For Fame and Glory

First topic message reminder :

"Kusanagi." Dahlia DeAngelo was grinning from ear to ear as she flopped into the seat opposite her partner in crime. This bar was their favourite haunt when trying to relax, and she had known where to find the other woman right away. She let the word hang for a moment and waved for the attention of the bartender and gestured that she wanted a beer. Dahlia leaned back and let her arms hang over the back of her seat, though it was clear she was damn near bursting with excitement.

Though his voice was loud and he did seem rather angry, Dahlia remained where she stood. "I don't know what a Seeker is!" She insisted, her parents having made the choice to keep her in the dark after what happened to her brother. "I just want what you stole!"

"What?" Rama turned back on her, his lips set in a thin line. "What do mean you don't know what a seeker is?" He snapped, sure she was simply mocking him to try and stay where she didn't belong.

"What does it matter anyway?!" Dahlia shot back, daring to square up to Rama. "Gabbi is my sister, and the only think she is seeking is the laptop you stole from her!"

"She is not your sister and I never stole from the Seeker. At least not this one." He paused at this, giving her a wicked little smile. "Now leave. My dinner is getting cold and you're ruining it."

That smile chilled Dahlia, and also made her hate herself for the fact her pulse quickened slightly. "She's my sister as much as it matters! And I hope you choke on your damn dinner!" She added, though was unable to make the dramatic exit she had hoped for, as the elevator had moved to a different floor.

Rama roared with laughter as the doors opened. His dark mood was gone for a moment. He turned away only once the doors closed, shouting for Italy to meet him in his bed.

Dahlia caught sight of the tall woman following after Rama, which only served to twist her up in further knots. By the time the young woman returned, empty handed, to her parents' hotel she was in as foul a mood as her father.

Justice was sitting on the bed when she opened the door. Gabbi and Lilly were sleeping peacefully behind him. 
"Where have you been?" He growled.

Dahlia glanced past her well built father to where her mother and sister were sleeping. "I was looking for Gabbi's laptop." She breathed, though was unable to meet his golden gaze. "You know, seeing as I couldn't be trusted to find Gabbi herself."

"And?" Justice spread his fingers as if waiting to be presented with something he knew she didn't have. "Any luck?"

Dahlia narrowed her sapphire eyes at her father, knowing full well he already knew the answer to that. "I'm fine by the way, I can tell you were so very worried." She scoffed, already deciding the conversation was over as she turned to leave.

"I need you to promise me something, Dahlia." Justice waited until his daughter was almost all the way to tye bathroom. "Help your mother. She won't understand.."

"Help her with what?" She asked, though didn't turn around. "You can't hide the fact that she wishes it was me who was taken, both tonight and when..." She didn't finish, only shook her head as she glanced to where Lily was sleeping with Gabbi in her arms.

"Help her. I..." Justice couldn't confess, especially to a daughter he believed hated him. "Just say you'll watch out for her."

Dahlia turned to face her father again and came stalking back across the room. "Don't you dare!" She hissed. "Don't you go and be the hero when she needs you!"

"I have no choice. I made a deal with someone...it was a blood deal. It cannot be unbroken. There was nothing else I could do." Justice gestured to a piece of paper on the desk. "I received information in exchange. It will lead you to the location of Gabbi's notebook." He told her in a defeated tone.

Dahlia glanced in the direction her father had pointed, and was quick to all her fists up by her sides. "What did he demand of you?!" She hissed, still keeping her voice low. "That son of... I told him I would pay the price myself!"

"When did you speak to that..." Again Justice started to lose his temper. It took a great deal of effort to reign himself in. "It no longer matters, Dahlia. The deal cannot be undone. I...when everyone wakes....I'd like you to take Gabbi and get her notebook. I want to say goodbye to your mother alone." He added softly. "I trust you, sweetheart...to take care of this family in my absence. Your mother will teach you what I should have done all along."

Dahlia was shaking her head, showing a rare moment of childlike innocence as tears welled up in her eyes. "No dad..." She whispered. "Please don't leave me." She had said 'me', rather than 'us', as that was what scared her the most; being left with the one parents she knew didn't truly love her.

"Come here." Justice pulled his daughter into his lap as he had so many times when she was a child. He smoothed down her hair and spoke to her in the language that terrified his wife. He knew Dahlia understood him. "It will be alright. You are strong enough to stand on your own now. I believe in you, child."

Dahlia hugged her father tightly, all too aware there had been a void between them of late. "What if I'm not?" She breathed, replying in the language she had no idea few people even knew. "You're so strong, and everyone needs you. I was here not even a whole day before i got Gabbi in so much trouble!"

"Your mother will teach you." Justice whispered, kissing her on the top of her head as he'd always done. "It's time you learned who you really are." He added. After a moment he leaned back and took off the necklace he had worn as long as she'd known him. "Take this. It will show the world who you are. Rama and those like him will have hard time fighting against you." He laughed softly. "It's time to let go, my child. Trust me. I will never truly leave you."

A fat tear dripped off Dahlia's chin onto the necklace she now held in her hand. "I'm the cause of all of this." She whispered. "I killed Gabbi's family... and now you're going away because I didn't listen to you and I let Rama kiss me!" She blurted. "Dad... We both know Mom wishes it was me that was gone..." The young woman added, casting a brief glance to her mother, knowing how angry the blonde woman got anytime Dahlia tried to speak of her big brother.

"You both will be fine. I promise." Justice tipped her chin up to look at him. "You know it's true because I never make a promise I can't keep."

"What if Rama comes for Gabbi again?" Dahlia asked, panic creeping into her voice. "If he wants you out fo the picture, its only so he can steal her for himself!" She insisted.

"The dark ones don't want to capture Seekers. They want to steal their notebook for information on the treasures and then kill them. How Gabbi remained alive in Rama's clutches is beyond me." He laughed softly. "We must have a guardian angel on our side."

"Dark ones? Rama called Gabbi a seeker too..." Dahlia was frowning, wishing her head didn't hurt so much. "Dad... Gabbi is only..."
"Angel? That's my thanks?" Lily had woken some moments ago and heard the conversation that was happening. She was watching father and daughter with a dark gaze, seeming to be silently warning her husband not to say any more. "I reasoned with Rama's sanity, killing Gabbi was not wise for him."

Justice fixed his wife with a calm golden gaze. "This is not a discussion for our daughter. Dahlia, wake your sister and leave. It's time I talked to your mother."

Warning bells would instantly start for Lily when Dahlia went and woke Gabbi with no argument. Usually she would have demanded they stop treating her like a child and tell her what was happening. It was only once both girls were out of the room that the blonde woman dared speak again. "You went to Rama, didn't you?" She asked, her voice deadly calm.

"What's going on?" Gabbi asked, waiting until she at least had coffee to say anything. She was worried about the way her best friend was acting. 

"I don't want to talk about Rama or anyone else. Now that we are alone I want to make love to my mate." Justice said, lowering himself on the bed next to Lilly.