Angels May Cry

Breaking Down

***TRIGGER WARNING***
This chapter contains mention of drugs, heavy alcohol use, and child loss.

Chapter 5: Breaking Down

24, November 2014

Noelle
The apartment was dark when she woke up. Noelle rubbed her eyes, pushing her hair out of her face. The sheets were a mess, and she was sticky from sweat. She kicked her legs over the side of the bed, shivering as her feet hit the cold hardwood. She stood, moving towards the bathroom with a dizzy sway. Her left foot hit something and she fell to a heap on the floor, an empty Jack Daniels bottle the culprit. She kicked it under the bed and struggled back to her feet. The bed guided her as she kicked last night's dress out of the way.

The bathroom light was too bright as she flicked it on and squinted, checking how awful she looked. She had makeup smeared across her face from kissing strangers and a hickey forming on her neck. She shook her head, putting the plug in the bathtub and turning on the tap. Hot water gushed into the tub, and she sighed. She looked down at her arms, happy to find that she hadn't been completely out of her mind last night. She let the tub fill three quarters of the way before turning the water off, along with the bathroom light, and sinking into the hot basin. Her muscles relaxed as she sat there in the dark, letting herself breathe.

After an hour of just sitting there, the water had begun to turn cold. She pulled the plug and got out, drying herself off. Her hair needed to be fixed so she plugged in her curling iron and set about removing and redoing her make up. Once she was satisfied with her look, she stepped to her closet and selected a tight, maroon dress that went to mid-thigh on her. The thin gold chains that worked as straps held the shafts of fabric up that covered her breasts. She slipped into her favorite black heels and grabbed a jacket, heading out the door.

She took the walk to a club that was having ladies' night a few blocks away. Her nights had been like this for over a week. The first few days since she had been back in New York had been rough. Being back had brought back the pain of her loss eight years ago. She had cried over the loss of her unborn child and over losing Dante. Gabriel had shown up once and she had chucked a shoe at his head. He hadn't returned since. She had vehemently denied his request to talk at night, shutting her older brother out completely. It had only taken one sip to turn her back to her dark coping methods. Whiskey, ecstasy, and dancing with strangers had brought out a side of the twenty-five-year-old that she hadn't let go in a while. She relished the highs but always went home alone.

Tonight would be no different. She was let into the club and four shots later, was wanting to find trouble. She scanned the crowd as she made her way to the dance floor, selecting tonight's partner. Tall, dark, and handsome, the stranger wasted no time putting his hands on her body as they danced. The club was packed, and she was quickly fading out of her mind and the painful memories of which she had come to drown. She could feel her dance partner's body against hers as he pulled her in by her waist. She felt his touch against her skin, a stray finger on her thigh. His knuckles kneading the underside of her breast. But none of it sent her body tingling the way she needed it to. None of it lit the fire of passion the way Dante's touch or kiss had.

Dante
It had been almost two weeks. Dante was definitely hurting from the big reveal that Noelle had been the angel he had encountered. He had taken it out on Vergil, for suggesting he break up with the woman. He knew it wasn't fair to take it out on his brother. But things seemed so upside down now. Nero had been trying to convince the elder to go on a job with him, his own sour mood about his ex making them the perfect pair. Dante couldn't care less. His room was a mess. He had given up on keeping things clean. He had almost completely let himself go, often passing out with his feet up on his desk, a magazine over his face.