Nothing ever seemed to go right... when<em>women</em>were involved.<br/><br/>Ever since the beginning of Donovan's relationship with his Shadow, any sort of dealings with the fairer sex - involving EITHER of them - seemed to blow up in their faces. Oh sure, fun could be had, or a quiet private meeting turning heated could be enjoyed, but in the end, -something- wicked always seemed to result from it. Donovan didn't have time to reminisce too much, or focus on just how true those thoughts were, and right now, that streak continued. He didn't answer Methuseld's shouter query - not yet - but the first order of business was getting out of sight of the locals.<br/><br/>Donovan pulled Methuseld along with him and then swerved to the side suddenly, darting into a darker side-alley. There was refuse and other debris scattered about, but he took her with him a dozen feet or so and then swung around and down to the dirt ground, hidden behind a large, half-rotted barrel that would hide them from the sight of anyone walking by the mouth of the alley. He knelt beside her, peeking through a slender crack in the old, worn and damaged barrel - watching a couple of the men who had been following them race past the mouth of the alley - one or two threw a glance down their direction, but continued on anyway, not having much chance to see the two of them hidden as they were.<br/><br/>It was hot. Too fucking hot, and all Donovan wanted to do was dive into the water of the bay for a cool swim. Donovan trusted Dean to be able to escape - no one could stop a -shadow-, especially in a sunny day. Most likely Dean would slip inside one of the businesses and simply embrace the shadows within and no one would ever find him.<br/><br/>But then that left the Fox girl.<br/><br/>"Fuck!", he growled to himself.<br/><br/>Nope. Nothing seemed to go right where women were involved. Wasn't Aza following them? Hadn't she been right behind Methuseld? That damned woman, maybe she had gotten caught and neither of them had heard it? Well, that would serve her right! Good fucking riddance! Spoiled little wench, if she couldn't follow simple directions to follow and keep close, then she could deal with the consequences herself.<br/><br/>"Shit shit shit!" he cursed in soft hisses. Donovan knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he left Aza out to dry. He leaned over, his head near Methuseld's as he harshly whispered to her.<br/><br/>"Ok, here's the plan. You stay here. I'm going to find Aza real quick. Dean can find his own way, trust me, and he can find me easily. We're going to follow this alley as far as it goes, then-...."<br/><br/>Donovan blinked... then his eyes rolled upward in their sockets as he suddenly slumped to the side against the building, his body going limp for a moment as if his limbs were suddenly made of jelly. Pain exploded just behind both of his eyes, sharp and fierce, his breath caught in his lungs. He knew what had happened, but he simply hadn't been prepared for it, nor did he think it would even be possible, not from a band of street-thugs, of all things!<br/><br/>Donovan's weight carried him against the wall, then forward, his upper body suddenly colliding with Methuseld where she knelt on the ground behind the barrel. There wasn't any real 'force' behind it, so his weight would be leaned against her for just a moment - or she was free to push him away. Either way, a few seconds later his eyes rolled back into place and focused, and he grunted, giving a sudden, sharp intake of breath.<br/><br/>With the use of his own ability on the dock, his own reserves of energy draining away slowly, this was a -terrible- time for Dean to go and get himself jacked up. That only made Donovan more nervous - something or someone was out there who could kill Dean? THAT was -bad news-.<br/><br/>Donovan shook his head, and cleared his throat. "Ok... ok...," he said, gathering himself quickly. "Ok... I'll go get Aza.... and we'll get the fuck out of town. That's... that's the plan," he said, slowly, rising to his feet, preparing to head back out into the crowd in search of the elusive fox-girl.... and quietly hoping that Dean would reform sooner rather than later...