Revenge is a dish best served stone cold.

[ascending_angel]

WHO: Archangel [Death flava], Mortis, and Dazzler later.
WHAT: Retaliation
WHERE: The streets of Manhattan
WHEN: Moments following Lois' post.
WARNINGS: Character death & gore
SUMMARY: Lois murdered Alison, so Archangel pays Mortis a visit.

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[ascending_angel]

Archangel arrived just moments after his encounter with Lois, still breathing hard, still doused in red, and still blue and metallic as ever. He landed right on the porch silently, perched on the solid railing in front of her. His claws dug into the wood as a way to reel his anger back in. It was easier to fight for control now, always easier when his emotions were bubbling over and taking hold of him. All Warren could do now is watch her and feel so heartbroken at the site of her.

And, just a wee tiny bit, for what he did. There was always that part of him that felt that way when he came to from losing control, and it was very difficult not to scream or break right down sobbing from it.

Thankfully he did not, and instead Warren reached out to touch at a strand of her wet hair. Alison was alive and she was physically okay, but it was much more than obvious to see just how much she was hurting right now. It was not fair. She didn't deserve this kind of pain, not at all, and Warren despised the fact that she had to keep going through this all the time. This was not a daily routine. This was not okay or something to brush off. Warren himself had just died and come back recently so he knew that better than anyone.

"I'm sorry."

I'm here now let me hold you I love you I am so glad you're not hurt anymore and I understand.

[idateforsupper]

Alison looked up at him, not bothering to wipe at her eyes when she did so. She knew Warren would understand how she felt right now, especially with what happened to him when Pixie was sick. However, she did see all of the blood on him, and she didn't even want to ask him about it. She hadn't seen him on the network, and Lois didn't reply to anyone on her post. Lois was dead, and Alison knew it. Right now, too, she had no idea how to handle that, so she just would push it off to the side. Alison didn't want to think about Lois, because today she had been smacked in the face with how she could never help her sister no matter what she did. It was too hard to think of Lois London this evening, so Alison had to shut that part of herself off. It was horrible, and she was a rotten person, but if she didn't do it, then she was going to lose her mind.

"Hi," she said, her voice shaking just a little. Her lip trembled after she spoke, and she lifted up her hand so she could gently hold onto his wrist while he touched her hair. "I'm glad you're home."

Alison really did need a hug from him, and to be held by him. It would help her so much more than the text messages she'd received earlier.

[ascending_angel]

He wouldn't hug her when he was like this; that was disgusting. Here he was with her sister's intestines all over him, and even just having her touch at his wrist like she was made his stomach flip because of it. Warren pulled away, frowning down and looking away from her. It most likely would not have come across as a rejection or anything hostile, but more like he was just trying to be careful. It was his own silly fault for grazing her hair in the first place.

"I wish I knew something to say to make you feel better, but I know that there isn't anything. Not really," he whispered, and went back to digging his claws into the rail. Bring back that anger, War.

"All I can say is that she won't hurt you again."

[idateforsupper]

Alison looked down at the ground. She knew why he'd pulled away, but she couldn't help but wish that he'd returned home in his fluffy Angel form, his arms ready to hug her and make her feel better. But that wasn't the case now, was it? No, he was covered in blood, and he was angry. She knew he was angry, and she knew that the blood all over him belonged to her sister.

"I know," Alison said softly, and folded her arms as she thought of her own death, unable to stop from doing that. She remembered her own blood, and her own ruined clothing, and how long it had taken to wash her hair. When she looked up again, her eyes were just as wet and watery as they'd been seconds ago. "Do you want to go inside and get cleaned up? I'm a little cold, sweetheart."

When Alison was really sad, she didn't glow, and it had to be pretty obvious that her glow had been absent for awhile. Her skin was almost dull in comparison to what it used to be, and her wet hair didn't help much.

[ascending_angel]

The only reason that he did not switch back was because he'd destroyed his clothes and that wouldn't be appropriate with Megan inside. Not that he expected Alison to know that, of course, so he humoured her and climbed off of the rail and onto the porch to enter the house. Before he did, though, he opened the door for Alison and gestured for her to go inside first where he could get her a blanket and make sure she was warm and comfortable (they did not need her going into shock on top of everything else, as being sick would not help her any).

"Do you want to talk about anything?" he asked her quietly, unsure if that was what she needed right now. He would clean up, but if she wanted to come into the washroom and sit on the toilet or counter while he did, Warren would listen. Mostly, though, he wanted to know what Lois had been doing and how things happened the way he did. It wasn't beneficial for him to know, of course, but his curiously and fear was gnawing at him.

Most of all, though, some people just needed to get these things out and he wanted Alison to know that she could confide in him if that was what she wanted to do.

Without turning on any lights, Warren would lead them to the bathroom once inside.

[idateforsupper]

Alison walked with him inside and followed, wanting to sit with him while he cleaned up. She felt a little more at ease now that he was home, because now she could stop pretending she was so strong and okay to everyone, and actually be real for once. Maybe she'd let her guard down about her fears just barely to Jean-Paul and Betsy, but Alison knew she could tell Warren anything and he wouldn't look at her weird. It was times like these that it was so hard to be friends with people so time displaced--they really had no idea about some things.

"I do, if you don't mind," she said as they walked into the bathroom, and she barely took any effort to throw some orbs up into the air, lighting up the room just a little. Alison frowned, and hopped up on the counter so she could wait for him to clean up. "I've never really talked to anyone about this before in detail, you know? It's always felt like no one's even cared because it was just always 'oh, Ali died again. It must be Monday!' Only Betsy's brother ever really wanted to do anything to help me."

She looked up at him. "Do you think the fact that I come back means it doesn't matter when I die? That I should just be grateful?"

It felt like it.

[ascending_angel]

"No. Not at all," he told her quietly before turning on the water. "If that was the case, then the rest of us are in the same boat as you. As long as we're here, none of us can stay dead."

Don't forget about that.

"Death means more than just your heart stopping. It's emotional and mental and physical--all of it shuts off. It's not supposed to turn back on, so when someone does come back, it's really a big deal. I think you underestimate people, Alison."

Warren walked into the shower and didn't change back to his normal, nude form until he was behind the curtain and already scrubbing himself off. As he said the words, though, Warren watched the blood cleanse away and off of him and down into the drain. Even Lois' death was a big deal to Warren, as the fact that it wasn't permanent bothered that more ruthless side of him.

"It seemed like the people on the network cared about you. You just didn't want them to."

[idateforsupper]

Alison let out a tiny sigh, watching the shower as she sat there. It was comforting to know he was there, just a few feet away from her and ready to help her out with anything she needed.

"It's just hard--I know it's not logical to feel this way, but I can't help it," Alison sniffed, knowing Warren was right about the network. People had cared, and even though she'd tried to brush it off, a lot of them had saw right through that. "I've never admitted it, but every time I die ...I get so scared, Warren. It terrifies me to know that I can do this, and it terrifies me to know that I might live forever. Especially since almost every time I've died, I've woken up somewhere cold and alone."

Finally, she wiped at her eyes.

"I know people care, but I just---I feel really screwed up."

[ascending_angel]

This was a very difficult conversation to have. Warren knew where she was coming from and unfortunately had the experience of knowing what it felt like to wake up cold and alone that way. It was traumatizing in a way that no one would ever really understand unless they went through it themselves. The downside to relating to Alison right then, though, was that Warren had no idea what he could say to respond to that.

He knew that words didn't help. Words didn't stop the fears, the nightmares, the triggers, and the ever so tempting desire to curl into oneself and just hide away in that dark fear forever. It sucked. For Alison, though, she'd experienced this over and over again so it was even worse for her and how would she respond? Would he be a comfort at all? He hated not knowing what to do.

"Honey. That doesn't make you screwed up...we're here for you. I'm here for you. Is there anything I can do to help?"

He hated that he even had to ask that, but he didn't know how else to respond.

[idateforsupper]

"I just want you to hold me when you're finished showering," she admitted, and tucked her hair behind her ear, hating how wet it still was. Forcing her lights on, she tried to dry off her hair while she waited for him to finish.

"That's all I want. I just want to know I can lean on you, and hug you," she continued, and sniffed again. "I feel really alone right now, and I need you to assure me that I'm not."

Alison wondered if when Warren had died, if she'd even helped him much afterwards. She had tried her best to be there for him, but as she knew now, it was a lot harder than most things in life.

[ascending_angel]

She did not help him much, really, though Warren was glad she was at least around. That was his problem, though; he was a very cold person on the best of days anymore. Simple company and hugs just didn't cut it for him or cure him. He was the type of person who did not get over things, he swept them under the carpet and used distractions to keep them covered up. However, he was not Alison and if Alison would feel better being held then he would do that for her without question.

It was just too bad that it felt like, most of these days, he could not be what she needed emotionally. Alison was such a warm, bright, caring person who gave everyone all of her heart--especially him. What was it that he found so difficult about returning that in times like these?

Frowning up at the tiled ceiling, Warren nodded somberly. "I'll do that for you. I don't want you to feel alone."

[idateforsupper]

"Thank you..." she said, her voice shaking a little. Hugs and comfort were always something that helped Alison feel better when she was blue, and even talking about it helped a little more. However, to talk about things, Alison needed someone she could really trust, and right now, Warren was one of the few people she felt that way towards. She trusted him to not just leave her to deal with this on her own.

God, this shower felt like it was taking hours.

"I wish I could understand why she did it," Alison continued, sounding constantly miserable as she talked. "Maybe I'm naive, but I'll never understand why she hated me so much. The way she acted today..."

Alison would never forget Lois' laughter, or the way she had kissed Alison's forehead, either.

[ascending_angel]

After that, Warren quickly finished up, not wanting to spend any more time at all on touching any piece of Lois. It had all been washed away, leaving him back to his normal white and fluffy self and all perfectly clean. The shower was turned off, and Warren reached out from the curtain to grab himself a towel, drying off as he climbed out of the tub.

He managed a look at Alison as he moved the towel across himself, and his expression was soft and empathetic. "She's full of hate and she's full of rage. It's obsessive to the point of passion; the original reason probably doesn't even matter all that much anymore. Just violence and retaliation for whatever it was."

It was that simple. Warren understood. That kind of hatred and bloodlust was not only something he'd experienced many times himself, but had also dealt with personally. His own obsession with Apocalypse was like that, as was Cameron Hodge's obsession with him. Lois was not much different toward Alison, and it seemed to be as plain as day to him. Perhaps also to many other people as well--besides Alison, that is. It was much harder to see when you were the target.

"When people feel like that, Ali--so vicious, I mean--it's difficult for them to reign that in and get it under control. A lot of the time they won't stop until they get what they want or until they are dead." Warren whispered and wrapped the towel around his waist before opening the bathroom door for her.

[idateforsupper]

Alison didn't see it, mostly because it was easier to feel like he was a bad sister sometimes to face anything else. Now, Alison was aware of Lois and her problems, but she clearly had underestimated them. She hadn't expected this, even if she very well should have. Others might have found her stupid, but Alison was just way too hopeful and optimistic for her own good sometimes. Lois used to tell her, long ago, that it was due to her being around so many heroic types.

She walked out of the room with another frown, and led him down to their room. Likely, Megan was still sleeping on their bed, but Alison could put her in her own room, should it be necessary.

"I feel stupid," Alison admitted. "I thought for a long time if I just helped her, that somehow it might fix what she is now. But...but you're right. She just turned into this vicious woman who killed me, and..."

Alison stopped, and looked at him. It was only a few seconds before she just wrapped her arms around him for a hug. Now, she knew he needed to get dressed, but she just needed some sort of contact and assurance right then. She needed some sort of small hug from him, because even talking about this was hurtful.

[ascending_angel]

"Don't feel stupid. Please don't feel stupid because it's not your fault," Warren insisted, and wrapped his arms around her carefully before bringing them over to the bed to sit. It was quite obvious that she was both exhausted and completely emotionally drained at this point, so Warren wanted her to be comfortable.

"What other people's damage is has nothing to do with anything that you've done, honey, and you only didn't see it because you wanted to believe that there was still hope for her. There's nothing bad about being an optimist."

That was better than being negative and not have faith in anything at all. It was something that he loved about Alison that Warren didn't ever want her to change.

[idateforsupper]

She leaned against him as they sat on the bed, and glanced over at the middle of her bed--yep, Megan was still there. She felt like crying again, but at the same time, it was like she had no tears left in her body. Alison had been crying ever since it happened, on and off, so she just felt exhausted.

"It just hurts more because I was optimistic, and I really believed I could help her if I just tried," Alison told him softly. "B-but I don't think I could now, and that really hurts to say."

Alison's lip quivered, and she waved her hand, transporting Megan back to her own room, in her own bed and under her covers. It wasn't that she didn't want the girl here, but she needed to talk to Warren alone about this all, and she didn't want the girl overhearing any part of it. When she was gone, Fourth got up from the floor, and scampered off to go sleep in Megan's room.

She smiled sadly. "She didn't even believe I visited her when she was in a coma, you know."