((Did someone ask for angst? No? Well here's some anyhow ))

~~~~~~~~~Mark's POV~~~~~~~~~

Two hours, and much arguing later, the angels had moved... well anywhere else. Leaving Sean and I alone with the demon. They assure both of us he's powerless, though I keep myself between him and Jack, just in case.

Emma had explained vaguely what was supposed to happen, how she planned to get Anti off guard. It isn't a great plan by any means, but who are we to argue. Sean is supposed to talk to him, try to bring him down from this power-hungry monster he'd become. I don't doubt he can get through to the creature, the two of them had a strange bond, a certain connection I never quite understood. Sean had pity for his former demon. The angels want to use this no doubt. As for Dark, he knows Anti's power better than anyone else having helped control it for so long. We need him to find any possible weaknesses, anything to distract Anti for just a moment so the others can attack and hopefully end this.

Speaking of...

Dark keeps up an expression of dullness, one I'd never seen from him before, his once regal appearance wouldn't have allowed it. Then again, so much is different, he isn't the demon I once knew... and I can't yet tell whether it's a good thing. He sits still for the most part, posture respectable, except for the occasional roll of his shoulders. Hands bound behind his back like they are can't be comfortable, even for a creature such as him. For a second I get a glance of the cuffs that hold his wrists tightly, biting into the skin and leaving its gray tone almost red. They look like normal cuffs if not for the engravings that seem to almost glow in the dim lighting. A few symbols on each I can't hope to understand, I get a look for only a second before he turns towards me obstructing them from view.

"This is bullshit..."

Sean mutters to no one in particular. I shoot him a sympathetic look, almost wanting to reach over to touch him, if he weren't too far. He's positioned himself on almost the other side of the room, sulking with his arms childishly crossed across his chest.

Dark murmurs something that almost sounds like agreement, though I can't make out the wording. He doesn't look at the other male in the room however, keeping his attentions on either me or the shadowed surroundings of the room. He hasn't looked at Sean since that first time we walked in, it's almost strange. I remember the fondness he took to my boyfriend before everything happened, the certain obsession he had with that innocence Sean once had. Now he can hardly look at the male.

Too painful I suppose. I saw it when his eyes first laid on Sean, when we'd gotten over the shock of seeing him alive again. He looked like a lost puppy for a second, a certain kind of misplaced longing that quickly shattered before he'd covered it with that smile that never reached his eyes. A clear façade.

"Look, none of us want to be here, but we don't have a choice at this point... lets-"

"What's it like to die?"

Sean interrupts before I can even try to get this back on track. I shoot him a look that clearly shows how concerning that question is. Dark however gives a small smile, a seemingly real one for a moment. He looks up from the floorboard that had caught his wandering attention. His eyes land on Sean once again, and that smile shatters yet falsely stays up.

"Why do you want to know? Planning to take the easy way out on us?"

Sean doesn't move at his words, hardly blinks. His lips tighten into a frown, but he doesn't argue, doesn't snap, doesn't say anything, just gives this look. One that seems angry on the surface, but further down turns into a certain acknowledgement that concerns me.

Either Dark doesn't see passed the first layer, or ignores the rest altogether, but he soon gives a sigh, allowing his smile to drop, eyes never leaving the man across the room.

"It doesn't hurt if that's what you're afraid of... Only for a second... Then it all goes black..."

His eyes lower to his lap, taking care to study each stain on his slacks with a certain anguish.

"That's all there was for me, blackness... There was nothing... but you're human, it'd be different for you..."

"I'd go to hell..."

Sean speaks up again in a quiet voice, his words almost a question yet not really. Regardless Dark gives an answer, strangely kind.

"Not necessarily... There's still a chance for you..."

Jack scoffs, arms tightening around himself in some sort of faux comfort. I resist the urge to get up and move towards him, he's had moments like this, sometimes he just needs to be left untouched.

"Shut up... I don't want your pity..."

He mutters the words, voice deepening so it almost sounds hoarse. Dark lifts his head again, offering a look of pathetic disbelief.

"Pity? I'm trying to help, Sean- "

"Help? When do you ever help!?"

Dark almost seems to wince at the harsh tone, but keeps his eyes locked on the other man.

"I'm on your side... Is that really so hard to believe...?"

Sean returns his look of letdown with an icy glare, his legs bringing him to stand in a clear sign of dominance, a certain irritation coating his accented voice.

"You're on no one's side but your own... You really expect me to believe you're here to help? There's gotta be something in it for you... What is it? What did they offer you?"

This time I look to the demon, who almost freezes at that accusation. He leans back, straightening up to the best of his ability, and for a second he gives off that noble energy I remember from him fake as it might be.

"Threats on my life can be a great motivator..."

He speaks after a couple minutes had passed, clear hesitation in his attempted light voice as well in each small movement he makes. Sean shakes his head taking a few steps forward.

"No... You don't care about that... They could threaten to kill you and you'd just sit there like the pathetic sack of shit you are... What did they really offer you, Dark."

His voice takes on a certain edge, a warning. Dark doesn't answer, locked in a staring match with the human who stands over him, I almost expect one of them to lunge at the other. It takes a minute, and I speak before I can even process the thought.

"Anti..."

Dark's eyes dart to me within a second, a certain panic in that movement though his eyes show nothing but caution. He glares at me, a million threats dancing through his blood red eyes, a million threats he can't carry out, but if looks could kill....

"They offered Anti's life..."

Those threats in his eyes splinter, only to reveal a twisted fury buried underneath, directed at none other than myself. A darkness that makes my blood run cold, the room itself seems to chill. For a moment I think it's only my imagination but out of the corner of my eyes I can see Sean shiver taking an instinctive step backward, distancing himself from the rageful demon.

"You have no right to talk about him..."

His words take on a dangerous authority, soft yet clear. His voice almost seems to deepen, echoing slightly around the small space. He almost sounds like the creature I'd feared before. Yet, I don't feel any of that as I meet his gaze.

"You still love him..."

"Enough..."

"After all he's done you still want him, he killed you, he took your moment of weakness, he took advantage of your emotional state- "

"ENOUGH"

"You act all high and mighty, you act as if nothing bothers you... but really, your just as broken as the rest of us... You're just a pathetic, love sick, monster!"

"I SAID ENOUGH!!!"

He leaps up from his chair with that roar of words, graceful despite the bindings on his hands, the walls of the room shake with a delicate danger. I stand as well, matching his height. His eyes glow a deep crimson, pupils' dancing with a bloodlust that begs to be sedated. We stand like that for a moment, silence grows into a thick tension, so thick it becomes almost suffocating.

I don't hear the door open, and only when a barely familiar voice speaks up do I look away.

"Mark... That's enough..."

I look over to meet the almost black eyes of who I remember as Nate. He leans against the doorway, Sean is nowhere to be seen, already out the door I presume. As if his look wasn't enough he gestures with his head, eyes narrowing once I sigh.

Not bothering to look back again I step out into the brightened hallway, listening to the door close behind me.

~~~~~~~~~~Jack's POV~~~~~~~~~

At the bottom of the staircase I wait not-so-patiently for Mark. I can hear hushed voices belonging to both him and the angel, Nate I think it was. It almost sounds like scolding, any other scenario I'd find that hilarious. However, I can only stand there... I don't know what's worse, the fact that Mark had enough bravery to provoke the demon like that, or the reaction he gave...

Dark has a certain energy about him, a darkness that tempts and threatens at the same time, and when he's angry... It only grows worse. His voice takes on a sickening edge when he yells. He had always seemed so put together, so calm, so mature... so when he raises his voice to that level....

A creak on the stairs pulls my attention back to the moment, Mark stomps down the stairs followed by Nate who walks with a certain irritation. As soon as Mark steps off the last wooden stair I step in front of him.

"What the hell was that?"

I silently thank the gods that my voice doesn't waver, still shaken from the argument itself. I'm not afraid of Dark though.... I'm not....

"I got carried away okay... What I'm not allowed to have a temper?"

I open my mouth to respond to his sarcastic tone, but the noise of someone clearing their throat catches both our attentions. Nate still stands there, arms crossed over his chest, and looking between us with a certain distaste.

"You can't provoke him like that..."

He speaks once he'd gotten attention. His voice comes out lowly, reprimand coating his words contradicting with the disgust in his almost-black eyes.

"We have his power under control, but those cuffs can only do so much... In case you forgot he isn't a normal demon... We can't be sure those will hold... Rage equals power, we can't risk him getting free..."

"You said he's secure..."

Mark speaks with the same attitude, Nate chooses to ignore it apparently.

"He should be... but as I said he isn't normal... Two souls... ring a bell?"

Mark huffs but says nothing. I reach over to squeeze his shoulder in a silent warning, telling him to watch the attitude with no words.

"It won't happen again, Nate... We'll just- "

"No, I'm not letting Mark up there if he can't control himself..."

Mark gives a soft growl, matching the angel's look with his own of irritation.

"I'll be fine... He just got to me okay..."

"I don't want to hear your excuses... until you cool off- "

"I said I'm fine, we don't have time for this!"

"Mark..."

I speak up quietly, giving another small squeeze to his arm.

"Enough, go cool off..."

He glances over at me, and for a second I think he'll argue, but without another word he turns, storming away to an adjacent room. I give a sigh feeling Nate's eyes land on me without a word. I take a second, to rub the headache from my temples, quiet thoughts adding to the pounding that resided there.

"I'll try to talk to him again..."