((oh god! I so forgot it was me that hadn't replied! I forgot entirely that I'd veiwd your reply and never got back. Oh I am sooooo sorry!!!!!!!!!!! So glad the event had me chekcing for any thread I usually posted in to get more stuff.))

Lixi tipped her head sideways and looked at Jason with a pequliar look on her face.... 'Bird? He's half dead and he wants to talk about birds... I'll never understand humans.'

"No friend, you aren't dead,... well, not yet at least. Lets just keep working on making sure that doesn't happen though ok?" quickly glancing back towards the building she watched eagerly for Sophia to come out "Your lady should be out here soon, then we'll have to get moved somewhere else for a while. You guys have any other little safeholds?" she could tell the human was strugling to try to answer, and seemed to be trying to sit up. "Here, roll over on your side, but stay down, it'll make it easier to breath." She helped him to roll over, then quickly pulled her jacket off and balled it up for under his head. "I'm gonna go check to see if I can tell where she is, don't move ok?"

Lixi took a few quick strides over to the door to the building they'd just come out of and peered in through the window, frequently looking back to make sure Jason was still alright. She tried to open it a few times, but the electronic lock had already set back in. "Sophia! Can you here me!" She yelled up toward the windows near where they had been. 'Hopefully she's already on her way down and just can't here me from the elevator' she thought to herself

[LOL its okay calm down hahaha I do it all the time! LOL]

Sophia burst through the doors and left the annoying elevater music behind her as she slammed through the doors, "Next time we get a hideout we are taking over the sound system." She caught sight of Jason on the ground and bolted to his side sliding on her knees to a stop. "What's wrong with him?" She looked over to Lixi and shook her head, "is he going to be fine?"

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Jason opened his eyes slightly when he felt a hand grab his own and he saw Sophia kneeling next to him staring at Lixi, concern smothering her features. "I'm fine Soph, don't worry about me." He tried to sit up again and grunted with the effort. In a sitting position he looked up to the building and than to Lixi, "If you were able to understand us Humans than where would all the mystery go of our kind?"

Lixi couldn't help but smirk seeing the two together. This kinda thing was one of the many things that had upset the fallen angels all along. No matter how you beat a man, he'll still smile if it meant easing the worry of the women he loved. Most of her kind had a hard time grasping it at as well, but enough time spent observing the humans and their love issues had left Lixi almost fascinated with it. Love really was a peculiar thing. The idea of it made her glad she lived a life where there was no one to loose that she really cared for at least.

"It was just a malicious attack from that creature you just walked in with. I've encountered him before... nasty thing. Hes able to somehow slip in and out of this physical plane of existence and the ethereal spirit world. I know most can do so with their consciousness, but to actually do it with his body... that's something I don't even comprehend." She sighed and walked back over to the two, but kept a respectful distance. She could feel the tension and concern running rampant in Sophia, and knew the wrong word or gesture could just upset her that much more right now. "I'm still concerned with that other demon that was kinda creeping up in here... I don't know if you saw him or not, but he was fallowing close behind you. Sonsuz, the one that came in with you, has a way of controlling or at least influencing peoples perceptions of what is around them. He can make you feel like nothing is wrong when the world is crumbling into chaos right in front of you. Sadly, I fell willingly into that trap for almost a decade once. He makes you see the world through rose colored glasses, a false euphoria, and feeds off the energy you create while he does so. I can honestly say though, I have no idea why he'd be trying to find me again after all this time. That was almost..." Lixi paused and thought back a while "almost a thousand years ago honestly..." She glanced back down at Jason for a moment. "How is your breathing? It should be getting a little easier here shortly. Again, he just affects the way you, your mind, your senses, your entire body, perceives things. He apparently sensed that you were going to be the easiest target, and the one that would affect Sophia the most, and went full force into making you feel like you were getting hit with some kind of nasty airborne toxin would be my guess. I can't feel anything of his influence left on you though, so you're body should be in the process of recovering from whatever damage it caused itself already."

With a quick movement she grabbed the edge of a nearby wall and pulled herself up.

"I don't see any sign of the other demon anywhere right now. I hate to rush anything, but I feel like we really should get moving... things are far from calming down if you ask me"

Sophia nodded, "Agreed. I'm hating this place more and more the second." She stood and gave Jason one more concerned glance before turning towards the alleyway before them, "Well we don't have any other places that are in the area," She looked over her shoulder to Lixi, "What about you? Do you have anywhere we can go? We need to figure out what we are going to do next."
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Jason stood up with a small gasp, the pain in his stomach still remained bt it wasn't as bad as before. Looking away from Sophia's concerned look he walked over to the glass doors and bent down to pick up something Sophia had dropped, probably while she was running from the building. The photo gleamed back at him and he couldn't help but smile, those were easier days I must admit. If only all this crap had never happened. He looked back to Lixi and shook his head, something about this new female, he didn't knw what it was but she seemed to attract danger. No I'm just being stupid.

(Im sorry! I'm back! My laptop died on me a while ago and with being a single mom now getting the money to ge ta new one hasnt been easy. Even now I just have a cheap crappy little netbook, but hey at least it works. I hope you're still here! Id understand if you weren't. Sorry I didnt at least get some way to let you know what was going on)

Lixi rubbed her eyes for a second trying to think over places she'd stayed recently. She wasn't much of one for staying in any one place to long, it wasn't a smart move for her kind.

"Well, it's no fortress, but there's a pretty abandoned storage unit on the outskirts of town. A few people still have stuff there, but i'm fair at picking locks. Not the most secure place, but at least it's obscure enough that people wouldn't obviously think to look there is someone looking for us. I don't usually stay put very long, just catch quick naps anywhere that I can blend in enough to not be noticed. Sometimes if I get a lucky windfall I'll find a lax enough homeless shelter or a cheap hotel to sleep in a real bed, otherwise it's mostly abandoned buildings and the great outdoors."

{LOL it's okay hahahaha at least you got something!! LOL I really liked this RP I'm glad your back ^.^ I missed you! *hugs* so your a mum now? thats exciting!!!!!}

Sophia put a finger to her now pursed lips, "That could work. We need to figure out what to do before we go anywhere else. Is it close?" She looked to Jason as he stood and rushed to help him, almost ignoring the gasp he made, she didn't really want to worry about him and make him feel like he was being babied like usual, not when they needed to move.

---

Jason heard the wine of a fire truck in the distance and began to quickly usher Sophia and Lixi in the opposite direction, the photo still in hand, "It's not important how close, we just need to move." A stabbing pain shot up his ribs again but he ignored it and stiffled a gasp as he pushed Sophia gently away from the building and looked back to Lixi, "Can you take us there? It will have to do for now."

(yepps! My little girl just turned 1 in september and is my whole world. She started walking in october so she diffinitely keeps me busy :-p every day it's something new. Today she figured out how to cover her ears when there's a loud noise. My x husbands dad was up helping me install some sturdier more permanent gates and I covered her ears for her while he was drilling and she started doing it herself after that. Granted she walked around with her hands over her ears for half the day afterwards, but at least she got the idea. I'll have to toss some newer pics up in one of my albums on here soon.)

"Yeah I can get us there, but are you certain you'll be alright to walk?" She nodded and gestured toward Jason's core. The pain was obvious. "Last thing you really need to is to be trecking halfway across the city in this state. What you've just been through is not only difficult but wholly unnatural for your body, there's no telling how long it will affect you or even if it will ever go away. Better to take it easy. Do either of you have a vehicle of any kind? If not, unless you'll be horribly put off by it, I can... well... procure one for us to... borrow. I'll even return it to the general area after if you prefer. Lets at least get out of this alley first though."

She cautiously approached the pair and carefully took Jason's other side, watching Sophia carefully the whole time hoping not to upset her. She knew the women was perfectly capable of helping him on her own, but he had been right to take concern for the approaching sirens. This was definitely not a place they needed to get stuck at talking to the authorities.

{nawwwwws you should! I cant wait till I have a child! but I'm not having till at least 27 or 30 LOL}

Sophia smiled, "I'm not apposed to grand theft! My favourite kind of 'borrowing' actually." Sophia was starting to like this girl more and more. With a smirk she looked up and down the alleyway, looking for the usual van that sat outside the building. Turning to Jason she frowned slightly, "Where's the van?" She watched Jason shake his head, "You broke it remember? Last time you went after a Seminus? He threw you into the van and crushed your ribs." Sophia giggled slightly, "Oh yeah! And he ripped my fourite blouse!" She watched Jason carefully, that was a day she had hated, only becuase she had never seen Jason get so mad about a Demon hurting her before. She was still watching him when he turned to Lixi and nodded, "Aquiring a car would be good thank-you. I would bu clearly I'm in no way to." He gestured towards him and she silently hated him for covering up the pain that Lixi could obviously see for her sake.

A quick glance further down the alley showed a collection of old boxes and other refuse scattered around near an overflowing dumpster, past it was a fairly busy street. This end of town wasn't likely to have much to pick from, but at least it would be something, and hopefully it would be non descriptive enough that they could get close without much attention.

"I hate to say this, but that pile of garbage looks like the best cover we've got for now. No sence in all three of us being spotted. Why don't you two wait by it. I'll wander up the street a knotch grab something and be back."

As she wandered up the road a few things passed by, but she was hoping for an easier target. For once, a bit of luck seemed to come her way. A young girl was yelling loudly into her cell phone as she came up to a stop light, oblivious to the world around her. From the smell of the cigarette she was smoking and the noise level, Lixi knew a window must have been down in her car. The silver Vw Beetle she was driving was a bit small and ostentatious for her taste, but it would be easy enough to nab. A quick sprint later she was beside the car. The girl driving couldn't have been older than 20, this would probably emotionally scar her for the rest of her life, but, maybe it would wake her up a little too. He drivers window was about half way down, and the hand with the cigerette was hanging half way out the window. With a glance Lixi noticed the car was a standard, so with the cell in her other hand, the girl wouldn't be able to pop the car into gear fast enough to drive off. She grabbed the girls arm and pulled her half way out the window, the car sputtering and stalling as her foot came off the clutch. Lixi grabbed the phone and tossed if across the street with her free hand.

"Sorry sweetheart. Gonna need your car now. I'll dump it in front of the police station in a bit, so don't frett your pretty head. Payphone up the street, so grab your purse and go call mummy and daddy to come get you. And hey, look at it this way, at least you have an exciting story to tell your friends in home room tomorrow." She reached past the girl and took the keys from the ignition. " Well? What are you waiting for? Out now, lets go!"

A few moments later and Lixi had pulled up right in front of the alley where she'd left Sophia and Jason. Throwing the little car in reverse she jammed on the gas and pointed the rear towards the alley. The tiny vehicle scraped a bit as she back it up over the curb, but fit neatly into the alley. She unlocked the doors and reached across to fumble for the release switch to lean the seat forward.

"Sorry about the cramped space and 2 doors. Best I could do without a fight. And hey, at least it doesnt have that dashboard voice thing that shuts the car down when it's stollen!" She yelled through the still open window.

They hadn't done much while Lixi was off getting a car besides sitting on the ground. Jason could feel Sophia's gaze on the side of his head but refused to look back at her, he knew he would grab her and kiss her, not the right thing to do at that point in time. He heard a car engine and lookedup just in time for a small silver car reversed beside them. With a smirk he opened the door for Sophia and helped her in the back while he got in the front next to Lixi, "I doubt we want anymore fighting for the time being. Shall we go now?" He looked behind the seat to Sophia and could see a simple glaze falling over her eyes and he clicked slightly to re-gain her attention, "Soph? Are you with us?" She slowly and almost absently shook her head and he sighed, Not again. Please not now! Looking back to Lixi he couldn't hide the urgency in his voice, "Can you step on it?" Another stab of pain ran through him but this time the ignoring was intentional, the pain not bothering him the slightest at that point.

Lixi laughed a little and smiled. "My dears, that's the only thing I know how to do." She jammed on the gas and shifted somewhat choppily through the gears as they accelerated down the street. "When you've spent the last few thousand years looking like you're already an adult and not having and form of identification, they tend to not let you into drivers ed. Learned by necessity. A friend taught me a little once, but that feels like lifetimes ago, back before cars got to thinking for you half the time." Lixi manuvored the tiny silver car through traffic carefully to avoid unneccisary attention, but fast enough to cover a good bit of ground. That last thing they needed now was a police chase. The silent gap in conversation usually wouldn't bother her, but something about the two's sudden shift in presence could stand a little conversation for grounding. "I heard you mention Seminus. How did your interaction with him come about or go if you don't mind my asking?"

Jason looked to Sophia just as she snapped out of her daze and shake her head, her black hair bouncing slightly on her shoulders, "huh what?" Jason smiled, "Lixi was just asking about your friend the Seminus." Sophia smiled hugly as that little encounter came rushing back, "Well, first off those guys aren't as hot as they think! And their pull isn't as strong as they think either!" Jason could feel his fists turning to balls and looked down to see his knuckles had turned white, he didn't usually get jealous when other males hit on Sophia but something about Seminus's always turned him red. Sophia smirked, "He tried to get with me so I told him in the nicest way possible to eff off but he didn't take a hint. At all." Jason decided to butt in there, "So he threw you into the side of the van and breoke fouor of your ribs and bruised you internally." Sophia's smile faded, "And I got a headache for like a month afterwards!" Jason chuckled, trust her to pick the smallest thing to be upset about. "And he ripped my favourite red corset." She shrugged nonchatlently, "So I broke his neck."

"The Seminus... as in one of many then I take it? Hmmmm." Lixi pondered this for a second. What in the hell is he playing at now I thought you were referring to one particular demon. There was a guy, I knew him back when, well, up there. One of his names was Sominous. I thought you might have been referring to him. Not that he would have been a particular bad ass even if you were. He was little more than a bard even before the great divide. Big windbag mostly. Though I wouldn't be surprised if he had grabbed some of the lower ones and tried to make his own little army. No matter though. You seem quite resilient."

The buildings had slowly started to thin out as the small streets turned slowly into miniature freeways. Trees started to spring up and the road got windy on the outer edges of the dirty little city. Finally they pulled off into a large dirt and gravel parking lot next to a run down building. It had started to rain, and the heavy drops pinged off the metal roof loudly. The aluminum siding had begun to rust in places, the place hadn't been painted in years. Rows of garage doors with heavy locks lined the longer side of the outside of the warehouse sized building, with one more located in the center of each of the shorter sides, as well as a regular man door next to each.

"Those center doors lead into a hallway that has more of these big doors inside. I think they used to be climate controlled at one point, but we're stuck with the same temperature as out here now probably. Do you need help picking the lock or can I drop you here? I wanna dump this car back in the other direction somewhere to avoid suspicion. I'll try and grab us something to eat or at least something to drink on the way back."

Jason nodded, "That would be okay. I'm sure Sophia could get us inside." he saw a slight glean appear in sophia's eye at the mere mention of infiltrating the building. "Take your time Lixi." he looked back to Sophia and helped her out of the car, ignoring the slap he recieved by her. Smirking slightly he turned to the buildng and looked to Sophia, "You can get us in right?" Sophie smirked to him, "Pffft, can I get us in? Your lack of faith in me is insultng." she strode to the first rusted door she saw and with a huge kick there door banged open, the lock snapping off in a spray of rust of dust. Jason couldn't help but smile, even doing he most unlady-like thing and the most dangerous and criminal she could still look good doing it. He watched sophia's eyes snap up as a feeling of tension swept over her and the air became tight. "Soph?" she held up a hand to him and quickly ushered him inside, "Wait here for me."

As soon as the two were out of the car and headed for the building Lixi put it back into gear. She heard the thud of the door flying open and glanced over. The look of confidence Sophia had sported when she'd gotten out of the car had faded into mild concern. Lixi thought about getting out to try to help, but she had a feeling Sophia would probably feel insulted by it, and she was sure she could handle whatever it may be anyway. Better to get the car away and come back than to leave it and risk getting boxed in by cops if they did end up dealing with something major inside. She hit the gas and sped off toward the city again, but hung a left onto the yellow belt this time to take the long way back around rather than backtracking.

She drove on for several miles with no one seeming to notice, and carefully worked her way into the heart of the town, eventually abandoning the car right in the heart of the city on a section of the road which could only be parked on certain times of day so as to be sure it would be found before to long. A quick inspection of the car turned up little of use, some make up, a hair brush, and a plethora of device chargers in the glove box, a pair of expensive looking sneakers, a pair of volley ball shorts and a high school girls jersey were in the back amidst a clutter of plastic bottles and some school books that looked otherwise unused. The shorts did end up yielding a twenty dollar bill from the one pocket. Well, at least I can get us something without turning up to much commotion. Lixi locked the keys into the car behind her and headed up the street to a nearby seven eleven to grab food for her new found friends before trying to hop a bus to the right end of town at least.

Sophia pushed Jason inside and looked over her shoulder as something moved behind a large apartment building next to them. His time she knew it was no rat and sh readjusted her stance to defensive when a figure stepped out from behind the building and proceded to walk towards her, "Illiana my Love." Sophia raised an eyebrow and shifted her yance yet again to offensive as a male with short brown hair stepped over a turned over bin, wearing kothng but faded black jeans, no shoes and certainly no shirt. "Um who?"
the mans face fell at sophia's confusion, "You have forgotten, you promised you would not forget me and would wait for me to fall Illiana." sophia still stood still, frozen to the spot, was this guy in drugs? She sensed some demonic energies but not enough to confirm his true self. He could just be a human who had a brush with a demon of some kind, than again he did mention falling. Was he some kind of Fallen Angel? Like Lixi? She couldn't wish hard enough for Lixi to return so Sophia could get a few answers.

Lixi had been walking for about ten minutes when she finally managed to catch a bus heading to the right end of town. She hated modern public transportation in general, but she especially loathed the bus. It always smelled of sweat and urine, and usually had more than enough drunks crazies and otherwise obnoxious humans on board for and entire city block, but here they were crammed into one small metal box. God forbid one of them sit next to you and get you trapped in your seat with their meaningless prattle. Sure enough tonight was no different. An old man in tattered cloths who resembled an older haggard Gary Busey eyed her up with a look that suggested he wasn't quite there. She tossed the thin plastic bags with drinks and food into an inside seat and sat on the outside one to prevent being blocked in, but the mad came over and sat in the seat across the isle from her. "Do you know who you are?" He asked her, extending a dirty gloved finger toward her. Lixi continued to face forward and ignored him. "I said, DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE?!?!" He yelled at her and jabbed his finger into the side of her arm. Lixi pondered how simple it would be to reach over and snap this wretched creatures neck, causing a weak smile to cross her otherwise terse lips. The man staring at her laughed a cold, menacing laugh the sent a chill down her spine. "No no, it wouldn't be quite that easy. You see, I know who you are, or at least what." Lixi finally turned her head slowly to face the man. His eyes shifted from bloodshot and blue to blood red with black irises.

"Go your way. Let me in peace." She muttered to the soldier demon before facing forward again, trying to keep her gaze solid, and un-intimidated.

"HA" he exclaimed loudly "It's not that easy. You were sending up a beacon asking for death not a day ago, and now you want left alone? You stupid girl. You stink of the heaven that still runs in your veins, but it doesn't want you, and you stink of the humanity you emerse yourself in now, but it doesn't want you either, so now, you just stink! You're repulsive. TRAITOR!" He screamed, a row of jagged fangs showing behind the disgustingly decrepit human teeth. The bus driver yelled back at him to settle down or she'd throw him off. Lixi took a quick survey of the situation, the people on board. No. Not here. It's not worth the exposure. she thought to herself. "Fine then. We get off!" he yelled and stood up, launching himself quickly to the front of the bus. He glitched and stumbled a bit on the way, giving away his current state. This one was only a possession, camping out in a human body, not a full corporeal demon.

When the bus came to a stop Lixi got off too, much to the bus drivers disapproval as he cautioned her not to deal with the obnoxious drunk. The demon began to prattle on and on about how vile she and her kind were, and how they'd all be dead and gone soon. One major flaw most of the demons had was their vain sense of self pride. Surely enough, he turned his back to her. As soon as he made this mistake, Lixi drew a small butterfly knife from her pocket, and lodged it deep into his spine just below skull. The demon gave off a loud unearthly scream as it vacated the dying body, and the human remains fell to the ground twitching. She rolled the body down into a nearby ditch to try to avoid it's detection at least till morning, when hopefully they'd have decided where they were headed and been long on there way, cleaned off the knife on his cloths, and started trudging the remaining mile back to the storage facility.

As she rounded the corner she could have cut the tension with a knife. She quickly approached the three standing at the door and shoved the bags of food at Jason without even asking him to take them. Stepping between Sophia and the newcomer to the group she gave him a quick shove back a few steps and started scolding him. "What the hell do you think you're doing here? Are you trying to get us all killed?!" She shoved him again with less force this time more to drive her frustration home than to actually push him off. She wasn't overly familiar with this particular one, but she'd encountered him before, both above and here, and she knew he was stubborn. Dismissing him if he had something in his head would be more trouble than it was worth right now. "Ughh. Fine lets just all get inside before we draw any more attention. I just had to flay a soldier demons human host on the way out here. This is turning into a hot spot fast."

The newcomer laughed lightly. "It was not I that sent up the beacon. Once you make a death wish, it doesn't go away just because you find some minor affiliation to change your mind."

Sophis continued to stare and ignored Jason's urgant tug on her wrist, something about how this new male had adressed her hit home, it was only a single name, not even her own, but it felt closer to her than her own skin. Her mind didn't register when Lixi returned and shoved the male, only that he stepped back with a smile, still staring at Sophia. "Once you make a death wish, it doesn't go away just because you find some minor affiliation to change your mind." She took a step back and looked to Lixi, A death wish? "What are you talking about?" The question was directed at the man but she couldn't stop looking at Lixi, obviously this girl had brought something to them that was clearly not wanted nor known about.
Taking another step back she turned back to the man and decided about not backing away. Walking even closer she shoved him again but didn't know why, What is wrong with me? "Who are you? Why are you calling me Illiana?" And why does it sound so familiar?

{I hope you dont mind adding in the new guy? LOL I thought we could make him like some kind of old Lover of Sophia's from when she was in Heaven but she doesn't remember him >.< }

(I like it :-) I like your initiative)

Lixi was shocked at how thrown Sophia had become. She was almost complacent now, which was odd from what she'd seen. "Remember that 'long story' about what I was doing on top of that church when you found me fighting that other demon? Well, same story. Let's just get inside and we can talk in there." she turned to help Jason usher Sophia inside. As she stepped in, she noticed their new companion had yet to move "What are you deaf now too? Come on. We don't have time for this. Trespassing doesn't exactly make humans think very kindly of you. Get your ass in here." Had he been wearing a shirt she'd have grabbed it to pull him, but she wasn't about to grab his pants, and she knew that prolonged skin to skin contact would risk a spark of energy that would alert things to their whereabouts should she grab his arm to drag him. She'd risked enough with the two quick shoves she'd given him already. "Well? Come on already. You know I can't touch you, or did you forget that's why our kind can't risk being in close proximity? Let's go!" After a tense moment he finally stepped forward and stepped past Lixi into the building.

Inside, Lixi used the knife she'd had before and a small thin scrap of metal she kept like a charm on a wire around her wrist to pop the latch of a nearby storage room door. "I had a feeling anything this old probably wasn't about to move any time soon. Come on, everyone can pile in here for now. It'll be cramped but at least it's out of the rain. There's an ancient couch and some other old furniture toward the back. I've slept here a few times when I was passing through." She quickly looked around then tore a long strip of fabric off a disintegrating pile of curtains she'd found in a bin toward the front once and turned back toward the door they'd came in through. "You!" she pointed toward the new guy with knife still in hand, more because she'd forgotten she had it than as a threat. "Sit down and start talking. Sounds like you confused her even more than I have. I'll fill in my story when I get back. I'm gonna go tie that door shut so it's not blowing open. The less it looks like we're here the better."

"If it's all the same, Lixi, I'd rather just wait for you to come back. Why tell the story if there's no audience? Well, at least no audience that isn't human or involved in the tale." The newcomer glanced toward Jason with disdain. That either of you would even travel with such a creature is insulting Lixi. I know my darling Illiana may have forgotten what she is, but you, Lixi? Someone of your noble rank, and of the house of the vengeance angel himself? It's disgraceful. He whispered into her head.

That's enough. None of that matters down here, or haven't you figured that out yet? Lay one hand on him with ill intent and I'll kill you myself. That's if Sophia doesn't do it first. She loves him. You shouldn't have come here. The other two seemed not to notice the silent conversation between the two.

Hah! Love? Hardly. She loved me once, and I love her still. She will forget him soon. She will love me again. Now why don't you do a favor for an old friend. Take the feeble one with you, and let me try to job her memory.

"Fine. Jason, maybe you'd better come with me. I'm sorry, I know you're hurt, but I could use a second set of hands, and I'd feel better with Soph keeping and eye on our new guest." Jason had just sat down on an old armchair, and seemed to groan at the thought. Lixi insistently extended a hand to help him back up, and shot him a glance that said she wasn't about to take no for an answer.

As the two headed down the hallway, the shirtless man sat down on the mildewed decrepit sofa, and motioned toward it. "Won't you please join me my dear. I promise I'll be a perfect gentlemen, at least until you ask me not to be once again. Do you truly not remember me, my love? Not even a little? Surely something must seem familiar, or comfortable, no?"

Jason sighed and followed Lixi down the hall. He didn't particularly want to leave Sophia with that man but if Lixi trusted him even the slightest alone with he had no choice in the matter. "Who is he? You obviously know but refuse to tell." He stopped in the doorway, hands on hips head tilted to he side, "If you wont tell Sophia than you should at least tell me! After all I am the only Human here, well besides Sophia who we all know is not Human now that our little guest has come around."

---

Sophia stood, frozen to her spot as Lixi and the male exchnaged glances.Lixix's none to kind either where as the males was merely unfazed by the cold tension in the air. Her eyes scanned the scene before her for what felt like an hour when within minutes Lixi broke the silence with, "Fine. Jason, maybe you'd better come with me. I'm sorry, I know you're hurt, but I could use a second set of hands, and I'd feel better with Soph keeping and eye on our new guest." She watched Jason walk off with Lixi with fear on her face. She didn't want him to leave her alone and she could tell he didn't want to leave with the groan and eye roll he gave Lixi as she offered her hand to him.
"Do you truly not remember me, my love? Not even a little? Surely something must seem familiar, or comfortable, no?" She snapped back to the male, his face now amused, "Remember what? I have no idea what's going on?" She watched him stand and cross the room until he was standing in front of her. She took an involentary step back and he matched it with one of his own until she was backed against the wall. He reached up and she flinched against the cold stone against her back but instead of what she was intisipating he cupped her face in his hand and leant forward. Freezing her eyes widened in shock as he kissed her lightly on the lips and whispered, "My Love....." She scrunched her eyes tightly together as her mind was bombarded with images, not alot were clear but on reacurring vision appeared in them all, herself with this man, hands clasped tightly together and staring at each other like there was noone else in the world.
Pushing him back away from her she was breathless after the intrusion into her mind, "How dare you!" She mumbled through deep breaths. She heard him chuckle, "Thought that would work. But I didn't think that well." She looked up to him, still breathless and whispered one word that recived a blinding smile from the man......

"Arminos"

"Keep walking. You'll get your answers in a minute. I need to get further away for a few minutes here in case he wakes her up." Lixi put her hand on Jason's shoulders, gently nudging him back out the door and into the rain. "Im sorry to drag you along like this, it just wasn't safe there for you anymore. And before you even say it, yes, it is for her right now."

Lixi stepped passed him, taking hold of his jacket and gently pulling him along with her. She didn't have time to convince him just now. She didn't want to stray to far, but she knew they needed some distance. The energy coming off of those two would be to enough bring in anything within a mile that had any desire to find them. When her kind had physical contact, it was like cutting yourself in cove full of sharks. The storage unit sat under a tall highway bridge, probably one of the only thigns to have been built there after the overpass went up. Across the street was condemned set of old projects buildings that had still been occupied the last time she'd been here.

"C'mon, lets head in there" She motioned for Jason to stay by the corner of one of the buildings while she jimmied a heavy steel door in the small alley between two of the sets of buildings. "Wow... no wonder these places got boarded up. What shitholes." She muttered as she peeked inside. The hallways had some graffiti, and a few of the doors had been kicked in, but she couldn't sense any squatters or otherwise in this building at any rate. She motioned for Jason to fallow her in, aware of his still spiteful glare burning into her back. She knew he wasn't happy with being this far away from Sophia, but she had to assume he'd realized by now both women were equally as stubborn when they needed to be and knew it would have been useless to protest to much. One of the already kicked in apartments inside had a window that had already had the plywood fall off the outside, and afforded them a clear view of the building they'd left the other two in. Some old cardboard boxes had been flattened and laid in the corner, and an old table and ricketty chairs had been drug in at some point. She drug a chair over to the window and sat down.

"If you really want the answers, i'll give them to you, but you won't like what you hear." She muttered to Jason, her back turned to him as she face the window. "Close the door behind you and pull up a seat, or lie down if you would feel better that way." Lixi stared blankly out the window for a while before continuing. "I can't give you all the answers, especially about Sophia. I've been down here so long, millenia really. My powers and senses are all week. She didn't fall with us, but that doesn't mean she didnt fall..."

((sorry I meant to make this longer. I've been running my ass off tonight. We have an oil drilling crew that stays with us and works in shifts, and they changed crews last night so I spent half the night checking the one crew out and the other half in, then I just had to go set up breakfast for the crew that was still here because they leave at 4:30. Now I have to do all my regular nightly paperwork and set up breakfast for the non Halliburton guests. Tomorrow shouldn't be as bad. If you wanna throw a little clip in here or expand on whats going on with Sophia then feel free, but if not and you want me to continue this on I'll come back and edit this and fix it tomorrow, well tonight for most people, tomorrow for me, Tuesday night at any rate.))

{No it's okay i might fill in a bit since you've done somuch work already wih the two!
wow! they sure do have you running ragged this week dont they!!!!}

Jason sat on the chair next to him and raised an eyebrow, "So I was correct in saying she was a Fallen Angel? Hmm it seems your appearance has confirmed it." He gestured back towards the other building, "And now that our new friend has joined us, it all makes sense." He looked to Lixi and shook his head, "It doesn't matter when she fell, the thing I want to know is why the fuck that guy was! There's no way him of all people was an old Lover of hers!" Jason didn't exactly feel jealous, well maybe a little, but it was more why him? She could have anyone and she chooses a pretty boy like him! I thought she had better taste than that!

---

Sophia stood slowly at first until she was at her full height and stared at Arminos through slitted eyes, "How dare you!" Now that she had gotten her breath back she was able to force as much venom into her words as possible and her anger only grew stronger as he smiled at her from across the room, "Ah, you have not changed my Love! Still as feisty as ever." Sophia held up a hand, "Stop it." Arminos chuckled softly, "Your still as you were above." Sophia took a step back again, "Shut up!" Her voice rang high and she almost tripped on a chair that was behind her, covered in dust.
Arminos smiled, almost sadly from what Sophia could see, "You really don't remember." She shook her head, "I don't know anything! I suggest you leave!" She pointed a shaky hand to the door and took a step around the chair until it as placed between him and her. Arminos shook his head, "No, you have to know the truth." She watched him look down at his feet and when he looked back up to her there were tears in his eyes, "Please, just hear me out. I'd never usuall beg but I will for you......Sophia." She could tell it hurt him to call her that and for a brief moment she felt sorry for him, "No if you want you can call me Illiana." he saw the joy on his face and instantly regretted it, I always was weak when it came to crying men.

"Arminos." Lixi mumbled the name, almost to herself. "His name is Arminos." She turned to speak in Jason's direction again, but the her stare was vacant, as though she was looking past him. "The angels are as segregated as high school clicks up there, always have been. Different houses are in charge of different things, and we rarely mingled with people outside our own group for anything more than necessary business. Well, the higher ups did, the arch's in particular, but most of the rest of us just served under them. It's not the unified single minded well oiled machine that your religions make it out to be. Don't get me wrong, it's a hell of allot better up there just because there is no power struggle, well, only the one, and I've already mentioned how that ended." She sighed and stood up. Resting her forearm on the window, she leaned forward against it, staring back outside with the same distant expression. "There were pretty much four tiers of angels within each house, not counting the arch that orchestrated that entire house. 7 separate houses. These were the 'nobles' I guess you could call them, of the angels. Each house had anywhere from 65-100 angels in it. Always 4 in the top tier, and 12 in the next one. 24-30 in the third, and the remainder could be anywhere from 24 up.There were legions upon legions of house-less lower angels as well. They're the ones who were routinely sent to earth to watch over select humans, take care of basic grunt work. Pawns more or less. I was one of the house of Recollai, headed by Michael. We were sort of the house of holy vengeance, you could say. It was our job to punish, destroy and reform things that had gotten to far to be saved by lesser methods. Arminos was of the house of Virtusa. They were group of inspirers, teachers, guides. They meddled in the minds of humans to try to convince them to fallow the path they were supposed to. It probably won't come as any surprise to know that they were one of the first houses the stranger who came to us targeted. They were the intellectual class of our kind, and exceedingly vain and proud from their knowledge, hence why they lost the greatest number to the dark one."

Lixi paused here to glance at Jason. She could feel the fear and rage rising up in him. He probably assumed that she was saying Arminos had sided with the ones that became demons, and that she had just drug him off to leave Sophia alone with him. Better diffuse this quickly before he takes off and misses the rest. she thought to herself.

"Uh uh uh! Wait, just wait, before you start speaking and stop listening as your kind is so prone to, no, Arminos was not among the ones that fell. In fact, he was with my side at first, those of us who apposed the divide all together. But, he was one of the true cowards who changed their mind and sided with the angels when they caught wind of the punishment that would befall those who didn't support their zealous stand. I knew very little of him accept that he was second tier, like myself. We occasionally had to speak with one another when something got handed off from his house to mine. He was in charge of reporting when he felt someone or some group was beyond being able to be controlled or retrieved by their subtle ways, and hence needed to destroyed. He was cocky, but most of that house were like that, though he did talk to me extensively in the early stages of the dark ones rebellion. He seemed to be buying into allot of it, was even questioning why we had any right or responsibility to meddle in the affairs of humans at all. Something tells me that even though he stayed, he probably never stopped questioning that."

"As for Sophia, or Illiani, I'm afraid I have even less answers for you there. Her true name sounds familiar to me, so she probably was one of the higher tiers of one of the houses. I may have even seen or talked to her, but not extensively if I did. I truly can't say I remember ever being formally introduced to her, or even recall having seen her long enough to know her. If she is truly what she claims she is though, his old love, then I have heard rumors, whispers about the situation. It apparently became one of the bigger incidents since the divide. It is forbidden, in heaven, for the angels to form committed relationships to anyone outside of your house and tier. Gets kinda limiting when you're higher up and are left with only a handful of people that you are aloud to be with. Physical coupling was aloud, but never to be spoke of. There was a rumor a while ago, long after I'd already been cast down here, that Arminos had fallen in love with someone who was both not his tier, and not of the same house. Something about it creating a huge issue when either he rejected someone in his own house due to it, or perhaps it was that he confronted someone who she had turned away when they questioned her about it. Rumor had it that he was commanded to either cut off all communication with her, or she would be banished. Some stories I heard said he volunteered to cast her down to earth as a half held, but didn't strip her powers, just hid them. Others say she ran away and became a sort of renegade, but that wouldn't account for her current memory loss on the subject. And while Sophi may be strong, she's not displaying even a third of the power an angel of the houses would have."

Lixi sat back down and turned to face Jason once more, this time actually making eye contact with him. "So no, I can't give you solid answers, but I've told you what I know on the issue now. What you think or come up with from that is up to you." She leaned forward and put a hand on his shoulder "But now, I've done as you asked, so I need you to do one thing for me. I need you to remember that what you're dealing with now in this situation is older than you can truly phathom. I don't know if Arminos was kicked out, left on his own, how much power he has left, or anything. You need to step back, and observe in this instance. I can tell how you care for. I also know what human emotions such as jealousy can do to your logic and reason. You have got to keep them from affecting you as best you can. I'm not saying step back and let her go, but don't try to confront him about it, he hates you already just for being human, it won't do a bit of good and will likely just get you killed, which will do nothing but hurt her. If you love her, focus on conveying that to her, and let her make her own call. Don't give up something as precious as life for something that may be out of your hands."

{ XD wow!! that was better than anything I could have come up with!!!!! Nicely done my dear!!!!}

Jason was speechless, not even his jealousy had anything to say. "She was of a higher house?" No wonder he always felt like she was worth more than him, if it were true that she was from a High House in Heaven than she probably belonged to Arminos no matter what House or Tier he was from. Leaning forwards he sighed and put his face in his hands, still unable to say anything.
Not looking at Lixi he rose and crossed the room and hit his head against the cold window, how could he be so stupid? Of course she wouldn't go for a mere Human like him! He was able to control his anger barly through Lixi's story btu now that she had finished talking he couldn't hold it in any longer. He clinched a fist tightly and pulled back, letting loose with an almighty cry he punched the window and felt the glass shatter underneath his knuckles, cutting his arm underneath the jacket slightly.

---

Sophia sat down on the couch after Arminos had finished almost the same story, the only difference was she could tell that Arminos was holding back the details about her Falling, whether it was intentional or not he didn't say, nor did he mention what happened to her memory about it. All she could gather was that she was once one of the most influential Angels in Heaven and had fallen for Arminos, a Second Teir Angel, when it was forbidden. She couldn't speak and could barly move except to push a stray strand of hair out of her eyes and behind her ear, "Now do you honestly believe you don't know what I'm talking about?" Arminos's voiuce rang through the now silent room and Sophia looked at him, a small nod making her head bob up and down slightly. Nothing could really be said until she heard a huge cry from another building and she snapped out of her faze turning towards the cry, "What was that?" A dark look crossed Arminos's face and he gestured for Sophia to sit and wait, "I shall go investigate. Wait here." All Sophia could do was sit and nod, still unsure on what to do

Lixi Jumped as Jason's hand went through the glass. Well, so much for staying hidden I guess. She could see blood starting to run down his arm from what was probably a sizable cut. Location first, fix the boy second she thought as she through her arm around Jason's chest and half drug, half carried him back out of the room. She may not have been as strong as she was once, but she could still at least get his body moving in the right direction while keeping him upright. Grabbing his uninjured hand and yanking him along behind her like a child she bolted down tha hallway and up a flight of stairs at the end. The crashed through a few fire doors that separated the stairs from the rest of the building and came out on what was probably the 3rd floor. Lixi, still pulling Jason along behind her, slowed her to a quick walk as she tried to listen for anyone moving inside or outside. Abruptly she turned about halfway down the hall and put her ear to door. Nothing from inside. She realized then that she was still clutching the poor mans hand, he must have been to absorbed in his own situation to even care that he was being treated like a misbehaved toddler.

Lixi released him, and he just stood there, staring ahead, arm still partially raised from where she'd let his hand fall, almost as though he hadn't fully noticed it wasn't being kept there anymore. "Hey! Don't go getting all catatonic on me right now. This is NOT an ideal situation for any of us. Stick with me here ok?" She yelled at him as she back up to the far side of the hallway. "Now move back, this is gonna hurt so I can't be keeping an eye on you. Fallow me in when I'm done and start looking for something to prop the door shut." His eyes seemed to focus on her once again for a moment with a glint of confusion behind them. No sooner had he stepped back then Lixi darted at the door, putting her shoulder down and crashing into it. The unused wooden door jam cracked letting the latch and catch plate fly through releasing the door to pop freely open, and lixi found herself quickly hurdling toward the floor in the middle of the room.

She was happy to find Jason had at least done as she asked and fallowed her in, pushing the door shut behind them. This room, however, was unfortunately barren. It hadn't been disturbed since the place was sealed off.

"Never mind the door, lets just see if we can get the plywood off the window and see out. I know your pissed, but darlin you gotta keep a hold of yourself. Hey sit down here first and let me look at your arm." Having just sat up she grabbed Jason's arm and pulled him down to sit on the floor. The black t-shirt she'd had on was already in shreds from her previous fall into the river and scrap with the demon yesterday, though it felt like eons ago already. She tore a few pieces of it from the bottom and slid his sleave up over his arm. "You messed your arm up pretty good here. We really should get you stitches honestly." he didn't even seem to notice she said anything as she tied the scraps of cloth around his arm. "Hey! Are you in there? Say something... I just spilled my guts on everything you wanted to know. A little communication would be helpful about now." It was just about then that she heard the heavy thud of a metal door being thrown open from across the street.