Daughter of Darkness

Kale smiled and kept his arm around her, helping her when he could.

It took Peter a while, but he finally came back. He sat up, and sat in the corner staring at his feet.

Gabrielle didn't acknowledge Peter, instead wishing she could die

Artemis finally sighed and placed the book book "my head's gunna expload..." she grumbled

Kale smiled and kissed her head. "We can read again tomorrow. You don't have to read it all today."

"But I do have to read it all this week" Artemis replied, completely determind

Kale chuckled and nodded. "Yes, so read a little bit each day." His eyes danced happily as he watched her. He was glad she had seemed to regain some fire to her personality. Some sort of determination. She had come a long way from the bare bodied shell he had found on the cell floor.

They came for Peter again, his eyes looked pained as he watched her while he was dragged out, and disapeared down the hall.

Artemis nodded, "alright, I will" she grinned holding the book tight "need help with any chores in the mean time?"

Gabrielle finally forced herself up into a seated position, her state of mind delicate to say the least. That just might of done her more damage then ten guards dieing on her behalf

When Peter came back, his eyes were a little distant and it looked as though he was lucky to have eyes at all. His face was torn up, and so was much of the rest of him. There didn't seem to be a spot on him that wasn't open and covered in blood.

Kale shook his head. "Not really, I took care of most everything. Unless you want to come to the green house with me. I still have to water all the plants in there."

Gabrielle gave a small gasp and hurried to heal him, horror lighting up her eyes "you okay? what did they do to you?"

Artemis grinned "oh yes please" she scooted closer, her face eager

Kale smiled and chuckled. "Alright, let's go." He pushed himself off the couch with a slight groan, then streached and held his hand out to her.

Peter looked at her and swallowed, a tear leaking from the corner of his eye as the pain coursed through his body. He managed a smile, though it was a broken one because of the gashes. "They don't like it when you talk back." His voice was a hoarse whisper.

Artemis placed her hand in his without thought and stuck to his side, the sun not so scary with the knowledge that she was going to see the plants

Gabrielle pushed herself to heal him faster "then why would you?" she whispered, her voice pained as well

Kale let her into the green house first, and closed the door behind him. He then picked up two watering cans and led her towards the fountain in the middle of everything. "Alright, just fill it up and start down a row. Make sure you get both side of the table so that they all get water." He smiled and dipped the cans into the fountain and handed her one.

Peter smiled again. "Because it's fun to watch them get mad." He left out the minor detail that they had all been talking about her. His body healed as fast as it could, starting with his abs and working it's way up to his face.

Gabrielle scowled and retreated back into her corner, blanket tucked firmly around her "idiot" she muttered, still healing him

Artemis obeyed, happily watering the plants, loving how she got to nurture them. She finished the last one, splashing kale with the left over water and smiling wide

Peter chuckled and looked over at her. "and they were talking about you." He said, as though it made him more justified in his actions.

Kale watched her with a smile, mischeif dancing in his eyes as he splashed her back.

Gabrielle froze "talking about me? what were they saying?"

Artemis squeaked and refilled her pale, using it as ammunition

Peter watched her. "That's not important," he murmered and looked away.

Kale smiled widely, refilling his pale as well, but began to run from her laughing.

"tell me" Gabrielle demanded, echoing it in his mind, unconsciously using her ability to persuade him

"Hey!" Artemis huffed, giving chase, "come back!"

Kale chuckled and hid, splashing her when she came close and ran again, stopping and leaning against the fountain as if he'd been there the whole time.

Peter didn't look at her but instead put the memory in her mind, including the ridicule towards him and his in-ability to love her propperly. The jeers then were directed at him and how he could never be loved because he was no longer a propper man.

"oh" gabrielle squeaked, "yes, I can see why you talked back then" she looked him over "are you okay?"

Artemis sputtered and glared "you soaked me!" she exclaimed, her face settling into an indignant pout. she stalked toward him, mentally raising the water behind him, getting ready to soak him back

"Why wouldn't I be?" Peter asked, taking the memory back and locking it in the drawer in his mind that he had labeled HELL.

Kale smiled as he watched her, his brow raised. "It's a good look for you."

Artemis scoffed and dropped the water on him, it soaking him down to the bone.
she let out a delighted giggle

Gabrielle eyed him "you've had your balls cut off" she reminded him

"Yup." Peter muttered. "Thanks for that reminder." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Just because I don't have balls doesn't mean I can't love someone. It just means I can't have kids. A problem that is easily remedied with adoption." His voice was quiet. "You don't need balls to love someone. Love is more than just sex."

Kale spluttered and wiped his face off and laughed smiling widely at her. "You're in for it now." He said playfully as he moved to chase after her.

Gabrielle was thoughtful for a moment "you can't have sex?" it was an out of the blue question, she knew, but she couldn't stop herself from asking it

Artemis squeaked and scrambled away, promptly finding herself tackled by a wet figure. She giggled and turned to face him, smiling wide

Peter frowned. That was not what he was trying to say. He looked back over everything he said and sighed. "No. I can. I just can't get a girl pregnant." He ran a hand through his hair, wondering how they had gotten off on this topic.

Kale smiled, his face close to hers as he held her. His smile dropped slightly as he stared at her, his eyes following the pattern of her lips. He kissed her forehead and sighed, letting her go and grabbing the water pales and putting them away.

Gabrielle unconscionably skirted away from him "oh" she wrapped the blanket around tight "wh-what's it suppose to feel like. Sex, I mean?" she whispered

Artemis pouted as he stood up and helped him clean. Her eyes straying to him more often than she was aware off. His clothes stuck to him and complimented him rather nicely. she frowned, never noticing something like that on someone before