The roar of traffic was deafening. After spending so much time in Atlantis, where there were no cars to speak of, the arrival in Canterbury was overwhelming. Even with the windows closed Aubrey could barely think over the sounds of so many people in such close proximity.

It could also have been lack of sleep which was also affecting her faculties.

Other than the brief catnap which had been so rudely interrupted, rest had not been forthcoming. Deirdre had wanted to keep the younger woman under her loving care and attention, her eyes full of sympathy every time she thought the red head wasn't looking. However, Aubrey saw it all and it did nothing to help alleviate the sleepless situation. She hated all of the mollycoddling, felt guilty about being given so much care when Tiberius was out there alone, and yet she enjoyed it at the same time. Her mother had never been overly affectionate.

Still, after a home cooked meal and a promise to get some rest, the older woman had relented and allowed her son to escort their guest to the car and drive away.

Aubrey stared at her reflection in the glass, the image flickering as shadows from the buildings fell across the car. Her face was pale, her hair lank and her lifeless eyes were framed by dark circles. She was a mess and her companion obviously agreed as he had taken to sending her glances every few seconds, a deep furrow between his brows.

As the traffic slowly crawled around the city, Andrew finally pulled off of the main highways and pulled into a parking space. Turning off the engine, he sat there for several moments in the sudden quiet before turning his attention to the young woman at his side. Aubrey didn't even acknowledge the absence of sound or that they were no longer moving. Her mind was yet again elsewhere as she stared off into the distance.

"We're here." He advised quietly.

Aubrey blinked so that her eyes could focus on her surroundings. She turned her head to look at the man beside her, staring at him for a few seconds and then turned her attention back out of the window she took in a deep breath. They were right by the entrance of the high street with the large stone remains of the West Gate were standing proud just a few feet away.

"Do you know where you are going? Are you sure I can't take you home?" Andrew asked, his nails scratching at the stubble on his chin.

Aubrey looked through him. "No, I don't have a home." She replied absently, not even seeing the man she was speaking to. "I have no home until I make things right."

Reaching out, she pulled the handle and released the door. Then, before the man at her side could offer any further comments she stepped out into the brisk wind. It cleared a few of the cobwebs but not enough to make her fully cognisant of the world around her.

Stumbling forwards, Aubrey barely stopped herself from walking into the path of a car. Lurching back a step away from the road, she blinked her eyes at the passing car with a strange sense of detachment.

She had no idea where she was going – at least not truly. The last time she had been in this city it had been with her family on a rare outing to somewhere more cultural than a ley line intersection. Her mother had always insisted ley lines would be good for her damaged aura. Her mother had always thought there was something wrong with the red head because she loved books more than the hocus pocus her mother was pushing.

With a shake of her head, she attempted to clear away the memories.

The only thing leading Aubrey forwards was a bone deep instinct and a passage she had once read within the library in Atlantis. There was hope here in this City.

She let her feet drag her down the street one step at a time, barely feeling the bumps and nudges against her sides as the hoard of evening shoppers buffeted against her. It was all just a blur. She walked right through the centre of a group of tourists, uncaring as she staggered through the camera wielding pedestrians.

Muttered curses issued from behind her before she felt her hand wrapping around her arm. Reactions slower than usual, Aubrey turned her head and stared up at the man holding her captive. Her hands clenching into fists but her responses were delayed. Finally she shook off the loose grip but the red head made no move to throw her fist at the man.

"I'm coming with you. I'll want to make sure you are safe first before I leave you on your own." Andrew stated firmly, pulling her to the side just in time to stop her from walking straight into a lamppost. "My mum would kill me if she found I left you in the middle of nowhere."

Aubrey opened her mouth to protest but Andrew just levelled her with a stare, his jaw clenched and his fingers wrapping around her arm to nudge her forwards. Her gaze bored into the side of his face for a few more seconds before turning and allowing her feet to carry her forwards once more.

As her feet carried her forwards, the red head couldn't help but remember the things she had loved about the city. There were stories to be seen everywhere, history lingering everywhere she turned her head. Even the air felt different here. There air was nowhere near as pure as it had been in Atlantis or in the tiny village where she had met Andrew. The heavy scents of exhaust fumes from the nearby roads and the tantalising scents coming from the restaurants on either side of the restaurants mingled in the air giving the city a strange perfume.

The sounds of the shoppers were quieter now. The crowds thinned as time wore on, shops closed their doors and people made their way home for the day. Still, Aubrey paced herself by putting one foot carefully in front of the other.

After walking for several minutes, Aubrey turned left into a narrow side street. Buildings stood tall on either side. She had no doubt that even in the midst of summer the narrow passage was cast in shadow. One foot in front of the other over and over again, she kept moving forwards until she came upon the impressive gateway into the Cathedral grounds, nestled snugly between two shops.

The green figure looked down from above, his head bowed as if watching those who walked through the gateway beneath him. Aubrey had thought nothing of his watchful gaze the last time she had been there but now she could feel the tingle of magic as it washed over her skin, flowing through the cells of her body. Andrew just stepped forwards, his face only showing mild curiosity as he passed onto the grounds.

Aubrey released her breath slowly, a small ounce of relief flowing through her. There was something supernatural at work on these grounds, something incredibly powerful if the fizzle of powerful energy still coursing through her body was anything to go by. There was still hope – hope for Tiberius' rescue.

The booth selling tickets to the sights was closed, the staff gone home for the day but the gates to the grounds remained open. Several people were wandering around the grounds, snapping pictures as they went.

"Where are we headed?" Andrew asked, his eyes roaming over all of the tourists warily before tilting his head up to look at the main event.

The Cathedral was tall, spotlights pointing straight up at its impressive façade. Stained glass windows glistened in the lamplights – they were even more impressive in the daylight when they could be seen in all of their glory. Aubrey sighed wistfully, memories of her last visit to the site filtering through so that for a few seconds she could hardly tell the past from the present.

Scaffolding clung to the side of the stone work, marring the beauty of such an impressive building. Aubrey relaxed marginally when she noted the absence of any workers on the metal structure. Committing a crime was easier to get away with when there no witnesses to see it happening. Aubrey just hoped the policeman holding her upright was not opposed to committing a crime.

When none of the tourists were watching, the red head allowed her feet to carry her off to the left side of the Cathedral, ignoring the closed doors and slipping around to the side of the building. A few members of the onsite security staff lingered around but they spared only a cursory glance at the passing pair and instead continued on their patrols of the grounds.

Slipping around the back of the building, Aubrey led them through a wooden door and then through stone corridors. She could only follow where her feet led her, trusting that they would not lead her wrong.

Finally they came to a stop at a relatively bland stretch of floor. There were a set of stairs which led upwards on the right just a few feet away. And there were a series of archways over on the left, on top of which sat a small circular room. The red head had always wanted to go up to that room and explore but instinct was telling her that it would have to wait.

She was standing on her destiny. "We're here."

"Where's here?" Andrew asked, looking around but seeing nothing but dark hallways filled with voiceless shadows.

Aubrey stepped out of his hold, putting space between them so that she could crouch on the ground. Running her fingers over the stone floors, she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply through her nose.

"What are you doing?"

The muscle above Aubrey's eye twitched in annoyance. "Be quiet or we'll get caught."

"Get caught?"

Brushing her fingers over the stone once more, her hands unconsciously tracing the symbol which had brought her into the world of the magical, Aubrey ran her fingers over the stone. As she completed the last sweeping line of the Ying Yang symbol, a brush of magic rolled over her skin, greeting her like an old friend.

There was a clunk and then a rumble as the stone before her dropped a few inches and then slid to the side. Glancing around cautiously, Aubrey looked into the space beyond.

Andrew whistled lowly. His eyes were wide as he stared down into staircase which led down only into unbreakable darkness. "Do you think anyone knows this is even here?"

Settling a brittle smile on him, Aubrey replied. "No, and it's going to stay that way. Do we understand?" she waved her hand through the air to cut him off when he went to respond. "Now follow me before we are caught."

Stepping into the tunnel, Aubrey was forced to hunch over due to the low ceiling of the stairwell. Andrew cussed behind her as a dull thud echoed off of the walls. It allowed her to smile despite the predicament because someone else was much worse off than she was.

Tiptoeing down a few more steps, Aubrey paused and allowed her unlikely companion to keep up. Andrew, hunched over almost in half, rubbed the back of his head as he went. He met her gaze for just a moment and let a scowl overtake his face. Even with the expression plastered on his features he was nothing more than an angry kitten in comparison to Tiberius.

A rumble echoed around them before the dim light from above was cut off abruptly.

Andrew attempted to stand, smacked his head on the hard stone above and then yelped loudly. Aubrey rolled her eyes and put her hand over her mouth to stifle the giggle which wanted to escape. With her superior vision she was able to see everything from the cobwebs between the stones to the watery eyes the pained man was desperately trying to mask.

"Keep quiet." She muttered, reaching out and taking one of the older man's hands and placing it on to her shoulder. "Stay close and follow me."

Placing one foot in front of the other, Aubrey led them down further and further into the earth. The air was surprisingly warm and the air smelt of fresh lavender. And in the walls, brushing so close that she could feel the cold stone every other step against her elbow, she felt the magical energy radiating off of the surface.

"What are we doing?" the man behind her whispered.

"Finding answers," she answered, before taking one last step forward.

Light flared to life above their heads, allowing Andrew to see for the first time in several minutes. He looked at the blankly at the sturdy wooden door just a foot away. It looked new, its wood still gleaming and polished. What caught his attention however was the large symbol carved into the surface. It spanned the entire width of the door and was rather impressive.

Aubrey stretched out her hand and brushed her finger tips over the symbol. It flared with white light, pulsed for a five long seconds. Aubrey's cheeks flushed with the combination of the energy surging through her system, as it searched through her body and soul, and the heat beneath her hand. Her hair became electrified by the fissions of magic and stood on end in a fiery halo. It crackled loudly, the sound so much more ominous in the close confines of the narrow passageway.

The light branched out, sweeping over her companion. Aubrey turned her head, sure that her eyes were glowing as she stared up at the dark haired man and let loose a giggle when she met the older man's wide eyed stare. He squeaked his spine straightening as much at the tunnel would allow. His own face became flushed and then he sighed happily.

A loud clunk issue and the energy withdrew abruptly. And then, as if moved by an invisible hand, the door opened in wards revealing the darkened rooms beyond.

Aubrey, heart hammering in her chest, took a moment to regain her breath. Her chest heaved up and down, her soul feeling strangely bereft without the energy coursing through her veins. Even Andrew, who had now slumped against the wall, looked strangely depleted.

"This is it." Aubrey announced with certainty.

Not allowing fear or trepidation to find their way into her head, the red headed warrior pulled back her shoulders and pressed her lips together. Then without another second to hesitate, she stepped into the room beyond.

Sorry it took so long. If the chapter doesn't make any sense - please let me know!! I'm soo tired right now I can barely see straight so I haven't had a change to check it over.