The sun had set. There were no clouds in the sky. Everything was brightly lit from the light of the full moon over head. There was silence in the woods. Not a sound could be heard. Except for...panting...heavy breathing.

A silent white form stalks through the woods. Eyes shining bright with hunger. A body dangling from her mouth being dragged along. The dead and limp body was that of a man. If one were to look closely at him they would see he was wearing faded blue jeans and a t-shirt from the local amusement park. If anyone happened to be around the day Ylva attempted to go on the roller coaster with Lucifer they would realize that it was the man that had stood behind her in line. They would also realize that it was the very same man that shoved her when she didn't move forward with the line when it moved.

Ylva, herself, had totally forgotten all about that man and the incident. But the wolf didn't. The wolf wanted revenge. The wolf got what she wanted. The man. Dead. Limp. Hanging from her powerful jaws as she dragged the body off into the deep woods.

When the wolf emerged from behind the human flesh of the girl known as Ylva it knew right away what it wanted and what it was going for. It remembered the scent of the rude man. The wolf quickly found the man. He was going through the dumpsters looking for items to add to his junk collection. He didn't have a chance to scream and try to run. The wolf wasted no time killing him and dragging him away.

Now here she was in wolf form dragging the dead man as far into the deep woods as she could. Once she was satisfied that she was far enough away she dropped him. Towering over the still warm dead body she pointed her head towards the sky and let out a very bone chilling eery howl just as she did every time she made a kill and was ready to eat. And eat she did. This man would satisfy her for the moment.

When Ylva woke in the morning she was naked and cold. She was curled up with what was left of the mans torn clothing. She quickly went through his pants pockets and found what she was looking for. His wallet. She opened it and was surprised to find $500 cash in it. She quickly took that out. Looking away from the clothing she saw that all the wolf had left of the man was his bones with very little flesh left. She gagged and shivered at the disgusting sight. Then she rose to her feet and looked around to make sure there was no one near. Satisfied that there wasn't she took off in the direction that she knew she had left her bag the previous morning.

Upon reaching her bag she quickly took out a clean set of clothes and got dressed. She placed the money she'd gotten deep into a pocket in her bag. Then satisfied that she was still alone she curled up on the ground using her bag as a pillow and her trench as a blanket. She was tired. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

((Mind if I join this one? If you do we can delete this.))

Pierce had seen the horrific scene that night, though it was not the first like it that he'd seen. He'd gotten a co-worker of his to babysit Dagger for the night. Dagger usually never got a babysitter because no one could 'hear' him, but what differeance did it make at night when the boy was fast asleep in bed and wouldn't wake until well after his father returned. The child would probably never know that his father had even left.

Pierce had chosen the form he did that night for one very specific reason. A wolf would not be able to reach a bird in flight. The hawk had sat on a branch and watched the scene pass, moment by slow moment, until the gore was done. Then he'd gone home. He only spent a little while at home before he'd ventured back out to the place the white wolf had fed and waited for her to wake up. As human this time, Pierce watched Ylva take the money. He didn't blame her. He watched her run, and silently for one wearing boots, followed her. He averted his eyes while she dressed, not that he had too, but for a respect, even if she didn't know he was there.

When the woman he and his son had befriended sevral nights previous fell into sleep, the man with the piercings and tattoos walked over, making no attempt to silence his steps this time. He squat down beside her, forarms resting on thighs, then reached out with one tattooed hand and nudged her shoulder.

He half hoped she'd awaken, and he half hoped she would not. If she didn't, he would take her back to his appartment and risk her being angered by this. If she did, he would offer. If she declined, he would leave. He'd taken a likeing to the woman, though he'd never admit that to anyone. She was kind to him and wonderful to his son, she was good to talk to, and she made good sphagetti.

"Hey. Ylva?" He brushed back her hair with light fingers, a touch he'd used so often on his son.

((No I don't mind at all!))

Upon feeling someone nudge her shoulder and then a lighter touch moving her hair she woke. She was quickly on her feet and ready to run away. She'd not ever had someone bother her when she was out like this. She was ready to yell at whoever it was that had woke her. When her eyes finally adjusted she let out a relieved sigh. It was Pierce. The look on her face was one that was a mixture of fear and...relief.

"Pierce? What are you doing here?" There was worry in her voice. How long had he been there? How did he find her? Had he been following her? Did he see what the wolf had done? Did he see her stealing from the now dead man? The worry refelcted in her eyes. She had grown quite fond of his son and even fonder of him. She worried that he'd not talk to her again after what she had done.

She was disappointed in herself as well because she had promised herself that she would go off deep into the woods to get away from the city. She had promised herself that for once she wouldn't allow the wolf to hunt human flesh. She had promised herself that she was going to make the wolf hunt for something else. Deer perhaps. She had failed. She didn't have control over the wolf. The wolf controlled her.

For a moment she thought back on the promise she made to Pierce regarding Daggers mother. Worry flickered through her about that. But then she sighed realizing that for a change she had one up over the wolf. She knew nothing about the woman and didn't want to know anything about the woman...including what she looked like. She remembered that she had made that clear.

She relaxed a bit more as she waited for him to respond.

As the reliefe registered on her face, a mixture of emotions, a gentle smile found his pierced lips, reassuring her it was alright. He let his hand slid away from her hair when it was neatly tucked away from her face. He looked the same as when he'd shifted a few nights ago, except this time, the long mohawk was green and no white wings stood on his back.

He smiled again at her words, causing small dimples on eather corner of his lips, she was worried. He'd expected anger, or fear, but not worry. But now he knew why she would be worried. She would worry that because of what the wolf had done, he would not want her near his son. But why would he come and wake her then? He watched her standing in front of him, poised to run. She looks more like a frightened deer then a hunting wolf. "Don't worry." His voice was gentle, the 'don't worry Dagger there are no monsters under the bed' tone.

He reached out a larger hand to her, holding it still, not immediatly reaching for her hand. He wouldn't reach out and grab it, she could willingly take his hand. He was almost afraid, with how shaken she was acting, that if he reached out and grabbed her hand she'd dart off.

"It's not safe out here for you. It's different then being in a real woodland." He said softly. "It's not safe this close to the city, nor this close to the body. If they find the body and you so close, they'll question you. Come back home with me. My house is safer for you. And Dagger isn't home." Grudgingly he'd agreed to the cops at his door this morning that Dagger could go visit his mother for the two day if she had him back here at 4:00pm on the second day.

She relaxed a bit more as he told her 'don't worry' but not completely. She was worried. She was very worried. This was a first for her. A first at having ever been woken from her sleep after a night of not being her. She let her eyes look all around without moving her head. What was she looking for? She was making sure no one else was around.

She stood there, tense and ready to run, as he reached out his hand. She looked at it. Then back to him. A confused look crossed her face. She was always sort of 'out-of-it' after a night of not being her. She looked back down at his hand for a moment. A strange emotion spread over her face as the strange emotion waved through her body. It was like a mixture of fear, sadness and shame all at the same time.

A small cry escaped past her lips. With no other warning her legs crumbled from benieth her. Instead of taking his hand she buried her face in his chest. She began to weep. "I...I'm sorry," she cried. "I...I...can't control...it." She was dampening his shirt with her tears. Why was she crying? She didn't know. She hadn't wept since she had left home so long ago.

The flooding of emotions over her at that point was unreal. She didn't know why she was crying nor did she know why she was appolgizing. As he spoke about her going back to his place with him for it was safer she nodded. She knew he was right. How could she have been so stupid as to stay so close to what 'it' had done? Her legs were shaky as she tried to stand.

He watched her eyes dart around, checking, makeing sure. Didn't she trust that he'd come alone, or did she think he'd bring someone along? Normally, he might be a little hurt by this, but he wasn't. Not this time. He understood what it was like to...not be yourself, to not be able to get control. He sympathized for her instead of being angry.

He saw the change roll over her face, like a shadow crawling slowly across to cover her face. And he hurt for her. To feel so out of control, and whats worse, to feel like she might have been followed. Watched. He wanted to hold her, calm her down with his 'it's ok Dagger, there are no monsters under the bed' touch. But he was afraid to reach out further, for fear that the little bit of trust she must have in him to stay like she was might crumble and she would take off

But she didn't take off, she didn't take his hand eaither. Instead, Pierce watched with blue and green eyes as her legs gave out and her body came past his hand. He stumbled back a step when the unexpected weight came against his own body. What was this? Then she began to cry. Oh just great Pierce! Look what you did! He sighed slightly and let his hand that had meant to be shook rest on her back, just below her neck, his other hand came up, hesitantly, and then rested on her back as well. He held her loosly, for fear that his touch might frightenher off. "Sh." He wouldn't tell her not to cry, because she needed to, "It isn't your fault. Not even the strongest man I know can control that kind of force willingly." He assured her.

He felt her definate nod aginst his chest, then her struggleing to stand. He held her a little tighter to stop her struggle. "Don't." A comand, but a gently issued one that sounded more like a request while still maintaining it's authority. He allowed her to cry a little longer, then he let go with one arm and held her still with the other while reaching down and picking up her things, then he wrapped his arm around her waist to supoort her.

She stayed where she was for a few moments. Just crying on him. She was...glad?...he was there. Why did she feel that way? She wasn't sure. She only knew that he was. She felt his arms go around her as he held her gently. It was comforting. It was what she needed. She really did. It had been so long since someone held her and comforted her. His voice rang in her ears as he tried to comfort her with his words.

She had struggled to stand but couldn't seem to get her legs to work at the moment. She felt his grip tighten a little around her. She gave up trying and relaxed in his arms. Her head on his chest. She managed to get herself to stop crying. "I...I'm sorry," she whispered very softly as she managed to get her sobs under control. She felt like a fool.

She felt one arm leave her as he reached down to pick up her things. After he had done so she felt his arm go around her waist to help her stand and stay standing. She leaned against him. Placing her head on his shoulder. Right now she would go where ever he led her. "Thank you," she whispered and forced a smile. The worry and fear was still very much in her eyes. She was now ready to go where ever he led her.

Ann would be coming by the house in ten minutes to pick Dagger up, the babysitter would leave, and in about half an hour, they would be at his place. She need not know where his son was, he decided. He took most of her weight in his arm and walked her slowly.

"Don't apologize. You didn't do anything at all." And he was right, she hadn't, the wolf had. And rarely anyone had control over that. He wouldn't stand to listen to these apologies. They walked through the trees and he leaned her aginst a tree at one point. He left her there, telling her "stay here, I'll be back." And he did come back, after about five minutes.

He'd gone to the body and picked up the wallet she'd left, the mans wallet. If he didn't have a wallet at all and white wolf hair lay all around him, it would be called a beatial attack. If he had a wallet that was empty it would be called, theft, murder, and then the criminal fed the man to his dog.

He'd tucked the wallet into his back pocket safely, though it was soaked in blood and dripping in his pocket. He didn't want her to see it. He picked up her belongings again and wrapped an arm around her waist again. "Ready?"

She allowed herself to be guided by Pierce. She barely knew where they were going as they walked through the trees. She nodded slowly as he told her not to apologize. She couldn't help it though. She felt like she needed to. Disappointment in herself shone from her eyes.

They stopped walking and he leaned her against a tree. Stay here he had told her. She nodded her head and watched as he disappeared into the trees. She wondered where he was going and why but wasn't going to ask. Maybe he's gotta piss she thought to herself. A small smile came to her face. She blushed too.

She smiled a little as he came back. She wanted to ask him where he'd gone and why but didn't. Blushing a little as the thought she had came back to her mind. She swallowed the small giggle that crept into her throat. She watched as he picked up her stuff again. As he put his arm around her waist again she leaned into him once more. She nodded her head when he asked her if she was ready. She was indeed ready. She wanted to get away from here. The flash of the mangled bones flashed in her head again. She didn't usually get to see what the wolf had done. Now she knew why. A small cry escaped her lips as it flashed through her mind a second time.

She cried. "Hey, look at me." He knew what she was thinking about and he wasn't going to let her. Not while he was with her, not while he was trying to help her through this. "Don't think about it." Why shouldn't she?

Because it'll make it worse you dumb fuck! Remember what happened to Silas? You don't want to se that again do you? "Think about Dagger." That should do the trick. That sweet child could twist anything to his favor, even a sad broken woman. "I'm going to teach you to talk to him remember?"

They were walking again, he looked at his watch, shifting her weight by lowering his arm to her waist, taking up most of her weight onto himself. Well, Dagger was gone. He felt the anger in his throat. What was he going to do this time if Dagger came back with something else wrong?

"He can't wait to talk to you." He smiled, a forced but convincing smile.

She looked up at him as he told her so. Her sad and frightened eyes looking into his. A tear ran down the side of her face as she tried to push the images from her mind. Damn the wolf in me, she cried silently to herself. She nodded as he told her not to think about it. How could she not? It was so hard to push the image from her mind. Never before had she seen the aftermath of what the wolf had done.

A small smile began to appear on her face as he told her to think of Dagger. She had grown so fond of the boy in the few days that they've spent together. She felt her heart leap as she forced her thoughts to the beautiful child. She loved that little boy. She knew she did. After spending so much time playing with him she could no longer imagine not being able to.

They began to walk again and she felt his arm move down a bit lower on her waist. She felt bad for leaning so much of her weight on him. But she feared that if she tried to walk on her own that her legs would give out beneith her. As they walked her thoughts happily danced around Dagger. "Nor I to him," she replied back softly.

He'd glanced at her face as they broke through the trees and into the park. A slight smile played on her lips. That'd done the trick, but he still hurt for her. What else? Something else to make her happy.

"He wants to help teach you." He smiled softly, his eyebrows drawn low over his eyes in a squint aginst the sunlight. What would happen if they got to his home and she found Dagger not there? "He's not going to be home for two days." He decided to tell her ahead of time. He wanted to warn her that this meant that she'd be going to his house with him, not to the child that she liked so much.

His arms were becoming tired so he began to shift, slowly. And slowly, the muscles behinde her tightened and grew slightly bigger. How would he ever manage being a normal human? He didn't think he could.

She smiled a bit more as Pierce told her that Dagger wants to help teach her how to talk to him. The face of the beautiful little boy dancing and laughing without a sound in her thoughts. "I'm glad he wants to help," she replied softly.

She suddenly stopped walking upon hearing his next words. "He...he won't?" Her voice was filled with sadness and confusion. "Wh...where is he? Is he ok?" Had something happened to him in the night while she was gone? Panic flooded her thoughts again. Then it sunk in. It hit her like a large tidle wave crashing into rocks. She sucked in her breath sharply. Unable to find words.

"He's with family. Just visiting for a while." Well....it was thr truth. Not the hole truth, but enough, though he had a feeling she already knew who. He forced her to begin walking again. This wasn't a place he needed her knees to colapse from under her. "But he says he can't wait to see you. He's fine. He'll be fine." If such an over protective, loving father could say that with a straight face, it usually made it true. He'd made a deal with the cops before agreeing to let Dagger go.

Pierce felt a pang of guilt for lieing. Even if he knew the cop would be with them the entire time, he still felt unease. He already missed his son. "So, we can go to my place," he changed the subject. "and you can get in the bath," most women liked soaking in baths, it calmed them down, he knew that much, and Dagger had bubbles. It seemed women liked that too. "And then you can go sleep in a comfortable bed with a real pillow and blanket instead of these."

His voice alone made those two simple ideas sound like a dream. He spoke in a persuasive but gentle tone, so subtly comanding that it didn't show unless you were looking for it.

She studied his face as he began walking with her again. She didn't have much choice but to start walking because he was holding her up. She had been thinking that she had accidentally harmed the boy in some way after she wasn't her. she breathed a small sigh of relief to know that wasn't it. "Oh," she said softly. "I...I thought...I..." her voice trailed off not wanting to say it. Hating herself even more for even thinking it.

'He's with family' Pierce had told her. He had never mentioned anything about family before. She began to get a feeling inside that there was something he wasn't telling her but she let it go. She didn't want to worry him...or herself. Especially since it was...that...time of the month that she dreaded so. She quickly pushed the thought from her mind.

She leaned her head back against him as they walked. Him talking. Her listening. Yes. Going to his place sounded wonderful. He mentioned a bath. Oh how lovely it sounded. She had remembered seeing bubble bath in the bathroom the night she showered. A small smile came to her face. A bed to sleep in. A pillow for her head. A blanket to cover her. She sighed. It wasn't a sad sigh. Well it partly was. But it was also a sigh of relief. Relief that she wasn't alone right now. His voice so gentle and comforting.

He stopped this time, looking at her. He was half-ashamed, of himself that is, for not showing how much he cared for his son. Obviously he hadn't shown it very well since she seemed to think there was a possibility that his son would be hurt without him being dead. How could he be standing here with her if his son was hurt?

Dagger had caught the flu once.
Daddy, I feel yuckie inside.
"That's because your sick, son.
Why am I sick?
"Just because your body got something bad in it. Everyone gets sick."
Why?
"Just because. You'll get better."
Promise?
"Of course. Tell you what. I won't leave you alone until you feel better."
Ok.

And he hadn't left. Why would he leave him now. But it wasn't the time to worry her. So he forced himself to keep walking. They were more then half way to his home now.

When he stopped and looked at her she looked back at him in confusion. Was it something she had said? Worry danced across her eyes once more. "I...I'm sorry. D...did I say something wrong?" Her words came out almost in a stutter. The flash of the thought she had had came flirting through her mind again. A pained look came across her face. She looked down at the ground. Ashamed and embarassed at what she had thought was wrong. "I...I thought that...maybe I...," her voice trailed off. She couldn't even force herself to say it. She had worried and thought that maybe she had hurt Dagger somehow. Well not her her. But the wolf her.

She continued to led him help her stay in an upright position and walk. She began to wonder how much further. She was growing ever so much more tired.

"No. It's...alright." He looked ahead of him, shifting her weight again, though not from discomfort this time. Just because it was somthing to do. Thoughts went through his mind, mostly about his son. His fingers tightened on her side slightly as he thought about his ex-girlfriend's face, her holding his son in her arms. He chewed on his tongue slightly, atempting to bit back a fit of frustration. He shook his head stiffly, getting the hair out of his face by causing the mohawk ponytail thing to flip over and lay straight back instead of to one side.

They finally came to the edge of the park. He paused and lifted her bag up to hang on his shoulder, pushing the trench coat through the strap to dangle there and free up his hand. He shifted sides, his arm returning to it's average size. He realized, now that his thought was returneing to the present situation, that she hadn't meant anything by her thoughts. She'd just thought of the worst thing that could possibly have happened and gone with it. "It's not much further."

She felt his fingers tighten a little bit on her side. "Are you ok?" she asked softly. She was starting to wonder what he was thinking about. She was very glad to hear him say it wasn't much further. She was growing more and more weary as they walked. She only wanted to curl up into a little ball and sleep. She knew that come sunset it would all start over again.

Worry began to creep into her again. "Are you sure you want to be taking me back to your place? I mean..." her voice trailed off for a moment. "The full moon," she added after pausing. She couldn't continue because she didn't want anyone to over hear her talking to him.

He didn't reply when she asked him if something was wrong, only loosened his fingers from her side, suddenly concious that he was doing it. Then she spoke on another subject.

"It's early in the morning." He'd thought about this the previous night while watching her. "You'll have time to sleep. And then, before the sun sets, I'll take you back to the park. I could tie you down in the room but then it becomes hard to explain the noises." He'd obviously done that before by the way he said it. Silas used to attack himself when he couldn't attak anyone else.

"We can eat dinner," he was sure that wouldn't fill her up but the wolf wouldn't be as hungry as before with a meal in it's stomach. "And then I can feed you more when you turn. YOu won't get hungry and the wolf won't have to hunt."

He wondered if she would aprove of such a plan, or if she'd freak out because he'd thought on it so much. Would it make him seem like he'd been thinking about her? Well you had been! But I don't want her to know that.

She felt his fingers loosen from her side but he didn't reply to her. Something must be bothering him she thought to herself. I wonder what all he saw of the wolf. She couldn't get the thought out of her mind. She had to ask before it drove her crazy. "D...did you...see...it?" She had to know.

She listen to him talking as they walked. Her feet were starting to drag a bit from exhaustion setting in quickly. She listened to him as he told her about his 'plan'. Something struck her as odd as he spoke. "H...have you thought about this for a while? You sound like you have. And..." she paused before she continued, "you sound like you know what you're talking about."

She was silent for a little while before speaking again. "Are you sure it will work? I mean...it not having to hunt?" She couldn't hide the worry from her voice nor did she try to. She was too tired to try.

"Yes." He blushed slightly. "I did think this out. I've thought out many plans before. Some I"ve even tried."

He shifted her weight. "Yes, I do know what I'm talking about. I'm not a were, but a friend of mine, SIlas, was. The best plan we came up with then was chaining him up We chained him to the wall and he ended up attaking himself." He shook his head. "But he always said it was better then attaking someone else." It had gotten to Silas, to the point where he couldn't handle the moon anymore.

"I did see it. I watched." He replied about seeing her the previous night. He didn't sound disgusted, in fact, his tone hadn't changed at all.

((Sorry, the other post was better but my computer fucked up.))

She listened as he admitted that he had thought it out and that he'd thought out many plans and tried some. That puzzled her. Then he told her more. As he spoke one word stood out in her mind...was.

"Was?" she asked. She almost sounded hopeful. As if there was a way to get rid of the part of her that she hated the most.

When he replied to her asking him if he had saw it she gasped at his words. "You...you watched?" There was shame, embarassment and horror in her voice.

He ignored the shame in her voice and smiled softly at her., "It's not so bad when your the one watching, not doing. Really. It wasn't you so it dosn't matter." His voice was gentle and reassuring.

"Was." He sounded slightly pained. He was looking at the ground and still walking, still supporting her. Two more blocks. "He...hang himself two weeks ago. It became too much for him. He'd killed his parents, that was the breaking of his sanity. Then he killed a child, and that destoryed him. The last three vitums the wolf killed and didn't eat. The wolf killed purely to punish Silas for not letting him out. And Silas couldn't take it." He frowned, feeling the need to explain. "Silas found ways to force the wolf not to come out on a full moon, as long as the moonlight didn't touch him. But he had a very personal level with his wolf."

Growing more weary with each step she wasn't sure how to reply. She could hear some pain in his voice as he told her about his friend. "I left home when I was sixteen out of fear of killing my parents," she blurted out. "When someone upsets me or makes me angry it's like...it gets burned into my head. It deals with it later." She couldn't bring herself to say 'wolf'. Always had a hard time doing so. She prefered to refer to it as 'it'.

She had no clue how many, what genders, or the ages of those 'it' had killed. This morning was the first time she had ever seen the aftermath of one of 'its' killings. She shivered. Her heart felt heavy and was sad.

He began to dig the keys out of his pocket already. One block to go. He listened ina friendly silance.

"I understand." Really he did, even if he hadn't expreianced it, it was a terrible feeling. He could imagin it, and Pierce had a grand immagintion. Being a shifter, you kind of develop on naturally.

((Ug...shortness here too. My sister amd Braxton are fighting in my room and I'm stuck being middle man.))

She could hear him digging in his pocket for his keys. "Are we almost there?" she asked. Her voice heavily sleepy. She wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to walk along if they had too much more to go.

"Just half the block," he replied. He shifted her weight once more. They'd approached the building. Awkwardly he helped her to the stair way to the first door. He opened it and squeezed through the doorway only large enough for one and a half.

He picked her up now, craddling like a baby, and walked up two flights of stairs., It was too difficult to try and walk her up the stairs. He struggled with the key a moment and finally opened the door and set her down. He dropped her things on the floor and helped her into the bathroom, pushing her down to sit on the toilet (lid down of course)

"Lets start a bath first huh?" He turned on the water to let it warm up.

As he picked her up she placed her head on his shoulder. She let her eyes flutter closed. She could have slept easily like that if he hadn't set her down and walked her towards the bathroom.

He didn't have to push very hard at all to sit on the toilet lid. She was much too tired to stand on her own anyway.

She sleepily nodded her head as he turned on the water to the bath. Her eyes felt so heavy.

He smiled and turned on cold water, sitting on the edge of the tub while doing so and he fixed the water to a fair temperture. He reached over and picked up a pink bottle of 'Mr. Bubble' and dropped a cap and a hlaf full into the water, after pluging the bathtub up with a rubber stopper. While bubbles formed, he picked up a big blue town and set it on one of the shelves.
"If you need anything, I can help you." It was weird saying that but it wasn't as if he hadn't seen a naked woman before, he did have a son after all. He stood up and leaned walked through the door, pulling it closed, but leaving it cracked slightly so she could call out if she needed help.

She smiled a little bit as he walked out the bathroom door. She noticed that he left it open just a little. She knew it was so that she could call him if she needed help.

Unsure of where the energy came from she managed to strip down and get into the tub. The water was so relaxing as it surrounded her. She sighed as she sunk down further into the water. She placed her feet at one end to keep from sliding any further down and rested her head on the part behind her back. It felt so refreshing. So relaxing. Too relaxing. She fell asleep.

Pierce had ventured to make his daily mess in the kitchen, though this time, painfully alone. No child's laughter, no silly suggestions of useing cool-aid instead of water as an ingrediant, no food fight.

He was attempting some sort of mexican looking caserole, though it looked more like you'd find something living under your little brothers bed. Pierce allowed himself to become distracted by the images of that bitch and his Dagger, and he'd left several little cuts lacing his fingers.

He sighed and gave up cutting onions and turned to find some cheese to grate, though he scrapped his knuckles on the jaged edges of the gratter as well. Glancing at the clock, he noted that Ylva had been in the bath for quite a while and ventured to check on her, finding a tee shirt for her to sleep in first.

He rapped his knuckles on the door frame lightly.

She had fallen asleep in the water that was warm when she first got in it. It wasn't so warm now. That same dream that she dreamed every time she closed her eyes haunted her once more. Tormenting her. But this time it was different. It was as if she were the one on the sidelines watching.

Watching it hunt. Watching it chase down a helpless person who had at once time or another pissed her off. She watched. She couldn't move. She couldn't make a sound. The bright white pelt moving, flowing, with each step the beast that wore it took. Screams. But not from her. From the prey. She watched in horror as it chased the person. A man. The man. The one from the amusement park. The one who had shoved her along when she didn't notice the line moving. She watched in horror as the beast made the man fall. Horror. The beast biting the man. Blood. The beast tearing the flesh off the man. Suffering. The beast eating the man alive. Screams. Pain. More screams. Her screams.

She didn't hear the light tapping on the door. She was lost inside these dreams. Unable to pull herself out of it. The beast. Tormenting her. Making her pay. For what? Her breathing was rapid as she dreamed these terrible dreams.

He tapped with his cut knuckles again, causing light stains of blood on the off-white door frame. "Ylva?" He didn't make his voice so quiet. Pushing back green and blonde mohawk with onion and cheese scented fingers, leaving a small streak of blood in his hair, he pushed open the door.

"Ylva?" He didn't look at her at first, averting his gaze to the cracked ceiling. He felt awkwards standing here in the bathroom where she lay naked in a bath. He picked up a towl, waiting for a response.

Her screams filling the air around her, the beast and the man. She squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them all that remained was the bones and torn clothing. She began to look around for the beast. She turned her head and was face to face with it. Blood dripping from it's fangs. It's hot breath on her face. She couldn't move. She was frozen. It opened it's mouth. She could smell the blood. The blood from the man. She opened her mouth....

And she sat bolt upright screaming. Screaming yet again for the beast torments her and taunts her. Teasing her. Driving her insane. Slowly. Insane.

Water sloshed everywhere as she sat bolt upright in the now coldish water. She screams. Facing forward. The tears flowing from her eyes once more. She wished it would all just stop. Just end. The beast was indeed driving her slowly insane.

He looked at her when that scream pierced his ears, she sat up and water soaked his pants, his floor and little rug. He got to his knees and grabbed her bare shoulders and the side of her neck, his thumbs resting on her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"Hey!" He looked at her carfully, giving one shiver from the cold water. "You're alright, remember?" One hand stroked her arm gently, then slid around to her back. He pulled her aginst him, where he knew she was going to barry her chest, like she'd done the last time, and rubbed her wet hair slightly. "You're fine. I'm here, It's not."

He'd learned that the wolf wasn't 'wolf' The wolf was 'it'. He let his hand slid off her shoulder and find a towl to dry her cheeks with.

She felt his hand on her shoulders. She turned her face as he turned it with his thumbs. That's right. She was here. It wasn't. As he pulled her close her tears fell once again. In her mind she was worrying about it. But there was also something else there worrying her now. She worried that he would grow tired of comforting her like this.

After she cried for a while she suddenly shivered. She was still sitting in the tub of now very cold water.

He stood up, arms around her forced her to do so too, slowly, so she would not loose her footing. He took the towl he'd wipped her face with and wrapped it around her body. Ignoring the wet floor, for his boots gripped the linolium nicely, he shrugged his shoulders, causing her to be lifted up. When he let his shoulders drop, he was lowering her to the toilet lid again.

He turned and found another towl and dried her hair for her in the way he would have Dagger's. Then he picked up the tee shirt and found it soaked. "Your alright. I promise." He turned and waled into his bedroom across the hall, leaving the bathroom door opened. He returned with a new shirt.

"Lets put this on, alright?" He touched the towl with his fingertips, peeling back the edge, rolling his eyes to the ceiling for her privacy.

She sat there on the toilet lid as he dried her hair. Even though she wasn't she felt alone. Alone inside. Tormented.

Her crying had stopped. She sat there with a bit of a blank look on her face. She didn't look up as she heard him walk out of the room and back in again. She sat there as the towel uncovered her. She raised her arms to allow the t-shirt to slide over her head.

She felt dead to his touch almost. Like Dagger when he didn't want to comply to the rules, he'd take on a robotic motion to get on Pierce's nerves. Only this didn't get on his nerves, this worried him.

Pierce slid the shirt over her arms, her head, then her bare torso. Finally he looked down at her. Though the tee-shirt didn't fully cover her, he now didn't feel so embarassed to look at her.He turned on the sink and washed the gathering blood off his kuckles and dried them by wiping them on his pants. He found his robe and placed it on her shoulders.

"Come on." He held his hand out to her, curious if she would respond this time. He was frowning.