Flight From The Dark

by Twilight

Sarah pushed the front door of Eric's apartment open and peered inside, "Hey Eric."

Sarah walked over to where Eric was sitting on his heels by the large circular window he had once been thrown out of and landed to his death. Sarah still found herself amazed by the fact that he was sitting here in front of her..dead but not dead. Life challenged, Eric had once called it.

Sarah sat down next to him, " So where you thinking of moving anytime soon or have you gotten too comfortable?"

Eric cocked his head and looked sideways at her as if just realizing her presence. He gave her a miniscul smile and shrugged.

"Come on Eric," Sarah pleaded, " I know your not here to just have fun and everything but it wouldn't hurt you to come out once in a while...you know like maybe when there aren't any bad guys to stop."

"I know what you're saying Sarah..but I just don't feel up to doing anything right now." Eric looked back at the window.

"Is he giving you a hard time?" Detective Albrieht said from the doorway.

Eric looked back over his shoulder at Daryl Albrieht and then at Sarah suspiously.

"What!?," Sarah said smiling innocently.

Eric rolled his eyes and gave her a fustrated look.

"Ok, ok so I asked him to come over...I thought maybe you could use some company but if you want me to back off fine." Sarah said defensivly and got up to leave.

Eric's face softened and he reached his hand up to her shoulder, " Thank you."

Daryl smiled at this. He knew that Eric needed to be dragged out of this place..there were just to many memories here for him and he worried about Eric loseing it altogether. "So does this mean that your actually going to come out then?" Albrieht said in mock surprise.

Eric looked doubtful but Sarah caught on right away, " Aw come on Eric...I figured we could have a picnic. I made a basket and everything."

"Sarah I don't need to eat..." Eric began.

"Yeah I know that..but I thought you could use the fresh air..or at least the sunlight." Sarah said still trying to convince him.

"It is kind of dark in here," Daryl said.

Eric looked wistful for a moment. He remebered the time he and Shelly had come to check out this place. He had told Shelly it was bright in here. It seems that Death had even changed this place.

Eric shook his head and looked at Albrieht and Sarah, they both had that worried look on there faces. Eric felt bad for putting that look there again. Enough was enough, " All right..I'll come."

"Great," Sarah said. Her smiled seemed to light up the room. It always made Eric happy to see Sarah smile, she had had to much saddness in her life. Eric didn't want to cause her anymore.

"Well then kids what are we waiting for?" Daryl asked with a smile.

Eric stood up and Sarah and Daryl walked out ahead of him, he turned back and looked out the window once more. 'Shelly, I'll be with you again one day. ' he sent the thought out to her and then stepped through the door.

The day was beautiful. The sun was shining and light clouds floating overhead in a startling blue sky. Sarah had spread out a blanket on the grass and Daryl Albrieht had helped her set up the food. They were currently munching away and just relaxing.

Eric was sitting crossed legged on the blanket with them. He watched them and smiled to himself. It wasn't very often that he saw those too relaxed and having a good time. Sarah always seemed to be worring over him and Albrieht seemed to endlessly be pulled into Eric's affairs. Eric felt bad for putting them both in so much danger..just for knowing him they were at risk.

Just like Shelly, he remembered Top Dollar telling him that they had killed Shelly because of him..'someone wanted her boyfriend dead..she got in the way.' Those words still twisted inside him.

"She died because she knew me!" he had whispered back horrified. He had been so tempted to kill him but only Sarah's words had stopped him, 'Eric, I would kill him too..but Shelly wouldn't.' Eric owed these two so much.

Eric looked over at them and smiled again. They were staring at him.

"You ok there Eric?" Daryl asked.

"Yup, just off in the clouds," Eric replied.

Daryl just laughed, "Get any stranger on me Draven and I think I'll lose it altogether." Daryl smiled to himself. Damn it was good to see Eric smile. He didn't do it often and who could blame him. The kid had been through hell and back..literally. If Daryl could think of one couple who didn't derserve this type of shit it was Eric and Shelly.

"Hey don't you go wondering off into the clouds too," Sarah said to Daryl waving a hand in his face. " I guess this is what I get for hanging out with older people..already starting to go all seniel on me," She said was a wry smile.

" Ha Ha very funny.." Daryl began but then all of a sudden Eric's head shot up and his crow flew over and landed on the basket in front of him then took off again. Eric sprang up and spun around.

A large group of men with machine guys were taking aim at them. Eric turned back to Sarah and Daryl just as the first shot was fired. Daryl threw Sarah behind him and then Eric threw himself in front of Daryl.

Daryl was face to face with Eric while countless bullets pounding into his back. Eric was slowly begging to fall down from the bullets but he saw Daryl's face and Sarah's head peering out from behind Daryl to look at him. Eric held on and then the bullets stopped. Eric staggered around to face the 7 men behind him. The leader held out a gun and pumped 6 more bullets into Eric. Eric felt the strength abandon him completely and he fell face forward intothe ground.

~~*~~

Darkness, all around filling the void. A darkness so complete if was more the physical it was spritual. The dark was calling to him..' let go Eric, just let go'

'Yes,' Eric thought, ' it would be so easy to let go. I've hurt for so long...'

'That's right , give in.' The dark said soothingly.

'No no wait there's something I have to find..someone..some reason I can't give up..why can't I remember?!' Eric struggled to open his eyes.

'Because it would only cause you more pain...why do you want pain?' the dark reasoned. ' We can give you oblivion..we can destroy your pain..We can rid you of all that hurt inside..let us.'

'Destroy...my...pain...my pain....why do I feel such pain...' Eric struggled inside his own mind.

'Just let go...' The dark called to him temptingly.

'Eric,' a soft voice called to him in the dark.

"Shelly!" Eric's eyes snapped open.

"Stronger then I thought," the voice he had heard in the darkness said.

Eric looked at the man in front of him and found himself facing a Snake.

Eric lunged forward and was snapped to a halt by the chains tied around his wrists hanging him so he stood upright. He tried to kick and found that similar chains were tied around his ankles preventing him from moving.

" These chains won't hold me forever, " Eric spat out.

"They won't have too, " The Snake gestured across the room where Daryl Albreight and Sarah were tied up to chairs. " You see..if you give me too much trouble..I'll kill them."

Daryl gave Eric an apoligetic look for being used against him this way.

Sarah looked at Eric worry clear in her eyes. " Why'd you chain him up..afraid you couldn't kick his ass with out him being in chains?" Sarah said with a smart aleck smile.

The Snake looked back at Sarah and then at Eric. He smiled and turned around and headed towards Sarah.

"NO WAIT!" Eric shouted.

The Snake turned back to him, "Are you willing to cooperate?"

"Don't you think you might want to tell me what I'm cooperating too?" Eric said trying to draw attention away from Sarah.

The Snake smiled, " Oh course...but first introductions are in order. You are Eric Draven, once dead rock punk now back from the land of the dead..as a Crow. I'm Graham Townsen. You little bird have caused me and my kind a lot of trouble."

"Gee I'm soo sorry to hear that, " Eric said sarcastically.

Graham looked at him coldly. " You want to get back to the otherside..to be with your Shelly," he spit her name out. "We want you to stop fighting us. Well there is a way for both of us to win. What if I told you that you could be with your Shelly right here..on Earth? What wouldn't you do to be in her arms again? How high a price are you willing to pay Eric Draven? "

Eric stared at Graham, " What's the catch?"

"Catch?," Graham smiled, " Well you get to live forever..you have power and strengh. You'll never stay hurt, you'll always heal just like you do now. But this way you embrace the power and make the world they way you think it should be. All this and your Shelly too..."

Eric cocked his head, " Sounds tempting...so all I have to do is sell my soul right?"

Graham laughed coldly, " Is it such a big deal..what good is it doing you now? By keeping your soul 'pure' have you been reunited with Shelly? Do you get anything out of all the pain you go through? Come on Eric..."

"Don't listen to him Eric.. He's messing with your head, " Daryl Albreight called out.

Eric looked at Daryl and then Sarah. Sarah's voice rang out in his head, 'I would kill him too, but Shelly wouldn't.' Shelly wouldn't, no matter what.

'Be strong Eric,' Shelly's voice rang in his mind from beyond the veil.

"Sorry not interested." Eric said with a smirk.

"But I can feel you, I feel your pain. You can't tell me you like all that pain? I'm giving you a chance to be so much more then you are." Graham insisted.

"Sorry," Eric tilted his head, " I must be a masochist."

Graham shook his head, " Well then I guess you have no choice." He walked over to Sarah and Daryl and pulled out a needle. " You see this is a deadly poison, I'm going to inject it in them. It will give them about 10 minutes to live."

Graham stuck the needle in Sarah as Eric yelled, " NO! NO DAMN YOU!" and trashed against his chains.

He then turned toward Daryl but Eric felt the chains he had sliently been pulling on weaken and he broke free. Eric turned into the Crow and kicked Graham's hand away before he could inject Daryl as well.

Eric turned and grapped Graham by the neck and slammed him against the wall. " There had better be an antidote or I'm going to help you shed your snake skin personally!"

Graham laughed, " There is..but I won't give it to her unless you do what I ask. You have to kill an innocent..it's the only way to save her life."

Eric's face twisted in sadness.

"NO! Eric you can't" Sarah yelled.

Eric looked over his shoulder.

"NO ERIC! Do you hear me NO! "

"I can't lose you too! I can't let you die! Not because of me..not like Shelly!" Eric cried out.

"If you what he asks you'll lose me anyway and you'll lose Shelly because you'll lose your soul Eric. With out a soul how can you love anything!?" Sarah pleaded with him.

"ERIC WATCH OUT!" Daryl yelled.

Graham stabbed Eric in the shoulder with a knife, " SO you won't join us..then you'll die little bird!"

Red light poured out of Eric's wound. "You'll die and so will your pathetic friends!"

Anger filled Eric's eyes, "NO!" he yelled and kicked the Snake across the room. The knife went flying and Eric leaped and picked it up. The Snake kicked him and knocked him down but Eric swiped his feet out from under him and then stabbed him in the heart. Green light poured forth. " The Antidote!" Eric yelled at him holding the knife on him.

"It doesn't existed...at least I'll die knowing you lost anyway!" The Snake sneered.

Eric slashed him across the chest on more time and his body disappeared. Eric ran over and slashed off Daryl's rope then Sarah's. Sarah was already shaking from the effects of the posion. Eric threw the knife away and cradled her in his arms.

"You did the right thing Eric..Shelly would be proud of you." Sarah whispered with the last of her remaining strengh and then her eyes closed.

"NO!" Eric screamed, " NO! NO! SARAH!"

Daryl looked on in shock, " No." he whispered.

Just then the Crow flew in and landed on Eric's shoulder. Eric looked at it and Daryl could have sworn they were having some kind of communication. Then Eric placed his hands on Sarah's head.

"What are you doing?" Daryl asked.

" The only thing I can," Eric replied quietly. "Come on Sarah!" Then Eric closed his eyes and his face grew even paler. Daryl could have sworn he saw some sort of light passing from Eric to Sarah.

All of a sudden Eric seemed to almost disappear..just as the snake had done.

Daryl realized what Eric was doing..he was giving up his soul to save Sarah.

"Just a little more," Eric whispered.

Then Sarah drew in a deep breath and opened her eyes. Eric opened his and she looked up at him wonderingly. " I saw Shelly," Sarah said.

Eric smiled and then his face twisted and he started to fade out. The Crow lay on the ground..weakly flapping it's wings.

Sarah sat up in alarm, realization crossing her face, "NO Eric! You can't die like this you won't pass on you'll just disappear..take it back" She began to cry.

"It's ok Sarah, " Eric said weakly and then fell over on the floor laying next to the fallen bird, his crow.

Eric felt the energy leaving him by the second, he could hear Sarah crying and Daryl calling his name. But he just couldn't respond..he had given up his energy..he had none left. 'I'm sorry to cause you such pain. I'm sorry Shelly...' Eric thought sadly, ' I can't fight anymore, I don't have the strengh.'

' Then take mine,' Shelly appeared before Eric and took his hands.

"Shelly!," Eric called out with joy.

' Oh Eric, my love.' she leaned over and kissed him on the lips. He felt the strengh of their love filling him.

'"Shelly, don't go," Eric pleaded.

' I can't stay but I'm with you always. Never lose hope Eric.' Shelly said as she faded away.

"Shelly!" Eric said.

"Damn it Eric! Come on you have to be ok..you can't die on us twice here!" Daryl yelled at Eric's still form. Eric had called out Shelly's name a few times then gone still.

Sarah was crying and Daryl put his arms around her.

"He can't be gone!" Sarah cried.

All of a sudden the crow flapped it's wings and flew passed them. " I'm not that easy to get rid of," Eric said weakly.

Sarah and Daryl turned around to find Eric standing there before them. "Eric!" Sarah cried and ran into his arms to hug him.

Eric hugged her back tightly, " It's ok Sarah..I'm ok."

"It's good to see you up and kicking," Daryl said affectionatly as he smiled at Eric, "Real good."

Eric smiled back wryly, " I'm hard to keep down."

"Come on lets get out of here," Daryl said.

Eric started to head out with them but the crow came and landed on his shoulder. It cocked it's head at him, " Yeah it's good to see you too," Eric replied and then headed out with the crow.

That night Eric perched on the window and stared out of it. ' We'll be together again Shelly, I promise.' Eric picked up his gibson guiter and plucked out a few lone notes as the night went on.

~~*~~

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