§tain | chapter twelve ~ "monsters"

            Of all the terrible things she saw herself doing to Dick Grayson in that moment of awful ear-ringing silence (those awful things she wouldn't give a second thought of taking irreputable action recounted her blackened heart.) Jade, despite her deep-rooted loathing for him and his disgusting ways, let the fistful that she held of his shirt fall from her tight, unrelenting grip. It hurts. The cruel reminder of everything she lost stings like salt being tossed on a years-old wound coming past his lips. The strong tendency to rip off his head is nearly sordid. Yet Jade decided it wasn't preferable to yield to her angry, blood-warming wrath. So upset it made her...she'd be wrong to disregard his statements from the reality. It's like her failing Tina again, not to make an effort to save Rachel from the volatile hands of that horrible and vicious family.

          Therefore her reluctance caused Dick with his personal problems still unanswered. After giving up retribution to live the regular tranquil life he twisted his culpabilities, which Jade sought to justify initially via vengeance, or forgot after giving up revenge to pursue a normal, quiet life. Instead of leaving her be, the guilt manifested into relentless nightmares. Not to say the teenager should rely on her nor Dick for that matter to rescue her. Rachel peeped into her mind after all and however unintentional Jade felt the dark root of her power. Any trace of innocence doesn't reside in such darkness the ex-hero knows this fact better than anyone. Nothing good would come out of saving the girl.

              A shiver traveled up her spine. Jade shuddered from its imposing presence. Still, part of her couldn't bear to abandon her. She too was a victim of Dick's unresolved internal issues. There was no way she would stand idly by and allow it to happen to someone else. "I'll be there to help." She couldn't stop the words from coming out of her mouth. She didn't have time to second guess them because they were flowing so freely past her lips. Dick's expression softened as Jade's new decision dissolves into the air. She's left with a sense of warmth that she once knew, and even adored from him.

             His fixation on her sparks reminiscence of this gaze he gives her. Seeing herself in it makes her heart swell up with a sense of familiarity. She used to feel like she was flying on air when he looked at her, knowing he thought she was special and someone worth loving. It was long ago that he stated, "Monsters can't love." It ached to know how right he was, but Dick was also mistaken as he had forgotten how terrible he truly is considering the knife he buried in her neck. Revenge is an undying fire roaring vicariously and hoping to spread and win.

            He was the one who layered those emotions, not her. The so-called monster he accuses her of being is the result of his unpaid resolve over his brokenness and his insistence on seeing that justice is served. In the end, it is a man who breaks the man. They shattered each other's hearts. It's a fact that can't be changed by any amount of blame. Jade, on the other hand, will be damned if she allows their mutual disdain to overshadow the fact that the life of an innocent girl was on the line. "I'll help you." Her voice was a little louder this time, so her words could be clearly heard.

        The look in his eyes said, "really?" In the same way, he couldn't believe that she finally agreed to his crazy scheme. As if chasing after a family of killers to retrieve a teenager with an obvious occult background wasn't crazy. Even so, she was going to do it. For you, it's "no." It was Jade's turn to look at him, and she did. "Because of Rachel, I've decided to change my mind about this. I'm not going to stand by and watch you screw someone else over."To emphasize what she had just said, she poked him in the chest with a finger.

                With the strength of that finger, she shoved him away, creating the distance that time and resentment had formed. Her reasoning was acknowledged with a heartfelt nod, and he exhaled a relief-like breath as he ran his fingers through his hair. "So, what's the game plan?" Dick asked. He watched her make her way towards the kitchen. "Another blood oath?" Jade rummaged through the drawers, she snorted when he mentioned the unbreakable bond they had formed hours earlier. "It's impossible for a flesh-sack like yours to handle that much demonic energy coursing through it." The ex-hero killer closed another drawer, ignoring the items that had no bearing on their cause. " There's a good chance you'd blow up if the madness didn't get to you first."

           He took a deep breath and let the statement sink in. "Alright, then what?" She paused in the middle of opening a kitchen cabinet. "A new opportunity has presented itself. Is it true that when one door closes another one opens, yes?"Eventually, she lands on a Pringle's originals can with her index finger. This is what I'm looking for." Jade grabs it from the shelf and says, "All of our problems are solved birdie." When he saw the junk food item in her hand, he lost all hope. "A Pringles can? Incredulously, the detective pointed out. "How the fuck is a fucking snack food item supposed to help us save Rachel, huh?"

         "It's not the can that counts, but what's inside." She countered with a retort. In the hope that this will solve their problems, he paces and tugs at his brown hair. "I know what's inside! Chips! Maybe this is a pragmatically frivolous way of looking at a critical issue? What? Are you suggesting that we throw a fucking party for the murder- family, and hope for the best that they'll have a good time and spare her life?"

             "Don't be a fucking idiot." A beaming smile still adorned her lips as she tore off the lid and snagged her prize from within. His eyes caught sight of silver...a chain attached to a vial-like charm with the same red gem as her other weapons that she summoned from hell. Her nonviable propositions sank his spirits even lower. As long as the situation remained the same, they wouldn't be able to accomplish anything. Should have pursued them on his own instead of relying on others; he shouldn't have to rely on someone who isn't delivering like they should be delivering. Bruce taught the young detective how to be resourceful from the very beginning. However, he followed his instincts and ended up here (and though usually listening to his gut never steered him wrong.) Perhaps it was now. "Jewelry?" He snorted dryly. "As it turns out, I was right in thinking that your ideas couldn't get any worse! I'm hoping you're just fucking with me, but it's possible."

Suddenly, her smile drooped and her eyes widened. "I'm not-"

        "No." He shook his head, cutting her off, scrubbed his eyes, and released a noise of utmost frustration. "You wanna fuck around, then fine." He said and finally measured her with a vexed expression. "Just do it on your time preferably when someone's life isn't in jeopardy."

              He hated Jade's face because of its unfailing neutrality, and he hated it with all of his heart. He had mistakenly believed that beneath the hide of an abhorrent creature such as her, there beats a heart. It was a heart that felt and had a moral code in it. When he was a teenager, he thought he knew that she could have one. That love-sick fool, on the other hand, was forced to live with the consequences of his own actions. To think back on that period in his life when love had blinded him to the cruel depravity of it was painful for Dick. He was in love with her, and he refused to believe the warning signs that pointed to her apparent murderous tendencies. Every hero must sacrifice themselves for the greater good. 

            Even though he woke up late, he did one of the most difficult things he's ever had to do as a hero. Trying to kill someone you care about was heartbreaking, especially when you saw the look of betrayal on their face. As soon as their eyes met, he wanted to dive into a pool of golden honey, or spend an hour or two lost in the other's gaze, as if he could ever forget the heartbreak in her eyes while driving that knife into her soft caramel skin-skin that he once often caressed bore wounds he inflicted as they well with ichor-not blood proving her inhumane like her cries when the blade kept intruding her over and over.

             When he heard her say, "Dick, I love you," he felt something break inside him. It was a familiar statement that always hit home. Hearing her say that made him light-headed and tingle all over. He'd be terrified of losing her, and it was being with her that was the best thing that could've happened to him. Somehow, he wished he could have stopped and saved her before he made the ultimate mistake and lost her for good. Because she had done so many horrible things to him, his heart hardened. There is a possibility that her love could be a lie. He was telling himself this. Monsters are capable of lying. As a result of his resolve, his knife pierced her skin and drained her of her life force. His resolve also drove him to abandon her and not look back. To imagine how things would have turned out if he'd done so.

           "It's obvious that coming here was a mistake", Dick said. "You've made it clear that you want to live your life in peace by ignoring the gravity of the situation. So, I'm going to leave and won't be returning, okay?" It was all that the ex-hero killer could muster: a stoic silence in the face of his frantic departure. When she didn't object, he waited for her to object. After a minute, nothing happens. The irony! It wouldn't be any different if he walked away from her the same way he did years ago. In spite of the intense hatred, she harbored for him, if Dick left it would hurt more than the knife had. Awakened by the silence, he nodded and began to make his way to the door. But a powerful force shoved him back. The retired sidekick skids across the floor, lying on his back. A split second elapses before he realized that force was Jade.

    "You stupid piece of shit!" The ex-hero killer stormed over to him, her red face hovering over his, and she yelled. 'If you'll stop being impatient pain in the ass and let me explain the significance of this 'jewelry', then we can stop wasting precious time that Rachel may have left. By the way, calling this artifact "jewelry" is an understatement of its relevant capabilities."

       His face was sprayed with spit as she spoke and he found he couldn't avoid it. "For fucks sake, say it, don't spray it!" He swabbed his right cheek ferociously to remove the stream of saliva.

     Her eyebrow twitched. "Shut the fuck up," Jade growled through clenched teeth before thumping him on the forehead. "And listen."

     "This is a siphon," he said, ignoring his cries of pain. She represented the necklace. "It can hold any form of power, both holy and unholy." Her finger curled around the vial. "This charm as you can see represents the length of time that the power can be held."

       Confusion overshadowed what should have been an expression of gratitude and understanding on his face. "If I already have you, what's the point of gaining more power?" Dick sat up on his elbows. "Don't you have enhanced tracking?"

       "In fact, I do. Despite that, I haven't been as strong as I used to be in recent time." She said it without hesitation. Shit. Did I just tell a bird-for-brains here that I've become weak?

        "Bullshit." Dick chimed in with a comment. "You really think I'll buy that after what I saw earlier this morning?"

       "Please believe me on this one: Since our fight years ago, I've changed a lot. My powers have been thrown out of whack as a result of the damage you inflicted upon me." Jade tucked her lips together. "When we did the blood oath ritual and went up against the gang, I wore this under my clothes. It's a shame it ran out of juice after that."

     "And let me guess, if we're going after that family, we'll need power."

       Jade smiled brightly, and despite her brittle personality, it was flattering. "Ding! Ding! Ding! Yes, that's the right answer. The Grand Prize: A heartfelt suggestion for an immediate change in self-perception." She 'booped' his nose. Dick slapped her hand away. He rose as she cackled, delighted that she found his irritation with her amusing.

       "There's no denying that it's a good plan." The ex-hero killer watched him smooth out the wrinkles in his clothes as he brushed them away.

     "Yeah, yeah." There is no doubt in his mind about it. Jade did come up with an excellent idea. No matter how well-trained and deadly the nuclear family is, they can't defeat supernatural forces. Rachel is as good as saved. "So where are we getting this"power" from?" Dick emphasized the word by air quoting it.

      Jade smirked, knowing full well that once he knew, he wouldn't be ready for what was coming. Who could blame him, though?! Anyone on earth could not prepare for what was about to occur next. "You'll see." The thought causes her smirk to grow even wider. "You'll soon see."

~

Author's Note

Whew! I'm sorry I haven't updated. Please don't hurt me! So much shit has happened that my head is still spinning y'all. Like can ya'll believe my baby Jason turned evil. The devil is a lie. Hank's gone, too. Jesus take the wheel. Anyway, be ready for my next update which will be soon. Promise! Also, this chapter is dedicated to voidvaleska! Until next time my beauties! xoxo