Exorcise the demon!

[Harbinger]

The Parthenon

:: moving from HER previous spot, Guardian replied to Nicolas' suggestion::

That appears to be the best course of action for the time being. Ethan will be well accomodated I'm sure and we can discuss what to do from here on after we return to Illustra. We ALL need some rest...

::Even as she was acknowledging Nicolas' timely suggestion, Guardian was ALREADY near Haleigh and Alycia , purposefully positioning herself to put a barrier of magick between Haleigh and Alycia if need be. She "saw" this bitterness between the two women boiling up and over AGAIN but she didnt immediately act, she let Haleigh say her peace...and surprisingly it was a very heartfelt, GENUINE feeling that Alison couldnt find any fault with [except maybe the bit about the Cassadines]::

:: Alison stood silently as she watched the two women. Haleigh spoke her peace and made her exit and Persephone followed.::

with the merging of the two women, [ Ava and Persephone] Ava's own personality and feelings about this matter are holding sway. but its GOOD that Haleigh has her sister to help her through this. The two of you are more alike than you might want to admit...This matter will ONLY be resolved by Haleigh and yourself...

:: looking at Alycia::

it's not something that ANY of us can fix, nor should we try.

:: she looked at her friend::

I know that you two will be able to work this out, eventually. But for now...

:: looking down and taking Alycia's hand in her own..::

thank you for helping to save us.....i know its hard for you to be here right now, to want to say things you can't say. we miss you too. we understand that your path has taken you elsewhere...but you're still apart of our family.

 

[Artemis]

The Parthenon

:: Alycia fixed her hazel eyes firmly on Haleigh as the woman closed in on her.::

don't come ANY closer!

:: Alycia ordered as she stood fast and placed her hand on her holster, preparing to draw a high powered "hand gun" styled energy blaster that could discharg high concussive blasts of various energy blasts, including magnetic discharges.::

:: Guardian was ALREADY moving in to keep the women seperated if necessary and Haleigh stopped just a few feet from Alycia. The two women continued to glare at each other as Haleigh spoke her mind, her peace with NO reservation. what she said took Alycia by surprise.::

:: Alycia herself had gone on the offensive with Haleigh ever since she'd discovered her link to Stavros. It had been such a shock and a painfull "betrayal" to Alycia during her quest to avenge Sharon Kelly's death that she didnt really THINK about the fact she could be HURTING someone else in her quest to destroy the people tied into Master Mold. She'd been on the war path at varying degrees of severity ever since her FATHER had died years ago courtesy of his insurance company denying him the medical care he needed.....and she hadn't looked back ever since she vowed to destroy ANYONE who got in her way.::

:: But even as Haleigh told her how much what she had done HURT her....Haleigh had FORGIVEN HER!? She CARED? Alycia never knew..never dared to think that HALEIGH felt like THAT and Alycia HERSELF had never allowed herself to be perceived as a "caring" person with the exception of Sharon's death....::

she felt like THAT!

:: Alycia's stance softened as she lowered her hand from her blaster. Though she didnt show it in her face, she FELT something....could it be...REMORSE for hurting someone who really hadnt deserved it? Haleigh had a past, but didnt they all? Alycia had killed someone just RECENTLY and gotten away with it. She couldnt look down on Haleigh for murdering anyone anymore and despite her past, Haleigh had MORE than prooven herself to this team, Alycia AND Sharon when she was alive.::

:: Alycia ...felt BAD, and that was HARD because she NEVER felt "bad" about ANYTHING!::

:: she didnt say anything, she didnt retort, she didnt return the agressiveness of Haleigh's advance. she simply stood there as Haleigh walked away. Persephone spoke, asking Alycia to let it be. The tone of Persephone's voice..it was different. Alycia was there to see the mystical merging of Persephone with Ava's personality and essence and she could see in the woman's eyes a deep seated contempt. after all, Alycia had KILLED Ava's father and though it was justified...it wasnt exactly the easiest thing to be looking at the woman who had killed her father.::

::Alycia looked at Persephone and simply turned away. As Persephone walked after Haleigh, Alison spoke and took Alycia's hand. Alycia turned to look over at Alison with a much softer look in her hazel eyes.::

I guess i made a couple of mistakes along the way....

:: she said in a muted tone. Alison said that she was confident that Haleigh and Alycia would repair their relationship. she said it with a warm , reassuring tone. maybe Alison "saw" it in her precognition? that was ...a small comfort for Alycia::

yes....maybe so. ::she replied softly::

You know what's the worst thing about this "job"? the fact..that I feel so..EMPTY now. What price did it take to get here? and the fact that I'm even WORRIED about that?

:: she shook her head::

There ARE things i want to say...but now, more than ever..i just CANT.

:: slowly pulling her hand from Alison's::

It's time for me to go now. I'm ...I'm GLAD that ALL of you are okay. If you need help...you know how to reach me. We'll be in touch.

:: with that, Alycia walked away, still walking tall in her figure flattering "battle suit" the woman's high heeled boots echoed across the marble floors as she met with her two large guards and they exited the building, leaving The Six behind.::

 

[Black Widow]

Haleigh could hear Ava coming up behind her, and she slowed a bit. When she realized Ava was trying to comfort her, though, she kept herself from stopping. Her sister caught up with her, asking if she was okay.... Haleigh shrugged it off, but they knew it was more than she let on.

"Yeah.... whatever... I'm over it."

She said, as they passed through the lobby, by a large bronze statue, a Roman by the looks of it. She shook her head and PUNCHED the head clean off the statue, sending it clattering across the floor and causing the woman at the desk to shriek in surprise.

"NO!" She shouted, her voice resounding in the spacious lobby. The receptionist quickly made herself scarce, disappearing behind an office door. "I JUST MADE A FOOL OF MYSELF IN FRONT OF EVERYONE! AND FOR WHAT?! If she had HER way, I'D BE ON AN EXAMINING TABLE IN SOME FUCKING LAB SOMEWHERE, like those godforsaken KIDS at Westin Hills! Jesus Christ..." She continued, yelling at first but ending with an exasperated sigh. They were out the front doors now, and a valet pulled a black Aston Martin DB9 up to the curb for Haleigh. Another valet came over to open the passenger side door for Ava, and Haleigh gestured, offering Ava a ride home.

"I SHOULD hate her... has she not earned it?"

 

[MorningStar]

[ Delilah stood slowly, with the help of a very cute man in uniform, and rubbed the back of her neck. She was going to have a monstrous headache very shortly - she could already feel the tension welling. She looked over to where Alycia indicated the body of the Pontiff. How small and weak he looked now, robbed of his power over her, over them all. She felt nothing for this thing on the ground, neither hatred, anger nor pity. Rather, she saw him like a pile of garbage that only needed to be taken to the curb.

Alycia asked her if she was alright, and she had to stand and think about it for a minute. As Alycia had been explaining the events to them all - and about who her true parents were - she knew that she should be shocked. But she wasn't. She remembered all of this, now that it had been revelaed to her. She remembered what had happened to her so long ago, but it was allright. She wasn't afraid anymore. ]

"You know, Alycia, I know I should be freaking out right now, but aside from a bit of a headache, I feel pretty good."

[ She laughed gently and smiled at this high-powered woman who had helped them all so many times before. ]

"Thank YOU for your help - who knows what would have happened if you had not come when you did. Please don't get over that paranoia anytime soon."

[ Haleigh patted Delilah on the shoulder and made a joke. A joke. She laughed good naturedly. ]

"Yeah - I guess we're back to being the odd ones out. I was almost glad to not be left out of the club anymore."

[ Delilah thought of something as Alycia answered Nicolas' question about debriefing. ]

"Do you need us to help round up the remaining cult members? Nicolas is hell with an axe...and Alison can salt the popcorn while the rest of us watch him do it."

[ She grinned big and went over to Alison and put an arm around her shoulders to signify that was only kidding. On the subject of Ethan Cruise, well. He had just aided them in their last mission - be it a dream one. But, really, could they trust him as part of the Six? ]

"I agree with Morgan - this matter is something to be decided amongst our team. I'm sorry, Alycia - your input will be much valued and taken into consideration. But it must be our decision in the end whether he stays or goes."

[ Alycia bit into Haleigh, and Haleigh returned fire, then leaving the room. As she passed Delilah, she put a hand reassuringly on her shoulder, hopefully letting her know that she wasn't alone on the team. And then Alycia opened up, showing more emotion than Delilah had ever seen from her. Alycia didn't take shit from nobody, and here she was, nearly admitting that she had been wrong. She turned to the remaining members of the team and Ethan after watching Alycia go. ]

"Well, I guess I'm not the only one who had a life changing experience. Are we sure Alycia didn't get any of those drugs the cult slipped us?"

[ It seemed strange to her that she could joke and laugh after what they had all been through, but she just didn't have that feeling of impending doom hanging over her anymore. She felt calm, at peace, free. Her mind was clear. She was ready for whatever they threw at her next. Finally, she was truly comfortable in her own skin. She was truly herself. ]

 

[Seer]

and so it goes

<< and so, with the close of a most unusual but no less terrifying caper, the members of the Six , Dr. Victoria , Ethan and Alycia have managed to triumph once more. No casualties, no massive structual damage...quite the opposite really. MorningStar at long last felt comfortable with herself through and through and it was showing EVEN NOW!>>

<< Alycia, who had changed MUCH since accepted her position with the government just months ago, displayed one of her most RARE moments of emotion and reflection before the Six...but the person who could have most benefited from it had already left the Parthenon so the ghost of Sharon and Master Mold would hang between Haleigh and Alycia for a bit longer...until such time as they "worked it out" like Alison seemed to know they would.>>

<< Ethan Cruise now had a new lease on life as well. Having received a pardon from the President himself , he was now granted full citizenshp here in America and FINALLY free of all ties and liability for his service to Mystech in London. But with that freedom there was still the question of what he would do next. The option of joining the Six was there...at least for some members of the team but THAT was something that would have to be worked out among them as well...time would tell.>>

<< all in all, there was a feeling of relief and the comfort of knowing that the team was TOGETHER and ready to move ahead to the next adventure..the next phase of their lives as individuals AND as family.>>

<< and so we watch...>>