DmC: Raindrops

Kat wasn't used to this sort of mission. She'd done the few odd tasks in the past, involving detective work on some demon activities, but never something like this and never so intrusive.

It had taken three years of careful searching to track Dante down. Saying he wasn't easy to find was putting it lightly, for that reason Kat was assigned to the task of keeping an eye on him. Vergil said the time was not yet right to make contact, and they couldn't afford for Dante to go slipping out from under their radar. If they lost him now, it could be another three years before they found him again, and that was time they didn't have.

So instead of mixing up spells and being the usual team player within The Order, Kat's days were spent watching and waiting. She was required to be there at the pier first thing in the morning when Dante got up -whether he overslept or not- and was to stay with him throughout the hours he spent workings shifts at the carnival, to his nights out on the town. Only when Dante was back in his trailer, was Kat free to return to headquarters; fully aware that in a few hours, she would have to do it all over again.

Daytimes at the carnival were the easiest for Kat to deal with. The salty sea air acted as a stress reliever, and for a time, gave her some normality when blending in with the tourists. When the sun fell however, that's when Kat's mission got tricky.

Getting into Dante's favorite club, Devil's Dalliance, wasn't difficult. Kat had money, but often which ever bouncer was on duty would let her simply because 'she looked sexy'. Kat never did like it there; the flashing lights, pounding music and crowds of so many people dancing in such an overheated environment. It was claustrophobic and made things difficult for her in tracking Dante's movements, while leaving enough distance between them that he didn't spot her amongst fellow clubbers. Dante had once, or at least Kat thought he did, but she'd forced herself out of sight before he may have had any interests of seeking her out.

The other problem Kat faced was not being singled out by the other men in the nightclub, who all too frequently attempted chat her up with their drunk charms of seduction and bad breath. A swift knee to the crotch usually did the trick for any that got touchy; though having done this to the fifth male, Kat decided it best to remain outside where she would go better unnoticed.

This was her fourth night parked down the street, not far from Devil's Dalliance. She'd made a good habit of leaving her car here in the morning before heading to the carnival, so when it came to following Dante on foot later on, Kat could just casually slip into the driver seat without drawing much attention to herself. The only downside to this was Kat couldn't always guarantee Dante would come here. Another issue with her plan was she would be left in the dark on what Dante got up to while inside the club; relying on only her sixth sense of Limbo to warn her if things took a turn for the worst. Kat assured herself however she wasn't missing much. After weeks of watching Dante fool around with the angel dressed waitresses and sweet talking his way into their pants, Kat didn't feel all that welcomed in viewing anymore.

As much as Dante repulsed her for his wild and reckless behavior, Kat was glad in some form or manner that he was having fun. The hours Dante was out clubbing were the only times Kat really saw him enjoying himself. She didn't by any means approve of it, but she did prefer it when Dante left laughing in the company of a girl or two under his arm, rather than finding comfort in that of a bottle. Sad to say, tonight was going to be another one of those bleak nights.

Kat's heart sunk into her stomach when she spotted Dante leaving Devil's Dalliance some hours after midnight, more drunk than the word itself and with a bottle of whiskey in hand. He looked a mess, worse than Kat had ever seen him that Dante barely made it halfway down the street before he stumbled into an alley and collapsed, slumping down against the wall of some unmarked building not far from Kat's car.

No one could ever perceive a person for what they saw on the surface; Dante, he was no different. On the outside he confident as he was rebellious, yet in the darkest of hours, like tonight, Kat saw the cracks in his defences come searing through brighter than any light. He wasn't coping, not as well as he let others believe. And it had taken nearly three weeks of careful observation for Kat to finally see that herself.

Vergil warned that unless the circumstances required her to, Kat was not to approach Dante, nor let him become aware of her presence. She couldn't risk him learning of the Order sooner than need be, but as she watched him sitting there, Kat knew could longer be the spectator spying in on the life he was struggling to find meaning in. She just prayed she wouldn't regret it.

"Dante?" Kat called out in what was her first mistake. Neither had spoken a word to the other, had never been formally introduced.

It was too late to take it back. Dante head sluggishly turned at the sound of her voice, his bleary eyes gazing over at her from where Kat stood; the silhouette of her body creating a long shadow into that alley she was suddenly reluctant to step foot in.

"How'd you know my name?" Dante asked; a slur on his tongue from the excess alcohol in his system. He raised the bottle to his lips, a smirk lifting the corners of his mouth. "Oooh…I remember, you're that girl."

Kat edged back a step. "Girl?"

"Yeah," Dante snapped his fingers together in a repetitive motion, matching to the beat of the club's music Kat could still hear distantly booming through the walls of the nightclub from all the way out here. "What's her name, what's her name, always wears a hood…the stalker chick!" he laughed, waving a finger that he pointed at her mockingly. "Yeaaah, I'd know that pretty face anywhere. Don't forget 'em"

"You mean, from the club?" Kat asked, feeling her insides tighten from nerves.

"No, no" Dante woozily shook his head, looking like he might tip over in the process. "Was before that, waaay before that…I saw ya."

Kat's memory regressed to an event nearly a week before, when Dante had slipped out of his usual routine and gone on a detour through the city after working hours. He'd lead her passed the busy Main Street, into urban neighbourhoods, over bridges and through winding walkways of the city park. He'd spent hours riding the subway, switching from one train to other with no specific destination in mind, until finally Dante winded up back at the carnival once more, where he'd retired to his trailer for the night.

That day struck back at Kat with a vengeance, at how stupid she'd been not to realize Dante knew all along she'd been there. And he'd been testing her, to see how far she was willing to follow him and how long. So much for staying hidden.

"If it's a date you're looking for, you've come to the right place. It's after entertaining hours, but I can make exceptions," Dante said, flirting with as much appeal as the other drunks to have tried their luck with her in previous weeks. It hit Kat then why he wasn't reacting as she anticipated. He thought she was love struck.

Kat cringed. "I'm not here to ask you out."

"Isk…suit yourself," Dante rebuffed and prepared to down more of the whiskey. He never got to; a sudden lurch in his spine sent his body reeling forward, the bottle nearly slipping out from his grasp as he brought up an entire night's worth of drinking all over himself.

Kat was there by Dante's side within seconds, bringing her hand firmly down between his shoulder blades while he hunched over and continued to be sick. He didn't once shrug her off; staying passive to her touch while she continued to rub circle motions over his back, long after his coughing fits subsided and his breathing returned to normal.

Attempting to take the bottle off him however, was her second biggest mistake that night.

"Come on, I think you've had enough."

"Don't," a swift jerk of the arm put the liquor out of reach, the warning all too hostile in Dante's voice. "I don't need that alright…cut the motherly shit."

Kat flinched, refraining from backing off. "You'll make yourself sick, drinking this much."

"Hah, already done that," Dante remarked and raised the bottle again; but Kat rested a hand on his wrist, stopping him.

"That's no excuse," She argued.

Dante yanked his arm loose, irritation building in his expression and body language. "It's a free country lady; I'll do what the hell I want."

Frustration fired up from within and Kat struck out without thinking, smacking the bottle out from Dante's hand before he could have another sip. Liquid flew everywhere as the bottle clattered across the filth ridden alleyway, rolling to a stop somewhere in the shadows. Silence followed, gut wrenching and deadly.

If the phrase 'looks could kill' was true, then Dante could've skinned Kat alive in a heartbeat of him looking at her. It was the threatening nature that lurked behind amusement; the sort to send shivers down Kat's spine over whether this would all end in violence. Excluding the angel and demon heritage, his unpredictability was what made him lethal and she had already seen first-hand in the club what he'd done to those who were stupid enough to pick a fight with him.

Rolling her sweaty henna hands into fists was all Kat could do to stop them from shaking.

"I mean it."

Dante gave her the once over with his eyes, unreadable and piercing while they stripped her down to the bones. He'd looked as though he were considering something; Kat's lungs holding a breath when he met her gaze and fixed it there for a long time. In the end Dante just scoffed at her; laying his head against the alley wall where his eyelids fell shut; Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed the salvaged taste of alcohol on his tongue.

"Fuck it…you're not worth the trouble."

If that wasn't her cue to go, Kat wasn't sure what else was. She gladly would flee right now it was possible for her to do so. Morally she couldn't, not without guilt. If the demons were to seek Dante out now, they would make easy pickings of him. He couldn't defend himself properly in his condition, let alone throw a decent punch; it would take just one mistake, and that would be it.

She needed to get him back to the carnival; it was the only way for her to be sure.

"You live nearby, don't you?"

"Like you don't already know that," Dante huffed, the sarcasm so thick it was hard to ignore.

"See there?" Kat said, pointing over her shoulder, "my car's parked just across the street. I can drive you home."

Dante's eyelids flicked opened, head rolling to one side where his eyes dully focused on the car. And then he looked at her, really looked at her.

"Why…?"

'Why are you here? Why are you helping me? Why bother?' One word, one question with many means and containing just as many answers, and Kat could give him none, not the ones that he would want or needed. The time still wasn't right for that.

Her expression softened to that of pity. "Because it's not safe."

With some effort, Dante straightened himself up, wiping the small splotches of vomit from his chin with the sleeve of his jacket. He made no immediate attempt to stand.

"Don't accept rides from strangers…stalker chicks especially." Dante said to humor her.

Kat glared at him defensively. "I wasn't stalking you, not like that."

"Could've fooled me," Dante chuckled, the drowsiness in a notch more noticeable that Kat wasn't sure how much longer those batteries of his would keep running for. "Tell ya what", he continued, briefly flashing one of those smiles she'd seen win over an angel waitress too many in the past, "I'll go, white flag and everything…if, you tell me your name first."

That she wasn't expecting. "My name?"

"Yeah," Dante rested an arm over one propped knee, motioning his hand as if he were ushering her over. "Give me that; then maybe…I'll think on it"

Kat hesitated, her thoughts dancing back and forth between those of The Order, Vergil's words and the answer to the question Dante waited for.

A name…

She stood from the ground, wiping the grit and dirt from her bare knees. After properly thinking it over, a decision reached, Kat held out her hand to him.

"It's Beatrice."

Dante grinned, accepting her offer; his grip feeling progressively stronger than her own. "That the real deal or are you just playing me?"

For once, couldn't Kat resist letting a smile of her own go. "Let me take you home, and maybe, I'll tell you."

It was enough. Dante didn't get violent with her when Kat helped him in up, and he didn't try to grope her either when she looped his arm over her shoulders, supporting him around the waist while she lead him, step by step, in the direction of the car.

Dante stayed on his best behaviour on the drive back too…excluding when he put his hand on her leg. Lucky for Kat, Dante took the hint not to do it again; her sweet warning that he'd been calling her the Nutcracker if he tried keeping him at bay. The only inconvenience Kat suffered after was putting up with the smell of alcohol inside the car, along Dante's comically endearing attempts to make a pass at her.

"You know, I'm a whole lot better company sober, know what I'm saying…you know?"

"…I know."

Halfway into the journey, Dante broke into song with his wonderful version of 'Ninety-nine demon scum in Limbo' and somehow convinced her into singing along with him; partly because Kat didn't want to set off any short fuses. It was risky enough to have gotten him to accompany her, now it was keeping him with her.

So Kat sang, raising her voice when Dante encouraged her to sing louder and more off-key with him. They got down to demon number eighty-seven when Dante abruptly leaned forward and threw up for a second time in the short hour of their meeting. Kat could only grip the steering wheel tightly with one hand, patting Dante's back firmly with the other as the powerful odor enveloped the insides of her precious car and up her nostrils.

What a relief it was when the pier finally rolled into view, a sight made slightly unpleasant by the fact the heavens had long since opened up into what was coming a heavy downpour; water streaming down the windscreen faster than the wipers could clear away.

Of all days why did Kat have to forgot to bring an umbrella?

Dante was nearly asleep in his seat when she looked his way; so far gone he was beyond the point of sweet talk and was simply resting there with his eyes closed. If Kat let him, he might well have stayed the whole night through; regardless of the mess he'd left down at his feet and how loud the rain fell on the car.

It was all a luxury Kat would have to deprive the both of them of.

"Dante…hey."

With a small groan, his eyes opened, wearing the drained and exhausted expression of a boy that wanted nothing more than to rest.

"Come on, you're nearly home."

Their clothes were saturated in under a minute on braving the adventure outside, the neon lights of the amusement rides, hotels and old fashioned lamps lining the pier helping to guide them through gruelling weather. The further they went, the greater amount of effort it took Kat to keep Dante on his feet. His poor coordination from the drinks making him trip more than once, forcing Kat to walk slower to compensate for the additional weight he leaned on her.

"Beats the crowds, huh…?" Kat thought she heard Dante say, his un-minted breath hot against her neck and face. If it weren't for holding him up and him being a nephilim, she would've slapped some sense into him. "Oh shush, just keep walking."

The two were shivering and soaked to the bone when they reached his trailer; Kat unable to stop her teeth from chattering as she waited strenuously by for Dante to fumble for the key tucked in his jean pocket. It seemed like forever before she heard that click.

"Humble of ode," Dante said on successfully opening the door. From there on, he let go of her and carried himself the rest of the way inside unassisted, forgetting to shut the trailer door Kat held open for him -and even leaving the key in the lock too- as he trudged silently out of sight. She waited only a moment in the wind and rain before following; numb, trembling hands pulling down the hood of her damp sweater, where she rubbed her arms in wait until her eyes properly adjusted to the low lightning.

Dante was crashed out on the bed when she found him, his jacket and sodden shirt dumped down on the floor among the empty cans, pizza boxes and other stray bits of clothing scattered about in the place he called home. He hadn't even bothered to take off his boots he was that exhausted.

"You shouldn't sleep like..."

A moan was all she got as Dante buried his face further into that rose red pillow. He wasn't moving; and that apparently, was that.

"Fine."

There was no need for Kat to remain here any longer than necessary, she'd done what she'd set out to do. He didn't need her anymore…yet knowing this; Kat manoeuvred through that cluttered living space and set herself upon the task of undoing Dante's boots, tugging them off along with his socks.

His jeans were saturated from the rain and the lights from the carnival outside dancing off the wet glaze on his skin told her he could do with a good rub over with a towel too. Probably not the most ideal condition to sleep, but he would have to put up with the discomfort. Kat had her limits and the lack of a shirt on him was already too much of a sight for her eyes to take in. Anything was better than him sleeping in that alley, much better.

The intangible of complaints formed from Dante when freeing the unkempt sheets trapped under his legs. His lips parted to spill a rude remark, only to be silenced back into submissive midway through when Kat pulled the sheets over him and carefully tucked him in; after that, not a peep. He was just like Vergil when late nights working inside headquarters would lead Kat to discover her boss asleep at the desk in his office, who rarely ever stirred when she draped that extravagant suit over his shoulders; his talk of staying alert at all times reduced to sand.

They really were brothers.

She spotted an empty glass on the side near the TV. Deeming it relatively clean, Kat filled it up at the sink and went in search of the bathroom to fetch some migraine tablets; her eyes nearly popping out of her skull at both the quantity and variety of condoms Dante had stuffed in there, Kat nearly forgot to switch off the light on the way out. She definitely didn't want to prolong her stay that long.

Dante's breathing was slow and steady on her return, never hearing her approach or waking when she placed the glass and tablets down on the table near his bedside. Pending over whether she should or not, Kat sat carefully herself down on the edge of the bed and watched over him as she had been ordered to do so for all those weeks. It was almost second nature to her now.

There would be much to answer for after tonight. There was no doubt in Kat's mind Vergil would prevent her coming here again. Despite that, and the risk of punishment for her actions, Kat didn't have any regrets. For the first time in real defiance against the organisation she'd found a home at and that's cause she was so loyal to, Kat was glad about what she'd done. It was worth it in the end; all of it was, if it meant keeping Dante safe for one more night.

"Thought we had a deal…"

In the seconds it took for her to be distracted by the golden statue overhanging his bed, Dante's eyes had already opened and he was staring lazily up at her from where he laid on his stomach. Kat's pulse rate accelerated, not for being discovered or fears he might take advantage; it was from seeing the face of her boss reflected in him, more vivid than any glimpse she had seen prior. She could feel her blood run ice cold.

What would Vergil be like, if he had lived this life than his own...?

"We still do," Kat eventually said, her eyes drifting to where she could see part of Sparda insignia brutally carved onto Dante's back, a reminder not to give him too much. "Another time, I'll tell you everything."

Dante's body stirred slightly, a strong arm sliding out from the covers to tuck itself beneath the pillow. Indolently, he smiled at her. "You better, still owe me a date."

The nerve, and after the mess he left in her car too. The things she needed to put up with.

"I told you, I'm not…forget it," Kat sighed and tucked the sheets over him that bit higher. "Try to get some rest now, okay?"

"Whatever you say Ma," Dante spoke hoarsely, with something almost bittersweet behind his words, bringing back the times Vergil had spoken fondly to her of the memories of his mother…Dante's mother.

Instinctively acting before thought, Kat reached over and gently smoothed out the messy scruff of Dante's damp hair, combing each strand through her henna painted fingers. His gaze remained held on her silently the whole time, not questioning it or telling her to stop; Dante hadn't the energy to anymore. His eyelids were already beginning to flickering like a dying light from a bulb. Sleep was calling him back, but he was resisting, because of her.

"It's alright, I'm not going anywhere. We'll talk soon," Kat hushed softly, just loud enough for Dante to hear. "Go to sleep…"

What little ounce of will power keeping him awake faded on by her words, those blue eyes slowly falling shut without much of a fight. Dante was gone.

Kat remained there for some time at his bedside, continuing to comb her hand through his hair while Dante slept soundlessly on, undisturbed by the raindrops to drum heavily on the trailer roof and the winds howling from outside, buckling the sides of the trailer as if the world itself was trying to get in.

If it were Vergil in his place right, Kat wouldn't want him living like this. She didn't want either of them to. Loneliness was the most painful thing anyone could go through; Kat had experienced that long enough as a runaway before Vergil found her. Dante never had that chance. No one found him when he needed to most, and this was where he ended up, alone.

It wasn't fair for him to be left in the dark, he deserved better. He had the right to know the brother he couldn't remember was waiting for him; that soon, things would be changing for the better. Kat wanted to wake Dante and confess everything; who she really was and about The Order. She wanted to tell him he wasn't alone, not in any of this…and Kat couldn't, not a word.

Someday that sun would rise for him, for all of them. She just hoped Dante could hold out just a little bit longer, and that maybe someday, he would be able to forgive her.

Laying his jacket over the only chair in the trailer, Kat left the key somewhere it would easily be found and made her way for the door. She paused on grabbing the handle, stealing a glance back at where Dante slept snug and warm in his bed; but most importantly, safe.

"Things will get better, I promise." Kat whispered for what he would never hear or remember, before pulling up her hood and stepping out into the rain for the long trip home.

That was an oath Kat vowed to keep from that point on. Even if it killed her, she would never break it, not ever.