Gavin pointed at her, his face glowing in the firelight.

"Devil of the Ivory Tower. Good shit. But I understand what you mean about family. I think I had the opposite. My sister and I are a good team, but any concept I've had of "family" was fucked beyond repair before I can even remember. I'd rather not mess around with it. And hey, being free doesn't mean being alone. You've got a whole family of people providing you support- and even love, from what you've told me."

He shrugged.

"And what you said about me and families? Maybe you're right. Maybe I should get married and have little Gavin's running around. That might redefine family for me and heal my broken heart and whatever else you're thinking of. If I was a bus driver, I'd get right on that. But you know what I do for a living. I'm fucked up. I kill people for money and I don't lose sleep. What sort of kid am I going raise if I tuck them in at night and then go out to slit some asshole's throat? I... to be honest, I'm a little different than I was a few years ago. I have friends now, in the crew. I have friends outside of the crew. But it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks."

Finishing his fish, he lay back on the grass. It was soft, comfortable. Bella joined him, leaning her head against his chest as they both looked up at the stars beginning to appear above them.

"Well, like you said, I'm out and about a lot. But if you call, I'll be there. Any time."

He lifted his head to look down at her.

"This was fucking fun, Bella. I'll miss having you around, and that's not bullshit. Even devils like company, you know. Although if you're going to call, I'll have to give you another good reason to remember me."

With a smirk, he propped himself up on his elbow and kissed her- not rushed, but slowly. The campfire crackled near them as Gavin traced a line of kisses down her neck. He paused near her chest, tracing her body with his tongue, before traveling lower, to her hips. They both discarded their clothes haphazardly as Gavin moved to kiss the scars on her stomach. He let her desire build up, dancing around his final destination as he kissed almost everywhere else on her body. Finally, he gave Bella what she wanted - and she could sense his smile as she arched her back and screamed. 

Light.

Sound.

Cold. 

Isabella's heart thundered in her ears and she could only barely feel the fire from where she lay naked, Gavin between her thighs, her hand tangled in his hair.  Her grip was iron.  She felt like she could almost see the steam rising up from her scarred stomach as a breeze raced across her skin.  She sat up and let go of Gavin, who popped up like a happy little carton gopher coming out of his hole.  His eyes twinkled in a way that was just too much for words.

"Go ahead ... say it."  She said with a grin.

"You screamed."  He winked.

"I've a good mind to return the favor."

Gavin looked down at himself and then back to her.  "Promises.  Promises."

"Come here..." She purred.  "The Devil's not yet begun to have her due."

Gavin rolled his head to the side, the left corner of his lips pulling out into a wide smirk, "Yes Ma'am."  He said with a sight wag of his eyebrows.  She slid tight to his body, stealing warmth from him, wrapping her legs over his and about his waist.  This, she found, was far warmer and after a bit of adjustment (which felt like her first time for how awkward it was) was actually quite pleasant.   

The night was going to be long and cold - likely not full of much sleep, so it seemed this was as good a way to spend it than any other.  Exhausting each other so they could better ignore the cold and the uncomfortable ground.  Gavin kept her close all night, and she did sleep from time to time... never once having a nightmare.  In fact, she dreamt really only of silly things that made little sense at all - like a naked Gavin wearing a crown on the back of a moose through the streets of Detroit and distantly behind him the Ivory Tower headquarters but instead of her crew it was full of wolves.  In another, during another short cat nap, she dreamed of a giant snake sleeping in the great cities, devouring it's own tail again and again and in the coils a tower appeared only to be pulled down and appear again later.  In another she was dancing & juggling on a stage and everyone she knew was clapping and cheering while also shooting poisoned darts at her.  Still none of these seemed distressing... just weird.

In the morning Gavin made sure the fire was out and they began their walk back towards civilization.  It was not as long as she feared it would be.  Nails had found them about three miles out.  Her feet were grateful, the shoes she wore were cute but not made for walking.

She'd talked more with Gavin about their lives and the idea of how one could have a family in this line of work... and she tried to explain that it was for family that most of her people got into this sort of thing; but she could see his point too.  This, of course, was followed by the point that she'd never have to worry about such things and she spoke with him a little more about how a tommy gun had gotten a hold of her insides. 

She'd been lucky with most bullets going right through her without making her guts anything more than a mess of holes... but the parts of her needed to ever pass on a family name in the form of a child had been surgically removed.  There simply was no means to save that part of her life.  She had considered it a fair trade at first, that she and Elias had both lived... and, like Gavin said, what would it matter to raise a child in such a life?  But when Elias had died... a small part of her wished she had had Lucy and Frankie's problem.  The previous Tower leaders had been widowed with child.  She had nothing but her loneliness.  And, until this weekend, she thought it might kill her.

Gavin had helped turn things around in her head.  She didn't know how or why he had done what others who loved her hadn't... maybe it was the sex?  No.  Most likely it had been the ability to bond with her and let her talk about the things that no one else dared to touch upon.  In a way, this more than the funeral, had been the sort of farewell to Elias she'd needed.  Elias, she decided, didn't want her dying in some fight club run by Tyler Durden... he'd much rather she was out driving fast, putting her toes in streams, watching the sun rise over the tallest buildings in a city, and making love to men who made her happy.

Maybe, there was some truth to what Gavin said.  Maybe being a Devil wasn't such a bad thing after all and The Ivory Tower of Frankie and Lucy's lives was the real illusion?  Too perfect.  Too good.  Not realistic at all.  Maybe the truth was much more gray than Ivory and maybe she was more of a realist than she wanted to admit.  

She took Gavin's hand in the backseat and held it, it was a simple gesture but her fingers laced with his felt right... soothing.  She wouldn't judge him for not wanting a family, though she couldn't say she didn't want one still.  Maybe they would just have to agree to disagree on that point?  Friends did that right?  That's what they were... friends?  Seemed odd to think of a man who made her feel as Gavin did as a friend... or JUST a friend.  Normally she'd be falling all over herself to get him on lock down... but no.  Gavin wouldn't be the same on lock down.  No collar would ever be loose enough for him to still be himself and she liked him as he was.  A tamed beast would not have the same kick.

Back in town she immediately sought out a phone and as she heard she was needed, even without saying a word, Gavin was already looking forlorn and packing.  He knew.  He was absolutely right.  Calling was the end of it all.  It made her wonder how many times he'd done this before... or what sort of woman his sister was.  If he was the free spirit, perhaps she was the one who kept everything working so he could be?  In a way, he might never marry, but perhaps his sister filled that place in his life that Elias had once filled in hers.  A confidant, upon whom she could lean and trust so that none of the things she juggled ever fell.

"Don't hate me."  She began.

"I know."  he said holding up the bags.

"It was a nice vacation... and next time I'll make arrangements to care for things so we can stay away longer."  She realized then she was making a commitment to a next time.  The thought of this made her blush slightly.  "Put some thought into where you want to go next... the trip we take after this one will be on me.  I feel it's only fair."  She laughed.