Elijah was watching. He was used to watching humans mill about aimlessly, trying to catch his attention like how peacocks mate. He was so used to brushing them off and could easily take his eyes off people. This was different. He could not rip his eyes off of this small and frail girl. It was if he was looking to a mirror to the past, a ghost haunting him once again. She was like a cookie cut out from that woman... the biggest regret in his long life. This time he told himself it would be different. His nephew was concerned how he was almost stalking this small girl, following her home and eyeing her at work. Now she was sitting in front of him, sipping her smoothie silently after her question. She seemed flushed, her reddened skin a pale difference to her snowy skin and the blue veins dancing under her skin. She looked like with a single blow she would be knocked over. She was swaying, her eyes a little hazy and she jittery a bit. He felt a surge of protectiveness but managed to keep himself still. He had to fight the urge to cover her from the world, as if someone would see her she would melt away. Time sped by for him as he stared at her. He knew he had come in at the tail end of her shift because he had been passing by the diner every thirty minutes and looking inside to make sure she was sound. She had fled the booth, refilling his coffee as she tidied and cleaned before the next wait staff came in to relieve her. There were purple bruises under her eyes and she was trembling from exhaustion. Her kept a keen eye on her, watching her flit around with that penguin like walk she had. He couldn't help the small smile as he noticed it, finding it cute and endearing. He knew the time for the switch was coming, so when she had her back turned to him he placed a fifty on the table for the cake and three coffees. He knew it wouldn't have come up to more than eight dollars, but he knew she needed the money. Using his incredible speed in a second he was gone from the booth and out on the sidewalk. It was almost seven in the morning, and they sky was becoming light grey but still dark in the autumn air. He went down the ally next to the restaurant and went to wait to make sure she would get home safely. Little to his surprise, a dark clad figure was standing there waiting for him.
"I knew I would find you here." Luca looked to his uncle, a large bulky sweater covering him. It made him look like a sketchy figure, but warm in this cold weather.
"What is it?" Elijah asked, his hearing also listening out for the girls awkward walk. He could hear his nephews breathing, the pattering of the odd person walking by the ally and the grinding if machinery from the cars. Luca's usually soft expression was hard and severe, something Elijah was not used to seeing.
"What are you doing?" Silence almost fell. All the previous noises seemed to fade away as they stood there. He didn't want to answer, feeling a little uncomfortable and secretive. He felt like a dog being caught doing something unsavory to the neighbors dog, and his owner was repremanding him.
"What does it matter?" He was cold and callous in his response. Luca did not take that response well, narrowing his eyes sharply and frowning enough that his elongated fangs protruded out. This was a sign of aggression, and Elijah pushed the remainder if his talons out. They hid like cat claws, and they curled out to about two inches long. The two ancient beings stood there, ready to pounce on each other. It was a standoff to see who would back off first. Before they could figure it out, they could hear the girls off kilter walk passing by the allyway. Elijah immediately stiffened, wanting to follow her but also not wanting to show his vulnerable back to his nephew.
"Are you going to get that girl killed?" Lucas words cut Elijah more than any knife had in the past. Elijah caved first, pulling back his talons and relaxing his body language. Luca followed, trying to ease the tension between them.
"I hope not." He knew he couldn't guarantee it. If anyone of Marie's spies saw her, she would be reported to her and easily disposed of. If anyone from the Convocation found out that Elijah was eying a mortal, they would look into his past and find out about Sara. They would either forbid him from seeing her, or have her against him. He wanted to steal her away and hide her from all the eyes in the world, but he couldn't bring himself to do that. Luca just sighed and nodded, pulling up his hood and walking past his saddened uncle in the dirty alley.
"Come on, I'll help you." They young man's words were kind but Elijah's pride was sore and his protectiveness surged again.
"I remember tio very well and loved her very much," Lucas words were precise to soften the ice around Elijah's heart, "I know why you are doing this. You are my family, and family sticks together." He shot a soft smile to the tall man before exiting tbe ally mouth. A car passed, and its blue LED light washed over the young man. It cast a heavenly light on him for a moment, making Elijah come to a realization. His entire life he always saw himself as alone until he had Sara. After she was gone, he thought no one on the world cared about his existence. Now his nephew stood here, ready to protect a girl they barely knew because she resembled a lost part of both of their lives.
He realized that the wasteland of his heart was healing, and that his family had never abandoned him. He made a silent prayer of thanks to whatever God above was finally showing him so closure. Suri had healed old wounds on his heart through her tiny acts of kindness and her face, and made him realize he wasn't alone after all.