On a Wing and a Prayer

Part one

Natalie heads to the next town in search of her own place to stay. Part of her, a part that she was fervently ignoring, was tempted to go back and stay with the dhampire. Those thoughts were embarassing to her as she had only met the male. There was no reason to act like she couldn't think with anything but her hormones. It wasn't like she was going to see him ever again so there wasn't any reason to feel the way she did. Even if she was, there was no reason for him to be interested in her at all. In any event, from what she had heard about him, he seemed to think himself unworthy of such emotions and tried not to put himself in a postion where he felt them.

She settles herself in and stretches out on the bed. Starring at the ceiling, she thinks over the events that had led her there. Her father was an archangel who had fallen in love with a mortal woman centuries after his last wife had died. Natalie's mother had had reservations about it as he had three children and she could tell they were reserved about their father being with her. However, even they could tell that their father's feelings were returned and eventually warmed up to her. Though their love was brief, her father enjoyed what time they spent together. Natalie's birth gave himself something to remember her and her siblings never begrudged her presence.

Unlike her full-blooded siblings who could wield fire and lightning, her powers were tuned to water, air, and ice. This combination made her powerful...and it was this power that attracted someone like Aerian. While the male despised her for her "dirty" blood, her power would more than make up for it. Unfortunately, she hated him, she hated him ever since she was a child and she didn't see that changing.

She sighs again and rubs her eyes. Thinking about it gave her a headache. There was no way she was going to agree to a marriage with that scumbag. He may be an archangel and a powerful one at that, but he was far too cold for her to even want to attempt it. "How do I manage to get into these messes?" she wonders aloud even though she knows that there will be no answer given. There probably would never be an answer for why she had to deal with what she was.

She takes a nap to recharge and decides that it was time to continue on her way to her unknown destination. The cloudy day didn't do much for her mood but she couldn't do anything about that. That, unfortunately, wasn't one of her abilities, as much as she would like it to be. Petty, maybe but there were worst things one could wish for.

Day soon wanes into night and she searches for shelter. A small inn gives her a room for the night. She finds herself wondering what D was doing and then chastises herself. "Silly chit," she mutters as she sprawls out, "You don't even know the male. This is no time to act like an idiot. He's probably three towns away in the opposite direction by now." Maybe if she told herself this enough she'd stop wondering so much.

Natalie finds herself on her way early the next morning. This was beginning to feel monotonous and it had only been two days. If this kept up, she was going to lose her mind before Aerian ever got to her. "I need something to do," she mutters, "I need a direction or something...anything will help. Just someone give me a sign."

Almost as if answer, a large gust of wind blows over the area and something hits her in the back of the head. "I didn't mean literally," she mutters as she turns to see what object was sent into her. She lifts up a familiar hat and wonders what deity hated her. She manages to keep herself from doing a happy dance in her own mind as she watches the owner of the hat come trotting up. "Lose something, Dhampire?" she asks holding out the hat. When he looks at her, with a calculating expression that is hard to decipher she begins to wonder if something is wrong. However, he finally reaches out and takes the hat from her hand.

"Thank you," he murmurs before adding, "and I don't mean for the hat."

She stills immediately. "H-how?"

"Some people get themselves knocked out and don't remember anything. Luckily for D, he's never alone to not know how things have turned out," another voice comments. Natalie's eyes are drawn to his hand and she realizes who was speaking to her.

"I see. Well...you needed help and I couldn't just you die. You didn't do anything to deserve some nobody deciding to kill you."

"Most people wouldn't care."

"I am not most people. I am half-angel and I have a tendency to have to help people who need it."

"Well, that would explain the wings...and the fact that you aren't breathtakingly beautiful."

She gives D's hand an ugly look. "Are you always this much of a pest?"

"Sometimes more," D tells her before looking down, "That was entirely unnecessary and you know it."

"It's the truth."

Natalie closes her eyes and counts to ten. Why is it that when EVERYONE learned about her heritage, they had to point THAT out? "Thank you...for proving to me that even people who DON'T know me have to say that. I appreciate it."

"Don't listen to him," D tells her, "He's completely out of line."

"But he's right."

D is silent for a moment and she amends her statement with, "Don't worry about it. You don't need to comment to that. I am just tired is all. I am too human to be considered worthy of my wings and too angel to be looked upon as anything other than a freak."

"Wow, you two have something in common. You should join up so you can complain about your mutually miserable lives."

"Shut up before I cut you off and leave you to rot," D says irritably.

"Okay, okay. Jeez, moody much?"

"I can see why," Natalie comments. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a slight smile from D.

"No comments from you."

"Why not? You can comment about me so that gives me the right to do the same, besides, you owe me you know. If I hadn't come after you, you both would be dead. I would a bit nicer if I were you."

"She has a point," D says mildly.

"Yeah, so we owe her our lives. Personally, I hate repaying debts."

"You might but I don't. It would be dishonerable not to."

"So what are we going to do just hang around until she manages to get herself in a position where someone is trying to kill her?"

"Umm, no thank you. Personally, I don't think I bother people enough to make them want to kill me. However, I do admit to not having a set path at the moment...and if you need another's company who isn't snarky and annoying, I'd be more than willing to join you." Nope, that didn't sound too eager at all.

"Oh no, D doesn't go for partners..."

Whatever he was going to add on is interrupted by D's response of, "As you wish. Just try not to hinder me, too much."

"D!" the symbiote protests, "this is NOT a good idea."

"Deal," Natalie tells the Dhampire with a grin, "I think things are looking up." This is accompanied by a loud groan from the direction of D's hand.