"Wish you were the one that got away"

Ariel

+1+

I like to sit by our spot.

Well, it’s not our actual spot.

Our actual spot is actually by the outer gate but it’s best we don’t loiter out there with the humans so near.

No matter. This is close enough.

This was the spot where I first met Caden. I had been cutting Mother’s classics class and hiding out by the gate with an unapproved book. We weren't allowed to get that close to the gate, but I was a rebel.

Caden had been there snapping pictures with his camera phone, I was fascinated by it never having gotten that close to a mobile phone.  He turned it around and to my surprise I saw my live picture on the screen.

I approached the gate, looking at this wide eyed lanky red headed boy. I thought he looked like an adventure.

“Ariel ! Come now !”, I turned to see Calliope heading towards the quad where a crowd was gathering around the edges.

I got up from my spot and ran to join her, following the bright blue streak in her tawny hair. Calliope adored Mother’s upturned expression when she saw that blue streak.

We twisted and turned navigating the crowd.

“What is it Callopie, what’s going on ?”

“I don’t know, something exciting I bet. . . since Mother disapproves.”

I noticed a few of the others girls looked nervous as they stood and watched. There was a makeshift platform in the center. Helios was standing on it in a clean grey sleeveless shirt and pants. His arms were folded he seemed to be in deep meditation.

He looked fierce and serene,  his hair blowing slightly in the wind. His usual laid back attitude gone. He seemed so serious.

The SGI were also standing around, a few with Angels they had taken a liking to. Leon was standing stoically with Aria, she was getting so big now. She kept her arms at her side and occasionally looked up at Leon who had been off all week.

“Ariel”, I turned to see Seraphina behind me, “You do not need to be here.”

“What is going on ? I want to stay--”

“It’s no place for you little angels, or anyone for that matter--.”

A pair of slim arms wrapped around Seraphina’s waist and Hippolyita’s head popped up over her shoulder, Hippolyta strained a bit balancing on the tips of her 4 inch heels.

“Don’t be so ominous, Seraphina Dear”, Hippolyta said.

I think Hippolyta thinks everyone’s last name is "Dear". She was always good at imitating accents, she and currently sounded very American.

“What is going on, Hippolyta ?”, I asked.

“It’s a hanging, Dear. An execution”, she whispers the last part.

“A hanging ?  An execution ? Who ? What ? why ?”

“Ares, Dear”, Hippolyta said

“Who ?”

She sighed and stepped from behind Seraphina, she leaned down and whispered to me.

“You know. The sweet one with the beard. ”

I didn’t. I still didn’t know the SGI men by name or face. It was just a mix of Greek names. Which was confusing cause many went by their given names when Helios wasn’t around.

"Helios' Alpha", she whispered

Suddenly it clicked. Ares was Helios' former Alpha. This was the reason Seraphina was being moved up. Which was odd because Titus was next in line, he bragged about it to any girl who would listen. Seraphina and Titus' feud suddenly took on new meaning.

“What did he do ?”, I asked

Hippolyta looked to Seraphina at that. Calliope and I followed suit . If there was anything to know a about why Helios did anything she would know it.

Unfortunately she wasn’t much of a talker.

Hippolyta kissed her on the cheek to goad her into telling, Seraphina’s expression never changed but I knew she would do anything to make Hippolyta happy.

“Ares refused to follow orders. He refused to set off the fuse at one of the Demon’s shop in our territory. He. . . he saved one of them.  Helios can’t have disobedience.”

We all quieted down. For weeks it had only been speculation that Helios' was behind the attacks on the tailor's shops. It seemed perfectly probable that it had been a freak accident and we all wanted to believe it.

“That's awful”, I said balling my fist, “That’s awful how can Helios hang him for not wanting to hurt people.”

“Watch your tongue", Seraphina scolded me, “You should know better than speak against Helios. He's protecting us. You don't remember what is was like back in Homeland.  Who knows what those Demons will do without their Father to guide them.You don't --”

I didn’t give her a chance to finish. I stormed away from the gathering, not quite able to stomach to be around death and punishment anymore. Why was everyone capable of being punished for their crimes except for me ?

“Do not walk away from me”, Seraphina had broken away from the group and followed me.

“Go away”, I shouted.

She caught up to me in 3 quick strides and jerked my arm back hard so hard I was sure it would leave a mark. She didn't know her own strength.

“I am serious Ariel, do not ever speak against Helios. He can be a lot of things, but most of all he can be dangerous and he has a lot of pride.”

“Tell me you are not that cruel Seraphina. Tell me you didn't help him blow up those shops and kill those people.”

“We sent a message to the enemy."

“And the human casualties ?”

“. . . collateral damage.”, she decides

Then she folds her arms like Helios and I realize it’s so much like Helios because she is wearing one of his shirts, she always smells like his cologne. If she's not careful she is going to turn into him.

“You know you’re supposed to be the older responsible one"

“Excuse me ?”

“You shouldn’t follow Helios so fervently. You should be with someone who is gentle and kind and who cares about you. How can you stand to be intimate with someone you don't even want to love ?"

She shifts her weight and shakes her head.

“What do you know about such things?”

“I just think when you really love someone it can be nice and safe--”

“You did not”, she continued to scold me.

I try to stand my ground as she settles her hard gaze on me.

“Ariel ? You slept with. . . that daemon ? That creature . . . that experiment."

“I loved him and his name was Caden”

“Don’t start with me, Ariel. You knew him what ? A few months. You just threw away your virtue on the enemy. ”

“. . . are they the enemy ?”

“Ariel, don’t forget it was the Lucifier The Demon King who started the gendercide that lead to our peoples demise. It was that Demon Isaiah who killed those humans and made them daemons. He was the one who kidnapped me. It was the Demon Prince who convinced you to blow up the Snowfire orchid. They are a disease and they need to be cut out.”

“Searphina. . . who are you trying to convince ? Me or yourself. I know a Demon kidnapped you but one also saved you. "

She opened her mouth and says nothing. She stormes past me and walks back to the gathering. Hippolyta is bouncing on the ball of her heels.

“Tragic about Ares”, Hippolyta’s voice came up from behind me,  she was talking as if it wasn’t happening right before her,"Let’s go out in the city instead Ariel.”

I brightened at this . I’d been wanting an excuse to leave for some time. With Mother no longer in charge we could now leave at will, but I was afraid to go out alone. Also I now wanted to be as faraway from Seraphina as possible.

“Let’s”, I said to Hippolyta, “Let’s. Calliope. come along.”

“No. .. I want to stay.” Calliope decides. She can't look away from the platform. She looks scared.

Hippolyta smiled at my excitement and waves to Seraphina before parting. Helios spots Seraphina in the crowed and beckons for her with one hand, his other holding a thick knot of gold threaded rope. Her eyes tighten and she folds her arms and walks away.

Just as we turn the hedge I see Ares walking proudly towards his punishment, he slips the noose on like it’s a grand piece of jewelry.

Distantly I can hear Hippolyta chatting.

“He’s so. . . brave.”,I say

+2+

“No no no”, Hippolyta practically pulls me back into the subway station, "We can not be here"

“No one will know", I whine and pull her along.

“We can’t be here, Ariel. This is Demon territory. Do you know what Helios will do to us if--”

I stop and turn to her with my arms folded. Doing my best to impersonate Seraphina’s haughty expression.

“It’s not just Demon territory. It’s Riverdale and it’s where Caden went to school. No one will know”

“Caden ? Who is Caden?”

“A boy I knew once.”

“A boy ?”, Hippolyta surveys our surroundings as we exit the station, “I guess nothing can keep out horomones.”

“Caden is dead. But he went to school around here. He said they used to hang out at a diner just a few feet away from the station. I thought maybe I might run into some of his friends. I just want to talk to someone about him. I just want to know more about how he died.”

“I love tragic love”, she says and pulls out her map.

We cross the road and head up the street until we come across the Riverdale Diner. I squrim with excitement because it is exactly how Caden described it.

It’s not like any dining establishment I’ve ever seen. The walls are a muted yellow and I can smell the entire menu at once. A grimy sign invites us to seat ourselves and all I hear is the buzzing of flytraps and a griddle.

“Ew”, Says Hippolyta as a general statement.

“Let’s just stay until some students show up.”

“We can’t stay long, Ariel Dear. “

A unseemly human woman tosses us some plastic covered menus

"Hmm", Hippolyta says, "I wonder if the fries are baked or fried ?"

 Hippolyta questions me some more about the menu, but she is quick to get restless and has no intention of ordering anything.
 The waitstaff doesn't seem to care.

“This is dull, Ariel Dear. Lets get some coffee, hmm ?”

“Please, just a little longer. I'm sure some students will show up-”

“You won’t see any DRA kids here”,  a voice says

The voice belongs to the only other patron in the restaurant. He is young with solid features and a slight country accent. Or is it Southern ? Midwestern ?

“Um, excuse me ?”, I do my second best Seraphina impression.

“School’s out until early next week.”, he says slowly, “Course if you want decent coffee there is a Starbucks up a few streets near the shopping center.”

‘Wonderful”, says Hippolyta, “Let’s go.”

I get up mournfully. I don’t know when I’ll get out again or who I will convince to bring me into Demon Territory.

“Alright.”

I try not to cry as the boy points us in the direction of the coffee shop. I remember our footsteps to ensure we get back before dark. We walk  6 blocks and we are no closer to anything but woods and an empty winding road.

“Hippolyta let’s turn around, I think we are lost.”

“No, we’re almost there. We’ll get the coffee to go, okay. Let's not make this day a complete waste.”

We aren’t almost there and we are running out of sidewalk.

I get shakey inside, knowing something bad is on the horizon when the boy from the diner steps out infront of us. A few other young men file out beside him. I lose all pretense of trying to be tough.

“We’re just going home.”, I say.

“I can’t believe Caden was so hung up on you.”’, the boy says.

‘You knew Caden ?”

“We ran in the same. .  crowd.”

I look at the faces of the people in our path. I mean really look at them They are all daemons. Their skin has the tiniest of pallor to it and their lips are tinged a little darker than most.

There is an older male who I recognize as a Demon, even though his dark hair is shaved his eyes are still as dark as night.

“You’re in Demon Territory”, the Demon says.

“I’m ss--orry. So s--ss-ory. So sorry.”, I mumble

“You are ? You saw what Helios did to my brothers. How do you think we should treat you ? Should we blow you up too ?”

I grab Hippolyta’s arm and prompt her to run , but they have us circled. I reach for the Mace in my bag, by the time I have it there is a barrel to my head. I'm to scared to even cry.

Hippolyta is juggling her keys in her hand, she is trying to be absent minded but I see there is a very tiny switch blade attached to it. She slicks it open and cut the arm of the one holding the barrel.

The daemon boys reels back and I kick him in the groin.

“Run, Ariel. RUN !”, Hippolyta screams pushing me forward.

I bolt towards the sidewalk and run faster than I have ever before.

I turn back  as Hippolyta stars blindly slashing as they all try to hold her back.

One of them gets the switch blade from her and that's the last I see of her, I don't look back but all I hear is the sound of them   dragging her away.

+++

I cut through the woods, and finally stop when I'm sure no one is following me. I try to find the main road, hoping I can make it to a bus or subway station.  I freeze when I hear voices ahead of me

I step back and hide behind a fallen log. I'm never getting home.

"Where were you",  a tense voice says

"Nowehere, Ashe. It's nothing", This voice has a false flirtatiousness to it. I'd been hearing that tone a lot lately.

"Nowhere, Jona ? Nowhere with this ?"

At this I look and see something shiny fall to the ground.

"It's not what you think, it's nothing. I was doing this for Paris. Please don't tell him. Please."

"Do I owe you any favors ?", he says.

There is a long silence.

"We are not having this conversation right now", The one named Jona says.

"We are going to have to have it eventually.", Ashes says

"Are we ?", he says, "It's not my fault I'm the constellation prize for my  brother."

Another long silence.

"Jona you know that's not true."

"Trust me Ashe, I see the way you can't look at him."

"You've been off since started matching hairstyles with Callum. Maybe I should worry about what you want to do with your brother."

"Please, Ashe. Don't tell Paris about this. I was  trying to help him and I got nowhere\. Please. . . if you really care about me,If you want to work things out. Please."

"Fine. . . we should go, curfew is in a few hours."

The one with the cane takes the hand of the other and they walk further back into the woods. I wait a few minutes and follow the path they took. I stumble onto the sidewalk and run to the subway station. When I get back to Queen Anne's the guard doesn't give me a second look as I run inside.

+++

“Paris ?”

“Hmm”,

I turn on the chaise lounge and my laptop tumbles to the ground but I’m to tired to care.  It’s just past midnight and Isobel has shuffled over to my chair in her socked fee.

“Yeah”, I say sleepily

I remember that I'd used falling asleep while running numbers as my excuse for sleeping in my chair. I just wasn't in the market for another cold shower.

“Do you hear. . . screaming ?”

“It's probably Jona. . . he has nightmares. . . still”, I turn into the pillow

“It sounded like a woman. . .”

“I don’t hear anything.”

“Right, hey why don’t you just come to bed, Baby? It’s no big deal.”

“I'm good, Is. Goodnight.”

“Sweet dreams.”

+3+

Ariel

Get up. Go to the showers. Wash your hair. Get dressed.

Don’t cry

Do not cry.

I coach myself through the morning routine I’d done a million times, but I can’t stop catching a glance at Hippolyta’s empty bed or her group of friends looking for her. I find my make up case and make it to the bathroom late finding it empty.

“Busy day”, I  jump when I hear Aria’s airy voice. She is at the sink next to me.

“Um. . . no. . .I. How are you ?”

Aria smiles at herself in the mirror, but the smile seems exasperated.  She brushes her pin straight hair to the side. Her growing belly barley resting on the bathroom sink.

“I”m. . . me”, she says resolved.

“You know Leon was right to have you stay here in the dorms. It’s for the best”

“Oh, Leon”, she says as if I made a precious joke.

“I think it’s romantic.”, I said. As long as I kept talking I could maybe block out Hippolytas screams replaying in my head.

“Hm”, Aria said, “ You know when  I used to run in the morning  Leon would be standing in the quad overseeing SGI and Helios moving in. It was so awkward at first. I’d been going on runs for years and I didn’t want to stop because they were being inconvenient.

We would have these pointless small conversations, just enough to last while I passed by. 

“. . .Outside ?”, I whispered thinking of just how scandalous  that was

“No, Ariel”, she laughed, “You are so funny.”

“That is so romantic, though”

“Maybe, but it’s not love.”, she decided, "Barley friends really."

"But you were with him yesterday."

"He watched his best friend die, I was happy to be there for him. It's . . . complicated"

She settled on putting  her hair in a pontytail. She closed her eyes as if giving herself a pep talk and made her way through the door.

I turned back to the mirror and looked at myself.

Don't look guilty

Do not look guilty.

+++

This time when I see Leon I really take the time and study him. His eyes are a friendly blue. His sweet face however is completely domineered by his hulking form. At nearly twice the size of Helios, it’s no wonder  he was Helios Alpha bodyguard for so long.

For a long time I thought Leon hated  Seraphina as much as the other SGI did, but what was happening between the two of them now proved otherwise.It was getting harder and harder to find Seraphina alone, but if I kept what happened to Hippolyta a secret any longer I was going to burst.

Helios had just finished his morning workout and was showering, giving Seraphina and Leon time to themselves.  I’d stumbled across them alone in the foyer which now served as a recreation room for the SGI. I'd hid in the alcove hoping Leon would leave soon. Instead he settled into his chair and dealt some more cards. They were both in identical gray tanks and shorts, covered in a sheen of sweat.I could hear the jingle of Seraphina’s rings and bangles while she shuffled her cards. I frown realizing her favorite ring missing.

“Again ?”, Seraphina asks as if she is expecting him to say no.

“Yes. . . please. I’m sort of hiding out.”

“From Aria ?, she asks dealing the cards

He sighs

“. . . Being around her is a bit overwhelming.”

“Well she is going to be your wife soon. ”

“Eh”, he said sheepishly, “I wish everyone would stop saying that. I barley know her-”

“You should have thought of that before.”

He scoffed

“It was not entirely like that Seraphina. She seems like a very nice girl, sweet, kind.”

“Very pretty, very delicate features . . .”, she sets a card down.

“Ah, so you can see why I was so enchanted. All this ‘starting a new generation of Seraphim' . . . wasn’t exactly on our mind at the time. Knowing Helios he’ll force upon some ridiculous name on the child like Antigone or Euprides.”

“Aria is sensible. A little naive but you will make an honest woman of her.”, Seraphina decides for him.

“Why do you care ?  I thought you hated all of your Sisters and they hated you back’”

Seraphina shurgs.

“Aria’s always been kind . You two should be proud to be starting a family. . . after all neither of us have one. None of us.”

He scoffs again.

“Yet you don’t seem eager to start one of your own. Or should I pretend I don’t know about the pills ?”

She starts to say something when a group of SGI men barrel in. They aren’t in their standard gray workout clothes, instead they are dressed like ordinary humans in open collared shirts, sleek dress pants and creased jeans.

“Leon”, says one, “We’re getting together . . . You are coming right. . . ”

Leon takes the moment to glance over at Searphina, who the men haven’t even acknowledged. Seraphina flips through her cards, rolling her eyes at their inability to notice her.Since her early days with Helios it was obvious he took an unfair liking to her. Helios fostered whatever it was in her I’d always wished would stay buried.

“I’m kind of busy here. Catch me up later.”, Leon says

“Are you sure”, the man says this time he looks at Seraphina,  but she’s too busy watching Leon. Her eyes are strangely soft. Leon is choosing to stay with her.

“Yes, were in the middle of a fucking game.”, Leon says

The men turn to leave and give Leon a look. Seraphina’s lips tightened and she fans her cards out.

“They’ll come around.”, he says, “We've been together as a unit for years. The things we’ve been through together. It's just hard for them to trust someone new."

“I hear rumors about those men”, Seraphina says.

“What of them ?”

“That they are not happy with Helios’ concentration in the city and  his moves against the Demons. You shouldn’t associate with them. They could turn out be traitors.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions. Besides there is nothing wrong with questioning Helios. He is refusing to take government contracts and the only work in this city is pulling jobs for criminals."

“Helios is our leader I would never disrespect him, you shouldn’t either. Unless you want to end up like Ares.”

“Should I respect Helios even when he’s with a group of men detailing how you never come in bed.”

Leon jumps back as a knife comes between his fingers. He pushes his chair back planting both hands firmly on the table. His eyes go fierce and there is power behind his stance.

“Look at me.” he orders in a commanding voice and she does, “You can disrespect and threatened your sisters, that damn prince, your fellow SGI . .  but you will not treat me as such. We maybe equals now but I am your superior still and you will respect me. You are a woman among men so I insist you get used to how we talk. Control, Seraphina. It will get you a long way.”

Her lips are tightly bound together

“Do you understand ?”, he says. His arms still tense

“Yes”, she says in a clipped tone, “Sir”

I peek over as she pulls the knife out of the table and picks up the cards, fanning them out again. She concentrates hard on her task and tries to calm herself down.

“or Clymmestra”, Seraphina offers from behind her cards. Continuing their conversation of improbable baby names as if nothing else happened.

Leon laughs and just like that things are okay between them.

“I actually kind of like that.”, he decides

“She kills her husband, though”

Leon laughs at that. I'm baffled because I don’t get the joke. I actually think there isn’t one.

“Where the hell did you pull that knife from anyway ?”, he asks.

She lowers her eyes back to her cards, the closest gesture she has that is a smirk. Leon smiles and  turns to pick up his cards.

I want to scream at Seraphina for not realizing how long it takes for Leon to pull his gaze away from her, as she takes the knife out of the table, folding away the blade and unsnapping a clip and placing the disguised barrette  back in her hair. Watching Leon look at her like that makes me want to smile in a very very conflicted way.

"It's complicated", Aria had said.

They continue in perfect silence, playing a few hands of Spades. Just when Leon suggest a simple game of Go Fish, I peek out of my hiding place and wave to her. Her eyes narrow.

She stands and walks coolly across the floor.

“Leon”, she calls back.

“Yeah”,

“Next time Helios brings me up tell him he should try harder.”

She doesn’t see Leon look up and shake his head in exasperation . He mouths something to her back and happily gathers the cards.

When she reaches me she takes my hand and and guides me  up the stairs and to her room. I can't tell her mood but when she slams the door shut, I know she is mad.

“What did I tell you about coming in here?”, she has my wrist so hard it hurts.

“Its not the pits of Hell, honestly.”

“What is it, Ariel”

“It’s Hippolyta. . . “

That’s all I can say, my voice breaks and I start crying.

“Ariel--”, she lets go of me.

“It was my fault, Seraphina. I just wanted to be reminded of Caden. I didn’t think it would happen. I just didn’t think that kind of thing--”

“Where is she. What happened ?”

“I don’t know, some Demons kidnapped her. They just surrounded us. Helios is right they are savage and cruel. I’m so sorry. We shouldn’t have been there but I just needed to. . . I  loved him and I just wanted closure-.”

“Have you told anyone this.”

“No. Just you--”

“Don’t. Ever. If word were to ever get back to Helios that you crossed enemy lines he’d treat you with little more respect than he did Ares."

“No. . .he wouldn’t”, I said. I was young. Just a silly girl.

She thinks twice before answering

“Yes, he would and I can't protect you from that."

“Aren’t you his Alpha ? Doesn’t that mean anything ?”

“I’ll fix this but tell this to no one, Ariel. ”

“I promise. I'm sorry”, I'm crying now, " I just miss him so much. I loved him so much"

Seraphina holds me now and I collapse against her. She bring a comforting hand to my head, but she is far from relaxed.

"Don't cry. I'll fix it, Ariel, I'll fix this for you."

A/N

It is so odd that this is chapter 8 because I wrote the first part to be right after Helio's blows up the shops.

Ariel's top portion was the second Ariel POV/Angel going-ons I did. Leon and Aria were in the top part  in name only. Then I realized that if I wanted to explore Seraphina's relationship with SGI I should probably give them story-time. Now Leon has become one of my personal favorite supporting characters in this.

You : Okay, Lile you keep talking a lot about Seraphina and her proximity to things. Shouldn't you tell this from her POV ?

LiLe : I should, but getting inside her head would be messy. I felt the same way about Mr. F in HOF but he is much more approachable (read : mentally stable) than Seraphina is.

Yes, Paris is pretty useless in this chapter.