Laiel

Darkness. There was darkness, and I couldn't breathe. I was drowning, and I was surrounded - surrounded by unknown things, by hostile things, things that didn't care about me or wanted me dead. I was drowning, I was being crushed, eaten, stalked. I was a helpless animal, a cat in the water.

There was a voice, a distant voice that barely touched my ears - an angel. An angel had come to save me. I could hear her, singing softly, singing for me. I wasn't an animal, I was a human. I felt myself changing - suddenly I could breathe... I could move. I stirred. Suddenly, I was aware of myself, aware of where I was. I was human again - I must have shifted while I was unconscious. And that voice was still singing. It was - it couldn't be, but it was...

"Adrian," I murmured, trying to open my eyes. Finally they obeyed, and I could see her, sitting over me. She had stopped singing now, and she smiled - she smiled, and it was the most beautiful thing in the world. She was an angel. "You're alive."

Adrian

Right in the middle of a song, I noticed that Laiel had started to change back in to his human form. For a second, I waited, nothing. Slightly disappointed that he did not wake up, I continued to play with his hair and sing.

Then I heard it, my name. For a second, I was confused, wondering who had said it. Realization hit me and my gaze turned toward Laiel. He looked like he was trying to open his eyes, seconds later, gray-blue eyes were staring at me. A grin spread across my face.

"Your alive." The words left my lips before I could even think about it. It took everything I had not cry. Taking a semi-deep breath, I calmed myself and started to think logically. "Laiel, we need to get you somewhere safe and bandage you up. I'm going to move you. okay?" She asked him.

Diablo- in hiding with Skylar

I managed to cleanse my cuts, but I couldn't get her off my mind. A fellow dragon, perhaps the first female I've ever seen. I might be in luck. I might not be the only live dragon in the world. Looking at myself in the mirror, my face was red, but not of blood. "Qué estoy pensando? Lo que se ha metido en mí?" I found my tail dangling behind me and forced it back. " Qué es lo que me pasa? ¿Me he encontrado a un compañero, en esta situación?" I went back to the couch, failing to hide the blush on my face.

Skylar - Ruined Chicago - Aftermath

"Hola, el rubor!" I laugh.

He turns to me in realization of this and wink at him as I get up and go outside, and don't see the sea monster anywhere's, I think it's finally left but I don't know yet. I take a careful look around as I don't hear anything in the distance. It was to quiet in my opinion, but I had to take what I could get for now.

"Hola, creo que el monstruo se ha ido, tal vez podríamos ir a echar un vistazo alrededor al aire libre? Tal vez puede transformarse en un dragón, así que conseguimos una vista de ojo de dragón?" I said.

Laiel

I nodded, still staring into her eyes. "Okay," I said quietly. I tried to walk, but I was hurting too badly; I ended up half-staggering as Adrian carried me. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I would never let her be taken from me again, I vowed to myself. Not now that she was here.

"Where are we going?" I asked. I had no idea what we were going to do next. What if the beast was still out there? If it hurt Adrian... "Where is everyone else?"

Diablo | Chicago Ruins

I nodded. "Sí. Creo que es seguro salir." I looked around. The city was in total ruins. "Looks like that sea monster decided to play around here while the dragons were missing in action." I shifted full dragon and let her climb up. Once I was sure she was secure on my back, I took to the sky and looked down. Even from the ground, the city was a pile of rubble. That overgrown sea snake caused a lot of damage to the city. So much damage, it would take decades to be completely rebuilt. I landed in front of the other Shifters and waited for Skylar to climb off. Once she was off my back, I shifted back full human. "This is the rest of the gang. Like myself, they change from human to the animal of their choosing. The others here have animals that were alive and up until now, I was the only one who preferred a classic."

Adrian

"Where are we going?" He asked while I helped him walked. "Where is everyone?"

For a second, I was silent because the truth was I was unsure where we were going. All I knew is that I needed to get him somewhere out of harms way, somewhere safe. I also needed to bandage and clean some of his more serious wounds.

"My goal right now is to get you somewhere safe." she answered honestly. "As for everyone else, they are scattered about. I came over with Blighton and Hunter. They ran off to find people as so as we landed. We never really made a plan for if we got separated. If worst comes to worst I can always track them." I smiled to show him that everything would be okay.

Walking a little ways, we came upon a small shop that I would consider safe. Helping him inside, we found that the shop was still mostly intact and abandoned. Going a little further back, we found a room with a single bed. Gently, I placed him down on the bed. I then proceed to pull the first aid kit out of my bag and began to work. "This may sting." I warned softly.

Laiel

We came to a little shop that somehow seemed untouched. She helped me into a bed, where she set down a bag and began to work. "This may sting," she warned.

I nodded, and then winced at the small burn of the medicine, but she was gentle, and looking into her eyes I found comfort. I remembered the last time I'd seen her, when she'd been taken... they'd kept me from going after her, and I'd been sure Gale would kill her or worse.

"I was scared I'd never see you again," I said quietly. "I thought..." I didn't complete the sentence. There were no good endings to it.

Spoiler

Hello, I just realized I unintentionally switched into first person about three posts ago. That's kind of weird... XD

Adrian

"I was scared I'd never see you again," he said quietly. "I thought..." he never completed the sentence. Then again, he didn't have to. I had thought the very same thing when Gale caught me and although it had not been pleasant, I was still alive.

"Me too." I said not taking my eyes off the wound I was now bandaging "But I'm still here. Still fighting." I said while turning toward him with a grin. As I turned back to my work, I could feel him stare at me. Once I was done, I shot him another smile. His eyes locked on mine.

I could feel myself stand and sit next to him on the bed. Gently-so not to hurt him- I wrapped my arms around his neck. For a second he sat there, shocked. Then I could feel his arms wrap around me. Automatically, I leaned into his embrace, resting my head on his shoulder. "I'm so glad that you are okay." I whispered softly into his shoulder. From this moment on, I vowed to myself protect him-no matter the cost.

Laiel

"Me too," she said, still working. "But I'm here. Still fighting." She turned and grinned. I watched her work, and as she finished, she smiled again. Our eyes met, and neither of us looked away for a moment. She rose, sitting next to me. Then, slowly, she wrapped her arms around me.

For a moment, I almost couldn't breathe. It felt so... right. It was a thrill, just to be there with her. I returned her embrace, and she leaned down on me. "I'm so glad that you are okay," she whispered into my shoulder.

"I'll always be okay, as long as you're with me," I said quietly. I didn't know where the words came from, but they came almost without thought. Adrian looked up at me. "I love you," I whispered.

Adrian

"I love you." he whispered to me.

There was no hesitation when the words left my mouth only seconds afterwards. "I love you too." I could feel the smile on his face, gently he touched my cheek with his hand, stroking it. He then gently guided my face toward his with his hand and my eyes closed as our lips met.

The kiss was magical and felt like it lasted a life time. My whole body felt like it was on fire and I knew that my cheeks were turning red. But none of that mattered, the only thing that did was him and that we were together.

Slowly we pulled apart, my lips still tingling from the kiss. Our eyes once again locked. The warmth and love that shined back made me fell giddy. Then I noticed something, his breathing was a little heavy, even more than mine. As much as I wanted to kiss him again, I wouldn't. He was hurt and he still needed rest.

Pulling myself out of his embrace, I offered a smile. "Laiel, you need to rest. I'll keep watch." He looked like he was about to refuse. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

Laiel

"I love you too," Adrian said softly. I felt a smile light up across my face and unthinkingly lifted a hand, stroking her face. I just had to touch her somehow.

Suddenly I realized I was lifting my head, and she lowering hers. My heart raced faster and faster as we moved in closer, and our lips touched. I felt my blood racing, and my whole body tingling with the kiss. Time vanished, pain vanished, everything but her vanished, and for a moment, I had a taste of heaven.

Slowly, on some silent signal, we pulled apart. I opened my eyes and saw hers slowly coming open as well, and our gazes met. I saw love and happiness in her gaze, and it thrilled me. I'd made her happy, and that was all that mattered.

Gently, she pulled herself out of my embrace. "Laiel, you need to rest. I'll keep watch." But that would mean she had to go. I didn't want her to leave - I'd promised myself not to let her out of my sight - "Don't worry," she said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Reluctantly, I nodded, and she turned and stood just outside the door, where I could still see her. I laid back, releasing a breath. I hadn't realized how tired I was until she'd left.

I just kissed a girl. I didn't recall having ever kissed a girl before. I wanted to kiss her again, and to hold her forever, but I knew that she wasn't all mine. I had to let her live. I couldn't own something so wonderful, not entirely.

There was a broken window, and looking outside I could see the rubble of Chicago. That thing - Argo, he'd called himself - Argo had a lot to answer for. He'd have to pay for it, eventually. I felt myself begin to fall asleep, but my last thought before I drifted away was, what if he comes back?...