"This isn't fair," Erik grumbled as he paced back and forth in front of the roaring fire, angrily.

"Nothing's fair, Erik," Dane replied from where he lay slouching in a purple cushioned chair, exhausted and at his breaking point.

"Precisely," Drake chimed in, releasing the edge of the royal blue curtain that he had been holding back to look out the window at the rising sun. "But Erik, please don't start a ruckus. With Emerson and Damien plotting together up there, I'd hate to think about what plans they have in mind for you if you cross them."

"I'm not a coward," Erik snarled at Drake viciously, but then with a heavy, burdened sigh, "I'm sorry. I'm just irritated that he deceived me like that! He promised that I could speak with her today."

"Yes, well that is Damien for you," Dane smiled at the ceiling sarcastically.

"Will he really be able to tell her all of this without having a mental breakdown?" Drake laughed, lightheartedly. He needed to put all of this misery behind him somehow, just for the night and laughing seemed to be a good solution.

"No, I doubt it," Dane shook his head in despair, "he's tried and failed to tell her that he doesn't hate her countless times. In the end I'm sure that I'll be the one to tell her all of this."

"Why did he wait so fucking long?" Erik snapped and stood still to glare at Dane accusingly.

Dane pursed his lips and his breathing became heavier, "He has timed this down to the very perfect second, Erik and you will not interfere with any of it."

"Timed it down?" Petra, opened one sleepy eye from her place on the couch nearest to the fire. Dane was happy that she was wrapped up in a big blanket so he could get caught in her currant. "Isn't he too afraid to say what he feels aloud? He's timed nothing! He's procrastinated for seventeen years!"

Drake laughed to himself, "I can't help, but feel that this is the end to something rather than the beginning."

"Every end is a beginning," Dane raised an eyebrow at him as he tilted head upwards as if half nodding.

"No, not this one," Drake muttered, turning completely from the window and walked towards the couch where Petra lay half asleep, "something is different this time around."

"I agree," Petra mumbled through the cottony folds of soft sheets, "you can see it in Damien's eyes. He's trying hard to hide his angst about the future, but there's sorrow and fear deep in the center of his eyes. Dane don't you see it?"

"He's been too busy shouting at him to realize anything," Erik scoffed.

"He deserved every ounce of what I gave to him," Dane hissed, "as for things ending. It isn't true and either way there's nothing that we can do now too many things have been put into motion."