Rest in Paradise

[Christian Ward]

Diana pulled the trigger and shot out Hadelman's knee. Christian watched the intensity in her eyes. The madness. But there was little time to dwell on Diana as a pounding had started only moments after the gun shot's blast sounded. Hadelman's guards were attempting to get in, initially trying to ram the door down like brutes before blasting it open like proper wizard guards. Christian wasted no time in using the Killing Curse on the first guard as he barged in through the now open door. The second was able to get a shot off at Christian, but Christian deflected it and stunned the man. Christian magicked the door to its formerly solid state and locked it, obscuring the scene inside from any other resort guests and staff. He approached the stunned guard and stood over him, aimed his wand, and uttered "Avada Kedavra". A bolt of green light filled the room momentarily then the guard was gone. The whole encounter lasted less than a minute.

Christian turned back to Diana who was just about to blow away Hadelman's other knee when the man insisted she wait and began talking about Sanchez. Christian stepped closer as Hadelman gave up the information.

"The Pleasure Club," he answered hastily.

"Well, well, well. Looks like Sanchez is a dirty old man," Christian remarked. He had dealt with the Pleasure Club several times before, it was a favorite haunt for many of the men Christian had been hired to eliminate. The Pleasure Club had a reputation of handling the very "exotic" needs if their clientele.

[Diana Ward]

Diana wasn't mad. Sure she had a little craziness as much as anyone in her circumstances, but there was a clinical detachment in her actions. She was happy to be eliminating a threat, one that had caused her much misery and precious time away from her daughter, but she didn't particularly enjoy the bloodshed, she just knew how to make her point known, at least when it came to men she didn't have feelings for.

If there was a madness in her eyes it was more a determination and an unflinching trigger finger, detachment. She could do the job, and if she were honest she didn't feel bad about it at all.

She was so intent on getting information from Hadelman she let Christian take care of the others, her mouth falling open a little at the expertise in skill. Christian was indeed lethal and powerful. He moved gracefully and swiftly with no hesitation. All of Diana's earlier misgivings about his ability to get the job done were gone. Who was this man?

[Christian Ward]

"If he knew anything else, he'd have told us by now. He's useless," Christian commented to Diana. He looked to Hadelman as he raised his wand. "You remember what she said about useless people, don't you Lester?" There was another flash of green light and before Hadelman could finish his pleads for mercy he had slumped over in his chair.

Christian's eyebrows raised as he looked to Diana, smirking. "A gun, Diana? We never talked about muggle weapons. You could at least have given me some warning," he scolded lightly as he gestured to the two body guards who lay dead on the floor.

[Diana Ward]

Diana was still looking between the carnage and Christian as if she almost couldn't trust her eyes and what she had witnessed.

She fixed her eyes on him as he asked about her muggle weapon. She used other muggle weapons too, knives, knuckles, she was even proficient with a bow and arrow. She glanced at the gun and then back at him as if assessing something. Derek's words came back to her, maybe she wasn't being as careful as she could have been with Christian, he had certainly just proved his capability to kill.

"Apparently you were able to handle yourself accordingly." she didn't mention that she was so distracted by Christian she had forgotten to put up the silencing spell.

[Christian Ward]

"And you," he said with a playful grin, "you handled yourself quite well. I'm very impressed, although..." Christian targeted the two bodies near the door, a black wisp shooting from his wand, covering them in a heavy layer of black light until they had completely vanished. "A silencing spell might have been smart," he finished.

He turned back to Diana and Copperbottom's corpse. "Disintegration charm or shall we send a piece of him to the rest of the them?" The remaining board members would learn soon enough that Hadelman had been murdered. Frightening them could make them act more rashly, giving away their hiding place.

[Diana Ward]

Diana sat on the bed still staring at Christian. He was impressed with her. She was shocked by him.

"Who are you?" she asked unable to stop herself. It was a little disconcerting to find that she had been sleeping with a man and she had no clue who he really was at all. Of course all the signs were there, but she had ignored them. She couldn't ignore what was in front of her now.

"Christian, I came here this weekend expecting to handle most of the dirty work. When you said you wanted to help, I worried that you might have to get your hands dirty, and told myself to spare you if I could...but this..." she said gesturing to the room then to Hadelman in particular, " Who are you?" she repeated.

[Christian Ward]

Christian was not expecting a reaction like the one Diana was having now. While he had not shared much, if any, of his background with her, he felt there were very clear signs that he was suited for this type of work. His head tilted slightly to the side as he looked at her, confused by her confusion. Then he flashed a charming smile at her. 

"You're not the only one who's been keeping busy for the past 16 years. But I suppose I kept you too preoccupied with other things to ask questions."

[Diana Ward]

She blushed. She actually flushed a becoming pink color when he insinuated - correctly - that he had physically distracted her into a sort of blindness about his character and abilities that were so like her own. But then, she had reasons for being the way she was, reasons she had shared with him, he hadn't given anything about his past, or who he was.

Once again she realized that she had jumped in too quickly because of who he was and how she felt. She could lie to herself and say that it was just physical, but it would never be just physical where he was concerned.

"A piece of him to the others." she said finally, pulling herself from her thoughts. She'd have to be more careful. She'd have to try anyway.

"If only we knew where the others were."

[Christian Ward]

Christian's smile widened, an evil glint in his eye. "I had been hoping to keep you distracted this weekend and give you the news when we returned to London. But since you're asking now I suppose it would be cruel to make you wait." He made her wait anyway as he magically plucked Hadelman's fingers from his fat hand and wrapped the digits for safe keeping, then conjured the same black light that fell over the body until only the chair and a bundle of ropes remained.

"I did my own research and reconnaissance," he said plainly, turning back to Diana on the bed. "O'Grady is hiding in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Ling in Queenstown, New Zealand. I believe, with Hadelman giving up Sanchez, that leaves only two bastards to track down."

[Diana Ward]

Diana's heart began to pound all thoughts about Christian's past effectively eradicated with each name he listed. She was close, she was so damned close to everything being over. Her breath was coming in short gasps. She was experiencing so many different emotions she couldn't zero in on just one, but tears were forming in her eyes.

"You're serious..." it wasn't so much a question as a statement of disbelief.

She didn't care about his answer, knowing that he wouldn't lie to her about it, she let the news wash over her.

It took her three long strides to reach him, but she launched herself into his arms and met his lips in a hard almost bruising kiss. The fear she had lived with for two years, the frustration and agony she had gone through since then. She had the location of three new targets, leaving Copperbottom and the mysterious twelfth board member as her only remaining victims. Their victims. Christian was on her side now. He had proven himself to her, and then some. She would trust him at her back and anywhere else. In that moment of gratitude she trusted him in her heart.

She pulled back, her cheeks were wet, "How?" she kissed him again not letting him answer then pressed her cheek against his chest, "It doesn't matter..."

She held him, letting the relief and the ecstasy wash through her, "Thank you. Thank you Christian."

[Christian Ward]

He wasn't expecting tears from this Diana. The old Diana certainly, but not from the killer survivalist. Christian relished in her happiness, wrapping his arms around her as she threw herself on him. "Why don't we go down to the bar to celebrate?" He flicked his wand and the bags he had stowed away when they arrived in Barbados appeared instantly, falling onto the bed.

[Diana Ward]

She pulled herself away from him slightly, another look coming into her eyes, "After."

The old Diana indeed may have cried and thanked him. She would have fallen on her knees, and the new Diana wasn't very far from doing that either. But the old Diana would not have had the current Diana's passion. She considered Hadelman's death a victory, but the location of three other board members was euphoric. She wanted to thank Christian, and she intended to show him the extent of her gratitude, but as she pressed herself against him and captured his lips there was more than just gratitude driving her. She was selfish too. This was her victory. The bloodlust gave way to something else, touching on some primal instinct to claim her lover as a prize.

[Christian Ward]

Christian relented to her desires. He didn't fight for dominance this time, as a gift to Diana. He matched her, but never attempted to overpower her. This was her time to shine, and shine she did.

Their bags were upturned on the floor, long forgotten. Pillows and blankets were strewn around the bed. Christian was propped up against the headboard, Diana in his arms. They were sweaty and naked, the sheets sticking to them. The island heat provided new elements to their tryst.

[Diana Ward]

Diana was fiddling with the sheet lost in thought, a quirk she hadn't gotten over in the years. Or she had, but she had been sufficiently distracted once more. She thought about the remaining victims. While a part of her wanted to enjoy the weekend with Christian in Barbados, another part of her wanted to run to the places he had mentioned and take care of the board members. She knew that they would need to plan things carefully to make sure neither of them got hurt, but being so close to victory and not running toward the finish line was at odds with Diana.

She sat up suddenly and looked at him, "We can't send them pieces of Hadelman...I don't want them running if they know that we know where they are." her heart was pounding now for another reason. What if they left because they found out Diana knew where they were.

[Christian Ward]

Christian laughed and pulled her back down into the bed. "Diana, do you really think I would locate them and then just leave without some assurance? My men are on them." Before she could complain to him about the importance of keeping herself and Alyx a secret, Christian continued. "My guys do what I say because I say it. Without explanation. They don't have any idea this is connected to you or your father's company."

[Diana Ward]

Diana opened her mouth to do just that when he told her about his men. She raised an eyebrow at his knowing her so well. She was also curious about "his men" and the fact that Christian had "men". It must have been nice to have "men" to do the work for you.

Diana settled down again against his chest. It was nice. It was too nice. Diana's throat began to tighten from emotion once again. Christian was taking care of everything and it felt nice. It felt better than nice. But it also felt terrifying. The more she thought about it the more it settled oddly in the pit of her stomach. They had been at this for roughly two weeks, and she was turning back into the girl he had abandoned before. The weak Diana who went through hell and came out the other side. She couldn't just give up everything she had worked for, ignore all the pain she had gone through, and forget who she was because Christian decided he wanted to be in her life, for however long he decided that was the case.

She sat up abruptly again, "I'm going to shower." she announced, "We can discuss how we're going to handle the others when I get back." she said trying to take back the ground she had lost in being vulnerable with him.

[Christian Ward]

Christian let her go and while the water ran he got out of bed and picked up his duffle bag. He moved his things around until he found a small mirror. He tapped the mirror twice with his wand and a man appeared.

"Have you found him yet?" Christian asked.

"Yes, sir. We located him this afternoon."

"Good. Schedule a meeting. Not in London."

"Yes, sir."

Christian tapped the mirror again with his wand and the man vanished. He shoved the mirror back into his bag and then pulled out something to wear. By the time Diana had emerged, he was dressed and sitting at the table with a glass of scotch in his hand.

[Diana Ward]

Diana let the heat fall over her. She increased the temperature until it was scalding and then let herself drown in the multi-sensory shower. She didn't know when the tears came as they mixed with the water. It was just a little too intense of week for her, all starting when she first ran into Christian. Her life was once again turned upside down, only the stakes were much higher.

She couldn't afford to be distracted by him this time, she couldn't afford to fall in love with him again, but everything he did made her weak with desire and longing. He made her weak, and there was no guarantee that he would stick around and be her strength. Quite the opposite had been true in the past.

The shower revitalized her, and crying had released some tension. She finished getting dressed in the bathroom and charming her hair and makeup before meeting him at the table.

"I think we should go for Sanchez first." she said without preamble, "If you've got eyes on the others then they should be secure for the moment."

[Christian Ward]

He frowned. "Diana, we just took care of Hadelman. Sanchez can wait a day or two. Relax." He passed his glass to her. They were in Barbados and there was no danger here. He wanted to enjoy his time with her.

[Diana Ward]

Something akin to fear flashed through her eyes at his words, but it was gone in the next instant as she turned her head. She took his glass and took a very small sip, she needed all of her faculties running at optimum levels.

"These men are the only thing standing between us and Alyx. I can't relax Christian." she said honestly though there was more behind her words that she wasn't saying. She couldn't relax with him. She couldn't let him in.

"There's also a hit wizard after me. The best or so I'm told. We have to get to Copperbottom and find out who that hit wizard is and eliminate him."