I do not own Devil May Cry or any of the characters, stories, locations, plots, etc. thereof.

Might be my quickest update yet. I know you're reading, so please review. Your responses validate me ^_^

Enjoy. RR

The tiny orange disks next to the knife began to blur. Evangeline set the blade down and breathed in deeply then slowly released, expelling the air until her heartbeat slowed. Her hand shook as she picked up the knife again. She curled her fingers near the edge of the carrot and resumed cutting, feeling the smooth metal briefly touch her fingers. She wondered how it would feel to have it slice into her flesh. Would it feel different if she did it?

A giggle and the sound of a toy rattling snapped Evangeline from her thoughts. She scooped the carrot disks onto the knife and dropped them into the boiling water next to her. A droplet of hot water landed on her thumb and she hissed, shaking her hand to rid it of the pain.

She watched the boiling water, listening the gurgling of many bubbles. It was when she was alone and facing the mundane activities of everyday that she felt it. It would suddenly slam into her, knocking her spirit around in a wave of grief. Her jaw would clench and her shoulders would become tense as she struggled to stay above the water. With another deep breath, she leaned against the warm stove and bowed her head.

He came to her like a vision in the steam: solid and stoic. Sometimes she saw him as he was, replaying moments in her head. Other times she remembered her last sight of him, his bloodied face calm as he faced the oncoming horde. It was the moments she saw him dead that brought her to her knees, like she had been punched in the stomach. He was so absent from world. She didn't know where he was or where his soul went. His body was gone; he was gone.

It seemed as if he was never really there. As if the past two years were some drug induced fantasy and she would wake up hung over on a dirty mattress or passed out on someone's floor. But even though he was gone, echoes of him still remained and tortured her by constantly reminding her she wasn't dreaming. He echoed everywhere. In the sound of Dante's foot steps, the solemn look in his eye or the split second when he pushed his hair back. He echoed in Persephone's blue eyes and the tone of her gentle babbles.

The water hissed against the burner as it boiled over, and Evangeline's head snapped up.

"Something's burning," a soft, husky voice said behind her.

"Shit!" Evangeline said and quickly opened the oven. She grabbed the towel off the counter and used it to pull out a pan with chicken, now slightly seared on the bottom. She dropped it next to the over with a clatter.

"Dinner's done," she said wryly.

Trish looked at her and Evangeline raised an eyebrow at the stare.

"What?"

"Are you okay?" Trish asked.

No.

"I'm fine," Evangeline replied.

"We can trade places if you want a somewhere to call your own," Trish said, crossing her arms.

"I already told you. It was very sweet for you to move out. It's good for Persephone to be around family and it's safer even if Lady and Dante are a little loud. So, once again, thank you for giving me your room," Evangeline said as she scooped the slightly burnt chicken onto a plate.

"It's not healthy."

"It's baked chicken. What's unhealthy about it?" Evangeline said.

"You know what I mean. Lady doesn't like it," Trish said before grabbing the pile of plates and silverware and walking out the door.

Evangeline poured out the carrots and slammed the pan down onto the stove before gathering the plate of chicken and following after Trish. Her eyes landed on the blonde carefully setting the plates out on the coffee table in front of the couch. Dante had already sat down with Persephone perched in the crook of his arm. Evangeline quickly reigned in her anger and smiled as Lady started walking down the stairs.

Lady paused on the stairs as she saw Evangeline. Her eyes narrowed slightly but she quickly turned her head away and walked to the table. Evangeline set the food on their makeshift dinner table and two pairs of ice blue eyes stared at her.

Echo.

"Give her here," Evangeline said to Dante. He handed Persephone to her and she gently cradled her daughter, smoothing down her white hair that had begun to curl.

"You going to be good while mommy eats?" she said. Persephone gurgled in response.

"This is good," Dante mumbled, already biting into a piece of chicken.

"Use a plate," Lady snapped.

"What?"

She sighed. "Evangeline, I went ahead and took that offer on the house. Apparently, they liked the new front door well enough to overlook the holes in the walls and floors."

Evangeline took a bite of her carrots with her free hand and bounced Persephone with the other.

"Thanks for doing that and thanks for moving into Dante's room. Persephone has a little too much for us to share," Evangeline replied.

"Yeah, well. With so many extra people it would be nice if some money came in," Lady said without looking up from her food. Trish set down her fork and glanced knowingly at Evangeline.

"Lady," Dante said around a mouth full of chicken. "She can stay here as long as she wants. She's family."

"Why are you always on her side? It's been well over a month since…."

Evangeline forced a smile and interrupted before the words could slip from Lady's lips. "You know that would be nice, which is why I have a job interview in a few days."

They returned to eating their food, but the air seemed to crackle with tension. Trish had set down her plate and tossed her eyes between the two angry females, and an unfazed Dante.

"Dante," Trish said slowly. "Are you coming with us on the job?"

Dante shook his head. "Naw, it's safer if I stay with them tonight."

Lady slammed her dish on the table, rattling the other plates.

"What's your problem?" Dante asked.

Persephone began to cry with the sudden noise, and Evangeline stood up to begin rocking her.

"You don't go on jobs with us," Lady shouted. "I hardly spend time with you. You'd rather just stay here. That's my problem!"

Dante shot out of his seat, his eyes wide with anger and disbelief. "And what do you expect me to do? I need to protect them."

Lady fell silent.

"It's been months. No one is coming after them or coming back," she said suddenly and stormed up the stairs.

Sitting down again, Dante sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. Trish began gathering the dirty plates from the table. She stopped next to Evangeline on the way to the kitchen.

"He's not a replacement," she whispered.

"You don't think I know that?" Evangeline snapped.

##########################

Mirrors aren't safe after losing a twin. With every reflection you jump with their miraculous revival only to have them die again when you realize it's just your face. Dante felt like he was young again, reliving his brother's death; his white hair and blue eyes serving as a constant reminder of their shared blood. He couldn't remember how he pulled himself out of it the first time, and this time, he had his brother's affairs to care for.

Whenever he saw Evangeline, he thought of his mother. The wistful look in her eyes, the sagging of shoulders heavy with the burden of having to raise a child was hell sent him back to his childhood. Vergil had always wanted to be like their father, and it seemed he had received his wish.

Dante didn't want to be a surrogate father; he couldn't discipline a child when he couldn't even control himself. He didn't want to be the shoulder Evangeline leaned upon because she would always find him wanting and would always be searching for Vergil. He had possessed her body and soul.

Dante passed by the small, dirty mirror next to the makeup display and jumped. He exhaled slowly and his face returned to him. He rubbed the back of his neck and grabbed an eyeliner pencil. Evangeline was further down the aisle with, staring intently at shelves of diapers as Persephone sat in her carrier on top of the cart. She raised an eyebrow as he tossed the pencil into the cart.

"Dante, I never knew," she said.

"Oh, haha. It's for Lady. She's mad at me, so I thought I'd do something nice," Dante replied.

"Yes, because makeup will make it all better. It's the way to a woman's heart," Evangeline said as she tossed a package of diapers into the cart.

"I try," he said with a sigh.

"You didn't have to come grocery shopping," she replied, pushing the cart down the aisle.

"Well, I needed out of the shop."

Evangeline glanced at him, with obvious disbelief.

"Okay, it makes me nervous when you guys are by yourself,' he said.

"You know Lady was right last night," Evangeline said and tossed a can of beans into the cart. "No one is coming after us."

"I still need to take care of you," he replied, wishing the conversation would end.

Evangeline stopped in tracks and looked into Dante's blue eyes.

"You're not responsible for us," she said.

I have to, he thought.

"Yeah, well…"

"Oh, what a cute baby!"

The high pitched voice sounded behind them. They turned and saw a short, older woman with messy brown hair.

"Well, thank you," Evangeline said.

The woman peered closer, smiling widely at Persephone.

"How old is she?"

"Three months."

The woman waggled her fingers at the baby.

"I've never seen hair like that before. She looks just like her daddy," the woman said, tentatively touching Dante's arm. Dante felt a slightly sick and his jaw dropped as he tried to find the words.

"Oh, I'm not her father," he stammered eventually.

The woman's eyes narrowed suspiciously and the judgment showed clear in her glare.

"He's her uncle," Evangeline said firmly.

The woman stiffened and stared down her nose. "Oh, well. They just looked so much alike, so I assumed…"

"You're right; you did assume. And if you would like to assume some more, my husband recently died. Do you have anything more to say?" Evangeline snapped.

The woman gaped for a moment before muttering an apology and running down the aisle. Evangeline rubbed her temples as Dante tried to dissect the event. Evangeline straightened headed towards the checkout with a babbling Persephone.

"Don't you think that was a little harsh?" Dante said as he caught up to her.

"No, it wasn't," she growled. "You're not her father and you never will be."

Dante heard the tears in her voice and put a hand on her shoulder.

########################

"So, Mrs. Sparda? Am I pronouncing that correctly?"

"Yes."

"It's very strange name," the well-dressed woman said, adjusting her glasses. She was min-thirties, with an angular face and pulled back brown hair.

"Well, I didn't marry him for his name," Evangeline replied, shifting uncomfortably in a suit that was slightly too big for her as it was tailored made for Trish. What Trish needed a business suit for was beyond her, and she only received a devious smile when she had asked.

"I see you've been out of work for a while."

I was in hell for a while.

"I decided to stay home for my daughter, but I'm hoping to get back into the workforce," Evangeline said with a smile.

"Being an assistant in the college's library is a very stressful job."

I need a cigarette.

"I can handle stress."

"Students can be difficult and demanding."

Demons are difficult and demanding.

"I feel confident in my ability to handle it."

"Especially with your education in English, I think you are well qualified for the position."

Bitch, just give me the job.

Evangeline smiled.

"You can start next week," the woman said with a smile, holding out her hand. Evangeline took it with a firm shake.

"Thank you, so much," she said and walked out the door.

Evangeline heard the yelling well before she walked into the doors of Devil May Cry. She could tell Lady was screaming about something, and she had a suspicion it was probably Dante. She felt a twinge of anger when she realized Persephone was probably crying because of it.

She stepped inside cautiously, keeping an eye out for any flying object or bullets. The parlor was empty, but she could hear screams from upstairs. Just then, Lady stormed down the stairs with a large duffel bag, her face contorted in rage. She saw Evangeline and scoffed.

"Oh, look. She's back and all for you. Just what you wanted, right DANTE!" Lady yelled upstairs.

Dante appeared at the top. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Your brother's gone, now you can have her. One big, happy fucking family," she spat and stomped past Evangeline, slamming the door behind her.

"Bitch!" Dante shouted after.

Evangeline heard Persephone wailing upstairs.

"I'm sorry," Dante called down and rushed back upstairs.

Evangeline chased after him and into the room they had made for Persephone. She lay in her crib, shaking with her cries. Dante leaned over and scooped her into his arms, making gentle shushes to soothe her. Evangeline stopped cold when he looked at her.

I wish you didn't look at me, she thought as the familiar face stared at her.

"I'm really sorry," he said. Evangeline could barely hear him over the echoes. She subtly pinched her arm and the pain made her present.

"What was that about?" Evangeline said, taking Persephone from him. The baby hiccupped slightly from her crying, and Evangeline smiled at her blotchy red face.

"Like it wasn't obvious," he snorted.

"I guess it was," Evangeline replied with a shrug.

"You know, I'm not trying to replace him. I'm not trying anything," he said.

Evangeline looked up, but when all she saw was Vergil, she looked away.

"I know you aren't. I miss him too and being with you brings him closer. Persephone needs her family," Evangeline said, holding back tears and the urge to grab him.

"You know, I thought you would disappear after all those days sitting outside the portal. I'm glad you stayed," he said with a smile.

Evangeline set Persephone down in the crib when she began to rub her eyes. Persephone squirmed for a moment before drifting into sleep.

"I got the job."

"Kind of a change of subject."

"Yeah, well I don't want to admit that I thought about leaving…then I realized I had nowhere else to go," Evangeline said quickly and left

Evangeline took off her suit and sat on the bed for a long time. Eventually, she heard Dante pause at her door before continuing to the shower. When running water became audible, she released and the wracking sobs escaped her. Tears streamed down her cheeks faster than she could brush them away. She desperately tried to grab a hold of herself, but was overwhelmed by the wave until she was lost in it, unsure of whether she could find the surface.

It was like drowning. First panic then slow acceptance until your lungs filled with water and everything was at peace. She let herself drown until she couldn't feel the pain any longer. Every emotion purged itself with her tears until there was nothing left but the empty husk. She didn't want to die; she simply wanted to no longer exist.

A knock on the door.

"Evangeline."

Oh, please don't come in, she thought as a new wave of pain swept over her, and she was drowning again.

She heard the creak of the door and the sound of bare feet on the floor. Curling herself into a ball, she hugged her legs, refusing to look up. Dante's warm hands were on her shoulders, and finally she looked at him.

Dante's hair was wet and plastered to his head. He was dressed in a simple black shirt and loose pants that served as his pajamas. His face was stern and his eyes concerned, so she couldn't tell whether it was him or twin.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

His voice was lighter, more fluid. He wasn't Vergil.

Dante sat next her and wrapped his arm around her. She turned towards him, feeling the heat radiate of his chest. With both hands, she pushed his wet hair. For a moment she thought he would stop her. But after tensing, he allowed her to. She brought herself closer, and pressed her trembling lips against his.

She felt the pressure as he momentarily kissed back, but then his hand was on her wrist and he pulled away.

"I'm not him," he said softly.

"Just pretend," she pleaded and tried again.

Dante turned his head away.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't want this. I've wanted you since I first saw you, and I've been jealous ever since," he gently detangled her arms from his neck. "I know we could let this happen. But I also know that you love him and only him, and right now, you are grieving. It's sucks to have the same face, but I can't be him."

Evangeline's shoulders shook and she buried her face in her hands as the tears started anew. Dante wrapped his arm around her and kissed her hair.

"We'll get through this. Would you like me to lie here with you tonight?" he asked.

Evangeline nodded and he lay down with her buried in his shoulder. The echoes were gone, and Vergil went with them. Dante held her, feeling the part of him which contained Vergil whither away.

###################

When Evangeline woke up, she found she was alone in the bed. Her face felt puffy and grimy from crying. Rubbing her eyes, she looked around for her robe and quickly wrapped herself in it. She hurried to Persephone's room to find the crib empty, and heading downstairs.

Persephone was in her bouncing seat next to the couch. Dante emerged from the kitchen wielding a mug of coffee and a pile of deformed pancakes. He smiled a shrugged.

"I thought you would be hungry," he said.

"In a little bit," she said and walked into the kitchen. Tucked behind the spices was a box of cigarettes and a lighter. She grabbed them quickly and stuffed them into her robe pocket. In the parlor, Dante was leaned over Persephone, contorting his face for her amusement. Evangeline smiled and quickly dashed over to wrap her arms around him.

"I though we talked about this last night," he said, tensing up.

Evangeline released him.

"Thank you, Dante," she said. "We're lucky to have you. And I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well," he said, flexing. "I'm hot, irresistible. It's to be expected."

Evangeline laughed.

"Besides, Vergil would have done the same for me," he said, sitting down.

"No he wouldn't. He would have slept with me," she replied.

Dante paused and pondered the statement for a moment. "Yeah, he probably would have."

"I'm going to step outside for a moment," Evangeline said.

"Gee, I hope you aren't sneaking a cigarette," Dante said loudly, winking.

Evangeline sneered and walked out the door and into the cold air. Her toes quickly went numb from the morning chill as she leaned against the wall and lit the cigarette. The acrid smoke felt soothing on her throat, and she lost herself in the taste of addiction. Closing her eyes, she let the smells of morning mingle with tobacco and the sun slowly warm her face.

As she began to doze, the cigarette was suddenly pulled from her lips and her eyes shot open.

"What the hell…."

She turned to face her cigarette-hating foe and was struck dumb by blue eyes. For a moment, she thought it was Trish or Dante, making a statement. But as her brain whirled around the possibilities it suddenly settled on the simple truth.

"You said you would stop smoking these," Vergil said, and crushed the butt under the heel of a tattered boot.

He was covered in blood and dirt as if it were painted on. His clothes hung from his body in a tattered mess, and she recalled how he had appeared when he had escaped from hell. Though his face seemed thinner, he had a small smirk on his lips as his eyes waited for an answer.

Evangeline opened her mouth and a squeak of disbelief came out. Then she shook her head.

"What took you so long?" she finally asked.

He raised an eyebrow.

"You expect me to believe you thought I was still alive?" he said.

She straightened up, somewhat angry at his distant attitude towards his return.

"I almost slept with your brother," she said.

"If you didn't than you must have realized he would pale in comparison to me," he said.

Evangeline laughed and the wave of grief disappeared to be replaced by tsunami of sheer relief and joy. She clasped her hands over her mouth with disbelief as Vergil swept her into an embrace. He smelled terrible and felt grimy, but she couldn't have felt happier. He was so very real. She pulled his face towards her and kissed him again and again, tasting blood and mud and various other substances she didn't want to name, but he kissed her back, slaying any doubts in her mind.

Vergil grabbed her hand and led her into the building. Dante was shoveling the pancakes into his mouth and reading a magazine.

"Shouldn't you be watching your kid?" he asked and looked up, the mouthful of pancake tumbling out.

He shot out of his seat, and looked around as if reconfirming reality. He looked back to Vergil and his eyes grew wide.

"Verg, you really need to decide if you're going to be dead or alive because this is getting old," he said.

Vergil only smiled and walked over to his brother, patting him on the back.

"I didn't sleep with her if you're worried," Dante said suddenly.

Vergil shook his head. "I wasn't worried."

He leaned down in front of Persephone and soft smile grew on his face.

"Hi, beautiful girl. I'm sorry I didn't get back sooner," he said softly. His heart swelled and his time in hell became a distant memory.

"Vergil," Evangeline said. "What happened?"

Vergil stood up.

"I need to take a shower and eat," he proclaimed and walked up the stairs.

Dante and Evangeline exchanged looks as Vergil nonchalantly left them.

"I guess I will get him some clothes," Evangeline said and followed after.

######################

Vergil watched the last of the dirty, sudsy water wash away. He had heard Evangeline come in and remain in the bathroom and smiled. He pulled back the curtain and sure enough, Evangeline sat on the toilet with clothes in her arms, staring with her demonic brown eyes. She handed him a towel and he began drying off. She could see he had lost weight, but there were no wounds to speak of.

"Why aren't you acting like this is a big deal? This is a big deal," she said.

"Everything is okay now," he said.

"I thought you were dead," she shrieked.

"And I'm sorry, but it took a while to find a way out."

"How did you escape?" she asked, holding the clothes hostage when he reached for them.

"Give me the clothes," he said. She handed him the jeans and black shirt.

"If you have to know, I waited for them, and then I ran away," he mumbled.

"You ran away?" she said, skeptical.

"Yes. They came. I ran and followed me. I lost them eventually and wondered around until I found a portal to escape," he said.

"You ran away? That's not exactly an epic warrior's tale."

He pulled the shirt over his head and paused.

"I realized I didn't want to die," he said finally.

He opened the door and Dante was leaned over, eavesdropping. Vergil just glanced at him and walked past.

"I'm going to bed," he said, very aware of how tired his body was.

He entered the room and lay down on the bed. It smelled like Evangeline. A few minutes later the door opened and closed and he rolled over. Evangeline placed Persephone on the bed next to him and laid down next her. Persephone kicked as he gently stroked her tiny hand.

"She;s bigger," he said.

"Yeah," Evangeline said, not taking her eyes off of him. "I love you."

"I love you," he said. He leaned over and kissed Persephone's cheek then grabbed Evangeline's hand. He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb and closed his eyes.

"You have a lot of nerve, you know that?" Evangeline said.

He smiled. "I knew you would take me back."

"I might not next time."

"There won't be a next time," he said. He could hear Dante pacing outside.

The room fell silent and he slowly drifted into sleep, still holding Evangeline's hand.

"What do you think about having another baby? I want twins," he murmured.

Evangeline snorted. "Considering the trouble this one put us through?"

Pause.

"I'll think about it," she said.

Vergil smiled and fell asleep. He dreamt of his mother, and instead of pain, he felt peace. For once, he understood and no longer felt guilt.

Because I love my creation so much, I decided I want to continue with it in another story. If you'd like to see more, let me know. PEACE!