slayers_desire | kidnapped by Demons: the rescue

"More than likely. But I don't want to think about it right now." April finished the blood bag and set it aside.

Moving closely to him, April nodded. "Uh huh. I didn't dare sleep, because I did not want them trying anything will I was chained up. But at night, I thought of you. And being in your arms again."

"And I felt secure. Even hundreds of miles and a dimension apart from you."

He wraps his arms around her again, almost pulling her into his lap, enfolding her in his protective embrace. "I'm glad." He would much rather have been there himself, or that she had never gone through this, but knowing that he was able to help even from another universe... it's good enough for now.

The embrace had been one that Apriil had thought about, that kept her from completely losing control in the darkest of times.

Nuzzling him, her lips brush against his neckline. "I would have been lost without you."

He would hold her forever if he could. When they first started, first met, he never would've guessed or dreamed that he would be here, now, with her. But now that he has it, he doesn't know how he'd live without it. Without her.

"No matter what, no matter where, I'll find you and be there when you need me," he promises, and dearly hopes that he'll never be forcibly separated from her like this again.

"I know that. I always known that." Well technically not always, but April has felt his passion and love for her for quite some time. And knew that Clark would never let anything bad to her.

"I would do the same for you. If I ever have to." And she dearly hopes that nothing bad happens to him that would force the situation.

Her senses reawakened from the ordeal, April takes in his scent. And sighs softly, contently, as he fingers trail down his back.

He closes his eyes, taking in her touch, the sound of her breathing, and the gentle thud-thud of her heart. "I think the multiverse owes us a vacation," he says, trying to be light-spirited. He's not used to feeling physical exhaustion, but the mental strain of the past week has been a huge drain on his energy.

"I agree. Where do you want to go?" Because mostly, April wants to get away from Rome as fast as she can.

"Somewhere quiet. Where we can just sit and do nothing together for a while." He's spent more than enough time sitting and doing nothing alone. And with the danger over, now it's all he wants to do, being with her. Somewhere that they can both recover from this ordeal.

"How about a nice beach in France? We should be close enough."

Clark was thinking tropical island, but in truth the idea of any beach and sun sounds fantastic about now. "France it is, then. I just need to get James back to Rome first." He cocks his head slightly, trying to listen for the soft sounds that mark the Pockla demon's presence. He hasn't seen him since he left the room after the healing.

James had been making himself useful, by tending to Lister demons in need of assistance. It would take Clark long bto find him.

In the meanwhile, April arranged for their clothes to be sent to Rome once they were clean. And to arrange a couple of tropical outfits too.

Clark is uneasy about ordering around people who he just freed from forced servitude, but he takes comfort in the knowledge that they obey out of choice, not by force. And that after they leave, the Lister will be free to go about their lives completely as they choose.

He doesn't like leaving her again, but it's easier than the last time. Nothing bad has happened since he arrived and cleaned out the castle of the Scourge, and he keeps an ever watchful ear on her as he goes, alert to any sign that she needs him.

When he finally tracks down James, he hangs back a little, not wanting to interfere with his work. But makes himself obvious when he has no more Lister demons to help. "I didn't get a chance to thank you earlier."

James moved towards Clark when he noticed the young man. He reached out a taloned hand and clicked his tongue. "No thanks necessary. Strong one."

Meanwhile April is collecting what they need for a mini vacation on the beach. Gently refusing the assistance of the Lister when she has to.

"Maybe not, but I still want to give them. So, um, thank you. A lot." He's not very eloquent, but he's very sincere. He takes the taloned hand in his, grasping it firmly in a half-handshake. Gestures and words don't seem adequate. "I can take you back, if you're ready."

"I am ready." James returns the handshake. "Take me home."

Clark presses the recall button on his PINpoint, teleporting the two of them back to the bar in Rome. "Thank you again. I know you were repaying a favor, but if I can ever do anything for you, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Some day, when you have time, you can explain your strength to me. I have never seen anything like it." James replied. He would have a smile too, if one could see behind the red cloak that hide his features.

"I'll do that," Clark promises. Here, in another universe, he feels much less need to keep himself a secret. And in this community, with this demon that he's come to trust and respect, he feels that it's a justifiable trade. "I guess I'll see you later, then."

Idly, he wonders what exactly the other patrons and the staff here think of all this coming and going, especially with the drama of his earlier entrance, at speed and smeared with blood. But no one seems to be reacting too strongly, so he puts it out of his mind and teleports back to the castle.

After finding a beach blanket and some sunny-day clothing, April is waiting for Clark outside the castle. The Lister are even more busy now in their attempts to make this castle into a new home.

"No offense to the Lister, but I can't wait to leave."

He smiles more readily when he sees her standing, still checking her over for weaknesses in case she needs a helping hand, but happy to see that she's well on her way to regaining normalcy. "I totally get that." He wouldn't want to have a long stay somewhere that he'd been extensively tortured, either.

He's still holding the keychain that let him communicate with James. "Should I... give this back before we go?"

"They want you to keep it. In case you visit again." April moves to his side and takes his arm. "You are really a hero to them. Me too."

That makes sense, so he shoves it deep in his jeans pocket, freeing up his hand so he can better grasp hers. "I just did what I had to do," he says modestly. "But... if someone called me Superman today, I don't know if I'd argue too much. Maybe tomorrow."

"Superman." April chuckled softly. She could invision perhaps one certain encounter when that name might be appropriate. "Don't worry, the Lister won't. To them you are just Clark."

Oddly, that makes him feel a lot better than he thought it would. Even today, feeling like he could take on an entire planet's worth of the Scourge and come out on top, fighting for justice, it's still a comfort to know that he's still himself to other people. And that maybe he doesn't have to change too much into an unattainable ideal than he thinks.

"Ready to go?"

April nodded, then entered the coordinates of a private France beach in Clark's PINpoint. Her own PINpoint was safely in her apartment. The last thing she had wanted was to give The Scourge access to the Nexus.

"Let's go."

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