Growing Pains

The moment Lily disappeared, the entire sky opened in a reflection of Ava's emotional turmoil, bucketing heavy rain and causing all of Paris to be under a massive thunderstorm. Lily was there, then she was gone just as quickly, and Ava had no idea where the woman had taken her. She knew her father well enough to know Lily's caretaker would immediately go to him and tell him that Ava knew, but that opened up the possibility of Stavros completely disappearing with Lily and never resurfacing again. The thought made Ava heave out and almost vomit, her arm clutching at her stomach.

FLASH

Ava was sick most of the morning, stationing herself next to the toilet for easy access. But her stomach finally started to feel at ease giving her a reprieve from the hard tile floor. Standing, her hand went to the bathroom door handle to open it when she stopped, hearing whispers coming from her suite.

Helena: "How is she?"

Stavros: "Sick. The doctors say it's normal."

Helena: "Thank GOD I never decided to procreate."

Stavros: "That's not why I called you here, Helena. She is still asking about the father."

Helena: "Well this wouldn’t be an issue if we just had Diana turn her into a vegetable for the duration of her pregnancy."

Stavros: "We’re not turning my daughter into a vegetable, Helena."

Helena: "Funny how you’re protective of her now Stavros, but you were ready and willing to whore her out to my prince."

FLASH

Her arms circled around his back, pulling him tightly against her as her body shuddered under his. She moaned out his name, telling him to keep going, the crave for his touch intoxicating.

"Alek..."

FLASH

Completely stunned, Alek's name echoed in her head over and over and over until finally Ava heard another name calling out from afar.

John: "Ava!"

John came running up, kneeling in front of her looking panic stricken. Ava was in shock since Lily disappeared. It had only been seconds, but it felt like an eternity. And now this new memory...a memory she truly wished had stayed locked away in her mind forever. Alek was Lily's father.

John: "What's happened?! Ava?!"

John's hands went to Ava's arms, his face dipping down enough to finally catch her line of sight. It was then the shock of the last minute began to slowly wear off and the realization that she was on borrowed time set in. She needed to find Lily before her father really did disappear with her for good.

"We need to find her!!!"

John wrapped his arm around Ava, helping her stand.

John: "We have to get you out of this rain."

"No! Listen to me!"

Ava fought against his grasp, looking back at the spot where Lily disappeared, similar to the night before when she had saw her at the festival. But John's strong arms lead her into the hotel and to the elevator, Ava's body shivering under the weight of his muscles unable.

"John, please.."

The elevator doors opened and John ushered her into their suite before wrapping her shivering body with a plush throw and moving her to the bathroom.

John: "You've got to get out of those wet clothes."

"We don't have time!"

Ava knew John was concerned, his eyes had been filled to the brim with fear since finding her in the park. But she needed him to listen. She couldn't do this alone, she needed her King. So instead of fighting against him and wasting valuable time, Ava conceded and began to strip her soaked workout outfit off. She wrapped herself in the thick black robe as John gathered some tea and coffee before moving her to the couch.

John: "Here...this will warm you up..."

"GOD DAMNIT I don't want coffee!"

The panic began to overwhelm Ava once again, feeling like the moments between Lily disappearing in the park and now were too long. Stavros was already gone, she knew he was. Ava hands cupped around her face, trying to catch her breath and ease her panic. That was when she heard John's gentle voice despite Ava screaming at him.

John: "What happened?"

She shook her head, her hands turning into fists over her face.

"That little girl....the one from the park....she's mine. She's my daughter."

Ava finally looked up at John, knowing this sounded unbelievable.

"I'm having flashes of memories again, but this time they're clear memories. I remember finding out I was pregnant....I remember giving birth to her. They're all fragments, like pieces of an unfinished story, but I KNOW that she is mine."

Ava held out the necklace with the pendent on it to John. He would immediately recognize it from when she was a child.

"She was wearing this. She said it was her mothers."

Ava's eyes were filled with tears.

"That's my necklace, John. That's MY little girl! Stavros has been raising her all of these years, my memories wiped from my head by Diana! And now he's going to find out I know and disappear with her before I can get to her!"

Ava took his hands, falling to her knees before him. She looked into his eyes, needing him to believe her. Willing him too.

"I can't lose her again...I WON'T!"
 
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The Paris Hotel

Ava was more upset than he'd ever seen her. She was talking nonsense, agitated. It was clear that something had happened. He didn't know if she was hurt, and she was soaked to the skin. He needed to get her warm and dry, before anything else. So against her protests, he hustled her into the hotel and up to their suite. But she would only allow herself to be managed for so long before...

Ava: "GOD DAMNIT I don't want coffee!"

He sat next to her on the couch, and gently asked what happened.

Ava: "That little girl....the one from the park....she's mine. She's my daughter."

"Ava..."

He knew this Haleigh thing was weighing on her, but he hadn't realized just how much. This fixation on the little girl had now turned into something dangerous. He silently cursed her selfless nature. He had told her he would get her a baby if she wanted one, she didn't need to make one up.

Ava: "I'm having flashes of memories again, but this time they're clear memories. I remember finding out I was pregnant....I remember giving birth to her. They're all fragments, like pieces of an unfinished story, but I KNOW that she is mine."

He reached out and took her hand in his.

"You know you can't..."

He looked away for a moment then back.

"It's Kelly...she's fucking with you..."

Ava's hand shot out towards him, and he saw a gold pendant dangling from a broken chain.

"You haven't worn that necklace in ages..."

When he had first met her, it was always around her neck.

Ava: "She was wearing this. She said it was her mothers."

"It's a copy..."

Ava: "That's my necklace, John. That's MY little girl! Stavros has been raising her all of these years, my memories wiped from my head by Diana! And now he's going to find out I know and disappear with her before I can get to her!"

She was crying as she slipped onto her knees in front of him.

Ava: "I can't lose her again...I WON'T!"

He looked down at her, into her tear-stained face, into her dark eyes that were pleading with him. He was silent for only a second.

"Then let's go get her."

He stood up, pulling her up with him.

"Do you want to call in the rest of the Court for this?"
 
The White Corridor

His King had instructed him to practice how to use telepathic powers with Elena, this mysterious associate of the Red Court who dared to wear white in front of her King. He knew Alek didn't trust her - it was plain to see - and he assumed naturally that Alek wanted him to keep an eye on the woman. But still, that she was so brazen and able to get away with it? He wasn't sure if he should be offended or in awe of her. He decided to let her take the lead, to see what she would do.

But he wasn't prepared for it when her voice was suddenly in his head. It floored him.

Elena: Let's go. We can practice in my suite.

There was no getting away from it - it was like her voice permeated his entire body. He followed her silently, down the corridor and to one of the suites. It still felt wrong for him to be in the White Wing. He had only ever been here on guard duty for the White Queen, and even then not that much, so it seemed like trespassing. His discomfort only increased as he entered her suite. It did not escape him that this was the White King's...girlfriend? Jack and Heidi's words came back to him about the regents and if they came on to you. Elena wasn't a regent, but he was pretty sure the White King would kill him anyway...

Do you honestly think I would try to seduce you with my daughter asleep in the next room?

She had taken a seat, moving a chair across from her and gesturing for him to sit. He looked at her quietly as he moved to the chair, almost as if he was watching a wild animal that he wasn't sure what it would do.

"It must be hard."

She raised her eyebrows at him in curiosity.

"Always knowing what other people are thinking about you."

She shrugged.

Elena: "You get used to it. And you learn to block out the thoughts you don't want to hear. Now, have you ever mimicked a telepath before?"

He shivered a little bit as he told he had tried it a couple times but hadn't liked it - it was like a bad drug.

Elena: "It takes practice to separate the thoughts you want to hear from those you don't. It can be overwhelming at first."

He felt bad for her, imagining her a young girl, just coming into her powers, and how difficult it must have been to suddenly hear other people's thoughts in your head.

Elena: "In the interest of time, you'll have to copy my power to practice with."

"Are...are you sure?"

People usually didn't take kindly to having their powers copied by him. It was what had led him to Hellfire, actually. Elena in fact, did lean forward then rather scarily and threaten him if he ever used her powers without permission.

"Yes, ma'am."

She told him to focus on her voice, so he closed his eyes and listened to the soothing lilt of her in his head. And when he thought he was ready, he mimicked her power.

And it was like the world just turned on. It felt like everyone in the mansion was talking at once. His eyes flew open, and widened. He couldn't hear her anymore, not over the pounding in his head and the voices. Voices everywhere. He couldn't keep any of them straight. He wanted to clamp his hands over his ears, but he knew it wouldn't help.

Elena: Listen to me, Calder! Only me! Focus on my voice. Focus!

He couldn't. He couldn't focus on anything but the noise.

"I...I can't...I can't do it..."

Elena: You can! You have to!

And then, everything went quiet.

Elena: "Enough."

He was breathing heavily, but his body finally relaxed now that there was peace in his mind.

"No...wait...I can do it...one more time..."

Elena: "You don't have the discipline, the mental strength for this."

"No - I, uh..."

Elena tilted her head like she'd just heard something, and she turned towards the door behind her. Which presently opened, a small child jumping excitedly through it.

Carolina: "Mami! Estoy despierto!" [I'm awake!]

Elena's whole demeanor seemed to change, and she smiled warmly at the child. So this was the White King's daughter.

Elena: "I can see that!"

She gestured towards him, and he stood from his chair.

Elena: "Say hello to Senor Calder, Carolina."

The girl seemed bursting with energy even as she crossed the room towards him and held out her hand.

Carolina: "It is nice to meet you, Senor."

He smiled down at her, taking her hand to shake it.

"And you."

The girl turned toward her mother.

Carolina: "Can we go see papi now?"

Elena: "Mija - Senor Calder and I have some work to do. I noticed that your Aunt Erika picked out some new books for you - they're in your room. Why don't you practice your reading until we're done?"

Carolina: "Then can we see papi?"

Elena stood up and reached out a hand to tousle her daughter's hair.

Elena: "Papi might be working. But I'll tell you what, we'll go back to the garden and look for that kitten, okay?"

Carolina: "Okay!"

Carolina's face took on a curious expression as she turned to Calder once more.

Carolina: "Do you work for my papi?"

He had no idea how to explain Hellfire's hierarchy to a small child. So, he improvised.

"Uh...sort of."

Carolina: "I bet that is so much fun! I want to work for my papi when I'm big."

He smiled.

"I'm sure you'll be able to do whatever you want to do."

She grinned broadly back at him, then waved goodbye to him before skipping back through the doorway she had come from. Elena went to the door and closed it.

When she turned back around, the warm "mami" had gone and the stern teacher had returned. The smile left his face, but he looked her dead in the eye as he spoke with conviction.

"One more chance."
 
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Adirondack Mountains — The Cabin

He had gotten the fire stoked up nicely, and she thoughtfully brought him a beer, asking him about the cabin. He explained that he’d built it as a refuge back when he was too feral to control his moon-shift, so that he didn’t endanger his family, and that after they had passed it became his solitary retreat. She was the only person he’d ever brought here. She was quiet for a moment, but then she expressed that she liked it being their place, and he smiled warmly.

Their nice moment was interrupted when all hell broke loose in the kitchen. In short order the skirmish spilled into the room they were in, as the cub took refuge with Ashley and AJ stepped in to discourage Eclipse’s aggression. It took some convincing, but Eclipse retreated back to the kitchen, no doubt to claim whatever food was there. Meanwhile, his Ashley cradled the cub to her chest protectively.

Ashley: “So much for 'my scent on the cub will make the pack accept her'.”

AJ blew the air out of his lungs, his expression chagrined. His Ashley gave him a kiss on his cheek, and left to take her shower, telling him playfully that he would get the honor of cleaning up the mess in the kitchen. He smiled, then finished his beer in preparation for the task. As he expected, the milk had been splattered in every conceivable direction.

Eclipse had bolted down whatever food had been available, and was licking the tile floor. AJ pulled the paper towel roll off the hanger and started tearing off sections and dropping them strategically on the puddles. When he squatted down to dry off the wall, Eclipse came over and started to sniff him, catching the scent of the cat on him.

AJ stopped cleaning to stroke her fur, his hands capturing her head when he spotted the claw marks on her snout. They were bloody but shallow enough to be of little concern. He pulled a clean paper towel off the roll and patted gently to remove the excess blood and then pet her reassuringly. He suspected Eclipse had come in confidently to investigate and surprised the kitten, who couldn’t be blamed for reacting defensively.

“I know, I forgot to introduce you to the hellcat. It’s okay girl, we’ll try again later.”

He told her, as if she could understand every word. He went back to cleaning up, his mind wandering. Had he been in the city too long? Was he forgetting the way of the wild? How had he missed the scent of the hunter who’d shot him? What if that had been someone that wanted to hurt his Ashley instead? He didn’t have the answers to his questions and couldn’t bear the thoughts that were plaguing him, so he focused instead on the task in front of him.

Half a roll of paper towels later, he was done. He checked the stew before ducking into the fridge for another beer, grabbing an extra for his Ashley. When he got to the bedroom and found it closed off, he assumed it was to protect the kitten from another interaction with Eclipse while his Ashley was in the shower. AJ knocked on the door and called through it.

“My Ashley?”
 
Elena's Suite

Elena hadn't expected the Red Rook to be proficient as a telepath right out of the gate, but she hadn't expected him to roll up into a ball and give in, either. In the end, she'd had to use her own powers to block out everyone else from his mind. After all, no matter her current position, she didn't really want to return him to the Red King damaged. And to be fair, this Calder just wasn't going to be Cameron, no matter how much they practiced.

She felt Carolina's mind wake from her nap, and soon she was a bundle of energy bursting into the room. She wanted to see her father, so Elena instituted a plan of bait and switch, and hopefully Cameron would be back with them before Carolina noticed. The last thing she wanted to do was worry her daughter with the prospect of losing the father she had only had for a week.

Carolina wasn't afraid of the big Dane, and began to work her considerable charm on him, which made Elena proud. She was thankful that the Rook knew enough to play along rather than get into complicated explanations. That was one point for him. Carolina herself was very excited to hear that he worked for her father.

Carolina: "I bet that is so much fun! I want to work for my papi when I'm big."

That was like a knife to her chest. Not only at the prospect of Carolina in this world permanently. But also because, as much as she wished the contrary, Elena feared that it was only a matter of time before Cameron forgot Carolina existed, and the little girl's innocent dreams would be crushed. Elena scooted Carolina back into her room, shutting the door behind her. Then she turned back to Calder, sighing, appraising him sternly. At least he had the guts to speak first.

Calder: "One more chance."

She watched him for a moment, before shaking her head.

"There's no point in beating a dead cat."

Calder: "I can do it. I have to do it."

She looked at him again, perusing his thoughts. Her daughter's appearance had affected him - he didn't want the girl to be without her father. It was admirable, she supposed. But she didn't know if it would be enough. She walked slowly back to her seat and sat down. He did the same.

"Let's try a different approach: we'll start small. I'll keep everyone blocked. Try to pick something from my mind. Ready?"

He took a deep breath and nodded.

He could feel something opening, like a door, just a crack. He looked hard at her, as if that would help. He was silent for a few seconds. Then he looked surprised.

Calder: "I see...a beach...and there are dark pink flowers growing all over the dunes..."

Good. Now...without speaking...say it in my mind.

Calder: There's no one around...and it's sunset...I can hear birds...

Very good. Now tell me what Carolina is thinking about. Block my thoughts, and focus on her's. It helps at first to visualize actually pushing my thoughts away.

Elena pulled her power back, so he wasn't shielded from Carolina. Calder closed his eyes then. At first, he was getting a jumble of the two, but he did what she'd asked, and mentally sorted the two voices.

Calder: She's...

He laughed.

Calder: She's reading a book about a witch and her cat...

His eyes flew open and went wide as he looked at her.

Calder: She's wondering if Heidi will let her swim in the Aqua Ring with her! She can't do that! You have to stop her!

Elena rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Calm down. She's a child. That's how they think.

Of course, she would have a word with Carolina and Heidi.

I'm going to slowly remove the barrier blocking out the rest of the minds in the mansion. Do the same thing you did with mine, block them out and only hear me.

She slowly peeled back the block more and more, and as he separated the voices in his head, she allowed more and more to enter it. He did reasonably well, the thoughts starting to overwhelm him at times, but then he pushed them back. Finally, he was blocking everything but her.

Well done, Calder.

She gave him a break, and switched to speech.

"Moving on. Cameron's power is intricate: he can read minds of course, and use telekinesis, like me. But he also has an aspect of his family magick, which he has mostly stayed away from cause, well, you know his mother. And he can astral project."

Calder perked up at that.

Calder: "Really? Like be out of your body and no one knows you're there?"

She looked at him disapprovingly.

"It's not as exciting an idea as you would think."

She cleared her throat, continuing.

"I'm assuming that the magick and astral projection won't come into play if you aren't trying to use them, so hopefully the fact that I don't have those abilities won't make a difference. Hopefully."

Calder didn't look convinced.

"The most important thing for you to learn is to push back against another telepath's power."

She used her mind to lift a piece of Carolina's drawing paper from the coffee table, and tear it into pieces, which crumbled in the air in front of them. She then began to mentally fling them at Calder.

Calder: "Ow! Hey! Stop that!"

The small paper balls starting pinging off his face and chest, making Elena smile.

Feel lucky they're not spitballs. Or knives.

Finally, one shot away from him, off to the side.

Calder: "Got one!"

Stop focusing on one at a time; concentrate on blocking them all at once.

He started to visualize a shield in front of him, and the balls began bouncing off of it.

Now, push them back to me.

Controlling where the went proved much more of a challenge for Calder.

Picture it in your mind, and will it to happen for real.

Then she felt a piece of paper ping off her forehead. Her mouth opened a bit, half in surprise that he had managed to do it and half in annoyance that he had. Calder laughed at her expression.

Calder: "Got you now!"

He was getting the hang of it, ping ponging the pieces of paper she flung at him back at her. And he was enjoying it way too much. So she mentally got a glass from the cabinet in the kitchen, filled it at the sink, and brought it into the room and up behind Calder until it hovered over him.

Look up.

And when he did, she upended the glass.

"Don't forget to watch your back."

She crossed her arms smugly over her chest, watching him wipe the water from his face and hair, waiting to see how he would retaliate. But when he looked at her, he just started to laugh.

Calder: "Please don't tell Alek I fell for that?"

He breathed out, and smiled.

She shook her head again.

"You are a strange man, Red Rook."

Calder: "You can call me by my name, you know - I mean, you already can see everything in my head, it's kind of too late for formalities. And it's not like you care about all the Court hierarchy stuff."

He went into the kitchen and came back with a towel to wipe up the water from the chair, and then himself. She watched him silently.

"It's not that I don't care about the hierarchy. It's that the hierarchy was completely superseded by people who weren't ready to rule. I didn't sign on for their revolution - and the people I put my loyalty in are dead. They may not have been perfect, but I knew who they were."

She got up and took the towel from him.

"And Hellfire was never a place for a child. That's what matters most to me now."
 
Hellfire -- The White Hall

More than half the group split off, either alone or in pairs, set on their own tasks, while Adriana and Gia stayed in the White Corridor with Heidi. Gia plopped into a chair in a nearby alcove, taking out her phone to stave off the boredom. Adriana wanted to blow the little device up in her sister’s hands, just to see how badly she’d suffer without it, but instead she turned her back on Gia and took the opportunity to size up the legendary White Knight.

She was a woman whose reputation preceded her, but how much of it was earned, and how much was myth? The others of the Inner Circle here had seemed to respect her well enough, even the Red King, which was quite telling. Clearly Adriana would benefit from creating a strong alliance with the esteemed White Knight, but she hadn’t seen Heidi’s name in any of the Nefaria ledgers, which meant Adriana had no foundation to work on. Had Gia never tried, or was Heidi simply uninterested in anything the Nefarias had to offer?

The handsome nerd returned to interrupt her thoughts. Adriana knew his name, of course, even without the formal introduction. She’d done her research, after all. He was the Red Bishop, a geneticist, the genius behind the Aqua Ring. He approached her solemnly and began to share the theory he’d mentioned having earlier. Gia pried herself away from her phone, which was a momentary improvement, but then expressed disinterest with snoring noises, to which Adriana cast a reproachful glare. She looked back at the Red Bishop with an apologetic smile.

“Dr Chondrich, I’m a businesswoman, not a scientist. It seems you still think we can help, I really just need to know how.”

Gia: “Kiss-ass.”

“It’s called couth, Gia. You could use some.”

Adriana shot back. To his credit, Jack glossed over the exchange as if it hadn’t happened. He was singularly focused on his plasma theory. He explained that the ionized particles had kinetic energy when they reacted to form the barrier, and Adriana immediately grasped what he was leading to.

“We can drain the shield as it forms and prevent the barrier from fully hardening.”

Jack nodded, opening the hard plastic case he’d brought back with him. He explained that he thought he could create a plasma phenomena somewhat similar to the forcefield, and that they could test themselves on that while they waited for the rest to return. He cleared the debris off the table beside the wall right there in the hallway and set up the little machine on top. As it sparked to life, creating a visible bridge from one side to the other, Gia clutched at Adriana’s arm, leaning in close to her ear.

Gia: “You know I need physical contact to transfer energy!”

“Yeah, sounds like a personal problem.”

Gia: “Very funny. If I take on too much charge with no outlet, I just might spontaneously combust like some overloaded battery. You think it’ll still be a ‘personal problem’ if I explode all over your dress?”

“Ugh, fine. While I’m pulling my weight working on the shield, I'll reduce the charge you’re building up too.”

Gia: “As IF I’d trust you with my life!”

Her sister said with a scoff. Adriana affixed Gia with a granite stare. In all honesty, Gia was smart not to trust her, because Adriana didn’t care if her sister shot the extra energy out of her ass to get rid of it. However, she didn’t want to be the only one draining the barrier in the event something bad happened. Having Gia to blame would be beneficial if it proved to be too much for her newly reinstated abilities, so Adriana needed to manipulate her sister into helping.

“Are you just grasping at excuses to avoid helping your Queen? Because that’s sure what it seems like.”
 
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Adirondack Mountains — The Cabin

The cub was purring in her arms, and she rested her cheek on the top of its head. The enormity of what had happened in the clearing pressing down on her like a weight pushing all the oxygen out of the room. She sat on the floor like that, cradling the mountain lion, sobbing, until there was a knock at the door. Ashley sat up with a start.

AJ: “My Ashley?”

“Uh...don’t come in!”

She wiped her eyes on her arm, setting the cub down on the floor as she jumped up. The cat mewled in protest.

“I’m just getting in the shower!”

She ran into the bathroom and turned on the water. Then she flung off her clothes and jumped under the water. A quick soap and rinse, and she was wrapped in a towel and rushing back out into the bedroom. Where AJ was waiting for her. She pretended like her eyes weren’t red and swollen.

“You can uh, go ahead and eat if you’re hungry. I’ll be right down.”
 
The way he said her name when she told him that Lily was her daughter was a knife to the gut. The look in his eyes was even worse. She could tell he didn't believe her and that on some level, he thought she was losing her mind. Ava quickly told him that she was having more memories, except this time she remembered being pregnant with Lily and giving birth to her.

John: "You know you can't...It's Kelly...she's fucking with you..."

He was hesitant to even say the words that she 'couldn't have children', looking away in an effort not to. Then he came back with Kelly being behind this. Frankly, Kelly was likely a contributing partner in it, but she was not 'behind' this. Ava's eyes were filled with pain realizing that John was trying to come up with valid reasons behind this and not believing what she had to say. That her behavior leading up to that moment was erratic enough to cause him to doubt her. If THAT wasn't reason enough for him to believe that there was something more to this situation, she didn't know what was. Ava was of sound mind and always had her shit together...the last couple of weeks were triggering blocked memories and emotions in her, and they were finally coming to light. But still, John thought she was grasping at straws.

"You don't believe me..."

Ava whispered more to herself than declaring it to John. It actually shocked her. That was when she showed him her necklace, actual proof that what she was saying was true. He had known her since she was a child and had seen her wear this necklace countless times. John remembered it, realizing she hadn't worn it in years. That was when Ava told him that Lily said it was her mothers. John immediately said it was a copy and Ava shut her eyes and shook her head, getting frustrated.

"That's my necklace, John. That's MY little girl! Stavros has been raising her all of these years, my memories wiped from my head by Diana! And now he's going to find out I know and disappear with her before I can get to her!"

She didn't have time to fight with him or try to convince him that she hadn't gone insane. She needed his help, but if he wouldn't help her, she would do it herself. So Ava slipped to her knees, taking John's hands. She had never begged for anything in her life. She had never gotten onto her knees for anyone in a declaration of want or need. But she was for John in that moment, telling him she couldn't lose her daughter again. Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked up at him. Her stomach in knots. She needed her King....but she would leave him if necessary to get her daughter back. She would go against the whole god damn world, Hellfire and beyond, to get her daughter back.

John: "Then let's go get her."

He hadn't hesitated but a second before looking her in the eyes and saying the words she had needed to hear from him. It felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest as he stood, picking her up with him.

John: "Do you want to call in the rest of the Court for this?"

He went into the role of King immediately, Ava taking a few seconds to catch her breath. She wanted to thank him, to hug him, to tell him he wouldn't regret this and she was telling the truth despite him likely humoring her. But so much time had been wasted already. So Ava nodded, shutting her emotions down like she was famous for doing, and getting into work mode.

"Inform Amanda that there's a situation involving Stavros that we're handling. Tell her to be prepared for massive backlash by Kelly...."

Ava's eyes went black and her tone murderous.

"My father isn't seeing the light of day tomorrow."

Ava moved toward the closet.

"I want this kept under wraps until we have Lily is in our possession. Once we're back at Hellfire, we'll de-brief the court and the other regents..."

Ava paused at that, the thought of having to tell Alek...

A few moments later Ava exited the closet wearing some black jeans, boots, and a long sleeved shirt. She slipped on her leather jacket before tucking her phone into her back pocket.

"We'll check his yacht first, then his estate in Mykonos. Can you call our people and see if he purchased any properties within the last six or seven years that i'm not aware of? Maybe something under Kelly's name? Or Helena's?"
 
The Paris Hotel Room

Ava: "You don't believe me..."

"I'm just trying to figure this thing out..."

He held up his hands.

"I know this whole business with Haleigh has been hard on you...but we can't jump to conclusions. Just because you're having visions of this girl, it doesn't mean she's your daughter, Ava...no matter how much you want it to be true..."

She showed him a necklace then, one he recognized. When she told him the little girl had had it, he said it was a copy.

Ava: "That's my necklace, John. That's MY little girl! Stavros has been raising her all of these years, my memories wiped from my head by Diana! And now he's going to find out I know and disappear with her before I can get to her!"

She sank to her knees then, something he'd never seen her do.

"Ava, get up..."

He looked down into her eyes, which were filling with tears. She seemed so sure...

And then he relented. Because it didn't really matter if it was true or not, there was time to find out. What mattered was getting the girl away from Stavros if she really was in his care. He knew first hand how Stavros raised children. And if she wasn't with him? They could search for her back in Paris. But for some reason, Ava needed this. So he let his doubts go, like they never had existed.

He picked her up, asking his Queen if she wanted any backup from the rest of the Court.

Ava: "Inform Amanda that there's a situation involving Stavros that we're handling. Tell her to be prepared for massive backlash by Kelly...My father isn't seeing the light of day tomorrow."

A day that was too long in coming, in his view. He had been forced to watch the way Stavros treated Ava for most of his life, and he welcomed their relationship coming to an end.

Ava: "I want this kept under wraps until we have Lily is in our possession. Once we're back at Hellfire, we'll de-brief the court and the other regents..."

His phone was already to his ear as Ava went to dress. He kicked off his suit pants and unbuttoned his shirt as he talked.

"Your Queen needs her Knight, Amanda. Increase security at all Black Court holdings - we need to be prepared for an attack from Stavros Cassadine or Kelly King. Especially Kelly. There's a situation going on that I can't discuss over the phone, but Amanda - we need you to step in while we handle this. Full alert."

He paused while he pulled a black t shirt over his head, then picked up the conversation.

"And Amanda? I want our people all over the hotel in Paris. Discreet, but outside, the lobby, on our floor. I want our suite to be a fortress. We'll explain when we're back at Hellfire."

He hung up, then slipped on a pair of black jeans and black trainers.

Ava: "We'll check his yacht first, then his estate in Mykonos. Can you call our people and see if he purchased any properties within the last six or seven years that i'm not aware of? Maybe something under Kelly's name? Or Helena's?"

"I'm on it."

He texted a contact in Wales, with instructions to send the info to his phone when he had it.

He stood facing her, knowing what was coming.

"Ready."
 
The Black Corridor

Alek: "If you aren't up for this, I will call Kelly."

"You dial one number and I'll gut you like a fish Alek. And you know I'm both crazy enough to do it and happy to die doing so."

His glare remained dark and brooding as it always was. She was just trying to help. The least he could do was pretend he knew how to read and actually HELP. He couldn't have been so stupid as to have been raised in Hellfire and knew nothing about magick. Being in The Black Wing was beginning to wear on her as her pulse began to raise, flashes of her past began to come back to her.

"KEEEP. IT. TOGETHER, ERIKA. STOP. STOP STOP STOP STOP."

She had been safe in The White Wing. Removed from all the things that had happened to her. So many people liked to brush her off. As if she had been born crazy. And here she was, one of the ONLY people who could help The White King and Queen, and she was still nothing more. Still crazy as a loon. Still untrusted. And by who? Some MAN who had fucked his sister in law and suddenly thought he could tell HER what she needed to do about her FAMILY. That was the problem with mania - it often came about unexpected. And she was under a lot of stress. She tried to focus on her reading. But it didn't last.

"You know I really don't get it, and it just fucking....bothers me."

[exhaling]

"I mean I get it. You know my brother is prone to flying off the handle when his ego is slightly threatened. All you have to do is sit back and be the supportive and loving King and you'll get it all. You're this bright shiny thing and she just keeps GRASPING at it and I can't take it."

She slammed her book down.

"They loved each other, Alek. They loved each other and they were going to have a baby. They're MARRIED. And then she was going to have YOUR baby, and you just sit there like this is the greatest thing ever. And I'd LIKE to believe, because Haleigh seems really, really into you, that you are just this guy who can just let everything fall off of him because he wants a baby, and he wants to be happy. But you're so unbothered. It's maddening. And I just can't figure out if this is some kind of move for you. I know you couldn't have planned it, but you certainly could fucking benefit from it. They're the two people I care about the most, and you're ruining it. RUINING it!"

Erika caught a glimpse of her old vanity in the corner of the storage room. Black obsidian. She had it special ordered when she was fifteen. She wanted it so badly, but looking at it now, it brought her no joy. That vanity hadn't been used to make her feel good about herself, it had been used to prepare herself for the depraved things her mother and Diana did to her. She knew Alek was likely ready to throttle her, but she didn't care. She pressed on.

"You men in Hellfire. You have it so fucking easy. Despite what your precious and fragile egos might think."

[mockingly]

"Wah there's no men in Hellfire. Blah blah blah. You haven't had to do an EIGHTH of what is required of the women. Of what was required of HALEIGH and I."

[shaking her head]

"Did Haleigh ever tell you? About our finishing school? About what Diana and Kelly put us through? As children? For fuck's sake...we were kids. Barely older than the zygotes in your girlfriend's stomach."

She pressed the bridge of her nose as she fought the memories and tears about to well in her eyes. She had avoided it since coming back to Hellfire but being in the Black Wing, where so much of it happened to her. It was too much. And Alek wasn't the best person to speak to, but he was there and Erika had done and said far more embarrassing things to lesser people.

"It's how women in Hellfire maintain their power they said. It's how they keep the upper hand. What it really meant was we are going to put you in very uncomfortable positions with men so that your aging mothers have some kind of currency to use when their pussies ran dry. And we both had our FILL of Red Kings - literally and figuratively.."

[pausing, her voice breaking a bit]

"The amount of men that Haleigh and I had to fuck before our breasts were even fully developed would make your head spin. Imagine, being taught by your own mother, how to kill a man while you fucked him? While he was inside of you? While you were trying to think about prom? About playing some kind of varsity sport?"

He was so laissez faire about having a kid. So happy. Like it was this great thing. Like Hellfire wouldn't consume them completely. She could understand Haleigh (re: hormones) but Alek. It just drove her crazy that nobody was talking about how dangerous this was, especially considering what they had all gone through in these walls.

"Well, it's a sliding door moment I guess. Some girls, like yours truly, are driven absolutely insane by it. Some of us just want to hurt others as much as we've been hurt, and I will tell you right now, there is no well DEEP enough to even measure what Kelly and Diana put us through. What we survived while Cameron was getting trophies for existing and you were probably promoted without even having to cut your HAIR."

"Other girls, like Haleigh? They figured out how to play the game, to use what they went through and get what they want. Or become a shell of a human. Become hollow because their mother took everything. Because she bred out any semblance of true personhood. You think she has a fire now, Alek? You should have seen her before they BROKE her. She was...everything I just couldn't be."

Her power signature flickered as an orb appeared over her head, replaying her memory to Alek.

Seer said:
<< The Red Wing - The Former Red King Adam Chandler straddles a young Erika King in his Quarters. >>

Adam: "That's a good girl."

<< Erika recoils to his touch, squirming away from him. >>

Erika: "GET. OFFF OF ME!"

<< Adams SLAPS Erika across the face as her nose begins to bleed. >>

Adam: "Stop pretending you don't know what this is. EVERYTHING in Hellfire has a COST, you little bitch. And it's time to PAY up!"

<< The Red King kisses her lips firmly as she squirms against his touch before BITING his lip with all of her might, sending him spiraliing off of her screaming. >>

Adam: "BITCH! YOU BITCH! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

<< Adam moves to his night stand, grabbing a knife from a drawer as he pins Erika down once more. >>

"GET....[groaning] OFF of ME!!!!"

<< The sound of a bullet silences everything as Adam's brains splatter against the head board. As his body falls on top of Erika, we see a young Haleigh standing in the center of the room, a revolver in her hand. >>

Haleigh: "She said stop, you disgusting motherfucker."
Click to expand...

"We made a pact. Once we ended it...once we killed Adam, once our mothers finally took us seriously. We were to never speak of it again, and we would always look out for one another. It's why she didn't bat an eyelash when Kelly wanted to make me Princess. It's why I want to help her."

"And it's why I would peel you from one end to another with a potato peeler the second I found out your intentions were anything but pure. With Cameron, I knew she was protected. That he would never to do her what the other men of Hellfire had done to us."

She ran her fingers through her hair as she leaned in on the counter on the table. She was now able to speak in a more serious tone.

"So don't ever fucking speak to me again like you know something I don't because you're King. Like you have some quality that I fall short of having. I'm not weak, Alek. I never have been. I'm stronger than anything that has ever come against me. And with every corpse I leave at my feet, with every bloodstained I have washed out of these pristine and meticulous white GOWNS, I persist. So have some fucking respect. I have earned everything I have, and I have the scars to prove it."

"I don't have a problem with you and Haleigh. But I am not for one second going to ever let you think that she is yours. As long as she chooses you great. But we paid for our freedom, and I'll do whatever I can to make sure she has whatever amount of that she chooses."

[flatly]

"That all of you would so joyously want to bring children here, KNOWING, despite your BEST efforts, that they will fall victim to it. Fall victim to Hellfire...it's frankly crazier than anything I have ever done, and I need to know, Alek - how the fuck you are so calm and how the fuck you think you will do any better than anyone that's ever came before you here."
 
The Black Wing - Storage Room

Erika seemed dejected, even moreso than usual by being in this place in the bowels of the Black Wing. But he needed her on her game, not depressed in the corner. He told her if she wasn't up to this, he would call Kelly.

Erika: "You dial one number and I'll gut you like a fish Alek. And you know I'm both crazy enough to do it and happy to die doing so."

He laughed.

"And trust me, you will die. But if you don't want Kelly back here, put on your big girl pants and figure this shit out."

He picked up one of the journals, and flipped to the first page. Crystals. Right.

But Erika wanted to chat, apparently.

Erika: "You know I really don't get it, and it just fucking....bothers me. I mean I get it. You know my brother is prone to flying off the handle when his ego is slightly threatened. All you have to do is sit back and be the supportive and loving King and you'll get it all. You're this bright shiny thing and she just keeps GRASPING at it and I can't take it."

He grinned at her.

"Your brother lost, get over it."

Erika: "They loved each other, Alek. They loved each other and they were going to have a baby. They're MARRIED. And then she was going to have YOUR baby, and you just sit there like this is the greatest thing ever. And I'd LIKE to believe, because Haleigh seems really, really into you, that you are just this guy who can just let everything fall off of him because he wants a baby, and he wants to be happy. But you're so unbothered. It's maddening. And I just can't figure out if this is some kind of move for you. I know you couldn't have planned it, but you certainly could fucking benefit from it. They're the two people I care about the most, and you're ruining it. RUINING it!"

He shook his head, setting the journal in his hands back down on the table.

"Their problems aren't about me, and you know it. Cameron dropped the ball. This is all on him. For chrissake, he attacked a woman with two babies inside her. Do you think she'll ever forgive him for that? Please."

He picked up the book again, but Erika wasn't done.

Erika: "You men in Hellfire. You have it so fucking easy. Despite what your precious and fragile egos might think. Wah there's no men in Hellfire. Blah blah blah. You haven't had to do an EIGHTH of what is required of the women. Of what was required of HALEIGH and I."

He looked up at her.

"Don't equate me with your brother. I didn't have everything handed to me the way you and your brother did. Growing up in a mansion, never having to actually prove your worth. Don't talk to ME about having to do what's required. If I failed, I'd be dead. If you failed? You'd get sent to your lavishly appointed room in a mansion. I know you're a princess and everything, but try not to be such a stereotype."

Erika then decided to wallow a bit more in her own feelings, and thought she would shock him by telling him what had happened between these walls long ago. But it didn't shock him. It made him angry. And it made his respect for Haleigh grow limitless because SHE could survive. Do what she had to do, and make people pay for harming her. But she never crumbled.

Erika: "So don't ever fucking speak to me again like you know something I don't because you're King. Like you have some quality that I fall short of having. I'm not weak, Alek. I never have been. I'm stronger than anything that has ever come against me. And with every corpse I leave at my feet, with every bloodstained I have washed out of these pristine and meticulous white GOWNS, I persist. So have some fucking respect. I have earned everything I have, and I have the scars to prove it."

He stood up slowly from the table, and leaned towards her, putting his hands on the table.

"The quality I have that you don't, Erika? I killed the person who got in my way and took my crown. I didn't settle for being less because I couldn't do what was necessary."

He pitied her in that moment, forever stuck under Kelly's shadow.

"You think Cameron will protect Haleigh? Go into the White Wing and see what his 'protection' did for her."

He scoffed.

"And yes, Haleigh did tell me what happened to her. And if I had been there? I would have killed every last one of those perverted motherfuckers who touched her. Who touched you. And if Kelly let that happen, Erika, where the hell was your brother's protection then? If he cared for Haleigh so much why did he do nothing. NOTHING!"

He pushed off the table and backed up, shaking his head at her. She was putting her blame in all the wrong places.

"Haleigh may not be mine, Erika, but I am HERS. The failing of MY time here was obeying Helena when she told me Haleigh was Cameron's... Because I would have let Diana kill me before I let her pimp Haleigh out like some whore."

Erika: "That all of you would so joyously want to bring children here, KNOWING, despite your BEST efforts, that they will fall victim to it. Fall victim to Hellfire...it's frankly crazier than anything I have ever done, and I need to know, Alek - how the fuck you are so calm and how the fuck you think you will do any better than anyone that's ever came before you here."

"Erika..."

His tone softened, in spite of himself.

"It is precisely because I want them that makes it different. Children aren't about legacies, or crowns. It's about loving them, protecting them. I didn't grow up in a mansion, my belly wasn't always full, my parents never loved me. But my children will be safe, and loved and never go hungry. And I will kill anyone who gets in the way of that. THAT's what's different."

He crossed his arms over his chest.

"You don't want people to think you're crazy? Then you need to come to grips with reality, Erika. See your family for who they really are. Ask yourself why Cameron would be willing to sacrifice his own son, or even a daughter who was part of Haleigh herself, if he loved her. Ask yourself how the hell Cameron is going to be any different than your mother as a parent, when all he sees is an empire to be built with a baby. I'm not the one you should be protecting Haleigh from."

He roughly pulled his chair out and sat back down, picking up Alison's journal and holding it up.

"Alison left for a reason, Erika. And I'm sorry for what happened to you. Truly. But I can't fix it for you. If you want my advice? Kill your mother."

He lowered his eyes to the page in front of him and started to read on the fascinating subject of crystals.
 
Alek: "Don't equate me with your brother. I didn't have everything handed to me the way you and your brother did. Growing up in a mansion, never having to actually prove your worth. Don't talk to ME about having to do what's required. If I failed, I'd be dead. If you failed? You'd get sent to your lavishly appointed room in a mansion. I know you're a princess and everything, but try not to be such a stereotype."

"Classes exist, Alek. We all had options. Ones that were a lot more noble than crowns at Hellfire or the lives we were born into. And we're all responsible for the path we chose. So you don't get to play Little Oprhan Annie with me, not while sitting on a throne counting your rubies. Money doesn't mean shit."

She tried to reach him, show him what she had been through with Haleigh by her side. She did it because she was having a lot of trouble controlling herself, and feeling safe in The Black Wing alone with a King. But he didn't get that. He was so driven to destroy Cameron is colored his whole existence. Still, she continued.

"So don't ever fucking speak to me again like you know something I don't because you're King. Like you have some quality that I fall short of having. I'm not weak, Alek. I never have been. I'm stronger than anything that has ever come against me. And with every corpse I leave at my feet, with every bloodstained I have washed out of these pristine and meticulous white GOWNS, I persist. So have some fucking respect. I have earned everything I have, and I have the scars to prove it."

Alek: "The quality I have that you don't have, Erika? I killed the person who got in my way and took my crown. I didn't settle for being less because I couldn't do what was necessary...You think Cameron will protect Haleigh? Go into the White Wing and see what his 'protection' did for her."

"Oh fuck off. Seriously."

"You killed Helena. And the fact that you think you deserve a trophy for doing it, is just a testament to their manipulations. Do you know? How many times I could have killed Kelly? How many nights i watched her sleep, watched her chest heaving up and down, wanting to drive an athame straight through her heart? I didn't do it because she was my mother. And you should be so lucky to have your future daughter ever take the same hesitation I have."

Alek: "And yes, Haleigh did tell me what happened to her. And if I had been there? I would have killed every last one of those perverted motherfuckers who touched her. Who touched you. And if Kelly let that happen, Erika, where the hell was your brother's protection then? If he cared for Haleigh so much why did he do nothing. NOTHING!"

Erika recoiled at his anger.

"Oh..it's my brother's fault. I get it. It's not Ava's. Or Alison's. Or Ben's. or Alexis? Or any other living and breathing human being who knows it's not right for mothers to PIMP out their underage daughters? It's my brother's fault. He was shielded from everything you asshole. If there are two people who are going to do anything together they don't want the others to know about it's Kelly and Diana. But thanks for somehow warping my sexual assault as being the fault of my only brother. You're really a gem, Alek."

Alek: "Haleigh may not be mine, Erika, but I am HERS. The failing of MY time here was obeying Helena when she told me Haleigh was Cameron's... Because I would have let Diana kill me before I let her pimp Haleigh out like some whore."

"That's what they did to us, Alek. We were whores. Both of us. I know it's a bit easier to think of me as some dumb bitch who got what she deserved and Haleigh as the virgin mary who just had this 'happen' to her, but it's BOTH of truths."

She was so mad at him. All he could see was his love for Haleigh and his hatred of her brother. He wasn't seeing her as an actual person, but a story of a person he had heard from many. And she hadn't been acting in any different way to make him think otherwise.

"That all of you would so joyously want to bring children here, KNOWING, despite your BEST efforts, that they will fall victim to it. Fall victim to Hellfire...it's frankly crazier than anything I have ever done, and I need to know, Alek - how the fuck you are so calm and how the fuck you think you will do any better than anyone that's ever came before you here."

There it was in a nutshell. Her feelings for all THREE of them. Having children here was so reckless, irresponsible and dangerous, and nobody was taking responsibility for that. Least of all not Alek.

Alek: "It is precisely because I want them that makes it different. Children aren't about legacies, or crowns. It's about loving them, protecting them. I didn't grow up in a mansion, my belly wasn't always full, my parents never loved me. But my children will be safe, and loved and never go hungry. And I will kill anyone who gets in the way of that. THAT'S what's different."

"Says you."

Erika furrowed her brow. None of the kids of Hellfire were born in support of it. They born out of defiance. Erika had the most siblings because Kelly was a woman who did truly think of her family in terms of legacies or crowns But it wasn't a bad quality. Her kids were still alive weren't they? And so was she. They were the only family still alive in Hellfire. All of them. Surely they had done something right? Surely Alek had to see that?

Alek: "You don't want people to think you're crazy? Then you need to come to grips with reality, Erika. See your family for who they really are. Ask yourself why Cameron would be willing to sacrifice his own son, or even a daughter who was part of Haleigh herself, if he loved her. Ask yourself how the hell Cameron is going to be any different than your mother as a parent, when all he sees is an empire to be built with a baby. I'm not the one you should be protecting Haleigh from."

She didn't like the way he seemed to think he knew so much about her family dynamic.

"I don't care if they think I'm crazy, in fact, from what I've seen, it's only been in my favor so far. You want to see this as something that it isn't. And I get it. Haleigh is carrying your baby. But look at that frozen moment in time when you get the chance. She was ready to destroy him. And you're line of thinking about my brother is just as likely to get your future daughter as well as yourself killed. And that's not a threat. It's reality. Cameron won't be like my mother, because he has never been like that to me. I drive him to the brink of insanity, I make him go crazy, and he is there for me. He will clean up my mess. He will bring down hellfire and brimstone on me when I fuck up, but he protects me. Makes sure I am okay. We already have an empire, Alek. Our success has never been dependent on Hellfire. It's inconsequential. They are both to blame for this."

Alek: "Alison left for a reason, Erika. And I'm sorry for what happened to you. Truly. But I can't fix it for you. If you want my advice? Kill your mother."

"It's funny. Years from now we may be in a scenario, with Carolina. With Cameron's son and your daughter. Would you advise them the same as you have just advised me?"
 
Beneath the Black Wing

Erika was seriously sitting there preaching to him about how easy he had it and how hard she had it. Alek was relatively sure Erika had never shoveled sheep shit whilst wearing her two thousand dollar shoes.

Erika: "Classes exist, Alek. We all had options. Ones that were a lot more noble than crowns at Hellfire or the lives we were born into. And we're all responsible for the path we chose. So you don't get to play Little Orphan Annie with me, not while sitting on a throne counting your rubies. Money doesn't mean shit."

He laughed.

"Well then you don't get to play poor little rich girl with ME."

And then she went on, and on, about what a raw deal she got and how much better she was than him, and how she knows Cameron will always protect Haleigh. He suggested she go check out the White Corridor if she wanted to see Cameron's protection in action.

Erika: "Oh fuck off. Seriously."

He laughed again. Sometimes she was adorable.

Erika: "You killed Helena. And the fact that you think you deserve a trophy for doing it, is just a testament to their manipulations. Do you know? How many times I could have killed Kelly? How many nights i watched her sleep, watched her chest heaving up and down, wanting to drive an athame straight through her heart? I didn't do it because she was my mother. And you should be so lucky to have your future daughter ever take the same hesitation I have."

Now that, he scoffed at.

"There's nothing lucky about it. If I ever did to my daughter what your mother did to you, my child would plunge the dagger through my heart without a second thought. Because that is what I will teach her to do. And you should have done it to Kelly."

She didn't think Haleigh had told him, about what she'd been made to do. But Haleigh had. And he had wanted to kill the fuckers that had done it to her, Diana, Malice. He would have killed them at the time, if he had been here. But he hadn't been. Cameron had, though. Alek's temper raged. Erika went on and on about how safe Haleigh was with Cameron, but he'd ALLOWED all that to happen. Alek NEVER would have.

Erika: "Oh..it's my brother's fault. I get it. It's not Ava's. Or Alison's. Or Ben's. or Alexis? Or any other living and breathing human being who knows it's not right for mothers to PIMP out their underage daughters? It's my brother's fault. He was shielded from everything you asshole. If there are two people who are going to do anything together they don't want the others to know about it's Kelly and Diana. But thanks for somehow warping my sexual assault as being the fault of my only brother. You're really a gem, Alek."

"Oh, fuck you, Erika. You can't sit here and wail at me about how great a guy Cameron is and how much better at keeping Haleigh safe he is than I am and then give him a pass for turning a blind eye to what was happening to his own sister. He followed your mother's orders, just like you did. And he'll expect his children to do the same damn thing for him."

He leaned forward towards her.

"There are people who are willing to get their hands dirty. No matter the risk. That's how I got everything I have. Ask yourself, would your brother take a hit to his own power so you didn't have to fuck someone? Would he kill your mother now, if she tried to force you? Because I would. Just like I would kill any man who laid a hand on Haleigh, or Ava, or you, or even Ashley. Stop wallowing in your self-pity, Erika. They're all dead, and you're alive. You have the power to punish anyone who comes against you, including your mother. So either DO it, or move on."

Erika; "That's what they did to us, Alek. We were whores. Both of us. I know it's a bit easier to think of me as some dumb bitch who got what she deserved and Haleigh as the virgin mary who just had this 'happen' to her, but it's BOTH of truths."

"For fuck's sake, Erika - your inferiority complex is suffocating. Don't project your self-image onto me. I'm putting the woman I love and my child's LIVES in your hands - I don't know what more of a vote of confidence you fucking want, but it's getting tiresome."

Erika couldn't understand why they would bring children into Hellfire. He tried to explain, how much he wanted to love and protect his children. That that was what made it different now than when Erika was a child. He told her she needed to see her family for what it was. That Cameron saw children as a means to an end. To an empire.

Erika: "I don't care if they think I'm crazy, in fact, from what I've seen, it's only been in my favor so far. You want to see this as something that it isn't. And I get it. Haleigh is carrying your baby. But look at that frozen moment in time when you get the chance. She was ready to destroy him. And you're line of thinking about my brother is just as likely to get your future daughter as well as yourself killed. And that's not a threat. It's reality. Cameron won't be like my mother, because he has never been like that to me. I drive him to the brink of insanity, I make him go crazy, and he is there for me. He will clean up my mess. He will bring down hellfire and brimstone on me when I fuck up, but he protects me. Makes sure I am okay. We already have an empire, Alek. Our success has never been dependent on Hellfire. It's inconsequential. They are both to blame for this."

He shook his head. It wasn't the same, at all.

"Haleigh is protecting her unborn children. Cameron can't get over his ego enough to leave her be, or love her as she is."

He held Alison's journal in his hand. He told Erika that her sister had left Hellfire for a reason, and that he was sorry for what had happened to her. But it was time for her to take her destiny in her own hands if she wanted to overcome it - he couldn't do it for her. He advised her to kill Kelly.

Erika: "It's funny. Years from now we may be in a scenario, with Carolina. With Cameron's son and your daughter. Would you advise them the same as you have just advised me?"

"We're not talking about teenagers being pissed off because they got grounded for breaking curfew."

He leaned forward and put his pointer finger on the table for emphasis.

"No one should survive hurting a child, Erika. I'd tell them to put a fucking dagger in the heart of anyone who tried."

And that definitely included Cameron King.
 
Beneath The Black Wing

"Classes exist, Alek. We all had options. Ones that were a lot more noble than crowns at Hellfire or the lives we were born into. And we're all responsible for the path we chose. So you don't get to play Little Orphan Annie with me, not while sitting on a throne counting your rubies. Money doesn't mean shit."

Alek: "Well then you don't get to play poor little rich girl with ME."

< Erika smirked. >

"I give the people what they BEG for, Alek. I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way."

< She tried to explain to him, her life in Hellfire, but in true Alek fashion, he just didn't give a shit. It was in his righteous indignation that she could see why Haleigh was drawn to him, but she would never tell him that. All of them, they had this idealized version of what children in Hellfire would like, even SHE couldn't help herself but to think about it. They all wanted to do so much better than the people before them, but Erika wasn't an ignoramous. None of them were truly equipped to give a child what they really needed in Hellfire. She thought of Carolina. How sweet that little girl was. How... well adjusted she was. Part of her was jealous, and not even in an ironic way. That little bitch got to wake up and pretend that unicorns existed while Erika grew up knowing she was going to have to fuck a lot of digusting men to get any peace for herself. And that sob story didn't seem to affect Alek.

Alek: "There's nothing lucky about it. If I ever did to my daughter what your mother did to you, my child would plunge the dagger through my heart withous a second thought. Because that it was I will teach her to do. And you should have done it to Kelly."

[Erika sighed]

"I wanna like you, Alek. I really do. I sit here and I'm like...oh he's so broody and hot and I love his man bun and he's so reminiscent of what I think a man should BE...but it's a lot fucking easier to spew words about what you're gonna teach your daughter when she doesn't exist. Don't fool yourself...even if you're the best man possible to her...you're gonna fail her. And so is Haleigh. That's being a fucking parent. Ask Ava how easy it would be to plunge a dagger in the chest of the man that raised you. It's not as simple as you want it, and if you're gonna be a father, you're gonna have to think in bigger terms than just being a better man than those that came before you...."

< He leaned into the bravado of his manhood of how he was just simply better than her brother and how nothing that happened to her would ever happen to his kid because he was just a better man. She defended her brother and he countered. >

Alek: "Oh, fuck you, Erika. You can't sit here and wail at me about how great a guy Cameron is and how much better at keeping Haleigh safe he is than I am and then give him a pass for turning a blind eye to what was happening to his own sister. He followed your mother's orders, just like you did. And he'll expect his children to do the same damn thing for him."

< She laughed at his ignorance. >

Alek: "There are people who are willing to do get their hands dirty. No matter the risk. That's how I got everything I have. Ask yourself, would your brother take a hit to his own power so you didn't have to fuck someone? Would he kill your mother now, if she tried to force you? Because I would. Just like I would kill any man who laid a hand on Haleigh, or Ava, or you, or even Ashley. Stop wallowing in your self-pity, Erika. They're all dead, and you're alive. You have the power to punish anyone who comes against you, including your mother. So either DO it, or move on."

"your kid would be dead if I hadn't given that little gift to Haleigh, Alek. Despite how strong your wife is. Despite how strong Cameron is. None of that matters. The reality is, your daughter was seconds away from not existing and it would have been without your knowledge, your regard, your moxy, your need to defend. NOTHING. DEAD. You're right. There are people who are willing to get their hands dirty. No matter the risk. People who would so easily kill your daughter without so much as a second thought. It doesn't matter what ANYONE'S morality is at that point, because it doesn't change the very real fact that despite your wilingness to lay hands on anyone that hurts women, there are those that will and CAN without your consent, knowledge or belief. We aren't HONORED to have you here Alek. Your twisted sense of MORALITY doesn't mean a flying fuck to us. Because you still participate in all of this. And despite your REACTION...to the VERY REAL things that might happen to your kid while trying to raise her under a roof like this? It won't STOP IT from happening. Your reaction doesn't CHANGE what she will experience under this roof whether you like it or not. You bring a kid here? To raise? You condemn them. And I can tell you from experience, nobody gives a shit what anybody does or WOULD do after the fact. This place is pain, Alek. And your words and your prowess to do something about it after the fact? It doesn't mean a fucking thing once it happens. Remember that. You aren't about to raise some happy well adjusted kid. You can only hope to raise a kid that learns to survive the trauma her parents put her through and find some admirable qualities about them. Don't kid yourself."

< She tried to get him to see what she was saying, but he didn't. >

Alek: "No one should survive hurting a child, Erika. I'd tell them to put a fucking dagger in the heart of anyone who tried."

"So you've never killed a father? Or a son? Or a daughter? Every person you've murdered under this roof has been just a human existing without anybody to call them family? By your own fucking logic you should be dead, Alek. So don't you dare sit there, judge MY family for what we did...because you're no fucking better. And the kid you bring up here will know that. Ugh..."

< The White Princess pulled her prescription bottle out of her pocket and popped another blue pill. >

"Look, I can't find a fucking thing here and you're pissing me off. We need to get back to The White Wing. Maybe somebody has been more productive than we have."
 
Beneath the Black Wing

Alek had gotten too comfortable with Erika. He had forgotten how incredibly damaged she was. He couldn't fault her for it, for the things she was saying. It was all too clear, in her inability to fathom a childhood in this mansion that was anything but pain and misery, and in her simultaneous unwillingness to put any of the blame for her own ruined childhood on her own family members. She was broken. This place had broken her. And her mind would not allow her to understand that other people, acting much differently, could have saved her. Should have saved her. Could keep a child safe from the things that had happened to her. Because Alek would steal his daughter away and live as a hermit in a cave before he would allow her to be used the way Erika had been. The way Haleigh had been. And despite what Erika might believe, that was a fact.

But arguing with her about it was accomplishing nothing. She would never see the truth of it. She couldn't. Her fragile mind couldn't bear it.

Erika: "Look, I can't find a fucking thing here and you're pissing me off. We need to get back to The White Wing. Maybe somebody has been more productive than we have."

"I sure as fuck hope so."

Alek tossed the journal he had been looking at back into a dusty box and got up from the table, more than ready to get out of this coffin of a basement. He started out through the door, then paused, and turned back.

"I meant what I said, Erika. If anyone lays a finger on you, I will kill them."

He turned away from her, and made his way back through the labyrinth to the corridor in the White Wing. He felt a sharp pain in his chest as he beheld Haleigh again, frozen in her murderous rage. He supposed it was a good thing that there was no change for the worse, but it was hard to view things that way. Jack was here with the Nefarias, and Heidi was still standing guard over Haleigh, which was good. Elena and Calder were coming from the direction of the Red Wing as well, he saw.

"So, what have we got? Jack, Calder, report."
 
Hellfire -- The White Hall

Jack attempted the explain his theory to the Nefaria girls. The new one seemed more astute than her sister, and when they began to practice on the plasma ionizer device he’d brought, it was clear that Adriana was also more adroit. Gia kept making noises and taking breaks from using her powers, while Adriana merely looked focused and remained quiet. Jack glanced over at Heidi, who was shifting her weight back and forth, as close to the crystal cage as she could stand without it reacting to her. There were footsteps, and Jack turned to see his King returning with Erika, as well as their new Red Rook coming back with the White King’s mistress. Alek asked for a report, and Jack moved to meet him with a nod.

”Yes sir, I believe I’ve worked out how to drain the forcefield. The Nefaria girls are practicing now. Gia seems to be struggling but I think her and Adriana can double team and take it down. Other than that, there’s been no changes since you left.”

Heidi: “She’s moving, the Queen is moving! Gia, get over here!”

Jack looked back at The White Queen. He squinted his eyes, unsure if he could discern the movement Heidi spoke of, but she’d been watching so intently. If Haleigh was coming back, she was doing so very slowly. Gia was reluctant to take action, but Heidi grabbed her by the neck and threw her angrily into the crystal cage. Gia was quickly overwhelmed by the energy, but Adriana appeared to be helping her.

Jack could only watch, as a small hole opened in the barrier. It was only about six to eight inches in diameter, barely big enough for anything, but Heidi was quick to reach in with one hand, grabbing a hold of the crown Haleigh was swinging at Cameron’s head. There was a lot of screaming and shouting between the Nefarias and then Gia exploded. Bits of blood and gore flew in every conceivable direction. Heidi was the closest, and she was about painted red on one side.

What a wonderful color on her.

Jack thought, as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocked to wipe mist of Gia off his face. Heidi shifted to water form, flowing through the opening in the cage. Adriana seemed unfazed by Gia’s obliteration, and was focused still on opening up the cage, which seemed to be working. Heidi had reformed inside the barrier, and was hanging onto the crown with both hands, trying to pull it from Haleigh’s grasp, as Haleigh’s hand came creeping toward Cameron’s skull. Then suddenly, Haleigh seemed to blink with awareness and let her arm fall towards Heidi. Adriana drained away the crystal cage completely. Cameron seemed to be reacting too.
 
The White Corridor

Time was of the essence, so as soon as Elena got Calder to the point where he wouldn't buckle under the strain of Cameron's power, the two of them returned to the White Wing. She saw that the others had already assembled, which was good. They needed to get this show on the road.

Alek, predictably (even if one was NOT a telepath), asked his people for a report out as if he was a World War II general. All he was missing was the helmet.

Jack: ”Yes sir, I believe I’ve worked out how to drain the forcefield. The Nefaria girls are practicing now. Gia seems to be struggling but I think her and Adriana can double team and take it down. Other than that, there’s been no changes since you left.”

Calder cleared his throat, then stepped forward.

Calder: "The boy child can manipulate time, the princess...awesome...she can raise the dead. And I think I can-"

Heidi: “She’s moving, the Queen is moving! Gia, get over here!”

Something was happening inside the cage. The Nefarias were draining it - a hole was visible and Heidi was getting through it towards Haleigh. The hole was growing but then the younger Nefaria suddenly exploded into a disgusting mess. Her sister kept going to her credit and soon the forcefield was completely gone. Elena gave Calder a telekinetic shove.

"No time - he can do it. Calder, NOW."

Elena tapped into Calder's mind as he copied Cameron's powers.

"Just like we practiced, hear only me. Concentrate on moving our astral selves to Cameron. Remember, control."

She mentally guided him, telepathically compelling him to do what she was asking. And then she saw him. Cameron. Cameron AND Haleigh. He was holding both her hands.

Calder: "What the-?"

She quickly shushed him.

"Quiet! Cameron, your son has somehow frozen the two of you in the middle of your attacks on each other and sent your astral selves here. He thinks he's protecting you. You need to counteract his abilities and guide both of you back to your bodies. We're standing by to help but you have to do it, Cameron. You can't stay here."

Elena backed away.

"Do it now, amado."

She kissed her fingertips and held it out towards him, then guided Calder to cut the connection, and they were back in the White Wing.

"They're coming, get ready!"

"Time for defense, Rook. Focus on deflecting any attacks coming from Cameron."

Hopefully, they wouldn't need to. Cameron had enough control to stop himself, now that he knew the situation. And it certainly hadn't looked like he was still harboring homicidal thoughts about his wife. But one could dream.

"Alek, you hold that puta back."

Elena braced for impact.
 
Back to Reality....

He never thought they would ever be in this position, but here they were. Their romantic relationship might have ran it's course, but there was one thing they could always agree on - power. How to get it. How to keep it. And as they held each other's hands and Cameron tapped into the psyche of his child, he felt himself overwhelmed with a kind of joy he didn't know was possible. The same joy he felt when he saw Carolina for the first time. For so long he had lived for himself. For so long the world had seemed to live for him. Today the world had shown him his place.

Haleigh: "Good, because I'm ready to prevent this hell from happening to us. Take us back to reality, Stud."

The White King flushed. He would never not melt a bit inside when she called him that. Cameron reached out with his mind, following the feeling his son was giving him. He was a telepath of the highest order, but he had never attempted to enter the mind of a child, let alone a baby that wasn't even fully developed. It was...complicated to say the least. And then he heard HER while also feeling another entity...Calder.

Elena: "Quiet! Cameron, your son has somehow frozen the two of you in the middle of your attacks on each other and sent your astral selves here. He thinks he's protecting you. You need to counteract his abilities and guide both of you back to your bodies. We're standing by to help but you have to do it, Cameron. You can't stay here."

[to Elena] "It's good to hear your voice, El..."

And she was gone. Her boon allowed him to focus. It was the most surreal experience of his life. He could sense his son. He could sense Haleigh's daughter. But he couldn't communicate like he normally would. He could sense both of their fear, perceive small words, almost like language but also something different. These kids were connected. This was both of their doing. They were aware of each other and were seeming to develop a bond already. With as much refinement as he could muster, he used his empathy to pacify them, to assure them that both Cameron and Haleigh were safe, that they had learned the lesson, that they were ready to go home. Once they were pacified, Cameron was able to take hold of both him and Haleigh, and astrally guide them back to their bodies.

<< BOOM! >>

They returned quickly, his eyes lighting up as his wife's hands were wrapped around his throat. Their consciousness returned and they found themselves looking at each other squarely in the eyes. It came back to him. What he had said to her, what she had said to him. How they almost just ended it all. He began to cough as Haleigh hesitated for a moment to release her grasp, but she did and Cameron fell to the floor, coughing and gasping for air.

As he regained control of himself and his breathing he turned to face a very peculiar looking group of people assembled in front of them, many of them now covered in blood.

"Uhhh....sorry to drag you into our affairs.."

He looked at Haleigh to take the lead because there wasn't a way out of this if she wasn't in front of him, something he was going to have to keep in mind for the future.
 
Hellfire -- The White Hall

Adriana was trying to coach Gia through practicing on the machine. She didn’t really want to bother, but with so many witnesses she was inclined to play politics. She’d only been back a couple of days, too short a time to really know for sure who was allied with Gia and who wasn’t, though the rumors were that Gia was on the outs with a lot of the Inner Circle, in particular her own Queen. This was good news for Adriana, but until it could be confirmed, she played her cards close to the vest.

Gia was on the struggle bus, and that was putting it nicely. Adriana could tell that Gia didn’t bother much to train with her powers. She seemed to have a teenager’s competency with abilities she should have keenly developed by now. Adriana had only had her powers back for three days, after being without them for years, and she had better command of kinetic energy than Gia, who seemed to get quickly overwhelmed by it. At the rate this was going, it would take weeks, maybe even months to get Gia up to snuff.

Time ran out on them quite rapidly. While men in red updated their King, Heidi exclaimed that the Queen was moving. Adriana could sense the kinetic change, even if it wasn’t obvious to the eye. Gia balked at Heidi’s command to get over to the cage and start working on it. Heidi was clearly displeased, and actually grabbed Gia by the back of the neck and THREW her into the cage, calling her a ‘bloody useless coward’. Adriana didn’t have time to appreciate that as much as she’d like to, but she DID think she might befriend Heidi, before turning to focus on the forcefield.

Gia was screaming as if she were being tortured. It was really off-putting. Just to try to shut her up, Adriana shifted her focus from draining the shield to draining her sister of the building energy. Unfortunately it meant she could only make a small hole in the forcefield. Heidi was quick to stick her whole arm through the opening, which Adriana thought was either courageous or reckless, because if Adriana so much as sneezed that hole was going to close up and sever the White Knight’s arm. Gia was screaming for help.

”I AM HELPING YOU, GIA! TRY TO OFF-LOAD SOME OF THE KINETICS, PUT IT BACK IN THE SHIELD, YOU’VE BECOME A COMPLETE CONDUIT—”

Adriana shouted at her, but she was interrupted by an ear-ringing crack of energy, and then a bright flash made her close her eyes for a moment. She was sprayed with some warm liquid, and pelted with little bits of something that felt gross. When she opened her eyes, Gia was gone. There wasn’t time to really dwell on it. Adriana focused on the forcefield now, and without needing to help Gia, she was much more effective. Heidi turned to water, flowing through the widening gap in the cage and getting inside the shield.

It was a bit surreal to see her go translucent and to watch the Knight’s clothes follow the water current into the cage, to be perfectly placed on her body as she reformed, Gia’s blood rinsing quickly from the fabric. What a neat trick. The next thing Adriana knew, Cameron was coughing, Haleigh was blinking, and the shield was giving way to her will. Haleigh released Cameron’s throat, and let her arm that was previously raised to strike fall aside. The White Queen looked around and asked about the bloodbath everyone had just taken.

”Gia just exploded all over us while trying to drain the forcefield.”

Adriana explained simply, picking bits of flesh out of her hair.
 
Hellfire -- The White Hall

Haleigh was coming back to her body. She could feel someone tugging on the object in her upraised hand. She could feel her husband’s pulse throbbing in the fingers of her other hand. They locked eyes for a moment, and after a beat, she let go. She didn’t want to kill him anymore. She let Heidi pull the crown from her grasp, no longer interested in attempting to cleave Cameron’s skull with it. She did a quick digital survey to assess the current situation. There was no footage of their previous argument, on anyone’s personal devices, or on the surveillance servers. Haleigh glanced at Heidi and then Erika, knowing one of them had hid the footage to protect Cameron. The ball was in Haleigh’s court, so to speak. She had the power to restore the footage, to expose Cameron for all the things he said in anger, and damage his standing in the Inner Circle.

She looked at him, looking up at her after apologizing to everyone for dragging them into the affair. Haleigh smelled blood, and her gaze swept the hall to see it was practically painted on every surface, including the others. Only Cameron and Haleigh had been spared, and Heidi was dripping wet after obviously having rinsed herself off. Heidi rushed to help Cameron to his feet. Haleigh decided to de-escalate the situation.

”What’s with all the blood?”

She asked casually, and Adriana explained that Gia had exploded.

”Oh no! Anyway,”

She replied, moving away from Cameron and towards Alek in case she’d need to restrain him.

”The White King and I have had a private conference. We’ve decided on a separation, and an armistice. Take sides if you want, but hostilities will not be tolerated. We’ve agreed that children will not be harmed, and are to be protected at all costs. This decree extends not only to Carolina, the King’s daughter, but to both my unborn children,”

Haleigh explained, her gaze settling on Elena for a moment for emphasis, before continuing to move amongst the others.

”But it also includes any other children, present and future, belonging to the members of the Inner Circle.”

She finished, glancing finally at Cameron, her expression telling him to publicly agree. Then she turned to Alek, her hand trailing down his forearm as she pulled his phone from his pocket. She took the back of his hand, turning his palm up and putting his phone there. The screen was lit up with her memory, a silent video of their teenage daughter, lounging with her polar bear pet in the crypt of the alternate future. She watched his expression change as he recognized the likeness of the girl to Haleigh. She smiled up at him gently.

”What do you think of the name Rebekah?”

She asked him quietly, her back turned on the others. She remembered that Cameron had wanted to see the ultrasound, and so she shifted, her hand slipping back up his to his bicep as she turned. She was arm in arm with Alek, and now facing the others. She sent the ultrasound to Cameron in a text, and she waited for him to finish smoothing things over. They would likely have to continuously reinforce the armistice for a while, until everybody got used to the agreed upon peace, and the past weekend of uncertainty and tension faded from memory. Tonight would be the first step. She was covering for him, and it was an olive branch extended, but he would be able to tell that it was with a measure of great caution on her part.
 
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