Claimers: I own Lucy. Joss, Fox, HMV, Walmart, Mutant, Gucci, Marlboro etc, own CC. Not me.

Title: Soundgarden own the line from 'Black Hole Sun'.
 
Elle's POV
 
LaOC XX - Heaven Washes Hell Away
 
'Do you and Jude have to destroy everything?'
 
I take one of her hands in my own, checking it.
All cut up and bloody.
Poor thing.
I know she can heal it, but it still hurts; both her and me.
 
I look up at her, expecting... well, something other than what I see.
She has tears in her eyes, waiting to spill out.
And she looks at me with an expression more akin to sadness, than anger.
 
'What's wrong? Come into my office and we can talk.'
 
I lead her in, away from prying eyes.
I'm sure they all know about us now, but I'd rather conduct my business in private.
 
She sits down heavily in a chair, as I rest against my desk in front of her.
 
'Don't read my mind, Elle. I mean it.'
 
I have to say, I'm perplexed by the look on her face.
I doubt she'll explain what happened.
I can imagine Jude wouldn't be too forthcoming either.
 
'I won't. Why were you fighting in reception?'
 
I thought I'd start slowly with a simple question.
Except I set her off, and she stands up suddenly.
I can feel her anger and see how agitated she is.
 
That Jude; she'll need speaking to.
 
'Jude just... she got me angry. I didn't mean to smash up reception. I'm sorry.'
 
I always worry about an apology that's far too easy to extract.
The amount of times I've had to wait days for one, well, too many to count.
There's definitely something going on.
More than just scrapping Angels in my reception, anyway.
 
She leans on my filing cabinets, looking down at the floor.
I am missing something, and from the look on her face, it's something big.
 
I don't push her, it makes her clamp down; and prising information is never fun.
I prefer her to want to tell me things.
We're in partnership, after all.
 
'Dizzy, come into my bathroom, let's clean you up.'
 
'I can do it myself. Stop talking to me like I'm a kid!'
 
'Dizzy...'
 
I walk over to her, and take her face in my hands.
And I smile; my beautiful Angel.
I bring her lips down to mine and give her a small kiss.
There, see, I'm not mad at you, even if you did smash reception up.
I can't talk, I've already ruined it twice.
Once with Michelle, the other with Lucy.
They were dark days.
 
Her arms pull me into her, slowly, and she rests her head on my shoulder.
 
'Stop getting hurt. It worries me.'
 
She pulls back, and looks at me for a moment, then nods.
Her face still holds a deep sadness.
This would be the ideal time to look into that head of yours, Dizzy Knight.
But I'm God and I have to stick to my word, so no peaking.
 
'Why do you look so sad?'
 
Her eyes slide away from mine as she shrugs, still silent.
I begin to worry at the way she's behaving.
 
'Have I done something to upset you?'
 
Again, silence, as she looks at the floor and shakes her head.
A little worry before, begins to grow inside me as her eyes lift to mine.
I think I actually step back a little, when her gaze hits me.
 
'Dizzy... '
 
'I have to go now. I'm sorry for fighting.'
 
She moves towards me, as if to kiss me goodbye, then stops.
A moments indecision on her part almost reduces me to tears.
Does she not want to touch me now?
I don't understand what I've done.
 
I can sense the internal struggle she's having.
She quickly kisses my cheek and walks towards the door.
 
Then, pausing, she turns back round for a second.
Again, her face holds such sorrow.
She opens her mouth as if to say something, then, shaking her head a little, she stops and leaves.
 
With a soft click of the door, she's gone.
 
Sticks and stones can break our bones, but words can never hurt us.
That's what we teach our children.
A simple rhyme to try and protect them from the harshness of others.
 
Sometimes it's not words that hurt.
It's silence.
It can cause more pain than a well placed word ever could.
 
 
 
So, I sit in the painful silence that I have been left in; alone.