Hunters and the Hunted

"Yeah, we were a bit wrong when it came to figureing out how far along she was." Scareth told Tuesday as he sat by Aria, kissing her forehead.
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She nodded. "Them and Ravens."
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"Faye just tell me."

"Are you ready for it when it happens? I'm assuming it's a home birth."

Aria moved to take hold of Scareth's hand, squeezing it as tight as she dared.

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"Any particular reason why?"

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Faye stared at her the tops of her knees. "Death visited me the other day. H-He said..." she took in a deep breath and fell silent.

"What did he say Faye." He patted the bed beside him for her to join him. "You can tell me."
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She shook her head.
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Scareth gently kissed her hand. "It will probably have to be, because in case no one has noticed, hospitals don't exactly welcome dark angels and their lovers."

Faye stayed where she was as she mumbled, "He said time was up and that if I didn't take action, he would."

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"I'm not really much of a bird person. Not really an animal person in general, so sorry if you ever wanted a pet."

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"Well, you could always come over to mine. Labour takes several hours, so long as you brought her over when the contractions started...though it might better if I just came here."

"Yeah I think it will, because let's put it this way I probably won't be here for it."
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"It's ok, but if you're not much of a bird person then why are you with me? Because I have almost the same top half skeleton as a bird."
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"Faye, what do you have to do?"

"Off on business?" Tuesday asked sarcastically, moving to hold Aria's hand when she flinched, pressing on Aria's stomach gently with her other hand. "So far, luck has held and if we sta - " she cut herself off, grimacing at the smell of blood. Aria had suddenly gone pale, having uncontrolled spasms every few seconds.

"So, not kicks but contractions, huh?" Tuesday muttered to herself. "Scareth, before you leave, make yourself useful and get me a bowl of warm water and a bunch of towels. Help me prop her up as well and hope this isn't a miscarriage."

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"You don't smell like a bird, you don't act like a bird, you don't make bird noises and you don't attempt to peck my eyes out in fright simply because I exist. Therefore, you aren't a bird. Cain's threatening that if you start talking like that, he's going to have to remind you how much of a woman you really are."

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"I can't say. If I do, then everything changes and someone else is added to the list." Faye raked her fingers through her hair. "I-If you get the family here, everyone you can, I'll l-list the signs and you can find out for yourselves. I say the name, write the name, think the name to you or try to communicate it in anyway, anywhere then..." Faye closed up, moving to make herself as small as physically possible, despite the discomfort. "H-He said the first one will always be the hardest, and that he doesn't begrudge me if I can't do it. He's proud of me for making so many kills on my own as well, but that I've been going in the wrong direction, not following the list in the proper direction, killing ahead or behind of time. He said it took him so long to find me as well, because of the wards, and the defenses, and mom's goddamn paranoia that led her to scratch protections into my bones."

Scareth done as his mother had asked, but it was easy to see the reason why he couldn't be there, because all the pain was making him pretty thirsty.
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"If it involves what im thinking then I wouldn't mind."
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"Well that does sound like your mother."

"Now shoo, before I make you." Tuesday grimaced as Aria suddenly gave a gasping noise, tensing up.

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"He knows you wouldn't mind. He's just likes seeing you naked as well."

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"She made sure everyone was out the house so nobody could hear the screams. I -" Faye focused on something invisible behind Sirius and abruptly paled.

He looked at Aria, about to attack her, but Alex suddenly appeared and dragged him from the room.
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"Yeah, but so do you." She smiled playfully.
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"Faye, trust me, everything will be ok."

((Skip for Aria?))

"If you weren't in danger of being seen by anyone, then I wouldn't mind you walking around the house without any clothes all the time. Or, we wouldn't mind, should I say. Unfortunately, Vivian and Hayden happen to live here, and Sirius sporadically appears for reasons unknown to me."

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Faye wasn't focused on him, shaking her head at something and mumbling, "No, that isn't fair, you just can't...you said it was someone else before, how can you just change your mind?!" She'd pushed to her feet. "You said it was supposed to be a family member, she isn't a family member! I barely even know her but you can't do this!" Her head suddenly jerked back in such a way, it looked as if someone had grabbed her chin and yanked her head up so they could look her in the eye without stooping down.

"I know." She gently kissed his cheek.
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Sirius seemed to simply blink and he was able to see what was going on.
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((ok))

Ian lazily kissed her back before he was startled by Vivian clearing her throat uncomfortably in the doorway.

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There was a young man in his early twenties stood in front of Faye, though he was obviously many years beyond his looks. He was tall, as well, and it was his hand gently resting on Faye's neck that had been forcing her to look at him. He was dressed neatly in a shirt and suit and was murmuring something to Faye that had her shaking her head and trying not to cry as she mumbled, "It's not fair...don't do this, don't make me do this, please..."

"You asked me not to make it your brother, Faye." The man who was obviously Death brushed a tear away from her cheek. "And so I didn't."

"But it's still going to hurt...I can't do that to Scareth, please don't do that to him, Aria is all he has, she's all he has..."

"So you would rather Alarick were to die?"

"I don't want anyone to die!" Faye silently started crying then, the tears falling down her cheeks.

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Tuesday was wrapping a small baby into a blanket as Aria slept, exhausted, in the middle of the bed. Softly, Tuesday called out, "If you want to come back now, it's over, Scareth."

"You know, I really suggest that you get away from my daughter, before I personally make you."
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Scareth suddenly appeared by the window. "Thank you."
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Scarlet kissed him back and she sighed when Vivian appeard.

((gotta go))

((Byee))

"And what do you have to face against Death, Scareth? Or do you prefer Sirius these days?" Death slid his hand down Faye's neck to rest on her shoulder as he turned to face Sirius. "I hope you realise you can only see me because I wish you too. I don't want you getting too ahead of yourself. Might have to knock you down a peg."

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"You can check Aria if you want, but she passed out about five minutes ago while I got the baby to start breathing. A girl, by the way. You're the father to a baby girl with the cutest tuft of white hair on her head."

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Vivian shuffled before muttering, "I'm going to need to feed off of Ian until I can start finding humans or an equivalent...don't wanna accidentally hurt the kid or anything." She laughed nervously.

He nodded. "Thank you for helping her mom." He walked to Aria and he gently kissed her forehead.
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"Why ask questions you already know the answers to?" Sirius asked Death.
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Scarlet looked at Ian feeling a bit uneasy over it.

"It's what mom's do. Wanna take her and name her, or are you gonna wait for Aria to wake up first?" Tuesday was startled when the baby started softly sniffling and then started crying, her tiny fists waving about and her mouth opening and closing, because she was hungry. Grimacing, Tuesday asked, "Should we wake Aria up and see if she'll give milk, or are you going to feed her energy instead, let Aria rest? Psychic babies need family energy and I'm not a close enough link to her quite yet."

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"I like to be courteous." He was obviously making Faye nervous because she was paler than a sheet and trembling very faintly as Death's thumb brushed up and down the side of her neck, his grip tight on her shoulder. "This isn't any of your business, you should know that."

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"I can't offer you anything much Vivian."

"I know, I know. I'll live with biting. Can't exactly walk out and ask the nearest bloke for sex, I don't know who or what is out there and whether or not they'll kill me. Just a sip, the wrist'll be fine."

"She isn't the only angel of death down here, you've known about me for a long time Death." Sirius reminded him. "And she is my daughter, so I am making this my business."
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Scarlet watched them.
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"I'll sort something out."

Death moved to stand behind Faye, reaching to pinch her cheeks gently and wiggling her head back and forth, as if she was a young child and he was being affectionate. "But she's my biggest and bestest. Not to mention, she's my favourite because of the irony. She may not be the only angel of mine, but she is the only sanctioned Reaper alive right now. If she goes the right way, I may keep this one. Her work will be ahead of her obligation of being a love or a daughter."

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Ian moved back from Scarlet and towards Vivian, offering her his wrist gently.

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Tuesday held the crying out baby quietly, wincing as her crying started to become a little louder.

Sirius looked at him. "Not happening."
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Scareth took hold of his daughter and he held her.
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She watched him.

"You can't defy Death, Sirius. It is the only absolute certainty. Life is a beautiful lie and Death is a painful truth."

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The baby girl was still crying, hiccuping softly and waving one of her hands weakly and uselessly by her side, nose wrinkled with her unhappiness and eyes tightly shut.

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Ian winced just briefly as Vivian sank her teeth in but forced the tension out of his body.

"That is why I'm not letting my daughter get involved with things like this, at least not when she is too young."
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Scareth sighed and he gently nudged Aria to wake her up.
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She watched him.

"She isn't young at all, are you?" Death leaned to rest his chin on Faye's shoulder, ignoring her shiver of fear from his being so close. "She's been doing so, so well."

"If I do better, will you give her back to Scareth?" Faye's voice broke from how scared she was, and she abruptly moved to hug herself.

"Depends on what I get in return, darling." Death laughed. "Can't cheat me you know. Scareth tried to take the easy way out, tried to lengthen her lifespan and that wasn't really fair. If someone donated the years though..." he shrugged. "Might be compelled to just shift them over to the Psychic. No promises."

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The girl's cries quietened down just slightly into soft yet consistent whimpers as Aria didn't wake up.

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Ian tapped Vivian's head to make her let go and she stepped back, wiping her mouth.

Sirius looked at him. "Take mine."
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"Come on Aria, please."
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Scarlet watched him.

"And how many years do you have left to spare?" Death taunted. "Enough for this?"

"I would have enough," Faye mumbled and Death laughed, ruffling her hair, "Now that would be playing with my affections and unfair, Faye."

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Aria didn't respond. She was breathing, but only very faintly and barely noticeable.

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Vivian smiled weakly, nodding in thanks and whatever look Ian gave her had her cringing and backing out of the room carefully, with a timid wave to Scarlet.

"I'm immortal, so I have enough to spare."
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"Come on Aria, wake up."
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Scarlet waved back.