105Author's Note 1: Hey there, this is the first time I've done a Gargoyle fan fiction and it's been a while since I've seen the show, so if my characterizations are a bit off, I apologize. This will be set after the end of the show. I will be introducing a couple of new characters and I will try to make them as un-Mary Sue as possible. Please remember that writers live for reviews, so please leave one when you're done reading the chapter. Thanks.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything but my own characters and I am not making a profit on this. I do this for my own sense of twisted fun and I will return the Gargoyles in good order, just as soon as I'm done tormenting them.
They have searched long and hard to find her. When they do find her, she has been waiting for them and she has set a trap. But the intended victim isn't the one caught.
Brooklyn's scream fills the chamber, echoing off of the walls as his wing is trapped under the edge of the cage that was dropped from the ceiling. Demona snarls in frustration, but begins to chant her spell anyways. Goliath is torn between stopping her and helping Brooklyn, but upon seeing the others trying to lift the heavy cage, he turns his sights on his former mate.
He tackles her to the ground and they struggle. Talons and teeth tear at tough exposed flesh and Goliath is briefly reminded the first time they mated. But this time it is not passion that fuels their fire, but hatred. His hatred of her and what she has become and her hatred of human kind are what burns in their hearts and souls now.
With some sort of magical powder, she blinds him briefly with a flash of light. While the damage isn't permanent, it gives her the chance she needs to make her escape. Goliath blinks his eyes clear for a few minutes as the others finally manage to lift the bottom of the cage enough for Brooklyn to slide his wing out from under it.
By the time Goliath is able to see again, Brooklyn is curled up on the floor in the center of his prison, trembling and whimpering quietly in pain. The clan leader swiftly joins the others and with his help they easily lift the cage, tipping it onto its side. When Brooklyn doesn't get up after about a minute, Goliath quickly goes to him.
Brooklyn has his eyes closed tight and he's gasping for breath as the pain wracks his body. Goliath gets his first good look at Brooklyn's wing and draws a sharp breath. Between the second and third joint, the bone has been shattered and blood is slowly soaking the floor. Goliath very carefully crouches down next to his fallen comrade and gently lays a hand on his shoulder.
"Brooklyn, can you here me?" Goliath asks softly.
"Yessss," Brooklyn hisses through the pain.
"I'm going to carry you back to the castle," Goliath states. "We can't chance Demona coming back during the day. Are you ready?"
"No, but do it any way," Brooklyn groans as he looks up at his leader.
With great care, Goliath slides his arms under his prone friend and gently lifts him. Brooklyn howls in pain as he clenches his fists, his talons cutting into his own flesh and drawing blood. As Goliath holds him, the others quickly find items to help with the transport. Clean rags are used to protect the wound from the elements and ropes are uses to tie Brooklyn's wing to his body causing more cries and whimpers from their wounded friend, but it can't be helped.
As soon as they are ready, they exit the cave that Demona had hidden herself in and step out into the cool night air. A few bats zip past them and they ignore their little cousins while they open their wings just before launching themselves into the wind. The fates are kind to them and they make good time back to the castle.
Bronx is waiting for them when they return and instantly starts making a fuss when he smells blood. The noise catches the attention of Owen who immediately alerts Xanatos that there's a problem. Within minutes of their landing, Xanatos is running up the stairs towards the group.
"What happened?" the human demands.
"Demona," Goliath snarls as he gently lays Brooklyn on the ground.
"How bad is he?" Xanatos asks.
"I'll be fine," Brooklyn growls as he rolls over and starts to drag himself to the wall. "It's almost dawn. Just let me sleep."
The others say nothing as they notice the bloody hand prints left on the ground. The pain and shock have robbed Brooklyn of so much of his strength that he can't even pull himself up onto his roost. He lies there panting and shaking in pain, half hanging onto the wall. Bronx whimpers in sympathy as he crawls on his belly up to his hurt friend and lays his head down on his front paws. Brooklyn smiles through the agony as he places a hand on the hound's head just as the first rays of the sun break over the horizon.
As soon as their transformations are complete, Xanatos goes over to Brooklyn and pulls the blood soaked rags off of his wing. Even he's not ready for the sight of the shattered appendage and he hears a gasp behind him. He turns and sees Fox standing there in her bathrobe with their son in her arms.
"What happened?" she asks her voice barely above a whisper.
"Demona," he repeats as he heads back towards the stairs. "OWEN!"
"You called, sir?" Owen calmly asks as his head pops out of the hole in the floor.
"I need you to find me a doctor," Xanatos orders. "Preferably one who knows something about wings."
"Right away, sir," Owen replies as he takes a brief glance at the injured gargoyle on the parapet.
A few hours later, Owen enters Xanatos's office with a stack of files in his good hand. He places them on the desk in front of his employer and steps back.
"I found all of the doctors that specialize in unique animals in the area, sir," Owen states without preamble. "I think the one on the top may be our best bet."
"Thank you, Owen, that will be all," Xanatos replies as he opens the first folder.
"Yes, sir," Owen responds before turning and leaving.
A couple hours later, Xanatos joins Fox and Alexander at the lunch table. Fox is now properly dressed for the day, though the outfit might not last through the meal. Alexander is happily making a mess of his food and splattering it everywhere.
"Care to join us for lunch?" Fox asks as a large blob of something green lands on her blouse and Alexander giggles hysterically.
"I would love too," Xanatos smiles as Fox wipes up the mess on her shirt without looking at it. "I thought that maybe after lunch we could take a little trip."
"Where?" she inquires as he kisses her on the cheek.
"I was thinking the Bronx Zoo," Xanatos answers as he takes his seat, placing a folder on the table next to the placemat while Owen sets his lunch in front of him.
"Any special reason?" she questions, eyeing her husband with a knowing look.
"I hear they have an excellent display of bats," he muses as he takes a bite of his lunch.
"Do they now?" Fox wonders as a smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. "Sounds interesting."
"I'm glad you agree," he grins as he looks over to his assistant. "Owen, please have the car ready to go as soon as we're ready to leave."
"Of course, sir," Owen agrees with a nod just before he turns and leaves the room.
"This should be fun," Fox states as she stands and picks up Alexander from his highchair. "I think we'd better go get cleaned up first though."
"That might be a good idea," Xanatos replies as he takes another bite of food and reopens the file for another look.
Gwendolyn Knight walks through the employee entrance at the Bronx Zoo and lets out a huge yawn. With her travel mug firmly in hand, she makes her way to her office where she drops off her lunch and purse before heading out to the clinic. Once there she's met by one of the assistants with her case file for the day.
"Anything special going on today, John?" she asks.
"No, Dr. Knight, just the usual stuff," he answers.
"Good," she yawns.
"You really should get more sleep," he chuckles.
"I take care of bats for a living, I'm a night owl by nature and they expect me to be here at the crack of dawn," she grumbles as she takes another swig from her mug.
"It's nearly 10 o'clock," he grins.
"I rest my case," she mumbles as she heads for the cages of sick animals. "How's Freddy doing?"
"He's doing better," he replies as they look in on the flying fox, lifting the blanket covering the cage to do so. "The wing is mending nicely. Maybe next time he'll learn to let ladies go first at the food."
"Especially when the lady is a mommy-to-be," she states as she hands him a pair of leather gloves.
Without a word, he dons the gloves and opens the door to the cage. After a couple of minutes, he's able to convince the sleeping bat to hold onto him instead of perch in the cage. He carefully holds the animal as she examines the injured wing, returning Freddy to his napping spot when the doctor is done.
"He should be able to return to the exhibit tomorrow at the latest," she tells him as she strips off her rubber gloves, makes a notation on the chart, reattaches it to the cage and drops the blanket back in place. "I'm going to go make the rounds now. I'll call if I need anything."
"Sure thing, Dr. Knight," he nods his acknowledgement.
"What's with all the Dr. Knight stuff?" she asks her hand on the door knob.
"The director of the zoo is here today and he's doing the inspection thing," he answers as he pulls his gloves off and drops them on the table next to the bat cage.
"Joy," she growls before she disappears through the door.
Author's Note's 2: Well, there's the set up. Tell me what you think. If you like, I'll write more.