Co-operation

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"No. Absolutely not!" Ruby Lockhart's grey eyes were narrowed in defiance, despite the fact she was stood in her commander's office right then. "Bringing them in will only bring more questions and red tape!" She insisted, her slender fists balled up by her sides.
"This isn't a discussion, Lockhart. I have my orders, and now you have yours." The grey haired man told her, though he sounded somewhat weary, like he was all too accustomed to these childish outbursts. "You are to meet your new partner at 8pm and brief them on the case. The sooner we clear this whole mess up, the sooner I can go back to letting you do things your way, alright? Believe me, I don't want these blind fools involved anymore than you do, but this last case has made local news. We need to stop it before it goes national, or global."
Ruby's lips pursed together as she continued to scowl, seeming to be considering all this new information. There was a reason she didn't have a partner; no one could put up with her hotheaded, shoot first ask questions later attitude. It created mountains of paper work, but unfortunately she came from a long line of the divisions pure bred hunters, and her skills were... invaluable. 
"Fine!" She huffed at last. "But if this yokel ends up dead because they couldn't do what I said or panics when faced with the truth, I won't be held to blame!" Having said that, she stormed from the office, waves of dark hair swinging behind her before the door slammed shut.

Ruby felt the air whoosh ounof her lungs as her back hit the wall. A moment later she had slid to the ground, gasping for breath as the creature advanced on her. The young sorceress barely had time to lift her palm and send a rather weak fireball in the werewolf’s direction. 
Unfortunately the fire missed, and hit Jett as he tried to run to his sisters aid, sending him stumbling back several steps.

The werewolf snorted with laughter and caught scent of Piper running for the kitchen. He let go of Ruby and went after her, terinf across furniture as he went. The living room was in shambles.

Piper didn't make it to her potions. At least not in the way she'd hoped. The beast threw her into them, glass and various chemicals showering over her head.

Ruby could finally breathe, and in an instant her grey eyes met her brother’s, and they instantly understood each other. It was the order. Everything they had secretly suspected after many small incidences and coincidences, this was all too much. Ruby nodded to Jett, indicating that she would be right behind him as he sprinted to save Piper.

Bastion shoved to his feet and ran toward the twins, somehow managing to slide between their legs. He was on his feet a second later, firing two shots into the beast's shoulder. Piper was fumbling with something on the shelf to her right. At least she was until it grabbed her by the upper arm and hauled her into the line of fire.

“You’re going to hit Piper!” Ruby screamed, unseen fingers tossing Bastion aside, lest the other girl find herself with a bullet wound like her friend.

"Let me go, I have a potion to give you!" Piper hissed, trying to yank her arm free. 
The wolf laughed. "Girly thinks I want healing. Cute." He purred, slamming her against the cabinets again. This time she went limp, pain arching through her slender frame. "I thought I was supposed to be scared of you, wizard boy." He added with a mocking laugh. "You practically handed her to me."

Ruby knew it was too late. Jett was lost the moment the wolf harmed Piper. He had closed the distance between himself and their aggressor before his sister could stop him with her magic. Soon man and beast were on the ground, the smell of blood soon filling the air.

Bastion was beside Piper, checking her injuries. "Ruby," he shouted over the roar of man and beast. "We need to get her to a hospital! There's blood coming from her ears." 
Outside the captain was smiling. This was all working perfectly. "Give the gypsy a full work up when she arrives. Make sure that everything is prepared. And...is the Hunter in place?...Good. Warn him what will happen if he disobeys another order."

“Shit...” Ruby felt like that was the only word she had used since she had got here. The young woman hesitated for a moment, wanting to aid her twin, but she knew him as well as he knew himself; Piper was top priority.
“Then pick her up, you big idiot!” She growled, already pulling her own phone from her pocket to contact the hospital, not knowing her captain had already beat her to it.

Bastion was swatting at a Fae nurse who was trying to look at the deep scratches the werewolf had left him with. "Leave me be, woman." He muttered. "I don't deserve to be treated."

Another Fae exited the room where they were keeping Piper, a grim look on her face. "Are you her family?" She asked, Jett and Ruby. "Her husband? I have paperwork for you to sign..."

“That’s right, I am.” Jett replied before Ruby could say anything. “Can I see her yet?” He added, offering the fae an all too charming smile.
Ruby merely rolled her eyes, not bothering to correct the situation when she saw her brother use the smile that usually had women falling at his feet. Instead she redirected her gaze to Bastion. “You’re right, you don’t deserve it.” She agree thinly. “Do you have any idea how many kinds of stupid you were tonight?!”

"She is in a coma. The doctor want to keep her there until he can make sure that she is her old self." The fae said. "But sure, you can come in. We have also called her mother. Fae magic will help heal internal wounds like these."

"Give the boy some room, Ruby." Tobias said from behind her. "You can't expect him to know what he's doing when the order so obviously wants him to fail."

“Her mother?” Jett echoed, not knowing the elder woman had been in town that very day. “That’s impossible, Piper’s mother abandoned her family years ago.”

Bastion would no doubt see the unguarded look of pain, and then anger in Riby’s grey eyes in the split second before turned to face Tobias. The young woman gave her former lover no warning before she balled up a slender fist and punched him right in the nose.

"That's not a concern of mine." The nurse said coldly. "She'll be here in half an hour.  Say thank you." She added, stomping out of  the room.

Tobias didn't move. He was used to this kind of reaction from her. 
"Hello to you too,  my dear."

Jett wasted no time in sitting beside Piper, placing a hand over hers as he laid his forehead against the edge of her bed. “I’m so sorry...” he whispered. “It’s my fault... I should have made you wait outside.”

Ruby had known that strike would hurt her more than it would the well built sorcerer. It didn’t mean she regretted it. “Get out of here.” She growled. “You are not wanted, or needed.” She added, though her fingers subconsciously rested over his dagger that was pushed through her belt.

Red appeared in the corner of the room and sat in the chair opposite him."The last time I was here it was to retrieve your sister." He said gently. "This time..." 

Tobias simply stared at Ruby, his chest tight. She had no idea what he'd gone through for gone through for her. "So beautiful. How do you do it? Marry me...Ruby." he blurted out, sending himself into shock. He knew better. He braced himself for another hit.

“Then it seems you ain’t so shit hot at doing your job.” Jett snorted without lifting his head.

Ruby didn’t hit Tobias this time, though a torrent of emotion did play out in her moonlight coloured eyes. It didn’t matter that she loved him, actions were what mattered, and his had crushed her. “How can I marry someone I can’t even trust?” She finally whispered, making no effort to stop the fat tear that rolled down her cheek.

"So you've finally figured it out? Who I am? What my job is?" He rested cool fingers on Piper's forehead.

Tobias didn't say anything. What
Could he say? He'd made a fool of himself. And for what?

Jett did lift his head this time and slapped Red’s fingers away from Piper. “Don’t touch her!” He growled. “Piper hasn’t done anything to deserve this, go collect that bastard Aren if you need a soul to keep you company!”

Tobias’s silence only made the situation so much worse. Ruby’s fingers were gripped tightly over the dagger in her belt now, two months of emotions apparently about to burst free. “You don’t get to come back here and drop this bombshell on me!” She roared. “You left, Tobias! You abandoned me when I needed you the most! Not even a good bye, you just disappeared, and now I’m supposed to fall at your feet?! You’re a son of a bitch!” She she punched her balled up fists against his broad chest now as more tears leaked free. “You’re a goddamn son of a bitch!”

Red's fingers folded in on themselves and he shook his head. "Aren traded his soul for power centuries ago. It will take more than a reaping to get rid of him." He turned toward the door and opened it. "Long time no see, my dear." He purred as he allowed Piper's mother to enter. Reaching for her hand, he made a show of kissing the knuckles.

Tobias allowed to get her anger out. When he was sure, he pulled her hard against him and kissed her deeply. It was filled with passion and a deep longing. it was almost painful to taste.

The faa woman smiled politely and bowed her head a little to the reaper addressing her. “It has been many years, reaper.” She agreed.

Ruby’s slender finger were curled tight into the front of Tobias’s shirt when she felt the raw emotion in that kiss. She couldn’t feel the ground beneath her feet, and neither did she any longer feel aware that Bastion was nearby. The young woman knew that she had been waiting for the marriage question from Tobias for some time, even if she hadn’t realised it. Somewhere deep inside, something had always tied her to this man.

Red nodded. "I assume you know why I am here?" He asked her, his eyes turning ever so slightly to Jett. "The Order wants something that doesn't belong to them. The other powers have asked me to take her before it can get that far. Given our history together..." He paused, once again looking her over. "I think you have a right to say what becomes of your daughter."

Tobias pulled away only once he knew she understood him. "You're injured." He said softly. "And you're yelling at an orc. Who is also injured. Aren didn't bother filling me in when he called me here. Maybe you should..."

“You really think I would allow you to take my child before her life has even begun?” The golden haired fae asked. “I’m sorry... but I won’t allow Piper to be punished because of that damned order, they have taken enough already!” She insisted.

Ruby shrugged and turned her face away. “I get injured all the time.” She replied, almost daring to say ‘but you never cared then’. “And that idiot is injured because he can’t do the damn job!” She added, scowling at Bastion. It was most likely in the other man’s best interest while Tobias was around that she didn’t say he was the one who injured her too.

"Then you know something will have to be taken in exchange." Red said. "Do you have any suggestions?" He was looking toward Jett with a dark look in his eyes.

"Why in the world did they partner you up with an orc?" Tobias asked gruffly. "That's a disaster waiting to happen."

Piper’s mother didn’t even hesitate. “You can take me.” She told the reaper firmly. “Gods know I’ve got nothing else to give her.”
Jett was listening to everything being said, trying to make sense of why everything seemed to have suddenly gone to shit. Was it him? Were his family cursed? “No. Take me. This is all happening because Piper is involved with my family.”

“Why? Because you think I can’t play with others?” Ruby asked thinly, making Tobias quite aware that he need choose his words carefully. “They never made you my partner, is that a reflection on me, or you?”

Red shook his head at Jett. "Neither you nor your sister can speak for yourselves. You do not own yourself." He turned toward Piper's mother then and nodded. "You are sure then? Once you make the deal it cannot be undone."

"On me." Tobias said softly. "And I feel sorry for the boy that they didn't train him. It's like they are hoping he will die."

The elder fae woman nodded her head before Jett could answer. “I am certain. I’m dead to her already anyway.” She breathed with a sad smile. “For all the times I have tried to do what was best for my family... I hope this is one that finally works out.”

There was a wounded look on Ruby’s face as Tobias said this. “I’m not entirely inept, I would have kept him safe.” She breathed.

It was Red's turn to nod. He stepped closer to the fae woman and whispered in her ear, "Close your eyes and kiss me." For a moment his looks changed and he became the very man both women missed so much. The Gypsy king looked sadly at the woman he loved before pressing his lips to hers. 

"I know. He's alive, isn't he. That's more than the captain would have had happen." Tobias said gently, his dark eyes twinkling.

The woman was given no more than a fleeting moment of realisation before their lips met and she felt everything begin to fade into the bright light that seemed to suddenly appear. She could still hear the voices around her, notably Jett’s insisting that his life should be forfeit, not that of Piper’s mother. She tried to assure him it was fine, but suddenly the light dissipated. The warmth left with it and she was certain she heard cruel laughter in the darkness that was now there.

Ruby continued to pout, her arms folded across her chest. “You’re making fun of me.” To informed him rather primly.

Red turned to Jett, as the fae's body fell to the floor. "They gave me the name Red for the color of my death. When I died I was so enraged that she..." He paused gesturing to the body on the floor. "Left me to the monsters. This is what happens to those who don't die peacefully. They become soul stealers." Red finished darkly. "She did this to me. To us."

Tobias couldn't help but grin at her, reaching out he pulled Ruby back into his arms. "So? What if I am?"