InsaneJournal

REX | Rex walks out of his bedroom in a pair of jeans, having gotten back from St. Roch last night. What a fucked up waste of time that trip was. He apparently missed some League action in Arizona too -- whatever that was. No one died. His pace slows as he exits the hallway into his living room, which is clouded by thick fog all around him. That's unnatural. His mind flashes through what weapons are nearest to him. There's the mass-driver revolver under the endtable, blast knuckles in the drawer, an old Manhunter staff on the shelf behind the picture frames and that vibe knife behind that mounted foam finger.

An animal catches his attention, and he turns to see a leopard rushing out of the fog and jumping off his couch at him. "Motherfucker." He goes with the knife, grabbing it from behind the finger and rushing right back at the jungle cat. Warhawk doesn't run from a fucking cat. They collide,and he braces himself to catch the leopard and not get plowed over. He shoves the blade up through the torso and hurls the cat off into the hall. It disperses into smoke as soon as it hits.

TATTOO DAWN | "So rude, baby." The fog aroudn Tattoo Dawn parts to reveal her standing in living room and leaning against a support beam.

REX | "They took the damn spike out." Rex should've grabbed the gun instead of the knife. He could just shoot her right now.

TATTOO DAWN | "They took out the spike," Tattoo Dawn repeats with a smile. "Did you tell them not to, Rex? Wow. You were so right! Because I had them torn to pieces."

REX | Rex reels back and throws his knife right at her fucking head.

TATTOO DAWN | "Oh!" Tattoo Dawn leans to the side a little as the knife stabs into the support beam. It probably wouldn't have hit her if she'd stayed still. "Baby!"

REX | Okay, Rex is a little out of practice with the knife throwing. Siena was the expert on that. "What're you doing here?" Since when down Dawn follow him to Midway?

TATTOO DAWN | "Oh, we're not done this time. What kind of girl would I be to let my man go when he came to me for help, huh? Rex, baby -- I'm going to take care of you." Tattoo Dawn wanders away from the post, indirectly getting nearer to him.

REX | "You can't do shit for me, Dawn." Rex stays where he is. It's not like there's anywhere he can really go that'll matter. "I was a dumbshit to think you could. I'm telling you right now -- walk out of here. It's the only chance I'm giving you."

TATTOO DAWN | "I can't walk away when you need me, baby. I know what I can do for you." Tattoon Dawn tilts her head and runs her fingertips over the couch as she walks around it.

REX | Rex knew this was coming. "God dammit!" The tattoo on his chest -- the one she fucking put on him years ago -- clenches its claws, and he can feel it squeezing his heart in its grip. However unsteadily, he manages to stay on his feet for the moment.

TATTOO DAWN | "If I can't help you, you can't be helped. Oh god, I think you might be too far gone." Tattoo Dawn walks up to Rex and slips around behind him when he reaches to grab her. He's too slow right now to do anything to her.

REX | Rex's knees hit the floor, and there's nothing he can say. His breathing is too heavy. The only sounds he's making are loud grunts and groans.

TATTOO DAWN | Tattoo Down kneels behind him, wrapping his arms around him and resting her head against the back of his shoulder. "I know you. You can't stand being this way. I can't stand you being this way. Well... you won't be like this anymore." She pulls him back, resting his head on her lap.

REX | Rex shouts out. It's all he can do. His eyes are bulging and bloodshot at he glares up at Tattoo Dawn -- his vision so blurred he can barely make her out anymore. This isn't torture. She's killing him.

TATTOO DAWN | Tattoo Dawn strokes Rex's head and leans down, kissing his forehead. "Shhh, shhh. It's okay."