The headlights of the departing taxi washed over the marble tombs, plunging the cemetary into darkness as it rounded the corner. Rin was left alone, in a maze of marble tombs, which stood in the darkness like ghosts. His wasn't hard to find, the engraved lettering was dark with shadows as the moon illuminated the marble walls. Rin swallowed. It had been difficult to fathom even coming, but standing here now she trembled.

The a few roses with black petals were clutched in her hand as she leaned against the tomb and sank to sit on the ground. What now? Strike up a conversation like she did when she visited her mother? It was comforting just sitting here now. She placed the roses on the steps before looking up to the lettering.

"The florist said they were rare, I thought they were better than the traditional red or white. But ... then again I never was much of a plant person, when my mother was alive she said I had a black thumb."

Rin smiled and the trembling slowly eased.

"Gabe ... I wish you were here."

(O_O my post is short! T.T)

"I thought this would be where she was coming when she got out of the cab." Standing in a dark shadow was a man, a man by all appearances only though as you could hardly call a supposidly dead vampire a man. His eyes followed the woman as she went to the gave and sighed heavily before movement caught his eyes and forced him to hide behind a large statue of an angel.

~*~*~

Mitchifer moved from shadow to shadow after Rin, always stepping just out of sight whenever she paused or turned. He looked after he like his brother asked him to when he had been alive, but taking him to a cemetary to look at an empty grave was more then a little annoying. Of course she didn't know he had followed her, or atleast he didn't think so and their she was, putting flowers on a grave of a man who wasn't even in there.

Sighing heavily he stepped from the shadows so she wouldn't waste time from her life at this, he didn't like telling her things she knew much less things she knew and would only hurt her even more, but someone had to tell her and no one seemed to be around to do it for him. "Rin, you and I both know he isn't in their so why do you come her to moarn him? You're no closer to him now then you are when you're at home, we don't know what happened to his body unless you decided to dig his ashes from that dumspter."

He really did hate having to do this to her, but he wouldn't let her do this, not for a man who did this to her by his own hand. He sighed heavily and looked back up at her shaking his head slightly. "You know what, go ahead and have your time of peace with him. I won't disturb you." Best let her just go about it, who knows maybe it would get her to stop glaring at him so much over it, though he seriously doubted it. Instead of complaining he sat down next to a older stone tombstone and leaned back on it looking at the stars to wait.

Rin smiled at him. "Good to see you too Mitch." She stood and dusted the dirt off her denim jeans. "You know when my mother was killed it took me at least a year to come to her grave. I was upset, but I wasn't about to kick her out of my life." She stretched her arms over her head and sighed.

Mitch hadn't been around recently, if he had he would have known Rin was keeping herself busy. You didn't think about the pain when you were running back and forth like crazy. "It's clearly been awhile since you had a good cry Mitch, go home and grow some sensitivity. Besides it's alittle awkward sitting here with you hovering." Rude? Probably, but nobody liked being followed especially when it was a moment like this. Rin wanted to be alone, she was sure nothing was gunna pop up and try and kill her ... not now anyways.

She smiled and sat down beside him. "I think Gabriel would understand my need for privacy."

Mitchifer straight out laughed at her her, "Firstly little lady, I'm not Gabe, if it were he instead of me I'm sure you two would be of necking somewhere. Secondly, Gabriel? Give privacy? Ha, don't make me laugh, Gabriel was a great man but when he liked someone, much less loved them, he was attached to them whenever possible, I swear that man nearly drove me made with his pointless questions, 'Mitch, why is the sky that color? Mitch, why do you and I fall at the same speed even though we don't wiegh the same? Mitch, this or that. It really starts to nag you sometimes, I swear I thought I would burst."

He looked up at the sky again give a small private laugh,"All the trouble he got me into, he was bad luck I swear it. Everything would be going fine with a girl and then he'd come and her husband would burst in a few seconds later. He always had such a hard time with women, picking out the strangest ones and trying to do everything for them, it really was quite sad." He shot her a mirthfilled glance, "He really was just bad luck, but I guess he was a good friend and he had a knack for being around when you needed him. I bet he always will be that way." He seemed to daze off in his memories of the past with a smile on his face laughing for a moment every now and then but completely cut off from the world.

~*~*~

"He's still telling those stories, I always knew he would keep to the past whenever he could." The man in the shadows laughed silently to himself and kept his voice beyond low so it would be hard to hear even four feet away. He looked over at the two who were sitting together and smiled. "So he's doing what he was told to do, good man. That girl is a good one and even I would like her to live."

Rin quirked a brow at the laugh she had recieved in response. When he started with the stories Rin knew better than to say something, hell if he hadn't been looking Rin would have inched away until she found some real privacy. She pulled her jacket around her and stood again. "Well, I wouldn't want to interrupt any recollection of happy memories you might have."

Wait. Her eyes looked up past the graves. Hadn't she seen something? Mitch had given another laugh and she jumped. Tell him? Nah. He was annoying enough when he wasn't protecting someone.

"It sounded like he loved you." Rin had never had any sibilings, she had only witnessed the love/hate relationship from a distance.

"Perhaps he did, I guess I will never really know now will I? My own fault, anyway you enjoy your crying. I have business I just remember that's in this area. Don't leave here until I get back or else I will make you wish you had buried yourself here." Mitchifer was on his feet in a split second and heading off through the tombstones, just after getting out of eyesight he shot off in a blur of speed circling around the area til he saw the man who had been watching them. 'So, he really is that stupid.' The man barely had raised his head before Mitchifer's hand had clasped his neck and slammed him into a tree, growling at him.

"I always knew you were a fool, perhaps the biggest fool in the world! But this! This is insane, after all I went through to make Gabrielle sure that you were dead you threaten to ruin it all by following this woman! What the hell is wrong with you!" His eyes were glaring at the man his through dark slits.

~*~*~

"You didn't seem to think me foolish a minute ago when you were remembering our past together brother. I know you risked alot to make everyone think I was dead, and I'm very grateful for it. I know we set this plan into motion ages ago, long before picking this city to do it in and before I met Rin. I wonder if it was even worth it, I mean Gabrielle can't be that powerful, can she?" Rather then looking scared or angry the man was grinning widely, "It's good to see you old friend, much better when you don't have a sword aimed at me."

~*~*~

Mitch sighed and moved his hand away and gave his friend a shove. "You crazy bat, you're going to be the death of me I swear. You always did get me in more trouble then we can handle." He smirked back at him and moved away from the tree a bit so he could sit down.

~*~*~

The man simply laughed slightly at him shaking his head the entire time. "Hey atleast if you die around me you'll have an exciting death. Now then though, how's it going with Rin? Is she happy?"

~*~*~

Mitch raised an eyebrow at him questioningly, "She's at a graveyard, at your grave, do you think she's okay you bleeding idoit? Of course not, she gives me so much crap about killing you, you'd think I....well killed you, but I digress I think she'll be fine with time as long as Gabrielle doesn't take an interest in her which I highly doubt she will. So yeah, everything should be fine."

~*~*~

The man nodded slowly at his old friend still smiling, "Good, very very good."

Crying?

Rin stared at him quietly as he gave his threat. He obviously hadn't paid much attention to her in the short time that they had known one another. She had only cried maybe twice in her life. God he was a jerk. Her fingers figdeted with the hem of her jacket as she stood there. Where had he gone to? After that threat did he honestly expect her to stay? Rin glanced around awkwardly. If it was in this area that he had business, that could mean outside the cemetary right? Walking didn't sound too terrible. Of course, going to a martial arts class hadn't sounded bad either ... until she got a gun pointed to her throat. That little tidbit was going to be keep secret, the last thing she wanted was Mitch hanging around more.

She shuddered. Yeah, Mitch didn't need to know that.

Rin started walking. Sure that the only danger could be Mitch carrying out his threat if he found her and be seriously pissed. She had seen him in a series of moods at different times, but happiness was his most frightening. Angry he fit the typical monsterous image of a vampire, happy he seemed human. Yikes.

Voices floated on the breeze from her right and she stopped almost suddenly. One she reconized immediatly, the other it took a few minutes to process.

Surely not. Rin swallowed hard before ducking behind a tombstone. She wrapped her arms around her knees and laid her head back against the granite stone as she listened. If Mitch went back to Gabriel's tomb and didn't see her there he would probably go looking for her.

Shit.

Mitch laughed plainly at the other vampires acceptance, "I have to admit, she is a pretty little fox and you know how much I like the young ones. Hey don't look at me like that, it's not like I flirt with her I mean one second she is fine with me being around and the next she's shouting at me for doing nothing. I don't see how you were able to handle it when you were 'alive'." His hands moved in vague gestures as he spoke and Mitch was glad to see that his friend was no longer glaring at him like he had been a few seconds ago.

"Regardless, the point is that all our hard work will go down the drain if she sees you now. You really are a bleeding fool, I know dogs with more sense then you do, but come on, I'll help you get a closer look without her seeing you." He motioned for the man to follow him as he headed off towards where he had left her and moved closer to where she actually was.

~*~*~

The man simply nodded and began to follow after Mitch closely, "Thank you for this brother, all of this taking care of her, keeping me secret, NOT flirting with her, and giving up your time to help her, it's all very kind of you." He peered around as best he could trying to see the woman that Mitch was supposed to be leading them too while his grin remained firmly in place.

~*~*~

Mitch smiled at him, "That's what family is for Gabriel, if I didn't help you with this then who would? Surely you don't have any friends you anti social loon, maybe if you weren't so held back we wouldn't even have this problem." He laughed slightly before continuing his walk getting closer to were Rin was hidden as well as where she was supposed to be.

They were coming closer, she could actually make out the words now. It really was him, wasn't it? Mitch had known he was alive all along. Rin swallowed. She felt like an idiot, even more so hiding like this. There was still time to run back to the tomb and play pretend, but if she sat there still and quiet maybe she could leave when they passed her. Maybe.

Out of habit she held her breath, what would they do once they found out she had gone? It was the first time in a long time she had felt afraid. They had lied to her, both of them, there must have been a good reason for it right? She hugged her knees to her chest and sat there listening.

They sounded like they wanted her a safe distance from whatever the hell was going on. He didn't want to be seen, and as much as Rin wanted to see him she fought the temptation. She would leave. Wouldn't know what it was they were talking about or look at Gabriel at all. Mitch would probably be pissed that she had left, but whatever it was that they were trying to hide would be safe.

She sat very still now, listening for their passing steps.

Mitchifer stopped dead and turned to Gabriel grinning broadly. "I bet I can beat you to that tree over there." He pointed to an old oak tree on the other side of the graveyard that would lead passed Rin. "No vampiric powers just you and me like the good old days. You always were the slowest one."

~*~*~

Gabriel raised an eyebrow at his brother questioningly. "I don't think we should brother, what if someone sees us and calls the police? I mean you may be fine with just vanishing but I live here." He began to walk slowly ahead thinking.

~*~*~

"Well I guess if you're afraid I'll whoop you and that scawny arse of yours we can just go."

~*~*~

Gabriel glared hard at Mitchifer and walked back to his brother and started smiling. "Who says go?"

~*~*~

Mitchifer smirked at him before putting on a perplexed look, "Hmm I dunno." He turned to face the tree apperantly in thought. "Maybe...no...we cou- no that won't work....well I guess...go!" Without looking back Mitchifer leapt off towards the tree using only muscles and holding back the vampiric speed. He was grinning ear to ear as the tombstones sped past but about half way there he froze and glared extremely coldly at a crouching woman.

~*~*~

Gabriel ran past his stopped brother wondering why the man had stopped but he himself didn't stop running until he tagged the tree and then he simply turned back and walked next to his brother raising and eyebrow. "Why did you sto-" His voice caught and he was left looking at Rin like an opened mouth fool.

Being invisible was too much to ask for, huh?

Mitch wasn't as much of an idiot as she would have liked him to be. She felt like some school girl who had just been caught skipping as he stood there glaring at her. Explaining herself would probably ease that horrible expression he was giving her, but then again he might explode. She hugged her knees closer to her chest, where was a teddy bear when you needed one?

Gabriel ran past, even with Death standing there Rin couldn't help but stare. It had only been months, but seeing him now made it feel like an eternity. He was alive, standing maybe a couple feet from her. She closed her eyes and put her head in her hands. They were both looking at her, talk about spotlight, she would have to face the music sooner or later.

Rin let her hands slip a millimeter at a time, blue eyes stared out over the tips of her fingers. She stood up in one fluid movement letting her hands fall at her sides.

What was she supposed to say? This was obviously something she wasn't supposed to see, but they had lied to her, both of them. Answer: Don't say anything, let them break the silence.

Mitch stood glaring at her coldly as if any second he would boil over and burst into flames. His hand was twitching slightly by his leg, clearly a bad sign and his lips were pulled back so his teeth were exposed and he seemed to be almost growling. He was as far from calm as you could be without actually killing someone in the process, but that might have simply been because there was no humans around to kill.

~*~*~

Gabriel on the other hand was standing there looking at Rin as if he was trying to think of what to tell her, what he could tell her. After a moment though he seemed to decide to not say anything and instead took the few steps between them and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, then smiling he spoke, "I'm sorry that I couldn't come to you. Matters got out of hand and I had to go into hiding."

~*~*~

As the words left Gabriel's mouth Mitchifer visibly ripped his attention from Rin just to slam the glare onto his brother. "What do you think you're doing? You can't tell her everything it could rui-"
~*~*~

With a sharp jesture Gabriel ended Mitchifer's sentance mid-word, "Brother, she deserves to know what we can tell her, given that isn't everything yet, but we do have a few things to answer for, like maybe how I'm standing her infront of her for starters. However right now if you'll allow it, I would like to be alone with her."

~*~*~

Mitchifer took a deep breathe and let it out slowly. "Okay, whatever you want to tell her have fun, but don't come to me if everything goes wrong." He turned away from the pair and walked away looking the visible definition of calmness despite his outburst seconds ago.

Rin had opened her mouth to speak as Gabriel closed the distance between them. It seemed to have taken her by surprise when he closed the distance between their lips too. Any words she could have said after that moment were destined to come out jumbled and rather funny sounding so she kept them to herself, happy enough to find him alive. Was she upset a few moments ago? Surely not.

She looked up to his face as he spoke. He was alive and close enough to kiss. Rin had opened her mouth once more to aleast try and talk again before Mitchifer finally erupted. The sappy romantic music in her head came to a screeching stop. She looked over Gabriel's shoulder and swallowed. Wow he looked mad, his voice matched the expression equally too.

Rin let them talk with out interupting. There had been something going on that she was kept out of for a reason, and now thanks to her stubborness ... well, it was, in Mitch's opinion, ruined.

They were alone now. She touched his face, the weight of his skin against hers and surrendered a few tears.

"I would be lying if I said seeing you now wasn't enough. Whatever is going on, I don't want to make it worse, even though I may have already." She sighed as she looked up at him. "I can't lose you again."

"I can't believe he could be that stupid! Telling her anything could ruin a plan we had for a hundred years. On top of all of that when Tristan finds out about this plan he'll surely get a little pissed. God! Who does he think he is!" Mitchifer continued to rage through the graveyard desperate for some type of release. Everythign was crashing down around him. Everything he had worked so hard to build was crumbling to dust before his very eyes and he could do nothing about it.

~*~*~

Gabriel smiled at Rin, a loving knowing smile and didn't show any sign of letting her go any time soon. "You may have not known this but once upon a time my loving sister tried to have me executed and tried to get my brother to do it. I ran away and Mitchifer followed, you see she is quite weak but at the time she had enough powerful vampires backing her that we couldn't move against her. Even now we don't know how many she is keeping in touch with, so to keep her out of my hair Mitchifer and I decided almost a hundred years ago to fake my death."

Gabriel kissed her forehead lovingly before continuing with the story. "That was before I met you of course, and I decided a few days ago that losing you wasn't worth this and so, as long as we can keep it secret from her until I have my friend's backing I can stay near you and alive. Does that make sense?"

That smile warmed her to her toes, "It makes sense." Rin shook her head and laughed. "Is there ever anyone who isn't after you?" She smoothed a hand through his hair and rose on tip toes to meet his lips with hers. Mmmm. He had the softest lips.

She drew back slowly and looked in the direction Mitchifer had left. "He's not gonna be ok is he?" Rin returned her attention to him. She thought she had lost him once, if Mitch thought she would volentarily jeproadize any plans they had, he was mistaken. There was a sudden urge to ask questions, lots and lots of questions, but the longer she thought about them the more she wanted to hold them off until later. Maybe it wasn't the best decision to ask alot of questions out here, right now.

She sighed as she leaned into him, closed her eyes and breathed deep.

(meh ... short)

Gabriel gave a little laugh at her comment about people being after her but just continued to embrace her. He had dreamed of having her with him again but for once he wouldn't wake from this in a cramped cript with the dead surrounding him. He truly hoped that his brother would be alright but that wasn't important right now, nothing seemed to be important right then nothing more then being with Rin.

~*~*~

"I should have known this was going to happen, Gabriel falling in love and ruining years of planning in a matter of weeks and now going back to her and destroying everything we worked for." Mitchifer sighed heavily trying to relax. "Maybe I'm over reacting, I mean maybe I should be happy for them. She's a nice girl and he deserves some female contact. Yes I must be blowing this way out of proportion."

"Blowing what out of proportion Mitchifer?" He had just enough time to whip around in horror before a sharp pain went through his head and he fell to the ground completely blacked out.

~*~*~

"Mitch will be fine, it doesn't matter now anyway. He's a tough man and will handle himself well." In the distance Gabriel heard a motorcycle start up and then the loud sound of it driving off and with realizing who's bike it must of been Gabriel smiled at Rin."See, he's fine seems like he decided to leave anyway. I'll get in touch with him later I suppose, that is if he didn't decide to go out of the city to the national park out there. Well that doesn't really matter, as long as I'm with you everything will be fine."

Rin nodded an edge of warm laughter to her voice. "I know how tough he is ... I'm just afraid of what poor thing might find itself in his way if he wasn't." Everything seemed too right, too real, having had nothing like this in a long while Rin was expecting the worse. She kept her arms around his waist as she stood there, afraid to let him go.

It was silent now that the motorcycle had driven off in the distance, as silent as a cemetary should be, and strangely comforting. "Gabriel?" She paused and looked up at him. "Would Mitchifer mind too much if you stayed with me?" As if she cared if he did. Rin smiled, still stuck on the fact that he was here, not even a couple inches away and as alive as a vampire could be. She kissed his lips again and sighed. "I've missed you."

Gabriel looked at Rin still smiling and laughed, "Oh yes, poor poor little creature who gets in his way now. I bet he goes straight to Tiffany though and he wouldn't dream of hurting her." Gabriel kissed Rin again savoring every second that they were locked together with their lips.

"Rin why should we care if Mitchifer cares if I stay with you? I mean he's not incharge of us and shouldn't be allowed to control what we do. I mean for god sake he's living with this mortal and is quite good friends with her though I think he may want her more then a friend, not sure honestly. Anyways, I would love to stay with you, that is if it's not a problem. I don't want to cause you any problems and I am comfortable living here until things blow over."

Gabriel pulled her even closer and nuzzled her head lovingly. "I missed you too, and I will do anything to be with you whenever I can so of course I'll stay with you if you'll allow it. "

Rin had almost melted as he kissed her again, any existing thought of what was beyond them vanished in that moment. This being the reason why after he had spoken it took her a moment or two to relearn how to respond with the right words in the right order.

"I was only joking about Mitchifer, I honestly wouldn't care what he would think about us. Hell, if I really cared what he thought I wouldn't be standing here right now."

She leaned into his touch as he nuzzeled her. "Gabriel, I want you to stay with me. No matter how long, no matter what happens, you are welcome in my apartment." He would be close then, any problems if any were trivial as long as she knew he was safe. She gave him a quick, chaste kiss and smiled. "Besides, I can't leave you here," Rin surrendered a laugh. "I can barely fathom letting go of you."

Gabriel laughed lightly still holding her close, "Well I would love to stay with you, however I think people might give us funny looks if we walk like this all the way there plus I think that would take awhile." Laughing more Gabriel leaned down and kissed her cheek. "So do you want to stay here longer or should we leave and go to your home? Unless you want a bite before then that is."
~*~*~

"Well that went grandly, Mitchifer's bike is trashed and the vampire himself," the person speaking motioned towards a unmoving bag, "Is nicely knocked out and will be locked up long before he awakes from his lovely dreams."

Another fiquire went near the speaking one, this one seemed to be feminine, "What do you wonder a monster like him dreams about? Killing fledelings I bet."

The first gave a harsh laugh picking the bundle up over too broad of shoulders, "No, I believe his brother is the fledgeling killer this one is simply being taken becuase he is a disgrace and a mortal lover."

The second nodded while laughing, "Ah who cares which one is which, they'll both be dead soon enough and then forgotten not long afterwards. I wonder which one will burn the best in the sun?"

(AHHH *grabs Mitch* @.@)

"Yeah it would be a funny sight."

There was an edge of laughter to her voice as she looked up to him. Rin smiled, it was sort of sideways, like one you would give when thinking. The whole time she had been here there had been a knot in her stomach. It wasn't unusual, most visits to a cemetary brought about that sensation, so she wasn't worried. But the option was either leaving or not, and her apartment sounded so much better than a cemetary.

"I would like to go home. Maybe we can get a bite on our way there." She hadn't thought about it until now, with all the excitement the thought remained unoticed until now.

She let her arms slip from around his waist and lifted slender hands to touch his shoulders. Rin slid her hands across his shoulders to his neck and caressed where his pulse should have beat against his skin. She swallowed hard, fighting temptation and closed her eyes. Saving it for later maybe, when they weren't outside in a cemetary.

Gabriel leaned forward and nuzzles his head to her neck lovingly before pulling away and smiling at her. "Oh yes, that would be quite fun. It will be nice to walk with you rather then have to stay away from you. You wouldn't believe how often I have thought of coming to you and embracing you and telling you how much I love you." He gave her a breif tight hug before stepping back so she could lead the way.

"Yes, we can get a bite on the way there. After all after not seeing you in such a long time I'll need my strength and so will you." He gave her a playful nudge and grinned innocently. "Shall you lead the way dear? I am afraid that my mind is having a hard time remembering where you live. I think I'm getting old." He laughed a little at his own comment still looking at her eyes though.

Rin laughed and nudged him back as she started walking. "Really?" Gently she took his hand in hers and brought it to her lips before kissing it softly. "I wish you would have came to me ... I've missed you ... Mitchifer can agree, I think I was a rather annoying pain in the ass." She smiled and looked up to him, heat rose to her face when she saw him looking back.

Rin listened to his comment about getting old and paused in her steps trying hard not to laugh long enough to speak. "Oh Gabriel, your not old. You don't look a day over a hundred." She giggled and kissed his cheek.

(do we want to continue this or go on to another board?)

(Yeah I think we should.)

clickie here