Wish upon a Siege Perilous

[Firebird]

Through the Siege Perilous

The normally observant and keenly aware Blaze did not register the fact that she'd been found and was now being FOLLOWED by Cameron and Nicolas.

Nicolas, using his shadow cloak, kept them hidden from her as she landed on the massive butte out at sea, a fair distance away from Cameron's old ocean side villa.

It was YEARS before Cameron finally learned that this was the very spot where Spellbinder had SNAPPED and, during an "ASTRAL NIGHTMARE", transformed into Darkchild. He, along with Haleigh were the FIRST casualties of the Inferno. NICOLAS was not even a member of the Six at the time, nor was he in New York when the Inferno event occurred and he was one of the FEW outside of "ground zero" to retain any knowledge or memory of the event, as a spell cast by Ororo and Guardian (Now Harbinger) ERASED the memory and knowledge of the event from the general populace.

Blaze wasn't sure WHY she felt the need to come HERE of all places to open the Siege Perilous, but the moment she thought of it...it just felt...RIGHT.

"This is where it happened. My sister snapped."

"It happened in my timeline too...which is why my Haleigh has a different face there, like mainstream Haleigh does here."

Blaze reflected aloud. Assuming she was alone with her vocal thoughts.

"Morgan said goodbye to restraint and conscious control here. I guess I find it fitting to say goodbye to HER, goodbye to EVERYTHING in this world here as well."

The Siege Perlilous continued to hum and glow/pulsate.

"This ancient cosmic gem makes ANYTHING possible really, kind of like Morg's stepping discs. Only...it's a one way ticket."

She says, as she gazes into the large ruby red eye of the gem.

One last chance...

She looks around the surface of the butte she's standing on. There's nothing here that would indicate ANYONE had been here before. Spellbinder reached this place by her stepping disc, Firebird by the power of flight. Once she passed through the siege perilous, ALL traces of her existence would be ERASED from this timeline and she would be LOST to the Six, just like Frost. She would be LOST even to HERSELF, with no memory of her life, who she was...her passions, her fears...NONE of it.

Nicolas and Cam were now seeing the moment Cameron had perceived in his flash premonition. Tears streamed down Blaze's face as she cried out.

"I want...to be ANYWHERE but here! I don't care what happens to me. I just want to start over."

"No...that's not true...I want to start over...with my FAMILY. My SISTERS AND The Six! I want a sister who wont DIE or RUN OUT ON ME again and FRIENDS that know the meaning of the word!"

"Siege Perilous...please help me...show me a place and time that I might have my heart's wish??"

And soon, the mystic, within its eternal depths, begins to show Blaze Victory ALL the BLAZE VICTORY/FIELDINGS that EVER were! The FIREBIRDS or even FOXFIRES that ARE!

It's beautiful, exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Blaze can't help but to exhale with a shaken laughter.

"There they all are...as impossible as this should be...there they ALL...are!"

"The paths not taken...so many possibilities..."


And then...her apple green eyes WIDEN as she sees the image of herself, with Spellbinder, FROST, Karen Victoria all together during what looks to be a holiday celebration. The Six are there too. Everyone looks so happy, content. SHE HAS HER SISTERS AND HER MOTHER!

"This is what I want..."

She shuts her eyes tightly as a few more tears fall before she screams and lets go of the Siege.

"I WISH TO LEAVE THIS PLACE. I WISH TO START A NEW PATH!"

The Seige Perilous FLOATS in the air, hovering and now shining BRIGHTLY as a haunting bell tolls and the gem expands and GROWS into a LARGE version of itself. The ruby red EYE shmmers and glows before fading away to REVEAL the cosmic gateway into a place OUTSIDE of any mortal concept.

Blaze swallows hard. The moment she wished for was at hand! All she had to do was take one...two steps.

She clenches her fist for a moment, pushing away the last pull of hesitation and takes the first step forward.

"Goodbye, Morg. "


She closes her eyes as the winds from the gateway begin to swirl and pick up speed. She moves to take the second and FINAL step that will bring her THROUGH the gateway portal.

 

[Artemis]

MP Courtyard

Alycia stopped - and unlike most every other resident of Melrose Place would have been, she didn't go right to bitchy.

“Haleigh’s been a good friend to me through some bad times…and I just…feel the need to stick up for her. I think we all underestimate her."

:: Alycia gazed upon Delilah for a moment.::

Believe it or not, your defending Haleigh didn't bother or offend me. I don't know what you think...but I have a very clear memory of you and I don't sum you up by a moment that I can't even imagine...much less describe. I REMEMBER you and your defense of Haleigh is right in line with who you are. You felt someone needed help and you did that.

That's what I was trying to do too...what I still want to do. What OTHERS still want to do. But I can only talk to you about ME...about US right this minute.


Delilah, you think we UNDERestimate Haleigh?

::Shaking her head to the negative::

I think I OVERestimated her. or maybe I overestimated my so-called friendship with her...

It's like I told you last night, the relationship between Haleigh and I began to change when she helped rescue us from Rick Riley and then the night Master Mold attacked. By the time Haleigh and I journeyed to the Arklay mansion together...I found myself seeing her in a way I never imagined. I trusted her with my life, I respected her for her courage and bravery and for the unique way she had of being the glue that held the rest of us together when we needed it most! Like when Morgan and Sharon died.

I KNOW she didn't approve of Sharon's and my choice to leave for Themyscira after Bishop faciliated the Six's outing and seeming destruction. But as I recovered and began the process of becoming an amazon, one person who I eagerly anticipated seeing again was HALEIGH.

I...there were things she said to me that no one else in the Six thought to say, when I reflexively short changed myself as "only human" among you all. I never looked for or expected any of you to say anything to me about that and The fact that SHE of all people cared enough to pull me OUT of that bad habit, that meant something to me.

Delilah, I thought Haleigh and I were FRIENDS.

When I saw her today, her reaction, her whole attitude toward me was...

:: Alycia paused for a moment::

Well it was rather HURTFUL to me and suddenly I realized what an idiot I must have been, thinking that we were friends. I may be an amazon, but I have feelings too.

"And also”

She took a gentle step closer to Alycia.

“I’m…I’m doing the best that I can here…to move through this. It’s not about you – I’m not angry at you. I hope you understand that. I appreciate you being straight with me. It’s just that – this whole thing – it’s not easy.”

It was as close to an apology as she could manage - because she DID feel treated like a child. But she wasn't angry at Alycia, and she did want her to know that. It was just that everything was screaming inside her head and she couldn't make it stop.

:: Alycia saw and felt the sincerity. Delilah was a good person, Alycia had always known her to be a good person with a good heart. But for a time, there was this perception that she was some kind of "SAINT" to the Six and that, really did a diservice to Delilah, much like the way people so often remarked about how "much more powerful and glamorus Firebird was over Foxfire.::

:: Delilah was human and prone to mistakes, bad judgements, failings and shortcomings, like THEY ALL were and what she was going through now? It pained Alycia to know there was nothing she could do about that. All she could do was continue to lend her support in whatever way she could::

when i saw you two, and what it looked like you were about to do, coupled with what I'd heard as i came to the door, I did assume the worst. You and I, in our past careers, BOTH saw what people who have bottomed out and are desperate will do.

My concern was genuine, but in my reaction, I underestimated you.


::sigh::

As the saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

I'll never apologize for caring about a friend...BUT the last thing I want to do, is unintentionally add to your pain or bad feelings. If I did THAT to you, I'm sorry.

:: Alycia then remembered...::

Oh...In the heat of the earlier negativity, I didn't have the chance to give you this.

:: Handing Delilah a dvd sleeve containing a DVD inside of it.::

It's from the party at Minerva's Aerie last night. Sharon closed out the party with a song and performance that was truly awesome, INSPIRING even it....and she made us dance. Her voice is not only a weapon now, but a thing of beauty. Just watch and see!

:: Alycia smiled.::

There's a few other things about her performance that you may enjoy as well.

 

[MorningStar]

Melrose Place, Courtyard to Apartment #1

”Delilah, you think we UNDERestimate Haleigh?...Suddenly I realized what an idiot I must have been, thinking that we were friends.”

Delilah knew how easy it was to feel disliked by Haleigh, but also knew that it wasn’t true in this case.

“I do think we underestimate her. She wants to do good – she wants to help us all, whenever we need her. Her methods are….unorthodox. But the good intentions are there. She would die – or kill – for you Alycia. She IS your friend. It’s just, when her back is up, there’s no defusing her. She’s like a bomb going off. But she is a good person – even if SHE thinks she’s not.”

It's from the party at Minerva's Aerie last night. Sharon closed out the party with a song and performance that was truly awesome, INSPIRING even it....and she made us dance. Her voice is not only a weapon now, but a thing of beauty. Just watch and see!

Delilah took the disc from Alycia. She swallowed hard, looking down at the case in her hand. She looked up and smiled at Alycia.

“Thank you – it will be great to have Sharon on video. We get to see her perform so infrequently.”

After a pause, she continued.

“I can see you were headed somewhere, and I don’t want to hold you up. Thanks again,” She waved the DVD in the air before heading towards her own apartment.

Shutting the door behind her, she took the disc out of its case and examined it a second before setting it onto the coffee table. She knew Alycia didn’t MEAN anything by giving it to her, but still. She waved her hand in the air, and the disc began projecting onto the blank white wall of her living room, while she poured a beer into a pint glass. She was DEFINITELY going to need alcohol for this.

IMAGINE! They sent her a video of a party they had without her – that she wasn’t even INVITED to. At a location she was BANNED from!

Cameron introduced Alison first, announcing she would be singing Bitch.

“Got that right.”

Alison’s image came onto the screen.

“Pfft!”

Delilah fast forwarded. There was no WAY she was watching Alison sing for four minutes. She would have to take this over to Haleigh’s later – she would get a kick out of this.

Then it was Mike, though why they had included him in this, she had no idea. She kept skipping through until she saw Cameron. She let it play while she finished getting her beer and took a long sip.

Cameron did have a nice voice, and she loved George Michael. And she had nothing against him. As he ended the song, he turned things over to Blaze.

“Skip.”

Cass.

“Next.”

Ava, acting sexy.

“Pass.”

Nicolas.

“Barf.”

Alycia AND Cameron. More George Michael. Okay. She kept watching as she took off her boots and sat down on the couch. And she couldn’t help but thinking as she watched them sing together:

Are they sleeping together?

If they weren’t they probably would be soon.

Karen was next.

I dedicate this little performance to my precious Michael Armstrong

“Yuck - not a chance.”

And then finally Sharon came onstage, giving the performance as only Sharon could. Pictures of The Six played on a video screen, pictures of them as a team. To Delilah, it felt as if that was a hundred years ago, when they had all been together. Before everything went wrong. There was an ache in her heart as she watched, really watched. Mesmerized. All of the Six present there danced together with Sharon.

Delilah gritted her teeth. They didn’t need her, not anymore. They were perfectly happy there, together without her, as if nothing had ever happened. They didn’t feel remorse, or loss, or like anything was missing. They didn’t want to help her. They didn’t WANT her there. Didn’t WANT her back with them.

The DVD ended with Sharon, speaking to those assembled and, in a way, those not present.

We’ll stand and move together…and we’ll help those who don’t think they can carry on. Though some may not be here tonight, no one is left behind. That is not our way. And when anyone among us might lose his or her way...any of the rest of us will lead them back...step by step.

And she knew she needed to talk to Alycia again, asap.

 

[Artemis]

MP Apt 4

I'm glad we could have this conversation, Delilah.

:: Alycia smiled.::

I'll see you later.

:: Delilah went into her apartment. Alycia retrieved the documents from Cameron's car parked out on Melrose Avenue and soon returned to Morgan's apartment where Cass was playing with the small white fluffy kitten.::

I saw Delilah on my way out and had a conversation with her.

:: Alycia said as she closed the door to apartment 4 behind her. She immediately began to set up on the table in Morgan's dining area and as she did so, she began speaking to Cass.::

Cass, I heard you a few moments ago , your concern about Blaze playing you? And honestly? I can't understand why you'd feel that way about her.

This problem that she's having...it predates you. The fact that it's come to a climax while you're here is merely a coincidence.

:: Alycia begins sorting through the documents in order of importance and scanning them to ensure airtight language & validity. It doesnt matter that her life has changed so many times since her days as a high powered corporate attorney or her days as the NYC DA. She can still do this kind of work like it was 2nd nature.::

Instead of finding reasons to be so supcious of everyone here, why dont you find common ground? Doesnt the fact that you're even in SPELLBINDER'S apartment and still ALIVE tell you something? Trust me, if she wanted to keep you out of here, if she didnt want you in Melrose Place at ALL, you wouldnt be here.

:: Not knowing that Sharon AND Karen told her this before::

And as for the others? Well your relationships with them are so anemic because you wear your trust issues like a badge of honor! You're not the first person to come to this team with less than positive expectations. But you've been here for MONTHS and you still act like "the new girl." Blaze was doing what she's really good at...drawing the outsiders IN. Whether its Foxfire or Firebird, BLAZE had that gift.

She was reaching out to you because she was GENUINELY interested in you. Is that so hard to believe?

hmmmm...this part of the clause needs to be re-worded. and there needs to a more explicit part HERE to protect the brand name and all intellectual property associated with it and the owner from here on

:: Alycia makes corrections, and will generate new documents with a snap using her ipad::

I've known Blaze for a long time. She's a woman with heart and passion. Some people on this team will dismiss her for being emotional, and while there have been times she WAS a bit of a mess, again...that's no different from anyone ELSE around here. Firebird came from a timeline where the destruction of her team started with a fallout between Delilah, Morgan and Alison and everything else went to hell. Add to that the feeling of being lost...here but NOT here...a person without real form or substance. That's how she feels and without her SISTER here, she has no blood family.

Instead of assuming the worst about her, you could have empathy...as I understand it, you are the sole survivor of your family? You're also long lived, similar to Persephone and so you've clearly seen much of the world...old and new.

Tell me, why is it that a woman, who in theory, should have a very worldly view and perspective of things and people, is so reluctant to even give the people right next door to her a fair chance?

These people would come to your aid...*I* would come to your aid and it doesnt matter how well I know you. What matters is that you're apart of this group! We HAVE to watch out for each other...even though sometimes we may fuss, fight or get in each other's faces....

:: She thought of Haleigh in particular as she said this ::

 

[Rampage]

Nicolas almost felt like an intruder. Hell, he WAS an intruder, here cloaked and listening in as Blaze opened up her heart and poured out all of the pain and hurt, all of the loneliness she felt. He waited as she went on, it did not yet FEEL like time. And then...

Blaze wasn't sure WHY she felt the need to come HERE of all places to open the Siege Perilous, but the moment she thought of it...it just felt...RIGHT.

"This is where it happened. My sister snapped."

"It happened in my timeline too...which is why my Haleigh has a different face there, like mainstream Haleigh does here."

Blaze reflected aloud. Assuming she was alone with her vocal thoughts.

"Morgan said goodbye to restraint and conscious control here. I guess I find it fitting to say goodbye to HER, goodbye to EVERYTHING in this world here as well."

The Siege Perlilous continued to hum and glow/pulsate.

"This ancient cosmic gem makes ANYTHING possible really, kind of like Morg's stepping discs. Only...it's a one way ticket."

She says, as she gazes into the large ruby red eye of the gem.

One last chance...

She looks around the surface of the butte she's standing on. There's nothing here that would indicate ANYONE had been here before. Spellbinder reached this place by her stepping disc, Firebird by the power of flight. Once she passed through the siege perilous, ALL traces of her existence would be ERASED from this timeline and she would be LOST to the Six, just like Frost. She would be LOST even to HERSELF, with no memory of her life, who she was...her passions, her fears...NONE of it.

Nicolas and Cam were now seeing the moment Cameron had perceived in his flash premonition. Tears streamed down Blaze's face as she cried out.

"I want...to be ANYWHERE but here! I don't care what happens to me. I just want to start over."

"No...that's not true...I want to start over...with my FAMILY. My SISTERS AND The Six! I want a sister who wont DIE or RUN OUT ON ME again and FRIENDS that know the meaning of the word!"

"Siege Perilous...please help me...show me a place and time that I might have my heart's wish??"

And soon, the mystic, within its eternal depths, begins to show Blaze Victory ALL the BLAZE VICTORY/FIELDINGS that EVER were! The FIREBIRDS or even FOXFIRES that ARE!

It's beautiful, exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Blaze can't help but to exhale with a shaken laughter.

"There they all are...as impossible as this should be...there they ALL...are!"

"The paths not taken...so many possibilities..."


And then...her apple green eyes WIDEN as she sees the image of herself, with Spellbinder, FROST, Karen Victoria all together during what looks to be a holiday celebration. The Six are there too. Everyone looks so happy, content. SHE HAS HER SISTERS AND HER MOTHER!

"This is what I want..."

She shuts her eyes tightly as a few more tears fall before she screams and lets go of the Siege.

"I WISH TO LEAVE THIS PLACE. I WISH TO START A NEW PATH!"

The Seige Perilous FLOATS in the air, hovering and now shining BRIGHTLY as a haunting bell tolls and the gem expands and GROWS into a LARGE version of itself. The ruby red EYE shmmers and glows before fading away to REVEAL the cosmic gateway into a place OUTSIDE of any mortal concept.

Blaze swallows hard. The moment she wished for was at hand! All she had to do was take one...two steps.

She clenches her fist for a moment, pushing away the last pull of hesitation and takes the first step forward.

"Goodbye, Morg. "


She closes her eyes as the winds from the gateway begin to swirl and pick up speed. She moves to take the second and FINAL step that will bring her THROUGH the gateway portal.

NOW!!!

As Blaze steps forward she is pulled back by Nicolas, who has teleported to her and revealed himself.

Blaze! Please. Listen. DON'T DO this. I KNOW that we have failed to help you become grounded here...I know that the current trouble seems incredible but I want you to know...we ALL want you, need you here. You BELONG here. WITH us. THIS is your home.

He was not hurting her, but as the demigod pleaded with her he was holding her here, determined that she not leave.

 

[Persephone]

Haleigh: "How about we stay in? I'm something of a minor celebrity in the city now, and people are always asking for pictures and autographs and drilling me about Rogers and Stark, and my pen is fresh out of patience tonight."

"Oh, how tragic."

Ava deadpanned playfully. If only things were as simple as signing autographs and being looked at like a bonafide hero.

Then Haleigh was there, right in front of her.

"Geeze Hales! You know I hate when you do that."

Sighing, Haleigh sat next to her and gave her a hug. A little stiff, Ava wrapped her arms around her sister and finally relaxed, hugging her back. With a smile, she really did miss her a lot.

Haleigh: "You know little sis, I could never stay mad at you for long. But NOT telling me about Delilah's baby being kidnapped by Alison? Not cool."

"It's more complicated than that, Haleigh."

Pulling out of the hug.

Haleigh: "I gave her a baby gift and asked about the kid and just about broke Delilah's heart all over again. Now I feel like a real asshole for not being available."

"Oh god....[rolling her eyes shut] I'm sorry."

But in true Haleigh fashion, it was neither here nor there. At least when it came to Ava. Anyone else in the six, she would of been tearing them a new asshole. She grabbed the phone and began to order some food. She paused and asked what Ava wanted.

"Grilled salmon and roasted vegetables. Oh....and the dark chocolate raspberry cheesecake."

She said with a grin.

Haleigh relayed the message and hung up. Nibbling her bottom lip, it was strange. For the first time in a long time, Ava felt nervous around Haleigh. Like she would immediately pick up on what was going on with her. If anyone could easily read Ava, it was Haleigh. And THAT was the main reason she didn't call her sister after everything went down. As utterly selfish as that was...it was the truth.

"I know I should have told you about what happened. But you had an obligation with Shield...and I knew if you found out, you would come home immediately. I thought it was best to let everything calm down for a couple of weeks before informing you. If I had known you were coming home sooner, I would have told you before you saw Delilah..."

Cringing at the thought of Haleigh giving Delilah a baby gift. That was just pouring salt in Delilah's already gaping wound.

"How is she? I haven't seen her since it happened...I'm not exactly her favorite person at the moment, so I figured giving her space would be better than suffocating her like everyone else is doing. Although i'm sure she's reading it as me hating her."

Ava shook her head at the thought. It would almost be comical if it wasn't so screwed up. Ava cared more for Delilah than Delilah probably realized.

 

[Prophet]

Like A Moth To A Flame...

Within seconds, Cameron and Nicolas were teleported to the exact spot where Cameron had seen Blaze stepping through the Siege and also the place where Morgan had her Astral Nightmare so many years ago. Standing on the ground, Cameron couldn't help but feel somewhat introspective. Looking to his right, he could actually see his old villa in the distance and he was instinctively taken back to a few moments in particular.

<< Alycia and Cameron are both laying in Cameron's bed in the master suite of his villa after a night of passionate lovemaking. The sun is nearly about to rise as both of them lay in his bright white egyptian cotton sheets. Cameron rolls around and straddles himself over Alycia, looking down at her, taking a moment to savor all of the visual appeal Ms. Barnett had to offer. >>

Cameron: So what happens next Barnett? You go back to New York and we go back to hating each other?

<< Alycia laughed. She was always such a severe person in that time of her laugh and it was rare for a person to really get see such a personal side to her. But there they were, something that NEITHER had expected to happen. >>

Alycia: Well, I guess depends...

<< Prophet began to kiss her neck as she spoke. >>

Cameron: Depends on what?

<< Alycia allowed herself for a few moments to be lost in the passion of Cameron's kiss. >>

Alycia: Well, you'd have to stop being such an insufferable prick all of the time.

Cameron: [laughs] Oh...I don't know if I CAN do that. [smirking]

Alycia: And quite honestly, I don't know what I'd do if you WEREN'T such a terrible man...it definitely seems to help us in the bedroom..

Cameron: Why, Alycia! Are you planning on coming back for seconds?

<< Alycia rolled her eyes at the man as she placed her hand on the back of his neck, something that would become somewhat of a signature between the two. >>

Alycia: Look, King...I'm trying really hard not to smack you....AGAIN. Why don't you put those lips of yours to GOOD use for once and we'll think about tomorrow later?

<< She winked at Cameron as his head began to slide underneath the covers. >>

He hadn't thought about that night in a long time and looking back...with how good things were going with Alycia at the moment, he started to become a little fearful of just how much he actually liked her. But with how Cameron had treated relationships in the past, he almost never considered the possibility of something REAL with somebody. He was good at business, he was FINALLY starting to be a valuable member to the team, but a RELATIONSHIP? Well, that was something that Cameron never thought he would be successful in. As he became more aware of his surroundings, he could see Blaze in the distance, just as in his vision, and the parallels between her and her sisters were not lost on him.

[looking at Nicolas]

"Go get her, NK...I'll remain as backup..I know i've made a pact not to use my powers on the minds of our teammates, but if she gets too crazy, I'll bypass all those countermeasures my alternate took and KNOCK her OUT...but we'll try good cop first..."

Cameron watched as Nicolas ran over to Blaze, and he couldn't help but sympathize with the woman. Years ago, Cameron was in a similar state. Everybody on the team hated him, he had fucked things up with Haleigh because of this weird unresolved notion they had about each other, he had pushed Alison away...Alexis was GONE and well...what he helped do to Morgan..he tried not to think about. Cameron wanted gone in the WORST way. So he went to stay with his sister Erika awhile, who had just returned from an extended stay in Limbo, or so he thought...

Newport Beach, CA - A Long While Ago...

<< Cameron laid out on the table, completely shirtless. His left eye had been so severely beaten in that it was bruised and swelled shut. His body was decorated with scratch marks, exposed wounds, burned flesh, and gaping injuries. He was nearly dead. A stereophonic voice could heard right above him as a maniacal and completely insane Erika King worked over his body, as if she was taking an autopsy. >>

Erika: "I was a good sister, Cameron! I made sure you and Alison LIVED! I was the best sister...Wasn't I, Cameron?"

<< The telepath could barely speak, having been completely starved for the last few days along with the wounds he had sustained. This did not seem to please Erika as she grabbed an athame from the table next to her and promptly JAMMED it in his GUT, twirling it in a methodical and painful fashion. >>

Erika: "WASN'T I?! YOU SON OF BITCH! YOU SAY I WAS A GOOD SISTER!!! THAT I WAS BETTER THAN THAT BITCH! SAY IT! FUCKING SAY IT!!!"

That series of events was just one of the many reasons that Cameron King found it hard to sleep at night. As far as he came and as PROUD as he was, he would never close his eyes and not see her.. torturing him, reveling in his pain, the voice of Malice nearby, guiding her hand. He had never talked much of his torture at the hands of his sister and Malice, and for the most part it had been because the ordeal had been so gruesome that there was no way a truce could exist if they knew. It was Cameron's pain.

If Cameron would have just came to his sister early on, and tried to make amends. If he would have apologized to Morgan sooner, instead of running away...his sister wouldn't have had to experience that torture either. She wouldn't have had to pull him from the astral plane. There were so many what if's....Prophet had often wondered what these alternate versions of him were like, but then again... MANY of them were dead, so the fact that he remained was a testament to just how STRONG Mainstream Cameron King was, so he took comfort in that fact.

He stood behind as backup, as Nicolas wanted. He was actually relieved because he KNEW the second that Nicolas laid a hand on her, she was going to ATTACK, and it wasn't going to be pretty. And so, the only productive and useful thing he could do at this moment...was WATCH as Nicolas attempted to tame the firebrand.

 

[Firebird]

Pacific Ocean

It wasn't so bad, this moment, talking those first steps toward what looked like oblivion but was really a mysterious journey to a completely new life and new self.

The Siege Perilous was an ancient, powerful crystal and at one point it represented something TERRIFYING to the Six, after they'd lost Spellbinder to it and Frost shortly thereafter. But the fire elemental was always one to want to see things up close and personal for herself before giving in to group think or fear. Even when Barbas was terrifying them and the Siege appeared in their group nightmare...it seemed so...INTRIGUING to Blaze.

Perhaps this was the way it was supposed to be all along. Perhaps coming here, spending time with "mainstream Spellbinder" & the others was just a STOP on her ultimate journey. She'd lost pretty much everything that mattered to her in her own dystopian timeline and then, following her heart, she leapt through a stepping disc leaving the remnants of that shattered life and Six family behind. In the aftermath of the violent fallout between Spellbinder, MorningStar and Harbinger HERE, Blaze suddenly felt worried for the future of this Six and for the first time, she doubted herself, her heart, her instincts and felt ASHAMED for leaving her time for this one.

Maybe she was being PUNISHED for that and the Siege would finally balance out her ultimate cosmic fate?

Well there was only one way to find out.

The journey of progress always begins with first step. Blaze had taken that first step only seconds ago. Her heart skipped a beat. But now, she was ready to take that second step. the FINAL step she'd take in THIS world...and the FIRST step toward a future dared to hope for!

She runs her hand through her auburn hair, which is blowing in the ocean winds.

"Here goes EVERYTHING!"

She allows herself to think as she inhales deeply, raises her high heeled boot to step forward and THROUGH the gateway...

::GASP!::

Her apple green eyes SNAP open...WIDE as she TRULY startled and JARRED by

As Blaze steps forward she is pulled back by Nicolas, who has teleported to her and revealed himself.

Blaze! Please. Listen. DON'T DO this. I KNOW that we have failed to help you become grounded here...I know that the current trouble seems incredible but I want you to know...we ALL want you, need you here. You BELONG here. WITH us. THIS is your home.

He was not hurting her, but as the demigod pleaded with her he was holding her here, determined that she not leave.

The fire elemental's mouth opened but no words or sound could be heard. She was in disbelief and dismay to find herself being held back by Nicolas. That he AND Cameron had FOLLOWED her and apparently SPYING on her for the last few moments!

....

Her face suddenly changes from a look of astonishment to a look of ANGER.

"Let go of me, Nic."

She said with shaken voice.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME, NICOLAS!"

She SCREAMS!

There's a sound of plasma energy igniting and FLASH of red/orange aura as FIREBIRD changes...transforms into her MAGMA form!

Spellbinder wasn't the ONLY one who could be beautiful and terrifying at the same time. FIREBIRD prooved she could be as well, as she made it IMPOSSIBLE for Rampage to hold on to her any longer without risking SEVERE, even LIFE THREATNING damage to his own body. The PAIN he feels is indescribable...he's LUCKY he didnt lose his hand!

Firebird was in a true elemental form now, even her hair, now flowing upward, seemed to be ablaze with primal fire elemental energy. She was now generating a temperature AT LEAST as hot as the heart of an active volcano and MOST projectiles of any substance would melt long before reaching her. Any human/humanoid, superhuman or not would be INCINERATED if they managed to pierce the intense geothermal heat radius about her.

"You might be physically stronger than me, But I can be HOTTER than my sister's INFERNO. You've all said it...I AM MORE POWERFUL than Foxfire. Would you like to find out just HOW MUCH MORE?"

"Stay BACK! BOTH OF YOU!"

Firebird hisses with aggression as her now solid red eyes flash! The butte ITSELF begins to TREMBLE down to is ocean floor foundation. A sign of Firebird's power. And while she COULD have attacked them both in any number of devastating ways, she noticeably did not. She didn't want to hurt them. She only wanted to keep them at BAY. To not interfere! It rarely occurr to her to attack or hurt her friends, her FAMILY the way other people on this team so easily resort to doing. But this was a woman on a mission. She would not be denied and like any wildcat, if not left alone and backed into a corner, she WOULD come out fighting VICIOUSLY.

"HOW DARE YOU! NEITHER of you should've followed me...SPIED on me! "

"And you can't stop me from doing what I want ...what I NEED to do."


"I want to GO, Nic. Everything is all screwed up here and lately. The team is broken and nobody can figure out what to do...and I've been haunted by images and a legacy of someone...ME...or rather this world's version of ME, who none of you really talks much about, but the few comments I HAVE heard in the recent past, from people like Delilah and Haleigh, indicate that you must not have thought much of her."

"I'm either seen as just an extension of Morg, or a novelty because of "how much more glamorous and powerful" I am than Foxfire."

"Would YOU want to be around people who ONLY saw you those ways?"

"No family...no REAL connection...I can't even show my FACE without being accussed of committing a FELONY!? In my timeline, it WAS a crime to be me...but that was because MUTANTS were outlawed. HERE...I run the risk of drawing attention, all the way from the FEDS because of HER. She's DEAD...so I have to be TOO? NONE of you told me that, BUT it makes sense now...why even MORGAN wanted to keep me "HIDDEN" at Spectra! Even SALLY gave me more of a chance with this recent press conference and look what happened!?"

"I have a chance to start FRESH! Why would you even THINK of trying to stand in the way of that?"

 

[Ruby]

Melrose Place - Apt. 4

:: Cass looked on with disbelief as Alycia LEFT without saying anything. ::

What?!

:: She got up and carried the small kitten, which was meowing like crazy, back into the apartment and played with her. Dragging her fingers along the rug laughing as the furball chased them and pounced on them. ::

*coos*: “YOU like me, don’t you?” *baby voice*: “Yes, you do! Yes you do!! OH, you’re so cute! Oh, you’re so cute!”

:: Alycia came back carrying the documents Cameron wanted her to look over. ::

I saw Delilah on my way out and had a conversation with her.

:: Cass shrugged. ::

“It’s fine.”

Cass, I heard you a few moments ago , your concern about Blaze playing you? And honestly? I can't understand why you'd feel that way about her.

This problem that she's having...it predates you. The fact that it's come to a climax while you're here is merely a coincidence.

If you truly HEARD me, then you would UNDERSTAND…

Instead of finding reasons to be so supcious of everyone here, why dont you find common ground? Doesnt the fact that you're even in SPELLBINDER'S apartment and still ALIVE tell you something? Trust me, if she wanted to keep you out of here, if she didnt want you in Melrose Place at ALL, you wouldnt be here.

:: Not knowing that Sharon AND Karen told her this before::

And as for the others? Well your relationships with them are so anemic because you wear your trust issues like a badge of honor! You're not the first person to come to this team with less than positive expectations. But you've been here for MONTHS and you still act like "the new girl." Blaze was doing what she's really good at...drawing the outsiders IN. Whether its Foxfire or Firebird, BLAZE had that gift.

She was reaching out to you because she was GENUINELY interested in you. Is that so hard to believe?

Blah, blah, blippity, blah…

I've known Blaze for a long time. She's a woman with heart and passion. Some people on this team will dismiss her for being emotional, and while there have been times she WAS a bit of a mess, again...that's no different from anyone ELSE around here. Firebird came from a timeline where the destruction of her team started with a fall out between Delilah, Morgan and Alison and everything else went to hell. Add to that the feeling of being lost...here but NOT here...a person without real form or substance. That's how she feels and without her SISTER here, she has no blood family.

Instead of assuming the worst about her, you could have empathy...as I understand it, you are the sole survivor of your family? You're also long lived, similar to Persephone and so you've clearly seen much of the world...old and new.

Tell me, why is it that a woman, who in theory, should have a very worldly view and perspective of things and people, is so reluctant to even give the people right next door to her a fair chance?

These people would come to your aid...*I* would come to your aid and it doesnt matter how well I know you. What matters is that you're apart of this group! We HAVE to watch out for each other...even though sometimes we may fuss, fight or get in each other's faces....

:: While was Alycia preaching at her, Cass sat stone faced on the couch. She did not say ANYTHING, her face never gave anything away. She just sat and listened. But inside…inside she was boiling and her thoughts were spinning around and around. Her emotions were nearing their limit… ::

“Is it MY turn to speak now?”

:: Cass crossed her legs and licked her lips. ::

“You’re right; I DO have a worldly view AND some perspectives on people, as a whole. But what happen when those change? Let me tell YOU something. I have had a happy childhood up until age six. My parents loved and doted on me, and I was the beloved baby sister of my brother. I had a home. I was wanted. I had FRIENDS. BUT…I’ve lived through events that NOBODY should’ve gone through. I was abused physically, emotionally, and sexually by BEASTS that were the Nazis. I was experimented on like I was just some LAB RAT that couldn’t be bothered to have a life that my…my PARENTS wanted for me. After the war was over, I was still locked up in their secret labratories until the Allied forces liberated the facility where I was held captive. And then I found out my entire family was SLAUGHTERED like sheep.”

“I was ALONE in life at that time. Everybody I ever loved and trusted was DEAD. My FAMILY, my adoptive parent, Maria, who was with me in that secret laboratory all because she was First Lady of Poland at that time. Then, when I was just entering my teens, a group of gypsies took me under their wing, and told me stories and regaled me with their cultures and customs. THEY loved me so much that when we got out of our situations, they would bring me back with them to Hungary to be part of their clan. They died shortly before I freed MYSELF due to my powers.”

“I went through my life avenging ALL of their deaths, killing all the Nazis and Nazi sympathizers I could find. I had NO ONE which suited me just fine because I learned that I couldn’t count on ANYONE. Yes, it wasn’t their fault or choice that they all died leaving me alone. I didn’t have friends, and I certainly couldn’t be bothered making them.”

“When I arrived in London years later, I came across this female vampire leader of the sect, the Sirens. Now, she originally mistook me for a traditional vampire, but once she learned about me, not that I gave her any information to begin with, she slowly came to respect and admire me and vice versa. She took me under her wing and allowed me to be a part of that sect. Of course, there were naysayers who didn’t trust me ONE BIT and the feeling was mutual. But SHE was patient with me, and she LISTENED to me. She TRUSTED me and, with time, I trusted her.”

:: Cass got up and looked out the window, staring at nothing. She turned back to Alycia. ::

“Have you ever been in love, Alycia? Head over heels, oh-my-gosh-I-can’t-believe-a-person-can-even-feel-this-way-about-someone kind of love? I have. While in London I met someone and we just clicked, you know? Of course, I was initially suspicious of his affections. But soon enough, we were in love and I could not even believe I could even feel this way about someone. He was my EVERYTHING. Have you ever sensed that the person you were with was your soulmate, that the person was IT for you, and that there was NO ONE else? I did. His name was Ben and he was my best friend, my lover, AND my soulmate all rolled into one. We were meant to be together.”

:: She began to cry, tears streaking down her face. ::

“We were SUPPOSED to be together. We were together for EIGHTEEN MONTHS. It only ended when he attacked me during what I thought was a romantic night inside. No warning, no red flags. I didn’t have a clue as to what his true intentions were. He was only with me because he worked for MysTech and they were interested in me. You want to know why I have a hard time trusting people, well there you have it: the ultimate betrayal; the proverbial knife in the back. I had TRUSTED him completely and he had PROMISED to take care of me, to love me, to PROTECT me. But it was ALL a LIE.”

:: Alycia now knew why Cass shied away from the males of the Six. ::

“You say that I should let people get to know me, find out all about me? The truth is I have heard THAT before and it ALWAYS ended badly for me.”

<< FLASH! >>

<< It was 1939. Location: Peenemunde Research Facility, Germany. A six year old girl was carried in by a woman.They were both Polish and it was during the occupation of Eastern Europe by Nazi Germany. However, the small girl looked NOTHING like the average Polish person: she had black-brown hair, intensive BLUE eyes, porcelain skin… Upon closer inspection, the girl looked like a young RUBY. >>

<< FLASH! >>

<< A guard for the Facility came up to to the woman and bowed his head to speak to the girl she carried. He spoke in Polish. >>

Guard: “We will be finding out ALL about you, yes? You are special, little one.”

*sobbing; Polish*: “My…my name is Bryda. Where’s my mama? I want my papa!! Where’s Jacek?”

<< FLASH! >>

<< A screaming Bryda, better known later as CASSANDRA JOHNSON, was strapped to a table much like an operating table and was seen undergoing test after test, experiment after experiment that were too horrible to describe… >>

<< FLASH!! Decades pass by until finally…>>

<< It was London and the young girl formerly known as BRYDA now appeared as a young woman in her late teens to early twenties, despite her actual age. She was now living under the name of Cassandra Johnson and she was manager of a small pub near the Thames River. It was nearing closing time, and yet there were some stragglers still inside. Last call came and went, and Cass was in a small booth near the back of the establishment. She was busy counting money and tallying up the numbers when a young man approached and sat down. >>

Man: “My mates all said I could find the most gorgeous barmistress this side of Dublin here. They weren’t wrong.”

<< Cass looked up to see the most incredible blue eyes that actually RIVALED her own. He was REALLY good-looking. He had black hair, not too long, but not too short either. A bit of scruff but that was okay. Still, she had been hit on more times than she could count that night so she wasn’t in the mood. She sighed and spoke with a British accent. She had become adept at adopting the local language and accent of wherever she went. >>

*bored*: “Pity I’m not interested.”

<< The man chuckled. He was amused by the girl. >>

Man: “That’s what they all say, love. The name’s Benjamin. What you say I find out all about you? Then you can decide about me.”

<< He grinned in a don’t-ya-just-love-me? kind of way. >>

<< FLASH! >>

<< Fastforward eighteen months slowly and we see the first bit of young love between Benjamin and Cassandra, followed by many dates, many hugs, cuddles, kisses, amongst them many intimate moments between the two all resulting in… >>

<< Benjamin drugging his girlfriend’s champagne one night, then attacking her in her bedroom, pushing her down on the bed, trying to hold her steady so she wouldn’t fight. Him explaining to her that he worked for MYSTECH and that he was sent to capture her. Weakly she fought back and managed to get one of her hands free and gripped his wrist before PSIONICALLY DRAINING him of his life’s energy. He did NOT die as her usual victims did but rather she had rendered him unconcious. Cass did not stick around as she fled her flat and did not return for fear MYSTECH would be watching. >>

“But again…nobody here even HEARS me when they listen. They all focus on what I DON’T say that they miss what I DO say. If you even cared to really listen you would’ve found that, even though it predated me, I DO NOT appreciate being lied to. I put my trust in Blaze when she said she wanted to get to know me…but how would she do that if she was secretly planning on leaving?”

“Take the party on Aerie where we sang karaoke. Remember how everyone was making those oh-so-funny comments about me singing a Taylor Swift song? You seen me laughing along but what you didn’t see is that I wanted to bawl. That party was the opening I needed to put myself out there, and share a part of myself that I keep hidden BECAUSE it’s so personal to me. That song was ME being vulnerable and those comments and general snarkiness RUINED it. You guys were all listening to me sing but you didn’t even bother to HEAR me. Why should I trust you guys now?”

:: Cass wiped her face and sniffled. It had been a long time coming, this blowout, and she felt good getting it out of her system. But there was still something else… ::

“Another thing. Delilah. You guys all say you love her but the way you’re acting right now is horrible. She had lost her DAUGHTER and you all have the attitude of ‘suck it up, buttercup’! It doesn’t matter that will be reunited at a later date. It doesn’t matter that Alison did this FOR her sake and for Alexia’s. All that matters, to Delilah at least, is that her baby isn’t right HERE, right NOW. Her baby is GONE at the moment and nothing anybody can say or do will change that. How can you expect me to trust people who treat a GRIEVING mother so callously?”

:: Cass suddenly looked tired. ::

“There you have it. My dirty laundry.”

*sarcastically*: “Now you have something juicy to tell your BOYFRIEND…”

 

[Rampage]

Her face suddenly changes from a look of astonishment to a look of ANGER.

"Let go of me, Nic."

She said with shaken voice.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME, NICOLAS!"

She SCREAMS!

There's a sound of plasma energy igniting and FLASH of red/orange aura as FIREBIRD changes...transforms into her MAGMA form!

Ouch. ouchouchouchouchouchouch. Even through all of this Nicolas only RELUCTANTLY releases grip. His hand is burned through the first few layers...the best approximation he can give is third degree over the inside and second on the outside of the hand. He favors it somewhat as Blaze continues.

"You might be physically stronger than me, But I can be HOTTER than my sister's INFERNO. You've all said it...I AM MORE POWERFUL than Foxfire. Would you like to find out just HOW MUCH MORE?"

"Stay BACK! BOTH OF YOU!"

Firebird hisses with aggression as her now solid red eyes flash! The butte ITSELF begins to TREMBLE down to is ocean floor foundation. A sign of Firebird's power. And while she COULD have attacked them both in any number of devastating ways, she noticeably did not. She didn't want to hurt them. She only wanted to keep them at BAY. To not interfere! It rarely occurr to her to attack or hurt her friends, her FAMILY the way other people on this team so easily resort to doing. But this was a woman on a mission. She would not be denied and like any wildcat, if not left alone and backed into a corner, she WOULD come out fighting VICIOUSLY.

"HOW DARE YOU! NEITHER of you should've followed me...SPIED on me! "

"And you can't stop me from doing what I want ...what I NEED to do."


"I want to GO, Nic. Everything is all screwed up here and lately. The team is broken and nobody can figure out what to do...and I've been haunted by images and a legacy of someone...ME...or rather this world's version of ME, who none of you really talks much about, but the few comments I HAVE heard in the recent past, from people like Delilah and Haleigh, indicate that you must not have thought much of her."

"I'm either seen as just an extension of Morg, or a novelty because of "how much more glamorous and powerful" I am than Foxfire."

"Would YOU want to be around people who ONLY saw you those ways?"

"No family...no REAL connection...I can't even show my FACE without being accussed of committing a FELONY!? In my timeline, it WAS a crime to be me...but that was because MUTANTS were outlawed. HERE...I run the risk of drawing attention, all the way from the FEDS because of HER. She's DEAD...so I have to be TOO? NONE of you told me that, BUT it makes sense now...why even MORGAN wanted to keep me "HIDDEN" at Spectra! Even SALLY gave me more of a chance with this recent press conference and look what happened!?"

"I have a chance to start FRESH! Why would you even THINK of trying to stand in the way of that?"

Because I love you. Because watching you leave us would hurt more than THIS.

Nicolas holds up his hand. It looks ghastly but the healing process can be seen. He speaks again through gritted teeth.

ALL of us have gone through hell and back with each other. And we'd do it again. If you want to burn me, BURN ME. Just stay and live and work and love with me afterwards.

You mentioned Morgan and HER Inferno. Don't forget me and Set. Ava and her fractured psyche. Cam and his absences. And now Delilah and what seem insurmountable. But it isn't. WE will win in the end and we will do it together. And so yes, I dare to hold you here. Because you BELONG here with us.

 

[Black Widow]

Ava: "oh, how tragic."

"Yeah, your sarcasm is noted, and I bet you a grand that if we walked down to the lobby, there would be no less than fifty people crowding around us. And trust me, the novelty wears off quickly. It takes a 'people' person."

The food arrived sooner than expected and Haleigh and Ava moved to the table before digging in. The dinner was superb, and Haleigh was happy to be spending time with her sister again, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Ava was vaguely uncomfortable, even after Haleigh made it clear she wasn't upset. She put the thought on the backburner and tried to let the conversation evolve naturally.

Ava: "I know I should have told you about what happened. But you had an obligation with Shield...and I knew if you found out, you would come home immediately."

"Of course! SHIELD is an extra curricular activity, and they have a big team with plenty of substitutes. Well, they don't have anyone else quite like me, obviously, but I would have left them hanging and come back if I'd known there was a major event happening with my family!"

Ava:"How is she? I haven't seen her since it happened...I'm not exactly her favorite person at the moment, so I figured giving her space would be better than suffocating her like everyone else is doing. Although i'm sure she's reading it as me hating her."

"She's keeping it together, but I'm worried about her. Nine months spent in anticipation of the arrival of something good and pure and innocent, and suddenly that's taken away? That's hard to think about. And she told me everybody kept it from her? Decided what to do with her baby without involving her?"

 

[Persephone]

Finishing her salmon and roasted vegetables, Ava picked up her dirty plate and stood from the table. Scooping up Haleigh's as well, she walked into the kitchen and placed them in the sink.

Haleigh: "She's keeping it together, but I'm worried about her. Nine months spent in anticipation of the arrival of something good and pure and innocent, and suddenly that's taken away? That's hard to think about. And she told me everybody kept it from her? Decided what to do with her baby without involving her?"

"That I wasn't there for. I had returned to let Alison know about the Blue Moon and Circe. I KNEW that they were keeping Delilah in the dark about THAT because they didn't want to stress her out so close to her due date."

Taking the dark chocolate raspberry cheesecake out of the refrigerator, Ava grabbed two forks and made her way back to the dining room table.

"I only returned for the climax of the fight with Circe in the underworld. I helped kill her then returned to Minerva's Mansion to find out that Delilah had died twice--once during birth, and the second time when the child was near her. It was then we all found out what Alison did with Alexia."

Digging her fork into the cheesecake, Ava took a small bite and sat back.

"Look, maybe we shouldn't have kept Delilah in the dark about Circe. But our intentions were good....we thought with her being so far along, it would be safer to have her NOT stress about six issues. But she took it as us lying to her and putting her in danger. And maybe Alison should have talked to Delilah first before giving Alexia to Ororo, but we BOTH know Delilah would have fought tooth and nail to keep that from happening-- rightfully so. Delilah hates the majority of us for what happened. I don't blame her. The only thing that makes her hate tolerable is the fact that she AND Alexia are both alive and healthy and WILL see each other again."

Taking a few more bites of the cheesecake, she and Haleigh finished it off pretty quickly.

"It's just a fucked up, complicated situation. [pointing her fork at Haleigh] And DON'T blame all of this on Alison. Yes her precognition can be changed and altered, but until we figure out how to reunite Delilah and Alexia together without Alexia KILLING Delilah, we have to go by her visions."

Sighing, Ava tucked both knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

"I'm just glad you're back for her sake. I'm sure she finds it a lot easier to be around you since you weren't involved in any of this."

Smirking.

"Contrary to popular belief, i'm not a complete cold hearted bitch."

 

[Artemis]

MP- Apt 4

:: Alycia came back carrying the documents Cameron wanted her to look over. ::



:: Cass shrugged. ::

“It’s fine.”



:: While was Alycia preaching at her, Cass sat stone faced on the couch. She did not say ANYTHING, her face never gave anything away. She just sat and listened. But inside…inside she was boiling and her thoughts were spinning around and around. Her emotions were nearing their limit… ::

“Is it MY turn to speak now?”

:: Cass crossed her legs and licked her lips. ::

....I beg your pardon? There's no need to be petulant, Cass. I'm trying to have an honeset conversation with you.

“You’re right; I DO have a worldly view AND some perspectives on people, as a whole. But what happen when those change? Let me tell YOU something. I have had a happy childhood up until age six. My parents loved and doted on me, and I was the beloved baby sister of my brother. I had a home. I was wanted. I had FRIENDS. BUT…I’ve lived through events that NOBODY should’ve gone through. I was abused physically, emotionally, and sexually by BEASTS that were the Nazis. I was experimented on like I was just some LAB RAT that couldn’t be bothered to have a life that my…my PARENTS wanted for me. After the war was over, I was still locked up in their secret labratories until the Allied forces liberated the facility where I was held captive. And then I found out my entire family was SLAUGHTERED like sheep.”

And you think you're special because of that? You think you're ALONE when it comes to confinment, torture, brutality, loss and DEATH being a life changing or ever present factor in your life? Talk to Nicolas. He's an ORPHAN too thanks to Malice and Mystech. Talk to Sharon. She lost her husband and son in one night in Mystech's arklay mansion. Her son was then experimented upon and turned into a MONSTER that SHE would later have to KILL in order to set him free! SHARON herself was murdered by Mystech and then brought back to life and experimented upon, turning her into the Silver Swan! There's also Cameron, who's mother and other sister, Erika were driven insane and destroyed by Malice; he himself was captured, telepathically raped and tortured by Malice to the point of DEATH. ALL of us have a back story, Cass. Not just you. We've been touched by pain, by LOSS, by ABUSE, torture, tragedy...you're not alone...but if you kept acting the way you do, you WILL be, AGAIN.

“I was ALONE in life at that time. Everybody I ever loved and trusted was DEAD. My FAMILY, my adoptive parent, Maria, who was with me in that secret laboratory all because she was First Lady of Poland at that time. Then, when I was just entering my teens, a group of gypsies took me under their wing, and told me stories and regaled me with their cultures and customs. THEY loved me so much that when we got out of our situations, they would bring me back with them to Hungary to be part of their clan. They died shortly before I freed MYSELF due to my powers.”

“I went through my life avenging ALL of their deaths, killing all the Nazis and Nazi sympathizers I could find. I had NO ONE which suited me just fine because I learned that I couldn’t count on ANYONE. Yes, it wasn’t their fault or choice that they all died leaving me alone. I didn’t have friends, and I certainly couldn’t be bothered making them.”

:: Alycia stopped working on the paper work in front of her as she leaned back in her chair and watched Cass with her hazel eyes, listening. Looking at Cass, one wouldn't guess she was as long lived as she was. She was technically older than Alycia or even Sharon and Karen! But she presented in the form of a young girl in her early 20's and her emotional and mental state seemed to be "stuck" in a certain place. That could happen to victims of trauma, but most people would eventually come OUT of that spot.::

:: Spending a lifetime hunting down and killing nazis/nazi sympathizers, using her powers, gaining experience and personal victories...that SHOULD have been more than enough to help her move even a little bit forward the dark place she once had been both literally and figuratively, but for all that she'd done, for all the vengeance she'd had, it didnt seem to be enough.::

:: It reminded Alycia of Sharon, who struggled in the aftermath of her return as the Silver Swan. Initially she waged a brutal one-woman war, hunting down and murdering anyone she discovered was associated with Mystech. She also attacked men whom she found abusing/brutalizing women. But despite all of that, it wasn't enough for her. She was lost and could not accept/adjust to her new life and reality. It caused her to lash out at her closest friends and allies, the Six. She became dreadful, VIOLENT with them even.

Alycia herself had not been present, but a "LIFE MODEL DECOY" of her that had been activated by MYSTECH was, and it had one a frightfully good job of nearly destroying HER relationships with the Six as well!::

:: BUT Sharon, like Alycia, had found help from the Amazons. They still had to take the important FIRST STEP of opening up to being lead, instructed, taught, being helped, HEALED, and taking the unavoidable RISK of forging new friendships. THey were both better off for all of it and now had renewed purpose in their new lives AND stronger ties with their ultimate friends and family in the Six.::

::CASS could have that too, if only she'd take that first step forward and make that effort and all Alycia wanted to do was make her understand that.::

“When I arrived in London years later, I came across this female vampire leader of the sect, the Sirens. Now, she originally mistook me for a traditional vampire, but once she learned about me, not that I gave her any information to begin with, she slowly came to respect and admire me and vice versa. She took me under her wing and allowed me to be a part of that sect. Of course, there were naysayers who didn’t trust me ONE BIT and the feeling was mutual. But SHE was patient with me, and she LISTENED to me. She TRUSTED me and, with time, I trusted her.”

Sounds to me you like you should consider yourself QUITE lucky. That woman was clearly understanding and even WILLING to learn aboutyou and PATIENT despite your not giving her information. But you can't tell me she just respected you on your own self imagined merit. Respect is EARNED, not given. I don't know about that woman's circumstances, but it sounds like she occupied a maternal role in your life. That's a special thing. Karen and Sharon occupy that role for most of us. I know they've been trying to help you, talk to you, help with your training...but they are NOT your front line team mates. The people in MELROSE PLACE are.

That woman you're so suspicious of, Blaze? the two men who went to help her? the woman who's apartmenet you're in now, playing with her kitten dispite all the shit you talk about her? THOSE, among others here, are your teammates. ANd while you're dwelling on the past, they're struggling to keep their present bright, trying to go into their FUTURE. One YOU'RE supposed to be apart of!

You've been acting like they owe you something and they don't, and don't tell me you're not. Ive been around the block more than a few times, and in my days as a lawyer and a district attorney, I've come across alot of people and their attitudes/personalities.

The Six...ALL have had to pay their dues. They've ALL been abused, betrayed, hurt...just like YOU. Instead of acting like they're just waiting to pounce on you, you COULD be forging bonds with them based on common themes that you share. THAT is what being a good teammate is about, Cass.

:: Cass got up and looked out the window, staring at nothing. She turned back to Alycia. ::

“Have you ever been in love, Alycia? Head over heels, oh-my-gosh-I-can’t-believe-a-person-can-even-feel-this-way-about-someone kind of love?

:: Alycia smirked abit ::

What a silly qestion.

:: She thought to herself::

I have. While in London I met someone and we just clicked, you know? Of course, I was initially suspicious of his affections. But soon enough, we were in love and I could not even believe I could even feel this way about someone. He was my EVERYTHING. Have you ever sensed that the person you were with was your soulmate, that the person was IT for you, and that there was NO ONE else? I did. His name was Ben and he was my best friend, my lover, AND my soulmate all rolled into one. We were meant to be together.”

:: She began to cry, tears streaking down her face. ::

:: Alycia sat up a bit, with a look of sympathy forming on her face. This girl really was carrying an albatross of pain around herself. But unlike others on this team, she didnt seem to know how...or even WANT to let go and move forward, not even for her own sake!::

“We were SUPPOSED to be together. We were together for EIGHTEEN MONTHS. It only ended when he attacked me during what I thought was a romantic night inside. No warning, no red flags. I didn’t have a clue as to what his true intentions were. He was only with me because he worked for MysTech and they were interested in me. You want to know why I have a hard time trusting people, well there you have it: the ultimate betrayal; the proverbial knife in the back. I had TRUSTED him completely and he had PROMISED to take care of me, to love me, to PROTECT me. But it was ALL a LIE.”

:: Alycia now knew why Cass shied away from the males of the Six. ::

I'm very sorry that you went through that Cass. I wouldnt wish that on anyone I knew. BUT...you really have underscored my earlier point. Even YOU have been touched by Mystech. The Six came together because of the shadow that mystech cast across this world. When they came together it was out of emergency and necessity. hardly anyone liked eachother and when they werent fighting mystech, they were fighting with each other!

Don't you see what I'm saying? You are THE SAME as the people you now live and work with! Don't wall off to them, OPEN UP! Dare to believe in yourself for your future and take a step FORWARD! NO MAN on this team would hurt you the way that boy did...and they would KILL any man who tried to hurt you now!

But more importantly, Cass...even though that boy DID betray and hurt you in a grave way, you SURVIVED! You saved YOURSELF. You're not a helpless victim. You have POWER and you are a SURVIVOR! You should take solice and PRIDE in that!

You should now FREE YOURSELF from these chains of never ending grief and turmoil over the past. The war ended decades ago...and you're in no immediate danger from that boy and even if you were...beyond your power and ability to survive, you have safety, strength and SUPPORT from your TEAM! You'd feel alot better if you knew that...BELIEVED that and you'd know it's true if you extended yourself to them. Nobody here is going to give you anything, Cass. You have to meet them half way. that's how real life and REAL, EQUITABLE relationships work.

Stop holding them up to bad examples of your past.

“You say that I should let people get to know me, find out all about me? The truth is I have heard THAT before and it ALWAYS ended badly for me.”

<< FLASH! >>



“But again…nobody here even HEARS me when they listen. They all focus on what I DON’T say that they miss what I DO say. If you even cared to really listen you would’ve found that, even though it predated me, I DO NOT appreciate being lied to. I put my trust in Blaze when she said she wanted to get to know me…but how would she do that if she was secretly planning on leaving?”

“Take the party on Aerie where we sang karaoke. Remember how everyone was making those oh-so-funny comments about me singing a Taylor Swift song? You seen me laughing along but what you didn’t see is that I wanted to bawl. That party was the opening I needed to put myself out there, and share a part of myself that I keep hidden BECAUSE it’s so personal to me. That song was ME being vulnerable and those comments and general snarkiness RUINED it. You guys were all listening to me sing but you didn’t even bother to HEAR me. Why should I trust you guys now?”

:: Cass wiped her face and sniffled. It had been a long time coming, this blowout, and she felt good getting it out of her system. But there was still something else… ::

...because we're NOT apart of your past and you're being unfair to judge us by that.

And Cass...no one meant any HARM at that party! You can't possibly think that...can you?! It was all in fun! Nobody thought LESS of you for singing a Taylor Swift song. People gave Karen a hard time for singing Nancy Sinatra, but you don't see her going to pieces about it do you?

Honey, LIGHTEN UP! You really need to see that things are not as gray and bad as you think they are! You are in a VERY good place!

:: Alycia, said, trying to sound uplifting and encouraging as she smiled to Cass::

“Another thing. Delilah. You guys all say you love her but the way you’re acting right now is horrible. She had lost her DAUGHTER and you all have the attitude of ‘suck it up, buttercup’! It doesn’t matter that will be reunited at a later date. It doesn’t matter that Alison did this FOR her sake and for Alexia’s. All that matters, to Delilah at least, is that her baby isn’t right HERE, right NOW. Her baby is GONE at the moment and nothing anybody can say or do will change that. How can you expect me to trust people who treat a GRIEVING mother so callously?”
:: Cass suddenly looked tired. ::

“There you have it. My dirty laundry.”

*sarcastically*: “Now you have something juicy to tell your BOYFRIEND…”

:: Alycia's smile? It IMMEDIATELY went away as she SLAMMED her ipad down and stood up so abruptly the CHAIR she was sitting in fell backward.::

Ok...now you're just being a little BITCH and that was COMPLETELY unecessary.

::Alycia spoke loud and SHARPLY::

I've TRIED to listen and understand you, to MEET you were you are. I have extended a GENUINE olive brance to you during this conversation and you DARE to indict me OR the Six over our treatment of Delilah? Something YOU know NOTHING about?

Did you know I came to see her last night and brought her a comfort gift? Did you know I spoke with her today and gave her something that I hoped might lift her spirits today?

Moreover, Cameron, Karen, Sharon...EVERYONE has done what they can do to help Delilah. SHe's ANGRY and she may well HATE most of us right now. There's nothing we can do about that but give her TIME. Sadly, the one thing she most wants is the one thing none of us can give her. That's NOT being callous, Cass...that's called LIMITATIONS and we ALL have them.

You know what ELSE has a limit? PATIENCE and MINE has just been reached by YOU with your obtuse comments that you just made.


You have NO RIGHT to cast such a sweeping condemnation on me or ANYBODY in this group regarding Delilah. You've been here 5 minutes and despite every opportunity and help given to you, despite every gesture of friendship extended to you, you've acted like an ungreatful, passive aggressive, self absorbed BRAT!

You know, in the midst of all your brooding, whining & self justification, I haven't seen YOU reaching out to Delilah in any capacity. She's apart of this team TOO. If you think YOU can do so much better with Delilah, then you take yourself down to apartment 1 and you start right now and show US how it's done. Otherwise, SHUT YOUR MOUTH and don't comment on things you know NOTHING ABOUT.

:: Alycia's hazel eyes FLASHED with anger and agression as her fists clenched. She could INSTANTLY launch herself upon Cass and give her the beating she deserved, but she immediately restrains and calms herself. That is not the answer. It won't change anything and would only serve to FEED Cass' self persecution complex and trust issues. ::

And as for that crack about my boyfriend? Again, speaking on things you know nothing about. Cameron and I are NOT a couple, but we have a deep history and unlike YOU, we are not BOUND and DEFINED by our pasts. I suggest you think carefully before trying to insult me again. At least I have sense enough to not let MY LIFE be DEFINED by a man, which is CLEARLY more than can be said for YOU.


This conversation is over.

You can leave this apartment now.

:: Alycia said coldly and with no room for misinterpretation::

 

[Ruby]

Melrose Place - Apt. 4

I'm very sorry that you went through that Cass. I wouldnt wish that on anyone I knew. BUT...you really have underscored my earlier point. Even YOU have been touched by Mystech. The Six came together because of the shadow that mystech cast across this world. When they came together it was out of emergency and necessity. hardly anyone liked eachother and when they werent fighting mystech, they were fighting with each other!

Don't you see what I'm saying? You are THE SAME as the people you now live and work with! Don't wall off to them, OPEN UP! Dare to believe in yourself for your future and take a step FORWARD! NO MAN on this team would hurt you the way that boy did...and they would KILL any man who tried to hurt you now!

But more importantly, Cass...even though that boy DID betray and hurt you in a grave way, you SURVIVED! You saved YOURSELF. You're not a helpless victim. You have POWER and you are a SURVIVOR! You should take solice and PRIDE in that!

You should now FREE YOURSELF from these chains of never ending grief and turmoil over the past. The war ended decades ago...and you're in no immediate danger from that boy and even if you were...beyond your power and ability to survive, you have safety, strength and SUPPORT from your TEAM! You'd feel alot better if you knew that...BELIEVED that and you'd know it's true if you extended yourself to them. Nobody here is going to give you anything, Cass. You have to meet them half way. that's how real life and REAL, EQUITABLE relationships work.

Stop holding them up to bad examples of your past.

:: Cass nodded and smiled in spite of herself. Alycia put things in such a way that Cass now UNDERSTOOD that she was holding HERSELF back and that the Six were being held accountable for what happened in her PAST. Cass mulled what Alycia said over and over in her mind. ::

:: She JUMPED when Alycia set her iPad down hard on the table and tore into her about Delilah. Cass watched as Alycia’s beautiful eyes flashed in anger and rage. No, she didn’t know that Alycia had tried to reach out to Delilah, and no, she DIDN’T know everyone had tried too. Again, this was just based on her own interpretation of what BLAZE had been saying. ::

:: Now the woman flew into a rage regarding her blaise comment about Cameron. ::

Maybe I shouldn’t have said that…

:: She felt so bad about that. It was just something she had said in the heat of the moment. Alycia told her to get out in NO uncertain terms. Unknown to Alycia, Cass had recorded the coversation with her phone in her jeans pocket. Why she had it recorded, she didn’t know at the time but NOW she understood. Cass approached the seething beauty in a humble manner. ::

“No. I will not go, at least not yet.”

:: She pulled her phone out of her pocket and showed it to Alycia. ::

“I had this entire conversation recorded. Why I did that, I have no idea until now.”

:: Cass pressed the rewind button and then the fast forward button. You could hear bits and pieces of Cass and Alycia’s voices. She came to the quote that she absolutely loved and TREASURED and pressed pause. She looked full face into Alycia’s. ::

“I just want to apologize regarding my comments about Delilah. You were right, I was wrong. And that last comment? I only said that in the heat of the moment but enough about that, at least for the time being. I want you to hear something.”

:: She pressed play and Alycia’s voice could be heard. ::

I'm very sorry that you went through that Cass. I wouldnt wish that on anyone I knew. BUT...you really have underscored my earlier point. Even YOU have been touched by Mystech. The Six came together because of the shadow that mystech cast across this world. When they came together it was out of emergency and necessity. hardly anyone liked eachother and when they werent fighting mystech, they were fighting with each other!

Don't you see what I'm saying? You are THE SAME as the people you now live and work with! Don't wall off to them, OPEN UP! Dare to believe in yourself for your future and take a step FORWARD! NO MAN on this team would hurt you the way that boy did...and they would KILL any man who tried to hurt you now!

But more importantly, Cass...even though that boy DID betray and hurt you in a grave way, you SURVIVED! You saved YOURSELF. You're not a helpless victim. You have POWER and you are a SURVIVOR! You should take solice and PRIDE in that!

You should now FREE YOURSELF from these chains of never ending grief and turmoil over the past. The war ended decades ago...and you're in no immediate danger from that boy and even if you were...beyond your power and ability to survive, you have safety, strength and SUPPORT from your TEAM! You'd feel alot better if you knew that...BELIEVED that and you'd know it's true if you extended yourself to them. Nobody here is going to give you anything, Cass. You have to meet them half way. that's how real life and REAL, EQUITABLE relationships work.

Stop holding them up to bad examples of your past.

:: She pressed pause and looked beseechingly at the dark-haired beauty. ::

*ruefully*: “You must be one HELL of a lawyer because that quote right there went STRAIGHT to my heart and soul.”

:: She sighed. ::

“You’re right. I don’t let anybody in because I’m afraid they would hurt me like the people from my past…life have done. I was literally SNATCHED from my mama’s arms when I was age six and since then, I have been made to feel belittled, unworthy, unlovable, unwanted. That all came to a head when I decided to risk EVERYTHING I HAD and open my heart to another, my ex. Suffice to say, it ROCKED me when I had found out that the person I loved, that the person I had TRUSTED, was just playing me. He never cared about me. I was just a means to an end with him. So I was SHATTERED that I had been made the patsy AGAIN. Again, I felt belittled and unworthy. AGAIN I felt like I was worthless. AGAIN I was made to feel less than HUMAN…and I had expected the rest of you to do and feel the same about ME. You’re right; that wasn’t fair AT ALL.”

:: She knelt to the ground in front of the Amazon and looked down in shame. ::

“That comment regarding you and Cameron…I only said it in the heat of the moment. I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry.”

*tearfully*: “If you want me to just leave, I will. I will go to the apartment I was in and pack my bags and leave Melrose Place.”

 

[Black Widow]

NYC: the Parthenon

Ava: "That I wasn't there for. I had returned to let Alison know about the Blue Moon and Circe. I KNEW that they were keeping Delilah in the dark about THAT because they didn't want to stress her out so close to her due date. I only returned for the climax of the fight with Circe in the underworld. I helped kill her then returned to Minerva's Mansion to find out that Delilah had died twice--once during birth, and the second time when the child was near her. It was then we all found out what Alison did with Alexia."

"I see. Sounds like Alison is the person I need to have a word with."

They split the cheesecake, or rather, raced to finish it in an attempt to make sure they each get a fair share.

Ava: "Look, maybe we shouldn't have kept Delilah in the dark about Circe. But our intentions were good....we thought with her being so far along, it would be safer to have her NOT stress about six issues. But she took it as us lying to her and putting her in danger--"

"Eh, debatable."

There was a fine line between protecting someone by not involving them and putting them in danger because they have no idea what's going on. Maybe a 9 month pregnant Delilah didn't need to be in a physical fight if they could prevent it, but they could have at least TOLD her what was going on.

Ava: "And maybe Alison should have talked to Delilah first before giving Alexia to Ororo, but we BOTH know Delilah would have fought tooth and nail to keep that from happening-- rightfully so. Delilah hates the majority of us for what happened. I don't blame her. The only thing that makes her hate tolerable is the fact that she AND Alexia are both alive and healthy and WILL see each other again."

"I don't know Ava, I think Delilah's a lot stronger and more sensible than you guys give her credit for. Obviously if the baby was draining her to the point of death, drastic and undesirable action would have to be taken to protect both mother and child. She wouldn't have LIKED the situation, but she should have been involved."

Taking a few more bites of the cheesecake, she and Haleigh finished it off as if in a competition to get one more bite.

Ava: "It's just a fucked up, complicated situation. [pointing her fork at Haleigh] And DON'T blame all of this on Alison. Yes her precognition can be changed and altered, but until we figure out how to reunite Delilah and Alexia together without Alexia KILLING Delilah, we have to go by her visions."

"Hey, don't you go pointing your fork at me, I had nothing to do with this. The blame will be placed where it's due. And I can't WAIT to hear Alison tell me that BISHOP was the person whose permission she sought. Delilah didn't even want him involved."

Ava: "I'm just glad you're back for her sake. I'm sure she finds it a lot easier to be around you since you weren't involved in any of this. Contrary to popular belief, i'm not a complete cold hearted bitch."

"Wait.... you AREN'T? Kidding. I know you aren't. The others might be mistaken though. Anyways, I don't know how much consolation I can be to Delilah, you know I've never been good with feeeeeeeeelings, but I think more than anything she just doesn't want to hear some bullshit about how it was the right decision."

And on top of the drama with the baby, there had been some kind of life or death struggle with yet another Greco-Roman goddess. Haleigh shook her head at the realization that she'd missed so MUCH. Why didn't they contact her as soon as things went pear-shaped? She was a little frustrated with them for leaving her out of it, but even MORE frustrated with herself for not making time to check in with them in person. She's just assumed they were fine or that they'd call if they needed help.

"So tell me about Circe and the Underworld. How'd THAT go? See any old friends?"

 

[Persephone]

Haleigh: "Hey, don't you go pointing your fork at me, I had nothing to do with this. The blame will be placed where it's due. And I can't WAIT to hear Alison tell me that BISHOP was the person whose permission she sought. Delilah didn't even want him involved."

Alison seeking Bishop's permission was a sore subject. Ava didn't like him, neither did the majority of the six. So Alison asking his permission to send Alexia to Ororo was probably something the majority of them weren't too fond of. Even Ava.

"Yeah well, I plead the 5th on that."

She supported Alison, moreso than anyone else on the six after what had happened [with the exception of Cameron]. But she didn't exactly agree with Alison on that.

Standing, Ava cleared off the table again as Haleigh cracked a joke about her not being a cold heartless bitch.

"Har har."

Ava deadpanned before laughing softly. Placing the dishes in the skin, she grabbed another bottle of wine and brought it over to the table.

Haleigh: "Anyways, I don't know how much consolation I can be to Delilah, you know I've never been good with feeeeeeeeelings, but I think more than anything she just doesn't want to hear some bullshit about how it was the right decision."

"That's understandable. And honestly, there was no right decision, just a HARD decision."

Uncorking the bottle of Cabernet, Ava filled both of hers and Haleigh's empty wine glasses half way with the burgundy liquid. Dinner had gone very smoothly so far. Haleigh wasn't exactly pissed off that she wasn't clued into what had happened, just upset that she couldn't be there to help. And frankly, Ava thought her sister would come in guns a blazin' after finding out about everything. So considering they were on their second bottle of wine with all the furniture still in tact was pretty amazing.

Haleigh: "So tell me about Circe and the Underworld. How'd THAT go? See any old friends?"

Taking a sip of her wine, Ava smiled as the rim of the glass was at her lips hearing Haleigh's question about Circe. But it immediately faded as she asked if she saw any "old friends" down there. Swallowing the liquid, Ava gently put her wine glass down on the table.

"Well, I killed my neanderthal of a ex husband dog--slicing all THREE of his heads off. But, harpooning Circe through the chest was quite the highlight of my month."

She quipped, smiling at the thought of Circe being killed, YET AGAIN. Running her finger along the base of her wine glass, Ava changed the subject.

"So how's Zach?"

 

[Black Widow]

NYC: the Parthenon

Ava: "That's understandable. And honestly, there was no right decision, just a HARD decision."

"HUA."

She said with an exasperated expression, pronounced hoo-ah, military shorthand for heard/understood/acknowledged. Haleigh's way of saying yeah, no kidding, which her sister would understand without needing explanation. Haleigh herself had been forced to make several hard decisions of her own.

Ava filed their glasses again, switching vintage, not that Haleigh minded. It took the edge off, even if the TO-virus kept her from feeling the buzz right away, and after getting harangue by Alycia, a drink or two was welcome. Ava mentioned her husband and Circe, and promptly asked about Zach. not so fast, little sister..... Haleigh thought, realizing that Ava was trying to change the subject. Her body language was unmistakable, the faded smile, dropped eye contact, busy hands of someone who won't say something is bothering them. Haleigh narrowed her gaze.

"Zach's great. Horny, home, hopefully still naked. But what's this about Hades? You're masking your 'I'm incredibly uncomfortable' face with your glass of wine and it's starting to worry me."

 

[Firebird]

Pacific Palisades

Because I love you. Because watching you leave us would hurt more than THIS.

Nicolas holds up his hand. It looks ghastly but the healing process can be seen. He speaks again through gritted teeth.

ALL of us have gone through hell and back with each other. And we'd do it again. If you want to burn me, BURN ME. Just stay and live and work and love with me afterwards.

You mentioned Morgan and HER Inferno. Don't forget me and Set. Ava and her fractured psyche. Cam and his absences. And now Delilah and what seem insurmountable. But it isn't. WE will win in the end and we will do it together. And so yes, I dare to hold you here. Because you BELONG here with us.

Firebird, now in her magma form, is taken aback by Nicolas' plaintive response. They strike her in the one place that is her greatest strength, although she feels it has also been her greatest weakness. Her HEART.

In her raw emotional state, coupled with her desire to escape this world, she lashed outand HURT a dear friend! She'd threatened violence against them! This wasn't her way!

"What....what have I DONE!?"

She opposed Morgan when she had been violent with the Six and it nearly cost her her life...and now, here she was doing the same thing!

"Nic...I'm sorry!"


She said softly as the roar of elemental fire energy all around them began to fade away, the temperature quickly lowered and she returned to her normal form and outfit.

"...and I don't want to go either..."

The Siege Perilous, with its now very large, wide gate way to a mysterious starry unknown within, glowed and chimed before rapidly shrinking down before returning to it's normal size and it's ruby red crystal state. It fell to the rocky ground next to Blaze's red high heeled boot with a *CLINK!* and as it fell to the ground, the fire elemental, feeling defeated and ashamed, dropped to her knees, bowing her head and covering her face with her hands.

" I'm too weak to even follow my own heart. I've hurt a dear friend...I'm just a MESS."

She lowered her hands from her face and slowly stood up, walking over to Nicolas and, despite the terrible thing she'd done, she looked him in the eyes. Her own apple green eyes were strained from crying and emotional distress and her normally beautiful, clear face was now looking tear streaked and weary.

"This is not my way...I don't hurt my friends, even when times are bad. But I CAN help fix this."

With slight hesitation, Blaze lifts her hands toward Nicolas' badly burned hand. She places them directly on his hand!

"I'm not a healer like my sister...but when it comes to burn wounds...I do have the power to reverse the effects and boost a body's natural healing response..."

There's a soft hum as the palms of Blaze's hands glow red. Using her power in one of its most gentle but crucial ways, she pulls back the effects of the burns caused by her magma form from all of Nicolas' epidermis, dermis and even the subcutis. The cells that died are revived and Nicolas' own healing is boosted to a level even he couldnt have manifested on his own without external assitance. ALL pain associated with her attack is pulled out as well, replaced with a soothing, cooling sensation.

"It's a part of my power that, in my timeline, Morgan helped me hone, since it's a quasi-healing power. Karen and Haleigh helped me to enhance my ability to use it effectively with the medical and scientific knowledge. I'd used it to help burn victims that we had rescued on various missions."

The process she is working with her power concludes...and Nicolas' hand and wrist are restored from her attack.

" But most of them were normal baseline humans...so they still needed to go to a hospital even after I stabilized them since my power ONLY addresses burns, radiation burns and associated injuries. But you? with your own nature and powers...you should be good as new..."

She looks at up Nicolas again...with a look of shame in her eyes.

"I'm sorry I hurt you. You and Cam cared enough to come all this way for me...and it got to me. I chickened out. I couldnt go through the siege perilous."


"I feel rather foolish at the moment. I'm used to DOING whatever my mind and heart are set on. Now...I don't know WHAT to do."

::SIGH::

She looks away from Nicolas and Cameron, walking a few steps away, picking up the siege perilous and now looking at the ruby red face of the gem.

"I thought this was the answer. Now I just don't know..."

 

[Prophet]

Back from the Brink...

Cameron watched from afar, linking himself telepathically with Nicolas' senses so that he could hear what was going on in case he needed to run some kind of interference. Blaze Victory was all but absolutely broken. She was completely lost in her pain. Though Blaze was always slave to her emotions, she normally expressed herself in far more...well fun ways to be honest. She was blunt, always ready to celebrate and have a good time and she was usually bursting with a bright and bubbly energy. To see her now, she was barely recognizable.

"What have we done?"

Nicolas made his way closer to the elemental as she began to prepare for her one way ticket into the unknown.

"I want...to be ANYWHERE but here! I don't care what happens to me. I just want to start over. No...that's not true...I want to start over...with my FAMILY. My SISTERS AND The Six! I want a sister who won't DIE or RUN OUT ON ME again and FRIENDS that know the meaning of the word!"

He tried to be sympathetic but when it came to sisters, he was fairly sure that he cornered the market on ones who ran out on him or had died. Alison and him had come a long way, but he couldn't help but feel a little cheated, every now and then. He loved what they had now, but he often wondered what they could have been had they spent their lives together...probably far better off, but the past is the past, and with how good things were between them now, he guess it really didn't matter.

"Siege Perilous...please help me...show me a place and time that I might have my heart's wish?"

This was where Cameron had seen her in his premonition. It was nearly showtime. He wondered just exactly who all the Blaze's were that she was seeing. All the different versions and counterparts shown to her in the glass.

"Come ON, Blaze...doesn't she see that NO version of life is absolutely perfect? Even when her relationships were better...the WORLD around her was in CHAOS...she had lost her sister, she had lost her FRIENDS...The world SHE came from was FAR worse!"

She must have settled on something she liked because her already bright apple green eyes seemed to glow with intensity. She seemed resolved to her choice.

"Goodbye, Morg."

He watched as Blaze closes her eyes as the gateway to the Siege unleashes itself, causing the winds around the three to swirl. She steps forward.

"Come on, Nicolas...get our girl..."

There he was! Nicolas appears out of thin air and grabs Blaze, trying to appeal to whatever sense she had left. Blaze was NOT pleased!

"Let go of me, Nic! GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME, NICOLAS!"

Like that she lets out a battlecry reminiscent of a might phoenix as she transformed herself into a BREATHAKING and scary looking MAGMA form!

"NICOLAS! Blaze, what are you DOING?!"

She was going to kill him!

"HOW DARE YOU! NEITHER of you should've followed me...SPIED on me! And you can't stop me from doing what I want...what I NEED to do."

Cameron clenched his fist as it became enveloped in a bright electric red halo, his psionic energy signature. He watched her momentarily, if she proceeded, he would do what was necessary to incapacitate her and or KNOCK HER OUT...but he noticed she wasn't lashing out. It was much like a cat raising the hair on it's back. She wasn't out for blood, she was simply warning them. The energy signature faded from his hand.

"I want to GO, Nic. Everything is all screwed up here and lately. The team is broken and nobody can figure out what to do...and I've been haunted by images and a legacy of someone...ME...or rather this world's version of ME, who none of you really talks much about, but the few comments I HAVE heard in the recent past, from people like Delilah and Haleigh, indicate that you must not have thought much of her."

"I'm either seen as just an extension of Morg, or a novelty because of "how much more glamorous and powerful" I am than Foxfire."

"Would YOU want to be around people who ONLY saw you those ways?"

"No family...no REAL connection...I can't even show my FACE without being accussed of committing a FELONY!? In my timeline, it WAS a crime to be me...but that was because MUTANTS were outlawed. HERE...I run the risk of drawing attention, all the way from the FEDS because of HER. She's DEAD...so I have to be TOO? NONE of you told me that, BUT it makes sense now...why even MORGAN wanted to keep me "HIDDEN" at Spectra! Even SALLY gave me more of a chance with this recent press conference and look what happened!?"

"I have a chance to start FRESH! Why would you even THINK of trying to stand in the way of that?"

Cameron hovered in the air enveloped in his red TK energy signature as he made his way with great speed over to the two of them. First and foremost, he wanted to make sure that Nicolas was okay. Thankfully, before Cameron could say anything, Nicolas responded, lifting his hand, grimacing through the pain, a true testament to his power. Cameron would not have suffered the same fate.

"Because I love you. Because watching you leave us would hurt more than THIS.

Nicolas holds up his hand. It looks ghastly but the healing process can be seen. He speaks again through gritted teeth.

ALL of us have gone through hell and back with each other. And we'd do it again. If you want to burn me, BURN ME. Just stay and live and work and love with me afterwards.

You mentioned Morgan and HER Inferno. Don't forget me and Set. Ava and her fractured psyche. Cam and his absences. And now Delilah and what seem insurmountable. But it isn't. WE will win in the end and we will do it together. And so yes, I dare to hold you here. Because you BELONG here with us."

This finally seemed to KNOCK Blaze back into reality as she began to apologize profusely. As she fell to her knees, Cameron made sure to grab the Siege that lay next to her, and kneels down next to her as she heals Nicolas' hand, an aspect of her power that he had not seen, and yet another testament to how much more powerful she was than Foxfire.

"I'm sorry I hurt you. You and Cam cared enough to come all this way for me...and it got to me. I chickened out. I couldnt go through the siege perilous."


"I feel rather foolish at the moment. I'm used to DOING whatever my mind and heart are set on. Now...I don't know WHAT to do."

::SIGH::

She looks away from Nicolas and Cameron, walking a few steps away, picking up the siege perilous and now looking at the ruby red face of the gem.

"I thought this was the answer. Now I just don't know..."

He wrapped his arm around Blaze and embraced her a moment, before kissing her on the cheek.

"I DO know the answer, Blaze....Here..."

Prophet grabbed Blaze's free hand and intertwined their fingers as he held the Siege in his other hand.

"I'm going to channel your power in order to show you something that you need to see. Please bare with me..."

Blaze would begin to feel a tingle throughout her body as Cameron essentially began to channel a simple effect that Blaze was capable of; illumination. This was something that Cameron was CAPABLE of, but that required FAR too much concentration to be useful in battle, though with his empathy and Blaze's already wild emotions, it was a little easier.

"Look in the Siege..."

Cameron had channeled a light source within the Siege as it began to light up. As Blaze peered in this time, she once again saw all of her alternates, and not just the super powered ones either. She saw herself as a married heterosexual woman, she saw herself as a fashion maven, a minor celebrity. She saw all of these different possibilities..all at once, however, these versions of herself became incredibly dark and twisted and one by one, they began to DIE in front of her, in various ways. Car accident. Cancer. Murder. Old Age. Every single one of them. DEAD.

"You wanted to leave us so badly, Blaze. But you let your emotions get the best of you. You had no idea where you would go, how you would end up. Look deep inside of yourself. Would you have been content playing house with a man? Would you be content with cancer? You could have gone into a world where NONE of us were...."

Prophet let go of her hand as the gem faded. He helped her back up on her feet.

"You always told me that the one thing I can count on...is that at some point...we ALL die. And that we should be thankful every single day we are here, no matter the circumstances. You've always realized that we are a family...and you've ALWAYS were the one to make SURE we remember it...maybe we are so bad at it sometimes...because we've LOST you once, already..."

Cameron was making very sure that he was not differentiating between Foxfire and Firebird, but simply Blaze. This was the first step in ensuring she knew just how much the team wanted and NEEDED her here.

"And I for one, won't lose you again. I know you miss your sisters, Blaze. But look around at what you DO have. You have ME. You have NICOLAS. You have people who you didn't in that other place you were... I say place, because it was definitely not your "home."

"We haven't done the best job at ensuring your homecoming went smoothly, and we can't apologize enough...but if you can just, look at me...look at Nicolas, and TRUST us...we'd really like to try and make it up to you...."

[looking around]

"But we can't very well do it here..."

[placing the Siege in his pocket]

"Nicolas, unless there is something you'd like to add, I vote we get out of here. This place...this butte...I can't be here any longer...and I'd like to get our girl home..."

 

[Rampage]

Blaze saw his hand and that seemed to bring her back. She revealed that she did not want to leave and then showed him something that he was not aware of concerning her power.

"This is not my way...I don't hurt my friends, even when times are bad. But I CAN help fix this."

With slight hesitation, Blaze lifts her hands toward Nicolas' badly burned hand. She places them directly on his hand!

"I'm not a healer like my sister...but when it comes to burn wounds...I do have the power to reverse the effects and boost a body's natural healing response..."

There's a soft hum as the palms of Blaze's hands glow red. Using her power in one of its most gentle but crucial ways, she pulls back the effects of the burns caused by her magma form from all of Nicolas' epidermis, dermis and even the subcutis. The cells that died are revived and Nicolas' own healing is boosted to a level even he couldnt have manifested on his own without external assitance. ALL pain associated with her attack is pulled out as well, replaced with a soothing, cooling sensation.

"It's a part of my power that, in my timeline, Morgan helped me hone, since it's a quasi-healing power. Karen and Haleigh helped me to enhance my ability to use it effectively with the medical and scientific knowledge. I'd used it to help burn victims that we had rescued on various missions."

The process she is working with her power concludes...and Nicolas' hand and wrist are restored from her attack.

Nicolas was rarely surprised by powers, even from strangers. But this was a welcome new wrinkle and something rather valuable to keep in mind. He took his newly healed hand and touched her face.

It's OK Red. You could not go not because you are a coward, but because you are perceptive. You REALLY do belong here and I will prove it to you tonight.

And then came Cameron. He showed her some possibilities that were ABSOLUTELY not her, reminding her that the Siege was not always a boon. Cameron placed it in his pocket, its work done as he turned to face Nic.

"And I for one, won't lose you again. I know you miss your sisters, Blaze. But look around at what you DO have. You have ME. You have NICOLAS. You have people who you didn't in that other place you were... I say place, because it was definitely not your "home."

"We haven't done the best job at ensuring your homecoming went smoothly, and we can't apologize enough...but if you can just, look at me...look at Nicolas, and TRUST us...we'd really like to try and make it up to you...."

[looking around]

"But we can't very well do it here..."

[placing the Siege in his pocket]

"Nicolas, unless there is something you'd like to add, I vote we get out of here. This place...this butte...I can't be here any longer...and I'd like to get our girl home..."

No problem CK. First things first though.

In a neat parlor trick, the Siege was gone from Cam's pocket...

...replaced on the dresser of one Alison Marble on the island of Aerie.

Now...try to relax. I have never done this before.

Nicolas used his link with Cam, draining him of a portion of his psionic power to increase his own powers of displacement through the Astral Plane. With that boost, he rather easily teleported them all back to the courtyard at Melrose Place.

Everyone alive? Nice. Now that we are back...

He turned the saddened Blaze and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

All is well, eh? Now then...NO POUTING. You get some rest. Tomorrow is a new day.