The Devil is real. And he's not a little red man with horns and a tail. He can be beautiful. Because he is a fallen angel, and he used to be God's favorite. 
-Brad Falchuk

Around three am I wake up screaming because of a nightmare -I know I did I just don't remember actually waking up. 

I almost broke Cameron's arm and I clawed my own throat enough to leave marks.

Eventually when he has pinned me down to his chest, my arms trapped between us until I calm down enough to snap out of it.

I start bawling, apologizing profoundly for the bruises that littered his skin but he just waves them off and gets up to start the shower for me. 

When I get back to bed I see that I had broken my lamp in the process and the sharp pieces littered the floor and our pillows. Silently we creep out to the living room and set up in there, my favorite cousin across the room from me as a precaution. 

It's one of those nights that I don't feel safe enough to close my eyes again, but so so so tired that eventually I pass out anyway.

A chest moves in sync with my own, making me melt into it as warm arm wrap around me. The comfortable weight of a body on mine reaches me the same time the familiar smell does.

Frowning against Xavier's hair, as I distinctly remember falling asleep away from him. 

His head is buried in my neck, his body curled around mine protectively. The heat he gives off slowly but surely lulls me back to sleep, the gentle growl coming from his chest instantly makes me sleepy. 

Before I know it, or can stop it from happening I'm sleeping once again. 

The next time I wake up it's because I'm cold, I groan, my hand searching around me for a blanket. A chuckle sounds out, I open a eye to peek at Cameron watching me a chair.

"I just woke up too," He admits. "But you look so uncomfortable and cold. Here." He throws me a thick blanket, which due to my still half awake brain, smacks me straight in the head and sends me tumbling side ways off the bed. 

"Ouch!" I screech, looking down to see bruises on both of my wrists.

My worried gaze snaps up to my cousin, catching sight of a black eye and bruises on his arms makes my jaw drop. Covering my mouth with my hands I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling so, so ashamed.

"I am so sorry." I cry, scrambling to my feet so I can throw myself to him in a hug. He catches me with a frown, hugging me back just as fiercely. "Are you still in pain? I d-didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't know it was you, I was dreaming. Are you okay? Oh man, now you have to admit you got your ass kicked by a girl, I'm sorry Cam." 

He chuckles again, hands moving along my back in a comforting gesture. "You were going strong until that very last sentence. It doesn't help you were asleep at the time either." I giggle at this, but I'm obviously still worried about him. "Yeah I'm fine, it's you I'm worried about. How's your wrist." He inspects me. "Most of the marks on your neck are gone."

"Oh," I murmur, looking down at the bruises. "That's better than it could have been."

"Definitely." Cameron agrees. "Everyone's in the kitchen already. And by the sounds of it we both need food." 

I smile sheepishly as my stomach attempts to sound like a dying whale. "Yeah. What time is it?" 

"Just past twelve." 

At this my eyes bulge out of their sockets. I'm always awake early, unless I was up really late but I did get to sleep at eleven last night. Then again I was exhausted after my nightmare. 

I'm still really tired.

"Damn," I say, ringing out my wrists. "Why am I so fucking tired."

"I've heard fighting does that to people." Cameron motions to his shiner, making me wince. "Take it easy today, okay Ems? It's not a good idea for you to do things when you're obviously not okay."

"That's a bit of a overreaction." I grumble, letting him pull me into the kitchen. "If I can't do anything than how do you suppose I'm going to breath?"

I suck in a harsh breath when he smacks the side of my head, "Stop being a smart ass."

"It's not my fault it's what I'm good at." Apparently I didn't say this quiet enough because soon the other side of my head is getting smacked. I glare at Cam, who gulps. "I will make your other eye match that shiner of yours." I threaten him.

"Damn, no wonder Grams calls you violent." He mutters.

"She doesn't call me violent." I protest, a small smirk on my face. "She calls me uncivilized."

"And unladylike, gruesome, tomboyish, chaotic, havoc wrecking, disastrous-"

"Damn, hold up," I put a hand out to Cameron. "I didn't ask for a list, asshole."

My stupid cousin grumbles something about me proving his point, but I ignore him and try to reach the cereal where it is on the top shelf. 

Cam snickers at me, coming up beside me. "Any shorter and you'd fade from existence." Without even trying he reaches my favorite cereal- -Captain Crunch- -and hands it down from me.

I glare at him, but accept it anyway.

If I argue or insult him back he'd take off running with the box in his hands.

Offensive teenagers.

Bah.

"She's not that short," Cal defends me. But then he looks me up and down, then shakes his head. "Never mind."

Jessamine and Cam bust out laughing while my jaw drops as I stare at the Angel. "That's so rude. Do you still have a hang over or something?" 

He flushes and looks away while scratching the back of his head. "Yeah."

"Figures." I snort, wincing in pain as I grab one of the heavier bowls for my cereal.

Being my best friend Jessie is able to tell when I'm hurt, being around me enough to pick up on the smallest things that give me away. 

Her brown doe eyes scan me, stopping on my wrists with a narrowed gaze. "Did you have another one?"

I nod, looking away -careful to not look where I know the Devil is watching me. 

"Was it bad -Wait." Jessie gasps. "Is that how you got hurt?" This question is directed to both me and Cameron.

We glance at each other before nodding.

"I thought it was getting better, you said you didn't have one for a while. And your flashbacks are only triggered now. Practically non-existent." My best friend sounds sad, and hurt. 

It makes my heart clench.

I have to force myself not to look at Xavier.

"They have been. I promise. I wouldn't lie about that, I might not have told you some shit in the past but I wouldn't lie." I tell her. 

She breaths out, eyes trained on my wrists. "Okay...but next time you have one wake me up."

"I will." I promise her. 

From there we eat in silence, I slip out of the room unseen to go get dressed and get ready for the day.

I put on a simple grey t-shirt and a black windbreaker, since knowing us we're going out somewhere. Jeans make my outfit simple, I add a black diamond nose ring and switch out my plain silver ball earrings for black ones and hanging black dragon hoops. 

I decide to leave my hair down, since the thick brown curls are still damp after my shower.

Making my way back to the kitchen to regroup doesn't go as planned because Xavier is suddenly in front of me in the hall, I'm about to walk past him or tell him to move when he bends down and throws me over his shoulder faster than lightning.

It knocks the air out of, but I squeal as he turns and heads straight towards the front door.

He slams it behind him, letting everyone know he left and is angry while doing so. 

"Xavier what the hell?" I ask as soon as he sets me back on my feet, directly in front of his motorcycle. 

"Get on." He says, crossing his arms and staring straight at me.

I mimic his pose, but once again I'm aware of how completely intimidating I don't look. 

"And why the fuck would I do that?" I ask.

The Devil pinches the bridge of his nose, jaw clenched tightly. "Just fucking get on Emma. I can't argue with you right now, if you want answers this is how you'll get them."

I blink up at him, I don't know why but a light blush crawls onto my cheeks as his blue eyes dig holes into my own. 

"You'll give me answers?" It's funny I can say this without knowing what question to even ask.

"Just get on," He bites his lip. "I can't say you won't regret it."

"There's a lot I regret." I say, expertly swinging myself to sit on his high, giant motorcycle. To say he is surprised I could get on with my short stature would be an understatement. I raise a eyebrow and shoot him a dry look. "I care for and ride horses at my grandparents farm. This is nothing." 

He hums in reply, but says nothing.

Instead he climbs onto it, him barely having to raise himself up in order to do so. He revs the engine, looking back to me in warning. With a sigh I wrap my arms around his waist, frustration pooling in me at how natural -How good it feels. 

We ride for what seems like twenty minutes before entering a bumpy back road. I hold him tighter, my knees pressing against the side of his thighs.  

His growl vibrates in my chest, and I understand why he did so when we grind to a halt. 

My eyes slam open and in front of us on the road is a fallen tree, which is heavy from the looks of it. 

He slips off, I start to follow suit but he stops me with a hand. "Just stay here."

I don't argue against him.

Watching in astonishment as he lift it up before making it crash into the woods I feel my mouth part slightly in shock. 

What in the absolute fuck?

How strong is the Devil?

A question I never thought I'd ask myself.

With a small grunt Xavier climbs back on, brushing his hands off of dirt and bark before starting the motorcycle back up. It jumps under me, my hands instantly find his chest -not as scared as I would be if I didn't know he was such a good driver.

If I didn't trust him.

He drives into a hidden trail, that I can only tell is a trail once we're already on it, and it leads to a small beach. 

I gape at the sight as I jump from the bike, Xavier's hand wraps around my waist to steady me before he pulls away. 

The beach is small, the sand only stretching about fifteen feet before it's cut off by trees again.

The water itself is a clear turquoise color, but I can tell it's deeper then it looks. The pool stretches out for roughly thirty feet, then it turns into the steep wall of a cliff.

The cliff itself isn't very high but it's high enough, I wouldn't ever jump off it -I'm too afraid of heights and would probably pass out. 

It's so beautiful, and instantly I'm wondering how more people don't know about this.

But Xavier's voice knocks me from my thoughts.

"I discovered this place when I was eight and tried to run away from home." His voice holds no amusement. I look over to him, surprised he's talking. "And when I got here it took me and entire day to figure out how to get back. Cal is the only person I have ever showed this place to besides you. He's only been here three times and always with me. He's the only person besides me who has jumped off that cliff and swam in that water. I call it Heaven."

I tilt my head, mind trying to process the new information.

He takes a step closer to me, raising a hand. I nod, leaning into his touch as his palm rests against my cheek -it only lasts for a few seconds before he pulls away.

But it's enough.

"Why are you," I take a deep breath. "Why are you telling me this. What are you telling me right now."

His fists clench and he takes a breath, blue eyes snapping back up darker than before, more guarded but also vulnerable. "I'm telling you how I got to be me. I giving me story to you."

He's giving himself up to me in a way.

And I will always accept him.