# 267 – In Medias Res

I waited until Gil and Lt. Brass had left before turning to Azazeal. Even then I made certain that my eyes were on them as I spoke softly. “This is not one of your better disguises,” I said tersely.

Azazeal glanced at the retreating Grissom and Brass and then grinned at me. “On the contrary, Faelyn. I find it’s quite effective. It’s almost as good as having a badge and a gun around here. I’m sure that it must be the accent. Receptionists and Americans in general just naturally think that I must be telling the truth.” He gave an amused smile, “Ah, Colonials!”

I resisted the nearly overwhelming urge to roll my eyes at him. “Why are you here?” I asked.

Azazeal lit a cigarette and gestured toward the interrogation room that Gil, Brass and I had come from. Eyeing him suspiciously, I went in and closed the door behind us. Azazeal took a seat as casually, as if he really were intending to discuss the case I had been working on with me. “You know me, Faelyn,” he said,”I could hardly pass up a chance to visit Sin City again. It’s the next best thing to being back home.” He gave a glance at his fingertips and then continued when I did not laugh. “I also have something that I think you will want.”

“You cannot possibly have anything that I want, Azazeal,” I said.

“Oh?” his eyebrows shot up in what could have been nothing other than feigned surprise,”Don’t tell me your new paramour is enough to have made you forget that on thing which has eluded you after all this time. My! How things have changed. An entomologist. You really are ordering off the menu these days, aren’t you?””

“What are you talking about?” I said, ignoring his jab at my personal life.

“Your husband, Faelyn.”

I stared at him. I did not like the obvious game he was playing with me. “What of him?” I asked numbly.

“The time is coming up for your annual trip to France, isn’t it? Or were you just going to skip this year? I know you must be very tired of all that trying and never succeeding in that endeavour. How long has it been now?” I knew that Azazeal wasn’t really looking for me to answer, but he was thoroughly enjoying the line of questions that he was throwing out at me. There was no doubt in my mind if he truly had been a solicitor, he would have been a very good one. “Tell me,” he continued taking another drag off of his cigarette, “do you still cry yourself to sleep now…here?”

His questions were both pointed and cruel, but then Azazeal in spite of there being a certain fondness between us, could never pass up an opportunity to say or not say something that was in some way able to make you feel discomfort of some kind, be it guilt or pain.

“I have not decided yet,” I said honestly. The truth was, I had not decided, even though I knew that the day was most definitely drawing nigh. Azazeal, for whatever reason, wanted to make sure that I did not miss my usual appointment this particular year. My only question was, ‘why’?

“That’s odd,” he said, “You’ve never missed a year yet. Tell me, will Gil Grissom be joining you this year? If not how do suppose that you’ll explain a sudden trip back to France to him?”

“I suppose if I go this year, ” I said, ” I will tell him the truth.” I let that one sink in. He knew damned well I would never forswear myself, especially not for the sake of any mortal, not even one whom I was quite fond of.

“What? You ‘d actually tell him that you intend to wake your husband from the dead? I’m sure that will go over well, given your paramour’s profession. ”

“No,” I said, ” I will tell him that I have business in France – which I do. And besides, Gilbert does know I own a home in Rochefort.”

“Yes, but he has no idea which one, no doubt, nor why you’re really going. It’s a good thing, I suppose, that the Sidhe have never counted omission to be a lie. Convenient…thin but effective.” Azazeal leaned back in his chair, amused. Interestingly, no one even looked as they passed by the interrogation room. It was an eerie sensation and I suspected that Azazeal had woven glamour to make it that way.”What if Gil wants to go with you?” he asked.

“He won’t. He is far too devoted to his work here. His staff has to threaten him to leave Vegas even for official things.”

“Ah, yes. Someone more devoted to the dead than even you are, Faelyn. That is impressive.”

“Stop it.” I glared at him.

“What?” Azazeal’s eyebrow shot up as he extinguished his cigarette and blew the smoke upward, “Don’t tell me – another one who cannot fill up that void. Still no love. Why is it that you always find the ones who cannot or will not truly love you, Faelyn? Isn’t it tiring to be handing your heart over to the ones who end up killing each other? Oh, the angst! How do you stand it?” I knew that he was referring to Gil’s reluctance to admit to any of his feelings. It was not a problem, I knew it was not his way, and really, I was not sure what I would have done even if he had. Breaking a hearts when it was time to say goodbye, was not something I ever have enjoyed.

“Well, given that you are on that ‘no-love’ short list as well, it is not like you are any different from any of them.” I gave him a tight smile and was amazed that I had not gritted my teeth.

“Touche’.Ah, Faelyn,” he said with a mock look of sadness, “you truly wound me! Wasn’t it me who took you by the hand in that forest as a child and told you your true name? Wasn’t it me who gave you this?” he reached across the corner of the table and traced a long finger along the thin gold chain down to the heart-shaped emerald that I decided to wear that day. I was not sure why I wore it, but it was the very one that he had given me on that day when I was all of four years old – mere days before the death of my mother.

“I was merely an opportunity which you cultivated, Azazeal,” I said, “We both know it and I would be a fool to ever forget that fact.”

“It has always been an opportunity for both of us,” he said smiling.

I did not answer.

Muse: Fanny Fae / Faelyn
Fandom: Original Character / Folklore / Mythology / CSI: Las Vegas / HEX Crossover ( Meta)
Word Count: 1124