We belong together

[Persephone]

Simon: "I do have a tendnecy to make things happen around me. That's why the New York Social scene loves me...and the Parisian Parthenon? Nice! Getting out of the arms game? I guess I will have to retire my Ava Cassadine as Tomb Raider fantasy then..."

"You don't have to give up on that fantasy just yet."

She joked, except it WAS true considering her position in the six. Taking the fork he offered, Ava dug into the moist cake and took a bite. It was amazing! Almost as good as the dark chocolate raspberry cheesecake she and Haleigh shared the night before.

Simon: "PLEASE tell me you are one of those women who eats...I HATE women who don't eat."

Rolling her eyes as she stuck the fork upside down in her mouth and removed the remaining icing from it. He was hanging out with models too long. She may have been a vegetarian, but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy food. But as the conversation continued, Ava demeanor changed as Simon revealed that Cameron promoted him and that he'd be working on the International floor. Seriously?

"The international floor? Fantastic. We're going to be working together."

Ava was feeling less than enthusiastic about the revelation. She was going to kill Cameron.

Simon: "I could do Tokyo...asian women are definitely....appealing...."

She was really going to kill Cameron. Either he did this on purpose or this was some sort of cosmic joke. Ava didn't mind playing this cat and mouse game with Simon around outside of work, but when it came to her job she took it very seriously. She didn't want some playboy trust fund baby with the testosterone of a middle schooler screwing up her business. And better yet? Using his ABILITIES to sway her like he tried to when they first met.

"And if you try that mind trick compulsion bullshit again to me--ESPECIALLY at work--I will make your life a living hell. [whispering] You're not the only one with tricks up your sleeve."

Almost on cue, the lights flickered in the restaurant.

 

[Longshot]

NYC Parthenon - Ambrosia

He watched Ava as she cocked her eyebrow upon him saying that he was going to be working for the International Sector of The Zenith Group.

Ava: "The international floor? Fantastic. We're going to be working together."

Simon's eyes lit up and as he laughed heartily, taking another bite of the delicious cake.

"Well well, this is just beginning to look more and more like fate, Ava! And the papers will definitely love it...I mean, getting engaged to one of your lackeys? Now that would be something to talk about...but let's not count our chickens before they hatch...I don't even know which wing i'm going under...The Zenith Group is global. Could be anywhere...though I can tell, you are wanting me to get assigned to Paris...It's totally cool, Ava...but try and keep your hands off of me when we are at work...I need to maintain a professional reputation!"

And then...she SAID IT...

Ava: "And if you try that mind trick compulsion bullshit again to me--ESPECIALLY at work--I will make your life a living hell. [whispering] You're not the only one with tricks up your sleeve."

Simon's eyes went visibly white. What. The. Fuck? Cameron King said he would protect his secrets, in fact Simon took a huge risk in threatening Cameron within an inch of his life in order to ensure that THAT specific bit of information didn't get out. Simon's parents weren't the biggest advocates of mutants and considering the history the world had with mutants in society, Simon most DEFINITELY did not want to be a part of all of that. His ability was the ONE thing that could potentially rock his nearly perfect life to it's core....

He SLAMMED his hand down on the table with great force as he leaned back in his chair.

"That SON OF A BITCH! That fucking son of a bitch!"

Simon placed his hand over his head and ran his fingers through his hair, visibly upset by what Ava had just said.

"I should have never trusted that orphaned piece of shit. He's always got a fucking angel...Promotion my ass he just wanted me to admit I was a MU--"

he quickly looked around before lowering his head and staring directly at Ava, his tone far lower, nearly a whisper.

"A...mutant..."

Simon began to feel incredibly uncomfortable in his own skin as he began to loosen his tie, his breath becoming heavier and more stagnant...

"But...why...why did he tell YOU? Is this some kind of game? What's in it for you? I mean I don't eve--"

Simon stopped for a moment, seeming to snap back into reality all at once.

"Wait...wait....the lights! You did that? You're a mutant too? Goddammit how many mutants are WORKING in this damn city?! I've never met another one until yesterday and now i've met TWO!"

 

[Persephone]

Ava visibly jumped as Simon slammed his hand on the table, shaking everything on it. The restaurant went quiet for the SECOND time since they met this afternoon. All eyes were on them again.

Simon: "That SON OF A BITCH! That fucking son of a bitch!"

"Jesus Christ, calm down..."

She had no idea who this "son of a bitch" was, but obviously it had something to do with her calling him out on his abilities.

Simon: "I should have never trusted that orphaned piece of shit. He's always got a fucking angel...Promotion my ass he just wanted me to admit I was a MU--...a mutant."

Ava's brows furrowed, and then it dawned on her. He was talking about Cameron. I guess their meeting the day before was not just one of business, but one about Simon's not so secret, secret.

"Simon, Cameron didn't--"

Simon: "But...why...why did he tell YOU? Is this some kind of game? What's in it for you? I mean I don't eve--Wait...wait....the lights! You did that? You're a mutant too? Goddammit how many mutants are WORKING in this damn city?! I've never met another one until yesterday and now i've met TWO!"

Obviously this rocked Simon to the core. He was afraid of who he was--of people finding out that he was a mutant. And the fact that he never met another one? It was startling actually. Usually mutants were loners or ran in packs. She assumed Simon--being the cocky uppity asshole that he was--ran in a pack. Flaunted his abilities. Used them for personal gain. Lifting her hands up as if to tell him to slow down, she sighed out heavily.

"What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Ava?"

She muttered to herself. This flirtatious game was turning into way more than that. Way more than she was interested in getting into. But for some reason, she felt BAD for Simon...for how utterly petrified he looked in this very moment.

"Look, Cameron didn't tell me anything about you or your abilities. I figured it out for myself when you manipulated me in the waiting room yesterday. I'm not going to say anything, alright? Neither is Cameron. So calm. Down. And...i'm not exactly a mutant, i'm a---it's complicated, but yes, I have abilities as well. But i've managed to keep them off the grid because I don't throw a hissy fit in the middle of a packed upscale restaurant."

Gesturing to the people that were still staring at them.

"We ran out of champagne.....he likes his champagne. Sir? Could we get more?"

Announcing to the guests some bullshit excuse, they all looked a little confused but soon went back to talking amongst themselves.

"Obviously you've never had a friend with powers before. Cameron can be that person. He's good with new mutants and honing their abilities. Trust him when he says he has your back. But you need to take it down a notch, okay?"

The waiter came back with a new bottle of champagne.

"I mean, God. You spilled perfectly good champagne. Good thing it's on your tab."

Giving him a small reassuring smile.

 

[Longshot]

NYC Parthenon - Ambrosia

Ava: "Look, Cameron didn't tell me anything about you or your abilities. I figured it out for myself when you manipulated me in the waiting room yesterday. I'm not going to say anything, alright? Neither is Cameron. So calm. Down. And...i'm not exactly a mutant, i'm a---it's complicated, but yes, I have abilities as well. But i've managed to keep them off the grid because I don't throw a hissy fit in the middle of a packed upscale restaurant."

Simon let out a heavy sigh and slinked back in his chair.

"I'm...I'm sorry...I just--this is a little much to take in..."

Thankfully Ava tried to make a smooth recovery at the scene that he had caused. Simon cracked his neck...turned to look at the people that were staring and smiled.

"Sorry...Champagne Deficiency Syndrome! If my blood alcohol level drops to a less than desirable level...I get angry... HULK angry! Grrrr!"

He flexed his arms and made a growling face, using the recent fame of The Avengers Initiative in order to deflect the situation and make a joke out of it. He may have been a priveleged modelizing party boy, but he knew how to win friends and influence people...and THAT had nothing to do with his abilities. He'd grown up in the press and had learned a LONG time ago the ways to get them on your side. This whole scene would read "Party Boy Pratt At it Again!" and nobody would be the wiser.

He turned back to Ava as she was getting them another bottle of champagne, and he tried to regain his composure, though he was still shaken.

Ava: "Obviously you've never had a friend with powers before. Cameron can be that person. He's good with new mutants and honing their abilities. Trust him when he says he has your back. But you need to take it down a notch, okay?"

He blushed a little bit.

"Ava...again...I'm really sorry..and I've never been in the business of apologizing, so you know I mean it...It's just this whole thing is kind of NEW for me...I only really found OUT that I was a mutant a little over a year ago...and I kept it a secret...Ya see, a lot of power is subconscious, so there are times...I don't even realize I'm doing it...Cameron has people at The Zenith Group to weed out mutants and keep an eye on them, making sure they don't use their powers to win business...something about a ball busting District Attorney trying to bury him with the SEC..."

Simon looked away.

"That was our meeting...He kind of put me on probation...told me he would train me, help me to use my powers...but...that I'm not allowed to use my abilities to further his business...He's kind of been in visionary mode lately...so of course I agreed...."

The waiter returned as Ava looked at him dryly.

Ava: "I mean, God. You spilled perfectly good champagne. Good thing it's on your tab."

He smiled at the Goddess before becoming more comfortable in his chair, taking a moment to fix his hair and adjust his cuffs. Simon was back..

"So...I'm a little embarrassed at how I just reacted, and I have no idea really how to recover from that, so i'm just going to take a cue from our parents....and completely ignore it...but you...I take it you don't know Cameron just in the business world? And you said you aren't a mutant.... what are you?"

he began to laugh.

"A frickin' Goddess?!?"

 

[Persephone]

Simon: "Ava...again...I'm really sorry..and I've never been in the business of apologizing, so you know I mean it...It's just this whole thing is kind of NEW for me...I only really found OUT that I was a mutant a little over a year ago...and I kept it a secret..."

Waving off his apology, Ava picked up her glass of champagne--opting to have it without the orange juice this time--and took a sip.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure it's a scary process finding out you have superhuman powers."

Ava really never had that problem. She was brought up knowing exactly who she was and what her abilities were. But for someone who has a normal life for so long to one day wake up being able to walk through walls or read minds? It was probably terrifying.

Simon: "Cameron has people at The Zenith Group to weed out mutants and keep an eye on them, making sure they don't use their powers to win business...something about a ball busting District Attorney trying to bury him with the SEC..."

"There are people out there who hate mutants and want them to disappear. If Cameron is right about this District Attorney, heed his warnings. Like I said, you'll be fine as long as you keep a low profile."

Pausing for a moment....Simon Pratt and low profile? That was an oxymoron.

"Well, you know what I mean."

Simon: "So...I'm a little embarrassed at how I just reacted, and I have no idea really how to recover from that, so i'm just going to take a cue from our parents....and completely ignore it...but you...I take it you don't know Cameron just in the business world? And you said you aren't a mutant.... what are you? A freakin' goddess?!"

Ava actually laughed. A real, authentic laugh as Simon jokingly asked if she was a goddess. Her eyes were, for the first time in a long time, full of life as she looked across the table at him.

"What if I said yes?"

She stated playfully. Her elbow was now resting on the table with hand next to her mouth. She nibbled gently on her thumb nail as he watched his expression change. No, she couldn't outright come out and say she was a goddess to this man. He was still in an uproar about meeting a mutant. But she could have a little fun with it.

"If you could guess which one? Who would you say I was....hypothetically speaking of course."

 

[Longshot]

NYC Parthenon - Ambrosia

He watched Ava intently, his incredibly pale, nearly seafoam green eyes alive with intrigue. Simon had shared more with Ava Cassadine in the last twenty minutes than he had shared with his last three hundred dates. What was even more perplexing was that he actually was enjoying her company. For now, he pushed such foolish thoughts down and tried to focus on living in the moment.

Ava: "There are people out there who hate mutants and want them to disappear. If Cameron is right about this District Attorney, heed his warnings. Like I said, you'll be fine as long as you keep a low profile...well, you know what I mean."

Simon's gaze softened for a moment.

"Well, The SEC thing was a long time ago...believe me, the last twenty four hours I spent holed up in my penthouse researching everything there was to know about Cameron King...turns out it was a woman named Alycia Barnett...but nobody has heard ANYTHING about her lately..."

[laughing]

"And yeah...there ARE people out there who hate mutants...unfortunately I think my parents might be one of them, especially my mother...My father...well he only cares about money..so as long as you are 'valuable' in some way, he could care less if you were a MERMAID..."

He had grown up hearing random bits of newsbites about things like The Hellfire Club growing up...a place where his father had been a member for years, and often had members over for dinner parties and things of that nature...His mother however, always one to champion a cause that would give her the most attention had been vocal in the past about things like mutant registration. When Simon joked that perhaps Ava Cassadine was a goddess, she laughed, and Simon hoped the paparazzi WERE at Ambrosia because NOBODY had snapped a shot of THAT in awhile.

Ava: "What if I say yes?"

"Well...then I would have to say for the first time in my life...I'm a little intimidated! But come ON, Ava...There's no way you---"

Ava cut him off.

Ava: If you could guess which one..who would you say I was? Hypothetically speaking of course...

Simon furrowed his brow for a moment and cracked a smile. Intrigued.

"Well...I HATE when a woman fishes for compliments [sneering playfully] but if I had to choose a Goddess...."

Simon placed his hand under his chin and squinted his eyes for a moment, looking her over.

"You'd have to be one of the Greek Goddesses for sure..the bone structure..the skin. If I were a fool, I'd say Aphrodite...but...eh... Hmm..You're mysterious, a stone cold fox...ball busting high powered weapons manufacturer...beautiful eyes...full lips..."

He winked at her for a moment as he put his hand out and traced the top of her hand with his fingers.

"Your skin....magnificently soft...but who could you be...I want to say Artemis...but there is something...a little darker about you....I don't know, A...Hecate? Maybe....Athena?"

 

[Persephone]

Simon: "Well...I HATE when a woman fishes for compliments [sneering playfully] but if I had to choose a Goddess...."

Rolling her eyes as he insinuated she was fishing for a compliment. She was simply intrigued by whom he would choose.

Simon: "You'd have to be one of the Greek Goddesses for sure..the bone structure..the skin.

"Mhmm..."

Nodding slowly with a smile on her face, well, he was on the right track.

Simon: If I were a fool, I'd say Aphrodite...but...eh... Hmm..You're mysterious, a stone cold fox...ball busting high powered weapons manufacturer...beautiful eyes...full lips..."

Of course his first thought was Aphrodite. Everyone's first thought when it came to Greek Goddesses was Aphrodite. She was painted out to be the most beautiful and desirable goddess ever to walk the Earth. She was also painted out to be a helpless harlot who had no brains. It was funny how WRONG they were. But as Simon continued, he actually did pay Ava a compliment--numerous in fact. Her eyes lowered to her hand as she felt his fingers brush her skin. He was good. Though she would never admit it....but damn.

Simon: "Your skin....magnificently soft...but who could you be...I want to say Artemis...but there is something...a little darker about you....I don't know, A...Hecate? Maybe....Athena?"

Lifting her sapphire eyes back up at him, Ava didn't mind him guessing Artemis or Hecate. Actually, it was pretty funny that he guessed Hecate considering how close of friends they were. But then he said Athena. Wrinkling her nose, she groaned out softly.

"Athena? Really? I don't know....I always pegged her as a entitled know-it-all with no style."

Ava couldn't help but smile at her own jab at Athena. They may have gotten past their differences, but there would always be that love/hate relationship between them.

"Well, I can assure you I am not a goddess. Though it's flattering you think so. I just don't fit in the category of a 'mutant'. Like I said...it's complicated."

Simon was intriguing, and sexy, and funny....and looked damn good in that suit....but Ava didn't feel comfortable telling him her lineage. The fact that he knew she had powers was enough information already. Plus, she wouldn't do what she did before....she wouldn't allow another person in too close. Whatever this was between them was purely flirtatious, and that's exactly where it was going to stay.

Moving her hand away from his, Ava looked down at her watch and saw it was nearly time for her new furniture to be delivered.

"Well, Mr. Pratt. It's been....interesting. But I have some business I need to attend to."

Standing from her seat, Ava picked up her iPad and her iPhone, pocketing the phone as she pushed in her chair.

"Plus, didn't you say you had another date or two?"

Smirking, remembering fully that he had thrown that in her face earlier. Walking around the table and behind him, she ran her slender fingers across his shoulders before bending down to his level.

"See you around."

She whispered before standing upright and making her way out of Ambrosia.

 

[Longshot]

NYC Parthenon - Ambrosia

Ava: "Well, I can assure you I am not a goddess. Though it's flattering you think so. I just don't fit in the category of a 'mutant'. Like I said...it's complicated."

Simon smiled.

"What isn't complicated these days? Have you seen how some of these women spends hours trying to decode a simple text message? It's tragic."

She moved his hand away from his and he couldn't help but smile to himself. Ava was definitely cool as a cucumber.

Ava: "Well, Mr. Pratt. It's been...interesting. But I have some business to attend to...

And now she was shutting it down. He could tell he went a little farther than he was comfortable with, but that didn't bother Simon. He was having a good time engaging in some back and forth with Ava but he really wasn't thinking past that. Right now, with everything going on his life, he decided the best course of action would be to just roll with the punches, and besides it's not as if he wouldn't see her again..Sooner, rather than later hopefully.

Ava: "Plus, didn't you say you had another date or two?"

[laughing]"Please, Ava! They don't hold a candle to my fiance! I swear!"

Ava rose to her seat as she walked around him, her hands touching his shoulder as his skin seemed to immediately react with an almost electric energy at her touch. There was SOMETHING between these two...whether that would be flirty banter or a future all night fuckfest, he wasn't sure...but he sure as hell liked what he was thinking.

Ava: "See you around..."

Simon called out to her as she began to walk out of the place.

"Sooner rather than later I hope!"

[loudly]

"Goodbye, My Love! I hope you don't mind registering at Bergdorf's! We're gonna need some flatware with all the entertaining we'll be doing as a married couple!"

As she exited, Simon sat down in his seat and exhaled. He had a very nice time with Ava, and it was exciting to meet somebody that was a lot like him. The past year and the revelation that he was a mutant had left him feeling...lonelier than usual. And that was a lot. He kept everybody at a distance and figuring out he was a mutant only made him feel more isolated. With Ava, he could talk freely about that stuff. A waiter walked by.

"Excuse me...Can you have another one of these cakes sent up to Ava Cassadine's room...Another bottle of this same champagne... and can you give me a notecard please..I'd like to attach something...."

The waiter soon returned with a notecard and a pen for him.

To Ava,

Thank you for your company.
Hopefully, this cake will cure your sweet tooth in my absence.
See You Soon,
-Your Fiance

Pleased with himself, Simon gave the note to the waiter, paid the check and left the Parthenon, hopping once more in his towncar. It was getting late in the afternoon and Simon decided that it was as good a time as any to get a stiff drink, and The Rainbow Room was calling his name...

 

[MorningStar]

Milk

Delilah sat back, taking a long drink of ice water through the straw while Alycia told her what had been going on behind her back (again) at Melrose Place, this time regarding Blaze.

Ever since she's come into the mainstream timeline she's been afflicted with constant comparisons to Foxfire, or Blaze Fielding. She kept hearing how she is so much more polished and 'better' than her counterpart, yet she still hasn't been able to rationalize who she is here...

“Oh wah! What a crybaby! ‘Everyone thinks I’m so much better than the other Blaze. I’m so depressed!’ Humble bragging if you ask me.”

She took a bite of tart.

“She came to see me the day I returned to Melrose Place. You should have HEARD her. She pretended to stop by to ‘welcome me back’ then proceeded to lash into me about how fake I am and how it’s all my fault Morgan left and how terrible I’m treating Karen and how I should be bowing at the feet of Morgan and Alison THANKING them for keeping me in the dark. Blah blah blah. Bitch.”

Delilah wrinkled her nose up.

Alison told Nicolas that she "saw" Blaze using the Siege Perilous much like her half sister Jasmine, to leave our timeline altogether in hopes of going to one that is better. In her timeline she's seen so much destruction and chaos, and HER version of The Six was far more together...Couple that with what just happened with you, Morgan and Alison...she feels as if we are TOO messed up and concerned with the wrong things. Nicolas Cameron and Alison have concluded that THIS has been FIREBIRD'S true timeline. It's the best fit FOR her.

“Yeah, well, Alison’s visions ain’t what they used to be. But Firebird spoke to me about my alternate like she had never met ME before. She treated me as if *I* hadn’t been the person who treated her as a friend as soon as she arrived in this timeline.”

Delilah shook her head. It WAS news to her that Firebird had belonged in this timeline, but it actually made sense. Blaze Fielding – their Blaze – had once remarked that upon meeting Darkchilde in another timeline, she had felt closer to her than she did to Morgan.

Yesterday, she was AMBUSHED by that sleazy rag Tempo reporter Nigel Barker at the Spectra press conference for the new Truth or Dare line. He attempted to question her about her very identity and accused her of being FOXFIRE, having faked her own death during the destruction of Illustra. He even held up a giant PICTURE of FOXFIRE and invited everyone to draw comparisons between her and FIREBIRD right there on live television! He tried to derail the press conference and even tried to suggest the federal authorities should be contacted about her as well as Morgan, bringing up the fact that she's a witch.

Delilah waved her hand in the air.

“Oh that’s nothing. You know how many times Morgan’s been asked on camera if she’s a witch? HUNDREDS. Hell, Alexis even asked her in an interview once. Why is she getting bent out of shape over what some sleazeball reporter says?”

She was about to say that the Blaze she knew would never have been up in arms about something as tiny as that, but she stopped herself. After all, this WASN’T “her” Blaze.

Blaze OPENED the Siege Perilous at that very spot and was about to pass through it, but, thanks to a flash premonition he had, Cameron and Nicolas got there in time to stop her and appeal to her sense of reason, give her HOPE to stay here and let them show her that she DOES belong here and even WITHOUT Morgan, she has a purpose here.

Delilah stayed quiet. Once again, they had kept her in the dark about a life or death situation. And this time, her supposed teammates couldn’t say it was because the vision was about her. Of all of them, Delilah was the person present who knew Blaze the best, who, until a few days ago, was the person closest to her. And they hadn’t even bothered to include her when Blaze was about to leave their timeline forever. Why hadn’t they come to her for help? Why hadn’t Blaze? Maybe not yesterday…but before that? If she was really feeling so out of touch, it couldn’t have happened overnight.

I'm GLAD they stopped her...saved her from making that fateful choice. It was too much of a risk to take, I think...and no one should have to feel like casting themselves into some cosmic oblivion is better than being where they are now.

“Yes, we don’t want to lose her, it’s good that this was averted.”

Delilah took another drink of water, organizing her thoughts. What Alycia had told her only solidified what Delilah had been thinking, what she had wanted to speak to Alycia about. The truth was, they didn’t need her here. They hadn’t needed her during the Blue Moon and they didn’t need her now. And what was left at Melrose Place for her? Nothing.

“And you’re right: no one should have to feel that way. *I* don’t want to feel that way. And that’s why I invited you to stay and talk.”

She leant forward towards Alycia, folding her arms on the table in front of her.

“Alycia, I want to go back to New York with you. There’s nothing for me here anymore. I need to get away from here. Fast.”

 

[Harbinger]

Minerva's mansion

"No....... now it's time for YOU to listen.

:: Alison remained silent. She released her grip on her Time Staff, which began to fall to the floor but vanished in a swirl of darkly glowing blue/black orbs. She remained standing, just looking at Haleigh with her black tear streaked face.::

I wasn't here for this.... which is my fault. But I'm here NOW, and just like before..... you're to get my opinion whether you like it or not. EVERYONE, and I mean every last one of you, got a raw deal. Everyone got hurt. Everyone had to make sacrifices they weren't ready for. And you know what? You all need to cut each other some fucking slack. Because focusing on your own pain is making things worse. You had to make a tough choice. You did the best you could, I can see that. I still think you should have included Delilah in the decision-making, and NOT Bishop, but it's over and done with now, and we need to move forward. I'm going to do everything I can to help fix the major issue, which is the kid being gone.

:: Alison heard her. She was right in line with what Karen, Ava and Cameron had said. All of them confirming or in some cases highlighting things the other said without knowing it. Why was it so HARD for her? well it went back to what Ava, Karen and Cameron had all discerned and said to her. As upset and angry with her as Delilah was...Alison was upset and unforgiving of HERSELF, feeling that she had FAILED when i reality, just as as the others and now Haleigh had said, there was NO WAY OUT. BUT...DELILAH should have been included.::

Haleigh...part of the reason why I can't forgive myself is because I know....Morgan knew...we talked about this amongst ourselves and no one else. NEITHER of us trusted Delilah's judgement anymore. We didn't think she was...

:: balling up her fist::

We didn't think she was of a sound mind anymore. And WE NEVER forgave ourselves for what happened to her BEFORE!

That night when you all showed up here, after the Viper caper. You were a zombie that Malice was able to miraculously restore. The team was reeling from the "betrayal" of who they THOUGHT was Alycia, but it turned out to be a Mystech "life model decoy"; Sharon LEFT as soon as it was confirmed YOU were recovered because she was having too hard of a time adjusting and Delilah...she was so badly hurt. It wasnt a physical pain...but mental.

You, Ava and myself were right here in this very room, while she went out there and DROWNED herself! By the time we got to her, it was too late! Then when I called Morgan and she showed up and we told her?

::FLASH!::

<< Images of Morgan exclaiming with grief and dismay as a crestfallen Alison tries to hold her and Haleigh and Ava are on the other side of her, both echoing Alison's sentiment>>

It was...just like that night you and I went to tell KAREN about Morgan, after Master Mold. You and I went into OVERDRIVE trying to fortify and prepare Illustra for the next threat or attack...real OR imagined. Blaze, Delilah and even Zach were a bit taken aback by what we were doing but what happened then? SHOCKWAVE betrayed us, turning into Blackout! So even though our methods were harsh...we were justified.

You know us....Morgan and I...we BOTH have controlling natures...and you know WHY in each of our cases. We felt so BAD...we so incompetent that we BOTH reflexively attempted to CONTROL everything we could to keep her safe!

Blaze said that to Morgan the night in the infirmary when she and Delilah went their first round of words. Morgan wants to protect and keep her loved ones safe...sometimes she goes too far and starts trying to CONTROL them.

I do the same thing. I sometimes try to rationalize it but CAMERON told me about myself yesterday regarding this.

:: She pauses for a moment, waving her hand to conjure a hankerchief. She begins to dab her eyes and wipe her face, clearing her throat as well::

That night in the infirmary when Morgan succumbed to her injuries from Black and Hecate stepped in to stop Karen from using a necromancy spell...she restored Morgan AND she brought Delilah and Bishop to the front for an accounting not only of their roles in what lead to Morgan's death but THEMSELVES.

We all listened. We heard the sad backstory. For Morgan and I, at least, it all explained Delilah's behavior ever since Bishop first came into our lives. When Hecate told us she was pregnant with his child? my heart SANK.

But when Hecate gave her a CHOICE to be freed from the curse, even though it would cost her the prengnacy...Morgan and I...we felt that it was a SMALL PRICE to pay to be FREE of something that was haunting her from one life time to the next! She'd never have to worry about being predestined to suffer hurt, pain and betrayal!

That's why I urged Delilah to take Hecate's offer.

But Delilah refused.

Haleigh...at that moment? Morgan and I BOTH felt she was INSANE. We've felt that way ever since.

:: Alison had said this to Ava and Karen...but not Cameron::

Ever since that moment, Morgan and I watched the 9 months progress with more and more DREAD, for as I said, I IMMEDIATELY began searching across time threads leading to/from Delilah regarding this pregnancy. I KNEW that this would end badly for her.

And so..we believed that it was for the BEST not to tell her because we just...couldn't TRUST her judgement! We BOTH felt she'd throw her life away...AGAIN! and you heard what Hecate said...she would FORGET what she learned about this curse when she moved on from this lifetime to the next. She'd go through it ALL OVER again, not understanding why she was experiencing such pain, loss, betrayal and DEATH...all related to this man! This man who she DROWNED HERSELF over!

I'm not perfect. My precognition doesnt preclude me from making bad choices. If ANYTHING, Morgan or I should have told you what we were discussing amongst ourselves. Just like when I came to you that night to show you who was going to die during the Master Mold caper.

By the time EITHER of us realized what a mistake it was NOT have included you for a much needed differing perspective, it was too late. You were gone and things were already happening.

Did we underestimate her?

:: Alison looks at Haleigh, searching her eyes as if she might find the answer THERE instead of her own silent mouth::

Haleigh, there was a time when I would have been able to say YES and I'd accept any rebuke that came my way for doing it. But POST-BISHOP and suicide attempt? I'm sorry....many things I am...a liar is NOT one of them. No, I don't believe I underestimated her and I know Morgan doesnt either.


I don't believe she would have made the right choice or a rational choice and honestly, Haleigh?

NOBODY, was confident in Delilah's judgement after Bishop came on the scene.

It was there, lingering in ALL of our minds but NO ONE beside Morgan and Myself would say anything if push came to shove, which it did.

Perhaps Morgan and/or myself should've approached her earlier on during the pregnancy, talked with her about the concerns we had for her. But would that have made a difference?



:: Sounding more composed::

SHOULD we have told her?

I'm sorry....but knowing what I do...I still don't believe so.


And MORGAN? So shattered was she by Delilah's backlash that she LEFT us...THIS WORLD for Limbo! Where she remains to this very moment. That was her best friend, since CHILDHOOD. They'dbeen through so much. Morgan would do anything for her and only wanted to keep her SAFE.

But it all comes back to what Blaze said, doesnt it? Morgan...and even myself, in trying to protect her...ended up CONTROLLING HER.



That doesn't mean we didn't LOVE AND CARE FOR HER! But we just didn't want to see her throw her LIFE away!

She told us we should have let her live her life. She told us she'd rather DIE than be without her child.

If we had done it the way SHE wanted...she'd be DEAD and Alexia would be an ORPHAN and IF Alexia was NOT in the care of Ororo, there's a distinct possibility that when she DID learn about her mother, she would ALSO have learned that SHE was responsible for her mother's death!

If we have ANY doubt what kind of trauma and burden THAT is to carry, we need only look to NICOLAS and Dominique!

Haleigh, we didn't want that for her! But what else could we have done!? I could "SEE" no other option!

Perhaps this was one time where I should have just...turned a complete "BLIND EYE" and just let it happen...

:: It was a shocking thing to hear Alison say this, but Haleigh could see that she, and evidently Morgan, since they had been privately discussing this, discussing DELILAH for some time now, had deliberated over this at length!::

But even when that gets solved, there's still the personal fight you two are having. You won't like hearing this, but you owe her an apology as much as she owes YOU one. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO WAS RIGHT AND WHO WAS WRONG. All that matters is that you stop judging each other and start showing some goddamn compassion again.

:: Alison couldnt help but FLINCH a bit as if those words had SMACKED her right in the face, just like her BROTHER had yesterday! :sure: ::

You KNEW....... You KNEW Delilah would not react well to the decision YOU made without her. But you weren't prepared to FEEL IT. There's no shame in that, Alison. It took me a long time to realize there's no shame in experiencing emotion. I think if you just accepted THAT, you can start to come to terms with what happened. Right now you're trying too hard to NOT feel it."

:: Again, confirmation. RIGHT in line with what Cameron, Ava and Karen had said.::

:: It was like, for lack of a better analogy, trying to put the genie back in the bottle. she had crashed and burned, had an emotional BREAKDOWN from the deadly collision of physical/emotional exhaustion, the backlash, all of it. ::

I suppose so...

:: She said quietly.::

I can't stop the pain. I mean...Karen told me this...and both she and Ava, Cameron...and now even YOU...have watched me wildly swing between moments of appearing to be "together" and then raging and lashing out. I've been a MESS all because I've felt so...ashamed of myself for even having an emotional break down.

But contrary to what SHE or others think...I AM human...I DO have a heart and feelings. I've spent YEARS relying on a "marble hard heart"....and the last 6 years learning how much better, how much more FULLFILLING it is to not operate with such a hard heart.

I apologize...for mistreating you and verbally abusing you. When I "watched" you and Delilah...i was seething with rage.

I AM displeased that you devoted so much of your time to the government, but that's nothing that warrants the unkindness I've shown to you today. It made me no better than SHE was when SHE unloaded her venom onto Morgan, myself and the others.

But I want you to tell me, now that you know the whole story, if you were in Morgan's or my position...what would YOU have done?

Would you be willing to let someone who's judgement you deeply questioned, due to their previous actions, make such a choice? KNOWING what kind of behavior they've been given over to?

 

[Artemis]

L. A. milk

Delilah sat back, taking a long drink of ice water through the straw while Alycia told her what had been going on behind her back (again) at Melrose Place, this time regarding Blaze.



“Oh wah! What a crybaby! ‘Everyone thinks I’m so much better than the other Blaze. I’m so depressed!’ Humble bragging if you ask me.”

She took a bite of tart.

No....no I don't think it's that.

She never seemed to dwell much on anyone's initial intrigue with her because of her much more diverse/stronger power set and attributes. BUT I do think everyone marveled at how much more SUITED to our Morgan she was than then "OUR" Blaze. And coming from her dystopian timeline where HER Morgan was lost...I think that meant a great deal to her that everyone reflexively endorsed and accepted her as "Morgan's 'more glamorous' sister". It IS rather fascinating to watch her at Spectra. to see how much business and fashion savvy she has. Morgan's abrupt departure could have been a BIG PROBLEM for her company, but Blaze has stepped in to fill that gap and by all accounts has succeeded far beyond everyone's expectations.

But at the same time...no one, not even Morgan HERSELF took the time to really educate Blaze on the life of her "alternate" here. THAT was a mistake...unintentional...but still a mistake.

“She came to see me the day I returned to Melrose Place. You should have HEARD her. She pretended to stop by to ‘welcome me back’ then proceeded to lash into me about how fake I am and how it’s all my fault Morgan left and how terrible I’m treating Karen and how I should be bowing at the feet of Morgan and Alison THANKING them for keeping me in the dark. Blah blah blah. Bitch.”

Delilah wrinkled her nose up.



“Yeah, well, Alison’s visions ain’t what they used to be. But Firebird spoke to me about my alternate like she had never met ME before. She treated me as if *I* hadn’t been the person who treated her as a friend as soon as she arrived in this timeline.”

Delilah shook her head. It WAS news to her that Firebird had belonged in this timeline, but it actually made sense. Blaze Fielding – their Blaze – had once remarked that upon meeting Darkchilde in another timeline, she had felt closer to her than she did to Morgan.

:: Alycia nodded as she listened. She wasn't aware of the exact conversation they'd had, BUT she overheard bits and pieces of Delilah relaying it to Haleigh yesterday. She had her suspicions but now she was quite certain that whatever took place between them was heavy and definitely did not end well. Delilah spoke with bitterness in her tone and she'd already seen the way Blaze had been looking.::

:: But the woman in FRONT of her? This was just ONE MORE set back in a string of many! Sharon said it herself at the party...no one on this team should be allowed to lose their way or made to feel like they're alone. Delilah was no doubt feeling that way now more than ever.::


::Sigh::

Sounds to me like she was lashing out on that [ it being Delilah's fault Morgan left]. It's obviously not your fault she left. It's NOBODY'S fault.

Morgan left by her own hand and choice. She felt that was what she needed to do and according to Cameron, at THAT MOMENT? It probably WAS the best thing for her but NOW? I feel like it's doing more harm than good for a variety of reasons.

Before she left Minerva's, Blaze expressed profound concern. She said something to Karen, Nicolas and myself about how the moment when you, Alison and Morgan were blown apart was like watching that same moment in her timeline...a moment which turned out to be rather damning for that Six.

Nicolas tried to convince Blaze that one key difference between the blow out amongst your alternates in her timeline versus what's happened between you three HERE....

:: taking a moment::

...Is that MYSTECH is not nearly the terrifying power HERE that it was in her time. And it's fortunate for US that it's not. Hell, even the fact that the truce between the SISTERHOOD AND THE SIX is still active is good...because right now, the Six is down and off balance...there's been a great tragedy and loss...and the last thing this team needs is to be attacked from an outside source.

That DOESN'T mean that the fall out between you three hasn't had an impact on ALL of us OR that it's not a significant thing. It's just that Nicolas was trying to get Blaze to understand that the likelyhood of The Six being decimated the way her's was by this fallout is MUCH less.

There's no way to know what's going to happen. Sometimes the biggest threats turn out to be from within. Not even from someone ELSE in the group...but WITHIN OURSELVES.

:: She paused for a moment, thinking about the Viper caper and how her own life model decoy had caused so much chaos. She blinks hard before focusing and resuming::

But Blaze has been quite distraught, to the point that Karen was concerned it might be clinical depression.

I don't think that's something to dismiss.

Moreover, I think we've ALL kind of overlooked something.

:: She paused for a bite and a drink::

Our conversations about our lives...as a group...as individuals...the lens through which WE in this group have come view things...it's SO vastly different than anyone else's in this world, super powered or NOT. I don't think FIREBIRD ever imagined she'd see her sister...or some "cross time alternate" of her, let alone one from the DARK TRINITY. I mean really...WHO would imagine THAT?

Death and return; Anamolous genetic structures; No powers to powers; Being replaced by cross time alternates and vice versa; Being able to "access the time stream"; even the powers each person on this team possesses: Precognition; Technopathy; Stepping discs and magick; ancient cosmic crystals that open powerful gates to a realm beyond imagination!? .... all these things don't just accent us....they ARE us. Even thoseof us like Michael and Myself, who are among the FEW baseline humans that could and HAVE been able to run with the Six. But because that's who we ARE...it changes everything.

Things that other ["normal"]people [who aren't involved in this group] deal with...we CAN'T always deal with in the same way, even if that's what we want. It just isn't that way. It never will be. I think some of us have had come a bit further in realizing and accepting that than others, but I also DON'T think there's been enough efforts by those further ahead to look back and give a helping hand to those not so far along.

That was something else that Blaze expressed deep sadness about. That HER Six, before they were decimated, before the "fallout" that helped facilitate the decimation, had such a DEEP bond that even small disagreements or squabbles didnt get in the way and that no one was made to feel like he/she couldn't go to anyone else to talk about whatever.

Have YOU felt like you could? Did you even want to, BEFORE the Blue Moon? If Morgan and Alison had told you what they knew...would you have trusted them?

I think that was part of Blaze's problem, even with regards to you. And because she's so distraught, it just came out the wrong/worst way and of course that was the last thing you needed. And again...everybody seeing "cross time" versions of themselves. WE are used to that. SHE wasn't She was at a disadvantage. Even Nicolas said that it took her some time to get COMPLETELY trusting and comfortable with him after having spent so much time battling/escaping the clutches of HIS alternate self...a terrifying, violent PSYCHIC HOUND? She may have been looking at you in the aftermath of your fall out with Morgan and Alison and the things that were said...just reflexively WAITING for "YOU" to show up with sentinels and psychic hounds.

:: Drinking some more of her strawberry lemonade::

You know, *I* certainly had a time where I felt that way- that i couldn't talk to any of you...that you didnt understand or that you'd just expect me to "deal with it"... It was right after I became a federal agent, up till the time I escaped with you all and accepted Athena's offer to go to Themyscira.

:: Continuing on::

But how many people get that chance? Since my return, which turned out to be at the best possible moment since The Six NEEDED an extra pair of hands in the fight against Circe, I've observed you...all of you.

None of you really had the chance to "GO AWAY and reinvent or reboot" and you didn't take the time to talk honestly amongst yourselves...each other. Things that were left unresolved, grew and MUTATED even.

There are things that have happened to each of us in this group whether from internal or external circumstances that haven't always been properly addressed, in some instances, for a LONG time.

Blaze and the issue of Firebird vs Foxfire is one such issue and while on the surface it may seem trivial, again i think that's ONLY because THIS group has had the unique and extraordinary experience of being able to "move through time and space" or "access the time stream" or see/be confronted by various "cross time alternates"...these are things most people, super powered or not will NEVER know, much less understand or deal with and even though we ARE dealing with these things all the time, we're all still human. I don't care what ANY of you say, *I* know this stuff can take a toll. It doesnt have to be a monster or a battle...just BEING can be difficult at times.

Why DIDN'T Morgan or someone else inform and educate Blaze Victory about the history of Blaze Fielding and her current status? I suspect part of it was because Morgan never really allowed herself to GRIEVE over Foxfire's loss and FIREBIRD'S seemingly FORTUTIOUS arrival here REMOVED the need to address any issues of Foxfire for everyone EXCEPT Firebird. That was a huge oversight, but I can tell it was unintentional. Still, as a lawyer who's practiced in both the public and private arena? I can tell you even a SMALL mistake will be costly.

Delilah waved her hand in the air.

“Oh that’s nothing. You know how many times Morgan’s been asked on camera if she’s a witch? HUNDREDS. Hell, Alexis even asked her in an interview once. Why is she getting bent out of shape over what some sleazeball reporter says?”

She was about to say that the Blaze she knew would never have been up in arms about something as tiny as that, but she stopped herself. After all, this WASN’T “her” Blaze.

You want to know WHY the tabloids who jabbed Morgan about being a witch back in the days of Illustra, PRE-BISHOP, never got anywhere? Because *I* was there, behind the scenes stopping that stuff in its tracks everytime. I was Morgan's legal counsel, as you remember, and I handled that. Even AFTER I went on to become the DA, I made sure it was taken care, not only for Morgan, but for the Six as a group by then.

Alexis Quartermaine had every bit as much to lose by outing Morgan as Morgan did once *I* reminded her of that? she noticeably BACKED OFF. Nigel was a different story.

IF Nigel Barker had been successfull in getting the "RIGHT" people's attention? We could have had a serious problem on our hands. Blaze is supposed to be DEAD.

It HASN'T been that long since The Six was able to even return to "mainstream society" after fleeing to exile when the group was outed and Illustra fell. We can't ever assume that it's completely safe for us OR that there isn't some other successor to Mystech waiting to sprout up and stoke the flames of anti-mutant, meta-human sentiment.

Delilah stayed quiet. Once again, they had kept her in the dark about a life or death situation. And this time, her supposed teammates couldn’t say it was because the vision was about her. Of all of them, Delilah was the person present who knew Blaze the best, who, until a few days ago, was the person closest to her. And they hadn’t even bothered to include her when Blaze was about to leave their timeline forever. Why hadn’t they come to her for help? Why hadn’t Blaze? Maybe not yesterday…but before that? If she was really feeling so out of touch, it couldn’t have happened overnight.

“Yes, we don’t want to lose her, it’s good that this was averted.”

:: She heard the words, but not the sincerity. Clearly the tone of the confrontation betwen herself and Blaze the other day had stoked the flames of resentment and isolation she felt toward the Six. She'd already fallen out with Morgan and Alison, now apparently Blaze...though Alycia still felt THAT was a terrible misunderstanding that couldve been averted or even be FIXED now. WORSE, based on what she heard Delilah say to Haleigh, Alycia knew Delilah felt that the TEAM as a whole pretty much wasn't concerned with her. This was not a good thing by anymeans.::

:: Blaze nearly opened the siege perilous because of her feelings of isolation and no sense of purpose, and while Alycia hadn't been here for Delilah's suicide attempt, she'd since HEARD about it...now here this woman was, in the aftermath of having lost her baby...Alycia couldn't even IMAGINE what she must be going through but she hated to see Delilah suffer. Whether or not Delilah would agree, Alycia KNEW that she was thinking things...CONVINCING herself of certain things that just weren't true. It wasn't about who was "RIGHT" or "WRONG" at this point. It was about a woman who was in pain an letting that pain lead her somewhere that was LESS than good for her::

:: Alycia was going to say something, right now. The worst that Delilah could do was scream and berate her and then push her away like the others, but she was not afraid of that. Alycia meant what she said earlier. She'd NEVER apologie for caring, for trying to be a friend.::

Delilah...there's something I want to say to you...

:: But before she could begin, Delilah started speaking almost at the same time. And with HER response, if there was ever any doubt in Alycia's mind where Delilah's thoughts were, they were totally confirmed now. The question NOW was, just how far and deep did this GO?::

took another drink of water, organizing her thoughts. What Alycia had told her only solidified what Delilah had been thinking, what she had wanted to speak to Alycia about. The truth was, they didn’t need her here. They hadn’t needed her during the Blue Moon and they didn’t need her now. And what was left at Melrose Place for her? Nothing.

“And you’re right: no one should have to feel that way. *I* don’t want to feel that way. And that’s why I invited you to stay and talk.”

She leant forward towards Alycia, folding her arms on the table in front of her.

“Alycia, I want to go back to New York with you. There’s nothing for me here anymore. I need to get away from here. Fast.”

:: Alycia's hazel eyes widened for a moment.::

Well sure, I'll take you back to New York with me. I told you the other night that I'd be glad to carry you there in DOME.

But I'd like to know...what do you mean, there's nothing here for you? Are you saying you want to leave the Six??

 

[MorningStar]

Milk

Delilah, in all honesty, and even with Alycia’s explanation, didn’t really understand what the hell Blaze’s problem was. She wasn’t angry that they treated her like her alternate, or talked about the other Blaze all the time or something. No – it was that they DIDN’T talk about her that bothered this Blaze. Oh so sorry, we accept you for who you are. Our mistake.

Alycia was trying to get her to understand that they had a very different experience from Blaze Victory, that things that are more easy for them to accept, that are more commonplace for them – like jetting across timelines – isn’t normal for others, like Blaze.

Things that other ["normal"]people [who aren't involved in this group] deal with...we CAN'T always deal with in the same way, even if that's what we want. It just isn't that way. It never will be. I think some of us have had come a bit further in realizing and accepting that than others, but I also DON'T think there's been enough efforts by those further ahead to look back and give a helping hand to those not so far along.

Delilah looked at Alycia silently for a moment, then nodded.

“You know, the only thing I ever wanted after I left Valiant was to live a normal life. After I died – the first time – I had to realize that was never going to happen. This…”

She couldn’t say it out loud.

“…reinforced that. We aren’t normal. Even amongst mutant/supers. We are different. And that’s not easy to come to grips with. Unless you’re Haleigh, saving the world with SHIELD…”

She looked off into the distance.

Have YOU felt like you could [talk to the others about anything]? Did you even want to, BEFORE the Blue Moon? If Morgan and Alison had told you what they knew...would you have trusted them?

Delilah’s eyes darted back to Alycia.

“Of course I would have. Because I didn’t have a reason NOT to. Without question, I would have trusted them, the way I ALWAYS HAVE. Until they decided to hide things from me.”

Delilah leaned forwards again.

“And you know what the worst part is? They couldn’t even say they were sorry… How could this Blaze trust them, after seeing that? No wonder she doesn’t think she can talk to anyone…”

Delilah’s temper was starting to flare again. The whole thing was ludicrous.

I think that was part of Blaze's problem, even with regards to you. And because she's so distraught, it just came out the wrong/worst way and of course that was the last thing you needed. And again...everybody seeing "cross time" versions of themselves. WE are used to that. SHE wasn't She was at a disadvantage. Even Nicolas said that it took her some time to get COMPLETELY trusting and comfortable with him after having spent so much time battling/escaping the clutches of HIS alternate self...a terrifying, violent PSYCHIC HOUND? She may have been looking at you in the aftermath of your fall out with Morgan and Alison and the things that were said...just reflexively WAITING for "YOU" to show up with sentinels and psychic hounds.

“Well pushing me away certainly isn’t going to help that NOT come to pass. I met that version of me, don’t forget. You couldn’t find someone more UNLIKE me than that lunatic.”

Delilah asked to go back to NYC with Alycia.

Well sure, I'll take you back to New York with me. I told you the other night that I'd be glad to carry you there in DOME.

But I'd like to know...what do you mean, there's nothing here for you? Are you saying you want to leave the Six??

Delilah pushed her plate away from her and leaned backwards in her chair.

“Alycia – I, I don’t know. I need some time to figure things out. Be of use again. The Six they – they don’t need me. They fought Circe and saved Blaze – all without even telling me about it. I’m suffocating here, in this town. I need to get out of here.”

She sighed.

“And I can’t keep beating my head against the wall, screaming at deaf ears. You said it yourself, we’re one photo op or iphone video away from complete exposure. But do you think they’ll listen? They’d rather hide things from ME than the FLATSCANS. I can’t do that anymore, I can’t sit here waiting for the other show to drop and wondering if they’d even tell me about it. Or if one day the next MysTech’s at my door because no one was doing anything to stop it. There are people out there who need my help…they just aren’t in Melrose Place.”

 

[Black Widow]

Minerva's mansion

Alison began to explain just why she hadn't told Delilah, and the reasoning was a bit surprising, and even a little understandable. Haleigh HAD been there, when Delilah totally lost her marbles and went for a swim with the intention of drowning herself. Haleigh vividly remembered pulling Delilah's lifeless body out of the water, and the futile exercise in CPR, and the devastating realization that Delilah was gone. That moment was a scar on all their souls.

"Alison..... Delilah's suicide was... very difficult for me as well. But we have to be fair to her. She isn't the ONLY one to experience a break down and do some radical shit because of it. Morgan's inferno? Nicolas and Set? The Silver Swan?! Hell, I had a crisis of my own. And all these people made some huge mistakes based on what they believed AT THE TIME. But we still trust their judgement NOW. Doesn't Delilah deserve the same second chance?"

But apparently, that wasn't the only thing bothering Alison about Delilah's state of mind. Delilah decided to turn down Hecate's offer to break the curse, which meant keeping the baby. And of COURSE Alison failed to understand that choice. Alison was able to look at the situation objectively. Delilah, on the other hand, was seeing her unborn child.

"If there's one thing we can count on about Delilah, it's that she will NEVER be okay with spending a life for her own personal gain, or even her own personal safety. And even though YOU don't get it, Delilah saw the baby as alive, even then. And just couldn't bring herself to sacrifice an innocent life in order to get ahead. She's not like us, Alison, and I hope she never WILL BE. That doesn't make her insane. It makes her humane."

Alison finally started to halfway admit the possibility that she should have told Delilah, but then stubbornly backed up. She was going to stick to her guns about that. Haleigh figured it would be a waste of effort to continue to try and sway her, and it was a moot point anyway.

Alison actually apologized for basically attacking Haleigh without cause, and as hell froze over, Haleigh forgave her.

Alison: "But I want you to tell me, now that you know the whole story, if you were in Morgan's or my position...what would YOU have done? Would you be willing to let someone who's judgement you deeply questioned, due to their previous actions, make such a choice? KNOWING what kind of behavior they've been given over to?"

"Regardless of my feelings about her judgement...... It was DELILAH'S decision to make, and it was wrong to take that away from her. You can't control the ones you love, Alison. You have to let them make their own mistakes, and YOUR job is to support them and be there for them when shit goes bad. The second you try to control them is the exact moment that you LOSE them."

She realized that Alison truly thought Delilah would have died, but Haleigh had more confidence in Delilah's ability to grasp reality. Haleigh believed that if Delilah had been given all the information, she would have looked for a solution where everybody lived. But it didn't make a difference argue about now. They needed to deal with the fallout, they could only analyze so much.

"Well we can't go back, so you might as well help me go forward. I want the baby's blood." (After an awkward pause) "that sounded weird. What I meant was, I need a sample of the baby's blood to run tests on. Can you help me get it? I've made an acquaintance recently who does a lot of genetic research and radiation shit..... he's the smartest scientist I know. He can find a solution for us. Don't worry, he's very discreet. Plus, he doesn't know anybody's name."

 

[Harbinger]

Minerva's Mansion

Alison began to explain just why she hadn't told Delilah, and the reasoning was a bit surprising, and even a little understandable. Haleigh HAD been there, when Delilah totally lost her marbles and went for a swim with the intention of drowning herself. Haleigh vividly remembered pulling Delilah's lifeless body out of the water, and the futile exercise in CPR, and the devastating realization that Delilah was gone. That moment was a scar on all their souls.

"Alison..... Delilah's suicide was... very difficult for me as well. But we have to be fair to her. She isn't the ONLY one to experience a break down and do some radical shit because of it. Morgan's inferno? Nicolas and Set? The Silver Swan?! Hell, I had a crisis of my own. And all these people made some huge mistakes based on what they believed AT THE TIME. But we still trust their judgement NOW. Doesn't Delilah deserve the same second chance?"

:: Alison couldn't help but mildly exclaim/laugh in spite of herself::

I think I was probably the LAST person to get on board the "give Nicolas a second chance..." It's only been...It's only been since around the time between the Viper caper and the Bianca/Black caper that I've really come around on him . But yet, even as I say that...it still shows that I eventually gave him a chance to proove himself and he DID. He was CRITICAL to our success against Circe, Haleigh...


:: She was going to say something else but she seemed lost in thought::

He did...proove himself. Even when....even Barbas and Circe BOTH tried to capitalize on his weakness.


:: But even as she thought about Nicolas, she thought about Delilah...::

But apparently, that wasn't the only thing bothering Alison about Delilah's state of mind. Delilah decided to turn down Hecate's offer to break the curse, which meant keeping the baby. And of COURSE Alison failed to understand that choice. Alison was able to look at the situation objectively. Delilah, on the other hand, was seeing her unborn child.

"If there's one thing we can count on about Delilah, it's that she will NEVER be okay with spending a life for her own personal gain, or even her own personal safety. And even though YOU don't get it, Delilah saw the baby as alive, even then. And just couldn't bring herself to sacrifice an innocent life in order to get ahead. She's not like us, Alison, and I hope she never WILL BE. That doesn't make her insane. It makes her humane."

Delilah...

::FLASH::

Morgan and Alison had always assumed that Delilah had more in common with them than they actually DID!

All this time...

Alison finally started to halfway admit the possibility that she should have told Delilah, but then stubbornly backed up. She was going to stick to her guns about that. Haleigh figured it would be a waste of effort to continue to try and sway her, and it was a moot point anyway.

Alison actually apologized for basically attacking Haleigh without cause, and as hell froze over, Haleigh forgave her.

But I want you to tell me, now that you know the whole story, if you were in Morgan's or my position...what would YOU have done? Would you be willing to let someone who's judgement you deeply questioned, due to their previous actions, make such a choice? KNOWING what kind of behavior they've been given over to?

"Regardless of my feelings about her judgement...... It was DELILAH'S decision to make, and it was wrong to take that away from her. You can't control the ones you love, Alison. You have to let them make their own mistakes, and YOUR job is to support them and be there for them when shit goes bad. The second you try to control them is the exact moment that you LOSE them."

She realized that Alison truly thought Delilah would have died, but Haleigh had more confidence in Delilah's ability to grasp reality. Haleigh believed that if Delilah had been given all the information, she would have looked for a solution where everybody lived. But it didn't make a difference argue about now. They needed to deal with the fallout, they could only analyze so much.

I think Blaze...FIREBIRD tried to tell Morgan the same thing, that night in the infirmary. She tried to stop them fighting...all of us.

:: Alison bows her head::

Morgan and myself, we FEARED for her well being, physically and mentally! The others did too. They each attempted to express it that night in the infirmary.

But Morgan and I? We KNEW it would sound terrible, if we told anyone else on the team what we felt about Delilah's mental state...We were JUST TRYING TO KEEP HER SAFE!

:: she says with a raised, PAINED voice::

I don't know that I've EVER experienced a time where my precognition DIDN'T afford me the ADVANTAGE of altering outcomes and averting disaster...or at least PREPARING myself and those that I care for to "brace for the impact."

Haleigh, it NEVER occurred to me that even though I had the clearest vision/foresight that it still might be best to let HER decide.


MORGAN said she was prepared for Delilah to hate her...ALL of us, as long as she was ALIVE to do it. But I dont know if that's true. If it were, wouldn't she be HERE right now, when her SISTER an this team needs her?

:: she begins massaging her temples trying to alleviate what looks like visible expressions of PAIN and then it happens. everything that Karen, Ava, Cameron, Blaze and now Haleigh said, it all managed to reach Alison's HEART of hearts.::

We...we underestimated her.

:: She shut her eyes tightly as she swallowed hard and clutched her chest::

:: She sounded weak in her voice::

We...FORGOT what made her such a trustworthy ally...FRIEND. We judged her...not ever REALLY giving her a fair chance to redeem herself.

:: she slowly walks over to her chair, sets it up right and then collapses into it. If she dwelled on this too long, she'd end up getting a splitting headache. She just COULDN'T imagine that her sincere, earnest effort could've been such a MISTAKE! ::

She said we ruined her life.

:: Alison leaned forward and let her head FALL down to the desk and just lay there, motionless:

She was right.


:: She said it in the softest, lowest tone Haleigh had heard from her since that moment when Haleigh pulled Delilah's body from the water::

"Well we can't go back, so you might as well help me go forward. I want the baby's blood." (After an awkward pause) "that sounded weird. What I meant was, I need a sample of the baby's blood to run tests on. Can you help me get it? I've made an acquaintance recently who does a lot of genetic research and radiation shit..... he's the smartest scientist I know. He can find a solution for us. Don't worry, he's very discreet. Plus, he doesn't know anybody's name."

:: Alison just sat there, with her head down, not moving. Whether or not she HEARD Haleigh at this point was anyone's guess. The moment that Cameron and Karen spoke of was FINALLY at hand, she was acknowledging herself, her limitations, her ERROR IN JUDGEMENT. ::

 

[Artemis]

Milk

“Of course I would have. Because I didn’t have a reason NOT to. Without question, I would have trusted them, the way I ALWAYS HAVE. Until they decided to hide things from me.”

:: This made Alycia swallow hard. SHE remembered the look in Harbinger's eyes the night she called her to Minerva's Aerie and told her what was coming, what she needed HER to do. Even THEN, Alycia wondered why Alison wouldn't tell Delilah, BUT Alycia trusted Alison. In the AFTERMATH, Alycia had been there to see Alison, who had completely fallen apart, had a nervous BREAKDOWN. That doesnt happen for just ANY reason, certainly not to someone who has always been so strong and self assured as Alison, HARBINGER, the precog an then...::

Delilah leaned forwards again.

“And you know what the worst part is? They couldn’t even say they were sorry… How could this Blaze trust them, after seeing that? No wonder she doesn’t think she can talk to anyone…”

::Alycia felt twinge of sorrow. ::

Morgan and Alison...they only wanted to help her, but for some reason they didn't think they could tell her! and there IS a reason...Alison would NOT have had a nervous breakdown and Morgan would NOT have retreated to Limbo just to be stubborn! And Blaze? It might have been a terrible thing for Delilah to say, but not entirely inaccurate, yet still NOT for the same reasons DELILAH was implying. It was all such a MESS and yet, Alycia, as she listened, as her lawyer's mind worked, adding Delilah's words into the tapestry of words from some of the others, she was more convinced now than EVER that she was right. They just hadn't TALKED to each other. They seemed to have FORGOTTEN that there were PEOPLE with HEARTS behind these codenames. ALL of them!


Delilah...listen...you dont know how BADLY I...WE feel. It's not what you think! As i said earlier, We're at a LOSS...none of us really knows what we can DO but I'm going to say something now...


:: But Delilah ABRUPTLY changed course AGAIN. Alycia briefly frowns, but doesn't press, at the moment::



:elilah asked to go back to NYC with Alycia. Alycia, always thinking ahead, decided to try another approach::

Delilah pushed her plate away from her and leaned backwards in her chair.

“Alycia – I, I don’t know. I need some time to figure things out. Be of use again. The Six they – they don’t need me. They fought Circe and saved Blaze – all without even telling me about it. I’m suffocating here, in this town. I need to get out of here.”

She sighed.

“And I can’t keep beating my head against the wall, screaming at deaf ears. You said it yourself, we’re one photo op or iphone video away from complete exposure. But do you think they’ll listen? They’d rather hide things from ME than the FLATSCANS. I can’t do that anymore, I can’t sit here waiting for the other show to drop and wondering if they’d even tell me about it. Or if one day the next MysTech’s at my door because no one was doing anything to stop it. There are people out there who need my help…they just aren’t in Melrose Place.”

:: On THIS, Alycia would not let it wait::

Delilah, that's not true.

:: She said firmly::

You could NOT join in the battle against Circe. It was impossible and NO ONE would have allowed it. Even with...everything ELSE that happened AFTER the blue moon aside...You were in no condition to engage in such activity!

And as for Blaze? Cameron and Nicolas were the best ones to get to her, and they did. That wasn't a "Six Mission"...it's just more painfull FALLOUT from the aftermath of the Blue Moon and everyone is STRUGGLING because they don't know what they can or should do, BLAZE was ONE THING that they COULD do something about

If you need a break? If you want to take some time away? Then fine. THAT, I totally agree with and now's as good a time as any!

But don't you sit there and say they don't need you. You can get mad at me if you want to, but I'm telling you you're wrong in that. You said Blaze shouldn't push you away? You're right! But don't YOU push anyone away either!

Just give yourself TIME.

If that TIME will be better spent AWAY, then okay...let's make that happen. But you also make sure it HELPS you so that when it's time to come BACK, you'll be ready! Just like I was!

 

[Firebird]

MP apt 4

"Your table is ready, Miss Victory..."

He pulled her chair out for her

"Why thank you, kind sir!"

and sat down next to her and the two began to dig into the rich and delicious food. Cameron was pretty proud of himself.

Unlike her super model sister, Morgan, Blaze had no problem enjoying a good meal and with her mutant physiology, she burned calories better than most high performance body builders! She never understood why Morg was so strict on herself about food, considering she too could afford to eat more than the averge baseline human, but oh well, more for BLAZE!

During the meal, Cameron addressed Blaze's earlier questions about 'Blaze Fielding'.



"I guess you would be pleased to know then that Blaze Fielding herself DID own a club just a stone's throw from The Parthenon in NYC. It was called Club Venom. And during it's heyday it was quite the operation. A Den of Inequity really. And salaciousness. Beautiful male and female dancers got the crowd hot and bothered and even more beautiful cocktail waitresses served the liquor. Blaze Fielding loved house music and handpicked the DJs for the club herself..it was really a popping joint!

The fire elemental's apple gree eyes sparkled with surprise and excitement!

"Oh wow! To be a heart beat away from Madonna, Pharrell, Timbaland, and house legends like Stacy Hot Waxx Hale!"

If there was one thing Blaze Victory loved more than being glamorous in fashion, it was being hot and sexy on the dance floor!

"What happened to this place after she...after she died?"

[taking a bite of his meal]

"When she died...the club kind of fell to the wayside...looking back, I always wished I would have scooped it up..but there was so much going on with The Six that it was everything I could do to keep just MY business afloat...so unfortunately, it fell out of our hands and closed down..."

"Didn't Morg, Alison or Alycia make sure it was at least kept under one of their corporate umbrellas? I mean...that just sounds like it was too spectacular for them to let it go...it was a PIECE of her, like Illustra was of Morgan. The only reason she lost Illustra in our time, much like in yours, was because the Six was OUTED by Bishop and Mystech/the Government attacked."

"But Blaze was definitely a free-spirit. It wasn't unlike her and Haleigh to escape the states and go tear it up in Europe...even when it seemed at the most INNAPPROPRIATE time...those two really got along...Sometimes she would just show up at my penthouse at Illustra with a bottle of Whiskey and a JOINT! We'd listen to music and just laugh and hang ou for hours...Yes, during the downtime of The Six..Foxfire definitely tried to make the most out of it...THAT...outside of everything ELSE...was the thing I liked the most about her....she knew how FUTILE all of this [gesturing his hands] was..."

Cameron poured them both a glass of champagne and he took a sip before continuing.

Blaze was fascinated, hearing more about..."herself" in this timeline.

"Thank you."

She happily enjoys more of the delicious champagne.

"It sounds like your Blaze DID have a similar connection to Haleigh like I did with mine. Our Haleigh was very big on making sure everybody experienced more than just what they knew. Of us all, She, myself and Michael were the only ones with military/martial arts training and/or black ops experience. so she made sure everybody else learned how to use various fire arms and weapons. INCLUDING Morgan and Alison. You should've seen THOSE two put up a fuss. "

<<FLASH!>>

<< Firebird's Timeline. Illustra- State of the art DANGER ROOM. Another training session, lead by Black Widow>>

<< Spellbinder and Harbinger stand in the danger room, which has now become a shooting range. Both of them hold fire arms picked for them by Black Widow specific to their individual size, measurements and [non magickal] strength levels.>>

<< Both of the witches look less than amused, with Spellbinder holding her gun, BARELY, with her thumb and index figure like it was a dirty rag>>

Spellbinder: I don't see why I even NEED to be bothered...with...with THIS?

Harbinger: Seriously? what IS it about mortals and their guns?

Black Widow: Aw quit yer complaining! :: she bellows: You can't solve EVERYTHING with magick! This knowledge may give you the tactical edge you need to get the drop on your foes in a pinch! Now get to it ladies!

<< And so, Spellbinder and Harbinger once again, resume a round of target practice>>

"But you'll have all DAY to learn about the 'Best of Blaze'....However, when it comes to Nigel BARKER?! KNOW this...Before I flew out to Los Angeles to be with you...I all but crushed Tempo Magazine...no that's an understatement...I did...I just caught word this morning that Meade Publications is closing the gossip rag for good...and Nigel Barker is going to spend a LOT of time licking his wounds thanks to Sally Spectra...He's also going to be hard pressed to find ANY kind of job in the near future as we've all but ruined his career...It may have been aggressive on my part..but YOU come from the world where being mutants cost us EVERYTHING...and THAT kind of journalism...ON ANY LEVEL is dangerous...and it won't be tolerated as long as I'm around..."

Listening to this, suddenly EVERYTHING became more pleasant for Blaze. Even her food and drink tasted more delicious!

"Oh Cam..."

She said after a hard swallow of champagne.

"Sally told me this morning that I shouldn't worry. She promised me the day it happened that she'd take care of it and I wanted to BELIEVE her, it's just that...well you just said it! In my time...being who I am, it cost me, my sister....MY SIX EVERYTHING! "

"Nicolas tried to convince me that I wasn't looking on the EVE of THIS Six's destruction when we witnessed that fallout between Morgan, Alison and Delilah...but it was too much for me NOT to feel like that. It all happened so similar in my time."

She finished another morsel and then washed it down with the last gulp in her flute. She didnt even wait for Cameron to refill. She grabbed the bottle and refilled her glass AND the other glass next to her, then, of course, she refilled Cameron's. She wasn't a SELFISH lush, just a functional one.

She quickly downed one glass of champagne and then sipped on the second one.


"I guess on that, at least, I can breathe easier, huh?"

"Thanks for taking out the trash, Cam. He really caught me off guard and I couldn't just melt him down on live television. Sally is definitely not all talk either. She said she was gonna have someone kick his teeth in and apparently she did...litterally."

Blaze couldn't help but smirk and laugh a bit. Between Sally and Cameron, she was completely covered. She wasn't left to hang in the wind or become tabloid fodder or worse, be an unwitting beacon of trouble for the Six's privacy.

"In an effort to casually change the subject because I don't want to give too much away about your day... I have to ask..being the narcissist that I am...I notice, that in most timelines....I'm DEAD...I didn't make it...hell I ONLY made it in THIS one because of my stubborn nature and more importantly...ALISON... While, we are sharing cross time gossip...What was *I* like in your timeline? Better...worse than I am now? I mean, I gotta know..."

He took a bite of his breakfast and awaited Blaze's response.

"Ohmigawd! I bet you sometimes make out with yourself in the mirror, don't you?"

Blaze asked with a curious look on her face as she eyed Cameron as though he were a test patient in a sex therapy room.

She laughs at him as he stares at her, raising her glass.

"Oh don't look so surprised romeo. If you weren't gay, you'd sure as hell be a metrosexual in lust with yourself."

"You probably stand in the mirror naked, prancing around singing 'I'm too sexy!' I bet you have a stripper pole in your room too, don't you? "

Blaze laughed loudly at the image of this in her mind even as Cameron rolled his eyes.

::Sigh::

"But seriously...My Cam was, in someways, similar to you in your earlier days of the Six. When I first met him...he was a loud mouthed, arrogant worm and always antagonizing my sister. He would derail any moment of positivity and group cohesion just BECAUSE."

"After the INFERNO, when Morgan nearly burned down the city because of HIM. We'd had enough. It was agreed that we'd cast him out of the Six. But then...I had a better idea. Cameron was alot of mouth but not very good at backing it up, not physically. He was a powerful telepath but a lousy physical fighter."

"One night, we finally told him he could return to Illustra. When he got up to the war room floor, I grabbed him on the elevator and dragged him to the danger room and whooped his butt, pinned him down on the ground and twisted his arm, making him beg for mercy. I didn't whoop him. I BEAT HIS SCRAWNY ASS!"

::FLASH!::

<< Firebird's Timline. Illustra @ night; Danger Room.>>

Firebird: YOU HURT MY SISTER! YOU NEARLY GOT US KILLED! NOW I'M GONNA SHOW YOU WHAT BITCHCRAFT FEELS LIKE!


<< Shocking, rapid fire montage of Firebird, in her costume swiftly and BRUTALLY taking a stunned, bruised, disoriented, bloody, BEATEN Cameron King down. She fights with a physical ferocity that Foxfire never had, combine that with her being physically STRONGER than Foxfire...the punishment she's dishing out to Cameron right now is as bad as it looks and SOUNDS. >>

Firebird: Quit crying! You've had this coming, pretty boy! You thought you were TOUGH? You thought you were gonna humiliate MORGAN? you dumb bastard, you lit the road to hell for ALL of us because of your selfish, STUPID ways!

<< Images of of her standing over him, kicking him while he's down>>

Firebird: We learned how to take down prissy telepaths like you in Valiant, Cameron. You're just like all the rest. A big mouth, psychic power and a LOUSY fighter. You're only here because of ALISON and even SHE can't stand you. You're an EMBARRASSMENT.

<< Images of her pinning him down, twisting his arm behind is back>>

FIREBIRD: Say AUNTIE, you smart mouthed bitch! SAY IT, SWEETIE or I'll BREAK your scrawny little arm just like you broke my sister's MIND!

CAMERON: AGGHHHHH! AUNTIE! AUNTIEEEE!!!

"He asked me WHY i did that and I said 'Because you DESERVED it. Because I CAN and there's nothing YOU can do about it!'"...



"...and he said "that's fucked up!" and I said "just like the way you've treated my sister and YOUR own sister, Alison, just like the way you cause all this negativity on our team is FUCKED UP!"

"Haleigh and Alison appeared and told him that if he hadn't learned anything from what happened during the Inferno, we were going to cut him loose and the next time somebody beat his ass, he might not live to tell about it."

"By the time OUR "NERVOUS" caper happened...Cameron did more than "step up"...he showed OUT!"

::FLASH!::

<<Firebird's timeline. NERVOUS, the underground mega data center of Mystech.>>

<< The SUPER SOLDIER appeared for the first time and attacked the Six. Spellbinder and Harbinger engaged him while Black Widow and MorningStar set about DESTROYING all the data bases while Firebird prepares to DESTROY NERVOUS from top to bottom. >>

::FLASH!::

<< The Six are attempting to escape. The Super Soldier pulls Harbinger back down by her hair and IMPALES her with a photon javeline before PUNCHING Spellbinder in the jaw so hard, she's sent FLYING in arc form through the air before hitting the ground and SLIDING away, unconscious, with a broken jaw.>>

Everyone has their defining moment. This was YOURS, the first of MANY.

::FLASH!::

<< Prophet's eyes begin to crackle and spark with electric GREEN energy and they GLOW. He is ENRANGED. Black Widow and MorningStar stablize and evacuate Harbinger and Spellbinder.

Black Widow: MorningStar, get above ground with Spellbinder NOW. I've got Harbinger and I'm right behind you!


MorningStar: But Firebird and PROPHET?!

Black Widow: FIREBIRD's POWER was MADE for what she's about to do! She's IMMUNE to fire and radition! and as for Prophet, I don't think we could stop him NOW even if we TRIED...


<< PROPHET versus the Super Soldier>>

Prophet: You ugly motherfucker! You hurt Spellbinder, you HURT MY SISTER!

<< a GLOBE of electric green energy explodes around Prophet as his hair flows upward >>

Prophet: I'LL KILL YOU!

<< The GLOBE begins to EXPAND and Prophet FLINGS his arms outward>>

Prophet: DIE! AHHHHHHH!!!


<< Prophet unleashes what can only be described as a level 4 TELEKINETIC EVENT. The electic green globe expands, like a BLAST radius from a nuclear bomb and as the wall of that globe hits the Super Soldier, the Soldier's body is IMMEDIATELY SHATTERED, SCRAMBLED AND RIPPED APART on all possible visual and physical levels.>>

<< FLASH>>

<< SECONDS LATER>>

<< FIREBIRD, now in her red MAGMA FORM, SCREAMS like a BIRD OF PREY as she thrusts her arms UP and takes flight. her PHOENIX EFFECT expands and EXPLODES like a STAR as she unleashes a "STARBURST", a POWERFUL BLAST of GEOTHERMAL ENERGY that DESTROYS NERVOUS and leaves nothing but BARREN ROCK. Prophet can be seen, SHIELDING himself, Black Widow, MorningStar and the fallen Harbinger and Spellbinder with his telekinetic force field.>>

"We won...we SURVIVED and that day, you gained ALL of our respect as you never had it before."

"Haleigh and I tought you how to PHYSICALLY FIGHT and you bulked a little and in turn, YOU tought me how to better DEFEND myself against psychic attacks and attempts at telepathic domination. That's why I'm able to mask my thoughts from you and Rampage."

"We became a strong, KICK ASS team. We started BEATING BACK Mystech! But then...they went to the U.S. Gov't for help...and...they got in bed together and everything changed."

"But BEFORE that turning point, things were wonderful. We worked hard, fought hard and PLAYED hard. You and I actually because great friends and together we were the HEART and SOUL of the Six. We helped to balance out the seriousness of Morgan, Haleigh and Alison and bridge the gap between them and Delilah when it came to..."ethical" issues. And we DEFINITELY burned it up at the club. Hot bodies, sexy dancing, never ending drinks and ...doing what comes naturally of course"

Smirking, her eyes sparking with wicked delight as she winks at Cameron. But soon, she became more serious, looked rather somber as she recalled the next stage of HER six.

"By the time Morgan, Alison, Haleigh fell out with Delilah over Bishop attempting to murder Silver Swan...EVERYTHING had changed. Rampage had joined us, but he was still kind of new. You were on leave. "

"When the U.S. gov't backed Mystech attacked us, using intel from DELILAH, we lost Karen, Michael, Jasmine, Adrian (Bane) and YOU in their first wave of strikes against us. They were attacking us through our loved ones. They had ring of magick users that were able to cast an "umbrella" over Delilah and her strike team, JUST strong enough to mask them from Alison's precognition until it was TOO LATE."

Blaze bowed her head...and covered her eyes with her hand.

"By the time I met YOUR Spellbinder and Six, who'd come to my timeline looking for THEIR Harbinger and Persephone, my family and my Six family were all but gone."

 

[Prophet]

Melrose Place - Apartment #4

The tone of their very fun brunch went a little more serious as they began to discuss each of their counterparts across the timestream.

"Didn't Morg, Alison or Alycia make sure it was at least kept under one of their corporate umbrellas? I mean...that just sounds like it was too spectacular for them to let it go...it was a PIECE of her, like Illustra was of Morgan. The only reason she lost Illustra in our time, much like in yours, was because the Six was OUTED by Bishop and Mystech/the Government attacked."

Cameron paused for a moment.

"Well...a similar thing happened with Venom really. I mean when Blaze died, it was around the time when everything with Bishop went down. I was already technically dead at that point as well...Everything, from what I was told had been incredibly chaotic. The only reason The Parthenon stayed in the family of The Six was because I had officially been dead for some time by then and the contracts and such were already in place...but when Bishop showed up...nobody had the time, as I'm sure you can imagine..."

"It sounds like your Blaze DID have a similar connection to Haleigh like I did with mine. Our Haleigh was very big on making sure everybody experienced more than just what they knew. Of us all, She, myself and Michael were the only ones with military/martial arts training and/or black ops experience. so she made sure everybody else learned how to use various fire arms and weapons. INCLUDING Morgan and Alison. You should've seen THOSE two put up a fuss. "

He smiled to himself while he took a moment to enjoy some of his food while Blaze recounted a rather hilarious event of Haleigh trying to teach Alison and Morgan how to fight hand to hand and with weapons. It made him laugh out loud at parts.

[finishing a bite]

"Well, I won't say that The Blue Moon was a TRUE example of just how right Haleigh wound up being BUT...They've always both been obstinate as hell and a little snobby! I would have LOVED to see that!!!"

The topic switched to Nigel Barker for a moment as he took another sip of his champagne, the bubbly mixture finally starting to effect him. He was feeling pretty good right now.

Blaze: Thanks for taking out the trash, Cam.

"Eh..it's what we are here for...."

As Cameron inquired about his crosstime alternate, Blaze went into a long and glorious monologue about how conceited and full of himself he was. Now, Cameron was not unaware of how much he loved himself, in fact, he would be the first to admit it. But he didn't really see it as being conceited so much as being CONFIDENT and having a healthy self image.

"Ohmigawd! I bet you sometimes make out with yourself in the mirror, don't you?"

Blaze asked with a curious look on her face as she eyed Cameron as though he were a test patient in a sex therapy room.

She laughs at him as he stares at her, raising her glass.

"Oh don't look so surprised romeo. If you weren't gay, you'd sure as hell be a metrosexual in lust with yourself."

"You probably stand in the mirror naked, prancing around singing 'I'm too sexy!' I bet you have a stripper pole in your room too, don't you? "

Blaze laughed loudly at the image of this in her mind even as Cameron rolled his eyes.

::Sigh::

"Oh Can, It Firefly! I'm being serious! Honestly, I just always kind of wanted to know so that I can do my best to prevent whatever it was that caused me to die in nearly every timeline The Six has visited. So THERE!"

Cameron scrunched his nose and stuck his tongue out at Blaze for a moment.

"But seriously...My Cam was, in someways, similar to you in your earlier days of the Six. When I first met him...he was a loud mouthed, arrogant worm and always antagonizing my sister. He would derail any moment of positivity and group cohesion just BECAUSE."

"After the INFERNO, when Morgan nearly burned down the city because of HIM. We'd had enough. It was agreed that we'd cast him out of the Six. But then...I had a better idea. Cameron was alot of mouth but not very good at backing it up, not physically. He was a powerful telepath but a lousy physical fighter."

"One night, we finally told him he could return to Illustra. When he got up to the war room floor, I grabbed him on the elevator and dragged him to the danger room and whooped his butt, pinned him down on the ground and twisted his arm, making him beg for mercy. I didn't whoop him. I BEAT HIS SCRAWNY ASS!"

He listened as Blaze recounted the day that he was kicked out of The Six after The Inferno. It had taken Cameron a really long time to fully take responsibility for his part in those events. Listening to Blaze's story now, it sent chills up and down his spine. Revisiting those times, even if it was his alternate's..was still difficult for him.

[Cameron sighed]

"God...Can't I just have ONE timeline where I don't start out as some arrogant, sociopathic BRAT?!"

Cameron put his head in his hands for a moment as Blaze continued.

"He asked me WHY i did that and I said 'Because you DESERVED it. Because I CAN and there's nothing YOU can do about it!'"...



"...and he said "that's fucked up!" and I said "just like the way you've treated my sister and YOUR own sister, Alison, just like the way you cause all this negativity on our team is FUCKED UP!"

"Haleigh and Alison appeared and told him that if he hadn't learned anything from what happened during the Inferno, we were going to cut him loose and the next time somebody beat his ass, he might not live to tell about it."

"By the time OUR "NERVOUS" caper happened...Cameron did more than "step up"...he showed OUT!"

As Blaze told her team's story of the NERVOUS caper...This had been the first time that The Six had faced possibly being exposed. They also fought the Super Soldier, which to date had been the BIGGEST and BADDEST thing they had ever face. He was taken back there immediately.

::FLASH!::

:: Cameron had passed through the disc when he felt an intense amount of pain in his abdomen which seemed to be poking out of his back. Something was terribly wrong as he picked himself up from the ground and instantly knew what was wrong. ::

"Alison! Morgan! The Super Soldier! He got them! I have to go back! I can't let them down again!"

:: Pushing himself back through the disc he was back in the place to see it melting around him and Morgan lying on the ground dangerously close to liquid energy. He put a protective force field around her body as he went over to the Super Soldier and his sister who was now impaled with the photon weapon. ::

"Get away from her you BOTCHED Science Project!"

:: Prophet lashed out with his mind repeatedly with the force of a freight train behind him each time. The telekinetic lashes not only blasted the Soldier back and back further but with his new aspect the invisible force seemed to be razor sharp as the force cut deep into him, much like when he used his ability to peel Alexis' skin off in the Citadle. He had lost it and his powers were being used much beyond his means of normal capabilities. ::

"STAY AWAY FROM THEM!"

:: The Super Soldier was strong but everybody knew that adrenaline was the strongest thing in the world and for somebody already capable of amazing feats, it was a deadly combination. The Super Soldier was hurled into a pool of the melting compound that was spreading around like wildfire. Cameron wouldn't leave until he saw the Soldier dead. Thinking for a moment, Prophet used the Shape's own Photon Weapon against him as he telekinetically reshaped it into the form of a Battle Axe and sent it to crush right into the head of the Super Soldier. He was out for blood. He looked over to his sister. Was she alright? ::

He remembered this as the first time he had ever felt an inkling of actual feelings for Morgan besides disgust and hatred. Cameron really wanted her to live, he wanted to help her, so much so that he went BACK through a stepping disc to do so.

Of course, Blaze's Cameron had a far more dramatic and likely helpful story than he had, looking back he guessed that was probably one of the first times he realized that he was changing inside. That his teammates weren't just 'teammates' but family.

"We won...we SURVIVED and that day, you gained ALL of our respect as you never had it before."

"Haleigh and I tought you how to PHYSICALLY FIGHT and you bulked a little and in turn, YOU tought me how to better DEFEND myself against psychic attacks and attempts at telepathic domination. That's why I'm able to mask my thoughts from you and Rampage."

"We became a strong, KICK ASS team. We started BEATING BACK Mystech! But then...they went to the U.S. Gov't for help...and...they got in bed together and everything changed."

"But BEFORE that turning point, things were wonderful. We worked hard, fought hard and PLAYED hard. You and I actually because great friends and together we were the HEART and SOUL of the Six. We helped to balance out the seriousness of Morgan, Haleigh and Alison and bridge the gap between them and Delilah when it came to..."ethical" issues. And we DEFINITELY burned it up at the club. Hot bodies, sexy dancing, never ending drinks and ...doing what comes naturally of course"

[gulping down the rest of his champagne quickly]

"Well, damn Blaze...you tell one HELL of a story...to tell you the truth...I've always been so embarrassed by the guy I used to be. I mean things are good NOW, but I think that is why I've always managed to have stronger relationships with the people who weren't there for that...I don't think people understand how HARD I try to make up for all of that...it's a LOT to try and live with...what I did with Morgan, how LONG I was gone from everybody...how just absolutely out of control I was......"

"By the time Morgan, Alison, Haleigh fell out with Delilah over Bishop attempting to murder Silver Swan...EVERYTHING had changed. Rampage had joined us, but he was still kind of new. You were on leave. "

"When the U.S. gov't backed Mystech attacked us, using intel from DELILAH, we lost Karen, Michael, Jasmine, Adrian (Bane) and YOU in their first wave of strikes against us. They were attacking us through our loved ones. They had ring of magick users that were able to cast an "umbrella" over Delilah and her strike team, JUST strong enough to mask them from Alison's precognition until it was TOO LATE."

Blaze bowed her head...and covered her eyes with her hand.

"By the time I met YOUR Spellbinder and Six, who'd come to my timeline looking for THEIR Harbinger and Persephone, my family and my Six family were all but gone."

He quickly filled BOTH of their glasses as they had been matching each other sip for sip at this point.

"Well...I guess it's safe to say, both of us, in subtly different ways have experienced much of the same thing...and here we are..We SHOULDN'T be here...but we are here...and I can't think of any better reason to CHEERS than that!"

Cameron lifted his glass in a salute.

"To those who have fallen, and those who remain! May we always take care of each other!"

Prophet took a long drink from his flute.

"Now...enough of all of THAT nonsense...I think it might be time to start getting ready for your Debutante Ball! I thought Alycia was going to come up and break this party up awhile ago...but I think she's still out....with Delilah at breakfast..."

[looking away for a moment]

"You know...I try not to actively use my abilities around my friends...but a lot of times...especially with the foresight...it's subconscious...."

[returning his stare to Blaze]

"Last night after I got back to Melrose Place I got somewhat of an astral read...Alycia gave Delilah an offer to go to NYC...to return to the force...and I think she's gonna take it..."

 

[Rampage]

All things, even wonderful things, end.

So was it with the run on the beach with Cassandra. Once she loosened up she was sweet, talkative and carefree. But Nicolas could tell that there were walls up...LOTS of walls.

As they stretched after their run, Nicolas deactivated the scenery. Rising, he helped Cass up.

Thanks so much for spending this time with me. More than anything else I want you to know this: you are one of us now. If you need something, we are here. I know it sometimes seems otherwise, you know...like right now with Delilah, but it is true. And to that point, I will be sending you some business proposals that should eliminate your shipping costs and help you secure acts more easily. I offer the same perks to any member of the Six and you are no different.

Stretching, Nicolas teleports them...

...to the courtyard of Melrose Place.

I have some business to attend to but I hope that you will meet with me and Cameron later on? It is important. I would hug you but I am afraid you will get the wrong idea.

Nicolas chuckles as he winks at the pretty psi-vamp and start to walk to his apartment. He pauses, thinking about what he JUST said to Cass and, for some reason, he walks up to Delilah's door and knocks.

 

[Black Widow]

Minerva's mansion

Haleigh watched with wide eyes as Alison finally sat back down and fully admit that she'd made a mistake. Nobody is going to believe this shit actually happened. She thought, hardly believing it herself. But it WAS happening. Alison laid her head down on the desk and Haleigh stood up, approaching her old friend gently. She knelt beside Alison, slowly, haltingly reaching out and putting one hand on Alison's back, the other in her lap.

"Hey......... Everybody makes mistakes, Alison. It's going to be okay. We'll make it right."

Haleigh almost didn't know what to do next. She was never very good at this part. She could fight anything, fuck anyone and find a way out of any impossible dilemma, but figuring out how to console a friend? If she said the right thing, it was by accident or coincidence. She did know, however, what needed to be done to improve the situation.

"The good news is that you haven't done anything that's irreversible. Once we figure out HOW the baby is draining Delilah, we can figure out how to stop it. And once Delilah is reunited with her daughter, she'll be much less inclined to try to hurt you on sight."

Alison was still motionless, leaving Haleigh to search for the words to help bring her out of retrospective self-doubt. What could be said, though? Nothing would erase the facts, nothing would change what happened. Haleigh was so much better at moving on, pushing forward and adapting.

"Listen..... when I was in the Navy, I was a leader.... and once in a while, I'd make a bad call. Shit happens, and you do the best you can. When you acknowledge your mistake, you can learn from it and let your experience make you smarter. This is one of those times for you. The hardest part is saying okay, I fucked that one up."

 

[Firebird]

MP apt 4

Cameron paused for a moment.

"Well...a similar thing happened with Venom really. I mean when Blaze died, it was around the time when everything with Bishop went down. I was already technically dead at that point as well...Everything, from what I was told had been incredibly chaotic. The only reason The Parthenon stayed in the family of The Six was because I had officially been dead for some time by then and the contracts and such were already in place...but when Bishop showed up...nobody had the time, as I'm sure you can imagine..."

For Blaze, this conversation was an eye opening moment. She now understood why Spellbinder and Rampage had reacted the way they did when they encountered her during their visit to HER timeline.

the same moment...two vastly different outcomes. I survived...SHE didn't...

"Oh...I see..."

She said quietly as Cameron took a drink

"No wonder Morg wouldn't say anything about...Foxfire. And Nic, when he came to Karen's loft and found me tending to Morg after she'd been knocked unconscious by the sentinel, HE reacted as though he'd..."

the image of the picture Nigel Barker had held up was now vividly flashing in her mind's eye.

"...seen a ghost."

"She....I'm...supposed to be DEAD in this timeline."


"That's why Morg was so concerned about my comings and goings all the time. She didn't want me to be "outed" again. Why she was so NERVOUS at first, about me joining her at Spectra..."



She said this with a reflective tone. It saddened her to know that "herself" didn't survive Bishop's ambush of the Six.

The topic switched to Nigel Barker for a moment as he took another sip of his champagne, the bubbly mixture finally starting to effect him. He was feeling pretty good right now.



"Eh..it's what we are here for...."

"You make it sound so simple, like common sense. That's the attitude that Haleigh had in our timeline. Alison may have been the one to initially gather us together, I and later you and i both may have been the HEART but HALEIGH was definitely the GLUE that held us together and REMINDED us when we ALL would get too distracted or wasting time over petty stuff. "

"I haven't seen much of that HERE lately..."




"Cam...I gotta tell you, I HATE Bishop for what he did to The Six.... "

"It sounds like he did pretty much the same thing here. No wonder Morg and Alison were completely LIVID when he came back from the dead. The goddesses really screwed up on THAT one didn't they?"

She happily received another refill of her flute from Cameron.

"...and I think Delilah was stupid for the choices she made in this timeline regarding Bishop. At first, I felt such warmth and relief in my heart to know THIS Delilah. To see that there really WAS a time where she didnt betray and decimate her own team...over a man."

"But after everything that's happened? I don't really have much respect for her. I feel like she's been fake, especially toward Karen. She's judging all of us over a tragic ending due to choices SHE made! "

He quickly filled BOTH of their glasses as they had been matching each other sip for sip at this point.

"Well...I guess it's safe to say, both of us, in subtly different ways have experienced much of the same thing...and here we are..We SHOULDN'T be here...but we are here...and I can't think of any better reason to CHEERS than that!"

Cameron lifted his glass in a salute.

"To those who have fallen, and those who remain! May we always take care of each other!"

"I'll most certainly drink to that! and Here's to HEARTS, whether icy, marble hard, firey or passionate, ALL the energy from those hearts that powers the SIX."


"Here's to impossible 2nd chances too!"

Prophet took a long drink from his flute.

"Now...enough of all of THAT nonsense...I think it might be time to start getting ready for your Debutante Ball! I thought Alycia was going to come up and break this party up awhile ago...but I think she's still out....with Delilah at breakfast..."

[looking away for a moment]

"You know...I try not to actively use my abilities around my friends...but a lot of times...especially with the foresight...it's subconscious...."

[returning his stare to Blaze]

"Last night after I got back to Melrose Place I got somewhat of an astral read...Alycia gave Delilah an offer to go to NYC...to return to the force...and I think she's gonna take it..."

Blaze leaned her head back and swallowed a large amount of champagne.

"Hmmm nothing like the fruit of the vine!"


"Cam, you shouldn't worry about using your abilities...being YOURSELF, especially around your family. It's alot different here in this time...EASIER in many ways, it seems, to be a mutant. "

"But you can't stop yourself from BEING. That's like asking Nicolas not to be tall, chocolate and sexy...or alison to not be a precog. No matter what anybody thinks. As long as you're not out to hurt your friends and family that's what counts."

Cameron mentioned Delilah and Blaze's glow diminished a bit.

"Oh. Back to that fake bitch."

Blaze said rather flatly, much to Cameron's surprise.

"Sorry, Cam. I just saw the depth of the things she said to US in the Infirmary as MORE than hurt feelings."

"I realize what happened, but ultimately, SHE put herself in that position. SHE made the choice to have that baby w/ that mutant hating bigot. She killed herself and was willing to die again just to proove a point about what? NOT being "controlled" by Morgan and Alison? "


"I mean seriously? In my timeline, Delilah shitted on us...over Bishop and lots of our people DIED because of both of them. I watched her that night in the infirmary and it was just like watching her in Illustra in my timeline. Everybody was at fault for things that happened due to choices SHE made."

She blames everyone, especially Morgan and Alison and while Morg and Alison DID make a major blunder, it wasn't as though they were doing ANY of it for pleasure!

"Sometimes Morg and Alison BOTH go too far, and then they have to pay the consequences...but people who KNOW them, know their hearts and their motives and the balance their judgement with that knowledge. Delilah acted like they were members of the SISTERHOOD. "

"They were trying to save her from something SHE set in motion!"

"How come she hasn't acknowledged that?"

"And now she's walking around here being a sour puss bitch to everyone because she thinks they're "kissing Morgan and Alison's ass". I dont think Karen's been kissing anyone's ass when she was trying to help Delilah, but all Delilah could do was be fake and dismissive."

"I'd give ANYTHING to have had just ONE more moment w/ my timeline's Karen and I wish Morg would come BACK. I understand why she left initially. She was in such a whirlwind of shock, dismay and RAGE all at once. She was doing the responsible thing by removing herself from the situation before it caused her to do something [ELSE] she'd regret. She's going to have to come back and face this though. She can't stay in Limbo forever. "

Cameron was aware that in her timeline, Karen had ADOPTED Blaze. A sign of just how close those two were and in this timeline, ever since the Barbas caper, Blaze and Karen had begun to grow much closer here as well.

"Nobody wants to be around Delilah because they don't know what they should say to her and if they TRY to say two words to her she's nastier than a viper on pms."

"She was being bitchy to Alycia yesterday. I didn't stop to hear exactly what she was saying, but it was all in her tone. If Alycia went out to breakfast with her, she deserves a humantarian award."


It may have been harsh, but Blaze was never one to shy away from saying what she felt, especially with a touch of the bubbly running through her. But she attempted to change course in her conversation, just a little bit.

"I hope i get to see Alycia again soon. Ever since she's come back from Themyscira she's been the picture of serenity and balance. She seems so calm and self assured. MY Alycia? She was captured by mystech...experimented on...turned into OMEGA SENTINEL. But in the very end, thanks to YOUR Six's help...not only did Omegal Sentinel destroy Mystech's fortress but she completely annihilated Master Mold! Then, OUR Haleighs and your Rampage helped to FREE Omega Sentinel from her binds. She didn't really want to LIVE in the new form she had, but they convinced her....like you and Nic did yesterday..."



She said as she trailed off a bit. Cameron said something about foresight...and Delilah joining the police force again.




"Speaking of foresight...Cameron, before we do anything else, or leave this apartment...I need to ask you something."

"How can you, Nicolas or ANYONE here be sure that Delilah WON'T turn out to be the justicer in this timeline?"

It was a question that BURNED in Blaze's mind and heart and she needed to discuss it with someone who she knew wouldn't get offended or blow smoke about it.


"You heard what she said about this team in the Infirmary, All the key ingredients are THERE! NOW she wants to go back to the police force?"

This was something that bothered Blaze and Cameron understood why. They'd been open with each other so far, no need to stop now!