Another One Down…

     The music was muted by the heavy oak door Ax shut behind himself. Leaning against it, he took a moment to look around the still room, his brow furrowing as his gaze landed on the calendar hanging on the wall. The demon walked through his bedroom to the wall, and gazed at the bikini clad blonde, unsmiling. Silently, he flipped the pages back, counting the days with a tap of his finger on each, red-lined square. When he reached the last square, the thirty-first of December, he sighed heavily and lifted the calendar down.

     "You okay?" It was said quietly as Spider Pennworth peered around the partially open door, the heavy beat of the party’s music filtering in behind her. Champagne glass in hand, she looked over her shoulder, kohl-lined eyes flickering about the empty hallway before she slipped into the room, closing the door behind herself.

     "As okay as I can be," Ax murmured, sinking onto the edge of his bed, his eyes on the slick paper in his hands. "She’s been gone for four months, Spider. Four months. We haven’t heard anything in that time. Anything at all."

     "I know," the bookstore owner whispered as she set her glass on his dresser, the black velvet of her evening gown whispering across her knee-high leather boots as she walked over, laying a delicate hand on his shoulder. "But Jonas knows she’s alive."

     "What’s the new year going to bring, huh? I can’t keep doing this much longer. I don’t care what anyone says…if we don’t hear anything soon…" He trailed off, jaw tightening as Spider leaned her forehead against his dark blonde hair.

     "Don’t give up hope, Ax," she whispered, rubbing her palm along his shoulders. "No news is good news, remember? I’m sure we’ll turn something up soon. Everyone’s trying as hard as they can."

     "But we’re all still here," he choked, giving his eyes a rough swipe with the back of one roughened hand. "We haven’t gone out to look for her at all."

     "And if you let this consume you, turn into an obsession, well…" She fell silent for a moment, drawing away from Ax to walk to the balcony doors, opening one to let the snowy air in. "Then it’s just the way it was before, when Dia wa-"

     "Don’t tell me you’ve said this to Jonas," he growled. "Not to him."

     "I’m not stupid, Ax," she snapped, her russet eyes flashing. "We all know why this hurts him so much. But it can’t turn into an obsession for everyone else. It can’t. She’s gone, yes. We don’t know what’s happening, yes. But life doesn’t stop moving. The city’s still alive." Spider walked over, taking the calendar in one hand, entwining the other with his fingers. Tugging lightly, she drew him onto the balcony, their breath showing in the frigid air. The slick paper rustled as she set the calendar down on one of the steel and glass tables scattered about the balcony. Walking to the railing, she pointed down at the city lights below.

     "Look, Ax. See all of that? It hasn’t disappeared just because Iris is gone. Yes, it hurts that she’s not here. Yes, it doesn’t seem right that she’s gone. But you know what? I’m still alive. You’re still alive. Everyone is still here, still needs to keep going, keep doing things. The world doesn’t stop turning just because of one girl."

     Ax’s eyes followed the path of her pointing arm, and as he looked through the steam of his breath at the sparkling city lights below, he sighed heavily, exhaling more smoke. "I know that," he said heavily, looking back to Spider. "But how are we supposed to just pick up and go on, not knowing what’s happened to her? What if, while we’re "moving on," she’s out there in danger?"

     "And what good is worrying going to do until we know something for certain?" Spider reached out, catching his chin and turning him to look at her, russet eyes gleaming softly. "Are you going to waste away like Jonas?"

     The demon opened his mouth to speak, and then shut it when the bells of Our Lady of Mercy’s Catholic Church began to toll the hour. Stories below, cheers were erupting as the countdown to the new year began. Within the penthouse, louder counting could be heard, long pauses given to time the count with the tolling of the bells. As the last clang echoed through the city, cries of "Happy New Year!!" could be heard from all about at once, as if the city itself cried the words to the new hour.

     Spider turned a soft smile up to Ax as she picked up the calendar and put it into his hands. "Happy New Year, Ax," she whispered, closing his fingers over the slick, cold paper.

      "Happy New Year, Spider," he said in return. With one easy gesture, he tore the old calendar in half and threw it over the balcony railings. As Spider turned to gaze after the fluttering paper, rough fingers caught her chin, pulling her about to meet the demon’s lips in a warm kiss. For long seconds, they remained still, lips pressed together, generating a thrill of warmth in the icy January air. When Ax finally drew away, the Goth’s dark red lipstick smeared across his mouth, he smiled down at Spider, stroking her cheek gently. Without a word, she pressed his hand against her face, and then twined her cold fingers with his, leading him back inside as fireworks exploded over the Downtown District, shooting gleaming red, green, blue and silver into the first hour of the newest year.

(Happy New Year to everyone, from all of us in Brandenburg, Virginia!)