_________________________________________________________________________

An unexpected drop in the temperature had brought a chill through the city that had the reputation of never sleeping. Coupled along with the frigid clouds that floated over the buildings were the scattered showers. There were no bolts of lighting to slice through the air and crash against the slick building tops, just rain. The droplets were like needles of ice water, threatening to pierce the skin of the people and freezing the interiors of their bodies.

The same drops pelted against the glass windows of the ancient castle built on top of the tallest building within the city. The light sound, similar to a certain cereal once milk was poured onto it, was unheard by most of those who lived in the castle. Particularly those in the computer/workshop.

The long work tables were cleaned and had old rags made of torn sheets and frayed towels covering them. Tools were secured in the metal workboxes and hung over the corkboard. Several small projects such as reconstructed circuit boards, were placed on the shelves to either be forgotten or hopefully worked on later. Larger projects were set on the sections of the floor lined with newspaper and covered with more rags.

The central hub of the computer/work room was made of five work stations and desks pushed close together. Several towers from Hewlet Packard, IBM, Apple, and Dell were asembled on the floor or on a few surfaces that were occupid by monitors, mouse pads, mice, tablets, printers, scanners, camera’s and joysticks. Owen had counted the various computers, counting seven towers of colors ranging from creamy beige, to black with silver buttons and CD drives and even a cool silver with glowing blue additions. The amount of monitors were the same as the main computer unit with four scanners and printers to share between them. There were ten mice and five tablets with pens. He lost count of the speakers and counted three different lap tops.

The hub had seen various surges of activity from large crowds to a single gargoyle playing video games alone, trying to beat their old record. The hub was free for all to use, except when it was needed for clan buisness.

Drab green arms, slightly more frail than his taller rookery brothers, hovered over the silver keys of the ebony keyboard. The thin leather soft webbing connecting his wrists to his narrow wing arms became taught whenever he reached for the wireless mouse. Immense eyes that took up most of his round face were glued to the screen. The typewritten script reflected off his pupils.

"Any sign of her?" A voice deep as a lions roar and smooth as velvet rumbled softly into Lexington’s ear. The over seven foot tall clan leader kept his voice low as not to disturb the smaller gargoyle’s focus or disturb Xanatos as the billionair spoke with his father over a cell phone. "Have any of the other clans have come across the fallout of her presence?"

"Both the Irish and London clans have discovered a few handfuls of new gargoyles," Lexington gently tapped his talon against the screen over a new thread started by Lupa of the London clan. It had only been a couple of days since the party at the Leahs Mansion and the attack of the Gargoyle Sidhe. They had no idea how far the halfling had gotten or where she was before. They had a theory she had spread her poison: causing humans to go through a painful transformation into gargoyles.

"How many?" Goliath stared over the smaller gargoyle and tried to read the screen from behind him.

"The Irish clan discovered about twenty at least and the London dwellers learned of fifteen more in Scotland." He noticed a reply that had recently been added to the thread. "Hold on I got another reply." He pointed the arrow over the message and clicked on it. "Do we know a Detective Sedwick?"

"I belive he is a friend of Arthur."

"He mentions he had noticed some more gargoyles near the Canadian border where he was visiting some relatives." Lexington pointed at the message while looking at his leader. "He’s trying to get to know them better and from what he has already gathered they were once human."

A movment from behind the clan leader brought the attention of both gargoyles to the billionair as he flipped the thin metal covering over the buttons of his phone. "Always has to get in a lecture." Xanatos glared at the communcation device in his hand.

"Did your father have any information that may help us?" Goliath asked.

"He has said he had heard of some reports of gargoyles, or gargoyle like creatures in a nearby land locked town." The Grecian man slipped the phone into the pocket of his jacket made from mediterrainan grown cotton and assembled in Italy. "That is also the ones in addition to those living in Bar Harbour. I have already explained to him our plans ans he is going to try to convince them to move into Bar Harbour."

"Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Maine and New York," the webwing counted off the number of places on his fingers. "There was also a few tabloid photos in Conneticut and Massachusettes, but that may have been a hoax."

"And then again it may not," Goliath turned back to the human owner of the castle. "We need to find thse former humans. They surely need our help."

"A route should not be too dificult to plan." The fine lines in the tan forhead became more noticable as he mentaly pictured the travel path. "My guess is the Sidhe had hitched a ride on either a plane or a ship from Ireland over to America. From there she and her entoruage had travled south."

"Hopefully she hasn’t gone too far south," Goliath voice dripped a mixture of disgust and worry.

"We should inform the Florida clans to keep an eye out for her," Xanatos brushed the tips of his fingers against his goatee. "I don’t want to think about how many lives she may potentially ruin on her route down there."

"Already informed," the smallest of the three typed up a message.

"Now we need to plot a route. We’ll make sure one of my ships will be prepared with food and extra gas. We don’t know how many stops we are going to make."

"I am going to make an announcment to the clan," Golaith approached the door. "I am going to see who is willing to come. Hopefully a least one of the weregoyles will join us. Some of the others can provide comfort for our guest." There was only one person they knew he could have been speaking of.

"She hasn’t eaten anything since she came here," Xanatos glanced up at the lavender gargoyle. "The only thing she has were a few glasses of water and the mints from her purse."

"She needs to stop hiding and try to eat something," Goliath said.

"You don’t know what she is going through," Xanatos said. "We have sent for her immediate family. Perhaps her husband or daughter might convince her to come out of her shell."

___________________________________________________________________________

Dark eyes that have shifted to golden amber in the recent past were concentraited on the rippled patterns in the woodgrain of the door to one of the many closets of the transported castle. He had received no response to the request he made an hour earlier. A request to see his wife. Brendan reached down to take the hand of his five year old daughter. If his wife only new how much grief she was putting Penelope through she might unlock the door.

"She still hasn’t moved?" Doctor Sherman Jones stood in the hallway, facing the open door to Brendan Wellington’s temporary room. He had sloughed off his doctors coat and opted for a suit of steel gray dress slacks and a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His dark eyebrows were raise to the point the were completely concealed by the thick frames of his glasses.

"She’s still in there," Brendan did not remove his gaze. He respected the doctor for trying to ease his wife’s pain while she went through her metamorphosis, but Jones’s constant desire to give Margot a post transformation examination irritated him. "We don’t know what will get her to open the door except to offer her water." He paused at the sound of a deep sigh from within. "Margot, honey. Could you please open up?"

"I want Jack," Margot’s once strong tone of voice had weakened to a frail warbling tone.

"Who is Jack?" If Jack was a coworker who really trusted or an old friend he would gladly ask Mr. Burnet to drive him over. Anything to get Margot out of her depression.

"Jack Daniels."

Brendan tried to keep from scowling. "You cant have him .He’s unavailable."

"I want something a little more stronger than water."

"How about some coffee., or at least some soup. You need to eat."

"Let me know if you have a breakthrough," Jones didn’t wait for an answer before he continued his way down the labyrinth like hallways.

The werewolf didn’t feel like he should acknowledge an answer. He was glad he was gone. All he wanted was his wife to act like the woman he married.

__________________________________________________________________________

Damn Brendan. He wasn’t going to going to do what she asked of him. She needed to drink. She needed to get through her pain. "Brendan please," she leaned against he door, struggling to maintain her balance on her large feet. The pain of the bones and muscles shifting under her skin remained etched in her mid. She cringed through the whole time she felt her feet grow longer and change shape while her toes merged from five into three. "You don’t understand the pain I’m going through."

"You should know I understand" his voice came half muffled through the door. "I go through the same pain every month and when I choose to change."

"Does it hurt every time?"

"Not every time."

"Then you do not know what I’m going through." She slid down to the carpeted floor of the closet. Her back brushed against the smooth grain of the wood until her bottom stuck the ground. She had kept her wings folded across her shoulders.

"We are not giving you any scotch, or brandy or anything."

"Then I’m not speaking to you," she snarled and let out a sigh. She had snarled at her husband. She can’t believe the sounds she is making, snarling and growling, and when she woke up that evening she roared.

Margot felt like she was never going to get used to her new body. A few of the other gargoyles had offered to give her gliding lessons. Riding the air currents on her new wings did sound tempting at first, but that would mean she would be embracing herself as a gargoyle. Her eyes had changed. Irises that were once an electric blue had darkened to black. Her vision had increased. She could see better at night and in dark places.

She glared at the outline of the Evian bottle in front of her. They were strong but she still can’t see as if she were in a well lightened room. She spun the bottle around, watching the clear plastic neck rotate until it came to an abrupt stop. She tapped it, feeling the smooth surface against her skin and trying to pick it up to get a better feel of it in her wide spread talons.

"Margot?" Her husband was still trying to get her to open the door.

"I’m not coming out," she rubbed her larger hands across her breasts. They hadn’t changed save for the skin changing color and texture. She had removed all clothing and felt her naked body. The lack of body hair was an only minor shock. She had noticed her lack of pubic hair the night before, She didn’t touch her wings but did reach out to pinch her tail above the end tipped in thick spikes.

"Mommy?" The thin voice of her daughter permeated through the door. "Please come out. I miss you."

"Penelope," Margot slowly staggered back to her feet. "Baby. I want to come out."

"What are you afraid off?" Brendan asked. "We all know what you look like."

"I’m naked." She reached into the back of the closet, trying to grab onto something she could dress herself in.

__________________________________________________________________________

That was the first good reason Brendan heard to keep the door locked, at least for a minute longer.

"How much more time are you going to need?"

"Just a few more minutes." Margot’s answer was followed by the sound of a doorknob turning only a few seconds later.

"Thank God," Brendon stepped back, pulling his daughter closer towards him.

"I’m ready." The door was pushed, revealing a dusky pink gargoyle to stagger further. The white blouse and navy blue skirt were apparently clothes she hadn’t worn yet since her transformation. Her tail ripped through the back as she emerged. The ripped fabric matched the tears in the back of her blouse where her emerald wings had torn through and refolded themselves across her shoulders. High above her watery eyes were two short horns, crowning the top of each temple, poked through her dishelved locks."I’m sorry I caused you any worry."

"Mommy!" Penelope tore through her fathers hold and ran to embrace her mother. She was careful when she wrapped her arms around her mothers middle and did not try to tackle her. Her father had told Penelope her mother was having a hard time walking around on her new feet.

"Margot," Brendan slowly approached his wife. Her golden hair, usually styled in a neat hairdo had became unraveled and appearing like a birds nest with bangs plastered against her forehead with sweat. "How are you feeling?"

"Like...garbage." She paused to keep a swear from slipping through her lips. She reached down to stroke the dark curls coifing her daughter’s head. "I look like garbage."

"You don’t look that bad," he brushed his fingers under her chin until she looked up at him. "All you need is to get some food into you and a nice warm bath."

"Can I have the bath first?" She removed her hand from her daughter’s her and rubbed the backs of her knuckles against his eyebrows. She may not be well aware of it what she was doing but Brendan did.

"Anything you want." He kissed her forehead. "Penelope go find Mr. Burnet and tell him your mother is hungry. If you see Dr. Jones don’t talk to him." He didn’t look to see if his daughter had left or not. All he wanted to look into were the dark eyes of his wife.

___________________________________________________________________________

Hudson, Massachusetts, March 23

Very few vehicles traveled across the asphalt road through the thickly dense forest after midnight. The vehicles that drove through moved at a high speed, at least seventy miles per hour, ten more than the signs on the speed limit. The woods had always appeared forboding, but the recent sightings of strange creatures had made the forest even more frightening. Not a single car paused long enough for the passengers to stare out the windows and see the large aircraft circling around over head.

Fox Xanatos held tight to the handlebars of the steering controls as her eyes were focus on the gauges and the ground and out the front window. She was trying to find a clearing wide enough to land. The sensitive tracking device Lexington had installed had helped make it more accessible to find what she was looking for. The technology can detect where certain objects were, such as trees and buildings.

"Might not be big enough for a wide landing," Fox announced when she found a place to bring the craft down. "It’s going to be a tight squeeze so buckle up and brace yourselves." She pulled back on the controls, feeling the descent of the craft in her stomach.

_________________________________________________________________________

The confounded seat belt locks were a burden to the leader of the Manhattan clan. Three times he had made an attempt to unlock himself out of the seat and three times the stubborn device would not release him. He was half tempted to tear trough the straps himself.

"Having trouble?" The deep green warrior leaned over Goliath to examine the trouble. The voice that came out of the beak that was half the length of Brooklyn’s, but just as wide was of a helpful tone. Not a single fleck of sarcasm was found anywhere with in his words. He blinked his eyes framed by spikes longer than Goliath’s. "I thought I was the only one who had trouble with seat belts in a plane."

Goliath picked up the buckle and with a disgusted snort threw it down on his lap. The metal stuck against the brass of his loincloth buckle. He glared at it before staring into the eyes of the weregoyle."I hope you have a solution to offer me."

"I do," Frank tapped the button. "You have to keep that held downwhile you give the other end a bit of a wiggle, and then pull."

"What if this doesn’t work?"

"I’m not sure." Frank chuckled while rubbing the back of his head. His talons dislogged his light brown hair from the style he attempted to have it set in.

Goliath did not look up, nor did he make a single sound as he attempted Frank’s addvice. The button was easy to press and reigned in his strength to not tear the other end out as he gave it light wiggle. The metal latch practically slid out when he gave a pull.

"You see?" Frank held both thumbs up. His beak appeared even wider as he flashed his leader a toothy grin.

"We see what?" The smooth vulpine voice of Wyvern’s owner spoke up from behind. Xanatos stood behind the two of them with a amused smile on his face. He wasn’t alone. Desdemona and Broadway flanked him. The other two gargoyles did not appear as interested as the billionaire but they were somewhat curios.

"I see Frank's point," Goliath rose to his feet. He was going to have a conversation with Xanatos about the seat belts later, but there were more important matters at hand. He cast his gaze over the human, then his rookey sister, finally his son-in-law and at the door connecting the main body to the rest of the ship slowly open.

"You don’t have to hide it," large shoulders of pastel aqua shrugged. "We saw you struggling with the belt before we checked to see if the bike was ready. You don’t have to feel too badly about having it jammed on you. At least you remembered it was still locked." He rubbed his palms across the protruding gut. The stinging sensation was long gone but he still could felt the mark caused by the buckle. "You didn’t stand up too fast."

"The lock jammed on you too?" Lexington had overheard the last part of the conversation as he stepped inside. He gave his leader a sympathetic smile before turning to Fox. "I told you those things were a pain."

"I believe we have all spent enough time talking about seat belts," Goliath spoke, using hss leader tone. "We are here for a reason. We have already discovered the small groups of gargoyles living in Conneticut and convinced them to form a clan at the farmhouse. We are going to see how many small clans are here and convince them to group together. Our first clue was the tabloid clipping from this town. We have to find where they are.

"We are going to split up into teams of two again?" Athletic talons colored pale blue with a hint of gray shot up in the air. Naturally wavy, greenish-yellow hair was kept out of the face of Goliath’s lovely and intelligent sister by a pair of thick horns curving over her head and pointing down. "Hopefully some of the individuals and smaller groups have gravitated towards each other already."

"They have already felt the instinct to bond with each other into a clan," Goliath reflected back to the twelve gargoyles already living at the farmhouse and had to only encourage the smaller groups to glide towards it so a clan could be formed. "We will split up and try to cover as must as we can. Hopefully we will be able to find them or a clue of their whereabouts. Lexington I need you to stay here and watch the Network.

The look the smallest gargoyle gave him could burn holes through the steel hull. "I think I should search with the rest of you." He raised an arm. "I haven’t been gliding in a few nights. I’m afraid my muscles are about to atrophy."

"I am certain our stone sleep will correct any sign of atrophy."

"I don’t want to get out of practice."

"Who will watch the Network?" Goliath wondered if he should continue to convince the web wing to stay behind. He could read the desire to go with them on the stubborn expression of the web wings face.

"You make it sound like he’s the only one who knows how to read a message board," the look painted on Fox Xanatos’s face was an exact duplicate of the glare owned by Lexington. "I’ll watch the Network."

"If you are certain."

"I was going to stay behind anyway." She shrugged.

"Very well. Lexington you and Broadway will glide West. Desdemona, you and Frank will take the East I will follow Xanatos traveling North. Remember to be careful out there. We are in unfamiliar land."

__________________________________________________________________________

The Cornish game hen was roasted in a lemon butter sauce until the outside skin had turned to a rich golden brown. The meat inside was so warm and juicey that when Margot stabbed it with her fork the juice oozed out through the tiny puncture wounds. It was just the way she liked it. The wild rice was cooked with just a pinch of salt, a dash of freshly ground pepper and a light dusting of rosemary. Owen even mixed in the slivers of almonds. The meal was complete with a steamed mix of broccoli, red pepper, carrots and mushrooms. She ate along with a bowl full of velvety smooth tomato soup covered with diced onions and grated parmesan, and a flakey croissant with butter.

"This is really good," the rose colored gargoyle used the knife of pure silver to cut of another sliver of meat before she chopped it into three smaller pieces. She had started to eat the night before Goliath and the others left for her mission. a boul of soup before sun rise, a small mealls the night after. On her third night since she had started to eat again she woke up famished and ready to enjoy a large meal. "You really shouldn’t have gone all the trouble just to create these meals for me and my family." She speared one of the chunks with her fork and popped it into her mouth before she mopped up the last of the soup with last fragment of her croissant. "I would have gladly eaten what you served the rest of the clan."

"This is what I served the rest of the clan," the blond-haired servant of Xanatos did not allow his face to make an expression as he refilled Margot’s glass with iced tea. "Serving it in your room along with the silver was the only thing I did different."

"You cook like this all the time?" Margot paused in mid-chew. "I hope the clan has expressed their thanks." She looked out of the corner of her eyes and watched as her daughter wipe her fingers, covered with the lemon butter sauce, onto one of the cloth napkins. "Penelope did you thank him?"

"Thank you Mr. Burnet for the food, and the big book." Owen had to bring in a phone book and place it on one of the chairs surrounding the small table in the guest room.

"Your welcome, Miss Penelope." Owen moved over to Brendan’s glass and poured more of the light brown liquid into it.

"I’m still pretty amazed you cook like this all the time," Brendan placed a bit of pepper and carrot into his mouth and chewed. He specifically asked for stainless steel silverware. Real silver gives him a rash whenever he uses it. "The soups, sandwiches and breakfast meals were good, but this is incredible

"You have eaten here before."

Brendan nodded. "That still doesn’t mean I’m not amazed."

"Let me know if you need anything else," Owen paused by the door and took a firm hold of the pitcher’s handle when he reached over to the door knob.

"The only thing you can do is make sure that doctor isn’t around."

"Do you mean doctor Jones?"

"That guy is getting on my nerves. I’m sick of him hanging around me all the time." His eyes shifted to amber for a split second.

"I’ll see," the dull man slipped throughout he door.

"What was that about?" Margot asked the second Owen was gone. She was completely oblivious to the way the head of the Wyvern medical team was staring at her.

"Haven’t you noticed the way Dr. Jones keeps watching over us?"

"He’s supposed to. I was his patent." Her curved brow ridges with a single dent like nook in the center were lowered. She was a different image from the night she had hidden herself in the closet. Her skin had lost his sickly waxy luster and she brushed her hair after she removed the last fleck of stone from her tangles. The disheveled mess had been turned into curls of spun gold.. "Are you saying he is after something else?"

"He wants to examine you, like you are some experiment."

"He probably wants to see if I have transformed inside and out," she held up her transformed hand. "This does not happen all the time."

"I just don’t like the idea of him turning you into his pet project."

"I’m not going to let him poke prod me forever."

"You are going to allow him to look over you?" He swallowed to fast from the shock of his wife’s surprised answer and coughed.

"Is daddy getting sick?" Penelope gave her father a concerned look. The only time she had ever coughed was when she had a cold.

Brendan shook his head as coughed once more. "I swallowed too fast." He took a long drink from his glass.

"You see why we tell you to chew at least ten times?" Margot pointed at her husband before she addressed his concern. "I’m going to allow him to have one examination. Only one and nothing more and he can wait until I’m good and ready."

________________________________________________________________________

There wasn’t too much of a difference between a motorcycle and a bicycle as far as David Xanatos was concerned.One one had learned how to ride one it will come back to him even after years without riding it. The sleek design of the bike, made out of fine crafted metal, spray painted black and polished chrome felt like an old friend to the billionaire. The leather seat did not feel any more foreign to him than as his office chair. It had been over fifteen years since he had ridden motorcycle last but the skill never had left his mind.

He owned five of them in his basement parking lot along with the museum of expensive cars. Seeing the fine crafted vehicles covered in shrouds like antiques seemed wrong to him. Especially as he was once part of a small motorcycle club in high school, much to his father’s chagrin. He brought Brooklyn down and allowed the second in command to choose a bike to be his own, as long as he didn’t allow him to blow it up. He was thankful the crimson gargoyle didn’t choose his favorite.

"I’m curious as to when and where you learned how to ride a motorcycle," Goliath’s voice came in through the communicator clear as a bell. The large gargoyle was high above the billionaire. His lavender form had nearly merged with the dark sky he soared in.

"There is a lot you do not know about my past," Xanatos spoke loudly above the soft rumble of the motorcycles engine. "Just like there is a lot I do not know about your past, although I do have some knowledge of your present life."

"As I do of you."

"I know your present faults, some of which you do not admit to have."

"I can go on about your faults for hours," Goliath seemed to pause in midair. "But you are trying to bring something up. Please continue."

"You have a tendancy to be blind to other peoples needs and desires," Xanatos slowed down the speed of his motorcycle by about ten miles. "particularly certain members of your clan."

"Is there somebody I’m neglecting?"

"Lexington. He appreciates the fact you think of him first when it comes to doing research on the Internet but like my wife had mentioned he is not the only one who knows how to work a computer. He’s kind of sick of being asked to stay behind while the others go on patrol."

"I thought he enjoyed working on the computer."

"He does, but don’t forget he’s also a gargoyle. He needs to feel the air under his wings."

"He wants to protect," Goliath seemed to have descended lower in the sky by about a few feet. "And there are probably others who want to watch over the Network, like Rayne and Jerry. Whey hadn’t I noticed this sooner?"

"Like I said it was one of your faults," Xanatos slowed even further when he noticed the white misty glow surrounding the buildings up a head. There was a single Bed, Bath and Beyond on the left side of the road with a gas station and convince store a few feet further up the road. On the right was a shopping center with what appeared to a be subdivision behind it. There were more lights further up. "We have to be a little bit more careful."

"Thought I saw something in the sky."

"Is it what we have been looking for?" Xanatos kept his yes on the civilization. He wasn’t expecting to find a gargoyle this close to where humans would reside in droves.

The tiny flash near the gas station shimmered in the corner of his eye, tiny in size, almost like the brief glow of a firefly.

"We may have a small problem," Goliath spoke. "I believe somebody tried to take a picture of me."

"That may have been that small flash I saw," Xanatos pulled to a complete stop and searched around. Eyes of frozen brandy found the parked car near the gas station almost immediately. There was no second guess as to why the owner was standing on top of the roof.

The young owner of the jetta was scrambling down the top of his car as Xanatos pulled his Harley in next to him. He was dressed in nearly all denim. He kept his red shirt tucked into his pants beneath his thick leather belt. His Polaroid camera was clipped to a leather chord he wore around his neck. Xanatos had him pegged to be in his mid twenties.

"That’s a nice car," Xanatos turned the engine off of his bike and slid out of his seat. He could both feel and hear the gravel under his feet. "It’s a shame you are getting the roof all dirty."

"Hmm?" The younger man had to brush his long bangs from out of his eyes to look at him. He continued to fan the air around them with the developing picture in his hand.

"I just had to wonder what would drive you to climb on top of your car," Xanatos stared up at the patterns of stars above them. "You must be quite a fan of the stars."

"Yeah," he held up the picture to examine it. He did not notice the bright yellow Jeep as it pulled up behind his car. "Photographing constellations is my hobby."

"Liar!" The owner of the jeep had barely turned off the ignition before she tumbled out of the vehicle. She appeared younger than the photographer and was dressed more stylish. Red and black plaid skirt ended just above her knees, leaving her short and shapely legs bare . Her tiny feet were dressed in one inch pumps. A crisp white and ruffled vest covered a black shirt. Crimson hair was pulled into a short ponytail. From where Xanatos stood the newcomer appeared to be somewhere between Lexington and Rayne in height.

"Whats the deal with everyone coming out here?" Photographer asked as the young woman strode right up to his face.

"I know why you are really here," she slammed the tip of her finger in his chest, invoking a grunt. "You were trying to take pictures of those winged creatures."

"I don’t know what you are talking about."

"Oh yes you do," she pulled back her arm to only jab him again, only this time it was harder. "I’m sick of money hungry jack asses like you trying to bring a whole media circus to our town."

"This town is pathetic," he held out his arms.

"Actually I find it quaint and peaceful," Xanatos interrupted. "A nice relaxing place to get away from New York in."

The photographer ignored him. "The photos of these monsters is what is going to put this place on the map. And for your information, all I was trying to do is get more hits to my Website."

"They are not monsters," her growl could have matched one of Demona’s. Pale hands appeared even whiter as she clenched her fists. Her whole behavior brought a knowing smile to David’s face. "I know you. You just want to try to get rich of selling pictures of gargoyles." Her eyes immediately widened when she mentioned the creatures by their name.

"Gargoyles?" The photographer seemed even more interested. "You mean we have some of those creatures from New York?"

"How much do you think people would pay for a real photograph of a gargoyle?" Xanatos reached into one of his deep and wide pocket.

"I’ve said I’m not in it for the money."

Xanatos chose to ignore him. "I hope I have enough to pay for it." He pulled out his wallet of pure snakes skin and extracted ten bills. Each one with the portrait of Ben Franklin in the center.

"Uhm," The photographer couldn’t form the words he had on his mind when the money was placed into his hand.

"Is that not enough?" Xanatos raised his eyebrows as he counted out ten more 100 dollar bills and handed it over to him. He glanced over at the woman. Her irate glare had been replaced by shock at the sight of the money he was handing over.

"Two thousand dollars?" The photographer nearly choked out.

"Please tell me that is enough," Xanatos snapped his wallet closed. "I don’t have much left in my wallet. Just enough for gas and food. I could write you a check."

"No...two grand...is fine." He absently handed the picture over to the man while trying to shove the money into his pockets.

"Now if you won’t mind I wish to speak with the young lady alone."

"I was here first." His expression of pure gratitude did not last. "Perhaps if the two of you decided to find some other place to talk."

"Why do you want to stay here?" The woman regained her anger. "You are here so you can take more pictures?"

"I’m afraid I won’t be able to pay for more pictures," Xanatos studied the photo. He could make out the blurry outline of Goliath. "Even if they are gifts." He handed the picture to the woman who, while surprised at first, quickly snatched it out of his hands and tore it in half.

The photographer only looked mildly hurt at the sight of his creation being torn to shreds. "You just wasted perfectly good money."

"I don’t have to worry. I just earned twice that amount while talking with you. You don’t seem to know who I am."

"You are some rich guy who looks like David Xanatos?"

David kept hold of every muscle in his face to keep form smirking. "I have more money than you can possibly dream. Now I’m sure I gave you more money than you could have hoped for. I suggest you go home and lay of the tabloid pictures."

"You are not the real Xanatos are you?" the photographer carefully stepped backwards towards his car.

"And if I am?"

"Nevermind," he gave both pockets in his pants a gentle pat. "I won’t be taking pictures for a few weeks, but you have only delayed me." He slammed the car door shut and started his engine. His cold eyes continued to glare at the two of them as he pulled out from where he parked.

Xanatos didn’t wait to speak until the tail lights of the Jetta were next to non existent. "You seem to be quite protective of gargoyles."

"I just don’t want my peaceful town turned into a circus," the angry glare she had set for the photographer was still pasted to her face.

"You became quite defensive when he refereed to him as monsters."

Her cheeks flashed a rosy glow for a few seconds. "You say anything about a place having monsters and camera crew would be swarming in like flys to honey."

"You are still protecting them even now as we speak."

"No," she shook her head. Her fingers curled into fists for a brief second before she tore the halves of the picture even further. "Why is it of your concern?"

"It is not of my concern," Xanatos reached up to touch his ear piece. "But more of my friend. Did you her everything Goliath?"

"Clear as crystal," Goliath’s voice boomed down from over head instead of through the speaker of the communicator. The over seen foot tall gargoyle was only hovering a few feet in the air before he glided down, landing between both vehicles. "and my new friend has heard most of it."

His new friend landed closer to the Jeep. Seven feet tall and as black as the night sky. The new gargoyle immediately folded his brown wings, lined with red, across his shoulders. He was dressed in a sleeveless shirt of a deep olive green and a pair of dark blue pants with several pockets. When he grinned his white lower fangs protrude even more above his lower lip.

"Erik!" The young woman screeched at the black gargoyle. Her voice spat out anger and worry. "What the hell do you thing you are doing landing like that.

"It’s okay, sis," Erik held up his hands. "Goliath say’s its cool. Xanatos is friends with the gargoyles in Manhattan."

"Xanatos?" The woman snapped emotions again. "You are the real deal?"

"I am not a look alike," Xanatos glanced at the other gargoyle. Black spikes extruded through the top of his head, flanked by brown hair cut short, but long enough for the sides to frame his face. His ears were different than Goliath’s and were not even fan shaped like Broadway’s. They were large with the top folded over. "I believe we have found what were looking for."

"What were you looking for?" The red head immediately got over her awe and regained her accusatory tone of voice, earning a sigh from Erik.

"You have got to stop that," Erik cradled his face while the end of his tail, both ends flanked by flesh growths resembling the wings of a bat, tapped against the ground. "You need to stop giving everyone the fifth degree, Adrienne."

"I’m not giving them the fifth degree," she held out her hand, the moonlight effected the liquid crimson painted across her fingernails. "I was just curious."

"We were looking for the possible, and most likely victims of the Gargoyle Sidhe," Goliath answered for her.

"And those would be?"

"Adrienne," Erik hissed. The look in his sisters eyes read she wasn’t trying to drill answers out of people because she was protecting him. "I think we are just curious on what the Gargoyle Sidhe is and what do you mean by her victims."

"She is a a lovely creature, half gargoyle and half faerie being," Xanatos recounted the event that occurred a few nights ago. "She can look human when she wants to but she is more noticeable when she is a pale green gargoyle with long white hair.

"With hair all the way down to the middle of her back," Erik sighed. "I can not forget her. It was two weeks ago when we were leaving the store and she attacked. Along with a few winged zombies and a psycho child."

"You were scratched," Goliath understood. "The venom changed you and everyone else she scratched into gargoyles like herself."

"And from what I’m guessing she reached Manhattan?"

"Luckily she has only attacked one."

"Lucky?" Erik winced in discust, both his wings and the tips of his ears seemingly drooped. He tapped across his chest with his claws. "Do you think what has happened to me and the others lucky."

"I think he means luck because it wasn’t more than one," Adrienne grabbed onto her brother’s arm.

"We need to find your clan and see if they are willing to work with the Network."

"Clan?" Erik raised his brow ridges.

"The others who have been transformed," Xanatos explained before Goliath had a chance to open his mouth. "We came to help you cope with what had happened to you."

"You mean teach us how to be gargoyles?"

"Teach you and help you."

"Then follow me," the black gargoyle leaped into the back of the jeep. "Adrienne will probably pull up next to the station. We can get a better lift off from the top of the conveinence store. One other thing." He kept his eyes on Goliath as he crawled into the back seat next to him. "While we are in the air call me Stealth."

_________________________________________________________________________

Going to a doctor for a simple examine or a checkup was never a thrilling experience. Most people hated having to strip out of their clothes and wrap themselves in a paper gown to have their temperature taken, and Margot Yale was no exception to the rule. Even when she was human she dreaded the date of her yearly exam, hoping to try and find some way to get out of it.

As a gargoyle the experience was not more enjoyable. In fact it was almost worse. The ice cold metal of the examination table did not feel more frigid by a degree but the sterile scent of the very clean room made her feel even more light headed. The biting scent of Lysol mixed wish iodine burned her nasal cavities. She hoped he wouldn’t ask her to give him a urine sample.

"Good evening Ms Yale," Dr. Jones walked with a slight spring in his penny loafers when he entered the room. His friendly and professional smile had doubled to twice its original size. "How are you this evening?"

"I’ve been better," Margot folded her wings across her shoulder, blocking his view from the lavender color of her wing lining.

"I see," he removed his gaze from the medical chart and gave her a look over. He did not notice the paper material covering her when he first came in. "You didn’t have to go through all that trouble and put on a examining gown."

"I’m use to routing examinations." She shifted her legs, careful to not penetrate through the material with her double knee spurs.

"This will be pretty much routine," he pointed at the medical scale. "Just have to hop on top to take your measurements."

Margot did not want to think about how much she weighed and kept her eyes closed once she stepped onto the scale. She didn’t opened them when she heard the doctor adjusted the balances.

"Nearly four inches taller," Jones brought the metal bar down on top of her head.

"How much more weight did I gain?"

"Twenty more pounds," he breathed out he answer, knowing it wasn’t one any woman wanted to hear. " Most of that is in your new appendages and you may have gained a bit more muscle."

Margot slowly opened her eyes and stared at her arms. "It’s something I wanted, a bit more muscle tone. "She clenched and relaxed her fists, noticing the definition in her arms.

"Back to the examination table," Jones scribbled down the notes.

"Going to listen to my heart and tap my knee?"

"Pretty much so," He placed the board down and picked up a thick black tool with a mirror and a light. "Just going to look into your eyes, ears and throat."

"Which one is first?"

"Eyes first, now look up." He examined the reaction of her eyes and carefully tilted her head so he could use the oroscope to stare into her ears. The light shone over the slick inner walls of her ear. "No sign of any hair, none of the other gargoyles seem to have this." He set the instrument down on the counter and opened one of the clear canisters containing tongue depressors. "Now say awww." He stuck the flat wooden stick into her mouth, pushing down her tongue all the while being cautious of her fangs.

"Even as a gargoyle those things taste awful," Margot gagged the second the depressors was removed. She ran her tongue against her fangs, trying to remove the bad taste that continued to stick to her taste-buds.

"I have a several lollipops." He placed the ear pieces of his stethoscope into his ears. "but I was saving them for your daughter." He placed the flat end against the top of her chest, only pulling back when she shivered. "I’m sorry it’s so cold."

"You do not need to worry," Margot spoke as softly as she could. "Penelope loves the strawberry flavor by the way."

Jones nodded as he heard the multiple rhythms. "You have a healthy rhythm. There is a definite sign of a fifth chamber."

"Can we get on thing settled before we continue. Do I have to give you a urine sample?"

"I’m not testing you for drugs. I am going to draw some blood. Take a full X-ray, and possibly examine your sexual organs."

"Not much to examine," she smiled weakly as she nodded her head.

_________________________________________________________________________

"I call myself Stealth because it’s short for stealth bomber," the dark neo gargoyle glided a few feet ahead of Goliath, perfectly level with Adrienne’s jeep traveling beneath him by several feet. Gliding was obviously the first thing he had learned to master. The fluid movement of his body through the air was devoid of any clumsy maneuvering of a rookie. "Bomber sounds kind of stupid."

"You seemed to have chosen a fitting name for yourself," Goliath was impressed with Stealth’s gliding ability and up beat attitude. It was a total reverse to the misery that shrouded Margot. "From what I have read the aircraft you have named yourself after is a graceful and fast ship."

"And it kind of resembles my wings." He shifted in direction as the same time as the jeep and the motorcycle followed. "The six of us were heading home from the movies when she attacked us. Adrienne was the lucky one."

"There are five of you?" Goliath wasn’t sure if he liked how Stealth meant for his sister to be lucky, but considering how depressed Margot became he could almost understand.

"There are a lot more. We sort of gathered all her targets from town and a few from a nearby town. There was like only six of them in comparison to the fourteen of us."

"I can understand. The more in a clan the stronger it is."

"That sort of makes sense. Well you see the four others were my close pilot friends and my sister’s friend.".

"Four of you were pilots?"

"I guess it could have been the reason why we got the hang of our wings so fast."

"Did you have to teach the others?"

"Once we got gliding down to perfection." He glided straight towards the trailer park. "I hope you don’t have much qualms about being in a trailer park."

"I have no misgivings about where your clan chooses to live." He pulled his wings up, chainging their function from gliding to a parachute as he slowly descended into the center of the trailers. His large taloned feet landed on the ground inches from where Stealth had landed.

"We are home," Stealth announced as several humans and a few gargoyles stepped out of the long metal boxes on wheels serving as shelters for many families. A few more gargoyles climbed down from tops of some of the trailers and a few others landed a few feet from Stealth and Goliath.

"Who is the near naked guy?" A being of polished alabaster stepped forth from the crowd. Her indigo hued wings were stretched out on a frame of thin bone in a semicircle shape with a curved spike like claw on the top and bottom of each wing. Her halter of blood red velvet hugged tightly against her skin. Anything looser would have made her small breasts seem nonexistent. Her legs were painted with black leather, only a spot was missing where her tail ending in a bulge covered in multiple hard bumps, had poked through.

"He’s called Goliath," Stealth ignored the bug eyed stares the rest of his clan was giving the visitor and approached the parking area where the jeep and motorcycle pulled up. "He came from New York along with David Xanatos."

"The David Xanatos?" The white female eyed the Harley and the man stepping off it. The David Xanatos she had read about was never pictured wearing denim pants or a leather aviator jacket with the Harley Davidson Eagle printed on the back, even if did posses the same Grecian features and neatly groomed goatee as the billionaire. "There is no way this man can be Xanatos."

"There’s stuff in your head called brains, Nikka," A gargoyle as tall and built as Goliath gently shoved the female aside. "Why don’t you try to use them?"

"I am," Nikka straightened out her dark brown, near shoulder lenght hair, and tucked a few strands behind her short deer like antlers. "I’m just saying Xanatos wouldn’t be riding around here."

"Well you have to have brains to use them," the teal hued web wing crossed his arms. "You think he would come here riding in his limo?"

"You are not going to take that crap from them?" Adrienne reached into the passenger side of the jeep and pulled out a bag of groceries. She paused to slap the large hand of her brother as he tried to reach inside.

Nikka shrugged. "I can’t take their crap. That would leave their heads empty."

"So obviously human," Goliath did not allow himself to be amused by their banter. "No offense, Xanatos."

"None taken," the billionaire set the his helmet on top of the leather saddle of his bike. Half the crowd was still focused on him. "I don’t believe there is a way I could convince you of who I truly am, but Goliath and I want to help you with your current situation."

"What situation?" The big gargoyle asked.

"We were not the only ones who got attacked," Stealth gave his sister a look before turning towards Goliath. "I believe you just met the four others who where with me and my sister the night we were attacked: Nikka, Tomcat, Harrier, and Concord."

"Where is my jerky?" The large gargoyle, Tomcat, towered over Adrienne as she passed by him. He was the same brick red color as Brooklyn with large double clawed and double ribbed black wings. His thick, muscle bound neck supported his round head with complete pug nose, beady eyes, and lantern jaw. The top of his head was bald save for a fan shaped mohawk of flesh.

Concord was the web wing. He wore the remains of a gray T-shirt sewn to the top half of his belt. The bottom half had a black speedo with a hole cut out for his tai, ending in a tuft of light brown hair, the same color as the hair on his head. He was the tallest web wing Goliath had seen, picturing him to stand at a least a few inches over Mercutio. He had fan shaped ears and arrow shaped brow ridges.

Harrier was only a few inches shorter than Stealth. His narrow, eggplant hued wings contrasted with the rest of his yellowish green color. His beak was much more narrow than Brooklyn’s but just as long and ending in a curve. Greasy black hair was tied back into a ponytail matching Xanatos’s own. Vestigel horns, similar to Angela’s crowned the tops of his brows with a second smaller pair, over lapping the larger ones.

"Here you go," Adrienne handed Tomcat the red, cylinder shaped can from inside the bag before giving Concord a bag of goldfish shaped crackers and a pack of bubble gum.

"I asked for jerky not Slim Jims," the huge mass of solid muscle shook the container, causing the sticks of meat to rattle inside.

"I’m not going back," she gave Harrier a large bag of Reeces. "Settle or suffer."

"Aw fuck."

"Watch your language," Stealth pointed a thumb back to Goliath and Xanatos. "We have company.

"Being the leader is always hard," Goliath tried to offer the Stealth some comfort.

"I’m not the leader," Stealth kept his eyes on his sister as she handed Nikka a pack of cigarettes and a roll of fruit flavored Mentos. "Nobody is the leader, really. We all just look to take care of each other and vote to see who does what."

"I know it may be hard for you to understand, but you may have to decided on who would be the leader."

"Part of being a gargoyle?" He sighed and accepted the small jar of Planters peanuts Adrienne handed to him. "Yo!" His shout carried through out the park. " Those of use unaffected by that psycho with wings just carryon. Goliath is going to teach the rest of us how to be gargoyles."

"I don’t want to be a gargoyle," someone shouted back at him. "I want to be turned back to normal."

"Unfortunately the effect of the Sidhe’s poison is ucurbable," Goliath sighed deeply knowing the following words were about to hurt them worse than the transformation. "This is permanent."

"What about the others?" Another neo gargoyle asked. "The ones on a search mission?"

"Search mission?" Goliath raided his browridges while staring at Stealth.

"Some of us are looking for more transformed gargoyles," He twisted open the jar and held the open end towards lavender giant. When Goliath declined he offered some of his snack to Xanatos who took a small handful.

"I believe you have already explained," Goliath stared out over the crowd of gargoyles. "This isn’t the first time and I know it won’t be the last time. I want you to take a good look at your winged brethren for they are your clan. As gargoyles we live together in groups called Clans. Many clans have an official name. I am the leader of Clan Manhattan." He paused when he noticed a hand raised in the air. "Yes?"

"How many clans are there?" A magenta colored female asked.

"There are over a dozen clans spread out across the contents. We already have found two more. I know the term clan may seem strange to you since it also means family. The humans of this trailer park is also part of your clan. I am certain many of them are relatives to you by blood."

Another hand shot up. "Clan in a way means community?"

Goliath nodded. "As a clan you will have to decide what will be your protectorate. The first thing you should know is we are a protective species by nature."

"You mean like when we stopped that one person from being jumped at a bar?" Harrier spoke up. "The tree of us were just gliding from a Hungry Howies. I have a cousin who works there. We were gliding home when we see these two boys about to wail on another. We set our food down and picked those two guys up and put them in a tree." He held his hands out, both palms up for Tomcat and Concord to smack.

"That would be the protective instinct you have felt. Your protectorate might be this town, or it might be this trailer park alone, or it might even be environmental, but you will soon become warriors who will protect their designated castle."

"I think it’s safe to assume we are going to look out over the whole town since we got family spread out," Concord pulled the tab off his beer and carefully opened the bag of crackers.

"You are also going to need to choose a leader. All clans have a leader."

"How do we that?" Nikka used her talon to tear of the top of her pack of cigarettes and pulled out one.

"In the old days the clan leader would choose a second. If anyone happened to the leader or if the leader stepped down then the second would become the new leader and he or she would choose a new second."

"It is obvious you are going to improvise," Xanatos swallowed the snack he was offered. The high salt content had drained the moisture form his mouth. He scanned the crowd of humans and gargoyles and hoped they had something else to offer to drink besides beer. "Perhaps they could vote."

"That sounds like a good idea," Stealth eagerly accepted the budwiser from Harrier and immediately opened. "Who do you guys want to vote for to be leader?"

"You been kind of leading us around already," Tomcat was the first to point at the black gargoyle with the tip of his tail. He was followed by his two closest friends and Nikka. The rest of the clan stared at each other, unsure of who would have been a better choice and followed suit. Each one pointing at Stealth with either a talon or the tip of his tail.

"What?" Stealth removed the edge of the clan from his lips, spilling golden and foamy liquid onto his shirt. "You guys are serious?"

"You taught everyone how to glide," Nikka took a long drag of her cigarette before she pulled it out of her mouth and pointed at him with it.

"All four of us pilots taught everyone how to glide," he pointed at his three closest friends in protest. "Shit."

"If you do not wish to lead you can choose someone to lead in your stead,." Goliath grabbed on to he shoulder of the newly elected clan leader.

"I’ll do it. It’s just a little shocking."

"We will be there if you need to ask us for anything."

"Are you giving me your phone number."

"We are going to do something better," Xanatos heard his cue. "How many here have Internet access?" Several hands, both human and gargoyle were raised. "There is a special site all the clans use. It is a way the clans are connected. It’s called the Network."

"You guys have your own Website?"

"Us ," Goliath grabbed onto Stealth’s arm in the traditional gargoyle greeting. "We are using it now to find where the former humans are and are hoping they are connecting as you have. Once we have located everyone there will be message boards that will help you with anything you want to know."

"I guess we can take a look," Stealth turned to face his clan. "I guess that is my first order as the clan leader. Everyone with lap tops bring them out here."

___________________________________________________________________________

It had been five days since Goliath and the Xanatos hand went to on their recon mission to seek out the others who lost their humanity when they came across the Gargoyle Sidhe. Owen had his hands full when he was trying to take care of Alex Xanatos. The seven year old had thought that since his parents were out of town he could take advantage of Owen, and be able to do what ever he wanted. He learned his lesson hard the previous night when he refused to do his homework. Owen had grounded him, not to his room where he had his television, and Gamecube, but was sent to Owen’s own room and kept there until he had completed his homework.

It had a also been hard on those who had their mates on the ship with the most wealthy couple in the city. Brooklyn had felt Rayne, Angela and Othello should patrol together and sent that trio out the past few nights instead of breaking them off and placing them in other groups. Elisa and Jam spent time together. Jam gave Elisa a hand with helping with the twins. Macy also wanted to help with the care of the halflings but was told the best she could offer was to behave herself.

It was beginning to take on a strain on Brendan Wellington. He continued to work and pick up Penelope from Pembleton Academy’s kindergarden before returning to the castle. While he worked on paper work and she worked on writing out the alphabet and form basic words she would often ask on when they were going back home. He didn’t know if they were going to live at the castle or not. Margot had yet to officially decided and while he was comfortable with their central park apartment he was unsure if Margot would want to return there. Was she feeling a new instinct to live with her clan?

"Are you going out to see your wife wake up?" The lukewarm temperature of Dr. Jones’s voice matched with his surprisingly smooth palor as he grabbed onto Brendan’s wrist. "I have the results of her tests."

"She is going to want to eat first," Brendan barked back at the doctor. He didn’t even to bother turn around and once he felt his hand was free he continued in his path to where his wife had decided to roost for the day.

Margot had chosen a different tower on the other side of the castle to rest on. Her stone form was different in pose form the others. She was sitting with her legs dangling over the side and her hands folded neatly in her lap. Her wings were cloaked across her shoulders and her tail was curled out onto the stone floor.

Brendan did not have enough time to get a good look at his wife’s facial expression. He had stepped out onto the floor from the top of the stairs as the last of the sunlight was fading from the sky. Long cracks formed over Margot’s granite form and began to thicken as they connected to each other. The limbs of the awaking gargoyle spread out as the stone pieces flew off. Margot’s cougar like war cry was sounded off as she stretched her legs out.

"For a second there you look like you were about to fall backwards," Brendan couldn’t keep from chuckling at his wife’s clumsy display.

"Better than falling forward," the rosy pink female turned around on her battlement. Her feet touched the ground, and she made sure she had her weight on her toes and the balls of her feet before she stood up. "What delicious meal had Owen created for us?"

"I believe he mentioned he was going to create a nice southern dinner for us tonight," Brendan took her hand in his and lead her to the stairs. "I told that doctor you were going to want to eat."

"You did?" She nearly stopped in her tracks. " Why did he want to see me, unless he has news about my exam?"

"He said he had the results."

"The results? We can eat dinner later." Margot nearly ran towards the steps on all fours.

__________________________________________________________________________

Margot had asked Brendan to prepare her a plate and take it to their temporary room. It would be the last meal they would have their. After they had packed up their things the three of them would be retiring to their apartments.

"I’m surprised you are not in the dining hall," Dr Jones entered the small examining from the same way when he was giving the neo gargoyle her exam. He had his stethoscope folded in half and draped over his shoulder. His thick framed glasses were set right above the near miniature bump in his nose. He had his mouth set in the friendly smile, displaying all of his teeth. He even had his trusty clip board in his hands.

"I was too excited about the news." She continued to wear the pale green dress she wore the night before and had sat down at the small plastic chair near the back of the room.

"Ah, the results." He raised the clip board and flipped the pages over. "Your temperature is one degree higher than usual, but I doubt you are coming down with anything. It’s probably just hormones related. You have stronger reflexes. Your iron count in your blood is lower than last time and so is your blood pressure."

"I’m a little surprised about that," Margot chuckled. "I thought it would be in reverse."

"Your still in a healthy range, but for your iron count you don’t want it to fall too much. Try to eat a little more red meat and leafy green vegetables."

"My main concern is if I’m healthy."

"You are a perfectly healthy, perfectly normal gargoyle."

"I’m completely transformed."

"In more ways than you think," he flipped another paper over. "Your reproductive system is in perfectly working order."

"What?" Margot felt her wings go limp. "That’s impossible. My uterus has this layer of a tissues, a septum that divides it right in half. It was a shield that prevented me from ever becoming pregnant."

"I suspose you never took a good look at that area in the X-rays." He lift a few pages halfway and pulled out a glossy black and white picture. "I only brought out one X-ray." He handed the picture over to her. "And from what I see it’s not there." he hovered his thumb over the pelvic region.

"It’s not there," Margot blinked at the lack of the light gray line she was accustomed to in her past X-rays.

"I could call in Dr Kahn and allow her to take a better look. She’s a gynecologist and a P.I.T member."

"It’s not there," Margot repeated and handed the x-ray back to him. She did not look at him, but rather the wall behind the doctor.

__________________________________________________________________________

"It’s a small group?" Grayish blue talons sliced through the brilliant red skin of the apple in her hand. She had deftly removed a long coil of waxy skin from the fruit, leaving behind a sphere of white.

"A little more than four," Xanatos removed his gaze from the lap top screen. After he had finished his meal, Lexington had taken over the role of pilot from Fox and she had taken on the task of watching over the Network.

"We are going to convinced them to travel to Bar Harbor?" Broadway shoved the last bit of his Hostess cupcake into his mouth and rubbed the remaining chocolate crumbs lining his mouth.

"Since we are heading towards Bar Harbor we are going to give them a ride."

"There is plenty of room," Goliath sighed deeply, positioning his elbows onto his knees and cradling his head.

"You are looking a bit more blue than purple there," Frank slowly placed his hand on top of Goliath’s shoulder, unsure if the large gargoyle would react to his offer of comfort. "I know you miss Elisa and the twins. I miss Jam and Macy. We all are missing someone, but you gotta look on the bright side. Look at the progress we are making."

"Aye," the corners of Goliath’s mouth turned up for a fraction of a second. They were able to convince the small groups in Connecticut to become one clan. "There are at least two more clans."

"Nice of that circus to give us a helping hand," Frank sat back while he cradled the back of his head. The gargoyle and human co. owned Moonlight Circus had their tents set up in the south of New Hampshire. David heard about the circus when he went to buy a newspaper to see if there were any sightings. The particular name of the circus caught Xanatos’s attention. "Carried along some of the folk in New Hampshire until there were plenty enough to from their own clan.

"We were able to do two good things, my brother," Desdemona removed a chunk of fruit from the apple with two quick cuts with her talon. "We were assured of the gargoyles in New Hampshire and we were able to help set them up with the Network."

"My father has informed me that most of the Maine gargoyles have converged in Bar Harbor," Xanatos kept reading the same message thread over and over. A thread with the title of an emergency council meeting. "After we meet with him we just have to meet up with those transformed across the border."

"I should be in a better mood," Goliath sighed again. "I want to look forward to see possibly two more clans, but there are still factors weighing on my heart. My family still in New York is what is on my mind the most, but I’m also saddened by those who have died shortly after their transformation."

"There wasn’t anything we could do," Broadway tried to assure his leader it was not his fault. They discovered two have been murdered by humans who thought they were monsters and did not give them time to explain. There were the others who took their own lives. One tore open their wrists with their talons, one had shoved a knife into their chest and one other who stood on the edge of a bridge over an empty creek bed and waited until the sun began to ride to propel themselves forward.

"We could have left earlier," the tone of Goliath’s voice became more severe. "We shouldn’t have waited."

"We were unsure of the path," Desdemona placed another bite of apple into her mouth. "We could not have predicted this could have happened. We should have been able to predict how many were fed upon."

"That one poor girl," Frank remembered one particular female from Boston. She was a most noticeable not, just for her beauty, but also the lack of words she expressed. She reminded Frank and the clan of Claw, but it wasn’t the transformation alone that rendered her mute. It was the traumatic experience of watching the Sidhe feed off the blood of her fiancee who she was a few inches away, rendered paralized by the Gwenyhna Sidhe and undergoing through her painful metamorphosis.

"We cannot keep dwelling on those details, and punishing ourselves," Desdemona set the half eating apple down in her lap and picked up a bottle of water.

"I do not know what incited this guilt trip," a fatigued Fox entered the small area near the ships kitchen dressed in a pair of boot cut jeans and a red short sleeved shirt. Her comfortable attire was complete with a pair of flip flops. Her damp hair hung limply around her showered. "I just hope it isn’t bad news for us."

"No bad news," Xanatos smiled up at her. He noticed the cell phone in her hand. "Did we receive any calls from home."

"Every thing is fine," Fox folded the top of her cell phone and placed it back into her pocket. "The only thing is-"

"The only thing?" Goliath rose to his feet. His bellow had caused both Frank and Broadway to move from them. "What do you mean by the only thing?"

"Goliath," Xanatos set the laptop down and rose to his feet. "I think you should allow my wife to finish."

"As I was saying," Fox tried to not to sound rude. "The only problem is Margot had fled the castle two hours before sunrise yesterday. The others had formed search parties to look for her."

"I’m sorry," Goliath folded his wings back across his shoulders. "Please keep us informed when they have found her."

__________________________________________________________________________

There were a few places Margot would have most likely glided towards to seek sanctuary. Brooklyn had split the clan up into several search parties and orderedeach group to search the prime locations first and report their findings to second of command.

"Matt, and Cecilia have found nothing," Narrow, pixie wings shimmered a copper radiance under the full light of the moon and stood out from the mint cotton nearly surrounding the appendages. The blend of plastic and metal cradled against her pointed ears, held against the top silken mass of white waves, by a curved headband. "She’s not at the courthouse."

"Of course she isn’t," The deep base of the only male gargoyle of their group rumbled in disgust. The large warrior shifted his passenger in his arms. "I wonder what possessed you to think she might be there."

"She spent a great part of her career there," Brendan stared into the crimson eyes, surrounded by pure black. The brow ridges of the resurrected gargoyle narrowed halfway. "You don’t know how many times I picked her up at work to see her walking on air from another victory. There was a possibility she could be there to muse about her past wins."

"We shouldn’t be arguing," Beauty that mimicked the immortal sorceress, Demona and the regal lavender coloring of the clan leader glided in closer. "Brendan would know her the best, and you didn’t hear her mumbling the same word over and over. She kept saying all gone."

"It was that stupid doctor," Brendan gritted his teeth. He could feel hair on the top of his hands thickening and felt his body being taken over by an intense heat.

"It’s not entirely his fault," Othello stared into the eyes of the werewolf as the color was shifting towards a golden yellow color. His passenger’s ears were already more prominent and he could see the long finger nails and thickening hair. "He was only doing his job, now please put the wolf away."

"They should of had me in the waiting room," Brendan breathed in deeply and ran his tongue over his teeth. The fangs were gone.

"I wish to say we all know how you feel," Angela gave the two of them a sympathetic smile. "All four of us are separated from our mates, but the only difference is we know where ours are and they can always gibes us a call."

"Found her!" Rayne glided ahead of the group taking the lead. "She’s with Maria Chavez." She veered towards the right. She had visited the police captain and het daughter several times and felt she should lead the. others. She looked forward to seeing Tina again.

________________________________________________________________

Maria Chavez wasn’t exactly pleased to see them. Free from her usual skirt suites with blouse and dress jacket, she was dressed in a white cotton shirt and a pair of blue jeans with an elastic waist. She never wore a lot of make up when she went to work, but her face seemed a bit more plainer without her mascara and lipstick.

"Where is she?" Brendan tore away from the muscle-bound arms of Othello the second they landed and raced up to Chavez.

"It’s nights like these I am more than happy Tina is with her father," Maria crossed her arms calmly. She ignored Wellington’s rapid breathing and lead the clan through her kitchen and away from the window.

"Where is she?" Brendan repeated.

"Don’t launch into hysterics, Wellington," like before she ignored his outburst. She had dealt with panicing citizens who raced up to her desk at the precinct and demanded answers. She never allowed her voice to rise. Snapping at them would not help. And she wouldn’t pat them on the shoulder and tell them everything would be all right. She was the captain of detectives of the 23rd percent, not their mother. "Your wife is safe."

"How long as she been here?" Angela hoped her question would have eased the tension.

"For a couple of hours. I would have called sooner, but she needed someone to be by her side while she cried herself into hysterics." She lead them into her small living room and pointed towards the couch.

"Margot!" Brendan raced to the other side of the sofa. Margot was spread across the coushins.with her wings folded under her back. Her head was propped up on one of the curved arms while her legs were bent at the knees, leaving her feet parked on one of the cushins. The end of her tail was bent at the side and touched the floor. "What happened?"

"Brendan?" Margot brushed her hand across her forehead, but didn’t sit up. "Ish that you?"

"Jalapena," Othello pushed Brendan aside. His nostrils twitched at the scent of Margot’s sweat and the alcohol on her breath. "Sherry."

"She confessed to me she went looking through bottles on her way over here," Maria pressed her hands down on the top of the couch. "She had several swallows of rum, gin and vodka. When she arrived she was the equivalent of someone who had a beer and a half."

"What did you give her?" Angela asked.

"I didn’t give her anything," Maria frowned at her unexpected guest. "She was a blubbering mess when she arrived. She confessed to what she had been drinking and spilled out everything that was troubling her, the fact she’s transformed and how her career and something in her womb was gone. I provided Kleenex and offered some hard lemonade."

"That would barely affect her constitution," Rayne pointed out as she approached the former DA

"Effery one is heeler," Margot sat up. She smiled at everyone before looking up at Maria. "Oh Captain, my captain."

"I didn’t smell any hard lemon on her," Othello pointed out. "How did she get the sherry?"

"When I went to the refrigerator she broke into my cabinet and drank the remaing whiskey I use for baking and started on an entire bottle of sherry. I tried to take it from her, but she swiped at me."

"I’m sorry," Brendan grabbed Margot by the wrists and pulled her to her feet. Either she was somewhat willing, or it was because of his werewolf abilities, but he was able to get her up.

"Not shoo fasht," Margot began to slump and would have landed on her knees if Brandon hadn’t grabbed her by her waist.

"Like I said," Maria stepped back. "I’m glad my daughter isn’t home."

"Well try to get her home safely," He lead his wife to Angela and gently handed her over to the lavender female. "Can you and Rayne provide the role of the sober soriety sisters?"

"We will even try to get her to use her wings," Angela hoisted one arm over her shoulders and held onto Margot by the wrist and grabbed onto her shoulders Her tail wrapped around the rose colored female under her chest. Rayne had wrap the end of her own tail around Margot’s waist.

"Where we going?" Margot felt herself being dragged back to the kitchen. "Brendan?"

"We are going back to the castle?" Her husband offered an apologetic smile to Maria before following the females. He hoped the would be able to make it back to the castle. "I can always get a cab back to the tower."

"What are you implying?" Othello studied the werewolf’s expression. "Do you not like the way I carry you?"

"I want Margot to return safely. I want you to follow to make sure they don’t have any trouble carrying her back."

"I understand your concern," He picked Brendan up into his arms. "But unlike you I have a bit more faith in Angela and Rayne."

_________________________________________________________________________

Bar Harbor, Maine

Dark gray eyebrows were lowered over a pair of brown eyes on a fact that had been tanned and hardned by many years at sea. Petros Xanatos kept his arms folded while his son drove up on the driveway of his home. "When did you start riding that thing, again?"

"Would you believe just recently?" David Xanatos turned the ignition off his motorcycle and removed the helmet. "Good to see you are in great health , Pop."

"I do not like the idea of us meeting like this," Petros was by his son’s side as David slid off the bike. The billionair shoes had barely touched the ground when his father pulled him in an embrace. "It should be during family visits."

"We’ll come up and meet you this summer," David kept his eyes on the sky. Goliath, Lexington, Desdemona and the four gargoyles they picked up a few towns back were gliding in for a landing.

"Are you going to bring your friends?"

"Will your friends be here?" Xanatos shifted his attention to his father’s house when the door opened. Several gargoyles stepped outside.

"Petros," Goliath relaxed his wings. "It is good to see you again. Are you going to introduce me to your friends?"

"I’m more than willing," Petros gave his son a light tap on the shoudkler. "You remembered Mr Robertshaw David?"

"His son, Douglas and I were friends in highschool," David studied the face of the elderly gargoyle standing behind his father. David reconized his father’s friend underneath the gargoyle features. "She scratched him?"

"Him and Mrs Robertshaw and their other son Harry and their family. They are living with me."

"Where are the other gargoyles?" Goliath glanced around. He had expected at least a handful of gargoyles to live in one area.

"We should go in and talk," Petro’s ushered the Robertshaws back inside and lead Goliath and the others. into the building.

Many things have remained the same since David’s last visit. The whole house smelled of pine and scent of carpet freshener that had been used on the few hand woven, round rugs. The coffee table resembled a dingy flipped over with a glass serface perched on top. David’s father had decorated most of the house with a sea and fisherman style of designing. There was a  a model of a lobster boat in a bottle on the table. A clock with different kinds of fish representing the numbers, paintings of boats and fish and a few black white photographs of a young Petros were hanging on the walls.

"You always keep a neat and cozy home," Xanatos walked towards the closest color photographs, pictures of David at his highschool graduation.

"What are you implying?" Petros placed his hands on his hips. "You are trying to tell me my home is small? I would rather be in a home that is comfortable than in a cold and empty place as your castle."

"I was saying it was cozy, like home."

"Your son does bring up an important issue," Goliath stared back at the new gargoyles the airship had carried. "As nice as your home is it is not enough room for a large clan."

"That is why they are not living just here," Petros motion for his guests to grab seat at either the couch, loveseat or a chair. "This is one of the locations on where they will rest and grab a meal. There are a couple of boats in the harbor that will provide them with shelter as well as a few other houses and the local elementary school."

"The clan is spread out through the town?"

"Is there a problem with that?"

"Most clans rest together, at one shelter."

"The Ishimura clan doesn’t," Frank brought up. He had elected to stand, along with Goliath and Xanatos. "From what I’ve learned through the Network, some would rest at the dojo and others would rest on the rooftops of various houses."

"Dodi’s clan is pretty much the same," Lexington brought up. "And the London clan roosts at both the Chapel house and the magic shop."

"You have always said the island of Manhattan is our castle," Desdemona added. "The town can be the castle for the Bar Harbor clan."

"You have all made your point," Goliath nodded. "The decision belongs to the clan. The will decide what is best suited for them."

"I’m pretty certain they will make their desicion tomorrow," Petros told him. "When they have their meeting. You are welcomed to stay until then. I’ll make everyone some of my lobster bisque."

"Your son has said it’s your specialty."

"Then he wouldn’t mind in assisting me," Petros entered the kitchen.

________________________________________________________________________

Combination locks were threaded through the handles of the drawers containing Wvyern’s liquor supply and only a select few knew the combination. Even the strongest metal in a lock was no match for the strength of a determined gargoyle. Owen knew this and stood guard in front of the cabinets, not leaving until either Elisa, Jam, or Kitty would relieve him.

Seeing as she had no means to crawl in into the bottle and drown her sorrows in waves of bourbon, and brandy wine Margot retreated to her temporary room. She chose not to crawl into the closet and decided to collapse on the bed and drown into her own tears

"So this is what it comes to," Brendan had thought she would have been noticed the second he turned the doorknob too the room. The hearing ability of a gargoyle was as strong as his own keen werewolf sense. He remained where he stood after he closed the door. He did not need to reach the four poster bed where his wife had collapsed upon. "You can’t drink so you are just going to cry?"

"Pointless," the single response leaving Margot’s mouth was nearly drowned out by her sobs.

"You are correct," he crossed his arms. "Just crying about it is pointless. You never had a drinking problem before, but I think you need to ease up."

"It was my medicine for my pain," she tried to push herself up on shaking limbs. "Without it I ache all over, so I cry."

"There are other ways and you know it." He was going to kill that doctor, or at the very least, arrange a meeting between his fist and Jones’s face.

"Nothing else will work."

"Yes it will. You are much too strong for this and you and I both know it. Penelope knows it too. Do you want her to see you like this?"

"Your daughter." She straightened her back, but kept her head lowered. Her wings formed a tent over her.

"She is our daughter."

"You have to change the papers and declare yourself a single father."

"Oh that," he relaxed his shoulders and approached her. "That will be a bit of a headache."

"Then you are going to have to raise her on your own while I stay here."

"She is going to want mother."

"Her mother was human."

"I don’t know what that bastard said to you but I’m going to grab him by his neck and threaten to throw him out the window," Brendan clenched his fists. "You were a bit happier the past few nights. What happened?"

"Everything changes, my life is over." She grabbed a couple of pillows together.

"Because you are no longer human?" He sat down on the corner of the bed and nearly sank into the soft mattress. "I’m no longer human. Look at Detective Bluestone and the other weregoyles, even Castaway. We are not crying ourselves into hysterics."

"You can still pass for a human during the day."

"You are not the only one. There are hundreds of others going through the same ordeal as you."

"None of them have spent the last twenty years working as a lawyer and climbed their way to assistant DA and into the role of district attorney None of them focus entirely on their careers, pushing the idea of having a family out of the picture so they could climb up the ladder."

Brendan wished her voice had returned to the harsh and scornful tone he was used to. Instead it became weaker. "I’m sure they have given up something."

"Something. I gave up everything." She collapsed onto the bed once more and buried her face into the pillows. Her tears were easily soaked into the expensive satin. "I lost my humanity, my job and now I have to loose my family."

"You are not going to loose us."

"I have to. My womb has been transformed. The septum is gone and I can lay an egg."

"The blockage is gone," Brendan blinked. He fan his fingers across his forehead and flipped up his bangs. "I guess that is not natraul occurrence in gargoyles."

"I can at least lay one egg and that is why you and Penelope are going to have to leave me here."

"We are not leaving you."

"You have too," she raised her head. Parts of her tear soaked hair stuck to the sides of her face. "My clan is small. There are many unattached males around the world. I just need a new mate and I can provide a new child for the clan."

"That is not true," he slid off the comforter. "We do not know the breeding specifics of gargoyles. You might be too old."

"It doesn’t matter," the clear liquid continued to stream out of the corners of her eyes and down her cheeks. Large droplets fell from her chin and onto the damp patch on pillows and sheets. "My life is over."

"Doesn’t matter?" Brendan breathed and stared at the creature lying a few inches in front of him. "You are right it is over. The woman I married is dead."

"My past life is dead," the back of her hand wiped her cheek.

"I married a woman of strong wills and a spine of steel. I married a woman who wouldn’t allow anything to bother her or get to her The woman who grilled into Lenox Macduff on television."

"I can’t be that," her voice had dissolved into a squeak.

"Of course you can’t," he turned around and walked slowly towards the door. "That is why Penelope and I will have to live without you. Because Margot Yale, the woman who installed fear into others with a single glare is dead. I married her. I didn’t marry Margie, the whiny, weak, crybaby,bitch." He paused when he felt the soft thump of one of the pillows striking against the back of his head.

"What did you call me?" Her voice was still a hoarse whisper, but it had taken on a steel like edge.

"I’m sorry," He turned his head to look at her. She was no longer crying. Her eyes were narrowed and her mouth was in the disapproving pout he had fallen in love with. "You don’t like to be called bitch, Margie?"

She was on him in an instant. She didn’t even have to think twice before she leaped off the bed and grabbed onto the front of his shirt. "I told you I don’t like to be called Margie."

"Sorry about that, Madge."

"Never call me Madge!" her voice rose to a feral roar as she shoved her husband forward. Brandon fell backwards on the carpet and slid towards the door. "You may call me anything else, but not that."

"Damn," Brendan pulled his body up till the back was leaning against the door. He felt a small burn caused by the friction of the fingers of his cloths and his skin and an aching pain at the back of his head. "I’ll stop calling you one when you stop acting like a Madge."

Blood red radience filled the room. "I am not weak." She grabbed him by the arms and hauled him to his feet.

"Just a crybaby bitch." He knew he was asking for it.

"I’m not weak, nor a crybaby and I will not tolerate being call Margie or Madge." she hoisted him off the floor and held him high above his head "Don’t you dare forget that Brendan. I am Margot Yale, and I am in charge."

"Looks like the bitch is back," Brendan felt his cloths become too tight as his muscles thickened and his skin covered itself in fur.

"Do you think you can defeat me?" She stared up into the eyes of her husband as they became yellow.

_________________________________________________________________________

The lound bump at the door had brought the lean and crimson gargoyle from the recreation room. Brooklyn wasn’t too sure if the loud sound was caused by either Margot or Brendan striking his fist against the door or if it was something else. He opened the door a crack, and took a peek inside.

"That’s just not right," he quickly closed the door and placed his back against it. Where was a Do Not Disturb sign when he needed it.

"What is going on?" Cecilia was on her way to the recreation room when she herd the thump. She was not sure what had happened to their guests and when she saw the shocked look on Brooklyn’s face she became worried. "What had happened?"

"I think she is about to snap out of her funk." The expression did not fade from his face.

"How can you tell?"

"Let’s just say I wish they had locked the door, and I’m glad they hadn’t noticed me."

"That is two forms of good news," Cecilia smiled weakly. "We just received a call from Goliath and the others. They had crossed the border and met the last clan. They will be staying with them during the day before they return home."

"Good. I’m just going to stay here to tell everyone our guests do not wish to be disturbed," Brooklyn cringed at the long wolf how followed by the roar of a female gargoyle.