An Nimh Milse

"What is a beautiful girl like you doing out here alone?" a familiar voice chuckled and she turned to see Fallon strolling towards her rock. Her brother had never been and particular hurry, he was famous for his long, lazy strides down the halls of the High School back home. She smirked as he approached with that familiar pace, some things never changed.

"Avoiding reality," she answered him as she lowered her hood. "Speaking of which did you turn in your paper work?"

"Of course, Mom," he rolled his eyes as he took a seat next to her.

"Be prepared for her questions," Darcy warned. "She's not especially happy with you since you have called in weeks."

"I know," he ran a hand though his messy red locks. "That's part of the reason I've been wandering the campus for the last half an hour. Speaking of avoiding, what reality are you running from? I thought things were going well with that new job."

"The job is fine," she sighed looking down at her feet. "it has nothing to do with that."

He gently bumped her shoulder with his, "Then what?"

She turned her head to look into her brothers clear blue eyes. Honest eyes she thought rubbing her hands together. "Gavin is here."

He nodded, looking out across the courtyard, "Oh, that."

She raised an eyebrow, "You knew?"

"I saw him this morning," he admitted, "we didn't speak but I knew why he was here and I knew he was here to see you."

Her chest felt tight, "and you didn't think to give me a heads up?"

He held his hands out, his palms up as he gave a little shrug, "I didn't really have time. I did need to get the paper work finished and turned in. after that I forgot about Gavin."

She nodded, that was reasonable, "I don't know what he wants. After all these years of ignoring him and dodging his calls, I mean… what the hell does he want?"

He quirked his eyebrow, "maybe you should ask him."

"Or not, I like that option better."

He laughed once, "you can do that, but Gavin will still call, and email, and send his letters. I think it's time you stop avoiding and confront him."

Her eyes narrowed, "who are you and what have you done with my stupid snot nose brother?"

He rolled his eyes, letting out another laugh but this one was light and easy, it brought a smile to her face. "He's still here, playing Xbox and chasing you around with boogers-"

"Please don't remind me."

"-but he also has some life experience of his own now," he continued with a smirk, "and a degree in psychology."

"Oh yeah, the reason I'm here in the first place," she chuckled leaning into his shoulder. "My baby bro the college grad, who'da thunk it."

"Not my professors, that's for sure," he laughed. "But that's a story for never, preferably."

"Oh no you don't," she smirked standing up and facing him on the rock. "There is no way you're getting out of spilling everything."

He slid his hands into his pockets as he stood up, towering over his older sister. "I know but that's something else I'm hoping to avoid. Speaking of which, we should go look for them."

She hesitated, "you go; I'm going to spend a little more time avoiding."

"I'll try and get rid of him-"

"No don't worry about it," she said waving him off. "You're right, I have to face him. Just try and keep Sheila from killing him before I get the chance." He agreed and she watched him disappear into one of the nearby buildings before she pulled her hood back but and started walking in the opposite direction.

The little bird had been crippled by the Hawk and she would never fly again. but over the years she'd grown stronger, even flightless she could defend herself. The next time she faced the Hawk she would be ready.

And the Little Bird would cripple the Hawk.

~*~

Darcy made her way through the old science building, it had been nearly a half an hour since she left Fallon and it was time to confront Gavin. Her family was still in the cafeteria with him and she was making her way back there.

"Sherlock Holmes," a voice hissed around the corner and she stopped in her tracks. What was a Sher-something Holmes, she pondered. A name? Maybe but it's a weird one. His/her parents must have hated them. Perhaps that's why they said it with such menace; that menace being the reason she stopped in the first place.

"And you are The Phantom," another man said. "Now that pleasantries are out-of-the-way let's get down to business-"

"You're supposed to be dead." The Phantom or whatever said, his voice slowly losing the tone of spite it had carried.

"I guess you'll just have to try your hand," Sherwood challenged, Shernob? No, it was Sherkey, she thought biting her lip as she inched closer to the corner.

The Phantom laugh, "I don't think you want me to do that, Mate. I am quite good at what I do."

"Oh I know," Shernob mused. "You're success rate is at one hundred percent and no one know what you look like because everyone who sees you, also dies."

She could almost hear the smirk, "you've done your homework I see."

"Oh always."

"Then let's put your knowledge to the test." Darcy heard battle music in her head as he heard shuffling around the corner. There were some grunts and moans as they both landed blows and someone was shoved into one of the glass emergency cases on the wall. After a few more moments of this, just as the battle music was coming to an end, Sherwood laughed.

"I win Phantom," he said and the other man grunted, but it was muffled like his face was pressed to the wall.

"Oh did you?" the man laughed and she heard Sherkey hit the other wall. "Off to hell then, Holmes? So soon?"

Darcy peaked around the corner to see one man slowly sliding down the wall to the floor while another ran off down the hall and in that moment she realized something was very, very wrong here. The man sliding down the wall wasn't faking it like she didn't know she'd thought he was and the man running away had just tried to kill him. She raced to the man in the tan trench coat and crouched down next to him, pulling out her phone to dial nine-one-one as he struggled to say something. Glancing up she saw the other man standing at the end of the hall looking at her. He was familiar but she couldn't place why before he turned and jumped out the first story window.

"Nine-one-one what is your emergency?'

"I-I'm not sure" She said, turning her attention back to her phone. "He's passing out or something! Someone called the Phantom hurt him or something, I'm not sure I was around the corner!" Shernob was struggling for something, his eyes wide with panic as he struggled to reach for something inside his coat pocket. If she wasn't in a panic and he wasn't apparently dying right in front of her she might have taken a moment to appreciate the beauty of his eyes. Bold, strong, clear sea-foam eyes outlined by long dark lashes. He was pale, and getting paler, a thin face with sharp features, namely those frankly dangerous looking cheekbones.

"Paramedics and poison control are on their way," the woman said. "Listen to me sweetie, he's been poisoned by oleander. You need to keep his heart beating."

"How the hell do I do that?!" Darcy demanded. A flash of movement caught her attention and she turned back to the long body before her.

Shernob had pulled a syringe from his jacket pocket and tossed it on the ground next to her. "Sherwood?" She squeaked, dropping the phone to grab the plastic tube. "Or Sherkey, or whatever your name is. What can I do? What does this do?" He was fading fast but was clearly gesturing to his chest. A toned muscular chest she noted thanks to the tight fit of his shirt.

"You have got to be kidding," she whispered looking from the syringe to him before dropping it in her lap. "I am not stabbing you in the heart!" His eyes started to close and his body started to go still. "Shernob?" She shouted putting her hands on his shoulders. "Shernob?!"

He didn't respond hell he didn't move and she reached for the tube. She pulled the cover off the needle, her heart skipping a great at the length. She looked back at Sherkey who was still unresponsive on the ground. "Please, for the love of whatever God will listen, let this work," she took the syringe in both hands and brought it down with every ounce of strength she had. The needle disappeared into his chest and she pushed down on the plunger.

With a gasp of air he sat up straight and Darcy took the moment to reach for her phone. She watched him reach into another pocket and pull out another syringe. He injected it into his leg where she saw a small cut.

"What is happening?' The woman on the phone asked.

"Um yes, hello?" Her voice shook as she spoke. "Yeah he's awake or something."

Shernob snatched the phone from her hands. "Hey!" She shouted as he stood up and walked away from her.

"I'm fine, it was a false alarm." He said into the phone. "My fiancé is just a little skittish because of the news broadcast about that Phantom man. She turned the corner and saw me after someone I owe money to tried to knocked me unconscious. I'm fine now, we're all fine and the phantom person or whatever is not here." And then without letting the operator get in another word he hung up and handed her back the phone.

"What the hell was that?" Darcy asked as he stumbled down the hall.

"That was none of your business." He coughed his deep voice weak as he tried to speak.

"None of my business?" She demanded. "Listen here, Sherkey, without me you'd be dead."

"Lock"

"What?"

"My name, it's Sherlock."

"Whatever you say Shernob but my point remains the same," She ran around in front of him and put her hands on her hips. "As far as I see it you owe me and you can start to repay that debt by explaining what the hell just happened."

He looked at her, his cold eyes eliminating any ounce of bravery she thought she had. She was reminded in that moment that this was a man who went head to head against an assassin if she was to believe what they were saying earlier. A man who was supposed to be dead and you don't fake your death unless you have bad people coming after you. Sherwood- No, Sherlock was a dangerous man.

"What is your name?" He asked in a low tone and she swallowed hard.

"Uh..." shit, what was her name?! "D-Darcy." She choked out.

"Well Darcy," he took a step forward so they were inches apart. "Thank you for indeed saving my life. Now if you really want the information you are demanding I will give it to you and begin to pay my dept."

"I-"

"Or I could keep the information to myself and pay you in full now." He continued leaning down, his breath stirring the strands of hair framing her heart-shaped face. "I'll keep the information to myself and you will not come into harm's way because as you just saw this man is very dangerous and killing you would be almost too easy for him."

She didn't say anything and he stood up straight. "Good choice," he waved her off as he pushed past her to continue down the hall.

"Wait," she spoke up suddenly as she spun around and he paused no more than ten feet away from her. "What if I saw him?"

"What?"

"Before," she said pointing back to her hiding spot. "You two said that everyone who saw him died."

He didn't say anything.

"I saw him, Sherlock," she whispered, her voice shaking as her hand fell to her side. "I'm IN harm's way."

He gave her a thoughtful frown, "Then you should probably pray that he doesn't see it that way." And he walked off without another glance in her direction and Darcy was once again reminded that she was alone.

The Little Bird had crossed paths with a Raven and a Falcon. The Falcon injured the Raven but The Little Bird saved his life. The Raven, in turn, served her up as dinner to The Falcon. The Little Bird would have to save herself.

As she always would.