New York, New York, Suburbia

Dallas walked to his front step and took the key from the decorative plant just outside his door, he inserted it into the keyhole, and turned clockwise 180 digrees, with a slight push the door swung open. Dallas stood outside and welcomed his lover and Jude into his home, - His and Shelby's home - and closed the door as he entered after them. He heaved a sigh of relief, they were safe.

"We're not safe here," said Jude, directly contridicting Dallas's thoughts.

"Yes, we are, I've sealed this house. Nothing can find us."

"Yes, he took three days of meditating in the living room to do it. I remember staring at him and wondering if he was going to eat or drink anything. It was scary."

"I did it for you, love."

"Yes, I know."

"You must be joking, Dallas," that was Jude, "There is nothing that can hide from the Objects, or from... Them."

"You underestimate my power greatly, friend. After all, I am here to balance not just the Objects, but all things, in all the realms. All things... and as for them... We shall cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Indeed..." said Jude.

They all sat down in the living room. Dallas and Shelby sat on the loveseat, Jude on the Chair. The three looked at one another for what seemed like an hour, sitting in scilence, glancing at eachother in random. Shelby cuddled into Dallas's arm when Jude adjusted his posture or sat forward to grab the glass of water on the table in front of him that had somehow appeared there. She was scared of him, or disgusted with him. Juse was used tot hat and he might have even taken offence, if he wasn't to preocupied with his current vonrabillity. He was in a stranger's house, unaware of any powers and dangers he had around him.

No. Not a stranger. A friend.

"Jude," said Dallas, making eye contact, sending out the emotion once more, it was good for Jude to feel it instead of fear.

"Yeah man?" said Jude, biting into the conversation he already knew was coming.

"You owe us an explaination," said Dallas, more of a demand than a request.

Jude nodded, "Yeah, I guess I do."

Jude leaned back in his chair, slurping down another gulp or two of cold water.

How long had it been since he related his story to anyone? At least, anyon eother than the voices in his head and the empty void of air in front of him. He knew it all by heart...yet still, so horrible it was...

"Dallas, buddy. Do y'know how the Objects are created? I mean...sure, nobody knows when, not even me, but..." He paused for a moment, allowing a hack to escape his lungs.

He needed a fix, and he was feeling dark and slimy on the inside.

"Ugh, whip me up a cigar, will ya' buddy?"

Instantly it was in his hand.

Dallas motioned for him to continue.

And he did.

"I was supposed to be an Object. I don't Seek, becaue being around the Objects burns me. It's like...my kryptonite, or some shit. You follow me?" Dallas nodded.

"Quite well, my friend."

"Good. See, it's like this...I don't know the name, and I don't know the number...but I escaped...somebody gave me the power, to, well...not be an Object. Somebody let me get out of the process and become..."

The Forsaken One's hands moved all around his torso, poking and dabbing at his chest.

"This."

"And since then, however many...fuckin' millenia ago it was. They've sent Hellhounds after me. See..." He groaned uncomfortably. The more he talked, the more vulnerable he became. The last person who knew was...Felicia.

And oh God, how he did not want to remember her.

Even though he did want to remember.

He didn't want to talk about it.

"See, the Objects are pissed off, I guess. Y'know? The whole 'They yearn for the company of their siblings' bullshit? Well they want ME- ther sibling, to come back."

He crumpled his legs up into the chair he was in, and sat awkwardly. His story was done. He was now locked up tight, emotionally. He felt alone, and very scared.

This was not like him.

Jude did not have friends, friends were killable. Friends were weak. He'd seen too many friends die at Hellhounds' hands.

"That's it. That's all I got."

It didn;t sound that bad. Jude didnt seem like a bad guy, just tormented and drilled to respond with anger to any situation. Years of being chased and hunted by Demons and the horrors of the Objects could probably do that to a person. The shield on the house should keep them from being found, and as long as Dallas didnt use his powers outside the house, nothing should be able to find them, they were - all fo them - safe here.

"Jude, you can have the spare room, next to ours, if you'd like to stay here," offered Dallas.

Shelby looked at him, Dallas payed no attention, he couldnt exactly condemn Jude to face them alone, but there would need to be rules.

Shelby looked at Dallas, "Well... Dallas, I um..."

"Trust me, Shelby."

She nodded, but Jude shook his head.

"Listen, man I 'preciate the justure 'n' shit, but I try to stay solo. People... get hurt 'round me. I wanna keep movin' if you know wat I mean, man."

"They can't find you here, Jude, and as long as you keep to a few guidelines, you may stay here as long as you desire. I can protect you, if the need arise. Which it shant, because nothing will sense or find us in this house. Not only does the shield keep us in the shadows from anyhting wanting to find us, but in this neighbourhood, every house is the same, none stand out. With the protection hex I put on the house, it makes us even less noticable, unless you know where it is. It's why Shelby's parents took such a long time to find it, they passed by our address four times without noticing our house."

"You bore me, Dallas," said Jude abruptly after Dallas finished.

Shelby giggled, Jude smiled and looked at her.

He smiled, that was something Dallas knew he didn't do often.

"Yeah, Dallas," he said, looking back to him, "I'll stay."

"Indeed, thank you, Jude. You'll be safe, moreover I enjoy your company."

"Enjoy my company my ass, around me you have to break shit and fight demons, get bruised up and use your hokas pokas tricks to blast things."

"What kind of guy doesn't like to break shit? Is how I believe one would put it."

Jude laughed, so did Shelby and Dallas.

"I'll get us some drinks," said Shelby, walking into the kitchen.

Dallas followed her out with his eyes then immediatly drew closer to Jude when she was out of sight.

"About thoes Rules, Jude; firstly, If you even hint toward offending or jepordising Shelby in any possible way, you're out. I sware to that. Secondly, No violence, toward anything or anyone while in this neighbourhood, or in theis sity while you live here with us. And thirdly, you and I are going to have a bit of one on one time, every day, to unlock some of your potential."

"Yeah, yeah, alright. What potential?"

Dallas smiled.

"Well, Jude. You're an Object..."

(Rather than making a separate thread for outside this house, I'm tagging it on to the end of this)

A woman dressed in white hovered outside the house, as still as the lamppost behind her. She was almost ready to leave New York City when she stopped here. At first, she didn't know why. It looked as regular a building as any other in this neighborhood.

But, she felt something inside. No, two things. Her skin tingled when she walked by; that was why she stopped. The first things that came to mind when she felt these forces were... an Object and a Holder. No, that wasn't right. The second feeling wasn't a Holder at all. His power was great, but he was more like a Seeker. And the first feeling wasn't quite an Object either. A fledgling Object. Did such things exist?

What was the meaning of this? She almost wished she could keep walking, but something held her there. She remained standing on the sidewalk, passively, trying to discern the meaning behind the presences there.

Four weeks. Thats how long it has been, Frankly, Dallas couldn't help but count the days he was with that slimeball. Jude had stolen his money and food, he made messed constantly, laughed at innapropraite times, put two of the neighbours in the hospital killed the dog across the street and he never flushed the damned Toilet.

Dallas was getting incredably sick and tired of his houseguest.

However much Dallas minded Judes behaviour, Shelby minded it more. Jude hit on her constantly, and treid to feel her up on many more than one occasion, each time Dallas had to intervine and give Jude a slap. However, the unbearabillity of Jude was equal to the information and knowledge that Dallas obtained from him.

He was an object, after all, and Jude was not one to be short winded. As Balance and Jude talked, the mroe Jude began to be more in touch with his hidden abilities, nothing maraculas like balance, mind you, but maybe enough that He wouldnt need to crawl to Balance everytime Hellhounds showed his ugly head. He hadnt since the night at Shelby's brother's place, maybe he learned his lesson. But jude assured Dallas over and over and over again that he wont learn his lession and would come back for him. And Dallas assured Jude over and over and over again that he could handle anything hellhounds could dish out. Furthermore, Jude was starting to grasp the concept that if he worked hard enough with Balance, he wouldnt need him to fend off Hellhounds. He hoped.

"So what's the fucking plan now Dallas?" Jude had a habit of swearing at times which the adjective of "fucking" was not entirely called for.

"Jude, language," reminded Dallas, he felt like a damned babysitter.

"Where we going to eat?"

Dallas sighed, "Burger King okay?"

"Yeah, thanks Buddy."

Dallas had gotten used to the terms Jude used to adress him. Buddy, Pal, Friend, Mate... He felt like he was his only frined in existance. Probably because he was his only friend in existance.

Pulling around the corner, Dallas drove the car into the drivethru.

Whe speakerbox chimed.
"Welcome to BurgerKing, may I take your Order?"

"Yeah, I'll take a Doubble Wopper with chease and Bacon, meal, and a rootbeer." Said Dallas, and with a gance at Shelby, he ordered what she always had, a chickenburger with an Iced tea.

Jude licked his lips.
Another thing about Jude that Dallas had noticed was about to take place.

"I'll take a Tripple Wopper with chease, Bacon and King sized Fries, a Large Coke. Also, Can you doubble that, add a Quarter pounder with Cheese and Bacon, a Double Quarter Pounder, um, Two more Large Coke and four more Large fries."

The Speaker was scilent for a moment, then read the order back, he got it correct, surprisingly.

"Damnit Jude, We're not made of money," said Shelby in an accusing tone.

"Sorry Sweetie, I get hungry."

They pulled up to the drivethru, Shelby was in the passenger seat and Jude was in the back. The man at the drivethru pulled up the glass seperating them, and instantly Dallas was aware that something was wrong. The man was too... something. He spoke with a Soothing voice, his features were straight and elegant, his hair was black, hed be the kind of person who'd youd expect wearing a tux, not a BurgerKing uniform. Dallas also felt... something strange about this man, like they'd met before.

"Your total is fourty nine ninty five."

"Fifty bucks worth of food... God damnit. Dallas, Cant you jsut this once..." said Shelby, Dallas looked at her.

He sighed, "Yeah."

Dallas turned to the window person again, he was differnt. the cool, cut pale face that he had seen before was replaced with a greasy face of a teenager with a little too much acne. The short black hair had turned into a firey red mess.

"Where'd the other guy go?"

"What other guy?"

Dallas looked at him, and suddenly became very awae that there was a situation.

He handed him the exact ammount that the meal had cost. He had pulled it from his pocket in his coat. Yes, he cheated, but he was allowed to, bad with good, good with bad.

"Thanks," said the greasy teen, "Here's your order. It's a good thing you called earlier, or else youd have to wait like a half an hour."

"What? Called Earlier?"

"Yeah, you said that youd be coming down and to make several Whoppers, Quarter pouners.... dont you remember? it must have been you, you're the only people weve seen almost all day besides a few kids. How many people you feeding in there anyway?"

Dallas's face went from content to serious in less than a moment, he hadnt paid attention to anything the teen had been saying.

Called Earlier? He hadn't. Along with the man he had seen, that left one option.

"Thanks for the food," Said Dallas, and sped away, intent on figuring things out.