The way he had been around her tonight, Aleena smiled her face slightly flushed. He was so different from the bullying half wit when she had first met him. Facilier had become so gentle with her, almost protective. Aleena knew the feeling of protection due to all the men she had been with in the past, but in those days she hated it. It was a more along the lines of a jealous protection. But she felt with Facilier he wasn't going to attempt to restrain her. All he did was plant the thought of him in her heart. Not to hold her as a captive, but to reassure himself that she would always think of him, and never forget him.

In a way, that little brand he put on her seemed almost childish. This man was probably the most important thing to happen in her life, and yet she knew nothing of him, nothing of his past, and nothing of his family. The only things she had to go on were mere observations and assumptions. Aleena had an inclination that Facilier was probably not loved well as a child, that or he was abandoned and left to wander. Come to think of it, Mama Odie talked of the good Doctor as if he were her own child gone astray. Perhaps after Facilier had been abandoned, he went to Mama Odie, and found comfort in the practice of voodoo. And the rest, well it didn't take much for a magic wielder to fall prey to the darker parts of the art. All it took was one bad day.

Almost lovingly, Aleena stroked the branded F on her neck. She would not forget Facilier; she would keep her promise and return to him when she felt it was safe to. Aleena knew that if she stayed away forever, she would fall victim to depression. Not only would her mind crave Felix, her body would too. Despite her hate of feeling vulnerable, Aleena was all too aware of herself, she would at some point need to be near the Doctor again. Lest that she be driven mad without him.

Aleena chuckled as she walked. All this was so much to think about. But in some ways it gave her a simplistic pleasure. Just laying all her thoughts and feelings out on the table, so as to observe and categorize them to some extent. She felt at peace, everything was going to be alright. Tomorrow she would be on the next train out of here, and she would be able to find some tranquility in a few weeks within the pine forests that Oregon was so well known for. There she would be able to truly think.

Reaching her door, she was about to open it, but something caught her eye causing her to freeze, hand hovering just over the door knob. The door was slightly ajar. Aleena's blood felt as if it had frozen over. Slowly she looked around, listening. Trying to catch the sound of anything that didn't belong, so far there was nothing.

But she thought so too soon, hearing the crunching of the gravel behind her. Aleena spun around. A gun was cocked, made ready to fire shot. Green eyes wide, Aleena opened her mouth, ready to scream. An explosion of noise echoed through the dark streets. Mouth open in a silent and pain filled cry Aleena glanced down at her chest. Blood bloomed slowly from the hole in her flesh. Her face paled, as she continued to feel the blood leaking from her.

Aleena coughed, causing blood to bubble up onto her lips, coating them in a metallic scarlet lips stick. She gasped trying to gain some breath, but it hurt, it hurt so much. She staggered and tried to support herself by holding onto the outside brick laden wall of her shop. But her fingers could no longer grip, they could no longer feel. An unbearable cold seemed to overwhelm her body.

More blood dripped from her mouth as she fell onto the gravel. Slowly her eyes searched the night, only to find a pistol aimed for her. And the hand holding it belonged to a figure cloaked in nothing but white, a ghost in the night with cold dark eyes looking back at her. Aleena attempted to use her magic, to summon some vines, anything to escape. But all it did was pain her. Rolling onto her back, she clutched the gaping hole in her chest, beginning to choke on her own blood. Another shot rang out, Aleena's eyes glasses over. Emerald orbs wide in shock. Her chest no longer moved with life. Blood trickled down her jaw slowly. Her hands limp, no longer fisted and clutching to life.

The next morning, Facilier woke up late. It was around twelve in the afternoon. He smiled as he sat up in bed, glancing around his room. The Doctor was a tad depressed about the thought of his love and adversary leaving him for an undetermined period of time. He hoped that she would return to him. Just the thought of meeting her at the station when she did lifted his spirits.

Shrugging to himself, Facilier got dressed in his usual attire. He might as well go and earn some money. Aleena came to mind again, if she were with him right now, she would have most likely wacked him upside the head for swindling people. But of course he would meet her toe to toe on the statement and remind her of house she funds her life. And that adorable speechless look would adorn her face. Then she would get frustrated, making her even more desirable. The very thought of that little imaginary scene had Facilier smiling and laughing to himself.

Reaching the door to the outside, he finished off his appearance with his top hat and cane. Straightening his hat, he opened the door. His eyes traveled upward, they widened, and his cane fell with a clattered onto the cobblestone ground. No, no this wasn't possible. It couldn't happen! NO!

With a strangled cry he ran forward to the old tree in the courtyard. Hanging from one of the branches, was a bloody corpse with empty green eyes, eyes that he had looked into only last night. She hung by her neck, blood dripping onto the ground, feeding the earth that lay bellow. With tear filled eyes and trembling eyes, Facilier worked on get his beloved down, unable to work on the knot of the noose Facilier burned the rope, catching her in his arms. She was so pale, so gaunt. Her eyes stared into his unblinking. She had been stripped on all clothing; something was carved into her chest, something that was not the half mooned scar.

His eyes were glued to the carving of a circle, and within the circle was a cross. Slowly his eyes searched her face, the face of his dear sweet Aleena. She was gone, forever. And not even he could bring her back. Tears made their trek down his cheeks, they dropped onto her cheeks. Leaning forward, Facilier kissed her eyes closed, hugging her he wept.

Facilier's found the Klan mark; he knew who did this to Aleena. Oh he knew too well. And he now understood why Aleena had been so keen on leaving New Orleans. And the man who did it would pay tonight, when the shadows were out to play. He would be dearly. All of New Orleans would pay for the death of the only person Felix Facilier ever cared for.

Night fell on the crescent city, as if sensing the mood and the things to come, no animals made noise. The moon was full, lighting up the streets, making it a city of shadows. Basil Ryder sat at a small local bar, knocking back a few shots of some form of expensive alcohol. He had gotten what he wanted, and he had gotten away with it. Aleena would never be looked for; everyone had been made aware that she was supposed to leave early this morning. No one be any the wiser that she did not even reach the train. He smirked in triumph, served her right, denying him for a disgusting nigger. She got what she deserved, Aleena Malone was burning in hell, and he would drink to that.

Paying for his drink, Basil grabbed his jacket and left. When the door closed behind him, a figure seemed to unglue itself from the shadows, opening the door the figure fallowed Basil. As Basil walked, he began to stagger into the more deserted parts of town. He was a tad tipsy. In the moonlight, Basil spotted a figure that stood in the middle of the street. He narrowed his drunken eyes, trying to make it out. Slowly the figure looked up at him.

Facilier glared daggers at the scum before him. Shadows began to build up behind him as he continued to stand motionless. Tonight he would avenge he fallen love. Basil continued to stare, unable to fully comprehend that on this night he would die. With a grimace, Facilier lifted his cane from the earth, and brought it down, the tap sounding thunderous in the empty streets.

From every shadow a monster seemed to emerge, and with a nod of Facilier's head. Every single shadow went careening toward Basil. Suddenly understanding what was about to happen. Basil let out an inhuman scream. The monsters passed through him, and with every passing. His flesh was ripped clean of the bone. Basil's knees buckled as he continued to scream. Facilier sauntered toward him and stopped when he stood facing the opposite direction on the left of Basil. The shadows had ceased for a few minutes, they would be back, and Facilier would make sure of that. Basil looked over at him, fear in his eyes. The Doctor's eyes held not one shred of pity, all it held of pure unadulterated loathing and rage. Gripping his cane, Facilier swung it, causing the purple orb of the cane to hit Basil clear across the face.

Without looking back, Facilier left the man, the shadows continued to strip Basil of every shred of flesh, until his form crumpled, and he lay in a heap of bones on the ground. A small white light floated from the bones, attempting to ascend to the heavens. But before it could go any further, Facilier's Shadow snatched it, with the light in hand. Shadow flew back to the Emporium and presented the soul of Aleena's murder to Facilier's friends on the other side.

No one but Facilier knew what had become of Aleena, not long after her assumed departure from New Orleans. Men came and to pick up her belongings, no doubt sending them to her destination. Only when they arrived, the belonging would not be reunited with their owner.

On the night Facilier avenged her, he buried Aleena beneath the old tree outside his Emporium. She would have wanted that, he knew that well enough. He carved her name into the trunk and emblazoned the carvings with silver. He would make this city pay for what happened; he would do it no matter what it took. He swore it before her grave. But Aleena's spirit lingered, only to watch her dear Doctor one last time, she wept for him. She would always love him, and he her. Even in death. No matter where their souls rested. Be it heaven or hell.