The big city.

Carlisle nodded, "She's getting better everyday, she is much stronger than she looks and even though there will always be pain Annabell is able to put up with it better than any of us can." he explained, "After all, about eighty percent of the time she sees the world as a child, probably best right about now." he added. "As for my father, now that Annabell is a Fallen he isn't my demon. I know this may be a little selfish but I'm happy about that. Sure, the goddess knew turning Annabell would bother me, which it highly does, I think I'll be okay, for now anyways." he finished this all with a small apologetic smile about the whole situation.

Annabell looked at her mother with her smile still across her features and grabbed her hand lightly, "Its okay, mommy." she promised.

Isaac stood up. A frown replacing his smile. He said nothing.

~!!~
James shook his head. "How do you know?" He asked, pulling away, and picking up his text book.

~!!~
Mason frowned. "She went to her ex-boyfriend. He basically put a hit on her. She wouldn't let me take her to the hospital." He said. "She is a demon, here to make you go crazy. The goddess of death loves games. This kind of stuff amuses her."

~!!~
Samson appeared next to the girl. He just sat next to her, but said nothing.

~!!~
Link opened the door wide for her, so she could enter.

~!!~
Jade took the cup, and began to drink slowly. She said nothing. His presence here was enough to destroy her.

Cora nodded slowly. She returend his smile with one of her own, almost a real one this time. "Okay," She said quietly. "Maybe you're right."

Andrea held her daughter's hand, and nodded simply. Yet she still would not look at her husband.
~!!~
Lenora stared down at her hands. "I just do," She said finally. "Things always turn out okay in the end," she said, looking over at him again. "You just have to trust that they will, even if you can't see it now."
~!!~
Chip shook his head, and sat down in a chair. "I don't..." He shook his head, a nevous laugh escaping his lips. "I don't belive this," He breathed. "It just..." He shok his head, and looked up at Ashlyn again, something in his eyes. She didn't seem to see it.
~!!~
Brianna glared over at Samson suddenly. "Go away! "She shouted. "I don't want to see you, or talk to you!" she snapped, though the effect was ruined somewhat by her tears.
~!!~
"I'm sorry, Jade," Raven said quietly, though she knew there was nothing she could do. She glanced over at Sable once more, but still said nothing.
~!!~
"Go away, Andrew," Elliiot whispered, looking over at him from where she now sat. "Please." He shook his head.

"You're going to do it again, aren't you?" He asked. "Take it back." Elliot ndoded.

"What else can I do? I don't care if he hates me for it, I have to," She whispered. "No, you don't," He said quietly.

"What do you know?" Elliot shouted suddenly, looking up at him. He didn't answer.
~!!~
Laurinda hesitated once mroe before stepping in. "I'm sorry," She said queitly, suddenly. "About before...just leaving like that...I had to go before I lost my nerve. And...it's thanks to you that I finally feel safe for once," She said quetly, turning back to face him. "So thank you, Lance," She said quietly, and smiled at him. There was something different about it this time. Whenever she had smiled before it had had some sort of fear behidn it, but this time..it was just a real smile, and directed at him.

Carlisle stood up straight and stood in front of Cora. He brushed his finger tips over her cheek while his right hand found her left hand and he played with her rings softly. "Blake is right, I can entertain myself." he muttered. He the began to hum lightly.

Annabell brow creased as she frowned widely.

Isaac frowned. "It appears as if I am unwanted." He noted dryly.

~!!~
Blake shivered lightly. "I have the oddest feeling that someone is admitting I'm right about something." He said with a frown.

~!!~
"No, nothing turns out okay." He said, with a low growl.

~!!~
Mason frowned, and something flew against the wall without him even touching it. "You don't believe this!?"

~!!~
Samson said nothing, and didn't move.

~!!~
Lance smiled lightly. "You don't have to thank me." He said. "I would do just about anything for you."

"Congratulations, you're smarter than I thought," Andrea said bitterly, releasing her daughter's hand and turning her back on him, arms folded across her chest.

Cora smiled slightly as she watched him. She let her eyes fall to their hands, but said nothing. She was smiling.
~!!~
Lenora shook her head. "You can't say that now," She said quietly.
~!!~
Chip jumped, and his eyes widened. Ashlyn finally did look at him, and smiled; but it was a strange one, a cruel, cold one. He turned away.
~!!~
Brianna stood up, legs shaking, and walked away from the door to her window. She just wanted to get as far away from Samson as the room would allow.
~!!~
Laurinda's cheeks turned pink and she nodded slowly. "But I still want to," She said quietly, looking down at her feet. Her bag was still slung over her shoudler, and she fiddled with the straps nervously.

Annabell dropped her head in defeat, a tear slid down her cheek lightly. "Why can't you two just try and get along?" she muttered.

Carlisle dropped his hand from her cheek to grab her other hand and intertwine his fingers through hers as he continued to play with her rings on the other hand.

"I try, and try, but your mother has too thick of a head." Isaac said with a deep frown.

~!!~
Mason frowned. "Face it Chip. Asnlynn is a monster." He said.

~!!~
Link closed the door quietly. "You know, you look really pretty with long hair." He said.

Seeing her daughter's tears and knowing they were partly her fault caused Andrea to turn around, but when she heard Isaac's words she snapped. "I have a thick head?!" She demanded . "You're one to talk!!"

Cora heard his mother yelling and looked up at him in silnece from their hands, but said nothing.
~!!~
Ashlyn glared at Mason, but did not argue.

"Ashlyn isn't a monster," Chip said quietly, standing up and looking at him. "And if you can say that you must not have known her."
~!!~
Laurinda jumped, and laughed nervously. "They wouldn't let me keep it short," She said quietly. "They told me I should 'look more like a young lady'. I don't think it worked, though," She mumbled, staring at her feet once more.

"Can you two ever stop with the insults?" Annabell asked, her tears becoming more evident.

"Ignore it." Carlisle muttered, "Trust me, it will end." he added.

Isaac reached out and wiped away some his child's tears. "That is just how it works between me and her." He said.

~!!~
Mason glared at him. "I never said she was always a monster." He said. "No, she was nothing like a monster when she was alive, but what else would you call a murder?" He asked. "She killed, Chip."

~!!~
"I think it did." Lance said softly, sitting on the sofa.

Andrea turned and grabbed his hand. "It's still your fault," She growled. "Don't touch her. You have no right." She still wouldn't listen; she still blamed him. She hated seeing her daughter in pain, and she needed to blame someone, and hse blamed him. She did believe he should have been able to do something, but also that he had done all he could. But she needed someone to blame, or she would break down; she knew she would.

Cora nodded slowly. "Okay," She said quielty.
~!!~
Hymn soon stopped walking, turning in a small circle. It was almost pitch black where she now stood, and she didn't know where she was. She frowned, and turned to retrace her steps, only to figure out that she had no idea where she had just come from.
~!!~
Chip shook his head. "Who?" He asked, looking at Mason this time. "Who did she kill?"

"The man who killed me," Ashlyn said suddenly, speaking for the first time since she'd gotten there. "The man who was responsible."

"Ash.." Chip said softly.
~!!~
Laurinda nodded slowly, and sat down next to him, setting her bag down at her feet. "How have you been?" She asked quietly, turning to him. "Did you start school again yet?" She asked quietly.

"Let me know when you two can both be around me without fighting, until then goodbye to you both." Annabell said and she disappeared from the house.

Carlisle sighed lightly at what was going on downstairs. However he didn't move from his spot.

"My fault!?" He yelled. "What have I ever done but tried to do but make you happy!?" He demanded. "It's not my fault I'm a screw up, as you are kind enough to always make a point of." He yelled. "I'm tired of this." He said in a low deadly voice. "Tired of you and your self-righteous talk. " It didn't even occur to him that he was also self-righteous.

~!!~
Mason stepped toward Ashlyn. "Do you remember anything else from the night you died?" He asked suddenly.

~!!~
"Yeah." He said. "I been okay. But my aunt can't wait to get rid of me." He said. "She keeps telling me I need to get into a good college."

Andrea glared at him. "And I'm sick of yours!" She shouted, taking a step towards him. "You can't take the blame for anything, regardless of weather or not it's your fault. You've always been like this!" She shouted. She didn't seem to think of how alike they were.
~!!~
Cora was silent as well, and suddenly felt like she was eavesdropping. She bit her lip and turned her face away from him.
~!!~
Ashlyn blinked once, taking a step back. "I---" She began, and flinched as a sharp pain hit her head. She groaned. Chip looked worried for her, and for himself. He didn't understand this still ;he had just seen her not too long ago, and now she was...

Ashlyn's mind was racing, a blur of colors and voices and faces. She looked at Mason, unable to quite focus on his figure.
~!!~
Laurinda blinked in surprise; she herself had never thought about it, not that it mattered much now. She had run away, again. But if Lance left, she would have to go back...

She finally forced a smile at him. "I hope you do," She said softly, looking down now.

"I suddenly wish you were an angel again." Carlisle muttered, refering to her powers. "But since I personally prefer you as a human I'll just close the door." he said and he let her hands go. He shut the door marveling at the sounds being muffled by it. He returned back to Cora and grabbed her hands again and resumed playing with her rings.

"Well this isn't my fault!" Isaac yelled. "If you are so great, why don't you fix it!" He yelled. He didn't point out that he did blame himself for stuff, just never said so. "I would like to see you try!"

~!!~
"Ashlyn." He said softly, touching her arm.

~!!~
He poked his cheek. "I have a new rule." He said. "No fake smiles." He said.

Cora smiled slightly at his words and looked down as he came back, looking at their hands. She was silent, her mind racing.
~!!~
Andrea glared at him. "I can fix it," SHe said suddenly, her voice deathly serious. "And I will." With those words she disappeared, leaving him alone. She reappeared in the goddess' throne room.
~!!~
Ashlyn shook her head, pushing his hand away. She gripped her head in her hands, trying not to scream. Suddenly she looked up, gasping. Her eyes were wide. Chip could see it; she was back to herself then.

"Ma-son," She said quietly, looking at him.
~!!~
Laurinda's smile slowly faded, and instead she nodded. "Right," She mumbled. "Okay." She glanced around the room; this place was more familiar to her even then her new 'home' was. "Thank you, again," She said quietly. "For everything. It's because of you that I was able to go and do what I did."

"Jeez Cora, don't talk so much." Carlisle teased before falling silent again. He realized that Andrea had left, leaving Isaac alone.

Isaac stood there dumbfounded for a moment. his face was blank. "MORON!" He suddenly yelled at the absent Andrea. He knew what she was planing, and he didn't like it, no not one bit. "Utter stupidity!" He let out one last shout, and followed, his anger boiling off of him.

The goddess smirked at Andrea. "Let me guess, you want me to turn Annabell back into an angel?" She asked. She would have fun with this. She wonder how desperate the woman would be.

Isaac appeared behind her. "Stop this-" He couldn't finish, for Clara pushed him out of the thrown room, she was smirking. She held him back as the big doors slam shut, leaving his wife and her mother alone.

~!!~
"I'm here." Mason said slowly. "I'm here."

~!!~
"Don't thank me." He said. "You are the one who went."

Andrea nodded simply at the goddess. "I do," She said, her voice tight and controlled. SHe payed no mind to Isaac even when he appeared, and was just as soon dragged out.

Cora smiled slightly at his words, and nodded. After a moment she spoke. "It got quiet," She said, referring to downstairs.
~!!~
Ashlyn stared for another moment before running forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "Mason!" She cried, tears in her eyes. Chip stood in silence. "I don't suppose this changes anything?" He asked simply, a hint of hope in his voice.
~!!~
"Yes, but I couldn't have without you," Laurinda said suddenly, looking at him. "I would have died that day, when you found me, if you hadn't of helped me," She said quietly, remembering their trip to the hospital, how mean she had been.

"Finally, I like quiet" Carlisle muttered and he moved closer to Cora.

Annabell had decided toventure the Underworld when she caught sight of her father wing pushed put of throne room. She swore she caught a glimpse of her mother. She ran to Isaac's side, "What's going on?!" she asked quickly.

The goddess was smirking widely. "Let's play game, shall we?" She asked. She motioned for a demon to step forward. "Are you up for?" She asked. "Would you do anything?" She asked. "I'll give you too choices, trade yourself, and become a fallen, or play my game. If you win I won't turn you into a fallen, and I will turn Annabell back." She said. "What do you want to do?"

~!!~
"Your mother is being stupid!" Isaac growled, as more demons appeared to block the door against them.

~!!~
Mason slowly hugged her back. "It changes nothing." He said. "This is only temporally."

~!!~
Lance looked at the blank TV. "We should leave the past were it belongs." He said slowly.

Andrea was silent. She knew the goddess wasn't ever very truthful, but that didn't stop her from speaking. "I'll play your game," She said, looking at her. Her mind was racing; it was possible to win...just very unlikely. But she would take that chance.
~!!~
"I think something's wrong," Cora said quietly, the silence making her ears ring. She frowned.
~!!~
Ashlyn shook her head, pulling away and looking at Chip. Her eyes wideneed, and she looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't. Chip was silent.
~!!~
Laurinda nodded slowly. "Alright," She said quietly. "You're right." She looked down at her feet again, her eyes tracing the designs on her tennis shoes, then her bag. She said nothing.

Carlisle hid his frown as he dropped her hands and took a step back, "I can't do anything about it..." he told her, "Not if they are doing what I think they are doing..."

"I leave you two alone for a few minutes and this happens?! Why can't you just be civil for a little bit?!" Annabell asked as she tried to think of a plan