Stone Cold Love

By Princess Alexandria

Princess_alex24@hotmail.com

A/N: this makes more sense if you've seen The Reckoning, along with the episodes of The Goliath Chronicles.

This also goes more with the secret liaisons part of the challenge

Callie pulled the coat around her more tightly as she sat in the park drawing. She should have taken this art class in the spring, she'd heard they had to go out and draw the art of the city, but she seriously underestimated the coldness of fall. She'd been working on this homework all day and cursing her tendency to leave things to the last minute. Last weekend had been considerably warmer. She should have done this then, instead of going to Coney Island with her friends. They'd stayed late and might have actually been the last people to ride on that roller coaster before it burned down.

She looked at her subject in the fading afternoon sun and smiled. The person who made this piece of art was truly gifted. It was difficult to do the beautiful female gargoyle justice in her charcoal sketches. Callie thought that gargoyles were supposed to scare off people, but the feminine lines and thoughtful expression on this statue actually drew Callie to her. She wasn't nearly good enough with her drawings to tackle such a detailed piece of art, but she couldn't find anything else in the park she wanted to draw more, which was why she was still here suffering the cold. She wanted to do this justice.

"Dammit." She cursed quietly as the fading sun was making it harder to see her subject. Just a little longer and she'd finish the best drawing she'd done so far. It only took over a dozen attempts to get this close and she had to turn this in tomorrow during class. She might end up having to go home for a light, but she really didn't want to be alone in the park at night. Why would they have no lamp around this beautiful piece? All the other art in the park was given a more prominent placement, and this one was by far the best one. The gargoyle should be on a pedestal or something, not tucked into the woods almost hidden to all but the most determined to seek out art. Callie's hand started to move faster as she tried to take advantage of the few minutes of daylight she had left.

The sound reached her ears before she saw it and Callie's hands fell to her sides as she stared around her easel to see cracks running over the gargoyle and for a horrible moment Callie stood frozen as light seemed to seep through the cracks and it moved stretching with a scream. Callie's eyes were wide as she took in the living breathing female in front of her. The hair was a shocking white and the wings moved to cape her shoulders.

"Oh my god." Callie barely whispered, but that was all it took to make her subject turn to finally notice her.

"H…Hello?" The now flesh gargoyle looked almost as startled as Callie felt as she spoke. She actually spoke. Callie looked around to see if anyone else was seeing this. There wasn't anyone else, this spot was too far from the paths.

"Hi." Callie's eyes were wide and she spoke slowly. When the gargoyle took a small step towards her Callie flinched. The sad look in the female's eyes when she did that made her feel guilty for reacting like that.

"I'm Delilah." The gargoyle glanced around the park for a moment so Callie openly stared at her, not that she hadn't been doing that all along. When she'd been drawing the statue she'd been drawn in by the tender and sad eyes and those were still there.

"I'm Callie." She spoke softly. Something about this creature told her that she was hurting and alone. When that gained her the gargoyle's attention again she tried to not flinch this time when Delilah moved a bit closer. "I was drawing you." She spoke when she noticed Delilah glancing at her easel in confusion.

"Drawing me?" Delilah tilted her head just a little to the side and Callie couldn't help but see the artistic beauty of the features she'd admired all afternoon. The familiarity helped to make her start to relax. "Can I see?"

Callie stood back from her easel. An embarrassed flush came to her cheeks. "I'm not very good yet. I'm just learning." It was surreal to stand back and watch the piece of art she was drawing looking at her work. "What are you?" Callie whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

Delilah turned away from the easel to face her. There was indecision in her eyes as she studied Callie intensely. "I'm a gargoyle."

Callie had heard stories, just like she'd heard stories of alligators in the sewers. She'd never given them any credibility, but here was a gargoyle. A real one.

"This looks good." Delilah indicated the drawing. "But why did you draw me?"

Callie just stared at her a moment. "I needed to draw art for class and you were so…" She just closed her mouth, embarrassed she'd said that much. The shock of talking with Delilah was making her less able to think before she spoke.

"I was so…"

"pretty." Callie watched the female blush at her comment, but the pleased little smile didn't go unnoticed either.

"Thank you." Delilah spoke softly.

Callie glanced at the drawing that was only a few more minutes, maybe a half hour away from being done and then back at the gargoyle. This was due tomorrow and now her idea of getting a light to finish it or coming back early tomorrow before school was ruined. "Can you come home with me?" She couldn't believe she was asking this, but this project was worth a lot of her grade. Delilah, while she looked like she could be dangerous, didn’t look like she actually was.

"What? Why?" Delilah's shock was actually cute.

"I… if you don't want to I understand." Callie looked at Delilah a little pleadingly. "But I've been working for hours on drawing you and these are due tomorrow. I want to at least finish this last one, since it was the best one."

"But I'm not… I'm not supposed to let any humans see me." Delilah looked a bit nervous now, like she'd just remembered that. "My new Mast… Leader… he's going to be upset."

Delilah was looking too worried about that, and she'd almost called him Master. Would she actually get hurt for being seen? Was she a slave? "Don't tell him." Callie spoke quickly. "You were well off the path, if I hadn't been looking hard I never would have seen you."

"Don’t tell him?" Delilah sounded like that was a new concept. "He's the leader."

"Yes, it will be a secret." Callie gave Delilah an encouraging smile. "It's not like I'll get famous off these drawings. Only the people in my class will see them, and I won't mention that you… came to life."

"So you'll be my secret?" A small smirk came to the gargoyles lips. "One of my very own."

Okay, that was a strange reaction to that. She didn’t mean that SHE would become the secret, but Delilah seemed to like that idea. "Sure."

********

Delilah glided low enough to see her new friend walking to her apartment, but high enough to not be seen. She was already going to be in trouble for leaving the Labyrinth, so she might as well help the woman with her homework.

A friend of her own. Delilah liked that idea. She had to share everything with her brothers, and when she'd been with Thailog she didn't have anyone but him. Delilah grimaced at that thought. Thailog was dead, and everything was so confusing now. Talon said she'd been programmed, that Thailog had implanted her need to serve him into her, but it hadn't felt like that at the time. She also didn't like how that made her sound like a machine or less than any other creature. People weren't programmed, they just were. Whenever she could do something, like read or knew something about the world, she could hear whispers from the Mutates about how amazing her programming was, about how it was far more complete than her brothers. It wasn't like she owned her own intelligence and it made her feel like a thing.

Thailog hadn't given her brothers as much programming on history or art or any of a number of things, but he did that for her. Of course, she spent more time with him and was the first clone created. She was the oldest.

Callie turned into a building and Delilah went to the side of it that Callie said her place was on to wait for the woman to stand on her balcony so that Delilah knew where to go. She landed on the building next to it to wait.

Once Callie stepped out Delilah made a note in her mind of which balcony it was, in case she wanted to see her friend again some day. She leapt off her perch and glided to meet her.

It was a small apartment, with old looking furniture. Far less grand than Thailog's home, but still nicer than the Labyrinth Delilah lived in now.

"We could do it over here." Callie was glancing around the room for a spot to set up her easel. "Oh, are you hungry?" The woman looked up as if that had just occurred to her and she was embarrassed.

"A little."

"I can make us some dinner first if you have time."

Delilah had to think about that one. She'd left the Labyrinth after an argument with Maggie, and she knew that whenever she got back she'd be punished. She wasn't eager to go back, and if they punished anything like the Master had, wondered if she even should. It wasn't like she knew Talon was with someone, he was the leader and Delilah was meant to be a leader's mate. It had made sense to see if her status had remained. Maggie had informed her very loudly that it hadn't and chased her out of Talon's bedroom before he'd even gotten there. Getting dressed while running wasn't easy, but she'd managed. She kept running after that. If she wasn't a leader's mate, what was she? What made her special?

"So dinner?" Callie looked at her like she'd been waiting for an answer for a while.

"Sure. I have time." Delilah smiled at her. She then sat down at the small dining room table to watch the woman cook. Callie was a lot cleaner looking than most of the humans that Delilah had seen. The homeless people that lived in the Labyrinth didn't always smell that good either.

Some papers on the dining room table caught Delilah's attention. She pulled an envelope over to her and read it. "Who is Ms. Fornia?"

"That's me." Callie washed her hands and came to sit next to her at the table. "My dad had a warped sense of humor."

"Why?" Delilah glanced at the woman and could see her rolling her eyes playfully.

"Callie Fornia. That's my name. I'm named after a state." Callie sighed. "My brother and sister both escaped his weirdness, but I got teased all through school and whenever I write a check or use my credit card people look really hard to make sure it's real."

Delilah had to chuckle. "My brothers are named after places in California."

"So I guess your parents are as warped as my dad." Callie grinned at her. "You escaped though." Delilah felt some of her humor leave her. Demona was a mother of her's apparently. She just nodded. That whole mess was different and Delilah didn't want to explain to her friend that she was a clone. She didn't want Callie to treat her like a thing. She was enjoying being treated like a person.

"Well, I should set up my stuff. Dinner will be ready soon. I don't want to keep you all night." Callie looked a bit uncertain. "You must have other things to do."

"I can stay until maybe an hour before sunrise if you want." That would mean she got home too late for punishment tonight. It would spare her for just a little longer.

********

Delilah glanced around carefully to make sure no one noticed her slipping into the tunnel that would take her outside. She'd promised Callie she'd come by for dinner again tonight. They'd been doing that a few nights every week, when Callie's sister was away. The human's sister was out of town now, after taking a few days off her stewardess job. Delilah missed her new friend and had been looking forward to seeing her. The fact that the city had just found out about gargoyles and many people weren't taking that well wasn't enough to keep her home even thought Talon had ordered them all to stay inside until things calmed down.

Delilah's heart pounded as she dodged the helicopters on her way towards Callie's apartment and the strange hovercraft that had crashed into the church almost made her stop to investigate, but when she noticed the clan diving down to deal with it she quickly moved around the building and continued her journey. She didn't want to get caught disobeying Talon by them, they barely tolerated the clones existence.

She touched down on Callie's balcony and just stared in at the woman for a moment to make sure that she was actually alone before letting her know she was there. Callie was sitting on her worn couch watching the news with a worried expression on her face. Papers sat on the coffee table in front of her, but Callie wasn't paying them any attention. The human was wearing a baggy sweatshirt with N.Y.U on it. That was the school that Callie went to. Delilah looked at the television and noticed the church she'd glided past on her way here.

Delilah reached out to quietly knock on the glass door and Callie seemed to jump and spin to look her way in one motion. She'd frightened her human friend. Delilah grimaced at that thought.

"Delilah?!" Callie got up and moved quickly to the door opening it. "Oh god it's dangerous out tonight. You could have been hurt." Callie reached out and grabbed Delilah's arm to pull her inside while glancing at the sky outside her apartment. The look of true concern on Callie's face warmed Delilah's heart.

"I was careful." Delilah smiled shyly. "I promised you I'd come tonight."

"People are crazy out there." Callie was still holding on to Delilah's arm. Delilah looked down into her blue eyes and smiled. Callie was so cute when she worried about her.

After a moment Callie let go and took a step back. Delilah could swear that the human looked embarrassed about something. "So, Um… dinner?" Callie turned to the kitchen. "I thought you wouldn't come, so I haven't started cooking yet."

Delilah went to follow her, but her eyes fell on the papers that Callie had been looking at. She picked one up and glanced at it. "What's this?"

"Oh, that's just some legal papers." Callie had glanced at her before leaning down to take out a pan. "I'm in charge of taking care of my father's estate."

"What does that mean?" Delilah set the paper down. She could hear this from Callie directly, and it was new information to her. She knew that Callie's dad had died two years ago.

"He had some money… not a lot, but enough to take care of us for a while. Unfortunately the brother is the kind of guy that would blow it all in one huge shopping trip and my sister wouldn't really be good about filling out things regularly. Before he died he put me in charge."

"Your in charge of your family?" Family was like a human clan. Delilah knew that much.

Callie glanced up from filling a pot with water. "Well, in a way yes. I pay for Bruce and my college, take care of the bills. I guess you could say I was in charge, but don't tell Tina that." She then gave Delilah a cute little smile. "You feel like cutting some lettuce? Spaghetti's fast and easy to make, but I feel like salad with it."

"Sure." Delilah moved into the small kitchen to help with dinner. When Callie was busy with the stove Delilah watched her. Callie was attractive, nice, cared about Delilah's safety… and was a clan leader. Delilah's eyes wandered over the human's body as she tried to figure out what she was thinking. Callie's turning to see her staring made them both blush. "Lettuce is ready." Delilah spoke softly.

********

Once she was home Callie set her bookbag down on her bed and started cooking. Delilah said she'd be around shortly after sunset tonight. Every time the gargoyle said she'd visit Callie worried about her until she arrived. She'd tried telling Delilah that she didn't need to visit so often, but she couldn't hide that she loved having the gargoyle around. Delilah was so kind and sweet, not at all the monster that the city was terrified of.

"I have a message for the kidnappers." A familiar voice came from her television and Callie turned to see David Xanatos addressing the media. He was often on the news but this latest mess was truly sad. Callie hoped he got his son back. He was being targeted because people thought he had something to do with the gargoyles, and if a man like Xanatos was getting this much trouble, what would she be able to do to defend herself if her friendship with Delilah got out? She hated that she even thought like this.

Callie didn't even risk telling her own sister about Delilah because of all of this. Of course her sister had picked something up, and was asking if Callie had a new girlfriend. Tina knew she was gay, and while she was pretty good about it, she did like to tease. Callie wished she had a new girlfriend. Her eyes trailed into her bedroom, and the picture of Delilah hanging over her bed. She then just shook her head and grabbed the remote for the T.V. It didn't pay to think like that. She'd just do something stupid and end up losing the gargoyle altogether. Delilah had so many males to choose from. Once the female had explained that her brothers weren't really… brothers, it made sense that the female would chose one of them eventually. And honestly, it would probably be better that way. Callie moved the knife in her hand a bit more savagely to cut the carrots. Delilah was probably straight, every woman Callie had ever been interested in had been.

"Callie?" Delilah's voice came from the balcony and when Callie turned from putting the dinner plates out she stared in shock before finding the presence of mind to move. Delilah was bleeding from her wing.

"Oh God, what happened?" Callie pulled the glass door shut behind Delilah once she was inside and quickly ushered her friend into the bathroom. The wing looked like it had to hurt like hell. Callie blinked her tears away and tried to calm her shaking hands while she forced Delilah to sit on the closed toilet seat so that she could see the damage.

"Quarrymen."

"Delilah, I don't want you getting killed just to visit me." Callie took a deep breath to try and calm down. "Maybe you shouldn't come over any more." It hurt to say that, but she had to think of Delilah's safety.

"No." Delilah shook her head and her eyes burned for just a moment. "I'm not… You're my friend and I'm not giving you up because it's hard to get here." Delilah reached out and gently caressed Callie's short dark hair. It was barely long enough to caress, but Delilah managed. "You're my only real friend other than my brothers. I'll just be more careful." The look in Delilah's eyes held such vulnerability that Callie didn't have the will to press it. It was obviously very important to Delilah to visit and honestly Callie didn't want to give that up either.

"Well let me see your wing." Callie sighed as she let Delilah win this argument yet again. The wing didn't look too good. There was too much blood and moving it even the little amount Delilah needed to so that it was closer to Callie seemed painful. "How did you glide on this?"

"I was almost here. I couldn’t. I just jumped buildings."

Callie sat back and stared into Delilah's face. "And how are you going to get home?" Delilah looked away. "You can't can you?"

"After my stone sleep I should be fine."

"I guess you'll stay the day then." Callie spoke softly while she wrapped the injured wing. Luckily her sister would be out a few more days. She couldn't explain a new statue in the house.

She reached out to caress Delilah's very soft snowy hair and was surprised when the gargoyle leaned forward and brushed her lips against Callie's. It felt like a spark had started to burn in her heart. A dream, this was much better than Callie's dreams.

"Callie." Delilah moved to caress Callie's cheek and Callie felt her heart would pound out of her chest. The look in Delilah's eyes made it impossible to look away. "Callie." Delilah whispered and moved closer to kiss her again. This time Callie leaned into the kiss.

"Delilah." Callie whimpered once the kiss ended. Her eyes opened at she looked into her friend's eyes. The desire and fear there mirrored her own. She leaned forward to give Delilah one more soft kiss. "Dinners ready." She turned to leave with Delilah's hand in her own to lead her out of the bathroom. Touching Delilah made it seem more real. She had a chance, she had more than a chance. Callie looked back at the gargoyle following her and had to turn around to kiss her again.

********

Callie's blush when she noticed Delilah staring at her washing the dishes was adorable. The human's skin took on such a cute shade of pink and the shy smile made Delilah's heart sing. This woman was hers and she'd treat Callie a hundred times better than Thailog had treated her. Would she become a part of Delilah's clan or would Delilah become a part of Callie's? Delilah nibbled on one of her talons as she continued to watch Callie. She didn't want to let her clan know about Callie just yet. She liked having Callie all to herself, not to mention that the Wyvern clan would want to meet a new human that knew about gargoyles, and she didn't want Callie to think less of her when the clan inevitably told Callie Delilah was a clone and had only been alive a few months.

"You're very pretty." Delilah spoke softly while moving to wrap arms around Callie's waist. Delilah nuzzled Callie's neck and enjoyed the shudder that went through Callie's body at that contact.

Delilah nibbled on her neck gently as her talons moved to cup Callie's breasts. "Delilah, honey… this is too fast." Callie spoke as she arched back into Delilah's body, clearly wanting more. It was confusing to know what Callie wanted, but Delilah finally decided to go with the words spoken and backed away.

"Did you not want…" Delilah felt a wave of pain at the thought that her human wouldn't want to touch her. The humans on the streets and on the news called gargoyles monsters, but Delilah didn't think that Callie thought she was a monster. Was she wrong?

Callie turn around and her warm damp hands reached out to grab Delilah's arm before the gargoyle could escape. Callie's eyes held a silent plea. Delilah leaned into the warm hand caressing her cheek. "I want you… so much, but it is just too soon. I want our first time to be special, and you're hurt, and I'm just… I'm just not ready."

"Okay." Delilah spoke quietly and kissed Callie's forehead. She'd wait. "You'll be ready soon?" She couldn't help but add with a tiny hint of a plea in her voice. She wanted to make love to Callie, to try out the tenderness she'd secretly seen Talon and Maggie share. Her time with Thailog hadn't included tenderness.

Callie moved forward and hugged Delilah to her, the warmth of Callie's body seemed to sooth Delilah's soul. "Oh, this is nice." Delilah whispered as she wrapped her arms around Callie in return. They moved to watch a movie on T.V. and Delilah enjoyed the feel of Callie cuddled up close to her the entire time. Delilah wrapped her good wing around Callie when her human started to get cold.

********

"Where are you going?" Malibu voice startled Delilah and she spun around with large eyes to see that she'd been followed into the tunnel.

"I just need some time alone." Delilah defended quickly, while glancing around to see they were the only two.

"You've been hiding away in the tunnels a lot lately." Malibu glanced around the darkened area. "You sometimes don't even make it home before sunrise. What's really going on?"

Delilah's fists clenched. She didn't need this now. Tonight was their special date. Callie even said she'd buy something really special to wear. Delilah suspected they'd finally make love. Her voice held a bit of a growl. "I don't feel like watching TV, and since I can't go gliding, at least I can go on a walk… by myself."

"Sister." Malibu looked concerned and Delilah hated that he was worried, but she couldn't tell anyone about going to Callie's or Talon would tell her it was too dangerous to leave the Labyrinth. She was not giving up Callie, that woman was the only thing that made Delilah look forward to waking up. Living in this cave, unable to glide was like being imprisoned. "Are you alright? Did we do something to upset you?"

"No." She spoke more calmly. "I just like to have time to myself. Please, don't tell Talon or they'll nag me constantly, and I just want to walk around."

He looked doubtful, but he slowly spoke, "Okay. But you know you can talk to me if you need to."

"I know. Thank you Brother." Delilah gave him a small kiss on the cheek and turned to walk. She made sure he wasn't following her before she turned into the tunnel that took her out of the Labyrinth altogether so that she could glide away.

When she landed on Callie's balcony and looked inside, she knew she'd been right. Instead of the lamps, Callie had several candles on the dining room table. Delilah took a moment to run her talons through her hair and straightened her jacket before knocking.

When Callie came into view Delilah just stared. Her human was wearing a dress and had done something wonderful with her short hair. Oh… so pretty. Callie opened the balcony door and pulled her inside when she didn’t move, and instead just stood staring.

"Get in out of the cold silly." Callie smiled a shy seductive smile. She had to know she looked unbelievable.

********

Callie stared at Delilah over their empty dinner plates. She hadn't been able to eat much since she was so nervous. She'd decided it was time, but she worried that making love to Delilah would be too different from making love to a human woman, and she wanted to be able to please the female that had waited, if not patiently at least understandingly, for Callie to feel ready.

She felt an embarrassed flush on her cheeks as she removed her shoes and used her foot to caress Delilah's calf. Callie nibbled on her lip. She didn't just want to walk into the bedroom, to treat it that casually cheapened it. This was special. "I love you." Callie whispered.

"Callie." Delilah's voice sounded a bit rough with need, and Callie couldn't believe that something as small as the caresses she was doing would do that to her soon to be lover. The need in Delilah's burning eyes was intimidating, but Callie wasn't going to shy away from it now. Delilah told her she could be gentle, that her strength wouldn't be a problem, and Callie chose to believe her. Callie stood up and walked around the table to lean into Delilah's space. She trailed soft kisses along Delilah's neck and a soft whimper escaped her own lips.

"Delilah." Callie whispered into Delilah's ear, and immediately hands were pulling her closer, caressing her.

"Now. You're ready now?" The note of pleading in Delilah's voice made Callie feel like the most desirable woman in New York, even though it wasn't the most romantic thing she'd heard.

Callie moved closer, molding her body to the seated gargoyle and whispered with more than a hint of her own desire. "Yes." Oh, she was feeling so ready now. The feel of Delilah so close, she could feel the heat of her, and it was intoxicating. Delilah's standing up and picking her up caused Callie to let out a startled gasp.

"Oh, I want you." Delilah kissed her while walking them both into Callie's bedroom. Kissed her, ravaged her mouth, claimed her. The sharpness of her fangs occasionally pressed uncomfortably against Callie's lips, but she didn't pull away. When those fangs slowly, gently trailed along Callie's neck she moaned. It felt like flames of desire followed their path.

Once they were beside the bed, Delilah slowly lowered Callie to her feet, and Callie felt cold where she no longer had her lover's body against her. When Delilah started to remove her jacket, Callie started to remove her own clothing. She would have liked to undress her lover, but she didn't want to hurt Delilah's wings or tail accidentally. She also wasn't sure the female could undo the buttons of her own dress.

The widening of Delilah's eyes when the gargoyle saw the black lace of Callie's underwear made Callie feel much better about having spent the money on them. She slowly unfastened her bra and lowered it off her body. Delilah was already completely naked and Callie had to concentrate on the show she wanted to give, because all she had wanted to do when that gargoyle's lovely body was laid bare was to stand and stare. Her lover was truly perfect in every way. It was almost as if she was made for loving, and Callie decided that she was definitely going to take advantage of that.

Once she was naked Callie watched as Delilah hesitantly reached out and her talons gently caressed her breast, making her nipples even harder. "So pretty." Delilah whispered. When those talons gently pinched her nipples Callie moaned, her legs feeling weak.

"Oh Delilah." Callie bared her teeth as the female continued to just caress her slowly, pinching, teasing. She finally got the nerve up to bring her own hands into play. She caressed the sides of Delilah's ribs, her curious fingers played over the gargoyles stomach, noticing the lack of a belly button, and they she softly ran her fingers over the soft swell of Delilah's breast. "I love you." Callie whispered before leaning over to suckle one nipple into her mouth. Delilah's pleased groan making it feel as good as it would if Delilah were doing this to her.

They moved haltingly to the bed, unwilling to put the needed space between their bodies to do so easily. Delilah lowered her to the bed, and Callie pulled the gargoyle down on top of her. She had no idea why she felt the need to wait now. The feel of Delilah's flesh against her own made her whimper. This is what she wants… this is who she wants.

********

Callie was surprised that justice was actually served. She was so sure that the courts would hang Goliath even if he wasn't guilty. She turned off the news and sat back in her seat.

Delilah was coming again. A smile came to Callie's lips. That gargoyle was so… Delilah's name made Callie happy. Being around her made Callie feel like there wasn't anything wrong in the world. Callie was starting to wish she could move out or kick her sister out so that there weren't three days a week that Delilah couldn't visit, but she couldn't do that. Tina was her sister. Maybe some day soon she'd tell Tina about Delilah. Tina was already bugging her to meet the new woman, and Callie couldn't deny that she had one.

"Mate." Delilah's voice was soft and loving. Callie turned to see the gargoyle standing in her living room behind her. She hadn't even heard the balcony door open. Delilah's eyes held her love. "I've missed you."

Later as they lay in bed, Callie caressed Delilah's thighs gently, teasingly. Delilah almost seemed to purr with contently and Callie wished she could do that too, since she definitely felt it. A rough patch of skin drew Callie's attention and she ran her fingers over it again. "Honey, roll over." She spoke softly.

Once Delilah did that, after a brief confused glance, Callie moved to sit up and look. A patch of skin the size of a half dollar was rough looking and a bit swollen. "You have a rash." Callie's hand caressed the injury. She thought the stone sleep healed everything. That's what Delilah told her. "Does it hurt?"

"No." Delilah sounded confused. Callie watched as her lover stood up and moved to the bathroom.

"I have a hand held mirror. Might make it easier to see." Callie followed Delilah in and pulled out her mirror. She didn’t miss the concerned look on Delilah's face when she finally got a good look at it.

"It's probably nothing. It'll fade after I sleep." Delilah spoke but the uncertainty wasn't comforting. Delilah obviously had a bad feeling about this.

"I'm sure it will be fine." Callie spoke softly and took the mirror out of Delilah's hand. "I love you girl." She leaned in to kiss Delilah gently on the lips. It was just a little rash, Delilah shouldn't get so worked up over it. Callie gave Delilah a mischievous smirk. She knew just how to get Delilah's mind off of it.

*********

Callie's stomach was in knots. She sat on her couch staring out at the balcony wondering where her lover was and if she was okay. Delilah had called her and told her that they were going to see a doctor. That whatever that rash was, her brothers had it too. That had been over a week ago and she hadn't heard from Delilah since. Delilah never went more than three days without coming to see her or calling. Not since she met her, and definitely not since they became lovers.

The last time she'd seen Delilah… Callie shivered and it wasn't cold in the apartment. Delilah had been sick, unable to eat much of the dinner and she'd looked horrible. The rashes had spread and swollen. They didn't even make love, Callie just held Delilah in her arms and they listened to music and talked. Delilah told her that she loved her and wanted to introduce Callie to her brothers once this rash problem was cleared up. Delilah assured her that it would be taken care of, they'd called some people who could help them, and she was sure that they would. Callie had just pulled her closer and held her tightly. She could hear the doubt and fear and felt so helpless. That was the last time she'd seen her.

Tears started to obscure Callie's vision as she stared at the frosted balcony door. It was cold outside. "Delilah, where are you?" Callie whispered. In her heart she realized that something had gone wrong. Delilah would never make her worry like this if she was alright. The worst part was that Callie didn't even know where to look for Delilah. The gargoyle had wanted to keep them a secret, so she never told Callie where she lived.

"Callie why aren't the lights on." Tina's voice barely registered as Callie sat in the dark staring out into the night. The sudden lights hurt her eyes. "Oh God… What's wrong?" Callie took a few shuddering breaths and when Tina came closer started to sob, grabbing onto her tightly.

"I think she's dead." Callie whispered. She could feel Tina tense against her before pulling her closer. "I love her."

"Oh God… What happened." Tina started to rock her gently when Callie couldn't answer. Callie just cried. She'd tell Tina about Delilah now. Too little and too late, but she'd tell her.