Everybody Needs a Place to Die

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Darksiders. It belongs to Vigil and its creators.

War reflected on the past month, since the night she had collapsed on the battlefield. She hadn't moved, had made no sound as she slipped slowly away. Demon magic had kept her alive so far as nourishment went but would only do so for only so long. The people had turned to him for guidance after losing both their leader and her second in command. Things were slowly beginning to return to a semblance of normalcy. Still he waited; still he guarded her and her people until she could return to lead them. He shut his eyes and let his mind drift as the argument between his brothers and sister reached his ear. It was one he'd heard and been part of time after time in the last month.

Fury screamed at her brothers, "What would you have us do? Wait and watch over a human and her half demon pups until she wakes or dies?" Strife would remain silent and brooding while Death raised as eyebrow at his sister, never one to easily become riled. "Peace sister, our brother grieves in his own right and for his own reasons." And the argument would die away.

War drifted back to that terrible night at the mention of Cian and Moira. With her cleaned up and nestled in the bed, he had taken the children in his arms to comfort them, the action awkward at first. Sometime later his brothers had entered, finding him cradling the children in his lap, both sound asleep. Cian's hand tangled in the silver-white locks of hair that spilled from under his hood. Before that night he had only ever once drew a weapon on his brothers and sister, but when they moved toward her children he did. Slowly and carefully so as not to wake them, he placed them on the pallet with Bella. He turned and drew Chaoseater, leveling it at them. His words came softly but no less deadly, "Touch either of them and the angry blade will be bathed in your blood." They were shocked and angry at his actions but so be it.

The silence in the next room slowly drew him back to the present and the still form lying on the bed between two sleeping children. Sighing he stood and moved to the bed, taking her hand in his, he leaned close to her ear and spoke. "Please, Bella come back." He pressed a kiss to er lips, butterfly soft, before placing her hand back on her stomach. He made it to the door and was about to open it, "War?" The voice was low and husky from disuse. He dared not turn around for fear of having finally lost his sanity. Twin screams of "Mommy!" had him whipping around even as his brothers and sister rushed into the room.

Bella struggled to sit up, weakened and War was beside her in an instant, his strong arm bracing her. She smiled in thanks as tears streamed down her face and she wrapped the twins in her arms, nuzzling her face in their hair. She inhaled their scents. After sometime she finally calmed down. War introduced her to his "brothers". She looked up at him when he spoke, "Why now?"

"I can't really say." Her face saddened and darkened with grief. "I saw my brother, my sister and her mate in a graveyard. They told me everybody needs a place to die but that this wasn't mine. They told me to come back, but I was lost in the dark and then I heard you calling me home." They looked on in surprise as she finished her tale. War gave Death a wry smile before dropping a kiss on top of Bella's coppery curls. "Seems she cheated you brother." Death nodded slowly appraising the human as she looked up at his brother with her heart shining in her eyes. "Yes brother, it seems our sister-to-be has." All eyes turned to him then as she gave a smug smile.

Bella tipped her head back to look up at War offering him everything he'd ever wanted and didn't know he was missing until that moment. She offered him peace. He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers, and accepting the offering she gave as she in turn accepted his and all that went with him. Death decided they should stay for now; these humans would need help reclaiming what was theirs. Besides who knew what else was waiting for them. Death gave a genuine smile as he looked to his brother and the happiness he had found. Oh but Death knew, indeed he knew.