finding the babysitter a crying mass upon the floor, complaining that he hasn’t stopped for the entire night!” Bernard looked at her, an impressed glint in his eye as he dug into his trouser pocket for his wallet.

“Really?!” Duo asked, a happy note causing her voice to rise in pitch to an embarrassing level.

Eloise chuckled slightly as Duo raised a hand to her mouth as though to prevent the noise that had already escaped her mouth. “Yes really, in fact…” she cast a glance at Bernard, who nodded discreetly. “Would you consider babysitting for us again, we’re hoping to start going out a little more regularly, only a few times a month, but you seem to be the only babysitter, as my husband has already stated, who hasn’t keeled over from the effort of looking after Kelsey…”

Duo stared flabbergasted at Eloise and her mind played over Eloise’s words again…she had proposed that Duo baby sit, again…she’d done something right!!!

“I…I mean…I’d love to!” Duo said excitedly and was even more shocked when Bernard placed a punch of notes in her open palm, she stared down at the money, then back up at Bernard, her mouth hung open.

“I hope that’s enough to cover it, and to encourage you to continue as our official babysitter!” He said, smiling broadly. “There’s $75 there, do you have a number that we can use to get in contact with you Duo, or do we just call through the agency…”

“NO!” Duo said forcefully and suddenly, causing the couple to jump a little. “I mean…I don’t use that…err…agency very often…here’s my number!” She said quickly, writing it on a notepad on the side table in the hallway and handing it to Bernard.

“Marvellous!” Bernard said, wrapping an arm around Eloise in an affectionate manner. “You have a means to get home?”

“Oh yeah! Don’t worry!…Well…I’ll see you all next time, and Kelsey has been…a bit of a handful but otherwise wonderful to look after.”

She turned back and waved to the couple who watched her from the door, wishing her a safe ride home…she paced to the end of the road, and glancing round and seeing no-one about she unfurled her wings…and couldn’t help but laugh at the pink glare of her usual white wings in the florescent street light’s glare.

“Perhaps I’ll dye his hair pink next time…don’t think Bernard and Eloise would mind too much…”

She Glanced at the money clasped in her hand and nodded her head as she levitated into the air. Even though it was the wee hours of the morning, she had to make one or two stops before she made her way back to the school…

Cissie lay on her bed, her little side lamp was on as she read her book, enjoying drifting away on a carpet ride of storytelling and imagination. Her window was open; awaiting the return of Duo…she sincerely hoped that both Duo and Kelsey had survived the night…

“I bet she killed him!” Cissie said despairingly.

“I’ll take that bet!”

“DUO!” Cissie exclaimed, almost toppling off her bed, her book went flying as she watched Duo enter clumsily though the window, loaded down with several bags. “What on earth have you got there!?” Cissie asked, scrambling forwards to help Duo with one or two of the bags.

“Well!” Duo said happily as she retracted her pink wings into her back as she plumped herself on the nearest bed, “I thought I’d take your advice, and I got some good news!” She was practically bubbling with excitement. Cissie actually regarded her with suspicion, the happy black-eyes girl before her was very different from the one who she had saved from teacher harassment earlier.

“Well? Come on Duo, don’t leave me in suspense!” Cissie said, taking a seat next to Duo, flicking her golden hair over her shoulder.

“First you owe me money because I didn’t kill the kid!” Duo said smugly motioning with her hand.

“HA!” Cissie said with a huff. “1) we didn’t shake on it, and 2) I came out to save your butt from a baby earlier today! You owe me!” She said, hands on hips.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing!” Duo said, rolling her eyes. “They asked me to baby sit again! Can you believe it! I’m good at babysitting! Not only did I not kill Kelse but I was good at looking after him!”

“Kelse?” Cissie asked with a raise eyebrow.

“What?” Duo said, ignoring the knowing glare that Cissie was giving her, “it’s 1 syllable…shorter then Kelsey, do you really think that I’m going to waste extra speaking time on him!?” She said, trying to cover up the fact that she had given the child a nickname and had actually developed a mild affection for him.

“What ever! So what’s with all the bags!?” Cissie said, attempting to ferret through the bags before Duo snatched them from her grasp.

“Well…you said to be a normal teenage girl baby sitting had to appear on the life time agenda more then once, and that I have done…but…well…you mentioned something more therapeutic then babysitting…so if you, and Greta and Traya wanted too…I know it’s late and all but…” She reached into the bag and retrieved a selection of “chick flick” movies, various tubs of ice creams and general junk food, of which donuts were the basis. “Girl’s night?” Duo asked, growing more and more uncomfortable and worried that she’d done something wrong when all Cissie did was stare at her.

Duo almost choaked when Cissie lurched forward and grabbed her in a spine-braking hug and a squeal escaped her. “DUO!!! You’re becoming a girl! Not that you weren’t a girl but you’re becoming a teenage girlie girl!!!” Cissie clapped her hands together excitingly as she raced next door and quickly pulled a sleepy-eyed Traya and Greta behind her, who both perked up incredibly quickly at the concept of a girlie night.

And the night progressed to the late hours of the morning with the girls all clasped in the PJs, Greta and Traya cackling their heads off as Duo and Cissie between them recounted the baby sitting fiasco and Duo showed off her fashionable new pink wings, even posing as Traya grabbed her camera and took a photo of them to remember the night. They pigged out ice cream and donuts and watched the love stories displayed on the T.V, Duo cringing and making sarcastic comments at the over sappy bits only to have Cissie smack her over the head with a pillow which initiated a full blown pillow fight.

The night passed swiftly, and ended with the sleepy Cissie, Greta and Traya certifying her as an official teenage girl.

She thought briefly about Cassie, feeling bad that she wasn’t there to join in the fun…but she hoped that she and Will would be able to reconcile their problems. And her thoughts drifted to Marxy too, she was still annoyed that the wedgie technique eluded her…she was soooooooo going to have to get that out of him!

And that night she fell into a peaceful sleep, her usual nightmares leaving her alone, she had reflected on her pass, even come to deal with a large parts of it…she knew who she wanted to be and how she wanted to live her life…and she was sure to see it through…

After all, she had a new life, jam packed with friends, now a part-time job and she had been certified as a teenage girl…life couldn’t be better…and nothing was going to ruin it…