Lee explained her reasoning, why it had been so hard for her to believe and Tarin closed his eyes, glad that Lee couldn’t see his face. The confirmation that she’d been so utterly hopeless just confirmed exactly what Tarin had known, what he had witnessed.

”It’s okay…we got there.” Tarin said, still quietly. If he talked any louder she’d figure it all out. Lee knew him too well for Tarin to let anything show if he was going to do what he was planning to do.

Lee’s shaky breath brought Tarin back to the current moment and she finally seemed to relax a bit as he held her in the dark. He should have been tired, if for no other reason than it was the middle of the night and he’d only had a few hours of sleep. Tarin wasn’t tired though, not in the slightest. No. Tarin was antsy and wide awake, his mind on fire. Tarin also wasn’t going to move, not a centimeter, not until Lee wanted him too. It felt so good to hold her and again Tarin sent a little thanks out to every deity he could think of that Lee was here and he was here and that they could do this.

Eventually Lee spoke, asking if he was sure about his energy level and he answered with a simple, ”Mmmhm. I promise I’m good.” he hadn’t realized she’d completely turned off her siphoning. That soon after that dream it had to have been uncomfortable for her and Tarin almost wished she hadn’t.

”Where was the house?” he asked after another few minutes, ”You don’t see many houses like that on the island.” hopefully the question was casual enough. He didn’t need the answer, but it would make things easier.

Tarin's voice was just as quiet as hers was when they spoke. Not that they needed to be any louder with how close they were to each other. But even with the low volume, Tarin's voice, like his arms, was comforting.

But they got there, he said. She had realized that not only had she not been hallucinating, Tarin had really been there, in what had turned out to be a nightmare.

When Tarin confirmed, again, that his energy was alright after what had happened, Lee immediately turned her siphoning back on. She didn't need the energy, but after that nightmare she definitely felt a lot better about being able to feel it, and she relaxed slightly in Tarin's arms.

Then Tarin asked a question about the dream. No, not about the dream, a question about what had happened to her.

"Wasn't a real house," Lee whispered after a few moments. "I only found out after I was found. It was in a warehouse."

It hadn’t been a real house. It had been in a warehouse. That made sense. That was how nobody had heard or seen. That was how Lee had been so far away from energy even when she’d been in one of the most populous places in the world.

Again, the premeditation, the sheer audacity of what had happened and the fact that nobody had been able to figure out where Lee was made Tarin’s blood boil.

Tarin wanted to ask more, but with as long as it had taken Lee to answer he wasn’t going to make her say any more. That was fine. As he’d thought before, knowing would have made things easier but he didn’t need the info.

“Okay.” he said simply, tightening his arms slightly for just a moment.

It was quiet then for a long time, Tarin’s arms wrapped around Lee in the dark. She’d relaxed a lot since she’d woke, but Tarin wanted to be sure Lee was good before he did anything else.

”Do you think you’re going to be able to go back to sleep?” he asked finally, knowing from Lee’s breathing that she wasn’t asleep.

Tarin simply said ok when she told him that it hasn't been a real house she had been kept in all that time. That it had been inside a warehouse.

Lee wasn't sure what she had been expecting Tarin's response to be, but it hasn't been that.

At least he wasn't asking her anything else, not asking for any more details. Lee wished that she could completely forget about the entire thing, but after that nightmare, the details were almost as fresh in her mind as they had been in the hospital right after it had happened.

But with Tarin's arms around her, being able to feel his energy, hearing his breathing, slowly Lee started to relax as she laid there.

Lee wasn't sure how much time had passed before she heard Tarin's voice again. "I think so," Lee replied, then hesitated a moment. "Maybe? I have now energy now than I normally sleep with, but it's not a lot."

He could feel Lee starting to relax again and Tarin’s worry started to fade just a bit. Seeing her like that in the dream, holding her while she cried after. It had fundamentally changed something in him and as the worry faded it made the anger even more prolific. It didn’t have anything to contend with and now there wasn’t much he could do to keep it at bay.

He asked Lee if she was going to be able to sleep again and Lee that she wasn’t entirely sure.

This was the moment. The decision had been made the moment he’d stood in that room and realized what he was seeing, but this was the moment to see if it would all come to fruition.

“I…I don’t think I can sleep right now. I think I might need to go for a walk, clear my head and get some air. If you want me to stay, I’ll stay.” he said voice still soft, earnest and gentle…for Lee.

Tarin wanted to go for a walk to clear his head. He didn't think he'd be able to sleep.

But he would stay if she wanted him to. If she needed him to.

At that moment, Lee didn't want Tarin's arms to ever let go of her. But Lee also remembered how she had felt when she had gone into his nightmare. Seen what he had gone through.

She didn't need Tarin to stay. Plus, Lee reminded herself, she had never once sensed an adapted while she was in the apartment. Not in 7 years.

Lee nodded, not letting go of Tarin yet. "I'll be alright," she told him. "Make sure you have your phone?"

Lee said she would be alright, but she didn’t let go. For the first time, Tarin’s resolve faltered just slightly. Lee clearly didn’t want him to go. Clearly wanted him to stay right where he was with his arms around her. Tarin wanted to stay too, where it was warm and comfortable.

But could he do that? Could he stay there knowing that Lee was lying there and knowing that the bastard who had done that to her was still out there lurking somewhere.

He was still in the city. Tarin didn’t know how he knew, but the son of a bitch was still there.

“Definitely.” he said finally, when Lee told him to make sure he had his phone. “And you’ll let me know if you change your mind?”

Lee agreed and within a few minutes, Tarin was up and out of the bed, snagging his watch and his phone from the night stand.

——

A few minutes later, Tarin was pulling a dark zip up hoodie on and making his way out the door of the apartment, sure to lock it behind him as he went.

Down the stairs Tarin went, already pulling down his mental barriers as he made his way to the lobby and out the front door, calling for Tony even as he pulled his hood up. From there, Tarin crossed the street and made his way into the park. It wasn’t going to be dangerous, not for him, not tonight. As he walked, Tarin let the anger, the rage that had been building inside him since he’d found himself in Lee’s dream rise to the surface and his fists clenched tight inside his pockets.

Once he was far enough away from the street that he felt safe to do so, Tarin took a deep breath. He hadn’t done what he was about to do for over six years, not since a young, foolish SUPER agent had stepped out of a little boat and into Hart Island.

Tony was there now, and Larry had come too and Tarin took a moment to link up with them before sharing as much information as he was comfortable sharing with a spirit.

Tony, in particular, was livid and Tarin found himself glad to feel the instability that came with an angry spirit rattling down the bond as he stood there in the park.

You’re going to stay with me and we are going to find him. Tarin sent down the bond, then started reaching out to every spirit he could find, drawing them to him as the two he’d already spoken to stood sentry at his side.

The spirits came. They came in greater numbers than he had ever amassed on this side of the rift and the air in the park grew noticeably colder around them as he waited. As they gathered, Tarin linked with each one, the bond snapping into place time and time again, the back flow of messages rushing into him with every further connection. On and on and on it went, until his head was pounding and his vision was staring to blur at the edges.

The message was simple. Tarin didn’t share any details with these spirits. They didn’t need or deserve any details. They got the image of the man and simple instructions to find him and bring back word of where he was as quickly as possible. They would obey or they’d lose all hope of him ever linking up with them again.

Many agreed. Some did not, but a few moments later found the park empty and warmer again and Tarin Brooks sitting on a bench, waiting to get what he wanted. The headache was a full grown migraine at this point, but Tarin didn’t care.

Tarin confirmed that he would have his phone with him. But he also wanted her to let him know if she changed her mind. "I will," Lee murmured.

She continued hugging Tarin for another minute or so before she let to to allow him to get out of bed.

It really didn't take long for Tarin to grab his stuff, and then he was out of the bedroom. Lee lay there for the next couple minutes as she felt Tarin moving around the apartment.

Only a few minutes later, Lee felt Tarin's energy moving further away. Only once she couldn't feel Tarin's energy anymore did Lee roll over and close her eyes.

That didn't last for long as when she closed her eyes, Lee started to see the room again. Sighing, Lee rolled the other way, grabbing her phone and starting to randomly scroll through until she either fell asleep or Tarin got back.

Tarin sat and waited patiently on that bench, spirits moving in and out of his range and linking and unlinking with his open mind as they worked to carry out the task he had given to them.

The amount of mental feedback was immense, Tarin could see what the spirits saw sometimes, hear what they were thinking, the almost constant images and impressions of death were a balm for his mood instead of the usual burden they posed when he used his powers. The pain was not insignificant either, generally these headaches made it harder to think, but tonight it just sharpened his focus.

It didn’t take long. At least not nearly as long as Tarin thought it would take.

Why hadn’t he done this the moment that Lee had felt that adapted outside their building? With this many spirits in the field nobody could hide. That was fine. He knew what to do now. That discomfort…that fear would be gone soon too.

The spirits returned with their information.

A cab driver just about to end his shift.

Right there in Manhattan.

For fourteen years the bastard had continued to share air and real estate with Lee. How many times had she taken a cab in those years? Tarin was thankful that Lee had never run across the beast again.

Time for phase two.

Rising from the bench, Tarin started to walk. He’d need a cab of his own if he was going to make it.

The message. The instructions. Changed. All those spirits were sent to follow, to watch until Tarin could get there with Tony.

They all obeyed. He wouldn’t allow anything else. Sure, some would matriculate away as the distance decreased his ability to influence their actions but there would be enough.

The closer Tarin got to where he was going, the less Tarin thought about what he was doing. There wasn’t another option. This was what had to happen.

The cab stopped and Tarin paid and then exited the vehicle, walking down the street with his head down so nobody would see his eyes or any hint of what was in his face. Down the street Tarin went, following the instructions relayed by the spirits until he could see him up ahead. The man who had been living on borrowed time for fourteen long years.

It took every scrap of self control that Tarin possessed not to rush forward and take a hands on approach to what was going to happen. That was the wrong approach though. There weren’t many people out, but there were enough. Besides. Tarin could be patient.

Tarin's walk was taking quite a while, Lee thought as she glanced at the time on her phone. And, while Lee didn't need Tarin to come back, it seemed like she was not going to be able to fall back to sleep. At least not without him.

So Lee pushed herself up out of bed with a sigh. If she wasn't going to sleep, she could at least do something to keep her mind more occupied than simply scrolling through her phone.

Grabbing a sweatshirt in the dark on her way, Lee made her way out to the living room. It was only when she got the light on there that Lee realized it was one of Tarin's. Even better, she couldn't help but think with a tiny smile as she sat on the couch and grabbed the remote to find something to watch.

Anton walked right past him. Close enough that if he’d reached out, Tarin could have touched the other man. Close enough that he could have drug him back into the alleyway where Tarin was leaning against the wall and just let out all those dark, dangerous feelings that had been building now for a couple of hours.

Patience though. There were cameras everywhere in New York City. Tarin didn’t need that kind of attention, even if this was more than justifiable homicide.

Because that’s what it was. Tarin knew exactly what he was doing.

He also didn’t care. He’d told Lee more than once that he wasn’t good and he knew he wouldn’t lose a second of sleep over what he was planning to do.

Once enough space had grown between him and the man in Lee’s nightmares, Tarin started to follow, his head down as he casually strolled down the dark and relatively empty street.

All he needed was an appropriate scenario.

It was a good thing that something was always under construction in New York City. Construction meant scaffolds, and scaffolds meant pallets of bricks and heavy machinery suspended high above the street.

It only took a few moments to send the instructions to the spirits as an appropriate place came into view. Tarin couldn’t see what was on the pallet but they’d have to walk directly below it and the street ahead was clear.

There were more than enough spirits and Tarin was linked up with all of them. It wouldn’t matter if anyone saw them doing what they were told to do because they were all already dead.

Stopping only when he was sure he’d still be close enough to keep the spirits corporeal, Tarin watched through their eyes as they flew up and started to push. The pallet scooted closer to the edge, then closer still…then tipped over the edge.

Anton didn’t even have time to scream. The pallet was even larger than Tarin had thought it was, and it only took a moment to confirm that the job had been done and done well.

In a way, it was far far far to kind an end for such an absolute piece of refuse human being.

Despite the late hour, people were starting to gather and Tarin kept walking, right on past the scene as attention started to be drawn to what had happened. Right on past and a few blocks down.

Eventually, when he’d decided it was far enough, he hailed one more cab, climbed into the back and headed home.

The ride wasn’t terribly long, but it was long enough that the adrenaline started to fade. With no object for the anger and rage that had been driving him, Tarin found himself suddenly exhausted and shaky. When was the last time he’d used his powers to that extent for that long? Had he ever used his powers to that extent for that long?

And what had he done? What was Lee going to think? She still had nightmares about what she’d seen in the park that night and that hadn’t even been him.

This had been…

By the time he got back to the apartment, the migraine was debilitating, also having lost the object for its focus and as Tarin paid the cab fare and climbed out in front of the apartment building he considered walking to the shop…but his head hurt so bad. His vision was blurry and he could feel every heartbeat in what felt like every blood vessel in his brain.

Somehow Tarin made it to the elevator, his legs moving automatically.

Then he was in front of the door, opening it on autopilot. He just wanted to fall into bed…but could he with Lee not knowing what he was?

The door opened and Tarin was inside, shutting and locking it and then there was Lee on the couch in one of his sweatshirts.

God she was perfect…He thought as his head swam and he blinked through slightly bleary eyes.

And he’s dead so she’ll never have to worry again. he thought. No matter the consequences. It was worth it.

Tarin had been gone literal hours at this point and Lee was honestly starting to get a little worried. In the six months that she'd really known him, Tarin had never been gone this long except for going to work.

Lee was just about to send Tarin a text when she finally felt his energy approaching the apartment.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Lee turned as she heard the door open.

And her eyes widened when she saw Tarin. He did not look good. Not at all.

"Are you alright Tarin?" Lee asked as she stood up and made her way toward him. "What h-"

And he’s dead so she’ll never have to worry again. [/color]

Lee cut off as she heard Tarin's voice, immediately stopping and just staring at him. "Who's dead?" Lee asked, the concern evident in her voice. "What are you talking about? What happened Tarin?"

Lee was up and moving towards him and Tarin just wanted to reach out to her.

His head hurt and Lee spoke it of course it was obvious that something was wrong. There was no way Tarin would have been able to hide what was going on. He hadn’t even planned to do so.

He was going to explain. Tarin opened his mouth to speak, but Lee beat him to it and her words made his eyes widen.

”How…?” Tarin said, then shook his pounding head and stared at the floor for a moment before he lifted his eyes to Lee’s. She deserved that.

”I didn’t go clear my head.” he said, voice quiet and a little shaky. He couldn’t even say in good conscience that it had started out that way.

”I saw you there Lee. I saw what that bastard had done and I knew there wasn’t anything else I could do. I went, and I got all the spirits I could find and then I found him. I found him, and I followed him until I could make the spirits do what should have been done years ago.” he said, knowing he might be damning himself with every single word, but also knowing that he could never keep this from Lee because if she didn’t know she was safe, what had the point been.

I’d do it again a thousand times.

Tarin started asking a question, but cut it off as his eyes dropped. But a moment later he lifted his eyes again to look at her and started speaking.

He hadn't gone to clear his head. He had lied about that. Because he had seen her, what it had been like for her in that house. He had gone and got all the spirits he find?

Lee's brow furrowed as she looked at Tarin, trying to make the whole situation make sense in her head.

"I found him."

Those words continued to echo in Lee's mind even as Tarin continued speaking.

Tarin had found him.

Lee didn't even realize that her legs gave out under her as she sank to the floor. He had found him. Was Tarin talking about Anton? With everything that had happened that night, what Tarin had just said about seeing her, about what had been done to her…

He had to be talking about Anton. But how?

I’d do it again a thousand times.

"You found him?" Lee asked, looking up at Tarin. "Anton? You actually found him? But…how? What did you do that you'd do it again?"

Lee’s brow furrowed and Tarin shook his head. Words were hard right now because his head hurt so bad and he was as so tired and feeling so many things.

Some of the words got through and Lee’s knees buckled. As she sank to the floor, Tarin took a breath. Lee asked her questions and Tarin sank down beside her on the floor. It was easier to think sitting than standing. Staying upright was just too hard at the moment.

What would he do again? Had he said that out loud? Tarin’s head throbbed again and he caught Lee’s eyes with his.

[ color=dodgerblue]”I killed him.”[/color] Tarin said, ”Well technically I didn’t do it. Tony did it, and Larry and there were so many more…but I had to help…” he was babbling now and the words were just spilling out.

He stopped talking abruptly, realizing what he’d just said. ”And you never, ever have to worry again.”

What would she say? What did she think?

Please don’t hate me…”