- Damien -

For a second, the girl stared up at me in shock and then her polite collected mask was back on. Smiling politely, she said "Please address me as Bella."

"My apologies Miss Bella. It was my blunder." I said as I shook her hand politely.

"Idiot." Someone whispered softly.

I lasted five seconds longer before I gave up the act. "Are you really Isabelle? The girl who I grew up with?" I stared right into her eyes laying my emotions out in the open. Her eyes widened at the intensity of my gaze and her lips parted slightly in surprise. Please tell me. I pleaded silently with my eyes.

Maybe I heard her wrongly. Maybe that single word didn't mean a single shit. It's not possible for her to be here. What was I thinking?

She turned away and retracted her hands gently from mine. "You should have known it was me."

Frowning, she tried to blink away the moisture in her eyes. I'm unsure whether they are tears of anger or tears from happiness. "Yes you dote. It's me. Isabelle and Bella? Can't you not see the connection?" My hand reaches for her automatically, a very deadly habit that I can't get rid. But she pulls it further away from my reach. Narrowing her eyes at me, she glared at me in blatant annoyance.

"I'm sorry. Freak, I should have known. Bella is the back of your name." I covered my eyes with my hand and ran it through my hair. Seriously Damien? You're really a stupid idiot. Your stupidity knows no bounds. Isabelle said nothing but raised her eyebrows, obviously she heard everything that goes into this loud head of mine. I shot her a sheepish grin as I scratched the back of my head. "Sorry."

It's hard to get an opportunity like this. The chances of meeting one another without the public's criticizing eyes or my father's disapproval staring down at us. I can never be sure how many opportunities like these we can share. Maybe one day, Lady Luck will leave us alone and we will run out of time.

I'm afraid everything will disappear once I wake from this dream. I sighed. Yep, it will be gone in 3,2,1... I shut my eyes and opened them again, but Isabelle is still there sitting in front of me. Sinking down into the seat opposite hers, I feel weary all of a sudden. This feels too good to be true.

"It feels like we have pretty much a lot of catching up to do. Although I would rather we end this quickly." Isabelle says as she sighed irritatedly. Earlier I saw her trying to wipe at her eyes discreetly. Her mascara is a little smudged around the edges but I don't give a damn.

"Why the rush? Scared you'll feel left out from my life? Or afraid you won't be able to recognize me the next time we meet?" I asked her, raising one of my eyebrows. I'm trying to bring back any semblance of normalcy. I missed our old teasing games and my heart constricts painfully in my chest when I see her face.

I took her hand in mine. It seems we have been pretty lax lately, or maybe I'm the only one without an ounce of control over my actions. Push me away please. I pleaded silently at her hand. Between the both of us, Isabelle has always been the more rational-thinking one and I believe she will stop me before things become disastrous. My actions have broken more than one of the commandments, but I have no intentions to stop. I squeezed Isabelle's hand and she didn't make any move to pull it away. Maybe just this one time I will make an exception and break the rules.

"Says the one who can't even recognize me. It seems time wasn't kind to you. Have you gone senile you old fool?" She rapidly shoves my hand away, as disdain fills her voice. Yes, that's right. Scold some sense into me. Tell me to go away. Just say the word. But her lips were wobbling slightly before she clamped them together angrily. Knowing her for more than ten years, I can read her like an open book.

"Izzie... I've been..." I said trying to get the words out of my mouth before my throat closes.

"Bella. Call me Bella." Isabelle said as she stood up. For one disturbing moment, I thought that she's chasing me out of her office and I squeezed my hands into tightly-formed fists. Serves you right, you jerkass.

However, she walked over to her vintage mini-fridge and poured both of us a cup of sparkling water. I frowned but I said nothing as she returned and placed the cup in front of me gently. Letting loose a breath I have been holding unconsciously, I sighed silently. If Isabelle wants me to become her servant and help her clean her office, I will gladly do so. If she wants me to eat shit I will probably do it too. But I will not in even once of my lifetime call her Bella. As much as she pretends that she's full of thorns, she's one of the softest people I have ever met.

She returns to her seat opposite mine and places her hands under her chin. "So when are you going to let me see your hands?" I stared at her a little sheepishly and opened my palms out on the table. Crescent red marks dotted my palms, they look like little evil grinning bruises. She tutted under her breath as she ran a finger caressing the sensitive skin lightly. "Does it hurt?" She asked me as I shivered. Her eyes are so beautiful. Full and round and blue like the wide open skies. She reminds me of freedom and hope.

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"No. It doesn't." I mumbled as she bit her finger, drawing blood. Without wincing, she squeezed her wound and caused her blood to well before rubbing them on my palm. I watched in fascination as the red welts slowly faded away after a minute. Demi-fae blood has healing properties as well as regeneration abilities. They don't give their blood to random strangers. Especially not to other fae.

"Thank you." I breathed, but she waved her hand dismissing it. Her wound has already closed by itself.

Drinking from the cup of water thirstily I asked her. "What happened to your previous squad? Why did father post you to mine?"

"My team? You really want to know about them or is this part of whatever traditional initiation procedures?" She asked me as she sketched a brow. Interpretation: Are you kidding me?

"Yeah. I want to know." I said, worry crossing my features. What's wrong with her squad? Did they make her mad?

"Well... let's just say there are other better things to talk about. Talking about them is a waste of my breath." She huffed angrily. "Okay fine let me rant. Unlike your squad my teammates were all humans. I was the only demi-fae and they never really liked me."

"So...." She continued ignoring my raised brows. "I took external roles, because they refused to involve me in their missions. I got more solo contributions and they became jealous, accusing me of stealing all their work. So I left them." She shushed me when I opened my mouth to interrupt her. Pouting, I leaned back against the chair as I crossed my legs and watched her as she continued. "They were disbanded because I left. End of my story."

"Izzie." I said. "If anyone tries to undermine you please tell me."

"Are we done? Please call me Bella." She said coolly. "If you call me by that name again I will ignore you from now onwards." She crossed her arms and dismissed me with her eyes.

I almost grinned. If she thinks I will give up that easily then she better be prepared for what's coming for her. Casually draping an arm over my armrest, I leaned on my other elbow. "Isabelle. Have I ever told you how sexy you look as a History Professor? With the skin-hugging leggings and cute glasses. It leaves little to the imagination." I whispered.

"Idiot! Say that again you... you... argh! Say that one more time Damien and I will make sure you won't get to see tomorrow's rising sun." She waves her fist at me as twin spots of color appear on her cheeks. "But I was serious!" I said staring at her innocently.

She reached over to slap me, but I dodged easily. "So you're not going to ignore me again aren't you?" I caught her wrist easily and held her gaze. She glared at me but said nothing. Moving her hand closer to my lips, I stopped inches away and looked at her again. "Fine. Call me whatever you want." She huffed and I let go, satisfied.

"Bet they regretted it." I said shaking my head. "Your ex-squad mates are a bunch of fools if they can't recognize your abilities." Isabelle let out a snort.

"And you ended up here, in my squad. Why?" I said, mulling over the reason behind father's actions. Is this a test? Why did he put Isabelle here? "Maybe he doesn't have a choice Damien." Isabelle said as she pushed the second cup of water towards me as I reached for it. Drinking plenty of water is a discipline ingrained into me. I need to stay hydrated to maintain top form and Isabelle knows I drink two cups of water everytime I take water breaks.

He had no choice? "Not true." I denied her reasoning immediately. "Father has plenty of choices. There are many capable agents in the HQ. He's trying to jeopardize your hard-earned achievements or he is doing this for his own entertainment." I sighed as I leaned into both my hands. He has plenty of choices and he had to choose her? Out of the many? Is he trying to torment me? Well if that is his intention then it's working.

"Father loves his games, doesn't he. He just wants to spite me because I told him I didn't want anything to do with his political seat." I said bitterly.

"Tell me about your mission." Isabelle says, changing the topic. I gave her a grateful look. "Well let's see, our mission this time is playing guard duty. We're protecting the gateway from possible intruders like a dangerous kitsune."

***

- Gabriella -

"Were you trying to avoid me?" Crap. I shut my eyes and turned the other way, pretending I didn't hear it. But he grabbed my elbow, stopping me. Sigh. Why is this happening to me? Why can't you just leave me alone?

"Gabriella. I know you heard me." Res said as I forced myself to look into those liquid warm brown eyes. "Hey Res. Didn't see you around here. How are you doing?" I attempted a cheery smile and added a wave for good measure. Inside I'm cringing at myself.

"Since we're on that topic. I'm not fine." He lets go of me and stares at me.

"What's wrong? Were you worried about the incident with Damien? I think there shouldn't be much of any problem. He's a nice guy and I think you're forgiven." Mentally I flinched. I wanted to ask him why he punched Damien but I came off colder than I expected. There was no point in hiding Damien's real name. When Fenrys and Jonathan interfered their lock hold against each other, separating the both of them apart, Fenrys called Damien's real name to ask if he was alright.

"Sort of. That and other things." Res sighed. "Look, if he is who I think he is, I wanted to tell you that you shouldn't hang out with him. Who knows whether he's a douchebag? He said he wouldn't touch you but he didn't exactly took care of you."

"How can you say that when you don't even know anything?" I was a little irritated. He's jumping to conclusions without even getting to know the circumstances. Just like how he did when he saw me lying in Damien's dorm.

"Maybe you're right and I'm wrong. But one thing is clear. Whatever happened that night, he came back alright and you were in that state." He frowned as he recalled my prone form lying on the bed. That's true. Maybe Damien was a little too impulsive. Maybe things would be different if he hadn't rushed towards the girl.

"But I'm not here to talk about this. Strange things are happening Gabriella, ever since that night you disappeared from the party and I'm worried for you." He says.