Road to Redemption [Elina & Dreamweaver]
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Dreamweaver on 06-10-2011, 11:22:32</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>06-10-2011, 11:22:32</strong>
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				The occasion of a tribunal in heaven was always cause for much discussion, as it was generally thought by all living beyond the pearly gates that they had passed through judgment and been found worthy.&nbsp; From time to time, however, it was rumored that even those who were considered beyond fault – the Angels, the very messengers of God – fell from their vaunted positions of grace and power, and were subject to judgment.&nbsp; What happened within these closed-door meetings was never discussed, though there was much speculation by the blessed of God’s Kingdom on what one of the immortal chosen could have done to require a tribunal be called.&nbsp; Today was one of those days, however, and rumor passed like an autumn wind throughout the residents of Heaven.<br><br><hr><br>“How do you think she’ll plea?” Ezra murmured, leaning back on a polished marble balustrade in her luxurious white gown.&nbsp; Her hair was darkest jet, shimmering and radiant even as it seemed to absorb the light around it, and it cascaded down over her shoulders to curl lazily around her bare forearms.&nbsp; Her dark eyes were only just visible from underneath the ebony curtain of the archangel’s hair, and she peered up from under a furrowed brow at her companion.<br><br>“That is a good question,” Michael replied as he looked out over the arrayed guests who had been brought to witness the tribunal.&nbsp; A hundred angels, the accused’s peers, here to witness holy judgment passed down upon one of their own.&nbsp; “Either way, you know what’s going to happen.”<br><br>Ezra turned and gazed out over the crowd, her pearlescent gown shimmering in the radiant light.&nbsp; Her beauty was legend even among the angels, yet her gaze seemed sullen, unsatisfied.&nbsp; “Gabriel doesn’t have to do it, you know.”<br><br>Michael glanced back at Ezra and smiled, his stormy blue eyes radiating his compassion even for one as exalted as he.&nbsp; “Yes, Ezra,” he said softly.&nbsp; “He does.&nbsp; You know it.”<br><br>“It just seems … That there should be a better way,” she whispered, her hands rubbing up along her upper arms as she looked down at the lone angel who stood atop the pedestal in the middle of the chamber.<br><br><hr><br>Gabriel paced the floor of the auditorium, his silvery gray robes fluttering around him as he strode.&nbsp; The material was wispy and cloudlike, making it appear as if he was garbed in a raiment of smoke.&nbsp; His eyes were upon the angel atop the pedestal, raised up two feet higher than he, yet with his huge stature, his gaze was on a level with her own.&nbsp; His hands were clasped behind his back, left fingers wrapped around his right wrist, and in his right hand he held a gold-chaised ivory scroll.<br><br>Upon reaching the medial point of the gallery, Gabriel stopped and turned to face her.&nbsp; His eyes seemed dark with judgment, and his mouth curled into a deep and perpetual frown.&nbsp; His gaze bored into her for what seemed an eternity, while the angels around him seemed to hold their breath in anticipation for his words.&nbsp; <br><br>At last, he diverted his hawkish gaze from her face for only a moment, his glance flashing up and beyond her to the empty chair at the highest point of the room.&nbsp; It was Father’s chair, yet it had always remained vacant during occasions such as this.&nbsp; Gabriel inhaled a deep breath, his barrel-chest rising, before he turned his eyes back to the accused.<br><br>“Ambriel,” he began, his booming voice radiating out like a loudspeaker and echoing throughout the hall, “You stand before your peers, accused of granting heavenly gifts to those mortals who have not rightly earned their place in our Father’s Kingdom.”&nbsp; The archangel’s voice seemed to radiate disapproval, with such intensity that many of the angels gathered were forced to step back from the power of his aura.<br><br>Releasing his wrist, Gabriel brought the scroll around and presented it for Ambriel to see.&nbsp; She knew what was contained within, a detailed list of blessings that she had bestowed upon mortals who, by the accounts of the council of Angels, were not worthy of salvation and had not earned their place in Heaven.&nbsp; Gabriel raised the scroll until it hovered between him and her, his knuckles white as he squeezed the cylinder tightly in his fist.<br><br>“Before your peers and your betters, Ambriel,” Gabriel announced, “How do you plea?&nbsp; You have heard the charges raised against you, now you must speak to your own defense.”<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>10-10-2011, 02:07:58</strong>
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				Ambriel, one of God's angels of mercy, sat atop a pedestal, dark eyes gazing over her mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters.&nbsp; As all of them, she had come into existence as the Lord breathed life into the Heavens and the Earth, and she too was the mother and father and brother and sister of each member of the tribunal before her.&nbsp; <br><br>Like the hundred angels who watched her judgment, she was garbed in robes, hers a smoky blue hue.&nbsp; Her wings were folded, tucked neatly behind her as she looked into Gabriel's eyes.&nbsp; How did she plea?&nbsp; After aeons of speaking in the defense of humans, she now had to speak in her own, and yet when she opened her mouth, no words came out.&nbsp; <br><br>Taking a deep breath, she tried again.&nbsp; Her voice was lilting as she found what she wished to say to the tribunal, melodic and pure.&nbsp; "I claim that humans deserve our grace and compassion, and I acted accordingly.&nbsp; Is it so wrong, Gabriel, so afford them the benefit of the doubt?&nbsp; They are like the children we shall never have, our Lord's creation.&nbsp; They show compassion and understanding toward their own children; I have watched them do so.&nbsp; I only did the same.&nbsp; I plead that I have done nothing wrong."<br><br>Gabriel's eyes flashed as he listened to her, paling and becoming the palest light.&nbsp; "Do you regret your actions, Ambriel?"<br><br>"Nay, I do not.&nbsp; If I again had the opportunity, I would do the same."&nbsp; She could not lie, as such a thing was not in her nature.&nbsp; It was not in the nature of any of Heaven's denizens.<br><br>"Then so be it," boomed the voice of the archangel.&nbsp; A gentle breeze blew, turning tumultuous as judgment was pronounced on the angel.&nbsp; "In accordance with Heaven's laws, Ambriel, you are cast from Zion to the Earth below.&nbsp; Your savior will welcome you back into His fold with open arms as He does all of His children, but only when you have earned His mercy."<br><br>In thousands of years, such a thing had not happened.&nbsp; A collective gasp sounded throughout the tribunal and its audience, and Ambriel looked around to see tears in the eyes of her brethren.&nbsp; She knew hers mirrored their expressions.&nbsp; &nbsp;Even Gabriel gazed at her compassionately.&nbsp; "This is not punishment, but rather a lesson.&nbsp; Not all humans are good.&nbsp; Some of them earn God's punishments.&nbsp; Our Lord is just, and you must learn when to be just as well."<br><br>Ambriel could do nothing but nod, her wings unfurling as she stood.&nbsp; "I am ready."<br><br><div align="center">~ ~ ~</div><br><div class="floatright">(http://cdn.pimpmyspace.org/media/pms/c/r6/md/u4/sexy_angel.jpg)</div>Time did not pass the same in Heaven as it did on Earth, and it was moments later and yet aeons had passed when she was breathed into existence as a corporeal being.&nbsp; Her wings were folded behind her, her robes gone, and she looked about herself.&nbsp; She was in a church, and innately she knew she was alone in the building.&nbsp; Crouched before a statue of her Lord's son, she said a reverent prayer to the Christ before standing.&nbsp; As she did so, her wings disappeared, replaced by a conservative gown that was not so different from the robes she had worn before.&nbsp; <br><br>She thought back to the instructions she had been given by the archangel Michael.&nbsp; It would only be in God's home that she would have the powers granted to an angel.&nbsp; Once she stepped out of the church, she would be as a human.&nbsp; It made her afraid to leave, and for the first time in her existence, she shed tears not for humanity but selfishly for herself.<br><br>But she could not forever remain sheltered within the house of her Lord.&nbsp; Step outside she must, and so she did.&nbsp; Leaving through a door off to the side that had a red sign that said <em>Exit,</em> her breath hitched as the door clanged shut and an alarm began to wail.&nbsp; Ambriel looked about herself, wondering what was happening.&nbsp; What had happened?&nbsp; She turned back, wishing to get back into the safety of the church, but her effort was to no avail.&nbsp; The door was firmly locked.<br><br>Now she could hear a siren that was getting closer.&nbsp; <em>Police!</em>&nbsp; She had helped to usher many a fallen officer through the heavenly gates.&nbsp; They would help her.&nbsp; She stayed where she was, waiting for the aid of the good Samaritans who would surely show her guidance and charity; it was, after all, in their very nature.<br><br><div align="center">~ ~ ~</div><br>A few hours later, Ambriel stood handcuffed before a raised pedestal of sorts.&nbsp; A stern-looking woman in black robes looked down at her.&nbsp; "Officer Simmons says he cannot find you in our database, even after running your prints.&nbsp; We have to have a last name to book you under."<br><br>A last name?&nbsp; But she did not have one!&nbsp; "My name is Ambriel," she said, her voice soft and yet compelling.<br><br>"Very well.&nbsp; The court will order that the last name of 'Doe' be entered into the record.&nbsp; Ambriel Doe, you have been charged with the offense of trespassing at St. Anthony's Cathedral.&nbsp; The court will enter a plea of 'not guilty' on your behalf.&nbsp; You have the right to legal representation.&nbsp; If you cannot afford a lawyer, one may be appointed to you or you may choose to represent yourself.&nbsp; What is your choice?"<br><br>Ambriel felt resentful, almost angry.&nbsp; After all of the things she had done for humanity, here she was being treated like a criminal, a <em>sinner!</em>&nbsp; She had represented humans so many times before, arguing why they should be granted God's favor and allowed to spend their eternity in Heaven even against the better judgment of others.&nbsp; Now, she would represent herself.<br><br>"I need for nobody to stand for me.&nbsp; I speak for myself."<br><br>"Very well, then.&nbsp; The court hereby orders that you be released on your own recognizance.&nbsp; After Officer Simmons removes your handcuffs, you may go see the prosecutor."
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				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>12-10-2011, 13:58:23</strong>
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				Deputy District Attorney Nathaniel Rowan drummed the fingertips of his left hand atop the polished hardwood of his desk as his right thumb and forefinger pressed into the bridge of his nose.&nbsp; Another headache was setting in, a sure sign that he'd been in the office once again too long for his mind to tolerate.&nbsp; Despite his need to be gone from here, to be at home kicking back on his couch in front of the television watching re-runs of <em>That Seventies Show</em> on late-night television while carefully nursing a cold beer, he was once again behind the smoked glass door to his office in the bowels of the Clark County Courthouse.&nbsp; Certainly he wasn't the only prosecuting attorney on the payroll, but times were tight during the worst recession since the twenties, and even in governmental offices it was easy to see where the belts had been tightened.&nbsp; The one thing guaranteed by the economic instability that was plaguing the United States, and moreso Nevada and Las Vegas itself, was that Deputy District Attorney Nathaniel Fucking Rowan was going to be doing the work of three men.<br><br>Too bad he wasn't getting the pay of three men.<br><br>With a heavy sigh, he reached into a side drawer and pulled out a bottle of Excedrin Migraine and a room-temperature bottle of Vitamin Water Zero.&nbsp; The stuff tasted like piss, with that funny aftertaste that should have easily warned any logically thinking human that their body was being poisoned by unnatural toxins, yet he drank it all the same.&nbsp; Zero calories.&nbsp; Gotta be good for something, right?&nbsp; He really didn't know why he had continued drinking the stuff after Catherine had left, yet he did despite the unpleasant taste and the simple fact that he was paying ten times as much as he should for a bottle of artificially sweetened juice.&nbsp; Hell, it wasn't even juice.&nbsp; But considering it had come from someone as artificial as Catherine, it did seem somewhat fitting.<br><br>Thumbing two caplets out of the bottle and into his hand, Nathaniel palmed the lid off of the water before tossing his head back and swallowing them down.&nbsp; He grimaced at the faux-orange taste, and wondered as he gritted his teeth why everything seemed to be produced with a markedly artificial taste anymore.&nbsp; It was as if 'natural' was a gimmick, something twentieth-century that had been lost along with the idea of long-term marriages, manageable children and home mortgages for under thirty thousand dollars.&nbsp; He was barely old enough to remember any of these things himself, being only twenty-seven, but he'd heard enough stories from his parents over the dinner table to last him a lifetime.&nbsp; "<em>The world's gone all to hell in a handbasket, Nathaniel,</em>" his father would say at the dinner table between forkfuls of Hamburger Helper and mashed potatoes.&nbsp; No shit, dad.&nbsp; It's gone and come back, and it's brought all hell with it.<br><br>He'd seen first-hand how things had changed in the perspective of his father, a hard working Master Electrician who had played a pivotal role in preparing society for the demands of the 21st Century.&nbsp; His father had helped to build and maintain the infrastructure of the world he now lived in, a place where electronics and technology were as mainstream and embedded into everyday life as was water and food.&nbsp; With every new device and invention it seemed to bring the world closer together, yet in a way it also drove society apart, a societal dichotomy that dictated the more we knew, the more dangerous to ourselves we would become.&nbsp; With the advent of instant news and information, we had become spectators in the debasement of the human race, numbed to horror by daily images of death and destruction, mayhem and greed, cruelty and perversion.&nbsp; As we became used to seeing it all, our ability to become revolted was somehow short-circuited, leaving us as unwitting victims to more endless imagery.&nbsp; Perhaps this was what the Devil had intended all along, letting technology draw us in and destroy us by numbing us to our own horror.<br><br>Of course, there was no Devil.&nbsp; There was only humanity, and technology.&nbsp; And the world sucked.<br><br>Was it fate that had led him along the path of atheistic pessimism to become a district attorney in Las Vegas, the world center of debauchery and corruption?&nbsp; He doubted it, of course - simply because he didn't believe in fate.&nbsp; He believed in economics, and where there was crime and villainy, there would be the need for prosecutors.&nbsp; Besides - everyone was guilty, anyhow.&nbsp; It was his job to prove it.<br><br>The black glass screen of Nathaniel's smartphone came to life, glowing with pure white brilliance for a half a second before the slim black rectangle began to vibrate atop his desk.&nbsp; With every vibration the phone twisted slowly counter-clockwise, until finally he saw the name of the office receptionist displayed upside-down along with a nondescript outline of a human torso where a picture would have been displayed, had he provided it with one.&nbsp; He let it ring twice more before pursing his lips and sliding his forefinger across the screen to activate the speakerphone.<br><div class="floatright">(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6237032815_83646a589d.jpg)</div><br>"Hello?" he answered after a half second's pause.&nbsp; "What do you need, Brenda?"<br><br>"There's a Jane Doe who just had her preliminary in front of Judge Harkin, Nate," a woman's voice said from the other side - high pitched, somewhat nasal, with the hint of too many cigarettes burned in the parking lot behind the courthouse.&nbsp; "She was trespassing down at Saint Anthony's - she's on her way up to your office to meet with you now."<br><br>"Any priors?"<br><br>"We couldn't find anything - Jane Doe, you know?" the woman replied, her nasal voice flavored with a hint of scorn.<br><br><em>Fucking smart-ass bitch,</em> Nathaniel steamed silently.&nbsp; "Alright, I'll get what I can from her before we cut her loose."<br><br>"Thanks, Nate," the woman replied.&nbsp; Nathaniel thumbed the disconnect on the phone and pushed it across the desk with a scowl.&nbsp; So much for getting out of the office before 9pm, and so much for those re-runs.&nbsp; By the time he got home, all he'd be able to find would be World-War II documentaries on the Military channel, and a thousand odd different infomercials on every other channel remaining.<br><br>It took only three minutes before a shadow darkened the frosted glass panels of his office door.&nbsp; As he'd waited, he took the time to run a comb through his short-cropped brown hair and straighten his custom-fit Italian Canali suit, brushing an errant piece of fluff off of the extravagantly priced garment.&nbsp; He stared at his reflection in the oval mirror that rested on one of his bookshelves, peering intently at the stormy blue eyes that stared back at him.&nbsp; They had a tendency to change with his mood, growing darker and grayer when he was irritated or frustrated, and going more toward the shade of blue when he was feeling pleasant.&nbsp; Today they were quite dark already, and they looked to have the probability of getting much darker.<br><br>The bailiff's knock on his door reminded him of the sound of a Judge's gavel rapping down onto the block, and his cheeks twinged in frustration as he resumed his seat behind his desk.&nbsp; The sound of judgment, something pivotal to everything his life revolved around.<br><br>"Come in," he said with a growl, loud enough for the bailiff and the Jane Doe to hear.<br><br><em>Everyone is guilty,</em> he thought to himself as he waited for the door to open.&nbsp; <em>The question is, guilty of what?</em>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>30-10-2011, 00:23:52</strong>
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				The large, burly bailiff removed cuffs of steel from Ambriel's wrists.&nbsp; She stared at her flesh curiously as she was freed from confinement, wondering at the odd sensation she felt.&nbsp; <em>Pain?</em>&nbsp; Yes, that must be what it was.&nbsp; It was rather unpleasant; no wonder humans reacted to it the way they did.<br><br>"Follow me," said Officer Simmons and walked out of the small courtroom.&nbsp; She kept pace with him, her smoky blue gown flapping at slippered feet, and before she knew it she had gone through two hallways and stood before a door.<br><br>As a masculine voice invited them in, the bailiff opened the door.&nbsp; "Got a Jane Doe for you, Nate," he said.&nbsp; "Judge sent her up.&nbsp; Prints aren't in AFIS and she refuses to give a last name."<br><br>Next thing she knew, she stood facing a man.&nbsp; <em>The prosecutor,</em> she thought.&nbsp; They were good, weren't they?&nbsp; They helped others.&nbsp; But she had thought that about police and the officer at the cathedral had arrested her instead of listening to her.&nbsp; Feeling a little disillusioned and a more than a little disgruntled, she struggled with the emotions.&nbsp; Until now, she had never felt anything but compassion and fascination for humanity.<br><br>She looked at the man who held her fate among humans in his hands.&nbsp; Nate, the officer had called him.&nbsp; She could discern nothing about him; it was as if a cloud of mystery shrouded him.&nbsp; It was not like this in Heaven. There, she could see.&nbsp; She could look upon humanity and sense their stories and their goodness.&nbsp; It was never specific, not like a memory.&nbsp; Rather, it was knowledge deep within her very being.&nbsp; And here, it was absent.&nbsp; <br><br>"Hello, Nate," she said in her soft, lilting tones, "My name is not Jane Doe. I am Ambriel."&nbsp; <em>I am God's angel of mercy, punished for being too merciful.</em>
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				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>03-11-2011, 10:12:46</strong>
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				Nate's eyes swiveled up to watch the door as it swung aside, admitting Doug Simmons, a broad-shouldered and burly bailiff who had worked at the courthouse far longer than he had.&nbsp; The man had a physique like a bodybuilder, though he claimed he didn't exercise regularly, and a way of staring at you that made you feel in imminent danger - yet underneath the steely exterior existed a man who was as pleasant and courteous as any Nate had ever met.&nbsp; Despite this, however, he never allowed his inner lamb temper the effectiveness of the outer lion.&nbsp; <br><br>The big man nodded to Nick with a smile, and moved in to the left, pushing the door all the way into the room.&nbsp; He announced the girl, at which point the perp in question slipped into the room behind him to stand midway from the door to where the edge of Nick's desk divided the office.&nbsp; Nick watched her closely as she padded in wearing county-issue slippers and a blue robe that was unquestionably not her own.&nbsp; Thin and graceful, yet with a nervous trepidation that accentuated her movements and put the look of a frightened deer in her large, dark eyes.&nbsp; Her long and dark hair was unkempt, yet not untidy, and her full lips were poised, looking as if she meant to speak, yet was left without the words.&nbsp; She was extremely attractive, but that wasn't an oddity here in Las Vegas.&nbsp; What was an oddity was the simple fact that the air of innocence that seemed to radiate from her was better than any act Nate had witnessed before.&nbsp; If he was going to prove her guilty in front of a jury, that image of her would be something he'd have to battle.<br><br>"Hello, Nate," she spoke, and he was instantly informed of a second hurdle he'd have to overcome.&nbsp; Her voice was as beautiful as her face, almost like a song of words as she informed him matter-of-factly that she was not Jane Doe, but rather, Ambriel.<br><br>Nate tilted his head slightly as he looked her over, his hawkish eyes peering out at her from under a strong brow-line as his nose jutted out toward her accusingly.&nbsp; His own lips were tight, pressed into a thin line more by the imminent headache that still loomed behind his eyes than by the woman in the blue gown who stood before him.&nbsp; He said nothing for the span of ten or fifteen seconds before finally breaking eye contact with her and glancing toward Officer Simmons.<br><br>"Thanks, Doug," he said, giving the big man a brief but concise smile.&nbsp; "I'll call the desk if I need anything."<br><br>The bailiff returned the smile with one equally as brief before executing a crisp left-hand turn and departing into the hallway.&nbsp; The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Nate and the woman known only as Ambriel alone in his office.<br><br>"You can call me Mr. Rowan, or Nathaniel," Nate said coolly as he turned his attention to the left of his desk.&nbsp; He slid the top drawer open and plucked his MP3 recorder from within, turning the tiny silver and black plastic device over in his hand and tumbling it through his fingertips.&nbsp; "Please sit down.&nbsp; You were read your rights when you were arrested, those rights are still in effect.&nbsp; Have you requested counsel to represent you?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 19:09:36</strong>
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				Ambriel felt her breath escape in a sigh when he corrected her use of his given name.&nbsp; Already it was clear that this was yet another human who would be less than compassionate to her plight.&nbsp; He was drawing lines between them, making sure she knew her place.&nbsp; Well, she certainly was aware that he was in charge.&nbsp; She felt powerless and blind here, completely out of her element.&nbsp; <br><br>She sat at his instruction and watched as he pulled out a small contraption and flipped it through his fingers.&nbsp; She looked on curiously, wondering what it was.&nbsp; She wanted to ask, but did not know if it was something that was so common that he would think her insane for know knowing.&nbsp; Instead, she responded to his query.&nbsp; "My rights.&nbsp; Yes, the officer at the church told me I did not have to speak if I did not wish to do so.&nbsp; And the judge notified me that I may request representation. I do not need another to stand for me, Mr. Rowan."<br><br>Her eyes met his, her gaze penetrating as if she were trying to read his very soul.&nbsp; "Tell me something, Nathaniel," she murmured, leaning forward just a touch.&nbsp; "Is it such a sin to seek shelter in a church?&nbsp; Do you think that our Father casts us from Heaven for seeking solace in His fold?&nbsp; What was it that was so wrong with what I did?&nbsp; What is it you seek?&nbsp; To imprison me for my crimes?&nbsp; Have me stoned?&nbsp; Or does not the simple act of seeking the Lord's embrace deserve understanding and lenity?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 13:46:41</strong>
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				<em>Great... a Jesus freak,</em> he thought to himself as he returned her gaze coolly.&nbsp; He had to admit that she had very intense eyes, with something very odd that he couldn't quite place...&nbsp; But the technique of the convincing stare had been lost on him for quite some time now.&nbsp; He'd been bullshitted by the best, and it was clear that this girl was simply not the best in this particular element.<br><br>Nate waited for her to finish her initial line of defense before placing the MP3 recorder onto the desk between them.&nbsp; "This is a recording device, and it will be keeping an audio archive of our conversation," he informed her.&nbsp; Something he didn't normally feel the need to do, but for some reason this particular case seemed just odd enough to warrant him following all of the rules to the letter.<br><br>Nate clenched his jaw as his pulse thumped against his temple, and the swelling ache of his migraine lanced like a knife into his brain.&nbsp; <em>Welcome to hell, Nate.&nbsp; Where there's only varying levels of constant pain.</em><br><br>"As for your crimes, you're being charged with criminal trespass," he informed her, "and no, you're not going to be stoned, or even imprisoned, unless we find something in your record that indicates that you're a repeat offender.&nbsp; The worst you're likely to receive is a fine, or community service - most likely to Saint Anthony's.&nbsp; That'll be up to the judge, after your court hearing."<br><br>Her manner of speech seemed out of place, but Nate couldn't quite place it.&nbsp; She had a bit of an accent, but it wasn't anything he'd heard before - and her cadence seemed almost like she was speaking lines from a movie, or reading a script of some sort.<br><br>"You do realize, of course, that we're not talking about sin," he said as he steepled his fingertips on the desk between them.&nbsp; "God's law may welcome all into his house, but we're talking about man's law - and it states you can't simply trespass into a church after hours without an invitation from someone who works there."<br><br><em>Lenity?&nbsp; Who the fuck used the word lenity anymore?</em> he mused as he gazed across the desk at her.&nbsp; <em>Something about that stare, like she expects to be able to sway me by simply willing it to happen.</em><br><br>"Now, what's going to help you the most is by simply cooperating and answering my questions as accurately as possible.&nbsp; The quicker we get this done, the sooner you can go home."&nbsp; <em>And the sooner I can get the hell out of this building and go home myself.</em>&nbsp; "Now, I need you to tell me your full legal name, any aliases or names you've used in the past, where you live, and finally, why you were in the church uninvited after closing hours."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 03:05:57</strong>
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				"Cooperation?" she asked simply, eying the recorder and understanding that its purpose was to gather evidence for him to use against her.&nbsp; "What have I done but cooperate?&nbsp; I know that I have the right to not speak with you and yet, here I sit. I have the right to be represented by one who knows your ways, one who would be able to match your wit and intellect, and I have chosen to be before you barren of that shield as well. What is it you would have from me, Nathaniel, that I have not given you?" <br><br>Her gaze was penetrating as she looked into his eyes.&nbsp; "Would you have my confession?&nbsp; My voice on your recording device proclaiming my guilt?&nbsp; I grant that to you, Nathaniel. I did not have permission from Father Nolan to be in the cathedral."&nbsp; Nay, her permission had come from a higher authority. "I am not before you for the purpose of subterfuge.&nbsp; I ask only that you truly ask yourself what the right thing to do is. You may have your retribution, but for what purpose?&nbsp; What will you gain from convicting and sentencing me?&nbsp; Look deep into your soul and ask yourself what punishment should be meted to someone who stole nothing and harmed no one.<br><br>"I sit before you, Nathaniel, and ask for mercy."&nbsp; She sighed then, knowing she had said not said quite enough.&nbsp; No matter how much she advocated for her position she would not be believed if he did not find her truthful, and without a last name, she did not belong in this world.&nbsp; Thus far, she had been starkly honest; it was against her nature to lie or resort to trickery.&nbsp; She was not quite sure what to do.&nbsp; She had given him the only name she had. Ambriel was her only identity outside of being part of her lord's fold. <br><br>Inspiration hit then, and she realized that she could satisfy him without compromising her own convictions. "I am Ambriel Angelus, Nathaniel," she said, giving him the Latin term for "angel."&nbsp; <em>There,</em> she thought, satisfied.&nbsp; She had not lied.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 21:05:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She certainly didn't speak with the fluid ease of a street-walker, and the confidence that she radiated was different than what he normally sensed of Vegas's professional women.&nbsp; Her words, cadence, even the nature of her speech - like she was speaking from the text of some Victorian era novel, uninfluenced by the Americanization of the English language that had made it, in some cases, a new language altogether when compared to the English of Great Britain.&nbsp; She also seemed unaware - blissfully unaware - of the processes of law, and the nature of crime and punishment.&nbsp; Had the girl really intended anything malicious toward the church that she'd been found in, it would have been plainly obvious to him - but this girl's nature seemed completely alien to anything he had expected.<br><br>Nate lowered his gaze and peered at his folded hands for a moment as he inhaled a deep breath, then exhaled - willing his tension away in the breath, mentally attempting to flush the touch of his migraine from him.&nbsp; It wouldn't work, for certain, but he wasn't about to abandon the attempt.&nbsp; Any respite from the severe pain, however small, was worth the effort.<br><br>Separating his hands, Nate plucked up a pen from the side of his desk and flipped open his notepad to begin scribbling longhand notes to himself.&nbsp; <em>Ambriel Angelus</em>, he wrote at the top of a blank page, followed by a pair of swipes with his pen to underline her proclaimed name.&nbsp; It sounded no less believable than anything else she'd told him, though there was a slight hesitation before she gave it.&nbsp; It lacked the same sense of untruth that he could normally sense when someone was trying to conceal their identity from him, but had more of a feel that she was somehow unsure of exactly what it was that he required from her.&nbsp; <br><br>He raised his eyes back up to her as he mulled over her words, annealing his thoughts with the intuitions he garnered from her physical appearance.&nbsp; Her hands and fingers were perfect, flawless skin lightly tanned yet showing no signs of undue damage from a lifetime under the Nevada sun, and her face and hair also reflected a purity that he was normally only accustomed to seeing from the airbrushed perfection of a Playboy Magazine centerfold photo.&nbsp; She wore no rings, no bracelets, no jewelry of any kind - even to the tiny, dangling lobes of her ears that seemed, upon initial inspection, to be free of piercings.&nbsp; What kind of girl today didn't have at least one piercing, one tattoo, one scar to blemish that which she began life with?&nbsp; That, along with the strangely reverent robe she wore, left him with more questions than it answered.&nbsp; 'Anomaly' was the only word that sprung readily to mind as he searched for intuition as to her nature.<br><br>"I'm not really the person you need to seek mercy from, miss Angelus," he commented back to her.&nbsp; "I'm simply a County Prosecutor, and it's my job to present the evidence to a judge, who will then make the decision as to your guilt or innocence."<br><br>A sensation crept along his spine as he spoke, giving him the impression that he was trying to explain a concept to a child, one that truly had no basis of understanding to receive the information that was being presented.&nbsp; He pushed the feeling away with a click of his tongue before continuing on his quest to gain the information that he needed - it was the only way he would manage to get out of the courthouse and return to the relative comfort of his darkened apartment.<br><br>"Now, you admit to being in the church without permission from any of the staff.&nbsp; Is there some reason you were there, something that explains <em>why</em> you're here pleading to me for leniency?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 22:31:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ambriel struggled for the serenity that was the hallmark of angelkind.&nbsp; How frustrating to have him unwilling to listen to what she was saying.&nbsp; Did he have no discretion?&nbsp; Could he not just decide to set her free?&nbsp; Why must there be this process in which to partake, these questions she could not answer?<br><br>The only outward manifestation of her inner turmoil was a tiny sigh as he began his interrogation again.&nbsp; <em>Why had she been in the cathedral?&nbsp; What had she been doing there?&nbsp; </em>How could she respond to a human who did not understand?&nbsp; Some of them did not even believe, not until they faced death or loss or heartache and had no choice but to turn to spirituality for comfort.&nbsp; She wondered if the man before her was such a person.&nbsp; Did he believe in her Father?&nbsp; Did he believe that her home existed, that he had a place there?&nbsp; That was what his eternity held, love in the embrace of the holy... did he understand that, or did he eschew such a notion?&nbsp; <em>What do you believe, Nathaniel?&nbsp; Do you believe in the existence of angels?</em><br><br>She wanted to explain more to him, to tell him that she'd been there because the archangel Gabriel had chosen St. Anthony's as her gateway to Earth.&nbsp; She knew, however, that the truth would not have the desired effect.&nbsp; She couldn't say those words to him.&nbsp; "Perhaps," she murmured, "it would be better if I ask the appropriate person to show me mercy."&nbsp; With grace, she arose from the chair, looking into his eyes.&nbsp; "I was doing what the church was designed for.&nbsp; I was there for sanctuary and prayer.&nbsp; For a few moments of peace and communion with Him.&nbsp; I did not realize that I was trespassing, and I did not realize that the cathedral was unavailable to me.&nbsp; To whom shall I make my apologies, Nathaniel?&nbsp; Father Nolan?&nbsp; Judge Harkin?"<br><br>A rather odd sensation was overtaking her, and at first she did not recognize it.&nbsp; She felt fuzzy, as if her mind had lost its sharpness and focus.&nbsp; She was <em>tired,</em> she realized in awe.&nbsp; It was something that only happened to corporeal beings; angels did not experience fatigue.&nbsp; They did not experience the continuum of time.&nbsp; "I grow weary.&nbsp; Might I make my apologies so that I may locate shelter for the night?&nbsp; I find myself in need of rest."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>19-12-2011, 11:58:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Like a yawn willed contagiously to another, Ambriel's small sigh triggered one from Nate.&nbsp; Unlike hers, however, the prosecutor's exhalation of breath was punctuated by a lashing stab of pain as his migraine lanced into him at full strength.&nbsp; A lightning-bolt of pain shot through his head, like an invisible and imperceptible ice-pick being thrust behind his right eye and directly up into the center of his forehead.&nbsp; <br><br>The pain was no different than any other migraine that Nate had suffered, yet even now he was unprepared to deal with the crushing force of his neural malady.&nbsp; His nerves spasmed in response, body twitching rigidly, and the pen held in his right hand snapped violently in half as his fingers crushed the aluminum and plastic body between them.&nbsp; He bent forward slightly, eyes squeezing shut under the crashing wave of agony, and the muscles in his jaw clenched tightly as he quivered underneath the pressure.&nbsp; <br><br>Nearly thirty seconds passed as he suffered under the force of the pain-flare, but he was unable to count the passage of time in anything other than lifetimes.&nbsp; When it finally subsided, he wearily swung his head up and hinged his eyes open to try and re-focus on his surroundings.&nbsp; His ears rung with a clear tone, like that of a church bell being struck to announce the start of Sunday services, and colors swam in his vision - rainbow streaks permeated by gray spots of blindness as his optic nerves struggled to process data through a torrent of pain.<br><br>Slowly, Nate set his hand to the desk and released the pieces of the pen, dropping them onto the flat surface atop his notepad.&nbsp; Any further questions were impossible, even were she able to answer them.&nbsp; With his left hand he reached into his pocket and fetched out one of his business cards, and in a laboriously slow motion he set the card down on the desk equidistant from she to he.<br><br>"This is my card, miss Angelus," he said as he raised his gaze to look at her.&nbsp; The colors still swirled in his sight, and although he saw her, there seemed to be a shimmering radiance - an aura of glowing light that gave her the appearance of a saint in a Catholic church mural.&nbsp; For a moment he considered shaking his head to banish the visions, but he knew if he tried, the pain would put him to his knees once again.&nbsp; "I will need you to call me tomorrow after noon, so that we can make arrangements for you to speak with the Judge."<br><br>Through the ringing in his ears, the last words she'd spoken - that he'd heard, anyhow - finally registered in his belabored brain.&nbsp; "Do you ... have a place to stay for the night?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>27-12-2011, 23:22:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ambriel frowned as it all registered:&nbsp; the little&nbsp; proffered piece of card stock, Nathaniel's question, and the fact that he was so obviously afflicted with pain.&nbsp; Concern and compassion etched on her face, manifesting in lines of worry, and she dropped down to one knee next to the prosecutor.&nbsp; &nbsp; <br><br>"Are you okay?" she asked, "Would you care for me to fetch one of your healers?"&nbsp; Her only thought was that one of God's creatures may be in need of her assistance, and she reached out and covered his hand with her own.&nbsp; As if electricity had shot through her, her flesh tingled where it had come into contact with the human male and she instantly moved away, stricken.&nbsp; It was her first time touching a human in her new manifestation on Earth, and she was confused by the sensation, flustered.&nbsp; <br><br>"I... uh, are you okay?" she repeated, feeling unsure of herself.&nbsp; Standing back up in one graceful motion, she took a step back, her eyes wide and a little confused.&nbsp; This human would not welcome her concern, she realized.&nbsp; Averting her eyes from his gaze, she instead looked at the hand her own had covered only moments ago.&nbsp; "I... no, I do not have a place to go.&nbsp; I will find a place, however, and call upon you on the morrow as you requested.&nbsp; Will I find you here?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 08:49:23</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes, I'll be fine - it's just a migraine."<br><br>A fairly sizable blind-spot had already begin to form in his vision, and it effectively blocked his view of his own hand.&nbsp; Subsequently he didn't see her own hand as she reached for his, and as her baby-soft fingertips brushed against his knuckles.&nbsp; The charged sensation that she'd felt was redoubled in his own senses, and he gasped softly, tugging his hand back from the unexpected contact.<br><br>Warmth flooded along his hand in the wake of the touch, and he clutched the tingling fingertips into a loose fist as he rubbed the back of his hand with his opposite fingers.&nbsp; The tingle had been less like that of a static discharge, and more like the sensation you got from sticking your tongue onto the contacts of a nine-volt battery.&nbsp; Stranger still, he could almost sense a latent touch that flowed past his wrist and along the back of his forearm, spreading warmth almost to his elbow.<br><br>Nate blinked his eyes hard once again, trying in vain to clear the blind-spots and see the girl fully, yet it was an exercise in futility.&nbsp; She still seemed to be surrounded by the streaked nimbus of oscillating rainbow color, yet now she seemed also to be disembodied below the waist, lost in a shimmering void of white brought on by his overloaded optic nerves.<br><br>"I'll be fine," he said once again, his voice little more than a whisper.&nbsp; "There's nothing that doctors can do to help me."<br><br>Despite his discomfort, his belabored mind still seemed to focus on her plight.&nbsp; "You can't simply go back to wandering the streets, Ambriel.&nbsp; If you need a place to stay, I will help you find something for the night.&nbsp; Do you have any money?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>18-01-2012, 21:03:27</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>Nothing the doctors could do to help him...</em> There had to be something!&nbsp; Here was one of their brethren, afflicted with physical pain that seemed to debilitate him, and they did nothing for his discomfort?&nbsp; The injustice of such a thing rankled her, and she wished to pursue the matter.&nbsp; Opening her mouth to respond, she closed it just as quickly; fighting for perceived justice for humans with too much vehemence was what had caused her to be cast from the heavens in the first place.&nbsp; The Archangel Gabriel wished for her to understand better that mercy should not be freely meted, to embody such a notion in her heavenly form.&nbsp; For her lord's plan to be allowed to work, Ambriel had to learn to temper her compassion and to be less blind.&nbsp; Justice was, after all, Nathaniel's field; salvation was hers.<br><br>She forced herself to ignore his migraine and the fact that he rubbed his hand as if he'd too felt the electricity shoot through his body at their contact.&nbsp; Those things were not things she would be capable of assisting him with.&nbsp; Instead, when he brought to her attention that she was without the tools necessary to secure shelter, she frowned.&nbsp; "Money," she murmured, her brow furrowing.&nbsp; It was currency, she knew.&nbsp; Notes that were used to barter for goods or services.&nbsp; So many souls lost to her lord's enemy in greed for the evil that was money, she thought with sadness.&nbsp; <br><br>"I have none of that, Nathaniel," she admitted, worrying her lip with her teeth.&nbsp; How did Gabriel expect her to find her way when he had not seen fit to arm her with items necessary for survival on this plane?&nbsp; "Nor do I know where to seek shelter for the night.&nbsp; The hour grows late and I find myself weary," she said, her body accenting the words with a little yawn as if to make sure that she and he both understood that the time had come for her to rest.&nbsp; <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>25-01-2012, 08:28:47</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>No money, no identification, no place to stay.</em>&nbsp; It seemed this situation just got better and better by the minute, yet he couldn't in good faith simply thrust her out on the street with no one to turn to, and no resources to draw from.&nbsp; Again, the sense of wrongness itched at him, yet he couldn't seem to focus on what it might actually mean.<br><br>"Give me a moment," he murmured in barely a whisper as he rested his elbows on his desk and pressed his hands to his face, heels against his jaw and fingers stretched upward to cover his eyes completely.&nbsp; <br><br>Nathaniel exhaled slowly, forcing every bit of air that he could coerce from his lungs, and then inhaled until his chest swelled with the intake of cool air.&nbsp; He could feel his pulse hammering in his ears, rapidly at first, yet with each deliberate breath his heartbeat began to slow to a steady rhythm.&nbsp; The rainbow swirls of color continued to circulate through his vision even with his sight blocked by eyelids and hands, but as his pulse began to regulate, the intensity of the artifacts began to lessen slightly.&nbsp; He continued his slow, regulated breaths for another minute, then finally lowered his hands and opened his eyes slowly.<br><br>"There, that's better," he said with a hint of a smile.&nbsp; It actually was, and he was a touch amazed at the fact that his momentary meditations had helped to ease the pressure of his migraine so quickly.&nbsp; The pain still existed, sharp and demanding behind his eyes, yet his focus was coming back, and the muscles of his jaw were returning to his voluntary control.&nbsp; "Now then, I'm going to take you to a local shelter - I know the woman who runs it, and she owes me a favor.&nbsp; She'll give you a meal tonight, and one tomorrow - but anything more than that, and you'll have to work to earn your reward.&nbsp; How does that sound?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>05-02-2012, 16:24:04</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				A local shelter.&nbsp; A meal... in heaven, there was no need for an angel to eat.&nbsp; Such was a worldly concern, and she had no experience with it.&nbsp; Her lips curved into a little frown.&nbsp; Was that something her corporeal body would need?&nbsp; Perhaps it would be best if she relocated to a location where such offerings were plentiful, just in case the need arose for nutrition.&nbsp; But it was not food she desired.&nbsp; Yawning delicately, she asked, "Will your friend at this shelter be able to provide me a place to rest my head and slumber, Nathaniel?"<br><br>His response made her face brighten into a smile.&nbsp; It was what she wanted, after all.&nbsp; "I thank you for your assistance," she said, easily accepting the help from him.&nbsp; As she stood, her body moved lithely, with a grace that made her seem ethereal, but she was oblivious to the fact that she did not move as humans did.&nbsp; She did not have decades of humanity weighing down on her.<br><br>She had no belongings, nothing worldly other than the clothing she wore and the shoes on her feet.&nbsp; There was nothing to gather, and so she stood before him, her thoughts already moving ahead.&nbsp; "Will be be riding in a car?" she asked with enthusiasm.&nbsp; She'd only been in the one with the police officer, and although her situation had been precarious at the time, she had enjoyed the experience.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>08-02-2012, 21:43:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nate chuckled and showed the girl a small smile as he stood from his desk and closed his laptop, thrusting it into his briefcase along with a number of case files he would have to give more analysis to once he'd arrived home.&nbsp; "Yes, she will have somewhere for you to sleep, miss Angelus.&nbsp; It would be somewhat cruel to give you food and allow you to spend the night, but not give you a place to rest, wouldn't it?"<br><br>His briefcase uttered out two muted clicks as he thrust the latches home, sealing it closed, and he plucked it off of his desk without further delay.&nbsp; Certainly, the sooner he delivered this girl to the shelter, the sooner he would be able to get home - have a beer, relax in a real chair, and maybe, maybe... actually get an hour or two of sleep tonight.&nbsp; Nate's eyes rose as he circled around his desk, and his gaze fell on Ambriel as she herself rose from her chair, her otherworldly gracefulness almost unmistakable as she turned to make her way toward the door with him.&nbsp; The sight nearly made him stumble, and he swallowed as he caught himself, quickly tearing his eyes away from her and focusing on the coat rack next to the door.<br><br>Pausing to wedge his briefcase between his knees, Nate plucked his jacket from the rack and swung it around his shoulders, fists stuffing deeply into the arms before he smoothed the collar and buttoned one button to secure it across his chest.&nbsp; <em>Goddamn, i can't imagine what she would look like in a dress,</em>&nbsp; he pondered silently to himself as the girl's stunning physique and gracefulness continued to tingle at him, moments after he'd pulled his eyes away.&nbsp; <br><br>Her second question brought another smile to his lips, and it was enough to distract him from the thought of her physical appearance and regain control of his senses.&nbsp; "Of course we're going to drive, miss Angelus," he replied as he pulled open his office door and stepped aside to allow her access to the hallway.&nbsp; "We're certainly not going to walk."<br><br><em>Not that I'd mind watching you walk all the way across town,</em> the voice in his head chimed as he turned his gaze back to her, and he realized at that moment even his pseudo-chivalrous act of opening the door for her was really no more than a silent ruse to get another opportunity to see her walk past.&nbsp; A tingle of shame crept up his spine as he forced his lips into a pleasant smile and waved his hand toward the door.<br><br>"After you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>09-02-2012, 04:38:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her smile was wide, her enthusiasm an almost palpable thing.&nbsp; Ambriel was excited about the opportunity to ride in another vehicle.&nbsp; She walked past the prosecutor, her bare arm brushing against his arm.&nbsp; &nbsp;Her breath hitched as she felt it again, the same prickle of energy as before.&nbsp; Her arm tingled, and without conscious thought, her other hand came up to rub it, as if the contact would banish the sensation Nathaniel's flesh had caused. <br><br>She felt flustered by him, she realized.&nbsp; What was it about this human that made her blood course through her veins with energy?&nbsp; She made herself breathe, reminding herself that it was necessary, and realized that it must be this way with all humans.&nbsp; <em>Yes.</em>&nbsp; The thought made her relax.&nbsp; Everything was unfamiliar to her including her reaction to coming into physical contact with a human.&nbsp; He was the only one she'd touched, so she was flustered by him.<br><br>Feeling better and more in control, she walked down the hallway, going the same way the bailiff had brought her earlier.&nbsp; The same officer saw her walking and nodded and Nathaniel.&nbsp; "Everything okay?" he asked the prosecutor.<br><br>It was a good opportunity to test her theory, she realized.&nbsp; On purpose, she walked close to the officer and bumped him so that her fingers touched his hand.&nbsp; Nothing.&nbsp; There was no tingling, no electricity.&nbsp; "Please, do forgive me," she murmured, a little frown marring her features.&nbsp; What was happening?&nbsp; <em>Gabriel,</em> she thought, <em>what is it you are doing?&nbsp; What lesson am I to glean from this?</em>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>12-02-2012, 21:29:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nate's brows furrowed into a barely perceptible frown of concentration as he turned to follow her with his eyes, then with the rest of his body as they both entered the hallway.&nbsp; She'd once again grazed against his arm - and for some reason, even with the separation of his jacket and her own clothing, the merest contact sent an unnervingly pleasant tingle coursing up along his shoulder and neck.&nbsp; Whatever it was, it was the second time - and it certainly wasn't something as easily explainable as goddamn static electricity.<br><br>The walk to the elevators was short, perhaps a few hundred yards at most.&nbsp; It very well could have been the longest three hundred yards of Nathan's life, as his thoughts were mesmerized with the expertness of a snake charmer summoning a cobra from its basket with the dancing lure of a lullaby from his dancing flute.&nbsp; Her walk was one of the most innocently erotic things he'd ever seen in his life, and by the time they passed the bailiff twenty feet from the elevator, the tingle in Nate's arm had manifested itself with her walk to equal a nearly full-blown arousal.&nbsp; The hypnotic quality of it was only broken near the end, when she seemed to accidentally brush against the bailiff as well - yet this time the action brought a barely perceptible frown of confusion.<br><br>The action brought Nate out of his haze, and he turned to nod professionally at Doug as the bailiff headed the other direction.&nbsp; "Yeah, she doesn't have anywhere to stay tonight so I'm going to give her a lift down to the shelter over on Decatur and University."&nbsp; Doug's nod in return barely registered to Nate, as he'd turned his attentions back to the girl almost immediately.&nbsp; <br><br>The tingle of what seemed to be unnatural attraction and arousal was gone now, though the after-effects still pulsed in the thickened meat of his cock as it strained gently against his boxers.&nbsp; There certainly wasn't enough evidence of his condition to show physically - or at least, he hoped there wasn't.<br><br>They arrived at the mirrored silver doors of the elevator moments later, and Nate moved to one side and thumbed the call button as he gave Ambriel a nervous and tight-lipped smile.&nbsp; Thankfully, the elevator doors opened without hesitation - and Nate stepped inside quickly before turning and holding the door opened while she joined him.&nbsp; They slid finally closed with a mechanical whisper of wheels on guided tracks, and without another hesitation the car dropped from below them as it began its descent to the parking sub-level.<br><br>Nate had never been one to be caught without material for conversation, yet in this particular moment as the elevator dropped from below them, the tingly rising feeling in the pit of his stomach was the only thing that he could concentrate on.&nbsp; "So, ..." he began, his eyes shifting with almost nervous apprehension from her to the changing lights above the door before returning his gaze to her.&nbsp; "You're not from Vegas, are you?" he asked.&nbsp; Quickly he appended the question, adding, "I'm asking off the record, by the way."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>20-02-2012, 00:45:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Confusion furrowed Ambriel's brow as she stepped into the box that was called an elevator.&nbsp; Nathaniel pressed a button and it started its movement downward, making her stomach flutter.&nbsp; The unexpected sensation, different from what she'd felt earlier when she'd been in it going upward, made her put a hand against the cool wall to brace herself.&nbsp; <br><br>Her eyes wide, she decided that she did not like how the elevator felt.&nbsp; One's stomach should stay put, after all, no?&nbsp; She glanced in Nathaniel's direction, seeing that he was looking above the door, and sucked in a breath at his question.&nbsp; Was she so obvious?&nbsp; She wasn't exactly doing well fitting into her surroundings, she knew that.&nbsp; After all, he'd only known her a short while and he had detected it.&nbsp; And the fact that she was in trouble already with the enforcers of good here did not bode well for her.<br><br>"I'm not," she said, her lips curving into a small smile in spite of herself.&nbsp; If only he knew exactly how far she was from not being a Vegas local.&nbsp; "I come from a different place, one that is far away.&nbsp; Off the record, of course."&nbsp; Feeling tentative, she let go of the wall.<br><br>While it was a fortunate thing that the downward motion of the elevator ended quickly, the box landed and came to a stop with a sudden jerk, sending Ambriel careening forward at the same time Nathaniel took a step.&nbsp; She stumbled into him, her hand landing on his chest.&nbsp; "Oh!" she exclaimed, startled, just as the doors opened into a cavernous structure that held several automobiles.&nbsp; As excited as she had been only moments before about the possibility of riding in one again, now all she could do was think about Nathaniel's nearness.<br><br>As if burned, her hand dropped to her side, and she stepped out of the elevator, her slippers padding against hard, rough concrete.&nbsp; She needed distance between herself and the prosecutor.&nbsp; There was something about him that left her feeling very confused; she did not understand her body's response to him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>20-02-2012, 20:39:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				With Nate's luck, she was probably an illegal - yet her English was absolutely flawless, if not a bit odd in cadence and context at times.&nbsp; Nonetheless, she definitely was from somewhere he'd never been.&nbsp; Even the movements of the elevator seemed to unnerve her!&nbsp; A part of him yearned to dig deeper - yet that same part of him was the one that simply ignored rules as technicality.&nbsp; He would not fall prey to something like that, no matter how intriguing she was.&nbsp; At the core, she was still a perp - and Nate had his career and his own personal accountability to consider.<br><br><em>Maybe she's an alien.&nbsp; From a whole different planet, visiting us in order to study our men-folk.</em><br><br>The inadvertent thought made his lips curl into a broad smile, and he had to clear his throat suddenly in order to avoid simply laughing aloud.&nbsp; He flashed her a quick glance before turning his attention back to the descending number lights, moments before they arrived at their intended floor.<br><br>The elevator's car slowed smoothly, and then hesitated for an instant before thudding into place at the level of the parking garage.&nbsp; Nate had begun to turn toward the imminently opening doors as the cab locked itself in place, and once again the motion caught the girl off guard.&nbsp; Her hand flew up and pressed against his chest, and in automatic reaction he raised his hands to grasp her by the shoulders and steady her unsure footing.&nbsp; The doors swept aside as he stared down into her eyes...<br><br>... eyes like midnight pools, dark and expressive, and he found himself yearning to dive into them ...<br><br>"Careful, miss Angelus," he said with a smile as he struggled inwardly, clutching to his self-control and bolstering himself with his professionalism.&nbsp; He extended his arms a bit, separating them to an arm's length before releasing her shoulders and turning toward the now open elevator doors.&nbsp; "This elevator has a tendency to bounce at certain floors."<br><br>She turned and stepped forward, into the open expanse of the shadowy parking garage, and he breathed a deep and silent sigh of relief as his self-control made a resurgence against the maddeningly seductive draw of simply being near her.&nbsp; He had no explanation - Nate had been in the company of the most beautiful and sensual women in the world, and had never felt this off-balance around one.&nbsp; It simply didn't make any sense.&nbsp; After a moment, he stepped forth and followed her into the garage.<br><br>"I'm over there to the left," he said as he thrust his hand into his pocket to retrieve his key fob.&nbsp; His gaze went to his car, specifically avoiding any desire to linger over her form as she swayed deliciously ahead of him, seeming to exude sensuality by merely moving.&nbsp; It was maddening.<br><br>Nate's thumb weighed down on the lock release button on his key fob, and in answer, a mechanical chirp echoed through the confines of the garage while simultaneously being accompanied by the flash of amber marker lights.&nbsp; The driving lights remained on for five seconds as they crossed the garage toward his car, a brand new Cobalt Blue BMW 550i sedan, and as he circled around to the passenger's side of the car, he brushed his fingertips along the hood in admiration of the machine.&nbsp; He'd only recently bought the car, at an expense that nearly forced him out of his condominium in search of more affordable lodging, but a skillful rearrangement of some of his more costly endeavors allowed him enough extra monthly cash to afford the beautiful automobile.<br><br>He stopped at the passenger door and pulled it open, finally turning to raise his eyes to her face.&nbsp; This time, however, he purposefully avoided looking directly into her eyes - the last thing he needed to do was start gawking like some flat-footed teenager at the door trying desperately to hold his composure as he picked up his first date.<br><br>"Here we are," he said with a smile as he held the door open for her.&nbsp; "Have a seat, and we'll be on our way."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>22-04-2012, 02:06:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It was as if she was... off-balance.&nbsp; Never in aeons of existence had she felt this way before.&nbsp; Everything was foreign here, and yet familiar, as if she had stepped into a well-worn copy of a favorite book.&nbsp; Yes, that had to explain it; surely it was the atmosphere here on Earth and nothing else.&nbsp; Looking over her shoulder, she glanced back toward the man who followed her into the cavernous parking lot.&nbsp; <em>It has nothing to do with him!</em>&nbsp; No, it couldn't.&nbsp; How could an ordinary human possibly affect her equilibrium?<br><br><em>Explain then, Ambriel, the current of electricity that flows within your very veins as if your blood is afire when his flesh comes into contact with your own.</em>&nbsp; She pushed aside the wayward, unwelcome thought and forged ahead to the automobile he had indicated was his, a hint of a frown playing on her full lips.<br><br>She knew nothing about cars.&nbsp; Worldly possessions had no place where she lived; the souls she helped saved let go of such trivialities and found their contentment in other ways.&nbsp; And yet, she was like a child surrounded by new toys as she approached the shiny blue car, her gaze drinking in the color and shape of the vehicle before her, lingering on Nathaniel's hand as it caressed metal.&nbsp; <br><br>Excitement burned in her eyes as she silently climbed into the seat, this time in the front.&nbsp; This one was different than the last she'd been in.&nbsp; No steel mesh separated the front chamber from the back one.&nbsp; No computer dominated the space next to the driver, and no voices of dispatchers filled the small space with codes she did not understand.&nbsp; Fastening the seat belt from memory of when the officer had to do hers earlier, she settled back against leather.&nbsp; Another difference - this was much more comfortable for her new corporeal body.<br><br>Her gaze followed him as he walked around the front of his vehicle and then entered on his side.&nbsp; He was muscular, his body built like an athlete's, and this time, she felt the surge of electricity even without touching him.&nbsp; Quickly, she looked away, peering back toward the elevators, her heart beating quickly.&nbsp; She did not like the feeling, did not understand it!&nbsp; <em>Gabriel, is this part of my test?</em> she asked the heavens silently and met no response.<br><br>She heard a noise from Nathaniel's direction, and the vehicle came to life with a soft purr and making her look toward him as he maneuvered it out of its space.&nbsp; For long moments she only watched him operate the machine, her hands fisted in her lap.&nbsp; And then her curiosity overcame her; comforted when she felt no further surges of energy within her body, she reached out with tentative fingers, brushing first the glass of the window beside her and then the leather of the console in front of her.&nbsp; Soon she was exploring buttons and knobs, forgetting that she was not alone.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>05-05-2012, 00:42:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nate's eyebrow quirked up in curiosity as he piloted the sleek BMW out of the parking garage and onto the street, watching her with relaxed ease.&nbsp; After her initially subdued behavior, she began to notice her surroundings - and in noticing, she began to reach out and touch.&nbsp; Her long, delicate fingers grazed along the glass of the passenger window, and along the leather atop the doorframe, where the glass meshed with a polished chrome rib.&nbsp; They reached forward to brush across the leather and plastic molded dashboard, circling around the air vents and fingering the release for the glove compartment.&nbsp; They caressed over the rectangular buttons for the navigation system, and over the smoked glass screen itself, before continuing downward towards the controls for the car's stereo.&nbsp; <br><br>Finally it seemed that curiosity got the better of her, and she began to push - seemingly at random - the knobs and buttons that spread across the dash console between the steering wheel and the glove compartment.&nbsp; It took her only three or four random selections before she found the on/off knob for the stereo, and instantly the car was filled with a thrumming melody, <em>Coldplay</em> flooding from the car's powerful speakers and immersing them in music.<br><br><em>When I counted up my demons.<br>Saw there was one for every day.<br>with the good ones on my shoulders,<br>I drove the other ones away.</em><br><br>Nate's lips curled into a smile as he turned his eyes toward her face as they stopped at a red light.&nbsp; "Like Coldplay?" he asked her, amused by the seemingly innocent shock that she displayed.&nbsp; It was as if she'd never been in a car, never heard a radio, never explored things that humans took for granted each and every day.&nbsp; The nature of the song didn't dawn on him either, for if he had known the truth it might have brought an entirely new light to the interchange.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>03-06-2012, 18:33:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The air around her filled with music, and Ambriel pulled her hand away, startled at the noise she seemed to have created.&nbsp; It was so unlike the heavenly harpists whose melodies filled the hallways from where she came, but she liked it nevertheless.&nbsp; The rhythm was different, harder... as was her existence.&nbsp; For a few moments, she silently listened to the words of the song, wondering again if they were a sign from the Archangel Gabriel.<br><br>When Nathaniel spoke again, it was to ask her is she enjoyed another concept foreign to her.&nbsp; <em>Coldplay.</em>&nbsp; It had to be a question related to the music, she deduced.&nbsp; The song?&nbsp; The artist?&nbsp; Either way, the answer seemed to be yes, and so she nodded.&nbsp; <br><br>The trip to the shelter was not a long one, and soon after the music gave way to voices speaking, the car purred to a stop.&nbsp; The building was run down, dark because of the late hour, and the thought of being punted into yet another unfamiliar place suddenly filled Ambriel with a sense of dread.&nbsp; She knew Nathaniel would leave her here, that she would be expected to appear again in his courthouse to answer to the charges he brought forth as her adversary, and yet he was the only thing she knew of this world.&nbsp; He had not been unkind to her, understanding her needs and trying to fulfill them.&nbsp; The thought of being abandoned by him made her wish to cling to him like a lifeline, and before she knew it, her fingers darted out and curved around his.<br><br>This time, the jolt of electricity was expected and she did not pull away.&nbsp; Instead, she breathed deeply, her gaze on her lap, and then turned panic-filled eyes to meet his.&nbsp; "I...," she said, drifting off as she thought of what to say.&nbsp; "I do not know this place.&nbsp; They will show me kindness as you have?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>23-06-2012, 02:20:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The rest of the short drive to the shelter was conducted in relative silence, interrupted only by the music pouring from the car’s speakers as they made their way along Las Vegas’s brightly lit streets to beyond the strip, where the rest of Sin City’s inhabitants lived.&nbsp; There was no neon here, no flashing banners inviting one and all to the wonders of Nevada’s desert jewel.&nbsp; No feather-bedecked women with stocking-clad legs and painted faces.&nbsp; No spinning slot-machine wheels, ringing bells and flashing lights advertising the millions to be won by the pull of a handle, the roll of the dice or the lay of the cards.&nbsp; Here, it was quieter, and in a way even more morose than any other low-rent district, because perhaps of its proximity to the glamour of the strip.<br><br>As they coasted into the parking lot outside the shelter, Ambriel spoke.&nbsp; There was an emotion carried by her words that seemed to telegraph her feelings, and it sent a cool shiver down his spine as he set the parking brake and shut off the engine.&nbsp; Would they show her kindness?&nbsp; He presumed so, of course.&nbsp; It was their job to take in the destitute, the homeless and the abandoned, and show them compassion – but would it happen?&nbsp; He really didn’t know the answer for that, without a doubt.<br><br>“They will take good care of you, yes,” he told her as he placed his hand on the door handle, his gaze sweeping over to look into the girl’s face.&nbsp; Once again, he was overtaken by the simple fact of her overt innocence, an almost palpable radiance that issued forth from her and made him question how she could possibly do any wrong whatsoever.&nbsp; The girl was an enigma, and it tugged at him incessantly in the moments that their gazes touched.<br><br>He paused for a moment, and then forced a smile upon his lips as he tugged the handle of his door, pushing it open.&nbsp; The dome light came on and illuminated his face, making his eyes shimmer and highlighting the white of his meticulously tended teeth.<br><br>“You have my card, yes?” he asked her as he dropped his left foot out and onto the pavement.&nbsp; “If they somehow don’t tend to your needs, you call me and I give you my word I’ll find a place that will take care of you better.”<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>15-07-2012, 18:04:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She nodded at him as he got out of the car.&nbsp; Her right hand was clutched around the little piece of thick paper with his name and phone number on it.&nbsp; She was supposed to follow him out of the car, she surmised, and she tugged at the handle on the door like she'd seen Nathaniel and the officer do.&nbsp; The door sprung open even as Nathaniel approached the passenger side of the car, and she fumbled with the seat belt, unlatching it.&nbsp; <br><br>Once she was standing next to him, she inhaled deeply, the scent in the air seeming acrid to her nose after millennia spent in the purity of Heaven.&nbsp; She shrugged it off, though.&nbsp; This home was temporary for her.&nbsp; She need only to prove herself to the tribunal, and Gabriel would welcome her back into The Kingdom with open arms.&nbsp; "I'm ready," she murmured, and then fell into step with the prosecutor who had somehow become her guide and persecutor at once.<br><br>He led her to a door and pressed a button.&nbsp; A few minutes later, a sleepy voice sounded from some sort of tin box attached to the wall.&nbsp; Nathaniel spoke back, and then a buzz and a click followed.&nbsp; Nathaniel opened the door and they stepped into a dimly lit area, a woman in shorts and a t-shirt padding toward them.&nbsp; The look on her face was one of puzzlement as she looked back and forth between the visitors, her gaze lingering on Ambriel.<br><br>"Hi, I'm Candace," she said, extending her hand.<br><br>Ambriel shook it and murmured her own name in response, and the woman turned then to Nathaniel, kissing his cheek.&nbsp; "What's going on, Nate?" she asked.&nbsp; "It's the middle of the night."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>07-09-2012, 09:55:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nate leaned back after giving Candace a return kiss upon her cheek, his hands upon her upper arms as he extended his reach out slightly.&nbsp; He smiled at her apologetically, shrugging his shoulders in a sheepish gesture before dropping his hands down to his sides.&nbsp; <br><br>He'd known Candace D'Angelo for nearly ten years now, meeting her as a junior in high school after she'd transferred in from Jersey City.&nbsp; She had been the rebellious only daughter of an Italian real estate mogul who'd come to Vegas to profit on the low-priced land and the exponential growth, full of attitude and pent up sexual energy who quickly set her sights on Nate himself.&nbsp; Their relationship had been fast and filled with trouble, until escalating to a near physical conflict between her father and Nate's.&nbsp; They were forbidden to see each other, and Candace was sent away to a private school for her senior year.&nbsp; During that time she experienced a number of life-changing events that refocused her anxious energy, and when she returned to Clark County two years later, she aimed her sights on helping those around her who didn't have the luxury of second chances like she'd received.&nbsp; A bit of seed money from her father was bankrolled into what ultimately became the shelter he'd brought Ambriel to - a haven for homeless or battered women, one of the most respected facilities in Las Vegas.<br><br>"I found a lost lamb," he said with a chuckle, turning his gaze toward the girl at his side briefly before shifting his eyes back to Candace.&nbsp; "She needs a place to stay for the night, and something to eat."<br><br>Candace's gaze followed his, and she looked over the girl once more before raising her eyes back to meet Nate's own.&nbsp; "Well, we're pretty full up right now..."<br><br>Nate inhaled a deep breath and held it as he gazed into Candace's face, and he pursed his lips wordlessly.&nbsp; Silence hung in the air for a moment, until Candace finally spoke again.<br><br>"Can I speak with you in private for a moment, Nate?"<br><br>Nate swallowed down an uncomfortable lump in his throat, something that happened to him so infrequently that it put him that much more off-balance.&nbsp; "ahh, yeah," he replied.<br><br>Candace turned and strode away from Ambriel a few paces, toward the main door that led back deeper into the facility.&nbsp; Nate followed her, stepping close as his old friend once again turned her face up to peer into his eyes.<br><br>"This isn't like you, Nate," she whispered under her breath as she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her shorts.&nbsp; "Bringing someone here this late? And..."&nbsp; She turned to glance back at Ambriel, then returned her eyes to his face.&nbsp; "You're not sleeping with her, are you?"<br><br>Nate rolled his eyes, yet the mere hint of it sent a rush of heat up his spine.&nbsp; He'd never once had a moment of impropriety with one of his clients, or with someone that he would be prosecuting - but the suggestion of it with Ambriel almost immediately set his blood to&nbsp; boiling as he struggled to maintain his composure.<br><br>"No, of course not," he breathed.&nbsp; "She was caught trespassing - but something about it just strikes me as ... weird," he told her.&nbsp; Shrugging his shoulders, he mimicked her stance as he stuffed his own hands into the pockets of his slacks.&nbsp; "Her story is full of holes, but there's just this feeling that I have that says there's more to it than meets the eye.&nbsp; Just one night, Candy.&nbsp; I promise."<br><br>Candace's jaw set firmly and her eyes took on a hawkish gleam as she pursed her lips, giving Nate a good approximation of an evil eye.&nbsp; Seconds passed into nearly a minute before her gaze softened, and she glanced once more at the girl.&nbsp; "One night.&nbsp; She'll have to sleep on a cot, though - I wasn't bullshitting when I said we were full."<br><br>Nate exhaled, realizing at that moment that he'd been holding his breath.&nbsp; He smiled then, and stepped forward to wrap his arms around her in a warm, familiar hug.&nbsp; "Thank you."<br><br>Candace returned the hug with equal affection, then broke it before turning toward Ambriel.<br><br>"You can stay for the night, Ambriel," she told her as she once again crossed the room to where the fallen angel stood.&nbsp; "I've got some clothes that will probably fit you, and we can get you some warm food - though you'll have to sleep on a cot.&nbsp; Come this way, please."<br><br>Candace gave Nate a final nod and a guarded smile as she headed through the inner door, unlocking the automatic lock with a key she produced from her pocket.&nbsp; "Food first," she murmured as she led Ambriel back through, and away from where Nate stood alone.<br><br>The door latch clacked shut moments later, and he stood there in the center of the shadowed lobby for another thirty seconds before finally turning and heading toward his car.&nbsp; Emotions flooded through him, ones that left him off-balance and overwhelmed with the feeling that all of his carefully laid control seemed on the edge of being cast to the wind.<br><br><em>She's still guilty of something,</em> he thought to himself as he headed toward the parking lot and his waiting car.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>21-10-2012, 18:42:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ambriel studied the woman, Candace, intently as Nathaniel spoke to her in hushed tones.&nbsp; There was an aura around her, one of goodness; it was but a vague feeling, but one that comforted the fallen angel.&nbsp; The two embraced, their touch familiar, and Ambriel wondered as to the nature of their acquaintance.&nbsp; It was, however, a fleeting thought, for before she was ready, her prosecutor and savior had left.<br><br>She turned to the woman, who was speaking of clothing and cots.&nbsp; "I...," she began to say did not eat.&nbsp; But then she realized that there was a gnawing feeling deep in the pit of her stomach.&nbsp; Was that hunger?&nbsp; She had never felt it before.&nbsp; In heaven, the body had no needs.&nbsp; Following Candace, she went into a large, dark room.&nbsp; A moment later, bright light flickered on, casting the area in a flood of white.&nbsp; Oversized appliances lined the walls.<br><br>"We get donations from the food bank.&nbsp; We have several women who are great cooks, and there's always something they can whip up that tastes amazing," Candace said, opening a tall metal door that seeped cold air into the kitchen.&nbsp; "You're just here overnight, but all I ask is that each woman pulls her own weight.&nbsp; For some, it's cleaning, and for others it's helping with the children.&nbsp; And others cook.&nbsp; Ah, here we go.&nbsp; Leftover casserole from dinner.&nbsp; It's pretty good."&nbsp; She glanced back at Ambriel, her long black hair swirling around her face, "You don't have to talk.&nbsp; We're pretty used to the quiet ones around here.&nbsp; But if you want to, go for it.&nbsp; It's not going to get back to Nate, I promise."<br><br>She kept the chatter up as she microwaved food and set it in front of Ambriel with a fork and a glass of white liquid.&nbsp; Tentatively, Ambriel took a sip.&nbsp; She recognized it, of course, although she'd never had it.&nbsp; <em>Milk.</em>&nbsp; "Oh," she exclaimed as flavor tickled her tongue for the first time.&nbsp; "It's quite good!"&nbsp; <br><br>Candace's looked at her quizzically.&nbsp; "You're used to whole, huh?&nbsp; We try to use two percent here whenever we can."<br><br>Ambriel picked up the fork, its weight unfamiliar in her hand.&nbsp; She felt as if she was visiting another culture she had only read about.&nbsp; She knew enough to understand everything conceptually, but everything felt new.&nbsp; Staring at it, she used it to spear at the plate before her, using it to push food into her mouth.&nbsp; This time, flavor burst against her taste buds, and her look of delight was not lost on her companion.<br><br>"You like it, huh?&nbsp; Maggie made it.&nbsp; She's really good.&nbsp; Here, you might want to hold the fork like this instead."<br><br><div align="center">~ ~ ~</div><br>An hour later, Ambriel lay in an open space on a narrow, flat surface, something Candace had called a "cot."&nbsp; She had eaten and cleansed her body, and now she wore a t-shirt and shorts.&nbsp; It was her first time in anything but the long, flowing robes the angels donned in Heaven and the dress she had on earlier.&nbsp; Uncomfortable, she tossed and turned for what seemed like eternity but could not have been.&nbsp; Her thoughts were melancholy; she missed her family and her Father's loving embrace, and she was scared.&nbsp; What if she were to be forsaken, left here because she did not learn the lesson taught?<br><br>Restless, she stood, stretching her lithe body.&nbsp; Candace had shown her a small prayer room that they called their chapel.&nbsp; She made her way in there, gazing lovingly at the portrait of The Son that hung along the far wall.&nbsp; Kneeling before the icon, she hung her head, praying for guidance and strength.&nbsp; Was Gabriel even know looking upon her?&nbsp; <em>Bring me home.</em><br><br>It was a request that would be denied, she knew.&nbsp; She settled in on the floor, letting the peacefulness of the sanctuary lull her to sleep.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dreamweaver</strong> on <strong>20-01-2013, 21:44:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Traffic was light as Nate pulled out of the parking lot and pointed his BMW toward the interstate.&nbsp; The sky was cloudless, as it almost always was in Las Vegas, and a waxing gibbous moon hung fat over the city, glowing in his peripheral vision as he navigated the well lit streets.&nbsp; Reaching the freeway took only minutes, and he merged onto US-95 westbound toward Summerlin amongst a scattering of cars all streaming by at well beyond the posted speed limit.&nbsp; The BMW surged forward to a press of his foot on the accelerator, and instantly he was moving as fast or faster than the vehicles that shared the road with him.&nbsp; His mind, however, dwelt on neither the traffic nor the route.<br><br>The music flowing from his speakers changed again, as Adam Levine and Maroon 5 began belting out 'She Will Be Loved" from among the thousands of songs he had shuffled onto his iPod.&nbsp; His thoughts tumbled over Ambriel as he drove, distracted to an almost dangerous level as he navigated by rote along the way to his home just on the outskirts of the more affluent dwellings of central Summerlin.&nbsp; The nagging sensation of oddness absolutely refused to leave him, and he chewed the inside of his lip as he worked to try and formulate some conclusion from what he'd witnessed.&nbsp; Two more songs flowed into his ears before he finally pulled into his driveway, and with a frustrated grunt, he thrust himself up and out of the car without an ounce more insight than he'd had upon leaving the shelter.<br><br>"Why do I always seem to attract the weird shit?" he murmured to himself as he carried himself up the stairs to his bedroom, shedding his jacket and tie before making it to the door.&nbsp; He abbreviated his nightly routine due to the fact that it was already deep into the morning, choosing to toss his clothing over a chair rather than hanging them up, and jumping into the shower for a quick five-minute rinse before heading toward the welcoming comfort of his bedsheets.&nbsp; With a sigh of resignation, he reached out and flicked off the light upon his nightstand, then laid his head down to sleep.<br><br>Sleep, however, seemed to evade him for quite some time, and he laid there with the image of the girl's face glowing in the darkness like the after-image of a bright light projected upon the insides of your eyelids after staring a moment too long.&nbsp; The vision of Ambriel certainly wasn't unpleasant, but it did make sleep a difficult thing to attain.&nbsp; Finally, however, he managed to drift off after thirty minutes of restless shifting.<br><br><hr><br><em>"Doing what is right is not always what is comfortable, Nathan."</em><br><br>Nate sat up straight in his bed, gasping a deep breath of air as the voice seemed to fade from his ears.&nbsp; It was a man's voice, deep and full, or at least - he thought it had been.&nbsp; "What the fuck?" he murmured, raising a hand to press to his temple.&nbsp; Moments later, a surge of shock hammered cold up his spine as his alarm clock began to blare, a deep electronic wail that would have been able to stir a corpse.&nbsp; With a groan, he swung a hand over and smacked the clock radio, his practiced strike nailing the off switch perfectly despite his being barely awake.<br><br>By the time he had shifted his feet off of the side of the bed and touched the floor, the lingering memory of the voice in his ear seemed - less, somehow.&nbsp; It was almost as if the sensation was fading from his memory, like a barely remembered dream caught only in hints and fragments as one's subconscious relegated control of the body over to one's consciousness.&nbsp; His brow furrowed as he mulled the sensation, along with whatever he'd dreamed during the short bit of sleep he'd managed to grasp.&nbsp; A girl, or was it ... With a growl, he pushed himself up to his feet.&nbsp; He couldn't remember, beyond the hint of a face, and perhaps that he was flying.&nbsp; Or was she flying?<br><br>Preparing for work took somewhat longer, with a proper shower and then care for his hair, picking out a new suit and tie, and a fresh pair of gleaming oxfords.&nbsp; He wasn't necessarily paid well for his work at the DA's office, but he did have the discipline to focus the dispersal of his available cash, quite a bit of which went to his wardrobe.&nbsp; Regardless of anything else that happened in Nate's life, he was vehement about the fact that his personal appearance was always something under his control.&nbsp; With a confident smile to himself in the mirror, he finally headed downstairs and out the door to his waiting car.<br><br>Ambriel.&nbsp; As he slipped behind the wheel of his car and closed the door, a hint of something that he couldn't quite identify tickled his nose, and it brought her instantly to mind.&nbsp; Must have been her perfume, of course, though as he dwelt on the idea, he realized that he could not recall any perfume of any kind on the girl.&nbsp; No scent whatsoever, beyond a trace feminine aura.&nbsp; Not even the scent of perfume or shampoo.&nbsp; Very odd, indeed.&nbsp; Once again he forced the thought from his mind and refocused on work.&nbsp; She wasn't supposed to call him until the afternoon, which would give him more than enough time to get sorted through the mess that had taken him on the previous night.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Road to Redemption [Elina &amp; Dreamweaver]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Elina</strong> on <strong>09-03-2013, 23:27:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Boo."<br><br>The sound was but a quiet little whisper, and yet Ambriel came awake with a start, blinking rapidly and looking straight into a large pair of eyes the color of chocolate framed by even darker skin and hair.<br><br>"Are you Ambel?&nbsp; They were talking about you.&nbsp; Miz Maggie thinks you left."&nbsp; The little girl put a thumb into her mouth, her lips closing into a tight circle around it at she sucked.&nbsp; <br><br>"I...."&nbsp; She stopped.&nbsp; Her voice sounded hoarse.&nbsp; She'd been tired, she remembered.&nbsp; Slept for the first time in an eternity of existence.&nbsp; Clearing her throat, she tried again.&nbsp; "I am Ambriel, yes.&nbsp; Who are you?"<br><br>"My name is Sienna.&nbsp; I'm five," the child said, her thumb coming out of her mouth with a soft pop as she held up five soggy fingers.&nbsp; "How come you're in here?&nbsp; Mama makes me come in here.&nbsp; Says God's going to help us."<br><br>The angel's lips curved into a smile.&nbsp; "Does she?&nbsp; She's right.&nbsp; I'm here because our Father comforts me."&nbsp; She stood, looking down at her slender legs.&nbsp; How strange it felt, air against her bare skin.&nbsp; "Come, Sienna.&nbsp; I need a helper to show me how to help with chores here.&nbsp; Would you mind assisting me?"<br><br>"What's assist?"<br><br>A few moments later, Maggie looked up from chopping onions with surprise on her face as she saw her newest guest stroll into the kitchen.&nbsp; "Good morning."<br><br>"I found her in the chapel!" Sienna said, her voice laced with excitement.<br><br>"I fell asleep there," Ambriel explained, feeling more than a little lost.&nbsp; "If you'll show me how I can help..."<br><br><div align="center">~ ~ ~</div><br>"Thank you for all that you've done to aid me," Ambriel said to Maggie, getting out of a car that was as different from Nathaniel's as night was to day.&nbsp; They were parked in front of the courthouse building to which she'd been taken yesterday.&nbsp; She had called the telephone number on Nathaniel's card, as instructed, with a little help from one of the women at the shelter, but she had been told he was in a hearing in court and unavailable.&nbsp; She'd asked to be delivered back here so that she could locate him.<br><br>"You have my phone number in case you can't find him.&nbsp; Call me if you need me to come get you.&nbsp; And that cot that was yours last night's filled now, but we'll find space for you if we need to."<br><br>She thanked the kind-hearted woman again and made her way back into the same corridors in which she'd been the night before.&nbsp; Gone were the shorts and t-shirt, replaced with borrowed pants and a dark blue blouse with buttons.&nbsp; "Excuse me," she said to a man in a police officer's uniform.&nbsp; "I am looking for Nathaniel Rowan."&nbsp; She could feel an inexplicable fluttering in her stomach as she mentioned him, the memory of the spark she'd felt when their skin had touched seeming to warm her body.&nbsp; Flushed, she waited for an answer.<br><br>"He's in courtroom number 6, third door on the left down that hall.&nbsp; You can go in there.&nbsp; Just sit down in the back and be quiet until he's done."&nbsp; She made her way there, nervous and somehow excited.&nbsp; The day had been filled with wonder after wonder for her; she'd learned to help in the kitchen with cooking and she'd talked to women and children.&nbsp; Her heart had broken when she'd seen bruises and suspected what caused them.&nbsp; And her own spirit had been lifted when she'd realized that the denizens of Maggie's shelter did not wallow in the self-pity that they easily would have been entitled to, instead forging a sisterhood of support and hard work.&nbsp; She had spent her morning listening and working, and even in the chapel reflecting on Gabriel and what he needed from her before he would once again allow her to be home.&nbsp; And yet, none of that had done what this moment did.&nbsp; None of it filled her with excitement and trepidation and heat.
			</dd>
		</dl>
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