A Demon In The Church (mxm)

Paws

(The paws of my household in stained glass; Pepperjack Cheese, Racquetball and Snowman, who has since passed.) 

The cops had made the mistake of not leaving a guard with them. For whatever reason they did that, Church was suddenly very glad they were stupid enough to make the slip. After a brief glance around the cell, he noticed that the door was only fastened with a simple padlock, easily breakable.

It's almost like they want me to try and break out.

Not that he cared if it was a trap, but the front door was only about twenty yards down the hall and no one was there. So, if it was a trap, it was a pretty crappy one.

"Chesh? Can go to home now?"

Things came together in his mind as he looked down at Hanna, scooping him up when he noticed his arms reaching toward him. When he got him situated, the boy wrapped his arms around his neck in a loving hug.

They think I won't try to break out because of Hanna.

It was definitely a risk to bring a child, on top of the priest and that stupid dog, but hell if his priest would let him leave the fur-bag. His ear would likely be verbally bitten off if he left the thing there and Hanna got upset.

"I'm at a loss."

Michael had taken a step away when he'd looked around the room and now he was giving Church an odd look, as if he were crazy. Which he was, but they would just save that for another conversation on a less important day. Since Michael evidently wasn't going to question him, Church decided to just finish his thoughts out loud.

"I can't carry three things. I only have two arms and need one for running. And you can't hold onto anything or you'll fall off my back."

Realization dawned on his features, but then it turned into determination.

"Go without me. Hanna can ride on your back and you can hold Max." 

The thought of leaving without his man wouldn't process. Hanna also wouldn't be able to hold on well enough once he started sprinting. 

"No," he told him flatly, not bothering to wait for a response as he turned and walked over to the door. He gave the lock a small tug and felt the gears inside strain from the action. 

It would be so easy...

That's when it came to him. Whirling around, he stalked back over to Michael and swung him onto his back in one simple motion. His legs locked around his waist on instinct, before his arms did the same around his neck.

"Hold on tight. I'm sure something is going on and as soon as I break open that door I'm going to need to run full-out, so don't fall."

Since he already had Hanna settled in his left arm, he carefully began changing into his demon form. He knew that he would catch the attention of whoever was watching the security cameras, but he hadn't anticipated how quickly they'd react. Doors that had previously appeared locked and their rooms unoccupied were suddenly spewing officers. He couldn't risk staying, even if they were getting their guns up. They wouldn't shoot with Hanna against his chest.

Church quickly snapped the lock off the door and slammed it open. A few officers tried to get close enough to Taser him without risking hitting Hanna, but he easily jumped over their heads, landing on a few in the back since he didn't quite clear the whole group. Their injuries wouldn't be too detrimental, though, even if he did care, so he ignored their groans and broke through the doors out into the cold night air.

Everything in him was now being directed by his demon's instincts, which was perfectly fine with him. He let it take control and push him towards the forest. Snow had fallen while they'd been inside so there was a light layer of white on just about everything and more was beginning to fall. Running with Hanna in one hand made it slightly difficult to get up to his normal full speed, but after about thirty minutes of dodging through the trees he came to a place he often used as a den when he wanted to escape reality for a little while on a solo hunt.

After sniffing around the area and not catching any scents, he carefully lowered himself to the ground and let Michael climb off his back and then take Hanna from his large clawed hand. They were both about to go down into the dark but surprisingly warm space, when Hanna suddenly began wailing. Church looked at his priest as he stood back up, but he seemed just as perplexed as him. That is until Hanna began screaming for his puppy.

Oh shit.

There was no way he'd be quiet without that darn fuzz-bag, but going back was dangerous.

Whatever. You're dangerous. Just kill a few humans and they'll probably leave you alone.

Of course he couldn't do that now if he ever wanted to go back to living amongst civilization, but he did need to get that stupid dog back. Church gave Michael a sharp nudge towards the den, then began his run back to the station. It didn't take nearly as long since he had his left hand child-free and wasn't carrying any extra weight, but when he came to a stop across the street from it, something didn't seem right. The guards were lurking about, but there were also crime scene cones and little flags with numbers near random tufts of white stuff that definitely wasn't snow. His eyes followed the coloring from flag to flag until they finally rested upon something that made his stomach twist into a painful knot. The police couldn't have done it. 

You know what did it. And now you know they're after you, too... And what you want to protect.

The thought immediately went to the knot in his chest and tripled the pressure it was causing on his heart. He started to turn to run back to Michael and Hanna, but something in him redirected his attention to the tiny, bloody, matted ball of fluff lying in the snow and he darted for it. There were a few startled screams from the humans working about the area, but no one tried to stop him as he easily scooped up the unmoving body between his teeth, then darted back into the forest. 

It was definitely warmer in the den than outside, but they hadn't really gotten dressed to be out for very long and the snow was picking up, which in turn had the temperature dropping as the frozen water added chill to the ground. He had Hanna cuddled in his arms as best he could, rubbing his hands along his little arms to try and keep him from shivering too much.

They waited for about thirty minutes before he heard something sniffing around the opening to the den. Well, at first he thought that it was something sniffing to see what new things had shown up, but when he chanced going closer to the entrance and saw Church pacing in circles, sniffling nervously, he felt his body relax a little... but then he noticed something. 

"You couldn't get him?"

Michael began scooting back when he snapped his head in his direction and stepped closer.

"Come inside, Church. There's nothing we can do about it right now. We'll find a way to get him back."

He seemed hesitant, but after a moment and a few glances backwards he crawled his way down into the burrow. Michael was expecting him to go straight to Hanna where he'd been set him down near the back and try to calm him down, but instead he began clawing at the walls, making them partially cave in near the opening.

Ah, to keep the warmth in better and the cold out.

It worked surprisingly fast, though the temperature still wasn't anywhere near warm, but it was getting tolerable. Michael moved to lean against the back wall of dirt and roots and set Hanna in his lap, intent on telling him that he'd have to wait a little while longer for his dog, but then Church was suddenly there, taking the boy from him as he settled himself between Michael and the left wall. As soon as Church was in place he felt warmth radiate from his bare skin, making him lean against him until he felt Church's right arm go around his shoulders and pull him closer.

"Chesh where Mats?" Hanna asked as he cuddled against Church's chest for warmth in the dark. The question He posed lingered in the air for several long minutes, the atmosphere growing more tense by the second.

"Church?" Michael asked, honestly wanting to know what was going on. He could say that he hadn't been able to get him. That they'd just go find him another day and that he'd be safe with the police officers, but when he finally spoke Michael felt tears pool in his eyes as he gently grasped Hanna's hand to hold.

"He got hurt, Hanna. There was a vet close by and I left him, but I can't lie. He might not be there when we get back."