Be careful if you think you stand. You just might be sinking.

[hamonatrix]

Who: Lisa Lisa hamonatrix, Abel 13sugars, monsters
Where: In a dark alley of the cliched Discedoan variety.
When: Sunday afternoon, 9/20
Rating: PG13, for violence and peril
Summary: Lisa gets Sunday schooled on the practical application of 1st Corinthians 10;12, Father Nightroad comes to the rescue, danger and drama ensues.
the log:

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[13sugars]

Lovely indeed, Abel couldn't bear to stay inside on a day where he could actually see the street. No falling ash, no acid rain, no snow, no fog, no flesh eating butterflies, no zombie hoards. For the first time, in what felt like forever, he was going to have a normal, relaxing, cheerful stroll through the city. It would help to take his mind off of Esther, and perhaps he'd get a chance to see if the rest of the people here had gotten started on building the safe house.

Well, that had been the plan, at least. Up until a rather peculiar sight caught his eye. You know, normally, he'd hear a scream first...

But then again, when he caught sight of just who was twisting and dodging to avoid being stabbed to death, he frankly wasn't surprised that she hadn't uttered anything. What on earth was that thing

[hamonatrix]

Lisa laughed wryly under her breath, then winced. The adrenaline was wearing off, and her body was protesting. It might have been that of a woman half her age, but it was still...mortal.

"I'm just an overgrown porcupine," she said, "Prickly, and a bit defensive." Her eyes misted over. George always used to say, no, she was a rose. But George had been gone a long time now.

"It's just that...my family...I hate living in the past, but here, where the past comes back to haunt you..." she shook her head. "You know Dio Brando is the man who killed my birth parents? I guess I just don't know how to let it go. But I don't want to end up a vengeful spirit like him."

[13sugars]

He heard the laugh, but saw the wince, and moved to support her a little more. He wanted to carry her, to be honest, but... he couldn't bring himself to ask her that.

"No." He smiled, patting her shoulder. A fraternal sort of move, but then again... this was Abel. "I think you're more like... A cat." He laughed a bit. "Clever, and you have your own secrets. Heaven knows you move like one too."

He sighed softly, finally looking over at her again. "That's sort of something you don't let go of. You should never... make vengeance to be a life goal. Never let it consume you. But don't ever let it go. It's a part of you."

[hamonatrix]

She smiled softly. Her face was about the only thing that didn't hurt, though the back of her head was another story.

A cat. She could live with that.

"That's a funny thing to say, for a priest," she said. "Shouldn't you be quoting scriptures to me, like 'Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord'?"

Then again, he wasn't quite like any other priest she'd ever known.

[13sugars]

"Is it? I'd rather not quote scriptures like that. I myself rather like He who is without sin may cast the first stone." He shrugged lightly, the smile looking more and more real by the moment now, and less sad.

"I'm not a big fan of revenge myself, it makes... husks out of people, and it's not like killing that person will ever bring them back. Never give up, but... Like I said, never let it engulf you, and become you."

[hamonatrix]

"I don't know," she said, "It's been...quite a while since my last confession. I think I like that. Do justly and love mercy, right?"

She smiled. "From your mouth, to God's ears," she said. "I fight...for the ones that remain."

She stumbled again, leaning on him heavily. "Father?" she said, grimacing, "I don't...feel so well..."

[13sugars]

"Well, I won't hold it against you, don't worry. I like that as well, actually. It's still strong, but with kindness."

He patted her shoulder again gently. "That's a noble thing, Miss Lisa. Who else is there to fight for then those who live?" The dead don't usually care, after all...

Her stumble was met immediately. Abel caught her, slowing down more. "Of course... Ah... How close is the hospital to here?" He was trying to grab his communicator as he spoke.

[hamonatrix]

Noble though it may have been, it was hard not to fall into the habit of thinking that it was all pointless, sometimes. Especially when she always seemed to wind up getting hurt, and hurting others.

She glanced down at her bloodied makeshift bandages. It was going to take some mending, wasn't it? Everything was. Part of her wanted to run away and hide, right then and there, but that was out of the question.

She fumbled for her own communicator, which fell skittering across the pavement. "I think I need to..." she began, but her knees were already giving way.

[13sugars]

He'd understand, if she had said that. He knew what all of that felt like. The feeling of kinship was rather strong for Abel, between her and himself. Especially now.

He was trying to get her moving as quickly as he could, but when she faltered, and lost the communicator... He could feel her knees starting to buckle. "Miss Lisa!" Well, now what?

"... Please forgive me." And, up she went! Smoothly, quickly, but carefully ducking down and sliding one arm under her legs, the other supporting her back, he lifted her quiet easily, like a grown man picking up a small child.

[hamonatrix]

She felt like a child, as he picked her up, and there was a brief internal struggle as the independent woman wrestled her embarrassment of having fallen short--but it was just a fleeting struggle. Father Abel would make sure she was safe. He wouldn't leave her or her communicator behind. She pillowed her head on his shoulder, and whispered, "Nothing to forgive."

[13sugars]

Abel wasn't judging. She was a friend, she needed help. He'd expect her to help him if he'd stumbled and fallen. After all... she'd done that much for him before. He carefully picked up her communicator without dropping her, putting that into a pocket before he headed down the street.

He smiled gently as she rested her head against his shoulder. "... Thank you."