What's the matter with Rose?

[Chimera]

New York City - Brooklyn - Heritage Bar

*The once light and breezy atmosphere of the bar shifted as Simon spoke of The Purifier Event. Lauren had gone on the air that night and called for William Stryker and his cronies to the carpet for their actions. She had been infuriated that Stryker hadn't been brought to justice and once again the city had paid the price. The next day, the network called HER to the carpet for going "off book". They quickly apologized when her verbal takedown went viral. She was an overnight sensation, though part of her was really unsettled by the events that led up to it. But that was journalism...sometimes the stories you told or uncovered..were painful ones. You weren't writing fiction, you were bringing things to light that were of value, that were important for people to know. You could only hope that people saw where the real strength of these stories lied - in the people that they were about.*

*She was listening to one of those stories unfold in front of her as Simon continued. Though she wasn't the best of friends with Simon Pratt, she knew of him as most people did, and what she did know wasn't necessarily flattering. But Lauren always knew that most important things lay beneath the surface. And his antics had been pretty amusing over the years. He brought a certain quality of fun to the very stuffy world of New York High Society, and he made things fun. But this Simon Pratt had more substance.*

:: taking a sip of his whiskey drink. ::

“Purifiers made national headlines. I could only imagine what some misguided, uneducated people might have taken away from the event. Though most would be horrified, there would be others who found their cause to be righteous. It gas-lighted things. I didn't want what happened in New York to happen somewhere else. So I came up with Vanguard...”

“A Political Action Group that would offer protection and counsel to all mutants who require it – everything from social services to legal help, counseling and even medical care from people who were like them – Mutants. By mutants for mutants. However, nobody with money in this town wants to throw it at a bunch of mutants. They think they are funding their own destruction. Six meetings today and not a one of them said YES. It's been a little depressing.”

*She cocked a concerned eyebrow as Simon spoke.*

"Looks like this is a little more personal than I thought..."

*The investigator in her couldn't help herself from asking questions.*

"By mutants for mutants. Simon...does that mean..you are...a mutant?"

Simon: "Yes..I am."

"Whoa."

*She felt a static energy tingling up her spine at Simon's words. She was a bit shocked, though looking closer, she guessed she couldn't be surprised. The people he associated himself with? Cameron King. Vivica Lennox..they were part of a group in New York that Lauren had an intimate and maddening history with. She had seen them do things that were incredible, and unbeknownst to many of them, she had been a part of one of their biggest tragedies. She could feel something tug at her heart strings, and as she looked at his healing but damaged face, she began to put the pieces together. Simon was experiencing something she had gone through years earlier - the loss of her innocence. The knowledge that there was an entire world hidden in his own. One that was brutal and unforgiving, and often times downright tragic. Her mind began to wonder.*

<< FLASH! >>

Years Ago - The Night of Sharon Kelly's Death

::Alycia was on the floor of the bus. half way under a seat. Sharon lay next to her as she hid as best she could from the last final scare of Master Mold. she heard Alison being maimed and she heard Morgan SCREAM...for the last time before all went silent. She cautiously emerged...and upon seeing Alison in Haleigh's arms while Frost tried to revive her....and not seeing Morgan ANYWHERE around..given the distress that Haleigh was expressing..it could only mean one thing. Morgan had sacrificed herself to save them all from Master Mold::

:: She bowed her head as she covered her mouth...she was so weary...so heart broken already, NOW all she could feel was disbelief.::

:: sirens could be heard in the distance....and the surviving members of The Six had to escape while they could. She wanted to say SOMETHING...and usually she ALWAYS knew what to say..but she couldnt speak. As Haleigh gives her instructions on the tape to give to the authorities, Alycia nods solemnly ....looking Haleigh directly in the eyes trying her best to convey how she felt.::

:: she watched as the Six hurried into the darkness around a corner and turned back to the bus....she had to attend to Sharon's body. She feared for Alison and the rest of the Six...but she knew they would contact her as soon as it was safe. She had her own part of this caper to carry out and no matter how tired or heart broken she was.....she would do it.::

:: kneeling down next to Sharon....Alycia holds Sharon's now colder hand without any hesitation::

....don't worry Sharon. they wont get away with this. MysTech WILL pay. You'll see......You and Morgan....will be avenged...and MysTech will go DOWN for this!


:: she crumbled down..leaning her back against a seat as she waited for rescue crews, police, fire and news crews who were now converging on the scene....The surviving members of the Six AND the Siege Perilous were long gone.::

*Lauren had witnessed the entire thing...and the battle that ensued afterwards. It changed her entire life.*

<< FLASH! >>

Years Ago - Moments after the attack on Alycia and Sharon

Lauren didn't hesitate. She emerged from the darkness, running with a limp leg right towards Alycia and the horrific scene left in the wake of such a miraculous battle.

"Alycia! ALYCIA!"

Alycia had been battered emotionally and physically, and in times like this, sometimes you didn't have to be a superhero to help. Alycia's eyes widened in both disbelief and horror as a physically worn looking Lauren Danvers came hobbling to her. She had just allowed herself to crumble and now she was thrown back into the role of protector, like always. She shot up like a cannon.

Alycia: "Lauren!?! Lauren GET OUT OF HERE NOW! It's not SAFE!"

Lauren continued to reach her, before enveloping the district attorney in her arms, tears falling from her face, holding the attorney TIGHTLY, not letting her know that this act of comfort was as much for LAUREN as it was for her. Alycia fought against her, but after everything she had been through, she was too weak to protest, and deep down, she needed somebody there with her. She was strong, but she had just lost two of her best friends within minutes of each other. There was no person alive who wouldn't be broken from that. Alycia began to weep wildly in her arms, a RARE display of emotion from the lawyer.

"I'm so..Alycia..I'm so sorry. I saw everything. I saw everything. They murdered her...they murdered Sharon. Oh my god, Alycia. I'm so sorry!"

Alycia didn't speak. She only wept, her tears staining Lauren's jacket as her head rested on her shoulder. The police sirens could be heard stronger now. All of these people, these people who had no idea what had just happened were about to descend on Alycia as if she were the shining star of some sideshow circus. Lauren wasn't going to let that happen. She grabbed Alycia by the shoulders, having a moment of clarity. She wiped Alycia's tears with her hands.

"I know what you have to do, and...I'm going to help. But we have to pull ourselves together right now, okay. You need to rest for a bit. Let me handle things. Please. Let me handle things."

The two shared a very deep and silent glance in each other's eyes. Despite Alycia knowing how sensitive this situation was, there was something in Lauren's eyes that told her, she could trust Lauren. Alycia nodded silently. Thinking for a moment, Lauren took off the cross necklace that was around her neck and placed it around Alycia's neck, as a token of trust.

"You're okay now. I promise. You're okay."

As the cars arrived ALL around them with flashbulbs, police lights, fire trucks, Lauren took a DEEP breath, and she sprung into action. If she didn't do SOMETHING, she was going to fall apart completely.

*She had gone into overdrive, shielding the press and police from Alycia Barnett, managing to get control of the scene. Lauren stood on the streets of New York City and broke the news to it's citizens that Sharon Kelly had been killed.*

<< FLASH! >>

Lauren Danvers on the streets of New York - at the SCENE of Sharon's Death

"Good evening New York, this is Lauren Danvers for Channel 6 News. It has been reported and confirmed by federal, state and local officials that Senator Sharon Kelly, who had just won re election for the senate seat of New York has been assassinated. The exact identity of her assassin has not officially been confirmed....but sources as well as video footage retrieved from a security camera in the area reveal what appears to be a giant robot...known as a "sentinel" attacking the Senator. There was one survivor AND eye witness to what is being called by some, the most balatant act of domestic terrorisim. ADA Alycia Barnett, who was traveling with the Senator to what would have been the victory celebration at the Rainbow Room, survived the attack and while badly shaken, managed to avoid major injuries. She has been retrieved by rescue workers and is now under protection, her where abouts remaining undiscolsed at this time. We will keep you posted as this matter unfolds, but this reporter would like to remind the media to respect the privacy of Barnett as well as the surviving family of Sharon Kelly at this time. Once again, this is Channel Six News, back to you Janet."

*To know that Simon had joined the ranks of highly successful supers in the city, it gave her pause. To see what she had seen all those years ago, it made her as ambitious as she was...set her on an already blossoming path towards the TRUTH. It was what she valued above all else, and she would go to the ends of the Earth to seek it out. After the death of Senator Kelly, Lauren refused to be in the dark any longer..and it seemed as if Simon was now going through something very similar. It was a painful moment of irony for her.*

*Lauren found herself searching for the right words, but thankfully Danny interjected and said all the right things..well most of them.*

:: His eyes widened for a moment. Simon just admitted that he was a mutant to one of the country's most prominent primetime news anchors in the country. Danny looked at Lauren for a moment who seemed STUNNED at the revelation, and Danny had to admit - this kid had balls. Any doubt he may have had about the guy before, it was quickly dissappearing. ::

[looking at Lauren]

"Well...it's clear we've moved into "off the record" territory."

:: Danny turned his face back to Simon and grabbed his hand from across the table. ::

"Relax, puddin' you're not my type."

"Little white lie never hurt anybody.."

"Simon...thanks for telling us that. You can trust us [glancing at Lauren] BOTH of us to be discreet."

:: He smiled, pulling his hand back. ::

"You're on the right track you know? I'm sure I can't be the only who's said that. Which is probably why it's so frustrating that you feel like you aren't making any head way.."

:: tapping his fingers on the glass of his beer. ::

"But have you thought maybe you aren't looking in the right direction?"

Simon: "What do you mean?"

"I mean you are trying to appeal to people who aren't ready to listen to you. Take you seriously. But they aren't the only people with money in town. There's money outside of the Upper East Side...along with passion, dedication..you just have to be willing to find it. I barely know you, but if you are as honest with others as you have been with Lauren and I..there's no way you won't get what you want..."

:: smirking. ::

"And I'd like to help.."

"I have a...deep relationship with this city. I'm a business owner - of the bar your sitting in right now..I've worked in city planning..served on city council. There's not an inch of this place that I haven't seen and don't know intimately. An no offense, you're rather dashing but..."

:: he smiled and titled his beer bottle towards Simon in a "cheers" gesture. ::

"I'm manly and rugged. And that's not even counting when i'm in my Calvin's..."

*Lauren smiled, thankful for a joke in the now thick and serious air. Danny was a really sweet and genuine guy. She had never met anybody who hated him and she had also never met a person that loved New York City in the way that he did. While for the most part, they had been casual party friends, but after a few drinks, he would wax poetic on the city, as it it were actually alive, and responsive. It was a little quirky, but thankfully, the rest of Danny was firmly planted in the ground. He really COULD help Simon, and Simon would be lucky (moreso than he already was) to have Danny on his side. Perhaps this little rendezvous was a bit of fate calling to the three of them.*

:: taking a sip. Danny had been looking for something different. He felt like he hadn't been able to get a handle on the things happening in his city, and he hated the feeling of being two steps behind the growing darkness that plagued his mistress. Perhaps Simon and his connections to teams like Birds of Prey and The Six...and apparently, The Hellfire Club, could help Danny do what need to be done, while paying it forward. ::

"And this bar is more profitable than it looks."

"I've been worried about the city for quite some time now. Perhaps it's time for me to pay it forward. If you'll have me...I'd like very much to join rank Vanguard."

:: He watched as Simon's eyes widened and he seemed stunned for a moment. Lauren piped in. ::

"Uh Simon...do yourself a favor and shake the man's hand!"

*Thankfully Simon did!*

Danny: "Say hello to your first investor and Public Relations Advisor, kid. Pleasure doing business with you."

"Well isn't this just...kind of sweet. I'm glad I called you over Simon."

Simon: "Me too, Lauren! Danny..thank you for your help. I appreciate it. I'll set up a meeting..show you what I'm working with. See what you think?"

*Danny nodded. As much as Lauren didn't want to hamper the mood, which was returning to it's light and fun state, she couldn't let Simon leave without giving him a bit of advice.*

"Before you run off..There's something that I need to say.."

"I'm sure this is all very exciting, Simon...and you should be very proud of yourself right now. But the boldness you have..it comes at a cost. TRUST me when I say that. When you want to do good...evil comes knocking at your door. There's a reason that mutants stay hidden. There is SAFETY in anonymity. Especially in a time where people feel RELIGIOUSLY motivated to kill your kind.."

"I've always been driven by the TRUTH...and I've gone to GREAT and often DANGEROUS lengths to find it, and drive it out into the light. The things I've seen...and the places i've been..well, it's the stuff of NIGHTMARES."

*Lauren spoke with a knowing tone, thinking of a certain underground facility she had found herself in once.*

"When Vanguard goes public..when the world figures out what you are doing? The people who have terrorized this city will come calling..though judging by the bruises and the cuts and scrapes, it appears that maybe they already HAVE."

"I believe in you..I really do. But I have seen these people take out HEAVY HITTERS in this city...people they shouldn't have been able to take out..people that should have been well protected."

"I'm not trying to scare you..I just want you to really UNDERSTAND what you are getting involved with before you go any further. You have to be SMART. You have to really know what you're doing..and you have to be at high volume 100% of the time. It's the only way you'll be able to do what needs to be done."

*Shaking her head, her tone became a little bit less serious as her low and sultry, raspy voice seemed more light.*

"That being said [looking at Danny] it seems like you're good at making friends..and now that I know..about you - you can be sure that I will have my cameras ready at a MOMENT'S notice should you need it. I became a journalist because I wanted to help people know what's REALLY going on around them..what's being HIDDEN from them..so they can make INFORMED choices..for their lives..for their SAFETY..so our causes are intertwined."

*Lauren then proceeded to down her beer in one swig and wiped her mouth sloppily.*

"But there's enough time to talk all of this over. It's time to celebrate your win of the day, and I feel like drinking until I'm not annoyed by the sound of my own voice!"

*she turned to Angel the bartender, and she waved her bottle*

"Angel! Another cerveza please? And the crowd's thinning out. Why don't you join us? The more the merrier."

 

[Silver Swan]

Charope- Infirmary

[ Alycia and Xavier arrived. Now there were 4 "birds" in the same space since Sharon literally knocked Ashley out of the park. ]

[ This mini reunion was for for the very urgent cause of helping a friend- Delilah Trelevan, even though Alycia felt some kind of way about him.]

[ Sharon and Alycia stood on either side of Delilah, supporting her, each amazon holding one of her hands, as Xavier stood beside Alycia and they watched Isis work]

Hold fast, Delilah...

[ To see her in action, was to witness a goddess. Dominique conducted herself in a regal, almost aloof way, and some people dismissed for that, but her POWER was undeniable.]

Let the season of light

bring Maxim Sheremetyev healing, restoration, and wellness!

:: She concentrates, conducting this symphony of magick with a gentle but FOCUSED hand and as she moves further along, the golden glowing circle spinning around her and bishop begins to spin faster, the symbols in the circle glow before it FLASHES brightly with a crash of thunder, and a wirl wind of white tulip petals flows around them ::


Let the body be made WHOLE once more, and let him BREATHE ANEW!

:: Isis, the egyptian goddess of rebirth and magick, thrusts her hands out to either side, and all sight of her and Bishop is lost for a blinding moment, as the magick symphony of healing CLIMAXES and Bishop GASPS with life renewed and body RESTORED.::

:: The magick runs its course. Bishop once again, finds his life restored by the hand of a goddess, but one from an entirely different pantheon.::

:: The spinning, glowing golden circle of protection slows to its original speed, and the glowing white tulip petals begin to fall around Bishop and Isis, and flowly fade::

:: Isis' glowing eyes return to norm as she looks to Delilah::

Bishop is restored. He will live. But he must take this time to rest.

[ That climax of Isis' power was INTENSE, even for Sharon, but she held steady, and continue to support Delilah, along side Alycia. Soon, it was over. Bishop was ALIVE, restored.]

Isis: It's alright, Maxim. You're safe now.

[ He was already regaining consciousness. Isis soothed the spasm of his lungs, and kept him restrained as he integrated back into his body. Soon, she relaxed the bindings and let him stretch as he was more lucid]

Alycia: We'll keep him here, My staff and I can watch over him...

[ At Isis' nod, Sharon and Alycia released Delilah, letting her go to Bishop]

Sharon: We'll protect him while he continues to recover.

[ Sharon could see he was awake and lucid. There was no point in delaying the $600,000 question...]

Maxim....who did this to you? Who was it that attacked you in such brutal fashion? We need to know, In case he....

[ Looking at Alycia, Isis and Xavier]

...OR SHE...tries to come after you again.

[ Sharon had her suspicions, but Maxim needed to confirm it out loud for them, for Delilah.]

 

[Firebird]

Starlight Lounge

Yeah, Red was different tonight, on edge. NOBODY got any love and they hit the lounge. Blaze ordered the hell out of some drinks but I needed to get it in.

3 Southwest stuffed chicken breasts, a green salad with lime cilantro vinaigrette, my usual fruit bowl and 3 screwdrivers.

Blaze looked up for a brief moment, as each person ordered food or drink of their choice. She was seated with Vivica and Richard on either side of her, and everyone else around the table in a reserved section of the lounge.

She urgently gulped a fair amount of her tequila gold drink, and looks around the table. The most outsized aura at the table was Derek. Blaze wasn't the only one who seemed more off than usual. Cass was reserved as well, but that might be attributed to her being leery of strangers anyway, and Derek's big personality might have been unsettling to her. Andrew seemed to be fine with him, Vivica as well.

I at least got to sit beside Red, so I opened my hand real slick to reveal a note for her.

Are you OK? Is it me?

If I need to go, that is what I will do...

Blaze's apple green eyes glance down and spot the subtle communication. Her eyes widen for a moment. One of the skills she learned in her black ops training from her own native timeline was basic hand sign language, part of the ability to communicate silently. And so, she placed her hand down on Rich's hand and held it here for a moment, signaling him to keep his eyes look down. Then she signed the word "NO" to him. HE wasn't the problem. She then took his hand in her own soft, well manicured hand and sequeezed it, indicating she wanted him to remain. His eyes met hers and she smiled, nodding in reassurance.

"Well I tell you, there's nothing like being DRY to make a girl feel a bit CRANKY!"

This WAS her time now, to spend with beautiful friends, some of whom would be keeping company with her in the VIP clubhouse once this calorie fest was over.

Everyone was looking stylish and for a moment, while there was so much uncertainty outside waiting to envelope them, and her own churning feelings of relief and dismay regarding vivica, and this..."SCHOOL GIRL" feeling(?) she had regarding Richard, Blaze was really feeling SOME KIND OF WAY!!

Why NOT try to enjoy this moment?

She happily took another long drink

That's BETTER....

"So, Derek, how long will you be in town?"

"If this is your first time meeting Drew here, then you must not know how HE came to meet Sally Spectra?"

Drew wasnt just a mere employee to the house of Spectra. Even though he might not be Blaze's biggest fan, she gave him due credit. Sally had a soft spot for him after he saved her life, and she gave him a job, helped him to get on his feet here in the city, and following the purifiers attack, whenever she's in town, he's now her BODY GUARD. He'd also gained more responsibility in the Spectra Couture boutique, as he earned Sally's trust.

Blaze liked him, he was cute in his own way, and he seemed like he had a good heart...which was more than she could say for the aura that DEREK gave...but unfortunately for Drew, he'd let the inaccurate opinion of Delilah skew his view of her. She was was completely over Delilah, but she wanted to learn more about him and since they were both on Team Spectra, she was willing to give it a try.

The server was soon bringing another round of drinks for Blaze and whoever else ordered, and food started to arrive

 

[Persephone]

"Fuck me."

Persephone collapsed onto the bed out of breath, her fingers raking through her tousled hair. Another round, even more intense than the last. He wasn't kidding when he said berserkers were known to go for days, it was fucking fabulous. The world could be ending outside her bedroom walls and she wouldn't know OR care at that point. She felt like she was in Greece again--endless days of drinking, food, sex, and killing.

She felt Alek kissing his way up her arm again, his hands running the length of her leg, Persephone laughed, still out of breath.

Placing her hand on his.

[playfully] "You. Stop."

Her mouth met with his.

"Food first, dessert later."

Sitting up, Persephone pulled her hair up into a messy bun eying the bowl of assorted fruits. Strawberries, kiwis, blueberries, pomegranate. She smirked.

"My favorite."

Picking up a piece of pomegranate, she popped it into her mouth savoring the taste. She looked over at Alek inquisitively, continuing the conversation from before.

"So....I know where it all began, Bear. But how did you end up here at the Hellfire Club?"

 

[MorningStar]

Charope – Infirmary

Sharon was holding on to her arms.

Delilah, please sit down. You were attacked by Malice, and you might be hurt in ways that are not visible or physical...Isis will do all she can for him. We have to trust her, and let her take the time she needs.

“How can I sit down? I have to do something. This is all my fault...”

She looked into Sharon’s face, the guilt apparent in the strain on her face.

“I wasted so much time…and that video…what must he have been thinking, while he was being murdered? Did he just lay down and die because yet again I had betrayed him? Because it was his turn to die?!”

Delilah...you're trembling!

“Alycia. Thank you for coming.”

Delilah hugged her friend.

I've tried to get her to sit down, but she won't stay still. She was attacked by Malice!

Goddess! Delilah, are you okay?! I can get the medical team to...

Delilah waved her away.

“I’m fine. It’s not me. It’s…”

She indicated where Isis was working on restoring Bishop.

Oh, Delilah, this is Xavier Winston, I believe you've met him once before? he's a member of our...THE team....The birds of prey.

Delilah nodded to him and tried to manage a smile.

“Of course. How do you do.”

She clutched at Alycia’s hand as she watched Isis work her magicks.

And then, as if Isis had truly brought him back from the dead, Maxim gasped for air, BREATHING once again.

Bishop is restored. He will live. But he must take this time to rest.

Delilah went to Dominique, and took her hand, knowing that she was not really one for physical contact.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. You saved his life, and I won’t forget it. Ever.”

We'll keep him here, My staff and I can watch over him...

And WE'LL protect him.

Delilah managed a half smile at both of them, her face still streaked with tears.

“And thank you both.”

Maxim’s eyes fluttered open and Delilah rushed to his side, taking his hand gently in one of hers, and stroking his hair with the other. She smiled down at him, trying to look composed and failing miserably as new tears fell down her cheeks.

“It’s all right. Isis has healed you. You’re going to be just fine.”

Maxim....who did this to you? Who was it that attacked you in such brutal fashion? We need to know, In case he...OR SHE...tries to come after you again.

Delilah tensed. For Malice had shown her the answer. But still, she prayed it had all been one of the queen bitch’s tricks.

 

[Bishop]

Charope – Infirmary

Laying on the floor of his safe house, he couldn’t move. He was going to die, he knew. It was his turn, after all. Maybe it was better for everyone anyway…

But then he had felt her, next to him. But he still couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. He tried to say her name. Tried to tell her to run, that Haleigh could be coming for her next…but he couldn’t. And then there was darkness.

Until suddenly air flooded his lungs and he could breathe again. His eyes opened, and he was in some sort of medical facility. Someone was talking.

It's alright, Maxim. You're safe now.

He felt disoriented. But he knew her. She was the one who had led Delilah down the path to killing Sister Mary Justice…but here she was, being kind to him? What was going on?

Coughs wracked his lungs. She did something and it eased. He was tied down why was he tied down? As he started to panic they loosened and his mind began to clear as he tentatively stretched his limbs.

He could hear Sharon and Alycia talking, about protecting him, about healing. Was he dead? In some alternative universe? They had those, right?

But then Delilah was beside him.

“It’s all right. Isis has healed you. You’re going to be just fine.”

He looked up into her face, still weak.

“I’m sorry,” he said and looked away.

His eyes found Isis.

“Thank you, for healing me.”

And then Sharon and Alycia.

“Thank you.”

And then back to Delilah. He squeezed her hand. Tried to smile.

Maxim....who did this to you? Who was it that attacked you in such brutal fashion? We need to know, In case he...OR SHE...tries to come after you again.

A pained look crossed his face.

“Oh Delilah, I’m sorry.” He said it again. He tried to touch Delilah’s cheek.

“I’m so sorry.”

He looked at Sharon.

“It was Haleigh.”

He tried to sit up some.

“She was waiting for me, when I got home – after I called you, remember?” [looking at Delilah]

“She told me she was there to kill me. To hurt you, Delilah.”

He grasped her hand tightly, his voice becoming cold and hard.

“If you see her, you kill her, Lilah. You don’t give her the chance to attack.”

He looked at the others.

“That goes for all of you. She’s not your friend. Not anymore.”

He didn’t mention the part about Haleigh wanting Delilah to hate her. That only would give credence to her belief that Haleigh wasn’t really, well, evil. But she had proven that she was willing to do whatever it took to hurt the Six, and he would not allow Delilah to risk her life when Haleigh was perfectly capable of killing her on the spot. There had been a time for hope, and that time was over.

 

[Berserker]

The Hellfire Mansion – Red Rook’s Quarters

They finished together, and Persephone collapsed next to him on the bed. He was breathing hard, and so was she. He turned onto his side, his mouth tasting the soft skin of her arm, his hand stroking her leg suggestively. There were plenty of ways to pass the time until Berserker Junior was ready again.

She laughed and put a hand on his.

[playfully] "You. Stop."

He made a noise low in his throat as she kissed him.

"Food first, dessert later."

Smiling, he put his hands behind his head and stretched out, watching her go to the bowl of fruit. So unlike her sister who had devoured the hamburger he had brought her.

"So....I know where it all began, Bear. But how did you end up here at the Hellfire Club?"

He considered it for a moment, sitting up and putting his elbows on his knees. He motioned her to toss him a piece of fruit – an apple – which he caught and bit into.

“Well, I did end up taking over the sheep farm after all. Unfortunate as that was, what was I going to do? But then we had a couple of bad seasons, and I lost everything.”

He didn’t normally tell people this, and he couldn’t exactly figure out why he was telling her.

“I came south and crossed over into Denmark. Better weather, better people, a better life, or so I thought. I was in Copenhagen. Things had not gone as I had planned. I was pretty much beating on tourists for money or working for low rent scumbags as extra muscle.”

He took another bite before continuing.

“And then one night at the casino there was this guy. American. Throwing a LOT of cash around. A LOT. So I followed him. He wasn’t too smart about the part of town he walking in, alone. I beat the living shit out of him and took everything he had.”

He smiled wistfully before tossing the apple core onto the table beside the bed and lying down on his side.

“And that’s when Helena stepped out of the shadows. She looked like a goddess, beautiful, all dressed in red. She told me she was this man’s employer. She told me she had use for someone like me, and that I could have the man’s job if I killed him then and there. I snapped his neck like it was a twig.”

He smiled over at her.

“Helena brought me to New York with her. Gave me clothes, money, position, my quarters here. I’ve been her Knight ever since.”

He slipped out of bed and went to the cart the servant had brought, picking up a plate with an omelet on it and bringing it back to the bed with him.

 

[Persephone]

It was hard to imagine Alek as anything than what he was, the Red Knight. But as he explained how he ended up taking over the sheep farm, lost everything, then moved to become a low end 'enforcer' of sorts, Persephone studied him. He looked so refined and put together, but in that moment she did see the rough edges that he tried to hide. It was apparent in the way that she allowed him to handle her in bed. No man from the Upper Eastside would be able to do the things he did.

Alek: “And then one night at the casino there was this guy. American. Throwing a LOT of cash around. A LOT. So I followed him. He wasn’t too smart about the part of town he walking in, alone. I beat the living shit out of him and took everything he had. And that’s when Helena stepped out of the shadows. She looked like a goddess, beautiful, all dressed in red. She told me she was this man’s employer. She told me she had use for someone like me, and that I could have the man’s job if I killed him then and there. I snapped his neck like it was a twig.”

And there it was. Helena Quartermaine, his savior and grace. Taking a slow bite of a strawberry, she eyed him as he spoke so highly of her. A 'goddess'...'beautiful'....for all intensive purposes Helena saved him. Made him the person that he was today. Alek loved Helena--worshipped her. His loyalties were very apparent in that moment.

Watching him slip out of bed, Persephone's dark eyes scanned down his body to his firm ass, drinking the sight in. But as she watched him, she was well aware in that moment that she needed to be careful. He was MORE than amazing in bed, and the way he had treated Ava earlier after Ravena's attack was enough to make any girl fall head over heels and wet. But there was no doubt in her mind that if Helena ordered him to kill Persephone, he would.

He climbed back into bed, Persephone steeling a piece of toast from his plate, taking a small bite.

"You owe everything to Helena."

She stated, her eyes studying him.

"I see now why you're so loyal."

Could his loyalties be broken? That was the million dollar question.

"Admirable."

She would try.

 

[Berserker]

The Hellfire Mansion – Red Rook’s Quarters

He could feel her watching him, but he didn’t shy away from it.

She took a piece of toast from his plate and took a small bite.

He feigned being shocked and took it back.

“Get your own!”

He laughed and then held it out to her so she could take another bite. He raised an eyebrow.

“I may have to find a way to charge you for this…”

But her face was serious.

"You owe everything to Helena."

He nodded, the smile fading as his face became more quizzical.

“I do.”

"I see now why you're so loyal."

“Good. I want you to understand.”

"Admirable."

He looked at her askance, surprised at how off put she seemed by his relationship with Helena.

“Jealous?”

An amused smile played on his lips. He leant over and kissed her shoulder.

“You know Helena and I are not lovers.”

He nuzzled her ear.

“You and I, we have an opportunity here. As allies we would be unstoppable. We could run this court…and eventually the entire club. The black and white courts wouldn’t know what hit them.”

 

[Persephone]

Alek: "Jealous?"

Persephone narrowed her eyes as he smiled with amusement.

"Learning."

She curtly state before a sly smile tugged on her lips. He moved to her and began to kiss her shoulder, Persephone inhaling a short breath as her body responded to his touch. But her eyes remained dark, staring at the wall behind him.

Alek: "You know Helena and I aren't lovers."

"Mmhmm..."

She moved her neck as he kissed up it, allowing him more access. He began to nuzzle by her ear, his warm breath dancing along the lobe.

Alek: “You and I, we have an opportunity here. As allies we would be unstoppable. We could run this court…and eventually the entire club. The black and white courts wouldn’t know what hit them.”

He was good. Saying everything she wanted to hear. Rotating her neck away from his touch, Persephone moved her hand to his cheek and guided his mouth to hers, kissing him deeply--passionately. Her hand slid down his jaw and finally around his neck, gripping it. She forcefully jerked his face away from hers. Her midnight eyes meeting with his.

"And how can I trust....that you won't go straight to Helena.......and throw me to the wolves by telling her I want to take over. Hmm?"

Her words were low yet still laced with seduction.

"Careful......I love power, but i'm NOT STUPID."

She whispered between them, her eyes flashing with intensity. She loosened the grip on his throat, sliding her hand around to the nape of his neck before pulling him back to her, Persephone's mouth crushing against his with ferocity. It was a dangerous game of thrones, one she made clear to Alek that she was aware of.

Breaking the kiss once again, she remained close to his face, her eyes met with his once again.

"You and I could be unstoppable.....you're not wrong about that."

 

[Berserker]

The Hellfire Mansion – Red Rook’s Quarters

She kissed him, and he thought they were about to move on to dessert – until she grabbed his neck and pushed him away.

"And how can I trust...that you won't go straight to Helena.......and throw me to the wolves by telling her I want to take over. Hmm?"

He smiled mischievously.

“How do I know YOU won’t go straight to Helena and tell her what I just said to you?”

He held up his hands.

“But all I’m talking about is working together, having each others’ backs, a united front. And if the time comes where there just happens to be a leadership shift…we would be well-positioned to fill the gap.”

"Careful......I love power, but I'm not STUPID."

“If I thought you were stupid, I wouldn’t be in your bed right now. And I could have let Helena go on thinking YOU attacked Ravena…that certainly would have been more beneficial to my personal health. I trusted you, didn’t I? Haven’t I earned a little trust in return?”

She let go of his throat, instead pulling him to her for another kiss, this one more aggressive.

"You and I could be unstoppable...you're not wrong about that."

He whispered to her.

“And one day, I will watch you tear Ravena’s head from his body, and I will laugh. This club will kneel at your feet."

He leaned in to kiss her again before whispering, "Power without consequence.”

 

[Hellion]

New York City - The Parthenon - Starlight Lounge

:: Finally, they made their way to The Starlight Lounge - a place he had been to many times before. He enjoyed the intimate environment that evoked the feeling of an old time piano bar. There was always a beautiful woman singing to simple music, and a few times a week, Dominique Devereaux took the stage and dazzled the crowd with her music. It definitely had a sexy and intimate "jazz" feel and it made Derek feel very important and almost..."fancy"! ::

:: As the waiter came by, people began to order. ::

Richard: "3 Southwest Stuffed Chicken Breasts, a Green Salad with Lime Cilantro Viniagrette, my usual fruit bowl and 3 screwdrivers."

:: Derek arched an eyebrow. ::

"Jesus Christ, kid. Are you housing a small family under that coat?"

[turning to the waiter]

" A double martini - straight up. One olive."

Blaze: "So, Derek, how long will you be in town?"

"I live here actually. Been here good awhile. You must have been preoccupied not to notice..."

[smirking]

"I certainly had a knack for attracting flash bulbs and press blurbs."

"Thankfully my talent makes up for it. I've caused a bit of a stir up in the Forrester Family as of late. They didn't want to listen to my ideas, so I took them and I walked. Created my own Fashion House - Men's Wear to start..but I'm currently working on a Luxury Resort Wear Line for Women, which is all goes well - will debut at New York Fashion Week in the Fall..."

:: He handed Blaze a business card that read "Derek Forrester - House of Derek James International" and he smirked. ::

"My mom is pissed..but my father, Clarke..he's the one who gave me the loan to fund my first line. He hates the infighting at Forrester Creations..and it helps that he didn't know about me for over half my life."

:: Sipping martini. ::

"He'd most certainly buy me a pony if I wanted."

Blaze: "If this is your first time meeting Drew here, then you must not know how HE came to meet Sally Spectra?"

:: He wanted to roll his eyes but instead he smiled and looked over at the man. ::

"Oh for Christ's sake... am I going to have to cheer fuck the entire calvacade? Where is Morgan?!"

"Well...any friend of Sally's is a friend of mine."

:: Derek made a "cheers" gesture and took a drink, half wondering how many more "shop keeps", bell men and waiters he was going to have to cheese on before he could savor his main course for the evening. Blaze was obviously one of the keys to Morgan, and if he wanted to get anywhere with HER, he was going to have to do something that didn't come very naturally...he was going to have to make "nice." ::

:: His eyes did another scan in the room for Morgan as the others began to converse as well. ::

"So how DID you meet Sally, Andy?"

:: looking at Blaze, his blue eyes sparkling. ::

"And furthermore..what are YOU doing these days, Blaze? Working for Spectra, working for Morgan? You've been a little hidden from the working world, so to speak..."

 

[Recall]

New York City - The Parthenon - Starlight Lounge

:: Things were less awkward than she had been anticipating. Even the presence of a man she was sure was a bad influence wasn't able to deter her mood. While she still had things that she needed to say, and while she couldn't shake the feeling that it just wasn't a good idea for her to be inside the walls of The Parthenon, so close to him, she was doing her best to enjoy present company. This wasn't one of their normal fights. She was done with him. Vivica Lennox had forgiven Cameron too many times. She had unleashed on him like a freight train - and he let her. In complete and total silence. She may have told him to shut up, but he never did when he really cared about something. His silence spoke volumes and had given Vivica the answers that she needed, painful as they were. But she was trying to be better. Her situation with Cameron was different than the others, less bad blood and history, and after her conversation with Zach...and coming to terms with the fact that Persephone had tried to kill her, she knew that she needed allies. She couldn't just cut EVERY member of The Six out, no matter how GROSSLY negligent they had been. And though it had been awhile, Blaze had reached out. That meant something. ::

:: So as the group entered The Starlight Lounge, Vivica Lennox took a seat next to the others, crossed her legs at her ankles and dipped them to the side, before tucking a bit of hair behind her ear as the waiter came by. ::

"I'll have an ice cold glass of your dryest Rosé..and an order of the salmon caviar canapes.."

:: She thought of Jack for a moment. Now that was an order he would be proud of. Speaking of tall orders. ::

Richard: "3 Southwest stuffed chicken breasts, a green salad with lime cilantro viniagrette, my usual fruit bowl and 3 screwdrivers."

:: Vivica smiled for a second, before her eyes darted quickly back towards the waiter yet again. ::

"He'll take an order of the spicy buffalo wings, sloppy wet, with the house made bleu ranch."

:: She winked at Richard. ::

"I just want one..but the rest shouldn't go to waste."

Derek: "Jesus Christ, kid. Are you housing a small family under that coat?"

"Scared he might be packing a little more heat than you, snowflake?"

:: Vivica stuck her tongue out at Derek. It was clear he took himself very seriously. Most people who dressed as borderline homosexual as he did likely did. She would be interested to see who's skirt he ended up under when the night was over. It looked like Blaze was set to have a rager. Speaking of Blaze.. ::

Blaze's apple green eyes glance down and spot the subtle communication. Her eyes widen for a moment. One of the skills she learned in her black ops training from her own native timeline was basic hand sign language, part of the ability to communicate silently. And so, she placed her hand down on Rich's hand and held it here for a moment, signaling him to keep his eyes look down. Then she signed the word "NO" to him. HE wasn't the problem. She then took his hand in her own soft, well manicured hand and sequeezed it, indicating she wanted him to remain. His eyes met hers and she smiled, nodding in reassurance.

:: She cocked an eyebrow, reaching up to grab her wine from the waiter, her gaze never leaving Blaze as Derek, Andrew and Blaze began to chit chat. ::

"WELL now...and just what do we have there?"

:: Vivica thought, half amused and half confused. She had picked up on Blaze's signal to Richard. She said "NO" to him for something. In this moment Vivica began to sense a bit of chemistry between the two. Vivica wasn't jealous..but she did have a moment of pause. ::

"Is Blaze Victory interested...in a MAN?"

:: Leaning back in her seat, she turned her head to face Cassandra who was right next to her. She motioned her head over. ::

[to Cass]

"So...what exactly is going on there?"

:: Cassandra smirked and shook her head. ::

Cassandra: "Girl...you got me on THAT one..I haven't quite figured it out yet..."

:: Vivica turned her back towards Blaze, watching her converse. ::

"Well - this night just got a little more interesting now didn't it..."

 

[Persephone]

Alex: “How do I know YOU won’t go straight to Helena and tell her what I just said to you?”

"You don't. Quite the predicament we're in."

She was coy with her statement as kept her eyes locked with his. He went on to suggest a united front, and if the opportunity arose they would take it. Persephone liked the prospect--the power play between them at the moment. Her lips upturning into a sly smile but not saying a word in response.

Alek: “If I thought you were stupid, I wouldn’t be in your bed right now. And I could have let Helena go on thinking YOU attacked Ravena…that certainly would have been more beneficial to my personal health. I trusted you, didn’t I? Haven’t I earned a little trust in return?”

She narrowed her eyes at the mention of Ravena, knowing that Helena facilitated the attack despite Alek going to her to tell her otherwise. But he was right, he didn't have to do that, and his reaction alone was more than just him playing her. He genuinely was infuriated by it.

"You have. Like you said, you wouldn't be in my bed if I didn't."

Helena was still a factor, THAT wasn't lost to Persephone.

Alek: “And one day, I will watch you tear Ravena’s head from his body, and I will laugh. This club will kneel at your feet."

Why did he have to do that? Persephone eyes went dark with lust and desire at him mentioning the killing Ravena. At her ripping the bastards head off. The thought of his blood pooling around his dead headless body. Her chest began to visibly move as her breathing accelerated. Her mouth posed in a sadistic yet seductive smile. He moved closer to her, kissing her. She hungering accepted before he broke it abruptly.

Alek: Power without consequence.

"You have no idea."

Persephone growled as she moved her hand down his torso and pushed the plate away from him, the glass breaking as it hit the floor. She grabbed his face, her lips aggressive against his this time. The thought of power and death by her hand turned her on more than anything, and he fucking knew it. Breaking the kiss, she pushed him down on the bed, trailing her mouth down his neck and chest. Her dark eyes lifted, keeping contact with his as as she moved lower, until she couldn't anymore.

 

[Firebird]

Starlight Lounge

"I live here actually. Been here good awhile. You must have been preoccupied not to notice..."

[smirking]

Blaze happily gulped down a lemon dropped and smiled flippantly at Derek.

"As a matter of fact, I HAVE been. I'm afraid I MISSED Oprah's life class episode of "where are they now." "

She bats apple green eyes at him, as she lifts a glass in faux salute. TWO could play that game, and while Blaze may not LIVE to destroy male egos like her sister, she certain enjoyed deflating them.

"I certainly had a knack for attracting flash bulbs and press blurbs."

"So did the streaker at the oscars..."

"Thankfully my talent makes up for it. I've caused a bit of a stir up in the Forrester Family as of late. They didn't want to listen to my ideas, so I took them and I walked. Created my own Fashion House - Men's Wear to start..but I'm currently working on a Luxury Resort Wear Line for Women, which is all goes well - will debut at New York Fashion Week in the Fall..."

:: He handed Blaze a business card that read "Derek Forrester - House of Derek James International" and he smirked. ::

Blaze ran her maincured nails over the card, studying it as she listend to Derek's plan. Because of his close relationship to Sally, it really wasn't an issue for him to share something like this. He was actually going to be competing against FORRESTER- he wanted to show them,and show them UP, while Sally had a presence AND a client base on the east coast, her DOMAIN was the West coast.

"My mom is pissed..but my father, Clarke..he's the one who gave me the loan to fund my first line. He hates the infighting at Forrester Creations..and it helps that he didn't know about me for over half my life."

"Well, most of that infighting is because of the Forrester family mattress, Brooke Logan."

Blaze said without any hestitation as Vivica stared at her in disbeliefy, Rich choked, and Cass giggled.

"I'm sorry, but it's true. EVERYBODY knows about her. "

"And Ridge isn't any better."

"Clarke should get out of there. He and Sally were good together once, they could be again."

:: Sipping martini. ::

"He'd most certainly buy me a pony if I wanted."

Derek was SOOO sure of himself, and so INTO himself. Did he REALLY think Morgan would respond to THAT!? He had looks, and he clearly had SOME level of talent, and business savvy, but name recognition alone wasn't going to cut it in this business. They'd ALL see if what he could produce would match what he TALKED.

Vivica had no problem parrying some of his arrogant thrusts. Blaze was VERY happy she was here, but also struggling with feelings of anxiety...DREAD even, the kind she felt after the attack on Sally Spectra by the purifiers.

:: His eyes did another scan in the room for Morgan as the others began to converse as well. ::

"So how DID you meet Sally, Andy?"

:: looking at Blaze, his blue eyes sparkling. ::

"And furthermore..what are YOU doing these days, Blaze? Working for Spectra, working for Morgan? You've been a little hidden from the working world, so to speak..."

Blaze's apple green eyes met that piercing stare from Derek. It was almost if he could see into her soul, but she wouldn't avert her gaze. She could "see" and sense things TOO.

Instead, she took another drink, and smiled at him, as she tilted her head

"Yes, I WAS hidden from the world, I wasn't sure it was ready for ME. "

Only Vivica would know exactly what she meant by that

" But I'm back now."

"I'm the proprietor of XS."

::FLASH!::

<< Blaze's debutante ball, the climax of the wonderful event>>

:: She said with warmth in her tone of voice::

This space that we're in? This is THE ORIGINAL XS, that was owned by Blaze Fielding. When we lost her, I fast tracked the execution of her will so that ownership of the club would pass to Morgan. Alison advised Morgan NOT to place the club under lllustra's umbrella at that time. No one knew or understood why...not even me. BUT Morgan, like the rest of us, trusted Alison and because of that...when The Six and their allies were OUTED by Bishop, XS, along with the Parthenon were among the few major holdings of any Six member that were NOT lost in the explosive fall out.

There is no better time to have opened it's doors, to have completely revamped it...than now. A nice time, a new place and space and it's all for you.

:: She gestures to the deed of ownership and other legal documents Nicolas has handed to Blaze::

I personally saw to it that these are iron clad. This place is YOURS outright. You'll never have it taken from you.

:: She nodded with certainty::

Based on the idea for the club in Paris you are involved with in concert with Cameron, we had this place re-done. It is state of the art, with the finest staff and security and with a light and sound complement unparalleled on the East Coast.

Floor plans with all the other rooms, spaces and amenities designed into the club are included in the document packet you now have.

"And yes, I am proudly associated with the House of Spectra. I work with Sally, AND Morgan. I have a partnership with Sally and Zenith Group, from which my brand, Fire La Vedette- french for Fire Star or Fire DIVA, came to be. And along WITH that, a sexy burlesque inspired line inspired by the brand, designed by Sally Spectra herself! I'm also the designer and signature model for Truth or Dare accessories line through Spectra Couture. "

"I'll be having an event at XS in several weeks. The show is called "FIRE STAR", and I'll be headlining. Sally will be in town for it, (among others), You should come too, DEREK. "

"It's going to be a HELL of an event, a HELL of a night! Sexy, stylish, SINFUL...somehow, I think YOU'LL be right at home."

She eyed him, as her apple green eyes sparkled. He wasn't the ONLY one who could perceive things, and if he was GOING to circle around them, circle around MORGAN, she was going to make sure to have him within STRIKING distance.

Apparently her idea sparked curiosity in RICHARD as well, who was checking out her ample form, while VIVICA was eyeing HIM as he eyed Blaze.

:: Leaning back in her seat, she turned her head to face Cassandra who was right next to her. She motioned her head over. ::

[to Cass]

"So...what exactly is going on there?"

:: Cassandra smirked and shook her head. ::

Cassandra: "Girl...you got me on THAT one..I haven't quite figured it out yet..."

:: Vivica turned her back towards Blaze, watching her converse. ::

"Well - this night just got a little more interesting now didn't it..."

"Well I certainly feel better, now that YOU are here too."

She placed a hand on Vivica's thigh, while Richard was smirking a bit, as he had a clear view. Blaze WAS happy to be surrounded by people she enjoyed. It might be one of the few times like this any of them would have for a while.

 

[Silver Swan]

Charope- Infirmary

Delilah went to Dominique, and took her hand, knowing that she was not really one for physical contact.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. You saved his life, and I won’t forget it. Ever.”

:: Isis squeezed Delilah's hand, and looked upon her with a reassuring smile. A rare expression for the sorceress, but in this casee, it was no less genuine::

Delilah managed a half smile at both of them, her face still streaked with tears.

“And thank you both.”

[ Sharon made her silver eye mask disappear as she looked upon Delilah]

We're your friends, Delilah. We're going to be here for you.

Alycia: That's right.

:: The amazon nodded in agreement::

:: The Amazons, Tachyon, and Isis all looked on as Delilah and Bishop took some comfort in each other, and shared relief in Bisho's life being saved by Isis.::

His eyes found Isis.

“Thank you, for healing me.”

And then Sharon and Alycia.

“Thank you.”

[ Sharon looked Bishop for a moment, then at Alycia, Xavier and then Dominique]

In a way...Malice did us a FAVOR. If she hadn't attacked Delilah, we wouldn't have known, we wouldn't have found you until it was too late.

He looked at Sharon.

“It was Haleigh.”

He tried to sit up some.

“She was waiting for me, when I got home – after I called you, remember?” [looking at Delilah]

“She told me she was there to kill me. To hurt you, Delilah.”

[ He CONFIRMED what Sharon suspected, that Black Widow had done this to him.]

So when Malice attacked Delilah, she delivered all the pain, the "HURT" to Delilah psionically that Black Widow delivered to Maxim physically.

[ She looked at Delilah]

We're LUCKY she didn't somehow induce your body into reacting as though it was DYING like Bishop actually was!

[ She looked at Alycia, Xavier and Dominique]

I TOLD them [ the rest of the birds of prey]. I TOLD them that this would happen, but they....HE [Zachary] didn't want to believe me. Those FOOLS. First Simon and Vivica, now Maxim. How many more people need to be hurt or nearly killed before they see her for the THREAT that she IS!

They won't be satisfied until Black Widow is standing over the bloody dead body of one of us, and even THEN, Zachary will try to say it wasn't her fault.

[ She throws her hands up in the air and exhales with annoyance, moving away from Alycia]

I should go to that mansion right now, and DRAG HER OUT OF IT BY HER HAIR, and FINISH her before she can attack or hurt anyone ELSE! I could bring that WHOLE MANSION down on their heads!

Isis: Powerful as you are, Silver Swan, it would be ILL ADVISED for you to do that. It isn't JUST Black Widow we have to deal with. MALICE and the rest of the inner circle, which has swelled in ranks since I left, are also to be taken into account. They have more resources of power at their disposal, and while few, if ANY of them could match you in raw PHYSICAL power, physical power ALONE will not be enough to stand against the forces of MAGICK, among other things. They have not one, but TWO magick users in their midst, along with Persephone, who controls the forces of nature itself.

Silver Swan: Well we CAN'T just sit around and WAIT. We CAN'T wait for ZACHARY to decide that his ex-fiance is now our MORTAL ENEMY.

Alycia: I agree. Persephone has attacked Recall and Simon...SIMON is a civillian, he's not on any team, he hasn't done anything to anybody...although he WAS sleeping with Ava at one point, you'd think THAT would have tugged on her heart even a little...but apparently her heart is as BLACK and DEVOID of any decency as her TREACHEROUS BITCH SISTER, Haleigh. Now Black Widow has tried to murder Bishop.

:: But Alycia couldn't help but wonder if on some level, Haleigh wasn't ALSO exacting some PERSONAL payback for what Bishop had done to ALL of them following the destruction of the Arklay mansion. Whenever she looked at Bishop, it certainly came across HER mind , the idea of using her power as an amazon to pay him back...with INTEREST. And right now, with how raw and inflamed her emotions were, They ALL heard...and even FELT the VENOM in Alycia's tone and words regarding Persephone AND Black Widow. But only Delilah, Sharon and Dominique would know the source of that venom, where it truly came from.::

Alycia: It won't be long before someone else is attacked. They need to know that some of us can, and WILL fight back.

:: She looks at Delilah::

Alycia: It'll be best for him to stay here, for the time being. My medical team and I will keep keep Bishop safe for the next couple of nights.Though it doesn't look like much on the outside, this building is state of the art, and the best thing about it is, it has NO TRACE of CI technology in it. The defense and security systems are not soley activated by the building. I can activate them from my communicator at any time, PLUS i have DOME, which NO ONE, not even Domino OR Black Widow could break no matter how hard they tried. And if she DOES come here, I've got something for HER.

:: Xavier volunteers to stay there with Alycia, to help her, "just in case." and considering the uncertainty of the situation, Alycia doesn't object.::

Isis: Delilah, do you need my assistance?

:: the sorceress looks at Delilah with her aqua blue eyes::

Isis: You were attacked by Malice as well.

Sharon: Delilah, let Alycia's medical team do an encephalo scan, to determine if there's any damage...

Alycia: She's right. If anything should happen, you'll want to be in tip top condition and able to use all of your abilities to the fullest.

 

[MorningStar]

Charope – Infirmary

“I’m sorry.”

“Shh…you have nothing to be sorry about.”

In a way...Malice did us a FAVOR. If she hadn't attacked Delilah, we wouldn't have known, we wouldn't have found you until it was too late.

“That bitch must be so sure of herself she isn’t thinking clearly. Maybe we can use that.”

“It was Haleigh. She was waiting for me, when I got home.”

Delilah nodded. It was as she had feared – it wasn’t a mistake.

“If you see her, you kill her, Lilah. You don’t give her the chance to attack.”

“I…”

How could Haleigh do something like this? To HER? Haleigh knew better than anyone what Delilah had gone through for Bishop, what it was like to love someone you couldn’t be with. He wasn’t a part of this – if she wanted to attack them, attack them directly.

So when Malice attacked Delilah, she delivered all the pain, the "HURT" to Delilah psionically that Black Widow delivered to Maxim physically. We're LUCKY she didn't somehow induce your body into reacting as though it was DYING like Bishop actually was!

“This is all my fault.”

She looked over at Sharon and then back down at Bishop.

“I believed she was still good. I TOLD you that she had some big plan. Otherwise you would never have let her get close enough to…to…”

I TOLD them [ the rest of the birds of prey]. I TOLD them that this would happen, but they....HE [Zachary] didn't want to believe me. Those FOOLS. First Simon and Vivica, now Maxim. How many more people need to be hurt or nearly killed before they see her for the THREAT that she IS!

“They’ll see her as one now, if I have anything to say about it.”

They won't be satisfied until Black Widow is standing over the bloody dead body of one of us, and even THEN, Zachary will try to say it wasn't her fault.

Delilah shrugged.

“He loves her, Sharon.”

Sharon suggested going to the mansion and pulling Haleigh out for a good old fashioned beat down. As therapeutic as that sounded, Isis put in a word of well-advised caution.

Well we CAN'T just sit around and WAIT. We CAN'T wait for ZACHARY to decide that his ex-fiance is now our MORTAL ENEMY.

“No, but we can plan. We need to be smart about this.”

It'll be best for him to stay here, for the time being. My medical team and I will keep keep Bishop safe for the next couple of nights.

Delilah nodded, and smiled.

Delilah, do you need my assistance?

“No, no thank you, I’m fine.”

You were attacked by Malice as well.

Delilah, let Alycia's medical team do an encephalo scan, to determine if there's any damage...

She's right. If anything should happen, you'll want to be in tip top condition and able to use all of your abilities to the fullest.

Delilah finally relented. She leaned over and squeezed Bishop’s arm, telling him she’d be right back.

 

[Bishop]

Charope – Infirmary

“Shh…you have nothing to be sorry about.”

THAT almost pushed him over the edge. It was bad enough, her standing over him like that, looking so worried.

In a way...Malice did us a FAVOR. If she hadn't attacked Delilah, we wouldn't have known, we wouldn't have found you until it was too late.

His eyes darted to Delilah’s face. He held her hand tightly.

“Malice attacked you? Are you allright?!”

He was going to kill Haleigh for this. Somehow, he would find a way to do it.

So when Malice attacked Delilah, she delivered all the pain, the "HURT" to Delilah psionically that Black Widow delivered to Maxim physically. We're LUCKY she didn't somehow induce your body into reacting as though it was DYING like Bishop actually was!

He shook his head. This could have been much worse, he guessed, but the thought of her feeling what he'd felt...and exactly HOW much had she felt? She didn't seem angry, but...

“This is all my fault. I believed she was still good. I TOLD you that she had some big plan. Otherwise you would never have let her get close enough to…to…”

“No, no – of course this isn’t your fault. There was nothing you could have done differently. And you saved me. You saved my life.”

He hung his head.

“I’m so sorry she did this to you, Lilah. You shouldn’t have had to go through any of that.”

Sharon talked about Zach and her new team, and how they didn’t believe her when she told them Haleigh was a threat. It sounded familiar.

“He loves her, Sharon.”

“She’s still a killer, Delilah. It doesn’t matter that he loves her. It didn’t matter when it was you.”

Delilah went to get some tests run, but returned quickly with a clean bill of health.

He looked around the room.

“You haven’t seen my clothes anywhere, have you? It’s about time for me to blow this pop stand.”

 

[MorningStar]

Charope – Infirmary

The medical staff ran some tests and everything appeared normal, so she returned to Maxim’s bedside. He was already looking antsy.

“You haven’t seen my clothes anywhere, have you? It’s about time for me to blow this pop stand.”

Delilah burst into tears anew.

“Don’t you do that! Don’t you DARE act like this was nothing. You almost DIED!”

She pushed on his chest to make him lay back flat again.

“You are going to stay here until the medical staff say it’s time for you to leave, got me? The last thing we need is Haleigh finishing the job.”

His hand reached up and wiped the tears off her cheeks, now hot with anger. She held his hand there, for a moment, closing her eyes, before letting go of his hand and looking down at him with a serious expression.

“I saw the video.”

Bishop made to protest, but she continued.

“I just want you to know, that I broke up with Andrew after the whole dream thing. What you overheard this morning…he just showed up, unannounced. Nothing was going on and I kicked him out as soon as I hung up with you. It was all just a big misunderstanding.”

 

[Bishop]

Charope – Infirmary

He didn’t expect her to go to pieces like this.

“Don’t you do that! Don’t you DARE act like this was nothing. You almost DIED!”

“Delilah…”

She pushed him back down onto the bed.

“You are going to stay here until the medical staff say it’s time for you to leave, got me? The last thing we need is Haleigh finishing the job.”

“It’s going to take her a while to figure out she didn’t actually kill me. But tell the truth: you just want to keep me naked in bed for a while longer.”

He grinned up at her while he reached out his hand to wipe at her tears. He liked her a lot more mad right now than he did looking all sad and compassionate. He didn’t deserve that.

“I saw the video.”

He held up a hand, trying to make her stop.

“No, Delilah – we don’t have to talk about this, please-“

“I just want you to know, that I broke up with Andrew after the whole dream thing. What you overheard this morning…he just showed up, unannounced. Nothing was going on and I kicked him out as soon as I hung up with you. It was all just a big misunderstanding.”

Fuuuuuuuuccccckkkkkkkkkkk

Fuck. Fuck.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Fuck.

WHY did he call her that morning?! If he hadn’t called her, none of this would have happened. Well, he probably would still have been stabbed to death, but the part he really regretted wouldn’t have.

He had two ways to play this.

1. Come clean.

2. Lie

#2 it is.

“I’m…glad.”

He smiled.

“Listen, you don’t need to stay here with me. We don’t both need to be bored out of our minds. And I'm fine - Isis did her witchy woo on me so I'm good as new. It looks like Sharon’s going through something…and though we’re not each other’s favorite people, the fact that she helped you, and helped me, should count for something. Maybe you should make sure she’s okay? I’ll be fine here. My other #1 fan Alycia is here to keep me company.”

He took her hand.

“But listen, when I get out of here…I’d like to take you to dinner. I’ll pick you up, nice restaurant, a suit, the whole 9.”

Delilah: “I don’t think you own a suit.”

“Well I will buy one. I’m rich now, haven’t you heard? And there’s something I want to show you.”

He rolled his eyes at her look.

“And no, that is not a euphemism for my penis. Though if you’re game…”

He laughed.

“But seriously, please?”