Casualties of War

Manhattan - SUV to Black Widow's Safe House

Of COURSE Bishop was taking Haleigh's side in all of this. All that bullshit about how Haleigh wasn't her friend before was just acting, trying to get her on his side. She had believed that Haleigh thought she was doing what would protect them. Until she had threatened Alexia.

Black Widow: “If you don’t know me better than that, I don’t understand how you ever thought it’d be a good idea for me to raise her in the event of your death.”

"Obviously I didn't know you as well as I thought I did. If you cared about protecting her, you wouldn't have used her as a pawn. And if you haven't noticed, it's not like you can exactly block your thoughts from your mother. And I'm sure over the years you've come up with a theory on how you could get yourself to Limbo if you needed to. You thought it was a good idea to bring those ideas to the forefront?"

Delilah shook her head.

"Besides, you want to talk about doing things just to hurt me?"

Delilah waved her hand towards Haleigh.

"You knew EXACTLY what to do to hurt me the most. And you did it."

And Bishop would not SHUT UP, telling Haleigh how upset she'd been when she'd left for Hellfire. Should have thrown a party instead. They had arrived wherever it was Haleigh had taken them, and started to get out of the SUV.

Black Widow: “Well Max, I’ll concede, she used to care. Back before my stupid fucked up plan really FUBAR’d our entire friendship.”

"Don't stand there and act like this is MY fault."

They went inside, which turned out to be a much more elaborate set up than the safehouses she'd been in with Bishop. Delilah wondered if Haleigh'd had the workmen who built it killed. Cameron was still unconscious, but that was to be expected, and Haleigh had laid him on the couch. She needed to get him in place at the Parthenon, but that could wait a little bit. She knew Cameron wouldn't lose this battle easily.

Which meant right now she had to make sure that everything was okay in Limbo. She had her necklace that allowed her to see Alexia, but if something was afoot in Limbo, she didn't know if that would be affected. And of course, it only provided a limited view. They needed to find out exactly what was going on. And par for the course, Haleigh didn't seem concerned at all about the fact that a woman they'd left as a statue had been running around Manhattan for who knew how long.

Delilah pulled out her phone, and smirked in Haleigh's direction.

"I trust you won't block the signal."

She dialed Morgan. It rang, then wen to voicemail. Surely if Morgan had taken a turn for the worse since Ava had left Aerie, Alison would have told them. Then again, maybe not. Nicolas would have called, and he'd surely arrived there by now.

[into phone] "Morgan, this is Delilah, call me back when you get this. I know you're still recovering, but it's important."

She ended the call, then looked back to where Haleigh was watching Cameron.

"As I said, Cameron and I planned for this. We have a room in the Parthenon. It's all set up to give IV fluids and nutrition. And, if the worst happens, it will contain her."

Delilah sighed, and moved to the sofa, sitting on the edge and looking down at Cameron, who looked like he was peacefully sleeping. And Delilah was pretty sure he never slept peacefully. She put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"You need to let me take him there."
 
Manhattan

Haleigh listened sullenly as Delilah suggested that Haleigh had used Alexia as a pawn and had purposely intended to put Alexia on Malice’s Radar. It hadn’t been like that at all, of course. After the kidnapping incident, Haleigh had naturally been concerned that Alexia might be targeted. Delilah was right about one thing. Haleigh couldn’t exactly block her thoughts from her mother. Which meant the second Alexia crossed her mind, she became at risk. But it didn’t seem to matter what Haleigh said in her own defense, Delilah was stubbornly refusing to listen or give Haleigh even the slightest benefit of the doubt.

Delilah: "Besides, you want to talk about doing things just to hurt me? You knew EXACTLY what to do to hurt me the most. And you did it."

Well there was nothing Haleigh could say to that, because it was 100 percent true. She had her reasons, her justifications, but Delilah had made it clear she wasn’t going to accept any of that. Bishop decided to weigh in, which was probably ill-advised. He wasn’t winning any points with his woman, and it was unlikely anything he said to try to resolve the argument would be taken to heart. Haleigh allowed that he might have a point, but her ‘stupid fucked up plan’ (as Delilah had apparently deemed it) had ruined their friendship.

Delilah: “Don’t stand there and act like this is MY fault.”

“Oh calm your tits woman. At no time have I blamed you. Your conscience gets to be clean.”

She retorted, leading them down to the Safehouse where they could rest and think. Her mind calculated the cost of all this, and the danger of their current situation, and the worst outcomes she could anticipate. Delilah wanted to call Morgan about Alexis’ release from Limbo, but it was low priority for Haleigh, so she passed up the opportunity to call herself.

Delilah: “I trust you won’t block the signal.”

“So you do trust me, deep down.”

She replied, though she fully expected Delilah to slap that suggestion down too. Delilah tried to call Morgan but ended up leaving a message. Then she came over to the couch where Cameron laid and sat down next to him.

Delilah: "As I said, Cameron and I planned for this. We have a room in the Parthenon. It's all set up to give IV fluids and nutrition. And, if the worst happens, it will contain her."

“If the worst happens.....”

Haleigh repeated thickly, still staring at Cameron with concern. Delilah replied that Haleigh needed to let her take Cameron to the Parthenon.

“Then you need to let us back in....”

Haleigh replied. Of course she could force her way into the Parthenon, but that would be a waste of time and resources on everyone’s part. Haleigh didn’t expect things to just go back to the way they were, but the fact of the matter was that they were stronger as a group. They needed to play to their strengths, and they needed to crush the bickering at the very least, because if Malice came back, she would divide them along their fault lines and enjoy every second of it. Haleigh shifted in her kneeling position next to Cameron so she could face Delilah more directly.

“Delilah.... I’m sorry for the pain I caused you. Honestly, I am. But we both know it won’t matter how many times I say it. I’m not going to ask you for forgiveness I know I don’t deserve. It won’t mean jack shit when the cold hard truth is that I would do it again. To prevent this...”

She gestured to Cameron.

“To prevent the casualties we are at risk of sustaining in this war against Hellfire. Not because I think all of you can’t survive without me, but because I don’t think I can survive without you. Or without my sisters. Or without him. That’s the cost that’s too high, don’t you understand that?”

She raked her hands through her hair and sighed heavily.

“Well, what’s done is done. All we can do from here is fight the battles we’re facing and defend against the threats posed at the moment.”
 
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The SUV to some Safe House

Delilah: "You knew EXACTLY what to do to hurt me the most. And you did it."

That was like a knife in the gut, because he knew the part he'd played in that. But there had been reasons. Good reasons, at the time.

The combination of being hit with large chunks of wall and having to listen to Delilah and Haleigh bickering was giving him a headache, and he needed a drink. Badly.

Ava: "I need a whole damn bottle at this point."

He smirked.

"You know, you're a lot more fun than your sister."

He shook his head. Delilah was a LOT angrier now. She had been upset before, but now, around Haleigh, she was different. He didn't like it. Especially because it was clear she couldn't be reasoned with. He had tried to calm her down, calm them both down, but it just made them both angrier. He didn't care if Delilah hated Haleigh - in fact, he preferred it that way - but somehow he was getting lumped into her anger at Haleigh, and that was not going to work for him.

So he kept his mouth shut as they went inside. He helped himself to that drink, not giving Haleigh the opportunity to refuse it. And now that they were stationary, that their lives weren't seemingly in more danger than usual, he had the opportunity to unpack what Delilah had been saying.

Alexis Quartermaine had returned from her prison in Limbo.

Ororo had not told them about it, which meant she either didn't know or was injured or worse.

Ororo was caring for Alexia.

He pulled the chain our from under his body armor, and squeezed the pendant tight. He could see her, feel her. She was sleeping. But was she alone? Was there anyone there taking care of her?

Morgan wasn't answering the phone. They couldn't just sit here and do nothing.

"Maybe we should go to Morgan."
 
Manhattan - Safe House

Morgan wasn't picking up. It made Delilah nervous, but she wasn't full blown concerned, not yet.

Bishop: "Maybe we should go to Morgan."

Delilah scowled at him. Mainly because she'd been thinking the same thing. But no, she couldn't leave Cameron until his body was safe.

This little side trip wasn't an immediate threat to Cameron, but he couldn't stay here forever. They needed supplies to keep him alive - and defensive measures should Malice take control of him. That meant the Parthenon. She couldn't fight Haleigh AND Ava. So she would have to bide her time until she could open a wormhole and slip through with Cameron. Not that they wouldn't know where they had gone. And unless Delilah could convince Haleigh to let them go. Ava was preoccupied with finding her former captor.

Black Widow: “Then you need to let us back in....”

"Not a chance."

Black Widow: “Delilah.... I’m sorry for the pain I caused you. Honestly, I am. But we both know it won’t matter how many times I say it. I’m not going to ask you for forgiveness I know I don’t deserve. It won’t mean jack shit when the cold hard truth is that I would do it again. To prevent this...To prevent the casualties we are at risk of sustaining in this war against Hellfire. Not because I think all of you can’t survive without me, but because I don’t think I can survive without you. Or without my sisters. Or without him. That’s the cost that’s too high, don’t you understand that?”

Haleigh could always justify her actions, no matter what they were. Delilah shook her head.

Black Widow: “Well, what’s done is done. All we can do from here is fight the battles we’re facing and defend against the threats posed at the moment.”

"Cameron is stronger than you give him credit for. This is a battle he's been preparing for for years - he needed to do this. And now we have to trust him to finish what we started."

She looked down at his closed eyes.

"But he can't stay here. Not for long."

She sighed.

"How can you be sure, that if you are with Cameron, that Malice won't be able to use you? Control you again? Can you promise me that you won't endanger him? The rest of us? Because if you can truly say you aren't a threat, then we can take him to the Parthenon right now. But you know you'll be lying to yourself if you do."
 
The fight between Haleigh and Delilah was FAR from over, despite both Ava's and Bishop's attempts to try and stop it. Bishop declared he needed a drink, but a drink would do little for Ava. She had been going on overdrive since....God, she couldn't even remember. Since Ravena started attacking her and making her sick? Since she woke up realizing who it was? It was a fucked up game of dominos, one blow after another, the last one coming from Helena. Hellfire had fallen, though it was not completely destroyed. Yet the mess NOW was thicker than ever. She needed a fucking bottle of alcohol to get through all of it.

Haleigh: “Alright, come on. I’ve got a case of whiskey downstairs.”

Ava looked at her unanswered phone, Alexis nor Domino responding to her. She roughly rubbed her head and nodded, following Haleigh and the others into her safe house which was a lot nicer than most. Bishop immediately grabbed himself a drink while Ava walked by and picked up a random bottle of whisky and tumbler, holding both in the same hand. Haleigh carried an unconscious Cameron the the couch, laying him gently down. As angry as she was with Cameron, as much as she wanted to hurt him for deciding her death was a better option than having Persephone in control, she couldn't help but be worried. He was fighting Diana right now on the astral plane, and if Diana won? Cameron would be gone forever and Diana would be stronger than ever. This whole situation, everything they had ALL been through...would have been for nothing. It was then Ava opened the bottle of whisky and poured herself a large helping. Downing it in two gulps, she winced as the burn radiated down her throat. She was finally out of Hellfire...yet everything was even worse.

Haleigh and Delilah continued to bicker and fight back and forth, Haleigh trying to apologize for what she did to Delilah, and Delilah not wanting to hear any of it. Ava hung her head forward, shutting her eyes. She understood where Delilah was coming from, especially in regards to Alexia, yet Delilah didn't understand just how bad it was at Hellfire. The fight took a pause with Delilah attempting to call Morgan. Apparently Alexis was an issue, though to Ava she was not. No answer. No answer from anyone. Ava looked at the phone that was propped on her knee, the screen still black with no new texts. She poured herself another drink, downing it quickly.

Delilah wanted to take Cameron back to the Parthenon, apparently both of them having come up with a plan in regards to his astral fight with Diana. Haleigh wasn't going to leave him, and Ava didn't blame her.

Black Widow: “Then you need to let us back in....”

Delilah: "Not a chance."

"Damnit, Delilah..."

Ava said with a heavy sigh. Despite Haleigh apologizing outright to Delilah and trying to put a bandaid on their fatally wounded friendship for the time being, Delilah was having none of it. She didn't believe Haleigh could be trusted around Cameron.

Delilah: "How can you be sure, that if you are with Cameron, that Malice won't be able to use you? Control you again? Can you promise me that you won't endanger him? The rest of us? Because if you can truly say you aren't a threat, then we can take him to the Parthenon right now. But you know you'll be lying to yourself if you do."

That was when Ava sat up a little straighter, placing the empty glass on the table in front of her before looking over at Delilah.

"What Haleigh did was unforgivable. You have every right to hate her. But you don't know what happened within those walls. You don't know what Diana did to her when she refused order, after order, after ORDER to kill you. Everything she did to you was to protect you, even making you HATE her by involving your daughter. Was it right? Absolutely not. But it kept Diana reigned in long enough so SHE wouldn't attack you or Cameron herself."

Ava stood up, holding the bottle of whisky by the neck in one hand and her phone in the other.

"Haleigh would kill herself before she let Diana control her again. She already fucking did. So give her a break and let her be with the man she loves."

Ava walked past them both, heading a few feet away from everyone to a darkened area of the safe house. Leaning her back against the wall, she took another swig of whisky before closing her eyes and resting her head back. It was then she felt her phone vibrate in her hand. A flash of anxiety ceased her body as she quickly looked down at her phone.

>>Domino: It allots you more than information, mon amour. It deserves a drink. I'll be in the city shortly and send you my coordinates. Come alone. I'm feeling particularly trigger happy at the moment.

Ava didn't realize she was holding her breath until she slowly exhaled, shutting her eyes savoring the small victory of Domino's response. It wasn't answers to where Alek was, but it was something that could help her get them. She quickly responded.

>> "I'll be there. Give me a half hour."

Ava needed to make sure Haleigh was safe and with Cameron before she left. She couldn't risk losing her too.
 
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Manhattan

When Morgan didn’t answer, Bishop suggested they go to her. Delilah scowled at him but didn’t exactly argue. Haleigh rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, good luck getting into Limbo without Morgan’s help. You clearly sustained a head injury at the mansion. Just sit your ass over there quietly, wasting some more of my whiskey, will you?”

Haleigh shot back sarcastically. She knew what was motivating him, but unless he had something to shoot at, he was a liability to them. He didn’t have powers or even super strength or durability. Or at least, he didn’t have them yet. Haleigh keenly remembered Hellfire’s interest in Bishop. Diana had ordered her to collect a sample of his DNA, and later Kelly had told her something very interesting about the tests she’d run on the sample. He was slated to be the next super soldier test subject, and the most likely successful project.

But now wasn’t the time to bring it up, not when Delilah was trying to convince Haleigh to let her take Cameron to the Parthenon. She knew that Delilah was against her and Ava being there, though, so she made sure to add that contingency. Unsurprisingly, Delilah was not receptive.

Haleigh tried apologizing, not because she thought she’d get Delilah’s forgiveness, but because she thought it would help Delilah understand, at least. Also, she thought Delilah deserved to know the truth; that Haleigh would do it again if she had to, because she couldn’t bear the cost of losing any of them just to keep her conscience clean.

Delilah just shook her head, and that was the moment that Haleigh knew that on some level, her mother had already won. Haleigh sighed, raking her hair back and allowing that all they could do now was look ahead, and maybe salvage what was left. Delilah was never going to call her a friend again, but it was still possible for some of them to survive, if they made the right moves.

Delilah insisted Cameron was strong enough to handle it, and that they had to trust him. And right after that she suggested that Malice could still get to Haleigh, if she stayed with Cameron. Haleigh tensed, her gaze trained on her former friend and ally. Then Ava cut in, clearly fed up with the debate again.

“Ava, please don’t...”

Haleigh tried to interject, but Ava would not stop. Haleigh appreciated it, but knew it wouldn’t matter, not to Delilah. There was no redemption there, and it was time to move on. Ava added some more, and then walked past them to go sit in a dark corner. Haleigh stood up slowly, her gaze going back to Delilah.

“No, I can’t say I’m not a threat, can I? But Malice took control of you too, didn’t she? She left my head for a short while. I saw you stop fighting, and lower your defenses. I watched you wait for a psi-bolt that would’ve turned you into a breathing corpse. It was one of the Red Bishop’s shields that saved you. Alexis, who you’re so worried about. Your Black-and-White paradigm on good and evil isn’t doing justice here, Delilah. There’s a whole lot more colors than that.”

She went over to take the bottle from Bishop and drink straight from it. There was no sense in dirtying another glass.

“And you’re right; I can’t promise much, but the truth is, neither can you. Or are you going to try to tell me that you can protect him all by your heroic self? Flatscan Man over here doesn’t count.”

She added, hiking her thumb at Max before she took another gulp.

“Morgan and the rest went to Limbo, and left you here with us. All just part of your plan that I’m supposed to accept wholeheartedly, I’m sure. Now you’re asking half your team to just let you go it alone. You really think you can protect his body all by your lonesome if what’s left of the Hellfire Inner Circle come attacking you while you hole up in the well known base of Six operations? Do you really want to be the only one there if Malice kills Cameron and then turns to you? I mean, if that’s truly how you feel, then you pick him up and carry him out of here, I won’t stop you. But I won’t be the one lying to themselves then, will I?”

She asked, looking at Delilah, even while Ava’s text from Domino popped up in her feed. She didn’t miss Ava’s response, either. It was at that point her gaze shifted to her sister.

“I don’t like it, but I know better than to try and stop you.”

She walked over to where Ava was sitting, her hand falling gently to her sister’s shoulder, where she quickly injected something under Ava’s skin.

“That’s a tracker, in case they capture you too. I should’ve tagged Alek, but I won’t make that mistake again by not tagging you. And I’ll be listening in through your phone’s mic. Bonus points if you can angle the camera for me to keep an eye on things.”

She clinked her bottle against Ava’s.

”Don’t die, you’re the only one left who can stand me, it seems.”
 
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The Safe House

Delilah wasn't about to risk Cameron, OR let Haleigh think she was part of the group again. Especially after her "sorry not sorry" set of "apologies". Did she really think she wasn't a threat to Cameron, while he was battling her mother?

Black Widow: “No, I can’t say I’m not a threat, can I? But Malice took control of you too, didn’t she? She left my head for a short while. I saw you stop fighting, and lower your defenses. I watched you wait for a psi-bolt that would’ve turned you into a breathing corpse. It was one of the Red Bishop’s shields that saved you. Alexis, who you’re so worried about."

Delilah put a hand to the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"It's not Alexis I'm worried about."

Alexia could be all alone in Limbo. Or hurt. Or scared. If Haleigh cared about her at all, she would have realized the importance of getting through to Ororo. But instead, Haleigh gave her some more holier than thou bullshit.

Black Widow: “And you’re right; I can’t promise much, but the truth is, neither can you. Or are you going to try to tell me that you can protect him all by your heroic self? Flatscan Man over here doesn’t count.”

She added, hiking her thumb at Max before she took another gulp.

Black Widow: “You really think you can protect his body all by your lonesome if what’s left of the Hellfire Inner Circle come attacking you while you hole up in the well known base of Six operations? Do you really want to be the only one there if Malice kills Cameron and then turns to you? I mean, if that’s truly how you feel, then you pick him up and carry him out of here, I won’t stop you. But I won’t be the one lying to themselves then, will I?”

Ava: "What Haleigh did was unforgivable. You have every right to hate her. But you don't know what happened within those walls. You don't know what Diana did to her when she refused order, after order, after ORDER to kill you. Everything she did to you was to protect you, even making you HATE her by involving your daughter. Was it right? Absolutely not. But it kept Diana reigned in long enough so SHE wouldn't attack you or Cameron herself. Haleigh would kill herself before she let Diana control her again. She already fucking did. So give her a break and let her be with the man she loves."

Delilah was silent for a long moment, staring off into space. Then her eyes focused on Ava, who was now back on her phone.

"Okay."

She turned back to look at Cameron.

"We'll rest up here. Make sure no one followed us. Then we'll take Cameron to the Parthenon."
 
Ava moved away from Haleigh and Delilah, going a few feet away to a corner of the room to sit. She rested her head back and shut her eyes, savoring the lack of fighting for the moment. It seemed like whatever she said gave Delilah pause enough for Haleigh to say a few more things in regard to going with Cameron. Then, Ava's phone vibrated and the problems within the safehouse were all but pushed aside in Ava's mind. It was Domino and she was agreeing to meet with Ava in New York. An instant wave of relief overcame her, the thought of finding Alek that much closer. She quickly responded that she would be there soon, wanting to make sure her loose ends were tied up here first.

Haleigh: “I don’t like it--"

Looking over at her sister, Ava knew she was addressing her. She wasn't about to fight her about this.

"Haleigh--"

Haleigh: "--but I know better than to try and stop you.”

Good, the thought of getting into it with Haleigh was a draining thought, especially when on all her energy right now was focused on trying not to have a breakdown at the thought of Alek in the hands of Helena. She needed to stay focused and calm, get any information she could quickly, and kill that fucking harpy before she killed Alek. Haleigh began to walk over to her, placing her hand on Ava's shoulder. She felt a slight prick against her skin.

Haleigh: “That’s a tracker, in case they capture you too. I should’ve tagged Alek, but I won’t make that mistake again by not tagging you."

There was no use fighting Haleigh on this, so Ava nodded. She could tell guilt weighed almost as heavily on Haleigh as it did on Ava.

Haleigh: "And I’ll be listening in through your phone’s mic. Bonus points if you can angle the camera for me to keep an eye on things.”

Ava solemnly scoffed.

"She's not an idiot, but i'll try."

It felt like none of this would ever end. The fighting, the angst, anger, pain. All of it just seemed to escalate even more now and all Ava could do was go on auto pilot to keep it together.

Haleigh then clinked her bottle of whisky against Ava's, her eyes lifting from her moment of being lost in thought.

Haleigh: ”Don’t die, you’re the only one left who can stand me, it seems.”

Then in probably the most surprising revelations of the evening, Delilah broke her silence.

Delilah: "Okay. We'll rest up here. Make sure no one followed us. Then we'll take Cameron to the Parthenon."

Baby steps...

She thought to herself, as she looked up at Haleigh, clicking her bottle back.

"Maybe not."

She responded softly, referring to Haleigh's prior comment about Ava being the only one who could stand her. Delilah was hurt badly, but she wasn't stupid. She knew Haleigh would die for anyone of them in a heartbeat, and while she did break Delilah and Cameron's trust in the worst ways in the name of protection, she was still the Haleigh that they once knew. And this small concession to let Haleigh go to The Parthenon showed that. It was baby steps, but it was still steps forward. If Ava DID die trying to save Alek, she needed to know that her sisters relationships were going to mend. Maybe not over night, or even in a few months, but eventually mend to where she had someone who loved her like a sister -- like she did.

Taking a swig of her whisky, Ava would wait to meet with Domino until they were all safely situated at The Parthanon.
 
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