Second Chances

Written by Donald E. Fleming II

Story concept by Donald E. Fleming II

Disclaimer: All Gargoyles characters are the property of Disney and Buena Vista Studios and are being used without their consent or permission. Other Gargoyle characters are the property of The Gargoyle Saga (TGS) writing staff and also are being used without their permission. The character of Don Michael Taylor is my creation. I am receiving no reward for this story other than the satisfaction of being able to share it with others as it is intended solely for my own entertainment and the entertainment of Gargoyle fandom everywhere.

August 20, 1999

Manhattan General Hospital

Elisa had fallen asleep in the chair next to Don's bed in the ICU ward. She was instantly awakened by a soft moan from the bed. She sat up and looked at him as he slowly opened his eyes.

"I was wondering if you were ever going to wake up," she said, trying desperately to keep her voice from shaking.

Don looked over at her. "Elisa?" he said. He grimaced when he saw her. "Oh, man," he groaned. He hadn't wanted her to find him, not until he had a chance to work things out.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"As if a great many heavy objects had fallen on me," he said, quoting a character from 'Babylon Five', a science fiction series he had recently discovered on cable. He started to sit up. "I need to get out of here…"

Elisa quickly got up and pushed him back down. "You are not going anywhere," she said. "You need to rest, Don. Your body's gone through quite a traumatic experience."

Don settled back down into the bed. "How traumatic?" he asked.

"Near-fatal," Elisa said. "I…we…almost lost you again."

"We?"

"Angela was devastated by this," she said. "She…"

"How is she?" Don asked, cutting her off. He had pulled Angela from the fire, but then had gone back in when she told him that her mother was still inside. After that…

"She's okay," Elisa said softly. "She…blames herself for what happened to you, Don. I tried to tell her it wasn't her fault, but she won't listen to me. I don't know what would have happened if you'd…" She stopped, unable to continue.

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

"I'm…okay," she lied.

"Really?"

Elisa turned away from him, trying to screw up her courage. "You're right," she said, knowing what Don had implied. "I'm not." She turned back to face him. "Dammit, Don! You walked out on me! You didn't even give me a chance to explain what was going on!"

"I knew what was going on, Elisa," he said. "You were in love. Probably for the first time since I disappeared. I couldn't stand in the way of that, no matter how I felt about you."

"How you felt?" Elisa countered. "What about how I felt? Don, I still love you! When you disappeared over Kuwait, you took a big chunk of my heart with you. And when you came back, I thought that maybe I'd been given a second chance, that maybe this was something that was meant to be."

"Elisa," he started, but Elisa quickly cut him off.

"Don, please," she said. "At least give me the chance to make my own decision. After you walked out on me, I was miserable. You didn't give me…you didn't give 'us' a chance. And when I thought that you were going to die, without even having said 'good-bye' to me…" She sniffed back tears that were threatening to spill over and walked back to the bed. "Don, you have to give me a chance to work this out, too. I know you thought that leaving me was the right thing to do, but it wasn't. You didn't give me a chance to make a decision on my own, and now…"

"Does Goliath know what's going on?" he asked.

"He does," Elisa said hesitantly.

"How does he feel about this?"

"He's…" she started, but then looked away. "Goliath and I aren't seeing each other any more," she continued. "Ever since you left, we've been having problems and I…"

"Elisa, I'm sorry," Don said. "I know the two of you were close, and that the two of you were planning to…"

"It just wasn't meant to be," she said, turning her head slightly so he could see the look of guilt on her face. "Ever since you came back, I've been wondering why. Why here? Why now?" She looked at him. "But I think I've finally figured it out. We...we belong together, Don. We always have."

"Elisa, I seriously doubt I was brought forward in time just so we could be together again," Don said, pushing himself up into a seated position. "Things just don't..."

A knock on the door interrupted them and they both looked over as her partner Matt Bluestone entered the room. Elisa gave him a hard look.

"Am I interrupting?" he asked innocently.

"Yeah," Elisa said at the same time Don said "No."

Matt looked at the two of them as Elisa shot a brief glare at Don. "Well, which is it?" he asked.

"Yes, you are, Matt," Elisa said to her partner before looking back to Don. "Don, this is my partner, Matt Bluestone."

"So I finally get to meet the elusive Don Taylor," Matt said. "Elisa, I hope you know that the captain's been looking for you."

"I know," Elisa said. She stood up and carefully leaned over Don. "I'll be back to see you after my shift's over," she said. "Do me a favor and try not to take off again. At least not until we've had a chance to talk."

"Elisa..." Don started, but then she fixed him with a steely gaze.

"Promise me," she said.

Don hesitated for a minute, unsure of what to say to her. "I probably wouldn't be able to if I wanted to," he said. "Okay, I promise."

"Good," Elisa said. She turned her attention towards Matt, who took the unspoken hint and stepped outside as Elisa gave Don a quick, but nonetheless rather intense kiss on the lips before leaving him to recover.

23rd Precinct, Manhattan

Elisa and Matt barely had time to sit down at their desks before they were summoned into Captain Chavez's office. They could tell by the look on her face that she had more than a few questions to ask them.

"I understand that you two were the first officers on the scene at the Newtech fire earlier this week," she said before fixing her attention on Elisa. "And yet, you still haven't filed a report, detective. Care to explain?"

"I've been...distracted lately," she admitted.

"Distracted by what, detective," Maria said. When Elisa didn't immediately answer, she pressed the issue. "If this has anything to do with Don's coming back from Iraq..."

The look of shock on Elisa's face told the captain she was close to the truth. She turned her attention to Matt. "Detective Bluestone, could you step outside for a moment?"

"Sure, captain," Matt said. He gave Elisa a 'Sorry' look as he left the office.

Captain Chavez closed the door behind him, then turned her full attention on Elisa. "Okay, detective. Spill it. I want to know what's really going on with you. And don't give me any cryptic answers, either. I want the truth."

Elisa knew she couldn't tell Captain Chavez the entire truth, not if she wanted to maintain the secret about her relationship with the gargoyles, but she did think she could give the captain a little bit of the truth. She sighed, then wrapped her arms around herself. "Don and I," she started. "We've been having problems."

"What kind of problems?" Maria asked.

"When he came back," she continued, pausing for a moment as she looked at the older woman. "I had already started seeing...someone else."

That took Maria by surprise. No wonder she's been on edge lately, she thought. And I'm the one who told her to hang on to him. "Why didn't you say anything?" she asked.

"It kinda threw me," Elisa said. "Don's coming back and all. I was just so overwhelmed by it."

"The guy you've been seeing," Maria asked. "Does he know?"

"Yeah," Elisa said sadly, and Maria had a feeling that he hadn't taken the news very well.

"I'm sorry, Elisa," she said. "If you had said something, I could have..."

"There wasn't anything that anyone else could do," she said. "I'm the one who messed everything up. And now that Don's in the hospital again..."

That caught her attention. "What happened to him?"

"I thought you knew," Elisa said. "Don was caught in the fire at Newtech."

"No, I didn't know," Maria said. "What was he doing there?"

"He was working there as a security guard," she said. "At least that's what A..." She stopped herself quickly, not wanting to mention Angela's name. "What one of the representatives from Newtech told me."

"When did you talk to them?" Maria asked. She picked up the report that Matt had completed and turned in previously. "There's no mention of it in Bluestone's report."

"It was at the hospital," Elisa said. "I talked to her while I was waiting for word on Don's condition."

"Her?"

"Dominique Destine," Elisa said, which was basically the truth, since Demona and the Nightstone CEO were one and the same. "She was injured in the fire."

Captain Chavez reread Matt's report. "There's nothing about that in here," she said.

"She wanted it kept out of the police report for some reason," Elisa lied. "Captain, look. I'm sorry I haven't filed a report yet. I'll get on it as soon as possible. I just...I need some time to work a few things out first."

Her captain sat back and sighed, exasperated. "This isn't like you at all, detective," she said. "But under the circumstances, I think I understand." She dropped Matt's report on her desk. "Two days, Maza," she said, holding up two fingers on her right hand. "That's all I'm giving you. After that..."

"I understand, captain," Elisa said.

"Good," Maria said. "Dismissed."

Elisa left the office and breathed a heavy sigh of relief once the door was closed. As she headed back to her desk, she paused as she heard someone call her name.

"Detective Maza, can I talk to you for a minute?"

She turned and caught sight of Detective Marshall D. Richards from Arson heading her way. "Sure, Marsh," she said with a slight smile, knowing how much the detective hated having his first name butchered in that manner. "What do you need?"

The detective grimaced, but continued towards her, holding a file in his hand. "I just thought you'd like to have a look at this," he said.

"What is it?" she asked.

"A preliminary on one of the devices found at the scene," he said. "I figured you'd want to have a gander at what we found, since this is your and Bluestone's investigation."

Elisa took the file and opened it. After a few minutes of reading, her eyes went wide in surprise. "Are you guys sure about this?" she asked.

"Yep," he said. "There was enough of the device left that we were able to get a positive match on the serial number and the manufacturer. All we've got to do now..." He stopped as Elisa turned away from him and started heading for the door. "Hey, detective! Wait a minute! You can't..."

"If you see Matt," she called back over her shoulder. "Tell him I'll meet up with him later. He'll know where."

"But that report!" Richards called out. "You know that it's not supposed to leave..."

"I'll bring it right back," she said. "I promise!"

Richards wasn't entirely convinced and he took off after her. He reached the front door of the precinct house just as Elisa's Fairlane was disappearing around the corner.

"Damn!" he swore. He shook his head as he headed back inside, wondering what he was going to tell Captain Chavez about the missing report.

Elisa drove like an avenging angel, heading for one particular destination. I knew it was too good to be true, she thought. All this time, she's been lying to us, making us think she's reformed. Her eyes drifted briefly to the report on the seat next to her. But this time, you've stepped over the line, Demona. And if it's the last thing I do, I'm going to make you pay for what you did to Don.

Destine Manor

"I'm really glad you came tonight, Angela," Demona said as she looked across the table to her daughter. "I've been so worried about you after what happened..."

"I'm okay, mother," she said, taking another bite of the salad. "Really. All I needed was a few days to recover..."

"That's not what I'm talking about," she said. "Detective Maza told me that you blamed yourself for what happened to that security guard. You mustn't. It wasn't your fault he went back inside to rescue me."

"Mother..." Angela started, but then Demona reached across the table to grasp her hands.

"Angela, what he did was brave and noble," she said. "He saved not only your life, but mine as well. And I couldn't let an act of courage like that go unrewarded. That is why I saved his life with the Bloodstone." She let go of her daughter's hands and stood up, turning so that Angela couldn't see her mother's lips trembling. "You shouldn't let yourself feel guilty for something that wasn't your fault, Angela. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about."

"But..." Angela started, but she was interrupted by the sound of the intercom buzzer. Someone was at the front gate. Demona went over to the intercom panel and keyed the microphone.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Demona, I want to talk to you," Elisa's angry voice came over the speaker. Demona was taken aback slightly, but she maintained her calm.

"This really isn't a good time, detective," she said calmly.

"Now, Demona!" Elisa barked.

Demona looked back at her daughter, who was confused by the anger in Elisa's voice. Demona could understand perfectly; she was confused herself. She turned her attention back to the intercom. "Very well, detective," she said. "Just a moment." She activated the gate and watched the video monitor as Elisa's Fairlane pulled up the drive rather quickly. She turned to consider her daughter. "Perhaps you should stay here," she said. "I don't know what's set her off, but somehow I doubt very much if seeing you is going to calm her down."

"Elisa is my friend, mother," she said. "She and Father may be going through a bad time right now, but I'm pretty sure she hasn't forgotten that."

"I hope you're right," Demona said. She paused as she heard Elisa pounding rather insistently on the front door. "I guess we'd better let her in and see what she wants before she decides to blast her way in." She turned and headed down the hall towards the front door. Angela followed close behind, wondering what had made Elisa so mad.

"Open up, Demona!" Elisa shouted as she pounded on the door. "Now!" She wondered what was taking her so long to come to the door. Probably trying to cover her tracks! she thought angrily. She's probably figured out that I found her out and now she trying to...

She was interrupted by the sound of the door unlocking and then found herself staring at a very irritated looking Demona.

"What do you want, detective?" Demona said calmly.

"I think you know," Elisa said as she took a step forward. She paused when she saw Angela standing behind her mother.

"No, I don't," Demona said, crossing her arms. "Perhaps you would care to enlighten me?"

A part of Elisa wanted to drag Demona out of the house and pummel her for all she was worth, especially after the way she played me for a sap, she thought, but that was held back by Angela's presence. She couldn't attack Demona, not with Angela standing right there. She took a deep breath to try unsuccessfully to calm herself, then looked Demona square in the eye. "We found out who bombed Newtech," she said.

There was a genuine look of surprise in Demona's eyes, but not the kind Elisa had expected. "Who?" Demona snarled, her eyes flashing bright red.

"You know who, Demona," Elisa said pointedly. "It was you."

This time the surprise was replaced with genuine shock, and it took Demona a good ten seconds to get over it. "How dare you?" she snapped. "What gives you the right to accuse me in this manner?"

"We found one of the detonators in the ruins," Elisa said. "There was enough of it left to pull a serial number and a manufacturer's logo." She held up the report folder. "The detonator came from your company, Demona."

"Is that true, mother?" Angela gasped.

Demona looked back at her daughter, taking in the look of disbelief on her face. "I don't know," she said. "It is possible that the detonators came from Nightstone," she continued before turning her attention back to Elisa. "But it doesn't mean I used them to destroy Newtech. I did own it, after all. What could I possibly gain by destroying that facility?"

"The insurance, for one thing," Elisa said. "How much was Newtech worth, Demona? A million, two maybe. I'll bet the insurance settlement would have just about covered your losses."

"It wouldn't have even justified the loss if I had done it, detective," Demona said. "Newtech was going to be a biotech research center. Do you have any idea how much it would have cleared in the first year alone?" Before Elisa could answer, Demona told her. "Five billion dollars, detective. Five billion in research grants and application technologies alone. All of that is gone now, thanks to that fire." She paused as she considered the human. "Detective, I know that you're upset over what happened to your friend, and I sympathize. But I didn't do this to him. If I had, I probably wouldn't have saved his life."

"Maybe you did that just to throw me off the scent," Elisa said bitterly.

"Elisa!" Angela said, shocked.

"No, it's all right," Demona said calmly, which surprised Angela. "The detective is upset, and rightly so. But she is allowing her emotions overtake her reasoning." She turned her attention back to Elisa. "Detective, I want to find out who sabotaged my company as much as you do. But you won't do it by making unfounded accusations." She stepped aside and motioned Elisa inside. "If you'd like, I can give you access to my company's computer records in order to find out where those detonators really came from."

Elisa hesitated, not sure if she should risk entering Demona's lair. But one look at Angela decided it for her. No matter what Demona thinks of me, she thought. She'd never try anything with Angela around. She entered the manor, flinching only slightly as the door closed behind her.

August 21, 1999

23rd Precinct

Elisa sat in Captain Chavez's office and listened as Detective Richards made his report.

"As far as we can tell," he said. "The arsonist used thermite detonators that were tied into the wiring system somehow. When power was restored to the tenth floor after a security guard turned on the circuit breaker, the devices started to go off."

"Any idea where the devices originated?" Captain Chavez asked.

"We managed to track the serial number and a company logo off one of the device back to the manufacturer," Richards said. "Nightstone Unlimited."

Maria Chavez turned her attention to Elisa. "Has that been confirmed?" she asked.

"Yes, Captain," Elisa said, looking at her own report. "The device was part of a military shipment that went missing six months ago. It was lost en route to a military supply depot in Nebraska."

Rather conveniently lost, too, Elisa had originally thought when she tracked down the information in Demona's computer records. But as she tracked the numbers through the system, she began to see how wrong she was in accusing Demona, especially after Demona reminded her how dear Angela was to her. If she was going to do something like that, Elisa thought, she sure as hell wouldn't have risked Angela's life doing it.Of course, it did occur to her that she had no way of knowing that Angela was going to be there that night, talking to Don while he was doing his rounds. But then she realized that Demona certainly wouldn't have gone back to Newtech to retrieve a financial report if she knew the building was about to be firebombed either.

"Any idea who stole the shipment to begin with," Maria asked.

"That's still under investigation by the FBI.," Matt said. "I called in a few favors from a couple of guys I know back at the Bureau and they said they'd let us know if they turn up anything."

"Okay," Captain Chavez said. She turned her attention back to Elisa. "Was Don able to give you anything more?" she asked.

"No," Elisa said. "All he knows is that the devices weren't there when he did rounds the night before."

"Or they weren't tied into the electrical system at that time," Richards said. "It could have been an inside job, captain. Someone with a grudge against Nightstone who somehow got hired as a contractor." He paused as he considered Elisa. "Or a security guard."

Elisa was out of her chair in an instant. Matt quickly put himself in front of her as she took a dangerous step towards Richards. "You better watch your mouth, pal!" she said. "Before you find my foot..."

Richards was on his feet, taking a step away from her. "I wasn't implying that your boyfriend had anything to do with it," he said. "But you have to admit that he has been away for a long time. Who knows what those camel jockeys did to his head?"

Elisa had her mouth open and was about to tell him exactly what happened to Don when Captain Chavez leapt to her feet. "Detective Maza," she said. When Elisa turned her attention away from Richards, she quickly continued. "I'm certain that Don wasn't in any way involved in the sabotage of Newtech." She looked over at Richards. "There are other security guards who worked alongside him at that site. You might want to start with your brother Craig," she said. "He seems to have dropped out of sight for some reason. Any idea why?"

"Captain..." Richards started, but she quickly cut him off.

"I'm not trying to cast aspersions on anyone, detective," she said. "But I find it rather odd that no one has seen or heard from him since that night. If you know where he is, I suggest you bring him in for questioning."

"I...I'll try, captain," he said.

"Good," she said. "The two of you are dismissed," she said to Bluestone and Richards. "Detective Maza, I'd like a word with you."

"Of course, captain," she said as the two male detectives left the office. As soon as Chavez closed the door, she turned towards her.

"Am I going to have to put you on administrative leave again, detective?" she said, angrily.

"I'm sorry, captain," Elisa said. "I just..."

"I know what you're going through," she said. "But that's no reason to go flying off the handle like that, especially in my office." She sighed as she looked down at Elisa. "Elisa, you're a damned good cop, one of the best in the precinct. But if this kind of thing is going to happen every time someone from your past pops in on you unexpectedly..."

"It won't, captain," Elisa said. "Not after tonight at least."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"It's time I faced facts, captain," Elisa said. "Don and I belong together, and nothing is going to change that. I'm going to ask him to marry me."

August 22, 1999

Maza home

"Elisa, are you serious?" her mother asked in disbelief.

"Why is it everyone seems surprised to hear that?" she asked. "Yes, Mom. I'm going to ask Don to marry me."

"But...what about Goliath?" Diane asked. "And the rest of the gargoyles? Have you told them?"

"Not...yet," she said guiltily. "The truth is, I can't seem to bring myself to go to the castle and break the news to them." She looked at her parents. "Mom, Dad, I know you both like and respect Goliath, but I have to face facts. We knew all along that if Goliath and I joined, that we could never have a normal life together. We would always have to keep it a secret, because we knew that if word ever got out..."

"Aren't you selling the world a little short, Elisa?" Peter asked. "After all, your mother and I have been together for close to 35 years. Granted, it wasn't easy at times, but still..."

"But there's a difference, Dad" Elisa said. "You and mom are both human. Goliath isn't. Don is." She sighed as she looked down at her hands. "Ever since Don came back, I've been wondering the same thing. Why did the Phoenix Gate take him when it did? And why bring him back now? I think maybe it was because I was destined to be a key part of the clan's awakening and introduction to the world, and now that they have been, my job is done and I can begin having a normal life again."

"That's a pretty big assumption, Elisa," Peter said. "How do you know that the Gate didn't just pick him up at random?"

"Because if there's one thing I've learned from all this," she said. "It's that things happen for a reason, especially when it comes to magic. And Avalon's magic in particular. I can't ignore this. I know where and with whom I'm supposed to be now. It isn't with Goliath, it's with Don."

"I hope you're right, Elisa," Diane said. "Because if you're not, this could be one of the biggest mistakes of your life."

"Or it could be the best thing to happen to me in years."

August 25, 1999

Manhattan General Hospital

"Is this absolutely necessary?" Don asked as Elisa pushed the wheelchair. "I can walk okay on my own."

"You know the rules, Don," Elisa said. "Besides, Dr. Sato said you need at least a few more days to recuperate. The last thing we need is for you to collapse on the way to the car and end up back in here."

"I'm not going to collapse, Elisa," Don protested. He started to rise out of the wheelchair, but sat back down quickly as he felt a wave of dizziness overtake him. "Then again..."

"See, what did I tell you," Elisa quipped. "Now just sit back and leave the driving to me." She then pushed the wheelchair towards the main entrance and once they were outside, headed for her waiting car.

Don managed to get himself into the car without too much assistance from Elisa, using the crutches the hospital had given him to get himself inside, and it wasn't long before they were on their way back to her apartment.

"If you don't mind, Elisa," he said, once he realized where she was going. "I'd prefer heading back to my place."

"What, that rathole you were living in?" she said. "Don, you can't possibly think I'd let you go back there."

"It was okay," he protested. "A little small, but..."

"A 'little' small?" Elisa said in disbelief. "Don, that place was smaller than our closet at the old apartment. And the neighborhood isn't exactly what I'd call a 'healthy environment'."

"It suited my needs at the time," Don said. "Now, if you don't mind..."

Elisa sighed, knowing she was going to have to tell him sooner or later. "Don, you can't go back there. I...had the guys go in and get your stuff a couple of days after the DEA raided the building, looking for a drug lab that was operating out of the top floor." She looked over at him, hoping that he would listen to her. "It's not safe for you to go back there now, especially in the condition you're in."

Don sat back, realizing that she was right. He couldn't go back there. "So where am I supposed to go now?" he asked.

"You can stay at the apartment with me," she said. "I've got a roll-out bed that you can sleep on, or if you want to, you can..." She left the sentence unfinished, unsure if he would take her up on the offer to join her in her bed, even though it was what she felt she wanted right now.

He reached over and put his hand over hers gently. "I don't think I'd be up for that right at the moment," he said, knowing what she was thinking. "I think I'll give the roll-out a try first, then we'll see where that takes us."

"Okay," she said, sighing heavily. At least that's a start, she thought as she turned the car around the corner and headed towards the apartment.

Elisa's apartment

Elisa opened the door and stepped back as Don entered the apartment, using the crutches to get himself inside. As he headed for the couch, Elisa brought in his bag and set it by the door before following him across the apartment.

"Do you need any help?" she asked.

"No, I can manage," he said. Reaching the couch, he lowered himself onto it, then let out a sigh of relief. "God, I hate those things," he said, looking at the crutches.

"I know how you feel," Elisa said as she took them from him and leaned them against the couch. "I thought I'd never get the hang of them after I..." She hesitated, not wanting to relive that moment five years ago when Broadway had accidentally shot her with her own gun.

A flash. The roar of the gun filling her ears. An instant of pain. Darkness...

Don was looking at her expectantly as she shook off the memory before turning her attention back to him.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she forced herself to say. "It's not something I like to remember." She turned away from him. "I didn't even have the damned safety on," she said before looking back at him. "Don, before you left, I told you I can't afford to make any more mistakes, but I was ready to make another one right then and there." She moved back to the couch and knelt down in front of him, taking his hands in hers. "I lost you too many times in one lifetime to risk losing you again, Don. I want..."

"Elisa, don't," he said, interrupting her as he realized what she was saying.

"Don, please," she said. "Let me finish. I want us to be together, Don. For things to be the way they should have been. Would have been if you hadn't disappeared over Kuwait." She looked down at her finger, then reached up and pulled the chain that held the dog tags and her engagement ring from around her neck. "Remember the day you gave these to me?" she asked. "You said I couldn't get rid of you if I tried. It's time I stopped trying." She paused long enough to take the ring off the chain and slip it onto her finger. "I want to be your wife, Don. Please say you'll marry me."

"Elisa, I...," he stammered. "I can't."

"Why not?" she asked, hurt by his rejection.

He took the crutches and tried to stand up. Elisa stood up and stepped back, not wanting to get in his way, but ready to block his path if he started for the door. Don looked back at her, seeing the hurt in her eyes.

"It's too soon," he said. "Elisa, I know you have a tendency to rush headlong into things, but this isn't the time for that. It's way too soon for either of us. I just got out of the hospital, and you..." He paused as he moved towards her. "You and Goliath were together a lot longer than you and I were. It wouldn't be fair to him..."

"Don..." she started, but then he put a finger to her lips.

"You asked me to let you finish," he said. "Now it's my turn. We both need to step back a bit, Elisa. Take things a little bit slower. I'm not saying I won't marry you. I just can't, not now at least." He looked down at his body. "We both need to give ourselves some time to look at where we're headed. You know me, Elisa. You know I like to think things through first."

"But, Don," she said. "I'm afraid that if you..."

"Elisa," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "If you're really serious about this, you'll give us both a chance to think this through. God knows we've been through enough excitement as it is already."

"You won't try to walk out on me again, will you?" she found herself asking.

"Do I look like I'm in any condition to try it," he responded. "Besides, where would I go? You and your buddies at the DEA didn't leave me with very many options."

"I guess not," she said. Moving slowly, she put her arms around him and hugged him carefully. "I just want things to go right for us this time," she said.

"I'm sure they will," he said as he put his arms around her.

August 27, 1999

Maza home

"They're planning to marry?" Goliath said in disbelief.

"That's what Elisa told me," Diane said. She looked over at Goliath, taking note of the stunned look on his face. "At least, she told me she was going to ask Don to marry her before she picked him up from the hospital. I don't know if she actually went through with it, though."

Goliath let out a heavy sigh that seemed to reverberate of the walls of the living room. "I had feared as much when Elisa stopped coming to the castle."

"You shouldn't jump to conclusions, Goliath," she said. "Elisa's been going through a rough time lately, you know that."

"I know that all this started when her fiancé reappeared through the Phoenix Gate," Goliath said. "Before he returned..."

"It's not his fault, Goliath," Diane said. "What happened to Don was something..."

"That was out of his control," Goliath said. "I understand, Diane. And I know that Elisa feels a sense of obligation to him because they were to be married once before." He paused as he stood up. "I know I should have seen this coming. When she chose to remain at his bedside after the fire, I knew I had lost her. But I still held out the hope..." He paused, then looked back at Diane. "When you see Elisa next, tell her...tell her I am happy for her. For both of them."

"Goliath..." Diane started as Goliath opened the door and stepped outside.

"It is for the best," he said as he disappeared into the night.

August 30, 1999

23rd Precinct

Elisa sat at her desk, looking over the report before her without really paying attention to it.

Something's really eating at her, Matt thought as he watched his partner. He could tell by the expression on her face that she was distracted, and he had a feeling he knew what it was.

"Hey, partner," he said, suddenly feeling the need to break the silence. "Evelyn Wood can read a police report faster than that."

She looked over at him. "I'm sorry, Matt. What did you say?"

He smiled slightly, just enough to draw her attention without making her think he was poking fun at her. "I was just wondering if you were ever going to go to the next page of that report," he said. "You've been on that page for about five minutes already."

She looked back at the report, then closed the folder and dropped it on her desk. "I'm sorry, Matt. I just got a little distracted."

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"Not really," she said. "But..." She looked around, then got up and headed for the coffee maker, pouring a cup for both herself and Matt. She stood there until Matt got up and joined her.

"I'm worried, Matt," she said.

"Worried? he asked. "About what?".

"About Don," Elisa said. She turned and looked at him. "Am I making the right decision? Asking him to stay with me?"

"I thought you already decided to stay with Goliath," Matt said.

"That was before..." she started, then set her cup down. "Matt, what is wrong with me? Why am I having such a hard time with this?"

"Meaning...?"

"I'm not sure," she said. "I keep telling myself that I want to be with Don, that he and I belong together, but when I think about how I'm going to break the news to Goliath..." She paused, then looked at her partner. "I feel a knot in the pit of my stomach, Matt. I just can't bring myself to do it."

"Because you're still in love with him," Matt said.

Elisa hesitated for a minute before responding. "Yeah," she said. "I am." She picked up the coffee cup and took a sip before heading back for her desk.

"Elisa, I'm probably not the best person to be giving you advise on relationships," Matt said. "You know that Sara and I have been having problems lately ourselves. I just don't know what advice I can give to you that'll be helpful, especially with the kind of hole you've managed to dig yourself into." He set his own coffee down and put his hand on Elisa's shoulder. "Listen, the fact that you're asking yourself if this is the right choice probably means you're not ready to make up your mind yet, especially when you consider what happened the last time you had your heart pulled in two different directions at the same time."

"I know," she said, remembering her last conversation with Jason Canmore almost two years ago. Is that what's bugging me? she thought. Am I worried about a repeat performance with Goliath?

Matt looked at his watch. "Listen, shift ends in an hour. Why don't you take off now and I'll try and get this stuff finished up."

"You don't mind?" she said.

"No," he said. "Besides, I want to take care of a few things myself. I'll talk to you later."

"Thanks, Matt," she said. She quickly grabbed her jacket and headed out. "I owe you one."

"Actually, you owe me a bunch," he said. "I'll let you know how many next week."

Elisa smiled over her shoulder and left.

"Where's your partner going, Bluestone?" Captain Chavez said as she watched Elisa leave.

"Hopefully to get this thing between her and Don straightened out," he said.

"I hope so," she said. "She's not doing herself any good by letting this thing drag on like this." She turned and headed back to her office.

Matt paused by Elisa's desk and picked up the report she had been reading. After a minute, he set it down again and went over to his own desk, picking up the phone and dialing a number.

"Hello, this is Detective Bluestone over at the 23rd," he said when he got an answer. "Is Detective Jasper around?" He paused as he listened to the response. "Thanks," he said and then waited until he was transferred to her desk. "Sara, it's me Matt," he said. "Listen, are you doing anything this Thursday?"

Elisa's apartment

It was still dark out when Elisa got home. As she opened the door, her ears picked up the sound of a slight moaning. She quickly turned on the lights.

Don was tossing and turning on the roll-out bed, apparently trying to get into a position that was comfortable, and failing miserably. She quickly crossed the apartment as he pushed himself up.

"God, Elisa," he said. "What are you doing back so early?" He turned his attention to the patio doors. "It's not even sun-up yet."

"I took off a little early," she said. "Don, why didn't you tell me you were having problems with this thing?"

"I didn't want to worry you," he said. "God, I used to be able to sleep just about anywhere."

"That was before you took a header out of a fifteenth story window," Elisa said. She pulled off the blanket and helped him to his feet. "That settles that," she said. "You're sleeping upstairs from now on."

"Elisa..." Don started, but she quickly cut him off.

"I don't want to hear it, Don," she said as she helped him to his feet. "You're sleeping upstairs and that's final."

"Where will you sleep?" he asked as she began helping him up the stairs towards the bedroom.

"I'll...think of something," she said.

He stopped walking, almost losing his balance, but Elisa quickly adjusted her hold on him. "Elisa..." he started again.

"Don, please," she said. "If we're going to be together, the least we can do is..."

"Share the same bed?" he asked.

"It's not like we haven't before," she said.

"That was then," he said. "This is now. Elisa, we can't do this. It wouldn't be fair..."

"I've made up my mind, Don," she said. "Please, let me handle this in my own way." She gave a gentle tug on his arm and led him up the stairs. "We both need this, Don. At least you know you'll be sleeping comfortably for a change."

Don was about to argue more, but a dull aching in his back silenced him. Grimacing, he let Elisa lead him towards the bedroom.

Outside on the patio, Goliath sighed heavily as he spread his wings and flew off, heading back to the castle.

Elisa stood back as Don slipped under the covers of her bed, then sat down on the edge of the mattress and waited until he fell asleep before laying down next to him, slipping under the covers herself and gently putting her arm around him. She heard him murmur in his sleep as she drew herself close to him until her body was nestled against his.

It wasn't like it used to be, she thought as she considered the gray ARMY T-shirt and shorts he wore and the nightshirt she habitually wore, which was all that separated the two. Before, when they were living together, it was rare when either of them wore anything to bed. But it's a start. She let herself drift off to sleep as she felt Don's sleeping form shift against her.

September 1, 1999

Maza home

Diane Maza listened carefully as Elisa told her about the previous night.

"Am I doing something wrong, Mom?" she asked. "I mean, before he disappeared, Don and I would always..."

"You have to give him a chance to get settled in, Elisa," Diane quickly cut in, preferring not to hear the rather intimate details of their past relationship. "You can't expect him to be able to pick up where the two of you left off, not after so much time has passed."

"Why not?" Elisa asked. "I mean, it's only been a couple of months since he reappeared."

"That's just it, Elisa," Diane said. "Don's gone through a lot in those two months. He's returned through the Phoenix Gate, found out about the gargoyles, found out that you and Goliath were in love and planning to get married and he almost died. He's probably still recovering from that. You have to give him a chance to breathe, Elisa. I know how much you want to be able to get back together with him, but if anything is going to happen between you two, you have to let it happen in its own time. Otherwise, you're just going to drive him off."

Elisa sighed, knowing her mom was right. "I just want this to work out right," she said.

"And it will," Diane said. "But you have to give it time." She paused for a moment. "Have you spoken with Goliath about this?"

Elisa's head shot up, surprised. "Why..." she started.

"He came by last week," Diane said. "Wanting to know how you were. I take it you haven't been to the castle since Don got out of the hospital."

"N...no," she said guiltily. "I don't think I can face him or the others."

"Elisa, they're your friends," Diane said. "And if you're going to stay with Don, you have to let Goliath know. It wouldn't be fair to him if you don't."

"I'm afraid of how he'll react," Elisa said.

"I think you're selling him short," Diane said. "When Goliath was here, he sounded upset, but he did say he was happy for you. I think he'll be more upset if you don't tell him than if you do. You have to tell him, Elisa. After what the two of you had together, it's only fair."

Elisa sat there in silence, mulling over her mother's words. "You're right," she said. "I do need to tell him. But I don't know what to say to him. I love him, but..."

"You don't want to hurt him," Diane said. "Elisa, there's no two ways about it. You have to tell Goliath the truth. God knows, I wish it doesn't have to be this way, but that's the way life is. You're going to have to tell him, for both your sakes."

"I will," she said, sighing heavily. "I just hope Goliath understands."

September 5, 1999

Elisa's apartment

Elisa opened the door and set the bag she was carrying down long enough the close it. "Don, I'm home," she called out.

No answer, she noted after several seconds. Okay, either he's out, or he's upstairs asleep. Neither answer seemed to comfort her, though. Ever since the night she and Don started sharing her bed, he seemed anxious to get out of the apartment. She knew it wasn't to disappear on her again, since he had nowhere else to go, but more to do with the inactivity he was forced to endure. He always hated being cooped up, she thought. But he really does need to pace himself. It hasn't even been two weeks since he got out of the hospital, and already he's looking for something to do. She picked up the bag and headed for the kitchen.

She found a note on the door of the refrigerator. She took it down and read it.

"Elisa, we need to talk. Meet me at the castle before sunset. Don." She reread the note and a knot began to form in her stomach.

The Eyrie Building

Don was standing on the parapet, looking out across the city when Elisa found him. He turned when he heard her approach.

"I got your message, Don," she said. She was uneasy about returning to the castle. Ever since their break-up, she and Goliath had been on uneasy footing. She knew he wanted to respect her decision, but she could tell that it was breaking his heart to see her with Don. She gave a quick glance at Goliath's stone form. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to talk about us, Elisa," he said. "There's something…"

"Can we talk about this inside?" Elisa asked. "The guys are going to wake up in a few minutes…"

"I know," Don said. "There's something I need to tell you." He paused as took a glance at Goliath. "And it's something I think he'd want to hear."

"Don…" she started, wondering if he was going to say what she alternately wanted and didn't want him to say, but then the stone skin of the gargoyles began to crack and crumble. Don quickly stepped back as the stone shell encasing Goliath burst, sending shards of stone flying in all direction. He sensed immediately the presence of the humans and turned to face them.

"Elisa," he said, focusing on her first before turning his attention elsewhere. "Don."

"I guess introductions are kind of useless at this point," Don said. He looked up at the lavender male towering over him. "I guess you would be Goliath," he said.

"I am," he said. "I believe you already know the rest of the clan."

Don looked around at the other gargoyles that were beginning to gather around them. They had an expectant look in their eyes, as if they knew what he was there for. Might as well get it over with then, he thought. He turned towards Elisa and stepped up to her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Elisa, there's something I have to tell you," he said. He looked back at Goliath briefly before focusing on her again. "You know how much I love you," he said.

"Of course," Elisa said.

"Then I hope you'll understand what I'm about to say," he said. He paused then looked into her eyes. "I'd like nothing more than to be able to spend the rest of my life with you, but…" He paused a second time, looking away from her for a brief instant before turning back to her. "It's time to let go, Elisa," he said finally.

"What?" she gasped, realizing what he was saying. He's leaving me again? "No!"

"It has to be this way," he said. "Elisa, what we had together was wonderful, and I doubt very much if either of us is ever going to be able forget it, but we have to face the facts. Too much time has passed for us to be able to recapture what we once had."

"But I love you," she protested.

He brought his hand up and cupped her chin. "I know you do," he said. "I love you too. And that's why I have to do this. Elisa, we both know that you and Goliath belong together. The two of you are destined for each other."

"I thought you didn't believe in destiny," she said.

"Maybe I do now," he said. "Or maybe it's the fact that I've had time to figure out what went on between you and Goliath over the past three years. The two of you started to carve out a life with each other. You were going to be mates. I screwed that all up by coming back."

"Maybe that was something that was meant to be," she said. "Maybe the Phoenix Gate saved you so you could…"

"Somehow I doubt that," he said, looking over at Brooklyn and Sata. He noted that the gargoyles were keeping quiet, giving them time to work this out. "If we were really meant to be together, the Gate wouldn't have waited eight years to bring me back here. Elisa, we have to face the truth. We don't belong together."

"So you're going to cut and run," she snapped bitterly. "Just like the last time?"

"No," Don said. "You were right. Disappearing on you the way I did was the wrong thing to do, and I'm sorry for that. But I needed time to think about what was going on, and you needed time to figure out where your heart belonged."

"I know where my heart belongs," she said. "It belongs with you."

"You know that's not true," he said. "I remember that night two months ago after I came back from Jim's. You were trying to tell me you were in love with someone else. I knew it then, and so did you. You loved me, but you were in love with Goliath. Can you look me in the eye right now and tell me that I'm wrong?"

"I…I…" She looked away, unable to face him. "I can't," she said finally.

Don lifted her head gently and gazed into her eyes. "Elisa, you know I'm right about this. We both know where your heart truly belongs right now, even if you don't want to admit it to yourself." He paused, then looked over at Goliath. "The two of you were meant for each other," he said. "I think it's time you realized that."

"But I don't want to lose you," she said, feeling tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "Not again."

"You won't," he said. "Like I told you before, you couldn't get rid of me if you tried." He gave her a tender kiss on the cheek. "I'll be here if you ever need me, Elisa. I promise." He looked towards the lavender male again. "Goliath," he said.

"Yes?" Goliath asked, stepping forward.

"Take care of her," Don said, slowly loosening his hold on Elisa. "She's a very special lady, but I think you already know that."

Goliath slowly began pulling Elisa into his arms. "Of course," he said. He looked down and found Elisa gazing up at him, tears still brimming in her dark eyes. He gave her a gentle hug and felt her wrap her arms around him in response. "Thank you," he said.

The sound of footsteps on stone drew Elisa's attention and she turned her head to see Don walking away. She pulled away from Goliath, taking a moment to realize he hadn't tried to hold her back, and ran after him. "Don, wait!" she called out.

Don stopped and turned, then found himself staggering back slightly as Elisa collided with him, her arms wrapping around him tightly as if she didn't want to let him go.

"You can't leave," she said. "Not yet."

"I have to, Elisa," he said. "I need to figure out my place in the world." He paused as he looked back at Goliath. "And the two of you need time to heal. You can't do that with me hanging around."

"But Don…" she protested, but then he placed a finger to her lips, silencing her.

"I have to go, Elisa," he said. "Don't worry. I'm not going to disappear like the last time. When I find a place, I'll let you know. I promise."

She stepped back a bit as she heard Goliath approach, then quickly, before Don had a chance to pull away, she jumped up and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

"I'm going to hold you to that promise," she said after she released him. "Don't make me send the guys out looking for you again."

He smiled as he cupped her chin with his hand. "I promise, Elisa," he said, then gently kissed her on the cheek. "If you ever need me, I'll be there for you." He released her as Goliath stepped up behind her and wrapped his wings around her. "Look after each other," he said.

"We will," Goliath said.

Don took one last look at Elisa before turning to leave.

Elisa felt a few tears begin to fall and she didn't bother trying to hold them back. He was leaving again, she thought. But at least this time, it doesn't hurt quite so much. She sniffed back the tears as she watched him leave. "Goodbye, Don," she said quietly as he descended the steps into the castle.

September 10, 1999

Don stood in front of the skylight of his apartment, looking out at the night sky. Full circle, he thought. Eight years ago, he and Elisa stood in the exact same spot, his arms wrapped tightly around her as they said their good-byes before he left for Kuwait. He looked towards the bedroom, where they had slept together later that same night. Elisa was no longer there, and hadn't been for three years. She'd lived in the apartment for six years, perhaps hoping that someday he would return to her, but Dracon had changed that when he abducted her.

The apartment hadn't been vacant during that time. The last couple that had lived here left after learning that gargoyles used to come here on a regular basis, Goliath in particular when he came to see Elisa. They were afraid the gargoyles might return and do something nasty to them, he thought wryly. Bigots. Goliath and the others quit coming here when Elisa left. I wonder what the neighbors will think if the gargoyles do start showing up again, now that I'm back here. He turned and headed for one of the boxes that lay scattered across the floor. "Might as well start unpacking," he said to himself.

The sound of knuckles rapping on glass drew his attention back to the skylight. He turned around and found an azure blue gargoyle standing outside, looking at him. He quickly went back to the skylight and opened it, letting her in.

"Ms. Destine, I didn't expect to see you tonight," he said as Demona hopped down into the apartment.

"I wanted to see how you were doing," she said, slightly amused by his calling her by her human name. "And please, during the night, I'm Demona."

"Okay…Demona," he said. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to talk," she said. "I don't think I truly thanked you for saving my daughter's life last month. Angela is very dear to me. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost her that night."

"I could say that it was part of my job," Don said. "But I'd be lying. Angela's a good friend. I'd never have left her to die in that fire."

"Be that as it may, Mr. Taylor," she said. "You saved Angela's life, and my own. I'd like to repay you for your act of courage."

"You already did, Ms. Dest…Demona," he said. "You saved my life. Elisa told me you used something called the Bloodstone to heal my injuries."

"I couldn't allow you to die," Demona said. "And it wasn't out of any sense of obligation, either. You have a rare gift, Mr. Taylor. I would like the opportunity to help you to explore it."

"I don't understand," he said.

"Do you believe in magic?" she asked.

"At one time, I would have said 'no'," he said. "Now, I'm not so sure."

"Angela and myself have powers," she said. "We can call upon them to perform incredible feats. Illusion, levitation, transformation; all of these and more are at our disposal. The Bloodstone also uses magic, but at a price. You have this gift as well, Mr. Taylor. I sense great power in you. I would like to help you to explore it."

"I…I don't know," he said. "Like I said, I really never believed…"

"It doesn't matter whether you believe or not, Mr. Taylor…"

"Please, call me Don," he said. "Mr. Taylor was my dad."

"Don, then," Demona said. "Don, it doesn't matter if you believe. You will always have the power whether you believe you do or not. And you should learn to harness the power. Just imagine the good you can do for the world."

"Or the evil," he countered. "I'm not too sure about this, Demona. Angela told me about what you've done in the past. How do I know you're not doing this for your own purposes?"

"Admittedly, I've made some mistakes in the past," Demona said. "Yes, at one time I was bitter, resentful, hating humanity with every breath I took. But that's all in the past. I've changed, and for the better. My daughter has helped me and I've begun making friends among the humans again. Hudson's friend Jeffrey Robbins, Angela's friend Richard, Andrea…"

"Who?" Don asked.

"Andrea Calhoun," Demona said. "She's someone I've become very...close to in recent months."

"The name sounds familiar," Don said. "Wait, I remember now. Angela mentioned her when I asked about the portrait at the castle. She told me that Andrea was the artist who painted it."

"Yes," Demona said. "It was my gift to her and Broadway for their mating ceremony. I was very happy when Andrea agreed to take the commission. Although I'm certain she found it odd that Dominique Destine would commission her to do a portrait for a gargoyle mating ceremony."

"I don't understand," Don said. "She doesn't know..."

"No," Demona said. "And I'd prefer to keep it that way. Very few humans know of my dual nature, and I have far too many enemies to risk adding another potential target to that list."

"But I know," Don said.

"You are an exception," she said.

"How so?"

"I...can't say right now," Demona said.

Don could tell that there was something that Demona was not going to admit to, at least to him, but he had an idea what it is. I get the feeling there's more to her relationship with Andrea than simple friendship, he thought.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence in the apartment before Demona spotted an envelope on the coffee table. "What's that?" she asked.

Don looked at the coffee table and spotted the envelope. "Oh, those are just some pictures I took of the gargoyles a few days ago."

"Pictures?" Demona asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Yeah," Don said. He went over to the coffee table and picked up the envelope. He took a stack of photographs out of the envelope and handed them to Demona. "I didn't think they'd turn out as good as they did," he said. "I've got a real cruddy camera. A real cheap-o that doesn't even have a zoom lens."

Demona looked through the stack and smiled at several of the pictures. Goliath in his stone sleep. Ariana and Graeme trying to give a rather filthy Nudnik a bath. Hudson relating a story to the twins...

"Oh, now this one I like," she said, holding up one photograph in particular. It was a picture Don had taken of a tender moment between Angela and Broadway.

"I had a feeling you would," Don said. "I just hope they like it."

"I'm certain they will," Demona said. She smiled at the picture before replacing it in the stack and handing it back to Don. "You could make a career out of this, you know," she added. "I could always use a good photographer on my PR staff. I never was able to find one that I was satisfied with."

"I'd have to think about it," Don said. "Like I said, right now I don't have the best equipment in the world."

"I think we can work something out," Demona said. "I would like you to think about it, and my previous offer. You have real potential, Don. I would like to see you fulfill it." She looked around the apartment, taking in the unopened boxes sitting on the floor. "Once you get settled in, of course," she added.

"I guess I should start unpacking, shouldn't I," Don said, looking at the boxes. There were only a few, filled mainly with clothes Elisa had packed away when he disappeared, and the few scant possessions he had brought with him when he sold his parents' home in Chicago ten years ago. He picked one and took it into the bedroom while Demona cautiously opened another one. She closed it quickly when she heard him come back into the room.

"If you want to help me unpack, you're more than welcome to it," he said, seeing her back away from the box. "I really could use the help."

She smiled at him. "I would like to," she said. She reopened the box and pulled out the top object, a framed picture of a soldier in an Army dress uniform. She could tell by the fading that the picture was old. "Your father?" she asked.

Don took the picture from her hand. "Yeah," he said. He carefully set the picture aside before selecting another and went over to the wall. Finding a nail, he hung up the picture, then stood there for a moment looking at it before reaching up and straightening it.

"Tell me about him," Demona said. When Don looked back at her, she continued. "I would really like to know."

"Only if you tell me a little bit more about yourself," he returned.

"Agreed," she said.

They spent the rest of the night unpacking things and talking, he about his family, and she about her long and rather notorious past. Dawn found them curled up together asleep on the couch, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder.

The End