Soul Mates, Part I by Krystiana Slinky

Soul Mates, Part I

by Krystiana Slinky (krystiana@geocities.com)

_________

Are you actually reading this, or are you just going to skip it like most

people do? Well, if you are, then I guess you are patient and like reading

nonsense.

Anyway, Gargoyles belong to Disney/Buena Vista, all right? They aren't

mine, but I am sure you know that since you are reading this, and likes

Gargoyles. This story, however, is mine. You can't steal my idea. It's all

mine!!!!!!!!!!!!

Calm down, Krys...

Okay, now, if you are going to read this, you must read these other stories

first:

Music Says It All

To Live Again, Part I

To Live Again, Part II

Echoes of the Future

Companionship

The Gate (co-authored by Kristafori)

I've also written something called "Temptation," but that is a whole other

universe, which was aptly named "The Altered Universe" by a friend of mine.

However, if you like seeing Brooklyn acting evil, I strongly recommend it. :)

If you know me, this is the first of what I plan on releasing a story at

least bi-weekly. My normal stories take anywhere from two days to a few

weeks(+ one day for editing). But after school started again, I fell

behind. :( So, anyway, I plan on releasing a story every other Friday.

Okey-doke? Good.

This story is dedicated to my friend, Molly, AKA Banshee. (Yes, Molly is

her real name.) She helped me come up with this story idea. We actually got

the idea from walking around down at the Plaza, and we saw a movie poster

for "The Devil's Advocate." We had no idea what it was about, and this idea

sprung into our heads. Okay? So this is dedicated to her!

And we're off!!!!

_____________________________

{Future Tense}

Brooklyn: Are you all right, my love?

"Previously on Gargoyles...."

Demona: Yes, now that I'm back in your arms.

{Hound of Ulster}

Banshee: Oberon wants his children to return to Avalon. But know this - I

will not return.

{The Gathering, Part I}

[Weird Sisters carrying Banshee]

Banshee: Release me!

Oberon: You pride yourself on your siren voice. And so your voice will be

taken away until we see humilty in your silent plea.

[Oberon placing the metal plate on Ban-shee's mouth]

{Music Says It All}

Demona: I love you, Brooklyn.

{The Gate}

Demona: I can't stay. I've learned how to forgive humans, now I have to

forgive myself.

Brooklyn: I'll go with-

Demona: No. I have to do this alone.

Demona: Goodbye, my love.

[Demona gliding away, Brooklyn looking after her, and the clan watching him]

_________

Soul Mates

Part I

The gargoyle swooped around the Aerie Building before finally making a

landing in the middle of the courtyard. He had a rather sour look on his face.

Brooklyn was in a bad mood, and he intended to let people to know it.

But the rest of the clan already knew it, and they avoided him.

Which made his already bad mood into a pissed mood.

No gargoyle likes to be avoided. Especially after finding love, and then so

narrowly losing it again. He knew he would get her back one day, but he

knew that could be centuries.

No one had even seen Demona for a few months. Angela missed her, but she

had Broadway to comfort her. Brooklyn was in more pain, and although the

clan knew it, Brooklyn had become a mystery to them. When they tried to

help him, he pushed them away.

He stalked into the castle, his face unchanging. He turned into the

entertainment room and turned on the CD player. He had listened to music,

trying to keep his mind off Demona, but whatever her listened to reminded

him of her. Sheryl Crow, because of the dream he had of Demona dancing to

it. Alanis Morisette, because of the dream Lex had told him about. Even

White Town, with the "Your Woman," song, somehow he just thought of her.

Tonight he wanted to think of her. He brought out one album, one Elisa had

bought for him a few weeks ago, trying to cheer him up. It was Space,

Spiders album. He put the CD in the player and fast-tracked to Track 5,

"Me and You Vs. the World."

"I first met you hanging knickers on the line

From that moment on I knew that there could only be one outcome

Me and you against the world forever

You have no folks

And I'm just a joke

But we made a vow that we would never sell each other out

A lie detector wouldn't make me doubt you

Now we know that its us versus the world now

Me and you against the world now

Look up there in the sky now

See the stars, well, they're shining just for us

Hey now, me and you against the world now

Look up there in the sky now

See the stars, well, they're shining just for us."

Brooklyn stopped the player. He knew the rest of the song, but he loved the

chorus. The rest of the song was about two robbers and they were shot while

they were trying to get away. In the end, they were lying dying in each

others arms.

Brooklyn smiled slightly. ~What else will humans write about?~ he thought.

~They'll sing about anything just to make money.~ He fast-tracked to the

last track, Track 14. It was a musical song, with no vocals. It was called

"Growler."

He sat back, letting the music wash around him. He closed his eyes and

imagined Demona. He saw her eyes, her wild red hair, her soft blue-green

skin. Everything about her that used to drive him up the wall, he now loved.

The song came to and end, but he didn't get up to stop the player. He

wanted silence.

He got sixty seconds of it. The CD player started another song, one that he

hadn't heard before. The music was inticing, and he sat up to see who had

changed the CD.

No one was there, and the CD was on Track 15. he picked up the case and

looked at the back. There wasn't a Track 15, according to the label. The

song itself explained it, though. The mystery of why the album was called

"Spiders" was revealed.

"In twenty years from now I want to be nowhere

I live life day by day just sitting in the same chair

If it wasn't for you I'd have taken you

You gave me a brand new meaning, an extra season

And all of this from a girl who's

Scared of the spiders and she's scared of the dark

She's scared of the boogeymen in the dark

But if anybody comes her way I know she'll cut their bones off

They wrote a book about her

Its taken the place of the Holy Bible

I'd send her to the stars but the universe couldn't handle an eagle

If it wasn't for you I'd have taken you

You gave me a brand new meaning, an extra season

And all of this from a girl who's

Scared of the spiders and she's scared of the dark

She's scared of the boogeymen in the dark

But if anybody comes her way I know she'll cut their

bones off

Scared of the spiders and she's scared of the dark

She's scared of the boogeymen in the dark

But if anybody comes her way I know she'll cut their

bones off."

Brooklyn stopped the CD player, his beak open wide. The song described

Demona almost perfectly. She was one of the bravest gargoyles Brooklyn had

ever known. But she was scared of the boogeymen, which were her own

personal ghosts, her guilt.

* * *

Ani DiFranco blasted out the window of Nightstone Unlimited.

Demona was definately not happy, either.

As much as she wanted to reform, she knew she couldn't. She had started

being nicer to her employees, giving them raises, even complementing them

on their work regularly, but nothing helped. What could you do when you had

tried to destroy the human race a year ago?

Demona stood up and began pacing. Angela was growing up with a human for a

mother. Not that Elisa didn't make a good mother, but Demona wanted to be

there for her daughter.

One more face floated into her mind, and this time it didn't leave.

Brooklyn was still younger that her, but she loved him more than she had

ever loved Goliath or Thailog.

Demona had no idea why she was listening to this human music, she just knew

it eased her pains.

Except for one, a pain that wouldn't die until she could once again be

wrapped in Brooklyn's strong, red, arms. She never knew it was possible to

love someone this much. It hurt to be away from him.

She turned to the window. *Brooklyn?* she cried out silently to him. There

was no answer. ~Proabaly out of range,~ she thought bitterly. ~He is on the

other side of Manahattan.~

* * *

Not anymore, at least. Brooklyn was gliding around Nightstone Unlimited

when Demona called out to him. He didn't dare give his presence away. As

much as he wanted to see her, he wouldn't.

Goliath had seen how much pain Brooklyn was in, and had said he could go

and stay with Demona, to help her along her journey. Brooklyn refused,

saying he had a responsibility to the clan, and couldn't abandon them.

Besides, Demona said she wanted to be alone.

Brooklyn landed on the ledge of a different window. He had to just look at

her, to try and soothe something. He pressed himself up against the glass.

There she was, looking so very solemn. He firey red hair reflected in the

dim light. Her eyes were closed at the moment, head down, arms crossed.

Brooklyn pressed himself farther onto the glass as all the memories he had

of Demona, good and bad, swung past him.

When she had talked privately to him that first time after they woke up, he

felt something for her, but it wasn't love. At least he didn't think so.

When she stroked the side of his beak he felt a surging passion, but not love.

But his feelings had finally come out. His true feelings. He admitted them,

and they managed to push the rage away.

~Didn't it?~

* * *

Demona wanted to just even see Brooklyn's shadow. She knew it was a million

to negative one chances of seeing him, but she didn't care. Thinking of him

made her feel better and worse at the same time.

She loved everything about him. His snow-white hair, his beautiful eyes,

his sense of humor, even his sprouted beak. He was younger that her, but he

matched her with everything. Besides, in a few years, he would be the same

age as her.

But then a few years after that, he would be older than her, and keep

growing. She knew that they wouldn't die together, despite how much she

wanted it. He would die, and she would still live...

With a moan, she sank to the ground.

* * *

Brooklyn saw Demona fall. He gasped, worried that something was wrong. He

turned to the edge of the window, searching for some sort of latch to open

it. His sensitive talons ran along the side, and finally caught on a latch.

Pulling it up, he rushed inside.

He ran to her side and hugged her, picking her up. Demona gasped and opened

her eyes. A broad smile spread across her face and she threw her arms

around Brooklyn's neck.

"My love!" she shouted. "How...never mind. I'm just so happy to see you

again!" She kissed each side of his beak and then planted a final kiss on

his lips. Brooklyn returned the kiss, holding on tightly to her. Thinking

back to the Castle Wyvern days, he remembered something that mates often did.

Extending his wings, he wrapped his wings around both of them. Demona

smiled and laid her head on his chest. Brooklyn smiled down at her.

They stayed that way for what seemed to be a long time. Demona finally drew

away from Brooklyn. He then put a talon under her chin and tilted her head

up at him. It had not occured to him until then that he was now taller than

her. Smiling, he bent down on one knee. Taking one of her hands in his own,

he stroked her face, almost relishing in her beauty.

"My love," he began, half-closing his eyes. "A few months ago I was moping

that I would never have a mate, or anyone who would love me. But now, I see

what I should have seen before - you are the most beautiful gargoyle I have

ever seen."

Demona blushed. "I never though of you as a poet, my love."

Brooklyn grinned. "Just say you're seeing a whole new side of me," he said.

"Just like I saw a whole new side of you." Brooklyn drew her back into the

embrace they were in before, but Demona pulled back.

"My turn," she said, smiling mysteriously. "Brooklyn, after Thailog, I

thought I could never trust another again. But you forgave me despite all I

have done, especially to you." She paused, frowning. "I realize I have

never been...accomodating towards humans, or the clan, but you forgave me,

and you were the first to forgive me, even though you were the one who

hated me the most."

Brooklyn began to protest, but she placed a hand over his beak. "After what

happened with Angela, I began to realize that what I wanted was stupid.

That what I wanted had cost me everything that mattered to me. That what I

wanted wasn't right, and just... evil."

"But you weren't evil!" Brooklyn interuppted. "You just didn't understand

humanity. And after everything that humanity had done to you, you still

forgave them. And you are surprised that I forgave you?"

Demona looked down. "Brooklyn...I am afraid about something."

"What?"

Demona looked up at him, searching his eyes for an answer to the question

she was about to ask. "I am afraid about the future."

Brooklyn looked puzzled. "But there's Krys..."

Demona shook her head. "I mean the future after that. Brooklyn, I am afraid

about your death." Brooklyn's features melted into understanding. "I am

afraid...I am immortal and you are not." She turned away from him. "What am

I to do about it?"

Brookly placed his taloned hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about that

now."

Demona smiled, turning back to him. "You're right. That is a long time from

now." Smiling, she ran back into his arms.

* * *

AVALON

The green heisan figure floated into the empty hall. Only Oberon was still

there, looking rather bored. As the figure floated closer, he looked up.

"Banshee," Oberon stated. The Banshee looked down as Oberon sat up. "I

wager you are here to plead for your voice to be returned to you." She nodded.

Oberon sighed and rose a hand. The metal plate over the Banshee's mouth

melted away. "Your silence has shown us your humilty. Although there is

still very little, it has grown since you...arrived here again. See that it

still grows, child."

The Banshee smiled at Oberon with sincere gratitude. "Thank you, my lord

Oberon." She turned to leave, and then stopped. ~He wants me to show

humilty,~ she thought to herself. She turned back to her father, her lord.

"Is there anything I can do in return?"

Oberon looked sincerly surprised. "Not now, Banshee. Perhaps at a later time."

Banshee nodded and smiled once more, and then she took her leave.

* * *

"Hey, look, our sister finally got her voice back!" The image of the young

Peter Maza laughed as the Banshee appeared.

The Banshee turned at her brother's voice. "Coyote," she sneered. "Must you

always torment me?"

Coyote laughed again. "Of course," he stated. His face darkened suddenly.

"With Puck gone...someone has to take his place!" Coyote sighed. "But I

can't fill his shoes."

Numerous others around him nodded in agreement and faces quickly turned

sour. Using the sorrow as a distraction, the Banshee flashed away from the

room into her own private quarters.

"They always torment me!" She screeched. The walls around began to shake at

the sound of her voice. She calmed down a bit. ~I don't want Lord Oberon

after me again.~

She sneered at the thought. ~LORD Oberon, indeed. If I had the power...~

She smiled suddenly. ~Maybe it is time for a visit to the mortal world. And

since time passes slower here then in the real world, I can have a few days

before someone notices I am gone!~

In a flash, she dissappeared.

* * *

MANHATTAN

The child of Oberon walked along in her mortal form. Molly fit right in

with the rest of the crowd. In Ireland it was much easier to steal things,

but here it would probably be harder, and she did not want to test her luck.

She turned the corner and ran into a tall man, and she fell to the ground.

To a mortal, he would look threatening. The man had a leering face, and had

eyes for Molly. He plastered a false smile on his face.

"Aw, I'm sorry, Sweetheart," he said, helping her up. "I'm always running

into people." He looked her over again. "But I ain't never ran into any as

pretty as you."

Molly smiled, acting flattered. "Thank ye, sir. Might I have yer name?"

"My name is Paul," he said. "That's quite an accent you've got there. Were

are you from?"

"Ireland," she said. "I just moved here about a month ago, and it's still a

might bit confusing."

The man laughed. "I've lived here all my life, and it's still confusing.

What's your name?"

"Molly."

"Can I buy you a drink, Molly?"

* * *

The body fell to the ground with a thump. Molly looked around to see if

anyone had seen what happened. No one was near.

Walking away, she felt satisfied. ~Using mortals is almost untraceable,~

she thought. ~The police can't accuse someone who doesn't exist.~

Molly continued walking out of the shadowed alley. ~I'll need a few more,

though.~

* * *

Brooklyn looked out the window over Demona's head. Seeing the lightening

sky, he groaned.

"My love?" Demona looked up at him. "What is it?"

"It's almost dawn."

Demona sighed and put her head back on his shoulder. "I wish this night

would never end."

"All good things must come to an end," Brooklyn stated, stroking her hair.

He kissed her on top of her head and stood up. "Don't want you trapped the

entire day." He knelt on the ground and looked up at Demona with a grin on

his face. "Until the sun goes down, my love."

The sun peaked over the building. Brooklyn slept with a smile on his face.

* * *

Dominique Destine glanced at the sun setting out of the corner of her eye.

Dismissing her workers, she ran into the back room where Brooklyn was

sleeping. She quickly changed into her usual garments - her loincloth and

jewelry. Just as she setting her tiara on her head, the sun set.

She cringed as her wings sprang from her back. Her skin darkened to her

teal color, and as her gargoyle features came back, her battle cry echoed

across the room.

As the transformation ended, behind her, she heard a crash of stone as

Brooklyn awoke. Demona turned around to see the red gargoyle stretching his

wings.

"How was your day, my love?" Brooklyn asked, hugging her.

"Boring as hell," Demona replied, snuggling into his wings.

Brooklyn's face suddenly fell. Demona noticed this, and she looked up at

her love with concern. "Brooklyn?"

"It's just...I haven't forgotten the night you tricked me into stealing the

Grimorum," Brooklyn said.

Now Demona's face had darkened. "That."

"Yeah, that." Brooklyn sighed. "There are times when I don't know whether

to kiss you or kill you. I get next to you, and I can't think straight."

Demona suddenly lightened up. "What's to think about? You feel the

connection betweem us as strong as I do." She started to talk in a French

accent, making an amazing impression of the old romance movies. "We are

soul mates. We are fated to be together."

Brooklyn drew her closer. "Maybe we're cursed." Demona chuckled and kissed

him.

Brooklyn sighed again. "I have to go back, you know. They'll be worried

about me."

Demona nodded. "I understand."

"I'll come back more often, if you'd like."

"No. I still have to sort things out." Then she smiled. "I'll come to the

castle when I'm ready."

Brooklyn nodded solemnly. "All right, love." With that, he glided out the

window.

* * *

Brooklyn shook his head and grinned as he glided back to the castle. Every

time he saw her, he loved her more. And now that he had gotten the guilt

thing off his chest, he loved her even more than ever.

A high pitched scream echoed through the air. Brooklyn looked down and saw

a young woman being chased into an alley by three not-so-nice looking

fellows. ~Always the alley,~ Brooklyn thought tiredly as he dropped down to

do the routine.

The woman was actually very pretty, by human standards, and that was

probably the reason she was being chased. She didn't look rich by any

standards. In fact, she looked rather like a girl that was not-so-nice

either. She had short, dyed red hair, and hazel eyes that seemed to suck

you into the depths. She was wearing a red mid-riff and a leather jacket.

"Get away from me, low-life," she yelled. She had an incredibly thick Irish

accent.

"And who is gonna make us, sweet cheeks?" The leader asked. "We just want a

little...monkey dance, so to speak."

~They want to rape her!~ Brooklyn realized. Eyes lighting up, he jumped

into the light. "I don't think so."

"OH, MY HOLY FUCKING WORD!" one of the rapists yelled.

"Shit, it's one of those gargoyle monsters!" the leader hissed to his

partners.

"Excellent deduction, Sherlock!" Brooklyn said. "It must have taken a lot

of brain power to figure that one out."

The third appeared to be having a breakdown. He was hunched against a wall,

head in hands. "Omigodomigodomigod," he kept muttering.

"We'regonnadiewe'regonnadiewe'regonnadie. WE ARE GONNA FUCKING DIE!"

"Relax," Brooklyn said. "I don't kill people unless they piss me off."

"Yes, sir..." The leader said, keeping his face straight. Suddenly, he made

a break for it. Brooklyn rolled his eyes and tripped him as he tried to run

past him. The leader landed face down in a mud puddle.

The other two were backing away in fear. The frightened one's eyes finally

rolled back in his head and he fainted.

The final one, seemed to be the most brave, but the most stupid. He threw a

hard swing at Brooklyn and connected with the side of his face. Brooklyn

grabbed him by his shirt and lifted him up.

"Forget it," Brooklyn muttered. He threw the rapist against the wall and

then checked on the girl.

She didn't look shaken at all, but rather awe-struck. "I don't believe this

is happening," she said, more to herself than to him.

* * *

Ms. Destine looked at the clock. 6:25. The sun would set in ten minutes.

She walked into her back room and sat down, waiting for her gargoyle form

to come out.

Business today had been rough. She had interviewed six people for a high

job at Nightstone, but none of them seemed to suit her wants.

Dominique realized she was more tired than she thought. She yawned and

closed her eyes, laying her head back. She wondered how her daughter was

doing. She had forgotten to ask Brooklyn the night before. She yawned again

and looked at the sunset.

It hadn't moved.

Dominique gasped and looked at the clock. It was still 6:25. SHe rubbed her

eyes and looked again. She hadn't seen wrong.

But she knew something was wrong. Looking away from the clock, she saw she

was no longer in Nightstone anymore. She was in Xanatos's office. Dominique

quickly ran outside.

~First time stops, then I get zapped to Wyvern,~ she thought. She looked at

the seven garoyle statues. From the looks of it, Lexington and Broadway had

gotten into a fight and the others were trying to stop them. The sun had

risen before it could be resolved.

She walked up to Brooklyn's statue, who wasdoing nothing but watching

calmly. Placing a hand on the side of his beautiful face. A tear came to

her eyes. She planted a kiss on his forehead, right between the horns. "I

love you," she whispered aloud.

"Love, Demona?" A voice behind her said. She turned around to see Goliath's

statue moving, mocking her. "You no longer know the meaning of the word.

Hate is what you live for now." Hearing the words that he had once said to

her, she gasped.

Angela's statue began crackling. Dominique turned to it in disbelief.

"Angela, my daughter-" she began.

"Daughter?" Angela laughed. "You have no daughter." Dominique shook her

head again as she backed up.

A cold hand planted itself on her shoulder. She ducked to the ground and

turned.

"My love!" she shouted. Brooklyn's statue grinned maniacally at her.

"How could I possibly love you?" he asked her. "You aren't capable of love.

You never were."

It was too much. To be rejected by her one true love and her daughter was

too much. Brooklyn grasped her wrist. Her frail human body didn't stand a

chance. He picked her up and threw her over the edge of the tower.

She was falling. Without her wings, she was doomed. She waited for the

killing blow...

A blow came, but it certainly wasn't killing. A few bruises, maybe, but

that was all. Dominique looked around and saw she was in Elisa Maza'a

apartment.

"Your first direct words to me were `You've just been poisoned.'" Dominique

turned to see Elisa. She was dressed in a long, flowing, white gown.

"That was a long time ago," Demona started.

"Not so long, compared to your long lifespan," Elisa's face began to look

strange.

"But I've learned to forgive humans!" Dominique protested. "I'm still so

sorry for what I did..."

"That sure makes everything better," Elisa said sarcastically. "What's done

is done." To Dominque's horror, Elisa face began melting away. Her entire

body melted into a puddle.

Dominque stared at the puddle on the ground. She got the nerve to creep up

to it.

Suddenly, a hand reached up out of it. She gasped and backed up. Red

talons, and then Brooklyn came out of it.

"Brooklyn?" Dominique asked, sure it wasn't him. Brooklyn just stared

blankly into space.

"My love?" she tried again.

Still no response. Dominique stood up and walked over to him, studying his

face.

Suddenly, a high pitched wail filled the air. Dominique tried to ignore it

at first, but it got louder and louder. She was forced to cover her ears as

it began beating at her ear drums. She sank to her knees and closed her

eyes as the pain became unbearable.

Then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped.

Dominique uncovered her ears hesitantly. She opened one eye, then the

other. In Brooklyn's place was a green blur. It slowly became clearer, and

Dominique squinted at it.

It was obviously a woman, and her hair was purple and long, and it seemed

to fly everywhere, although there was no wind. She was transparent, almost

like a ghost, but Dominique obviously could tell she was fae. "Who-" she

started.

The song started up again, louder than it was before. Dominique screamed

and slapped her hands over her ears. A wave of blackness came over her. She

was going to faint. Dominique tried to think of something besides the

singing, and the noise that was tormenting her ears. But she couldn't fight

any longer.

Finally, she gave into the next wave of darkness, and fainted.

* * *

Demona sat straight up in her room. She hated falling asleep in her

gargoyle form, but she had little choice. Throwing off her blanket, she

shook her head to clear the ringing in her ears.

"I believe the cliched expression `thank goodness it was just a dream' fits

somewhere in here," Demona muttered out loud.

~But what did it mean?~

* * *

Broadway and Angela quickly jumped apart as Brooklyn glided into the

courtyard.

"Hi, Brookl-" Angela began.

"Get out of my way," Brooklyn snarled, pushing Angela with a sweep of his

arm. Angela stared after him as he walked stiffly into the castle.

"What's with him?" Broadway asked.

"I don't know," Angela said. "Something must be wrong. Come on." She

started running after Brooklyn. Broadway quickly followed.

They found him walking down the hallway. "Brooklyn!" Angela said. He turned

and glared at her.

"May I help you?" he said, looking ready to kill either of them.

"What's wrong?" Broadway asked.

"Nothing," Brooklyn said, turning away. "Is that all, or do I have to stay

here and listen to your psycho babble?"

"Don't tell me `nothing,'" Angela said. "We know something is wrong."

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT I'M THINKING?!" Brooklyn exploded. "Are you

fucking psychic? No, I don't think so. You can't read my fucking mind, you

don't have to be so fucking concerned about me all the time, because I am

fucking older than both of you, so get off my fucking back!" A door down

the hallway had opened, and Lexington and Hudson looked out to see what was

going on.

Brooklyn's eyes were glowing white now. "You wanna know if something is

wrong?" he said in a dangerously low voice. "Yeah, something is fucking

wrong. But for once in my fucking life, I'd like to keep it to myself!"

With that, he stomped down the hall and slammed the door to the room that

Xanatos had given him, making a picture on the wall fall to the ground.

Lexington whistled. "He is pissed," he said, putting an accent on each word.

"Yeah," Angela said with heavy sarcasm. "How many fucking times did he say

fucking?"

Broadway counted. "About seven." Lexington started laughing.

"`Tis not funny, lads." Hudson stared at the door that Brooklyn had

slammed. "Something is seriously botherin' him."

"STOP FUCKING TALKING ABOUT ME!" Brooklyn shouted, his voice still loud,

though muffled through the door. Everyone was silent for a few seconds,

barely daring to breathe.

Broadway coughed. "Eight," he said quietly.

* * *

~I have to see him,~ Demona thought as she glided towards the Eyrie

building at top speed. ~I have to know if he's okay.~

She landed in the courtyard and looked around.

"STOP FUCKING TALKING ABOUT ME!"

Demona's eyes widened at the sound of Brooklyn's voice. She had never heard

him so angry. She quickly rushed inside the castle.

"Angela?" she said, looking at her daughters worried expression.

"Mother?" Angela answered. "You came back!" Smiling, Angela ran into her

mother's arms.

"What is wrong with Brooklyn?" Demona asked Hudson, looking over Angela's

head.

"I wish we knew, lass." Hudson glanced at the shut door again. "I wish we

knew."

"I'll go talk to him." Demona opened the door and walked inside.

Brooklyn was looking out a window, oblivious to Demona's presense. Quietly,

she shut the door, watching to see if Brooklyn would say anything.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Demona asked. Brooklyn turned

around, growling. "I could hear you yelling all the way out in the courtyard."

Brooklyn shook his head and turned back to the window.

"Answer me," Demona said, growling now as well.

"Why?" Brooklyn asked without turning around. "Is there a law that says I

have to answer every damn question that I'm asked?"

"Be serious, not the clan jester," Demona said quietly. "You are the king,

remember?"

"Yeah," Brooklyn said, unfeeling. "I remember, all right."

"Brooklyn-"

"Get out."

"What?" Demona couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Get out." Brooklyn gripped the window sill. "I don't want to see you

anymore."

"No," Demona whispered quietly.

The rejection stings.

She fled.

TO BE CONTINUED...

____________________

Next time on Gargoyles:

Brooklyn: Really, nothing is wrong with me!

Demona: No! My love!

[Elisa firing her gun]

Demona: You'll pay for this! I'll find a way to kill you!

[Banshee laughing]

[Demona leaping at Banshee]

********

"You and Me Versus the World" and "Spiders" are both on the "Spiders" album

of Space. "Spiders" really is on there - on track 15.

Ani DiFranco is her own self, copyrighted by herself, I'll bet. I didn't

put any of her lyrics in here, but she's cool, so I had to mention her. :)

***

In Progress: (in order of coming out)

Soul Mates, Part II: Does true love really conquer all?

The Coven Saga, Part I: Sometimes miracles can happen. But what happens

when the best kept secret is finally revealed?

-----------

In Progress in the "Altered Universe:"

Long Way to Morning

-----------

In Progress in "Future Tense Universe:"

Future Tense, Part I: The Breakaway