DEL

Del was tired. He knew Lucis was tired, but that hadn't stopped Lucis from dancing with that girl. Del shook his head. Neither of them had slept in nearly two weeks. Now tonight was the night. The night they would have to take her. Del was still unsure of how this was all going to play out. It was too crowded here, and their hour was dwindling away.

Del shuffled uncomfortably. He hated tucking his wings in, he felt them rubbing against his back, agitating his skin. Some giggling girls came over to him, inwardly he groaned. One broke away from the others and came over to him shyly. Not again. He thought.

"Hi, I'm Samantha, or you can call me Sam." She girl began, her hands behind her back, and one of her feet drawing little circles. She couldn't even look him in the eyes. "I was just wondering if you-"

"No. No I would not."

The girl, Sam, looked up, shocked. "I... oh... I'm sorry." She stammered. Quickly she hung her head and hurried back to her friends. The girls shuffled away, but not before one of them gave him a scowl.

He shook his head. It wasn't his problem. Then he looked up again, mildly surprised to see Blondey, Evabelle's friend approaching him. She stopped a few feet in front of him, put her small hands on her skinny hips, and looked directly at him. He stared back at her, content to wait her out. The silence between them stretched on. Slowly he raised one of his eyebrows, giving away nothing.

"You're a jerk."

Del blinked. He hadn't expected that. He opened his mouth slightly but the girl continued.

"I can tell you're a jerk, because you pushed those girls away without a second glance. You stand here off to the side, glaring at everyone as if they're beneath you. You only came to flaunt yourself, look cool, break hearts. You don't care for anyone, but yourself, and of course you think you're better than everyone else. I've met vultures like you."  She looked him up and down. "Well, are you going to prove me wrong?"

Del continued to stare at this tiny little thing. Assumptions that he was a monster already, and he hadn't even had to say a word. Ice trickled into his veins. He hated this girl.

The rat nodded as if his silence proved her point. "Just as I thought. I came over here to see if you were worth it. My friend likes you and..." The blonde vermin continued speaking, but Del didn't bother listening after that little comment. My friend likes you. Did she mean... Del glanced over at Evabelle. She turned away as soon as his eyes met hers.

"If you were to go out with her," Blondey was still talking. "And you were to break her heart, lungs, kidney, or any other kind of organ, you could be sure..." She moved in so close to him, he could smell the lemonade on her breath. "I would break so much more than your face, pal."

Del raised his eyebrows. This small, scrawny, girl didn't have a chance, but her fierce gaze held a strange wildfire that made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. "I'll keep that in mind." He muttered.

Blondey's eyes narrowed and she folded her arms. "So it can speak."

Del narrowed his own eyes, gritting his teeth. He'd known instantly from the moment he'd seen this thing from up on that rooftop that she was trouble, he just hadn't known that she would come to directly piss him off. "Sorry, your friend ain't my type, and neither are you."

"I wasn't asking." Blondey replied grimly. The two glared at one another for several moments before the girl whirled around, her short blonde hair whipping him across the face along with something hard and metal scratching across his nose, and stalked away.

Del took a deep shuddering breath, clenching and unclenching his fists from inside his pockets. That girl was something else. He watched her though, as she returned to Evabelle. He watched Evabelle's face fall as Blondey told her what a "jerk" he was. Del shook his head and shoved off of the wall to go look for Lucis.

He hated this. They were just wasting time. Why hadn't they approached her yet? Lucis had told him to watch and be patient. What were they waiting for? The right opportune moment? Del paused, maybe that had been it. It would have given him an excuse to go up to her at least. Well it was too late for that now.

He pushed through the squabbling teenagers, looking for any sign of his fair-haired companion. Finally Del spotted him over on a couch, gently explaining to some girls he wasn't interested. As the girls walked away, a little sad, Del noticed that Lucis didn't receive the scowl that he had.

He dropped onto the couch next to his friend and groaned. Lucis wore and expression of everlasting patience on his face. A prick of annoyance jabbed him, not like what that girl had given him, but still. "What?" He glowered at the taller young man.

Lucis sunk into the soft cushions. "I know how you feel. I'm tired too, but we made it. We're here."

"Then why aren't we doing anything? We're just sitting on the sidelines." Del looked up at the ceiling and yawned, a long and obvious one.

Lucis rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not quite sure how to approach her. It will be a lot for her to... understand." Del watched Lucis's eyes grow glassy as he watched Evabelle dance and laugh with her friends.

Del shook his head in frustration. "Right, well until you figure out how to build up the nerve to talk to her, I'm going to take a nap." He grumbled, leaned back again, and closed his eyes, ready to sleep for a week.

"No you don't." Lucis elbowed him. "We didn't just come in here to fall asleep."

Del opened his eyes. "Why not? We're not doing anything else."

Lucis glanced over to the clock hanging on the wall. "Forty minutes." He murmured. "We have to casually lead her away. In ten minutes one of us needs to take her out."

Del glanced back up at Evabelle. There was a tall nerdy looking kid talking to her, and even from him she shied away. He should have taken that opportunity the brat had offered him. He knew he should of, but something had stopped him. Del's gaze slid off the girl and onto Lucis, who was still watching the pretty brunette.

Del opened his mouth to speak, but a loud obnoxious giggle, stopped him. A girl with short nut brown hair came over and plopped herself on Lucis's lap.

Both boys stared open mouthed.

The girl laughed again and put one long, rope-like, arm around Lucis's neck, with the other she passed her drink over to Del. "You are gorgeous." The girl hiccupped. "Did you know that?"

Lucis leaned over to Del. "I didn't know they had alcohol here. These are minors aren't they?"

Del didn't respond as the girl put a hand on Lucis's face, pulling him away from Del. She had a pouty expression. "No, you don't look at anyone, but me."

This was a complete one-eighty from about ten minutes ago. The girl, Sam, or something, who had been terrified to look Del in the face, now sat on his friend's lap stroking his chin and getting awkwardly close.

Lucis took the girl's wrists, removing her hands from him. He looked rather uncomfortable, as he should. Del felt like he was about to throw up. This was just one of the reasons why he hated humans.

"I'm sorry Miss, but I..." Lucis began.

The girl managed to slide from his grip to a put a finger to his lips. "Shhh, no more words...just emotions." She definitely sounded drunk.

Del sniffed the girl's punch. He couldn't detect any alcohol.

Sam leaned forward, closed her eyes, and puckered her lips.

"Okay, that's enough." Lucis twisted away and got to his feet. Sam rolled off him and fell into Del, nearly causing Del to spill her juice all over himself.

She looked up at Lucis. "Am I not pretty?" The girl's expression contorted into a face of despair. "I'm ugly... that's it... isn't it?" She sniffled.

Lucis blinked down at the girl on the couch. "What? No... that's not it! I just..." Lucis took a deep breath. "I am sorry Miss, but I just can't."

"But why?" Sam shot to her feet. "Why? I need help! Why won't you help me?"

"Help you?" Lucis stared at her. "You never said you needed help."

"It's my new car. Daddy gave it to me and it won't work." She whined.

Lucis glanced at Del, who shrugged. Slap-happy girls do weird things. Hit on strangers and assume they would help you with your car. Why not?

Lucis shook his head. "I'm sorry, Miss, but I don't know how to..."

"Please!" She stopped him once more. "Please, you promised!" Sam then grabbed his sleeve and began to sob. "You c-c-can't do this t-to me!"

Del looked around. Eyes were turning toward them. This is not what they needed.

"Alright, alright," Lucis soothed. He patted her head awkwardly. "I'll help you. Just show me your car."

Sam glowed. "Thank you, thank you! Oh, I love you!" She hugged him, then took his arm and began to drag him out.

"Wait just one moment." He murmured to her. Lucis turned back to Del.

"You don't know anything about cars." Del folded his arms and glared at his companion.

Lucis glanced back at the desperate girl who was tugging on his arm. "Who knows if she even has one. I'm just going to go and see if I can find anyone to help her, maybe get her a cab." He looked back at Del, his expression hardening. "I'm trusting you to take care of Evabelle. If I'm not back, just get her out and keep her safe."

Del nodded.

"Don't fall asleep." Lucis said, and then he allowed himself to be dragged away by the very confused teen.

Del scoffed as he watched his friend being pulled along by Sam. "Like I would." He grunted. Del sat forward and ran his fingers through his hair. He was tired, yes, but this was important. This was the lives of millions that mattered; he wasn't just going to fall asleep and potentially doom them all.

Finally Del turned his attention back to Evabelle. She was almost alone now. It was just her and Blondey. Did that tiny horror ever leave her alone? This was just perfect. He was going to march over there, and what? Say he had changed his mind and did want to take Evabelle on a date or... He watched the fiery blonde. He could just imagine what that little louse would say. Well that didn't matter; he had to do it.

Del was just about to push himself to his feet when a sudden cry, echoed out, and a wave of fruit punch washed over him, causing him to drop the drink in his hand, only increasing the liquid, now absorbing into his jeans and sweatshirt. "What the...!" He exclaimed.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!"

Del glared at the geeky kid who had been talking to Evabelle earlier. The guy was kneeling on the floor with an empty cup in each hand.

"CJ, you clumsy idiot, what do you think you're doing?" Cried a high pitch voice.

A tiny girl with an afro of red curly hair dashed over and began to pat Del dry with some napkins. "Sorry about him." She gestured at the kid who had tripped. "He is the biggest klutz; I mean did you see him dancing earlier?"

The guy, CJ, slowly got to his feet. "I am really sorry... I just..." He glanced at the little red-head. "Well... um..."

The girl leaned in uncomfortably close, toward Del, pulling the collar of her shirt back to expose her tiny throat. "It must be so mundane here for you. You probably get thirsty, don't you?" Her voice was quivering a bit, and Del could just make out a faint trace of some weird perfume on the girl. "Well if you do get an urge to, you know, get a drink, I won't fight you. You can have me if you would like." She pulled back and winked at him. Then she turned back to the baffled looking boy. "Come on, CJ!" The small girl snatched CJ's arm and began to pull him back toward Evabelle and her other friend.

"Wait, what about the drinks?" CJ exclaimed.

The shrimp-like girl ignored him, instead just continued to drag him to where Blondey and Evabelle stood waiting. Del glared at them all the way back. Distantly he heard the boy ask the red-head. "Did you just trip me so you would get a chance to talk to that goth freak, Sophie?"

Del's eyes narrowed. Seriously, how was the punch not spiked? He sniffed his shirt. He still couldn't find anything suspicious about it. Then what's with everyone here? Del shook his head and yawned, a coursing wave of exhaustion nearly taking him under. He shook his head again, trying to clear it. I've got a job to do. He pushed himself to his feet, but the world spun violently, and for a brief second fear washed over him as he found himself crumpled against the couch before he could blink. His head pounded. What's... happening? I can't be...NO! I... have to....get...

His thoughts had turned sluggish. The corners of his vision were growing dark. The music sounded as though it was playing underwater. No... Evabelle... I have to get to... Evabe...

***

There was something, no someone, shouting, from somewhere far away. They were yelling his name. They're voice increased in volume till it reverberated around in Del's skull. He winced. Then he felt hands roughly shaking him. "Quit it." He moaned.

"Del! Del! Wake up!"

Del's eyes fluttered open. Lucis was there, his blonde curls were a mess, and his blue eyes were wide and urgent. Del sat up straight and felt his head spin once more. "Ahh," He put his head in his hands, pressing his palms to his eyes. Finally he forced himself to look at Lucis through the painfully bright lights. "What is it? What's happened?" His squinted around, surveying the room, but Lucis shook his head.

"She's gone. I've looked everywhere. And Del," Something in Lucis's voice make his heart pound. Del looked directly into the blue irises of his friend. "It's happened."

Del shoved himself to his feet, and stumbled. He swore, as Lucis caught him. "Del, did you..." Del pushed away from him whirling around, looking for a clock. Lucis shook his head, beside him. "It's past the time."

Del began to shake, balling his hands into fists. "Then we're too late." He closed his eyes at the realization that their last chance was... A sudden chill fell over Del. It was his fault. What had happened? It hadn't been... no... He had just passed out. No. He shook his head. I was drugged. That was the only explanation. But either way she was... Del opened his eyes slowly. His heightened senses could just pick out the sound of a long high screech from somewhere outside.

A large hand grabbed Del's wrist and Lucis tugged him toward the door. "We may not be."

~(A/N: so in this bit you get a glimpse of Del's perspective. It may be too soon to tell, but what do you think of these two? I may ask the same question later on when you get to know them a bit more. Please vote and comment to let me know what you think! Well if you're still reading get ready for the last part of chapter two where you get a glimpse of Aza's pov!)~