Rosanna looked out over the city, scanning the damage paths and calculating where the gargoyle attack patrols should travel. In a small notebook in her hand, she noted down which streets had been hit hardest, where the humans would need the clan's help the most. Heavy footsteps behind her distracted her from her task. Turning slowly, she came around to face the only being who those footsteps could belong to.

"What are you doing here, Goliath?"

Goliath regarded his daughter, her proud stance and intense face, with a small drop of fatherly pride. Pride which he immediately stifled.

"I ... heard about your grandmother. I'm sorry, Rosanna."

Rosanna scoffed at him, turning back to her task. "Like you would really care. You're too busy wallowing in self-pity to come out of your cocoon and start taking action." Frustrated, she turned back around. "She was her mother, Goliath! She's family!! You should have at least helped me!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize ..."

"No, you didn't. Give it up, Dad! If you do nothing but mourn her for the rest of your life, there will be nothing left of her to remind you!"

Rosanna huffed a loud breath, turning back around to see the city's skyline.

"Rosanna ..."

"I don't have time for this, Goliath. I have a world to save."

Goliath sighed, sadly. He looked to his left, checking the wind currents and launching himself from the tower.

"I don't know about this. It's been years since I've seen them."

She put a reassuring arm around his shoulders. "Look around you, my mate. The damage here is incredible, and it'll only get worse if you don't offer them your help." She snuggled on his shoulder. "I know for sure that you are a very capable warrior. They will be happy to see you, I'm sure."

The other female, a prepubescent child, tugged on the male's wing, hanging underneath his arm. "I wanna meet the clan, Daddy."

He couldn't help but smile. He crouched down to eye level with her. "You do understand, this will be dangerous. I can't guarantee your safety if we do decide to stay and help fight."

The girl hugged her father, tightly. After she released him, he brought himself back up to his full height, turning to his mate.

"Well, in for a penny, in for a dollar." His mate squeezed him tightly, then kissed him tenderly.

"Let's go, Lex."

He nodded, and roared out as he and his family leaped off the observation balcony, catching the right updrafts to bring them to the Aerie building, up to Castle Wyvern.

"Never thought we'd have any use for those."

Owen turned around, impassionate as always. "Belive me, Alexander, before this is over, we will need every bag of synthetic gargoyle blood we have."

Samson, folding sheets next to Alexander, winced. "God, I hope not."

Steve Bluestone, having been drafted into helping prep the lab, listened to this exchange carefully, trying not to think about the upcoming fight for their lives. He had stacked up a pile of gauze bandages on a shelf when Slash and Broadway came running in.

"Hurry up, guys!" Broadway's voice was excited, but a happy excited.

"What's going on?"

"You'll never believe who just landed in the courtyard!"

Goliath dropped to his knees, clearing some of the lawn clutter from the marble slab.

"Hello, Elisa. My love."

He looked up at one of the sides of the stone. There were fresh flowers there, not maybe four days old, planted into the holder. Rose must have been here recently, he thought.

"I know I usually only come here on our ... special day, but it may not come this year. Nokkar's invasion is upon us."

Goliath sighed, heavily. "Our daughter is a fine leader. The clan is in good hands. She will be known as a great warrior." His eyes dropped, down to his hands, which were folded in his lap. "I just wish you were here to see her. I wish ... I had been quicker."

He fell to the ground, lying in a near-fetal position. "Oh, God, Elisa, I miss you so much. I used to be so strong with you, and now danger is all around and I can do nothing to stop it. I haven't the strength of body, nor spirit, to continue."

His tears flowed freely, raining down off his face and into the cold earth which held the love of his life.

"Good Lord, they weren't lying!"

"I can see that." He looked up, toward the center of the skyline. "At least my building is still standing."

"Do you really think it's a good idea? Shouldn't we give him a chance first, then drop in on him?"

He stroked his goatee, deep in thought. "Perhaps. We'll see what happens on his first counterattack, and then if he looks like he needs help, we'll be here."

"Where are we going, then?"

"No place in particular. Pilot's discretion."

The chopper turned away from the bright lights of Manhattan, but not before a bright spotlight shone on the side of the craft's fuselage, enlightening the sole word on it.

Xanatos.

Rosanna had been pulled down from her lookout post by Samson, who led her to the courtyard. The sight that greeted her was unbelievable.

Lexington was home. He was currently being mauled by Graeme and Ariana, but the happy voices made her feel a little bit better. Smiling at last, she came down the steps.

"... missed you, Uncle Lex!"

Lex laughed loudly. "I missed you guys, too!" He finally worked his way out of the twins' death grip to approach Samson and Rosanna.

"Welcome home, Lexington." Rosanna couldn't resist hugging Lex. She always thought of him as being like an oversized teddy bear. He returned the hug, turning to clasp forearms with Samson.

"It's good to be home. I brought some friends, too." Lexington motioned to the two shadows behind him, which approached. It only made Rosanna smile wider.

There were two females there, one slightly younger than Lex, the other much younger. Both were web-winged, and both were very affectionate with Lex, much to Rosanna's relief.

"Guys, this is my mate, Pontiac, of Clan Detroit."

"As leader of Clan Manhattan, I bid you welcome, Pontiac." Rosanna offered her hand, which much to her surprise Pontiac shook.

"I thank you, Rosanna." She turned to the younger girl. "This is our daughter, Cadillac."

Now that Rosanna could get a better look at her, she saw that Cadillac had her father's skin tone, but the odd forward-pointing horn pattern of her mother. Rosanna crouched down to eye level with her.

"Welcome to New York, Cadillac."

The shy child only beamed. Samson slapped Lex on the back, palling around with him.

=Who are you? Rokkan?=

"Rokkan? I am not Rokkan, nor do I want anything to do with the Rokkans."

The three shadows approached closer. Goliath's eyes widened, in horror.

=He is Manhattan clan. He is resisting.=

A fourth silhouette appeared behind the giants, smaller but more commanding. When it spoke, though, the voice chilled Goliath's blood in horror.

"Do what you like to him, but keep him alive. I want him to deliver a message."

The three giant silhouettes rushed toward the gargoyle. His eyes suddenly glowed white, lashing out toward the giants to no avail. The first swing from one of the giants took him down six notches in the fight. His vision clouded over, he tried to put up some defense, but could not. The three giants continued to beat him savagely, until they were sure he was hovering between life and death. The fourth silhouette then approached him, eyes glowing red.

Demona.

She picked her ex-lover's chin up, so that she could face him in the eyes. "Take this message to the clan. The Rokkan will place gargoyle-kind in its proper place as rulers of this planet. There will be no room for dissenters."

She dropped his head, turning to see whose grave he was by. Chuckling, she spit on the headstone.

"Or half-breed abominations, for that matter."

Two of the giants roughly picked up the gargoyle by his shoulders, picking him up and taking to the air.

When she finally got to the top, Rosanna sucked in her breath quickly in shock.

"Oh, my God ..."

Her father lay in a small dip caused by his fall, nearly broken in half. He obviously had some broken bones and internal injuries. He looked close to death.