DISCLAIMER: Gargoyles belongs to the mighty titans Disney and Buena Vista...though I begin to wonder after seeing the Mattel action figure of Elisa Maza...what were they thinking? As Stormy says, she suffers from Clone Wars Eddie syndrome...more guns then hands...where was I? Oh, characters not covered were created by me save Urites, Tellemacus and Ereinee, which were created by Jenny DeSalme, and Wagner, who is Mary Pletsch's. The bands Into the Void, Crackback, and Cardinal Syn were created by me, including lyrics and, with Cardinal Syn, music. "Carrion" and "Choke" are variations of "Space Lord" by Monster Magnet and "Paranoid" by Black Sabbath respectfully. Also, this fic is heavily music-orientated, sorta like how Memory was, though it's more generalised, mood music. If you just happened to have those songs, I recommend you play them while reading. No infringement intended. If you're looking for the action and violence of No Mouth and Ambeint Anarchists, you're SOL...you'll see that in Part 2...maybe...see at the end for the teaser...this one kinda ranks up there with Memory on the sweetness scale, however, there is a MATURE CONTENT on this, in the form of swearing and mild sexual content.

DEDICATION: Surprisingly, I've never dedicated a fic to this individual. He has been there for me for over two and a half years, sharing joy and pain. Even though he doesn't understand at times, maybe one day he will. I love you, Jonathan Shaw.

TIME: December, 2078. Three months after Ambient Anarchists.

"C'mon, Luc, don'tcha play anything a little more recent?" C-4 jested as the tan male strummed out the bassline to "Master of the Universe." He stopped, glanced up at her, and smirked, changing the riff to a little more faster pace.

"You're funny," she snorted. "'Don't Like The Drugs' by Marilyn Manson. You've been hanging around Nate too long."

"I don't know," he shrugged, setting down his bass guitar. "I've never been into recent music. They lack the soul of older musicians, I guess. I mean, you listen to a band like Into the Void--"

"I like Into the Void!" C-4 protested. "The lead singer, Jim Fortaine...he's hot, for a human."

"Heh..." Luc rolled his eyes. "They've ripped off Black Sabbath's riffs ever since they started as a garage band. In fact, their name is the same as the last song on the 'Masters of Reality' album. Listen." He picked up his bass once more and strummed out a line his friend recognised as "Choke", Into the Void's most recent hit song. "Now take this..." he slowed the tempo down, switching a chord. "Voila! We have the classic 'Paranoid'!"

"You're full of shit, Luc," C-4 smirked, throwing a pillow at him. He deflected it with his elbow, returning to the previous variation.

"Really...even the song's similar...'Terrified I scream and choke, the scene is black, my body soaked...'" He switched back to 'Paranoid', though he melded the songs perfectly. "'Finished with my woman cuz she couldn't help me with my mind'...Different words, same song. Sorta like 'The Mechanix' by Megadeth and 'The Four Horsemen' by Metallica, only 'The Mechanix' was originally a Metallica song."

"I see..." C-4 nodded with a yawn.

"Okay, what about this song?" He slid his hand over the strings, creating an eerie distortion, then plucked a heavy bass tune.

"That's Crackback. 'Carrion.'" She stated matter-of-factly.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Hmmm...'I've been stuck in your pocket for the last hundred days. When I don't get my bath, I take it out on the slaves.' It's actually Monster Magnet's 'Space Lord'. You're thinking..." The riff became a few notes higher. "'Carrion stench, the carcass decays. The soul has left, plotting its more evil ways...' Geez...come to think of it, that song really is depressing. I need something a little more cheerful." Swiftly, he switched on a little more metallic distortion, meshing his notes together in a fastpaced whirlwind of notes. "Know what this is?"

"Nope."

"The most classic of basslines, even more than the infamous Lemmy Kilmeister! It's 'Anastesia Pulling Teeth' by Cliff Burton from Metallica." the pace became even more faster, and harder.

C-4 watched Luc with renewed curiosity as he seemed to become lost in the riffs, and, after a while, he was throwing in his own notes, chords, and all together an entirely different score, a hurricane of a composistion that nearly blew her away with its complexity. This went on for nearly ten minutes, until she finally reached over and touched his hand.

"Luc..." she whispered. "Snap out of it."

He clenched his eyes as he clamped around the neck of the bass, striking the strings with the palm of his hand, muffling the last notes.

"Damn..." he hissed, pushing his bangs out of his face. "I wish I recorded that...write down the score...holy shit..." he glanced cock-eyed at C-4 and smiled. "That was fun."

"What the hell happened?"

"I lost myself in the music, what else?" He shrugged. "Talk about the creativity demons running rampant."

"You're funny."

He stood, a little shakenly.

"What's wrong?" she then demanded, immediately bolting to his side.

"Just took a lot out of me, that's all."

"You were just playing your guitar!"

"I was composing," Luc protested.

"Whatever. Let's go out to the coutyard. Get some fresh air."

"It's the middle of December."

"So?"

"Fine," Luc smirked, grabbing his omnipresent army jacket, then glanced down at C-4's urban cammie shorts and white tank top. "You can't possibly be that resistant to the cold, are you?"

"It gets a little chilly..." she unwrapped her flannel from around her waist and struggled to put it on, especially getting the wings through the slits in the back.

"Here, lemme help you..." Luc side-stepped around a flailing wing and, gently taking hold of the apendage, guided it through the flannel shirt. "Look at you...can't get dressed without anyone helping you...."

"Can't get undressed without help either," she whispered in his ear with a mischievous tone. Luc froze, blushing a bit. "Um, you know you can let go of my wing...."

"Oh...sorry..." he shook his head, backing away a bit. "Well...what are we waiting for?" With a bounce in his step, he strided out of the room.

C-4 blinked, then sighed, throwing her hands up in the air.

"I try and I try...." she growled a bit, then finally followed her friend out to the courtyard. Outside, two more members of their rag tag clan, Ereinee and Tellemacus from Delphi, were talking softly in Greek. Nearby, Luc's garg-pup, Lemmy, was pouncing on the much older and not so much bigger Urites, the older garg-beast batting the pup away occasionally.

C-4 breathed deeply in the night air. "Where's Kat, Tom, and Lex?"

"Kat and Father went on patrol," Ereinee remarked suddenly, looking up from her conversation. "Tom took Sierra out for dinner, I think Applebee's."

"I hope she behaves herself," C-4 smirked.

"I think we have to be more worried about her father," Luc retorted.

Tellemacus chortled aloud.

"So it's just us here in the castle," he then stated. "Any ideas what we could do?"

"I do! I do!" C-4 jumped up and down, then paused to think. "Hold it. Nevermind. My idea involves only two people and a can of whipped cream."

"I don't want to know..." Tellemacus grumbled, as Ereinee giggled with a slight blush.

"Silly! Everyone knows there's only enough whippits in a can for two people anyway," C-4 stuck out her tongue.

"All right, after you finish off the gas, what about the rest of the whipped cream, Miss Outklaw?"

"Tellemacus!" The dull red gargoyle stamped her foot down on the stone ground. "And you complain about my dirty thoughts?!"

"Well, he is a little less blatant than you, C," Ereinee pointed out.

Yeah, for instance," C-4 hopped into Tellemacus's lap and leaned back, faking fluttering nonexistant eyelashes, "He would go into this lengthy poem about birds and bees, where a simple 'Let's fuck' would do..."

This caused the bohemoth gargoyle to blush as she jumped out of his lap and returned to Luc's side.

"Um, is this a blushing contest or what?" Luc demanded.

"Let's see who can get embarrassed first!" C-4 claped her hands. "That's it! We'll play 'Truth or Dare'!"

"No!" Luc shouted.

"Truth or Dare?"

"I don't want to play!" He growled. "It's a stupid game."

"Truth or Dare, Luc?"

"Piss off..."

"Aw, come on! I bet your sister would play!"

"I'm not my sister!"

"Come on, Luc!" Ereinee smiled. "Just this once?"

"Truth or Dare, Luach?" C-4 growled almost sensually.

"Fuck it...Truth..." he grumbled.

"Are you a virgin?"

"Hey!" he protested. "That's a bit of a personal question!"

"That's the purpose of Truth or Dare," C-4 pointed out.

"Are you?" Tellemacus smirked. "Not including inanimate objects..."

"A little low below the belt, Tellemacus," Ereinee gave him a warning jab to his arm. "Be nice."

"You don't seem to be helping the situation much, Ereinee," Luc grumbled.

"I'm just playing along."

"Riiiight..." the tan male rolled his eyes. "Fine...yeah, I am...happy?"

"Figures." The other male chortled.

"Well, what do you expect? The only female in my clan is my own sister before Ereinee and C joined it..." he trailed off, finding it a hopeless cause. "Lay off, Tellemacus...this game sucks...Trivial Pursuit is better than this...I'm going back inside, it's freezing out here." He then added a couple more intangible curses as he stormed back into the castle.

"Maybe we should choose our questions a little better next time around," Ereinee suggested.

"It was only meant to be fun..." C-4 scoffed. "If it wasn't for the brainless wonder here," she flipped her thumb toward Tellemacus, "teasing him like that, he might have stayed out longer and actually had fun."

"He left himself wide open," Tellemacus defended.

"He has feelings too, Tellemacus. So he's different than the rest of us, true, but he still has feelings." She heaved a sigh, then ran back inside.

"She's right, Tellemacus," Ereinee retorted.

"I know she's right," her companion nodded, "but I have difficulty seeing him as a full gargoyle...when I do, he becomes sensitive, like a human...."

"That's the thing, old friend," she whispered. "He's not full gargoyle. That doesn't mean he wants to be treated differently."

"You're right..." He fought a smirk. "Can you imagine, though? Still a virgin...!"

Ereinee punched him hard in the arm.

***

For some reason, the more depressing the song, the better Luc felt.

Right now, for instance, he was lying on the futon couch in "his" room, one of the smaller servants quarters arranged with posters and murals of a time gone past, a time where rock and roll meant something new and adventurous. "Cyclops Revolution" blared from the sound system at nearly concert-level. He could always count on Monster Magnet and Hawkwind, he thought to himself. Though styles differ after a while, the never sold out to mainstream music.

"'Cut off your legs...for you are too slow...I cut off my head...for I won't need it where I'm gonna go....'"

With a grumble, he mentally traced a path to the kitchen, imagining the refridgerator, its contents...

...he recalled the six-pack of Corona Tom was saving for a special occasion...

Picturing one of the bottles in his mind, he closed his eyes and muttered, "_Retrieve._"

Something cold, hard, and wet slammed into his chest. Quickly, he snatched the bottle before it could roll off onto the floor. Sitting up, he twisted open the cap and took a deep swig, nearly coughing.

"Dammit!" he swore. "Forgot the lime!"

Not remembering if Tom had picked up limes for the Corona, he decided to put up with the bitter taste rather than go to the kitchen in search of one.

"'I'm alive, I'm alive...I'm alive...not you. I'm alive...I'm alive...I'm alive...not...you!'"

No way was he leaving his sanctuary.

"'I'm gonna cry me a river...a river of tears...I'm gonna crawl back in my room now...and board up some fears...'"

Emmersing himself in the music, he took a more cautious sip, thinking about that stupid question C-4 had to ask him.

"'I'm gonna eat me a mountain! A mountain of tears! I ain't got no revolution, but I can fuck an angel! YEAH!'"

So what I'm still a virgin? He demanded himself. It desn't really mean anything, just...

...just that I never slept with anyone...

With a snort, he braved a stiffer pull off the Corona.

And suddenly, he began thinking more about C-4.

"Do I love her?" He asked the bottle in his hands. "Do I?"

"'I've got mine...I've got mine...I've goy mine...fuck you!'"

Looking up, he noticed the collection of framed photographs on the beareau. Covering the distance in a half-a-stride, he knelt down, resting his head on his arms, staring into his favourite, a 4x6 glossy of his father and mother when they were a little older than he right then. The picture was taken on New Year's Eve 2000, and by the looks of things, it was pretty fiestive, especially with his parents, who stared back, their eyes radiating with happiness.

"Hey, Mom, Father," he whispered. "How will I know if I do love her? I mean, I know with you two it was love at first sight, but..." he shook his head. "But what about me? Where am I going to get my chance? I feel so alone right now...she said she loves me...but I don't know...I do have feelings for her, but I don't know what exactly..." Heaving a sigh, he took another swig of beer. "What can I do? What if it isn't love I'm feeling? What if she doesn't want to be with me after a while? God-damn, this is so confusing!" Resting his head once more, he peered over his arms into the photograph again.

"What can I do?" he demanded softly.

"'Burn out the day...burn out the night...I can't see no reason to put up the fight. I'm living for giving the devil his dues...and I'm burning I'm burning I'm burning for you...'"

He glanced over at his stereo. Somewhere, Superjudge must have finished, for now Blue Oyster Cult's Fire of Unknown Origin album played. How he didn't notice it was beyond him.

Crawling on his knees to the stereo, he went to change the song to the next track, one of his favourite BOC tunes, "Veteran on the Psychic Wars", when he stopped to listen to the normally-believed sappy song of the album.

Leaning against the cabinet, he pondered some more about the dull red female Outklaw.

Maybe I do love her, he thought, peering through the bottle to see how much he still had to go to finish the drink. A little over half way. No way in hell he could be drunk that fast. However, it was rumoured that his father was very alcohol-intolerant...

Sipping at the beer, he pulled himself back onto the futon couch, leaning back, staring at the patterns of glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling. The only illumination in the room, a florescent black light, gave the stars an even more eerie glow to them. With a smile, Luc began to drift his mind to a time a hundred years past, back to a time where rock and roll was the language of freedom, a time where, if he was human, he would have easily fit in with others of similar interests...

Setting the bottle onto an end table, he allowed his thoughts to wander...

...though they decided that he should think about C-4 even more...

"I don't know if I do or not!" he exclaimed, frustrated. "How would I know what it's like to be in love?"

Paradoxially over the loud music, he heard a slight gasp. Swifter than the wind, he bolted from the futon to the door, glaring down at a spying C-4.

"Maybe listen to what your heart is telling you rather then your head?" she suggested weakly.

Closing his eyes, he gestured within.

"Might as well come in," he invited, a little irritable, turning down the music.

"I'm sorry for intruding," she apologised, "but I needed to tell you that I shouldn't had asked you such a personal question in front of our friends...I'm sorry...I'm sorry for a lot of things..."

"So am I," Luc mumbled, flopping back onto the couch and pulling out a recent issue of Heavy Metal.

C-4 bit her lip, fighting tears.

"Are you mad I decided to come here rather than staying in Maine?"

"Yes and no..." He turned the page. "Yes, because you've surfaced feelings I've never felt before...and no for the same reason..."

Her eyes widened, the corner of her mouth twitching upwards as she sat on the edge of the couch. Luc peered over the magazine and into C-4's bright blue eyes.

"You're crying," he observed blatantly.

"No I'm not."

"Yeah, you are..." he reached over and touched her damp cheek. "Why?"

"Maybe, because in a way, I've been hoping to hear that I'm somewhat welcome here..."

"What do you mean? Kat thinks of you as a little sister, and Ereinee and Tellemacus--"

"You, Luc...how did you feel when I first came here?"

"A little angry, a little confused..."

"And now?"

"A little angry, a little confused..." There was a hint of teasing in his voice this time.

C-4 took hold of a nearby pillow and belted him. He retaliated by throwing down his magazine and tackling her, tickling her relentlessly. Laughing hysterically, she squirmed every whichway, attempting to escape his torture.

And, as suddenly as it began, he stopped, rocking back into a sitting posistion at the head of the couch.

"What's wrong, Luc?" she scooted closer to him.

"I don't know what to think anymore..." he whispered. "I don't know what love is...I mean, I love Kat, but I feel...different...around you...a totally different feeling...I don't know how to explain it."

"Luc," she touched his arm. "What does your heart tell you?"

Gently, he reached for her shoulder. Not needing to be invited, she leaned against him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"My heart tells me I love you," he whispered after a five minute silence.

"Why are you trembling?" he then demanded, worried.

She turned her head so that she could see his beaked face.

"Because I'm in heaven," she answered with a slow smile. "Because I've finally reached my dream..."

Luc said nothing, only held her tighter.

"Luc?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something...personal?"

"Of course..."

"Promise you won't hate me?"

"C, what did I say not ten minutes ago?"

"I know, but..." She shook her head. "I feel really terrible about it...it wasn't life-threatening or anything, save to Cody."

"Cody? Oh yeah, your rookery brother."

"Uncle Chaz's and Aunt Lina's son, yeah. Well, a couple of years ago, he asked me to be his, well, girlfriend. And he kinda took advantage of me. I was so angry! He ended up with Shawna, Uncle Wes's daughter..."

"Your clan's way to big..."

"What are you talking about? Our clan's just the right size."

"Anyway, why are you so upset about it, besides the point he used you?"

"That's the only reason."

"There's more, C, I can sense it."

She sighed deeply. "There's more. Remember when Lex sent you to us for a while, about twenty years ago?"

"How can I forget?" His voice darkened, his eyes narrowed. "Half my clan died days before. He thought I should go somewhere safe while him, Kat, and Tom made sure of the parameters against the Shockers. The humans finally decided that they too should keep tabs on the clones as well."

"Thank god. The thing is, Luc, I fell in love with you then. I told Aunt Eddie, but she had said it was only a crush at the time. I didn't think so." She shook her head. "When you left, I was devistated. At least we wrote to each other. Then you stopped writing. I worried so much, then Cody told me he loved me, I thought he meant it, and...."

"C, I stopped because some of your letters scared me."

She sucked in a breath.

"Those..." she nodded slowly. "Well, those days are over with. I'm all right now."

"I know you are, but then, I was really afraid you were going to go through with killing yourself." He paused. "It was right around when your father died, wasn't it?"

She nodded again.

"Dad was the only one who seemed to love me most of the time. I was confused then. I got help. I'm all better now."

"I know you are," he repeated. "You sound like you're trying to convince more yourself than me."

"I guess I am."

Exhaling, he whispered, "Why?"

"Because up until you came back into my life, I felt like I was worthless, no meaning. There's still a little part of me that tries to convince the rest of me that it is. It doesn't work, especially since I came here."

"You have a purpose, C," he remarked. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be able to defeat the Eye of Odin, though if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't had been hurt..."

"Hush," she turns slightly to put a finger on his beak. "It's over. My suicide attempt is in the past. So is the Eye. What matters is the now, right?"

"Right."

"Fuck Cody, right?"

"Heh...I don't think so..." he smirked sadly. "How did he take advantage of you, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Take a guess."

"Oh..." his face fell.

"It still pisses me off. I still can't face him anymore. Every time he says so much as 'hi' to me, it ends up with Aunt Eddie or Stilletto or Joshua Lawerence prying me off him, I'm still so angry at him. Most of the clan is too."

"Forget about him, Kerridwen," he commanded softly. "He's not worth fussing over."

She closed her eyes, silent for a couple of moments.

"Truth or dare, Luach?"

"Truth."

"Have you ever kissed anyone elsse before?"

"Only that time in the cornfield with you, but that doesn't really count, does it?"

"I don't know..." They were quiet for a good ten minutes, before he shifted a bit behind her.

"Um...I've never really done this before..." he released her momentarily, only to cup her chin in his free hand, the other stroking her hair. His eyes were full of fear, though, with other mixed emotions. Most prominent, though, was the fear.

"Don't go any faster than you care to," C-4 whispered.

"I'm not worried about that," he replied. "I'm worried about poking your eye out."

She laughed shortly, then smiled.

"Then allow me."

"Wha--?" She had moved quickly, unexpectedly, now staring him eye to eye. Flashing a playful smile, she then leaned forward, closing her eyes.

Why am I afraid? Luc demanded himself. I love her, don't I?

They weren't exactly second thoughts.

Rather, he was reassuring his decision.

And, as her soft lips met his, he had a feeling that he had chose right. The emotions became clearer to understand...

But fear still existed.

Pulling back from her kisses, he shook his head.

"C," he held her out at arm's length, staring deep into her eyes. "I'm still afraid...I'm afraid of hurting you again."

Closing her eyes, she sighed, suddenly appearing older than she really was.

"Would I be here now if I didn't trust you? If I feared you?" Taking his hand with both of her's, she leaned forward, resting her head on his shoulder. "Luc, I know you wouldn't hurt any of us intentionally. Do I have to go through with this speel again?" He felt her smile as she turned her head, kissing his neck softly. "I love you. I love you because you're different from my rookery brothers. I love you because..." she paused, as if gathering her thoughts to form into verbal words. "I love you because you don't hide your true self."

Luc said nothing to that comment, only pondered her words.

"And what do you think my true self is, then?" he whispered after a moment's silence.

She only shook her head.

"You don't hide your feelings under a tough guy mask," she shrugged, one of the straps of her tank top sliding off her shoulder. "You've got more stuff on your mind than the eat, drink and fuck I found my rookery brothers thinking. You actually seem to care."

"They must have to care to notice you, C," he whispered, gently pushing the strap back in place, though his fingers didn't draw back. Instead, he traced the contours of her arm, his eyes half-closed as if in a trance. "Kerridwen, do you really trust me?"

"More than anyone else alive," she answered softly, eyes wide as she shivered with hopeful anticipation. Without being asked, Luc picked up the baja blanket folded over the arm of the couch and draped it over her shoulders, softly smiling.

"I think your naivity is charming as well, dear Luach," she chuckled, pulling him closer, wrapping the blanket around him as well. "You're so cute when you act innocent!"

"Innocent? Me?" He laughed shortly. "What gave you that idea?"

She shrugged, smirking mischievously.

"Considering what you know about sex was learned from watching anime..." she quipped.

"That's not funny," he snorted. "I lived a sheltered life."

"Hmmmm..." she closed her eyes as she snuggled into his embrace. "Luc, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you trust me?"

He was silent.

"Luc?"

She felt his arms tighten around her shoulders, his beak nuzzling against the nape of her neck.

"Want to know the truth?" He whispered.

"Sure..."

"After what happened on Avalon...I guess I was glad you told Ereinee what was going on. I know I was angry...I really did think I loved her...but thinking about what she told me...she's right...I think I confused love with loneliness."

"It happened, Luc...it happened to me, it can happen to you...I bet it happened to a lot of people. In fact, your sister told me about her and Tom...that they only mated because they felt a need to, not because they were really in love."

"Tom really did love Kat, but she didn't love him in that way," Luc retorted. "Tom's not really her type, anyway...he's too much of a homebody; she can't stay still five seconds. Kat felt the need, but Tom misinterpertated her advances as what he was feeling for her as well."

"I think that's what Ereinee and you had between you..."

"I was in love, and she wasn't...heh...funny thing is, after she pretty much broke my heart, I realised I wasn't in love with her...as I said before, save for the three years I was with Clan Dirigo, it was only my sister, Tom, and I...and Gabe..." the tan male choked somewhat. C-4 bit her lip and faced him once more.

"Luach, I don't think Gabe would appreciate you mourning this long over his death...."

"I just miss him...he was the only rookery sib who stayed at Wyvern..." he shook his head. "I still miss him..."

"I still miss my father..." she interjected sullenly.

"Enough to try to join him...?" Luc whispered.

He didn't mean it as an insult; unfortunately, the female Outklaw hissed and punched him sharply with a short but fierce uppercut he never saw coming.

"You bastard!" she mouthed, a sob choking her voice.

Eyes wide, unaware of the fact he had bit his tongue and bleeding, he stared at her surprised; she returned it with an angry glare, tears rimming her eyes.

"How dare you?" she squeaked.

"I-I'm sorry...I didn't mean it like that..." Bowing his head, he touched foreheads with C-4, gently but firmly cupping her face with both hands. He repeated his apology over and over, crying silently himself. "I promised I would never hurt you again, and I did...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

She only shook her head, but made no move to pull away from him.

"'Baby...I get so scared inside, and I don't really understand, is it love that's on my mind or is it fantasy?'"

C-4 finally opened her eyes, her hurt eyes staring into his green orbs.

"'Heaven, is in the palm of my hand, and it's waiting for you, what am I supposed to do with a childhood tragedy?'"

"I'm sorry," Luc whimpered a final time.

"'If I close my eyes forever, will it all remain unchanged? If I close my eyes forever, will it all remain the same?'"

"Who is this?" C-4 swiftly changed the subjected, glancing over her shoulder to the stereo. "I've heard it before..."

Rather than press the issue further, Luc retorted, "Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne. 'If I Close My Eyes Forever'."

"I've heard of Ozzy...Aunt Eddie's big on him...but who's Lita Ford?"

"Why am I not surprised? Have you ever heard this song?" He picked up the remote and programed a previous track, and started singing along. "'I went to a party last Saturday night--'"

"'--I didn't get laid, and I got in a fight, uh-huh, it ain't no big thing!'" C-4 sang along in realisation.

"'Late for my job and the traffic was bad, had to borrow ten bucks from my old man, uh-huh, it ain't no big thing!'" The tan male smiled nervously, standing, taking C-4's hand and pulling her up.

"'I went to a party last Saturday night, I told you that story, it'll be all right, uh-huh, it ain't no big thing--'" C-4 continued to sing, not resisting as Luc gathered her into a quick jazz step. "'But I know what I like! I know I like dancing with you! And I know you what you like! I know you like dancing with me!'"

The dusky red female laughed, getting caught up in the dance, letting Lita get on with the song so she could consentrate on her two left feet.

"'Kiss me once! Kiss me twice! C'mon pretty baby kiss me deadly!'"

Throughout the song, they danced, he catching her when she stumbled and kept his beak shut if she stepped on her toes. The upbeat song ended, fading into the next song which C-4 sensed and Luc knew was for a slow dance. Instead of sitting back down on the foldout couch, they embraced and continued to sway with the music.

"'We've changed, a new change of season...autumn came, we went, I went insane, never was winter so cold...look away from the homeward road...I'm feeling love in a daydream, making love first morning light, walking slowly in the summer rain, alone I lie and fantasize...'"

She stared up at him, licking her dry lips.

"Luc..." she whispered, "I should have known you didn't mean what you said...I just get kind of sensitive about that..."

"I understand...I should have chose my words more carefully...I'm sorry..."

"I'm sorry for bringing the topic up...we shouldn't be bringing up bad memories like that..."

"'I'm falling in and out of love...I'm falling in and out of love...slip inside my dream, dream away with me, 'cause I'm falling in and out of love...'"

"Instead," he smiled, taking hold of her hands, "We should be making pleasant ones together..."

They lost themselves in each other's eyes, unsure who should speak next, let alone what should be said.

Instead, Luc turned off the stereo and stroked C-4's hair, working out the snarls gently with his long fingers that tapered slightly.

"Kerridwen, I love you," he exclaimed softly, simply.

"You never answered my question," she retorted. "Do you trust me?"

"Why wouldn't I? You tell me you don't fear me, and that you trust me, why shouldn't I trust you?"

"If I ask you to do something, will you promise not to laugh?"

"C..."

"All I want is a kiss...."

"Of course..." With a slight flurish, he swung her around and brought his face down towards hers. "Just tell me if I'm doing this right."

He then kissed her, a gentle, experimental kiss. Shw smiled with an appoving nod.

"I think you've got the basics down," she hissed.

"That's what I wanted to hear." Daringly, he embraced her tightly and kissed her deeper, causing her to mew out in surprise. With her own ideas, her hands went exploring to the sensitive area between his wings and massaged tenderly, feeling his body stiffen up against her, in more ways than one.

Luc pulled back, his entire face fearful.

"I...." he trailed off, not knowing what to say, as he half-sat, half-fell back onto the futon.

"I'm sorry..." she ran her hand through his thick brown hair. "Listen, I'll wait till whenever you're ready, okay? I can be patient...."

"I'm just scared..." he whispered. "I don't want to be, but..." he snorted. "I've never done this before."

"I could tell you it's no big deal, but I know it is..." she sat next to him, looping her arms though his and resting her head on his shoulder. "If...when...we do go through, I know it'll be special..."

He nodded, then took a deep breath.

Then, swiftly, he tackled her into a strong hug, easing her down on the black and green matress and nuzzling her neck once more. C-4 gasped in surprise, then wrapped her arms around him and kissed his face.

"You know I don't know what I'm doing," he breathed in her ear.

"How much more different is real life from anime?" she quipped.

"I take it you've never seen Wicked City."

"Enough talk," C-4 laid a gentle finger on his beak. "Just you and me tonight...'kay?"

"Gotcha..." he nodded, which trailed off into a low growl as the dusky red female tickled the sensitive area between his wings a second time.

This time he didn't resist as he wrapped his wings around her.

***

Tellemacus entered the kitchen a couple of hours later. He and Ereinee had talked for quite a while, and, though things didn't quite go as well as he wished, he and the olive female had decided to settle in to an old movie, Braveheart. He had never seen it, but Orpheus and Leigh swore on it, saying it was one of the best movies they ever seen.

He pulled out a six-pack of Pepsi from the fridge and threw a bag of popcorn into the microwave before he realised he had company.

C-4 strode in, humming tunelessly, as she caught the refridgerator door before it closed and grabbed one of the V-8 Splash containers.

"You're in a charming good mood," Tellemacus smirked.

"I have good reason to," she fluttered her eyelids, taking a swig of juice straight from the bottle.

"I'm afraid to ask."

"Good, 'cuz I'm not telling..." she retorted, pulling up the sleeve of the overside tee-shirt she donned.

It then occured to the Grecian gargoyle there was something strange about the unusually bubbly Outklaw in front of him.

"Are you all right?" he demanded blatantly.

"Never better..."

"Um..." he blushed slightly. "Where are your pants?"

She glanced down at her bare legs and giggled.

"Musta misplaced them," she strugged.

Tellemacus raised an eye ridge.

"Are you sure you're all right?"

"I've never been sure in all my life. Why, something wrong?"

"Uh...I guess not..." he remarked slowly, hearing the microwave buzz. Retrieving the popcorn bag, he turned his head toward C-4, who had resumed her humming as she rummaged the junk-food drawer, pulling out some tortilla chips and spreading them out on a plate. He just watched her curiously, unsure of what to make of the rather odd situation while she pulled out cheeze and salsa for nachos.

"What's the matter, never seen me make nachos?" she flicked a chip crumb at the other gargoyle, who deflected it with a slight wave of his hand.

"I'm just wondering why you're all happy and cheerful, wearing nothing but a tee-shirt."

"How do you know I'm not wearing anything under the tee-shirt, hmmm?" She shook the spoon she was using to spread the salsa at Tellemacus. "You've been sneaking peeks, eh? Do I have to kick your ass?"

He snorted, muttering something in Greek.

"What was that? I didn't quite hear you."

"You are strange..." he shook his head, exiting to the projection room with the snacks.

"Oh, Tellemacus?"

He turned his head just in time to see C-4 stick out her tongue, blow a long, wet raspberry, then pivot on the ball of her foot and flip up the backside of the tee-shirt, just enough to make him blush an interesting shade of purple.

Quickly, he made a bee-line to the projection room, flopping next to Ereinee, who had already put in the movie.

"What's wrong?" she giggled. "I've never seen you blush that bad since you accidentally walked in on Leigh in the baths..."

"Something's wrong with C-4," he retorted blatantly. "She's acting very strange."

"How's she acting?"

He blushed a little more.

"Tellemacus, it's probably a girl thing...tell me how she's acting, and I'll tell you what it means..."

"I'm not a hatchling...I don't need everything explained to me."

"Try me..."

"Fine...she's in a good mood..."

"What's wrong with that?"

"A cheerful good mood, not her usual pranking cynical good mood..."

"I see...anything else?"

"She was wearing nothing but a tee-shirt."

"How do you know she wasn't wearing anything underneath?"

"She..." he bit his lip. "She mooned me."

Ereinee laughed hysterically.

"That sounds like something our C-4 would do..." The web-winged female sobered up. "Though it seems a little sporatic for her...she usually plans stuff out...and I've never known her to wear tee-shirts..." she trailed off, then suddenly giggled.

"Tellemacus, was there anything on her tee-shirt?"

"She did spill a bit of salsa on it--"

"I meant was there anything written on it, silly!" she punched his arm.

"I was kind of blinded from the sudden flashing, but I do remember seeing a two-headed bird--"

"Tellemacus, do a little detective work, my old friend!" she laughed aloud. "Where have you seen the two-headed bird before?"

"Doesn't Luc have a Hawkwind tee-shirt...like..." Tellemacus paled, trailing off. "You don't mean...?"

"I'm not jumping to any conclusions," Ereinee smirked and pressed "play" on the projector.

***

NEXT TIME: In Rift: Part Two, Lexington anf Kat are on patrol...but what happens when they get into their own little game of Truth and Dare, dealing with the Clone Wars and what exactly happened to Brooklyn...
Rift: Part Three, by Jennifer DeSalme, focuses in on Ereinee and Tellemacus during the same time frame...and in...
Rift: Part Four, Tom and Sierra have a little father-daughter fun...

SOUNDTRACK:
"Carrion" by Crackback, a fictional band created by me.
"Choke" by Into the Void, another ficitonal band created by me.
"Paranoid" is by Black Sabbath, from Paranoid.
"Space Lord" is by Monster Magnet, from Powertrip.
"Cyclops Revolution" is also by Monster Magnet, from Superjudge.
"Burnin' For You" is by Blue Oyster Cult, from Fire of Unknown Origin.
"Close My Eyes Forever", "Kiss Me Deadly", and "Falling In and Out of Love" is by Lita Ford, from Lita.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME: What I have in line...

SC: Cyberia
Ares finds himself in a deal he can't possibly say no to...though how far is he willing to risk?

SC: Gabriel's Children (Working Title)
Caligo finds the last person in the world who who seek him out following him...his own father...

Habeus Corpus
A Clan Winslow Story, Will Colt get his day in court? The gang's not too sure, but when Elly's old friend Petros drops in for a visit, the kids aren't going to let him leave without at least one MDI football crack...

Night of the Hawk
An alternate dimension where Brooklyn died before reaching Sevarius...a raid on the rookery, and a desparate attempt to find help in a parallel multiverse...but what's Luc going to do when the enemy is himself?

Ordinary Day
The Turtles are noticing Gecko acting really strange lately...and it has something to do with Null's boss, a demoness named Nox...and the only one who knows anything is a mysterious Soothsayer...

Gargoyles: Dark Triumvirate
'Nuff said.

Clone Wars: Trapped
Eddie doesn't remember a night where the entire unit she was in suddenly turns up missing...including Goliath and Magnum...

SC: The Sword
During the begining of the Clone Wars, Brooklyn and his infant daughter Kathryn recieve a thought-to-be unwelcome visitor...until he offers his sword, hilt-first, to his elder son...

Resistance
France, 1943. The French Resistance rely on a creature of shadows to smuggle refugee children to Calais for transport to the US...but when Caligo is found out by a Nazi who isn't who he seems to be...

I'm going to be busy! --Black Blade "My Cosmic Song Goes On For Eternity"