By Kali Gargoyle
***
Chapter One: Regrets and Realizations
***
Brooklyn flew over his patrol route, having mixed feelings about the night. On one hand, it was slow and quiet, very peaceful. On the other hand, it was slow and quiet, very boring. He wished something exciting would happen, and got his wish.
"Alright lady, just hand over your money and nobody gets hurt." One thug held her at knife-point, while the other two blocked off her escape routes.
"Don't you boys have something better to do?" the woman asked, getting into position to defend herself. She didn't look like she could take all three of them. Brooklyn launched himself from the rooftop to intervene.
Everyone turned when one of the muggers screamed.
"Shit! It's one of them monsters again!" The one with the knife charged towards Brooklyn. The red gargoyle dropped the unconscious man and turned on his attacker. He grabbed the punk by the wrist and a crunching sound could be heard under the scream. The knife hit the ground and the sound echoed in the alley.
Brooklyn had his back turned to the third mugger, and didn't see him pull a gun from his leather jacket. But the woman did. She picked up a stray two-by-four and swung it at the gunman.
The gunshot rang down the street, followed by an inhuman scream.
***
Brooklyn felt himself returning to consciousness. The first thing he sensed was the soft scent of lavender, then a light. He slowly opened his eyes and saw blank whiteness. A face appeared in his field of vision. It took a few seconds to recognize it as the woman he'd rescued earlier, or was that the woman who had rescued him?
"Good, you're awake. I was afraid there for awhile." She smiled at him and he smiled back.
Brooklyn tried to sit up, but a blinding pain shooting through his left shoulder and arm immobilized him. The woman's dark blue eyes were filled with concern.
"What happened?" Brooklyn asked.
"You were shot," she told him. "I brought you to my apartment so I could help you. You were unconscious and bleeding badly. I would have taken you to a hospital, but…"
"Yeah, I know. I guess I owe you my life." There was a thoughtful pause. "I don't even know your name. Mine's Brooklyn."
"My friends call me Layne, Layne Hastings and I owe you my life as well. You saved me first."
"It's part of the job." He leaned his head back on the sofa as she continued bandaging his arm. "Some second-in-command I am, first week as leader and what do I do? I get shot."
Layne finished off the knot. "Don't take it out on yourself, it could have happened to anyone." She handed him a glass of water and a couple of pain relievers, which he took.
"It's true," he replied, handing the empty glass back to her. "When we found out Goliath was missing, I didn't really want to be leader, even temporarily. I just want him back."
"I'm sure he will be, in time. And maybe this will give you a unique chance to gain insight about yourself and your Goliath." She got up and took the glass back into the kitchen.
"Yeah, now I understand why he's so irritable at times," he chuckled. He looked around at his surroundings. It was a modest apartment, kinda like Elisa's, only smaller. The sofa he was on was smoke gray, with a matching blanket over his lower body. There were several paintings and drawings on the walls. One in particular caught his eye, but when Layne came back Brooklyn turned his attention from the room to her.
She had pale skin, like it hadn't seen the sun in a long while. Her large, dark blue eyes, framed by dark lashes, stood out beautifully. Her dark red lips formed a slight smile. She wore a deep v-neck shirt, white, and black jeans. The green sweater she had been wearing was thrown into a nearby chair. Her feet were bare and he noticed that her toenails were painted silver.
"Nice toes," he commented.
"They match my fingers." She flashed ten perfectly painted nails, the same metallic shade. She flipped her blonde braid back over her shoulder and sat down on a footstool.
"I hope you don't mind a house guest, because I'm not sure I can glide with this shoulder." He gritted his teeth and grasped his shoulder. "Scratch that. I am sure I can't glide with this shoulder."
"I don't mind, in fact, I'd enjoy the company. I don't have many people to talk to, except Leviatha."
At the sound of her name, a black cat poked her head over the counter and meowed.
Brooklyn cleared his throat. "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but, why are you being so nice to me?"
Layne raised an eyebrow. "Why shouldn't I be?"
"I mean, most humans are scared of us."
Layne laughed. "Well, I'm not like most humans, I tend to be different from others in a lot of ways."
Brooklyn caught a bit of emotion in her voice that was hard to identify. Was that pride? He shook his head. "It must be lonely, being so different," he said.
Layne waved her hand. "Nah, I hang out with the other outcasts, and I get by fine. Now, you, I bet you get lonely all the time." She clasped her hands in her lap and leaned forward.
"I have my rookery brothers, Broadway and Lexington, to keep me company. But, yeah, I guess I get lonely. We're probably the last gargoyles on earth, how's that for lonely."
Layne put her hand on his good shoulder and smiled sympathetically. Brooklyn smiled back and began to tell her all about his clan.
***
Brooklyn awoke the next night feeling as good as new. Well, maybe not, his shoulder still stung. Layne came into the room as he shook stone chips out of his snow-white hair.
"Good evening," Layne said, giggling. "You scared the hell out of Leviatha."
Brooklyn took off his bandage. "Sorry, hope I didn't traumatize her." He flexed his arm. "Ah, good as new."
Layne couldn't help staring as he checked his shoulder. She caught herself and averted her eyes, blushing lightly. "I guess you should be going. You don't want your friends to worry about you."
"Yeah, Hudson will probably chew me out. Mind if I stop by later, I'd like to talk to you again."
Layne looked a bit startled. "Sure, I'd like that."
"Bye Leviatha," Brooklyn called out. The cat looked out from the bedroom with a sour look on her face. Brooklyn chuckled and said goodbye to Layne.
***
"And just where have ye been?" Hudson asked before Brooklyn had even landed.
"I got caught away from dawn. I was shot and couldn't get back."
"Shot!" Hudson's tone went from scolding to concern. "Are ye all right, lad?"
"I'm fine," he replied, rubbing his shoulder. "The victim of the mugging was nice enough to patch me up."
"Oh, did you make a new friend, then?"
Brooklyn stopped just inside the clocktower door and looked over his shoulder. "Yeah, I guess I did." He continued inside.
Hudson followed him. "Well, don't keep us in th' dark, lad. What's your friend's name?"
Broadway looked up from the food he was cooking. "Well, look what the cat dragged in."
Brooklyn ignored his rookery brother's comment and looked around. "Where's Lex?"
"He went to check with Matt," Broadway told him. "Elisa still hasn't checked in."
Just then, Lex came up from downstairs. "Hey, Brooklyn! You're back, what happened?"
"If ye'd be quiet he could tell us. Starting with you're friend's name."
Brooklyn looked around at the clan that was staring at him. He sighed quietly. "Her name is Layne, and I met her when…"
***
Layne sat in a lounge chair out on her roof, reading and bathing in the moonlight. The sound of something landing on her roof made her look up.
"Brooklyn! I wasn't expecting you tonight." Since their meeting weeks ago, Brooklyn had made a point to visit her often, but he usually let her know in advance.
"I had a rough night last night. I need a break."
"Aww, poor baby. Come over here and tell me all about it."
Brooklyn sat on the ground next to her chair. "Ancient kings and stone dragons, I'd rather just forget it right now."
Layne shrugged. "Okay, but at least let me get the tension out of your shoulders."
Brooklyn turned his body and relaxed as she began to massage his shoulders. It made him feel a lot better. "So how was your day?" he asked.
"Nowhere near as exciting as yours. Classes, movies, stupid people, the usual. Are you sure you're all right? You seem distant."
Brooklyn sighed. "I just got more news about Goliath. He and Elisa are on some magical quest. At least I know they're alive, but we have no idea when they'll be back. I miss them."
Layne gently patted his shoulder. "At least you know they will be back. Cheer up, Red, all things happen in their own time."
He turned around and kissed her cheek. "You always know the right thing to say." Layne smiled and squeezed his hand.
"No problem, you know I'm always here for you." She stood up and stretched. She wore denim cutoffs and a backless halter-top. Her hair was loose, golden waves brushing against her lower back.
All the feelings Brooklyn had been trying to bury for the last few weeks came back with a vengeance. His mind once again became a debate hall. Layne was a good friend, but could she be more to him? Would she want to? Could she feel the same way? But they were so different, maybe if he just told her…
"What?"
Brooklyn realized that he'd been staring at her. He blushed a deeper shade of red. "Nothing." Well, here goes. "I was just thinking how beautiful you are."
Layne bent down and kissed the top of his beak. "I have homework to do. I'll see you tomorrow, for the concert we had planned."
Brooklyn wanted to kick himself. "Of course, I have to patrol anyway." He watched her go inside, then put his head between his knees. "Smooth move, Brook. She could never think of you like that."
He got up and glided away from the building. "After all, what would a pretty girl like that see in a beaked freak like me."
Layne let the curtains fall back over the window. She bit her thumbnail as she walked over to her computer. Leviatha jumped up into her lap as she sat down at the desk.
"Maybe I shouldn't have blown Brooklyn off like that. I really like him, but…" She absently stroked Leviatha's silky coat. "What do you think?" The cat just purred.
***
Brooklyn stood on the tallest tower of Wyvern. It felt good to be home, even if they did have to live with Xanatos. There was a chilly breeze and he wrapped his wings around himself to keep out the cold. It was a clear night; the sky was a gorgeous shade of midnight blue.
"The same color as her eyes," he muttered.
"How's the view, lad?"
Brooklyn turned his head. "Oh, hey Hudson. What are you doing up here?"
The elder gargoyle walked to the wall, leaning next to Brooklyn. "Th' view's nice, but th' company looks a bit down."
"Yeah? Well, our lives haven't been all that nice lately."
Hudson nodded knowingly. "You're upset over Angela?"
"Am I that transparent?"
Hudson laughed. "Always, when it comes to females. No offense, lad. What about that friend of yours, Layne? I noticed ye haven't been te see her in a while."
Brooklyn rested his elbows on the stonework. "I think I royally screwed that up. I've been so busy trying to impress Angela, I haven't been to see Layne in weeks. She probably hates me, probably has forgotten all about me, probably has a handsome, human boyfriend by now."
"Ah, I see."
"You agree," Brooklyn noted, turning to go inside.
"No, I don't." Brooklyn looked at him, perplexed. "Ye don’t know if she has someone else, as ye said, ye haven't gone to see her. Why don’t you go see her now?"
Brooklyn ran his hands through his hair, smoothing it back. "I'm scared. Scared she hates me for not talking to her, scared she found someone else, scared…"
"She doesn't feel the same way about ye," Hudson finished.
"Why would she?" Brooklyn's eyes went white. "How could she feel the same way about me? We're not even the same species!"
"That shouldn't make a difference."
Hudson and Brooklyn looked up at the deep voice. Goliath and Elisa approached them. Elisa was dressed in a powder blue dress; a strip torn from the bottom was tied around Goliath's wingtip. They both looked like they'd been through a warzone.
"Lad, lass, I didn't expect ye to be back so soon. You're hurt! What happened?"
Goliath flexed his wing. "It's nothing, except a new enemy."
"Great," Brooklyn mumbled. "Just what we need, more enemies."
Goliath looked down at his second-in-command with concern. "Hudson, Elisa, will you gather the clan in the Hall. I wish to speak with them about this new threat." Hudson and Elisa exchanged looks and left the two gargoyles alone on the tower. They were silent for several moments.
"How long were you listening?"
"Long enough. You never mentioned your friend before."
Brooklyn looked back out over the city. "I met her when you were gone on your 'World Tour'. I was shot saving her from muggers and she nursed me back to health. She's probably the only thing that kept me sane while you were gone. She always knew the right thing to say, and she was always there to cheer me up. The others know about her, all except you, Angela, Bronx and Elisa, but they haven't met her."
"She sounds like a good friend. Why would you stop seeing her?"
"It's…complicated. I started having feelings for her."
"Feelings? You mean you…"
Brooklyn nodded. "I still wanted to be friends, but I couldn't shake the feeling. She's beautiful, intelligent, sweet, confident, sexy." Goliath raised a hand to silence him.
"I know exactly how you feel," Goliath said with a smile. "It can be very confusing and make you unsure, especially if you don't know how she feels."
"And then there's the species difference," Brooklyn finally said. "I've been so stupid."
Goliath put a hand on Brooklyn's shoulder. "No, you just made a mistake. Fortunately, it's one you can fix. I agree with Hudson, I think you should go see your friend, but you're responsible enough to make your own choices."
"You're right, I'll go right now! Oh, wait, you wanted to talk to us."
Goliath lifted his hand. "Go, I'll tell you later. I think this is a little more important, just be careful."
He stood for a moment and watched his second until he was out of sight. He wrapped his wings around him and touched the scrap of blue material. "Maybe I should follow my own advice."
***
Brooklyn was happy to see that the lights were on at Layne's place. It meant she was home. Looking in the window, he saw her in the tiny kitchen, preparing a bowl of popcorn.
"Probably getting ready to watch a movie," he said to himself. He tapped on the glass and saw her turn around. The look on her face made him glad he'd listened to Hudson and Goliath. She opened the window and stood to the side while he came in. The apartment had changed a bit. There were new paintings on the walls, and the kitchen had been recently redone. But it still smelled like lavender.
Layne put a hand on her hip. "Hey stranger, long time no see."
"I've been busy."
Layne smiled, but she seemed unconvinced. "Well, it's great to see you again. I was just about to sit down to a movie, wanna join me?"
Brooklyn looked her over. There seemed to be something different about her. She wore a long, short-sleeved dress that seemed too light for the cold weather. "What's playing?"
"The Lost Boys."
Brooklyn rolled his eyes. "I was almost worried you'd changed. As much as I love a good vampire flick, I think we need to talk."
Layne looked down at her silver toes. "Yeah, we haven't been doing much of that lately." She left his side and sat down on the couch. Brooklyn sat beside her.
"I know I haven't been a good friend lately. I've been preoccupied. But I've got it all straightened out and I'm here now."
Layne looked into his eyes. He was hiding something. She was over come with a feeling that made her say, "What's her name?"
Brooklyn looked at her in pure shock then shook his head. "I should've known that I couldn't keep anything from you. How did you know?"
"About a week after I saw you last, I consulted my Tarot cards. They said there was a new female influence in your life. Who is she?"
Brooklyn sighed. "Her name is Angela. She's Goliath's daughter, and yes, I did like her."
Layne looked away, trying to hide the hurt she was feeling. Brooklyn took her face in his hands and turned it back to him.
"But I was stupid to even try for her. She ended up choosing Broadway, and as much as it hurt me, I really think they make a great couple. I know now that you are the one I want. I didn't want to risk our friendship, so I kept quiet about it. But I'm telling you know, before I lose you again, I love you." He stopped to catch his breath and judge her reaction.
She took his hands in hers. "You have no idea how long I've waited for you to say that. Maybe I should have been the first to say it. The most important thing is that it's said." She leaned forward and kissed him. Not briefly, like the other times, but a real kiss. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and the other around her waist. Layne braced her hands on his chest.
Layne slowly pulled away and opened her eyes. She suddenly understood all the references to stars and fireworks.
"We should talk like this more often," Brooklyn said, running his talons through her hair. Layne cuddled up in his arms. "My clan wants to meet you," he told her. "Or they will when I suggest it."
Layne looked up at him and laughed. "I've been looking forward to meeting them, you've told me so much about them. When?"
Brooklyn moved his hand down her thigh. "How about tomorrow night? I'll pick you up just after sunset."
"Sounds wonderful." Layne gently touched his wings. "You've never taken me for a ride before," she commented. The wings wrapped around her, blocking off everything except the two of them.
"How 'bout we start one now?" He kissed her while his hands worked on the buttons of her dress. He got two down when Layne suddenly jerked away.
"What, did I do something wrong?" Brooklyn was worried he'd gone too far. He felt his heart thump louder in his ears.
"No, no of course not." There was a ringing sound coming from the kitchen. "I better get the popcorn before it burns." She got up and hurried to the kitchen.
"Oh, okay," came the reply, on odd mixture of relief and disappointment. Layne returned with the snack and a couple sodas. She resumed her place beside Brooklyn but the moment had been lost.
Layne rested her head against Brooklyn's shoulder. "I'll meet your clan tomorrow night."
Brooklyn forced a smile. "I'll get the movie set up," he said as he reached for the remote.
Layne breathed a sigh of relief at the subject change. She could sense that Brooklyn felt disappointed, and she felt a little guilty. She mentally kicked herself.
***
Layne woke up not realizing that she'd fallen asleep. The TV was off, and she was lying down, covered by her blanket. There was no sign of Brooklyn, and by looking out the window, she saw that the sun had been up for about half an hour. She spent a few minutes looking at the Eyrie building. She pressed her forehead against the window. Last night was still fresh in her mind, as was what Brooklyn had said, and how she'd reacted. She did want Brooklyn, so badly that it scared her. She sighed, stretched and made her way to her bedroom.
There was a knock at her front door.
"Huh? Who'd be here at this hour?" All her friends were asleep at this time, and those Jehovah's Witness' didn't come to her apartment any more. Layne chuckled at the thought as she opened the door. She looked through the space allowed by the chain. One of the men shoved the door so hard the chain broke. Layne fell onto her backside and looked up at her 'visitors'.
"You! What the hell do you want? I don't work for you any more."
"Why, my dear, we want you." Someone shot her with some kind of dart, a tranquilizer, and a strong one at that. Layne felt sleepy, but forced herself to her feet.
"Damn you, go to hell. I'm not going anywhere with you." She stepped forward and raised her fist to strike the auburn haired man, but collapsed into his arms. He handed her off to one of the men.
"Let's go."
***