Disclaimer: Gargoyles are the creation of Disney and are used here without prior knowledge or consent of the creators. This story takes place after "For It May Come True." Caution: For mature readers only due to sexual content. Very graphic, so be forewarned.

Police Detective Elisa Maza shivered against the chill night air sweeping across her rooftop perch. Huddled against a wall, she searched the streets below out of habit, barely seeing the speeding ant-like cars and scurrying people. Somewhere down there in the murky atmosphere, beyond the pools of light on pavement and sidewalks, the city's scum took advantage of the darkness. Although not on-duty tonight, she had spent too many years in the force for her nerves not to hum after sunset.

Earlier she'd called Owen Burnett and asked him to get a message to Goliath about meeting her tonight. She regretted she couldn't say more or be there when the gargoyles woke up, but she didn't want anyone, especially Xanatos or Owen, overhearing what she had to say to Goliath. Instead, she asked him to meet her at their old spot in the still-wrecked police headquarters' clock tower. The prospect of seeing her friend entirely alone, even for a few moments, kept her rooted to the bleak view. Lately they only saw each other when she needed help on a case. When they didn't work together she found herself watching the skies hungrily for any glimpse of him and the others.

After a glance around the empty air, she frowned down at her watch. Already half past six and nearly an hour after sundown. Goliath didn't usually take so long to show up when she asked to see him. She curled deeper into her jacket and gnawed her lower lip. Since Avalon had released them from their strange quest last year and her last and too-close brush with death, she had grown closer to Goliath than she ever been to any man.

When he brought her back to her apartment the night they'd finally gotten back to Manhattan, she'd shaken off his parting words. Each time she found herself wanting more to the relationship she pushed away the thought, trying to convince herself his concern for her only came from his ingrained sense of responsibility. However, whenever they saw each other that felt like a lie. After their return from their extended 'trip' he'd started to say, "If only we were--" That first time she wouldn't let him finish, afraid he would put into words her own wishes. Instead she told him, "We are what we are."

Then, after Demona forced a spell from Puck that changed the entire city's human population into gargoyles and the gargoyles into humans, she and Goliath had looked into each other's eyes and known the truth. He'd begun to say the same thing until she stopped him again. Since then she wondered if Puck or 'Owen,' as she had first known him, knew how Goliath and she felt about each other and had played them all for fools. After all, Oberon's one-time servant had plenty of time to observe them together. He had seemed to take inordinate pleasure in wreaking havoc with their lives. Perhaps he had only done it at Demona's bidding as he claimed. However, she couldn't help thinking he might have switched them all to see if he couldn't force a response from Goliath and her and irk the female gargoyle who'd trapped him.

Still, she couldn't say she would take back the experience. For a few hours she had known the incredible power of being a gargoyle. The joy of spreading her wings against the night air to glide on the winds above her city. The fierce drive of a gargoyle to guard merely added to her already strong sense of doing the right thing.

She'd kept Demona from killing her friends, then looked into Goliath's human face. Even the spell couldn't change the deep need for him that surged through her, making it impossible to deny the emotion any longer. Far beyond friendship, the feelings clamored for their own freedom. He had been as handsome and strong a man as he was a beautiful, commanding male gargoyle. In the short time when they faced each other as the same species, she could see his appraisal of her as one of his own kind. The longing passed between them like a physical shock. Things would never be quite the same despite the fact she had again refused let him voice what they both felt.

They had stayed away from each other for a while, but the destruction of the police headquarters and subsequent exposure of the gargoyles' existence drove her back to defend them against her own kind. It hadn't seemed to help their relationship much. Although he and the others continued to work with her, Goliath occasionally tried to convince her she should turn her back on them to save herself. Well, she could be just as stubborn. She wasn't going to let a madman and a bunch of intolerant yahoos keep her away from her friends.

On the other hand, she wished Jon Canmore or Castaway or whatever he called himself would do just that. . .stay away from the gargoyles. Since he'd caused his brother's accident and blamed it on the clan, he and those crazy Quarrymen kept trying to come up with a bigger, better gargoyle-killer weapon. Though she and her friends had caught them with a small army's arsenal a few weeks back, she doubted they'd stay behind bars long. From personal experience, she knew they had powerful backers, which made them as dangerous to humans as to gargoyles.

The only good thing that had come of the whole thing was Goliath had stopped avoiding her completely. Since then he'd kept their meetings purely business. That last disastrous attempt at spending some recreational time together had made him even more protective, yet determined not to let her any closer. No matter how many times she told him she was fine, whenever she saw him, he hovered around her like she might disappear before his eyes.

His physical strength and spirit had always given her a sense of security all the technology in the world couldn't duplicate. Now he rarely touched her, often having Angela or one of the others carry her if she needed to go with them. But the same yearning stretched between them whenever they met. She had struggled against those feelings, but after dealing with the Hunters and Jason Canmore, she realized how precious Goliath and his clan had become to her.

Though Goliath's size and ferocity had frightened her at first, she had learned to trust him more than anyone she knew. He drew her like a magnet, sometimes to the detriment of her human relationships. The last time she'd seen Dad, she'd told him she looked past the gargoyles' strangeness to their beauty. Something in her face must have given her away. He had given her an odd look, but never pursued it after his own experience with Coyote and his knowledge of her brother's transformation to Talon.

She'd seen Jason Canmore in the hospital as soon as the doctors said he was stable enough for visitors. Despite some lingering attraction, she'd told him she'd befriend him, but someone else would always come first. Somehow she got the feeling Jason suspected who she meant. After putting it into words, she decided she had to say something. Even Xanatos, rat that he'd been in the past, seemed to understand the special relationship between her and Goliath. That night Xanatos took her up to the tower, attempting to ease suspicions by assuring her of his good intentions toward his 'tenants.'

"Go on up, Detective Maza. He's waiting for you." With that he gave her a crooked smile, and left her to climb the rest of the stairs to the parapet alone.

She'd made her way up to stand beside Goliath as he watched the sky begin to lighten with dawn. As they looked out over the city she told him about Jason's saving her life and his.
Goliath turned toward her, a strange look in his eyes. "He has lost much. Although I find it hard to forgive him for his pursuit of us, I would not wish for him to lose his brother in such a manner."

"Me either." She moved around in front of him, steeling herself to tell him.

He reached out, gently caressing her face and hair. "I will be forever indebted to him for returning you to us."

Elisa stepped closer and placed her hand over his. "Goliath, you know how I feel about you."

He searched her face, then admitted. "How we both feel."

"Good. In that case..." She jumped up, flung her arms around him, and kissed him just as the sun peeked up over the Manhattan skyline. That he'd worn a smile as he turned to stone that morning pleased her more than she cared to admit.

Nearly six months had passed since then and she hadn't seen much of him except through work. Her life consisted of flurries of activities as she struggled to put her life and her department back together. As construction crews labored around the clock to repair the damaged building double shifts became the norm. Somehow she found time to visit Jason in the Spinal Injury rehab facility three times a week. The last time he had looked miserable when she arrived, a newspaper spread out on his lap, its headlines screaming "Monsters Invade New York City. What Do They Want? Will Our Children Be Safe With Them Around?" He made a disgusted sound and flung it to the floor.

"Elisa, I'm sorry Jon has taken up the vendetta against the gargoyles. Now it's not just our family that hunts them... He's stirred up the rest of the city against them." He sighed heavily, avoiding her eyes. "At least Robyn refused to join him."

"Maybe someday he'll change, Jason. You did." Elisa touched his hand. "I'll do everything I can to help you that I can, but I've got to stop these Quarrymen. They're dangerous to everyone."

He didn't answer, just squeezed her hand. She wasn't wrong about them being bad news. One of her sources had called this morning about a rumored deal between the city's crime bosses and the Quarrymen. The snitch seemed more nervous than usual. Elisa couldn't blame him. The vigilantes didn't look kindly on humans who worked against them.

Since Xanatos and Fox had married and begun their own family she had to agree Xanatos had changed his intentions towards "his" gargoyles. Instead of a few enemies, she had her hands full with anti-gargoyle sentiment in the entire city. The irony of it was her worry included Xanatos and his family's safety because he continued to stick up for her friends. What bothered her most was the thought those wackos might try to pull another underhanded scheme to stir up people already spooked into a near riot. Though she couldn't prove it, she had a sneaking suspicion there was more than Jon Canmore behind the attacks on the gargoyles.

Her watch bleated twice, signaling seven p.m. and she realized it was fully dark now. Maybe something had come up. Damn! Hauling her jacket closer, she debated leaving. The distinctive flap of leathery wings, another gust of cold wind at her back, and a click of talons on asphalt interrupted her gloomy thoughts. Relieved, she turned to watch Goliath stretch his wings, then drape them over his shoulders. Instead of joining her he stood a few feet away from her, looking out at the city with a brooding expression on his face.

Elisa walked over to him, laying her hand on his forearm. Stress radiated from him, his muscles rigid beneath her fingers. Even in the shadows his grim expression refreshed the worry she'd felt earlier. Her pleasure at seeing him, touching him again drained away.

"What's wrong? You're late. I'd just about given you up."

"Demona has moved against us again. Once more she has turned her attention toward Angela." He growled and moved away from her touch to the spot she had just left. "I thought perhaps after what occurred between her and MacBeth she had changed." He pounded the brick, his clenched fists leaving deep imprints. "The war between us has not ended and bitter as it is for Angela, she has learned not to trust her own mother."

Elisa followed him into the harsh light. His tortured expression drove her concerns about the Quarrymen aside for the moment. "I'm sorry, Goliath. I know this is hard for you." How well she knew that painful lesson. "If only..." She faltered, avoiding his eyes. Now it was her turn to wish for the impossible.

At her shiver, Goliath's leathery wing enfolded her. "What troubles you this evening, Elisa? Has someone caused you hurt?"

"Yeah," she muttered, then forced a chuckle in an attempt to defuse his defensive urges. "Well, not really. It's just..." Her voice quivered. God, she hated that! And herself. She'd not seen beyond Jason's handsome exterior and her weakness nearly cost Goliath and his clan their lives. Why hadn't she seen beneath that cool competence and attraction? Why hadn't she questioned more instead of letting her loneliness and yearning cloud her judgement?

Goliath must have heard her distress for he held her more tightly. She scrubbed at the hot tears as they spilled over to chill her cheeks. His massive arms cradled her with surprising gentleness, one great paw softly stroking her hair. Tucked against his chest, she closed her eyes, breathing in his scent and enjoying the quiet closeness he rarely allowed.

So much had happened since her accidental shooting two years before. While she lay in the hospital, she had first sensed Goliath's interest in her as more than just a human friend. It seemed so long ago. When they had returned from Avalon's strange quest with Angela, the gargoyles had 'adopted' Elisa into their clan. The trio had all grown up a lot. Most dramatic was Broadway, since Angela and he had discovered each other. Goliath's and Demona's daughter had proved a warm, courageous young gargoyle. Elisa knew the frustration the others, especially Brooklyn, felt without female companionship. Having no one to turn to on cold nights could get mighty depressing. The push-pull between her and Goliath made both of them suffer, though he tried to hide it from her. This last incident seemed to make it worse, like rubbing salt into an open wound.

She clung to his broad chest and forced herself to talk about what had brought her to him. "I came to see how you and the others were doing since that last run-in with the Quarrymen. You left before we could talk." She hated the breathless sound of her voice and the trembling in her legs.

"We are cautious. I realize you were right, Elisa. Though at times I still mistrust Xanatos, he has proven more than once he regrets the past and has provided us sanctuary. Besides, we called the castle home for so long it is good to call it such again." His voice rumbled through her.

She sighed and pushed against him. He released her immediately, though his wings still shielded her from the cold wind. Elisa met his gaze. "We've still got to worry about those lunatics. Since people know about you now it's been hard keeping them out of the castle. I just wish I could stop worrying. Used to be easier trying to anticipate Xanatos' underhanded tricks. Even with him and Fox out of the picture, there are too many others trying to get a piece of you." Her eyes stung, making her squeeze them shut for a moment before she looked up at him again. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Goliath's large clawed hand tenderly cupped her face. "Nothing will. My kind has not survived this long without wariness and strong endurance skills. Besides, since his child's birth he has changed." His voice took on a wistful tone at his last words.

Elisa turned her face into his palm, reluctant to bring up more problems. Her scalp tingled where his talons curved around her head. She forced herself back to business. "Now, about Demona. You said she was up to no good. Has she actually done anything yet?"

A low growl rumbled through Goliath. "She tricked Angela into trapping me, but in the end, her use of the Quarrymen turned against her." He tucked Elisa against his side, and gazed out at the city's skyline.

"What? That's pretty weird. Those fanatics usually try kill any gargoyle on sight." Elisa shuddered. Good grief, the depths Demona would sink to just to get back at Goliath!

A deep sigh moved through him before he continued. "You know she can take human form during the day now. Besides, money speaks, no matter the source. Angela still grieves that her own mother would do such a thing. But that is not all. I have also heard of assaults on several warehouses. I cannot confirm it, but feel she is responsible for them. What she plans, I am not certain. This last time we met she once again reaffirmed her hatred and distrust of mankind. Yet again her unreasoning enmity of mankind has made her betray her own kind."

Elisa could hear the unspoken 'and me.' She frowned, angry at Demona's treachery against her former mate. "If she wants only gargoyles to survive, she needs you and the others."

Goliath groaned. "Yes, and because of that I must be vigilant. Most likely she will try some trickery against us again. She still tries to lure them to her side."

"They know what she's like. I doubt they'd follow her. Besides, the others have seen how she treats you, how she tried to manipulate Brooklyn, and now Angela." Elisa hugged him closer. "I hate to think she's the only female gargoyle here besides Angela. Will you leave and live with some of the others in another country? After all, how can the clan continue? I mean... Well... Oh, you know."

Goliath laughed, a short, painful sound with nothing of mirth in it. "How well she knows what ties me here. Deep inside, I fear she will use sorcery to make me lose control before she kills me. Yet I am not a beast, ruled by my loins alone. I both regret and hope she will have nothing further to do with Angela. Demona's heart, filled with malice and deceit, has at last turned daughter from mother." A shuddering breath rippled through him. "Once I thought Demona would be at my side until our deaths. Now she wishes to end my life. I will live it out, praying Angela's young will carry on the clan."

Elisa's eyes stung. She'd considered herself lonely, but maybe someday she'd find a man who suited her. Someone who reminded her of her best friend. But the gargoyles, with only one other female in the area besides Demona, had no such likelihood unless they broke up their clan. She knew they would never leave each other, even if it meant they would be alone for the rest of their lives.

"Oh, Goliath." She reached up to touch his face. "Come on. Let's get off this roof. We haven't been to the park for months."

"Very well." He scooped her up and sprung into the air.
Elisa would never tire of the thrill flying with him gave her. She buried her face against his chest as they flew over the black and white landscape. Too soon he landed. He continued to hold her close.

"We're here, Elisa." His voice held a note of reluctance.
She peeked over his arms at the shadowy, deserted walkways, covered with a light dusting of snow.

"Oh. Guess you can let me down." When he lowered her to the ground, she stood on tiptoe, her arms around his neck. She took a deep breath and a risk. "I want to give you something."

He gave her a puzzled look. "What is it? Is it here?"

"No. I mean, yes. Well, sort of." At his soft laugh she made an annoyed sound. "After everything we've gone through together... I... Oh, I'm making such a mess of this." Her arms slid from his neck to his waist as she laid her forehead against his chest.

Goliath raised her face. "You have never let me say what I wished, but last night... Titania has read me as a book. She gave me my dreams, but I could not live with them."

Elisa met his gaze, torn between curiosity and the need to tell him what she offered. "Huh? I thought we'd seen the last of her." Was Oberon's queen going to give them more problems? The meaning behind his words hit her. "Tell me what happened."

He grimaced, but went on. "She made me human. You and I were married, had children. But all was not as it should be. I worked as little more than clerk for Xanatos, who still harbored a hatred for my kind. And you... You also were our enemy, wanting to destroy us as monsters. The others turned from me. I never found Angela; Bronx was dead... So much was wrong with the world. Only you and our love was right. I could not live in such a world. When Titania revealed she had done this to show our lives without me as a gargoyle, I asked her to return me to my true self."

He pulled her closer. "It was a wonderful dream to hold you as my mate, to see our children, but I could not bear to see my own clan not recognize me. Watch them hunted even more than now, because you hunted them also. I knew then there could nothing more between us but this friendship."

Tears threatened again, but her determination to give herself completely only firmed. "Goliath, I don't care what Titania did to you. I won't lie. I also wish we were the same species, but right now..." She tilted her head back to look into his eyes. "I want to kiss you again Goliath. Now, while it's still early. Don't turn me away." Her breath caught at his glowing eyes.

"Elisa." He lifted her until her gaze came level with his. "I do not believe it wise. Before it was nearly dawn and there was not time...I am not as a man."

"But--" she stammered as Goliath abruptly set her down, then placed a finger against her lips as she had done before, too often.

He closed his eyes, head lowered. "You were right. We are what we are and nothing can change that."

She bracketed his face with her hands. "I was right and I was wrong. You are a creature of strong emotions, Goliath. I can't stand to see you hurting. In the two years since we met, I've seen your strength. And your caring for others. I'm not afraid of you. I'll never be a substitute for one of your kind, but I want more than just an occasional hug."

"You have given me your courage and kindness. Perhaps keeping it at that would be safest." He turned his face away as though to hide himself from her.

"This isn't just an impulse. I've thought about this a great deal over the last few months. We won't know until we try." She smiled a crooked smile as she touched his face. "Besides, I've never liked the safe way. Don't make me beg. Kiss me."

He turned back to her. "This is a mistake," he mumbled as he brought her closer.

Elisa remembered the brief touch of lips she'd given him. His skin against her hand had always been smooth and hot. Tonight, nothing prepared her for a return of her caress. He hesitantly pressed his lips to hers, then as if a fire caught, he moved against her mouth. Her lips opened against the pressure, welcoming him inside. He crushed her to him, a deep groan vibrating through his body and into hers.

When she shifted to get closer, a muffled sound escaped her and she found herself on the walkway. Goliath covered his face with his hands. Elisa had seen enough aroused men to know he wanted her. Instead of frightening her, his state moved her to seek him again. He flinched.

"Do not touch me or you may regret it," he snarled.

"No, Goliath, I won't regret it." She held out her arms to him. "Take me back to my place."

"I cannot at this moment touch you without..." He turned sharply, his wings spread.

"Don't leave me. I need you too. Please." Her face heated. She knew how it sounded, but she meant what she said. When he faced her, she inhaled sharply at the glow in his eyes.

"Elisa, I do not know if we are physically compatible. I could hurt you."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." She stepped closer, her voice low. "Let's go home."

He caught her up against his chest, carrying her until they reached a building where they could take to the air. He moved Elisa to his back where she clung as he climbed to the roof. As he moved she became very conscious of his muscles bunching against her breasts and belly. Neither spoke as he returned her to his arms, then spread his wings to glide toward her apartment building.

*Boy, the neighbors would have a hissy if they saw this,* she thought wryly. With her odd hours from police work, they already thought her strange. She buried her face against Goliath's neck until he landed on the ledge, then set her on her feet. He waited while she opened the skylight and climbed in. Elisa motioned him in, then closed the window.

She turned, blinded by the moonlight pouring through the skylight and peered into the darkness. Deep in the shadows, Goliath's luminescent eyes shone. Cagney trotted up, wound around her legs, then moved toward Goliath. He bent down to pet the cat, who purred and rubbed against his hand.

Her stomach fluttered and her heart pounded. She searched for something 'normal' to say. "Come on, Cagney. Let's get you some dinner." As she headed toward the kitchen, she looked over her shoulder. "Goliath, would you like anything to eat or drink?"

"No. I ate earlier." He sounded almost as unsettled as she felt.

"Oh. Well, you know your way around. Make yourself comfortable." She stepped to the light switch and flipped it on. A sigh escaped her. At the sound Goliath walked toward her.

"Reconsidering, Elisa?" His eyes no longer glowed and a frown creased his forehead.

"Uh...no, but I need to feed Cagney and get myself some dinner." She licked her dry lips.

"Of course, but...it might be better if you turned the lights off before..." He shrugged. "I could guide you. You know I see well in the dark." His lips curled in a self-depreciating smile. "Perhaps you will not be so afraid if you cannot see me."

"No! I want to see you, Goliath." She hesitated. What was she getting herself into?

He moved back to the skylight, his back very straight. "It is all right, Elisa. I understand. Your decision will not matter for I consider you my friend. More than that, you are clan. I told you I would always be here for you."

The desolation in his voice straightened her back. What kind of person let cold feet stop them when someone special needed comfort? Especially him, so much more than just a friend. Shaking her head in exasperation, she walked over to him.

"Don't go. Just wait until the cat and the cop are fed." She squeezed his hand, then hurried to the kitchen area to open a can of tuna for Cagney and reheat a casserole. After she nuked it for a few minutes, she joined Goliath on the couch.

Not wanting him to change his mind, she wolfed down enough down to take away the worst of her hunger pangs, then stuck the dishes in the sink. When she got back, he had gotten up to stare out at the full moon through the skylight. She moved in front of him, as close as she could get, then slid her hands over his flat stomach and around his waist. He took in a sharp breath; his body taut against her touch as if he feared his own reaction.

"Elisa, are you sure?" His voice had a strained edge to it she'd only heard a few times.

"Yes. I'm not a tease. Now shut up and let me love you." She kissed his neck and jaw.

A low thrumming began in his throat at her touch. His body's tension passed through her hands. At five feet four inches most men towered over her, but Goliath made her feel even tinier. She pressed herself against him, feeling the evidence of his desire against her stomach.

With a growl, he cupped her buttocks to lift her higher against him. "I want you Elisa, but I fear I will break you with my weight."

"I'm a tough gal. Besides, my bed's soft." She leaned over toward the wall switch to dim the lights to a soft glow, then motioned toward her room.

Goliath carried her through the door, then looked over at the single bed in one corner with a doubtful expression. "I suspect that will not hold me."

She looked around, her eyes assessing the room. "Over
there." Elisa nodded to an open space against the wall. "Sit and I'll show you...a way."

When he released her, she slid down his body. Her hands trembled as she turned her back to undress. She could feel his gaze on her, then heard him moving around behind her. The room's slightly cool air nipped at her bare flesh. She shivered as she laid her clothes over the chair back, then prepared to turn back to him. Heat brushed her as his arms enclosed her. His lips found the junction of her neck and shoulders while his tail curled over her thighs. Shivers of pleasure washed over her at his caresses.

"Come. I have made a bed on your floor." He turned her to point out his handiwork, piled pillows and comforters on the floor. Folding his wings around her, he carried her to the soft cushions, then lay down, still entwined.

"I have no experience with human females," he began, but she quieted him with a kiss.

"You're doing just fine. But we can't do much through your clothes." She made a move to loosen his belt. When he stiffened and put a hand over hers, she frowned. "Have I done something wrong?"

"No." His hand dropped to allow her to finish.

She tried to stifle a gasp as his loincloth fell away. He was huge. Well, he was in proportion she reasoned. Still, there hadn't been anyone for a long time. She would need time to accommodate someone Goliath's size.

"I can accept your reluctance if you feel you cannot carry through with this, Elisa." Goliath's resignation made her more determined.

"Hush. Human women give birth to babies much larger. It'll be a tight fit, but it should work." She snuggled close. "You're more considerate than most human males I've ever met."

"And you, my dear Elisa, are more than I ever expected."