I stared at myself in the mirror, taking in my pale skin and the bags under my eyes. I felt like utter shit, as though I was suffering from a hangover without having a drop to drink. I rubbed my eyes, feeling my dry skin.

This was a nightmare.

I'd woken up alone in a little bedroom in a house I'd never seen before. I'd considered sneaking out the window before I'd realized it was on the second story. Then, I'd seen the winged people below just like Finn, remembering the Guardians. They were buzzing everywhere and I knew they'd find me or try to offer me help because they all seemed too nice to pass up the opportunity. I'd hoped that maybe that this all was one scary dream, but it wasn't over when I woke up.

The door swung open and I jumped in surprise, bracing myself against the desk behind me. A man I hadn't seen before decorated in the same white wings stood in the door way.

He was tall and covered in muscle, visible black tattoos peaking out from underneath his leather jacket on the sides of his neck and arms. His dark amber eyes flickered in the light, paired nicely with the black color of his spiked hair.

"Morning, Kate." His voice was rough like gravel and deep to match the sea. He crossed his arms leaning against the door frame.

"Um... hello." I crossed my own arms, standing up straight. "Who are you?"

"Raphael De Luca at your service." He stood straight, walking slowly towards me. My stomach twisted; his presence oozed a dark power. "You and I are going to take a walk."

I bit my lip, looking around him to the door and then back to the window. "Where's Finn?"

His lips curled in satisfaction. "Getting treated for an arrow he took in the back." My eyes widened.

"Come on now." He snickered with amusement, beckoning me towards the open doorway leading into the hall.

I stepped out into the hallway as he slammed the door shut and strutted down the hall in front of me. He was tall, filling the hallway as he walked with his wings tucked over each other to fit in the small space.

"Can I see my sister?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Specifics?"

"What?"

"Her specifics." He snapped, reprimanding me as though I hadn't gotten there quick enough.

"Her name's Matilda Stratton. Tall, dark hair, light eyes?"

"Haven't seen her." He retorted, gliding down the spiral staircase. I rushed to keep up with him as he continued to march through every room as though it were below him.

"Ok, asshole." I whispered under my breathe.

"I've heard it before. Be original." I felt my cheeks redden as heat flushed them. Raphael opened another door and broad day light pummeled me in the face. I squinted, blinking to adjust.

I know where we are! East Sector! I froze, looking around the abandoned street. This was Main Strip. How was it still together? The concrete buildings were still intact.

Raphael stopped, crossing his arms to wait for me as he tapped his fingers. "Done having a moment?"

"Not quite." I breathed, turning to observe more. There were winged Guardians everywhere, carrying crates of food along with jugs of water. Some had brought in wooden planks to help with reconstruction. There were dirty citizens all along the street, waiting in line as Guardians handed them small pails of food and water, small children covered in ash hugging guardian's legs or in their arms.

It was beautiful. I swore I even saw a child's gap toothed smile as they helped to carry a pail of food with their mother or father, some simply alone. My heart swelled as well as stung. There was beauty in struggle as well as love in pain. I covered my mouth with my hands as I nearly began to sob in the middle of the street.

"I can't stand it when women cry, so please control yourself." Raphael's eyes dropped to the ground as he avoided looking at me face to face. "Are you ready to continue?"

I hadn't even realized that I was actually crying until he said it. I wiped my eyes, feeling warm drops cascade down my palms. I'm so embarrassing.

"I'm good." I sniffed and he looked up at me, turning on his heels and marching down the street. "Where are we going? Where are all the soldiers?"

"Medic tent. Finn wanted me to take you to him when you were awake. He'll give you more information." Raphael said. "And the soldiers are gone along with that tyrant demon. We got rid of him."

My eyes bulged out of my head. "Tron is dead? Wait, a demon?"

"Tron was a demon, and yes he is dead. Keep up."

I narrowed my eyes at his back. He was dressed in the same black long sleeve attire that all the Guardians wore, but I hadn't seen any other Guardians with tattoos yet. I wondered what his tattoos were.

Raphael turned down the street and I followed in pure, thickening silence. I wanted to talk, but I couldn't find the words worthy enough to leave my lips. I was in shock; Tron and his army were gone. Raphael was silent, and I could tell it was how he preferred everything; words wasted breath, and he wasn't about to waste anything.

We walked down one street, though it wasn't a street anymore as only ruins of buildings surrounded it. Light footprints in the soft dirt showed it was the path traveled and I couldn't recognize which street it had used to be.

One building remained on the road, another built from cement that Guardians in all white moved in and out. This must be the Medic building. Matilda must be here.

Before we could enter, Raphael came to a halt, crossing his arms as he leaned against the front wall. "Aren't we going inside?" I asked.

"Negative." He called a man in white overcoat, asking him to send out Finn to retrieve his 'things'. The man nodded before disappearing through the open doorway into the medic house.

It smelt terrible inside, so I leaned against the wall beside Raphael. I felt his eyes on me as he took in my presence. He seemed surprised that I'd chosen to stay with him rather than flee like most would have under his icy stare.

"I don't want to look at more people that I might have known." I explained.

He leaned his head back against the wall as the breeze picked up, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Raphael must hate seeing more crying women inside the medic building.

"How are you a Guardian who saves people from these types of situations though you can barely stand to look at injured people?"

He only shrugged.

"Fate made you that way?"

He snorted. "You believe in Fate? Typical." Raphael looked straight, avoiding my eyes. "All I've got is my fists and luck. No woman in the clouds with a big happy smile is watching over me or you."

"Pessimist." I countered.

"Realist."

"Atheist."

"Which means insusceptible to bullshit." I couldn't help but smile at that one. He actually had a sense of humor under his thick skin.

"That's a flat lie. Every word out of your mouth is bullshit." Finn's voice startled me. I jumped off the wall as he appeared out the doorway.

"Beat it, old man. " Raphael groaned. Finn's lip curled and for the first time, I saw Raphael give the ghost of a smile.

"I'll pray you're kidding."

"What I say is usually true because I don't waste air on anything else." Raphael pushed off the wall before making a grand walk back towards the house I'd stayed in. "Now she's your responsibility. Be ready, she talks too much."

I narrowed my eyes, ready to snap back at him, but Raphael kept walking, hands in his pockets as he didn't look back.

"He's all bark, no bite." Finn said, and I looked back at him. His blue eyes had that sparkle in them that made me smile even though I didn't want to. It made me really want punch him in the face as my stomach twisted when he grinned back.

"I guess you did end up taking me back here, didn't you?" I asked, my voice coming off like ice. I didn't mean it that sharp, and I could tell by the way he shifted on his feet that it had stung.

"You were unconscious by the riverbank so I got you treatment." He said softly. "I hope that proves to you that I only ever had good intentions."

"Weren't you just getting treated? Raphael said you took an arrow... was that because of me?" He paused, trying to find the right words. I only grimaced, "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault. Anyways, I heal quickly because I'm a Guardian so I'm completely fine now." Finn stepped closer to me. "The arrow was nothing, honestly. It's what I do."

I fumbled with the edges of my new shirt, which had been left for me in my room when I'd woken up. Glancing into Finn's eyes, I managed to whisper, "can I see my sister?"

Finn straightened. "Come on, let's head this way." He started to walk back down the alleyway, glancing over his shoulder to make sure I followed. I saw him shorten his long stride for me to keep pace. "I'm certain that your sister is no longer in the medic ward where I sent her."

"Why?"

"I think I heard that a Matilda Stratton had checked herself out early through the window in her room."

Of course she would pull some escape trick. Then again, so would I if I had the opportunity. I'd thought about it this morning myself.

"She can't be far from here." I whispered, glancing around the deserted buildings. "Neither can the others if they're alive."

"Hm?" Finn asked, but I shook my head as though I'd said nothing. I'd find them without him later. They'd have to leave for their own homes eventually, and then I would be free to search. "Turn left here." He said as we stepped onto a street leading to the main road.

"Main Strip." I murmured before looking at him. "Where are we going?"

"To talk to one of my friends." He raised his eyebrows. "Did you live near here?"

I pointed back down the street. "Far back there. I doubt it's still standing." I felt my throat constrict as I shook the image of my house from my head. "It wasn't much, but it was mine."

Finn nodded his head. "I understand. I didn't grow up with much either. Most people don't realize how much something is worth until they see how people treasure the little things that they take for granted."

"I agree. Except most of the town lived on nothing. There wasn't a sound set of law in place to make sure we had enough, in fact it took away most everything." I thought of Leighton, Malaki and the other Benton Brothers. "There was even a group of bandits you'd say who used to go steal from freight trains headed to the Capital City and distribute it out to the poorer people. They used to do a lot for my family."

His eyes widened. "Modern day Robin Hoods?"

"You've heard that story?"

"Who hasn't?" I smiled and he returned it. "That's where I'd be if I lived here. It's similar to what I used to do."

"What's that?" I asked, interested. I hardly knew anything about him, and yet this little anecdote of Robin Hood sparked a boyish joy inside him. That spark intrigued me; I wanted to know more about Finn the Guardian.

Except, he stiffened at my comment, shaking his head. "That was a long time ago. I'll have to share it with you another time when you know me better. I don't think you'd understand if I told you now."

The words rung in my head: when you know me better. Did he plan on staying around?

"If you explain it to me now, you can tell me." I glanced down at the ground as we walked, feeling his calm eyes on me. "I wouldn't judge you if it was something bad. I've seen a lot of bad things."

"I don't doubt it." Finn's voice was soft as we turned another corner.

"Which part? Who I am or what I've seen?"

"Both." He nodded in reply, stopping in his tracks. I halted too, taking a step away from his when I realized how close we'd gravitated towards one another. He cracked his knuckles, lips twitching before hustling past me into the remains of a dark house on the street.

As I stepped in behind him, lights from oil lamps greeted me and I saw a beautiful woman with long, blonde hair. She was surrounded by other Guardians with food baskets as well as young children gathered all around her as she smiled and danced about, flashing her wings.

"And then, when I jumped, I soared across the fields like a bird. Do you know what happened next?"

The children's eyes were wide as they sat in wonder, nodding their heads in 'yes' and 'no', though waiting to see what the woman had to say. She curled her lips, letting the air hang as she noticed Finn and I.

She flapped her wings, lightly hovering off the ground as they gasped and giggled before her feet touched the floor. "A huge dragon flew in the sky right beside me!" Her eyes went wide as did her smile when the kids started to squirm.

"Did it want to eat you like a cookie?" One child asked.

"Oh no, he was a friendly beast. He doesn't eat people."

"Are dragons smart?" A girl asked in a hushed whisper.

She leaned down to touch the girl's nose, making her giggle. "Oh yes, one of the smartest in the seven worlds. That dragon could tell the future." This made a wave of awe spread like a virus through the little crowd. "I'll have to continue my story later. I promise I will be back soon! Finn needs me."

They grew restless again as the woman stepped away, though the children's eyes went wide as they took in Finn. "Hello, Mr. Finn!" A little boy with sandy brown hair and amber eyes said through a gap toothed smile.

"Good afternoon, Thomas." Finn kneeled to the ground, flashing a pearly white smile. "Has Cybele treated you well with her story telling?" Thomas nodded with fervor.

"What did you need?" Cybele asked quietly as Finn stood. Her eyes adjusted as she then focussed on me. I stood behind Finn, and a huge smile spread across her cheeks before she met Finn's eyes again. "Oh! I'm so excited!"

"She wants to know history. Who better than you?"

Cybele nodded, glancing from me to Finn before finally resting on me. "Alright then! We three can go as soon as I get someone to watch the children for me..."

"I'll stay here. You go." Finn gave her a soft smile before leaning close to Cybele, whispering something I couldn't here.

"I'll behave, I promise. Thank you!" Cybele grinned with excitement as she looked to me. "Let's go, Kate! My name is Cybele, and I will answer all your questions!" She took my hand and led me outside, leaving Finn among a chaotic group of children hanging on him for a story.