*Super's face steels* *He extends a hand to help her up* "You think I wouldn't?" He demanded, almost angrily. "I've dedicated my life to search for you, and you think I wouldn't risk it to keep you alive?" *He hesitates* "Every passing moment I spend with you, some element of my past self dies. Perhaps it's my old job, maybe now my wife." "It doesn't matter. You mean more to me than all of those combined, and I would happily risk it to keep you alive. If you could live a happy, normal life, then I consider my job completed." *He looks away, disgusted, but seemingly more with himself than Aer.* "Storm couldn't image the love I hold for you, it triples the duty I hold for the city. My life is a hundredth of that." *His voice grows softer, eyes rounder as he stares at Aer, lovingly.* "When I became a nightstalker, I grasped the void. It welcomed me, and held a tie between all creatures of the dark. I understand ogres, I feel Oryx's pain for his lost son, and I feel you. You are the strongest connection, an anchor to the world. My lifeless soul would slip into the darkness if it wasn't for you. For that I owe you enternal gratitude, but gratitude seemed to be more than just that." *Pain conflicted his features* "Being able to understand you, know you so well, it simply makes it impossible not to love you. Maybe not in the romantic way, but in a protecting way. I'm there for you, in whatever way you require. Be it lover, protector, family, I'm there. Any conflict, healed by a glance of your beautiful, gleaming eyes. A wound, healed by a single touch. Any intimidation, (Yes Storm, I'm looking at you.) would be meaningless in the face of my duty to serve you." *Face set in stone, his eyes reached to grasp the intent of Aer's thoughts.* "When you were freshly born, your mother told me to take care of you. Your brutal father virtually enslaved your mother, leaving you to fend for yourself. That invisible hand that saved you from your father's slap, that was me. Every time you escaped danger as a child, I intervened. You were a very unlucky child." *Warm memories breaking through the cold facade of his face* "But this continued all the way through maturity, constantly saving you from danger. Soon after this, it had nothing to do with your mother. It was because I was so touched by you. I am intertwined with you in many more ways than you know." "So I ask you this," *He stares intently at Aer.* "What do you wish for me to be?" "A lover? "Protector?" "Family?" [spoiler]This was a long one. :P[/spoiler]