Growing Pains

[Prophet]

The White Corridor

Elena: "Oh I think I can manage a bath all on my own."

He smirked. He wasn't above just watching either, he began to take a step forward as she spoke in his mind.

Elena: "I am not your mistress, Cameron. Don't forget it."

He visibly frowned.

Elena: "Calder, here, escort me back to my suite. You know the way."

He was left with a swell in his pants, though still sufficiently aroused. The White King loved a bit of prolonged foreplay. She wanted him, and he was resolved to see just how easy it was to fall back into her games. Only this time, it wasn't just a game anymore. If he wanted her, he had to play for keeps. They had a child. Speaking of.

From Haleigh >> "You should bring Carolina back to the conservatory. We've 'found' her unicorn. I can leave it here, if you want to be the one to help her discover it, but I think Erika should stick around to teach her to ride it."

The White King was a bit floored. What the fuck was this about exactly? Being in the future, even Cameron was a bit shocked to find how much he felt...concerned for Rebekah despite her not being of his blood. Despite the fact that her father was a motherfucker. Haleigh and Cameron knew the stakes, and they had just attempted to make peace with one another. More than that, for the first time, Cameron didn't care about ulterior motives. He didn't care if this ended up being some kind of sick joke at his expense, right now? He was going to give his daughter a fucking unicorn and she was going to lose her mind, and he was going to be her hero. Still, he took a beat before he responded, watching as Elena and Calder disappeared around the hall.

To Haleigh >> "...Thank You. I'd like to help her find it. As for Erika, she's free to do as she pleases."

While he was a bit hurt she had gone with Haleigh and Alek after all this, he didn't want to press the matter. She had stepped up in the future, she had taken care of his son as her own, and she had kept him safe from their mother. He had to trust her right now, though it was never easy to do with her. Cameron alerted Heidi and Jack of his arrival as he made his way to the Aqua Ring, taking a few minutes to breathe deeply. She was such a joy to be around, but The White King couldn't help but to still feel a bit nervous in front of her, like he was being interviewed for a job. And Cameron liked doing a good job. As the doors slid open, he began to exclaim wildly.

"Carolina! You'll NEVER guess what! That print we found!? We were RIGHT! It was a UNICORN! They just told me they spotted one in the CONSERVATORY! We gotta hurry! We gotta find it!"

The feeling he had watching her eyes light up with the purest joy and excitement was like nothing he'd ever felt in his life. Partly because she was so excitable, but mostly because he wasn't doing this to feel better about himself, to make himself look good. He was doing this because he wanted her to be happy. To have joy. To be a kid.

Carolina: "What are we waiting for, Papi!? Let's GO!"

She bridged the distance between them in a heartbeat and grabbed him by the hand, her tiny and perfect fingers gripping him with her minimal strength as she cocked a determined brow, barreling towards the elevator like she knew where she was going. Cameron playfully jerked her towards a stairwell.

"We don't have TIME to wait, my princess! The stairs will be faster!"

Carolina: "You're right! Good idea, pap---dad! Hurry hurry!"

Cameron swooped Carolina up in his arms, ribbing her stomach with his fingers as she exploded in a symphony of high pitched laughter and screaming. Again, it was like nothing he had ever experienced in his life. Quickly, with her in his arms, he barreled down the stairs and into the main floor where the conservatory was at, Carolina jumping from his arms with a speed he did not know such a little human could possess.

Carolina: "We have to very quiet! We don't want to scare it away!"

"Good thinking! And get down low!"

Carolina crouched along with him as they began to weave in and out of the trees in the conservatory as he let Carolina lead - this was her expedition after all. Before long, Carolina let out a SQUEAL of joy and excitement as she zoomed forward and Cameron met eyes with the most absurd looking pony he'd ever seen in his life.

Carolina: "Papi! I found it! I found it! I found the unicorn!!!!!"

"Amazing work, Lina! It's so beautiful, but be careful. We have to be gentle! It looks like this one is just a baby. A beautiful baby girl."

The White King crouched back up as Carolina was gently petting the 'unicorn' as he made eye contact with Haleigh, who was behind the looking glass of the main conservatory area with Alek and Erika. He nodded to her, and he gestured for Erika to join them. This was an incredible gift, but more than that - it was a peace offering. Something was changing in both Haleigh and Cameron. He knew that they could never be like they were, but this gesture meant something to him. She was willing to put things aside, to accept Carolina as part of her family.

"Thank You."

He mouthed to her silently.

He thought of Elena for a moment and smiled to himself. She was going to hate this. She was going to berate him and tell him how stupid it was to give a little girl a unicorn when she was going to have to leave in a few months. Of how irresponsible it was. She might even slap him for it. But then she might kiss him. And that was an exciting thought.

"Should have let me give you a bath..."

Erika made her way towards the two of them and knelt down next to him.

Erika: "Whoah! This is an incredible find, Carolina. Unicorns don't just trust people, you must have something really special about you! You guys belong together. She must be hungry. How far she must have travelled to meet you."

Carolina: "SO far. A million miles maybe!"

Erika: "Probably! And she's still so little. Tell you what..."

He watched as his sister conjured a brush and some sugar cubes in her hand and handed them to Carolina.

Erika: "Why don't you feed her for a bit, get her all nice and ready, and we can take her to the stables! We have lots of other ponies for her to play with. And my horses are big, they can protect her. How does that sound?!"

Carolina: "Ahh..I kind of want her to sleep with me! In my bed!"

Cameron laughed as he knelt down and brushed her hair behind her ears for a moment and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Silly girl. You know ponies can't sleep in bed! But it's still early in the day. When you're ready, we can ask mami if she wants to join us at the stables! Maybe if you're really sweet, she'll let you ride her! Wouldn't that be amazing? I wonder if she can fly?"

He hesitated at that last line looking up at Haleigh for a moment to confirm if in fact she had programmed this thing to fly. Haleigh shook her head no.

"Or you know..just riding her would be really cool too."

Erika: "Come on, let's get her all checked out okay? I'm sure Heidi and Jack would love to see her too!"

Carolina nodded and began to walk away from Cameron, before turning back around and running towards him, barreling into his arms and hugging him with all her minute strength, kissing him all over his face.

Carolina: "Your house is the best, papi! The best! I never want to leave!"

He didn't dare tell her she didn't have to, but he certainly thought about it. Because he didn't want her to leave either. But that meant Elena was going to have to stay. And he had no idea how he was going to figure that one out. But he wanted to.

He kissed her forehead and squeezed her tightly.

"Thank You, mija. I love you, you know that?"

Carolina: "Te quiero much tambien, papi! Mucho! Mucho! Mucho!"

 

[Fathom]

Hellfire -- The White Hall

Heidi was the first to notice the return of her King and Queen, due to how closely she was watching the couple behind their barrier. She called for Gia, who hesitated like the bloody useless coward that she was. Heidi had no patience for that, and called her out, before throwing the girl right onto the barrier. Did she want the girl to die? Maybe. Honestly she was just so over their White Bishop that she’d rather be the only one on their court than have this immature and ineffective Bishop. The girl was a liability. Heidi didn’t care when the girl exploded, but she did wonder if she’d catch any flak for it.

Anyway there was work to do, something that Adriana at least proved adept at helping with. Of course it fell to Heidi to do the real actual work, but that was nothing new. Adriana did make a difference though. Maybe Heidi could put in a good word for her when this was all said and done. Adriana was the much less annoying Nefaria, and so far more effective too. They had a long way to go, but initiative ought to be rewarded. Plus, if there was an immediate replacement, maybe her King and Queen wouldn’t be so upset about what happened with Gia.

Heidi rushed to help Cameron to his feet after Haleigh unceremoniously let him drop from her grasp. The crown ended up in Heidi’s hands too, as if the Queen just let go of everything she once cherished in favor of seizing hold of the Red King. Heidi didn’t get the appeal, personally. Cameron was the better King, in her eyes, but the Queen made her own choices, inexplicable as they were. Haleigh and Cameron assured them all that an agreement was at hand, that none of the children would be hurt. This was a relief, because Heidi was rather against the idea of being ordered to slay anything incapable of at least fighting back, there being no honor in slaughtering such. Also, if she was being honest with herself, she was a bit keen on the King’s daughter, who had only been here a short time but was just adorable.

Everyone was splitting off at this point. Haleigh walked off with Alek, Erika in tow. A pawn came into the scene with a cart load of Chinese takeout, and Heidi remembered that Jack had mentioned ordering food, what seemed like hours ago, but can’t have been that long at all if said food was just being delivered. Jack told the pawn to deliver the meals to everyone’s suites, and then he made a call to get the hall cleaned up, so Heidi didn’t have to do it. Such a thoughtful man, Heidi realized as she smiled. Adriana wanted to know if anybody would mind her using Gia’s suite to get cleaned up. Heidi doubted it, and offered to escort her there, as Cameron and Elena toyed with each other.

Adriana paid compliments on Heidi’s performance in the heat of the moment back in the hall, and Heidi allowed that the new Nefaria hadn’t done so bad herself. It made her smirk to know that the sister clearly wasn’t upset about Gia’s demise, beyond being inconvenienced through being splattered with her remains. Haleigh hadn’t been pissed either, her ‘oh no, anyway’ response another reason to be relieved. That just left Cameron for Heidi to worry about. If he was mad, he at least had the grace not to scold her in front of the others. Heidi would have to find him alone and try to make amends. She was still holding his crown, so that could be a good excuse to talk to him, and she could honestly say she hadn’t expected Gia to just explode. Hopefully he’d be understanding, and receptive to Adriana in Gia’s stead. Just as Gia’s door shut behind Adriana, another door cracked open.

It was Elena’s suite, with Carolina’s little face poking out. Heidi moved fluidly to block the view down the hall, making sure the girl wouldn’t get a glimpse of the gore down there. It was good she’d already rinsed her clothes out and dried them. Carolina seemed excited to see her and wanted to go down to the Aqua Ring again. Heidi seized the opportunity quickly, since she knew that Elena would be coming back covered in blood, with Cameron hot on her heels and clearly wanting a little alone time. She lead the King’s daughter right through her suite into the elevator at the back, none the wiser to the trouble out in the hall.

Jack caught up with her afterward, with two takeout boxes in hand, and couple of those cardboard rice containers too. He was surprised to see Carolina, but seemed to take it in stride. They all went up to the mezzanine level, where there was a clean exam table they could pull stools up to for eating. Heidi divvied up some rice and veggies and chicken for Carolina onto a platter that normally would be used for surgical type instruments.

As many times as Heidi had taken lunch in the Aqua Ring with Jack, this time it stood out as more fun, the difference being having a child here who was full of bubbly excitement and curiosity, asking questions about the creatures here and happily eating food that she compared to something called ‘arrow con poyo’. Heidi could see traces of Cameron in the girl, and smiled as she watched Jack, who was normally so gruff and short, instead getting rather excited and animated (for him), telling Carolina about his creations.

Then Cameron turned up, much sooner than Heidi had expected. Maybe Elena hadn’t been in the mood, though Heidi wasn’t sure how anyone could turn down Cameron when he was being seductive. The man just oozed sexy when he wanted too. Even Heidi herself, who was normally quite into the stern, even-keeled masculinity of Jack, couldn’t deny the certain appeal of finding herself alone with Cameron King. Off the man went, taking his delightful daughter with him, on some quest to find a unicorn or something, leaving Heidi and Jack to finish their meals.

”You were rather sweet with her, Jack. It’s not a side of you I’ve seen before, but I find I quite liked it.”

 

[Neptune]

Hellfire -- The White Hall

It all happened very fast, from Jack’s perspective. Heidi was the MVP of the White Court, as per usual. Adriana didn’t perform too badly though. Gia exploded, but nobody really seemed surprised or all that upset, except Erika, who was pissed about her new sweater being ruined. Jack himself didn’t care, because first of all they were only clothes, and secondly he was wearing red so nothing changed for him really. Just that now he felt damp, and he knew from previous experience that once it dried the fabric would feel a bit over starched.

There were declarations made by the White Regents. Jack looked to Alek to see what the call was, and the red King (the only one that really mattered as far as Jack was concerned), agreed to Haleigh‘s terms. Jack had pretty much expected that, and gave a curt nod. The group began to split up. Jack hung around to deal with the small details Kings and Queens never bothered with, like who would clean up the mess of the White hall after Haleigh and Cameron had destroyed it and Gia had coated every surface within 20 feet of where she’d last stood. That kind of task would fall to Heidi to arrange, so Jack took the lead instead, simply because he liked making life easier for her. It earned him a smile, which made it completely worth the effort.

She headed deeper into the White Hall, taking Adriana where she needed to go. His King was escorting the White Queen back to the Red Wing. Another battle won for Alek in the war he was fighting for the woman he loved. Jack was not surprised, given all the advancements Alek had made this weekend. Jack had to admire the man’s boldness. He wished he could do the same in his own interest, and wrest Heidi away from Cameron’s grasp, but the politics of that were even more precarious than what Alek was pulling off. The White King seemed way more interested in the return of Elena Estrada though, so maybe Jack would get lucky and Cameron would lose interest in having Heidi as a plaything.

She deserved better than that, but Jack knew telling her so would put him in hot water, so he was left to his excruciatingly slow wait for the thing with the White King to lose its steam. Elena played hard to get, which might actually help, counter-intuitively. She did seem to have Cameron’s number, as he gave chase immediately, the sexual tension rising. Jack found himself rooting for her, so when Calder looked his way for reassurance, Jack gave a little flick of his head in the direction of Elena. Calder was the Red Rook now, he was going to have to sink or swim in these waters. Jack had confidence that Calder could swim, even if the Rook didn’t realize it yet himself.

Jack guessed correctly that he’d find Heidi in the Aqua Ring. It was one of her favorite places in Hellfire, and that was why they spent so much time together, why they’d gotten so involved. He brought two of the takeout dinners with him, and boxes of fried rice as well. A little picnic, and then maybe he’d convince her to go skinny dipping in one of the tanks. He hadn’t been expecting to see little Carolina there again, but he didn’t mind. The White king’s daughter was a fountain of questions about his creations, and her excited energy was a bit contagious. Jack enjoyed telling her about how he’d mixed Megladon DNA with the TO virus to make the Neptunes, with her being in complete awe of everything. For a child under ten, she was quite sharp.

Cameron interrupted their lunch, and Jack was initially a bit concerned he’d come here to get revenge on Elena’s dismissal by taking Heidi somewhere. Maybe she’d overplayed her hard-to-get hand, he thought with mild disappointment, but fortunately no, Cameron was here for his daughter. He was telling her about a unicorn in the conservatory. Jack wondered just how that had come about, but with these people it wasn’t that astonishing. Though he was curious as to who would have done it. He’d find out later. For now he was left with Heidi, and quite content about it. She observed that he was sweet with Carolina.

“Was I? I suppose I just think a child’s interests should be fostered. It helps them figure out what they want to do as an adult.”

He replied simply.

 

[Savage]

Adirondack Mountains — The Cabin

AJ was doing his level best to console his Ashley, but she was beside herself with worry about losing him, and all he could say honestly was that there were no fair fights in the wild, and if he wasn’t strong enough to survive, then he didn’t deserve her. She didn’t even care about that, just said that he was the only companion she wanted. That was heart warming, but it concerned him that she was tormenting herself with these concerns. He asked her why, suggesting that it just kept her from appreciating the blessings they actually had. She just admitted she felt this dread that she couldn’t stop, and that she thought she was nothing without him.

That kind of rankled him, because it must have been some hurtful thing the Red King had put in her head, and it simply wasn’t true. He wanted to hurt Alek for that, kill him even, to crush this idea of hers. She accused him of teasing her, but he shook his head solemnly. He was not kidding, but killing Alek wasn’t as important as laying to rest her misconceptions, so the demise of the demon king would have to wait for now. AJ took her hands and insisted that he hadn’t made her Queen, nor had he played a role in any of the other things about her that made her awesome, all of them reasons he loved her. She asked him if he’d stop loving her if she wasn’t Queen.

“I will never stop loving you, my Ashley. You will always be MY Queen, even if you aren’t anyone else’s.”

He said earnestly, though he didn’t go so far as to admit that he might like it better even, if he could keep her all to himself. She told him that she’d just gotten so afraid. He shifted his weight forward then, moving so that he could take her in his arms and hold her close. He wished he could make that fear go away, but he had run out of words to do so.

“It is natural to fear losing that which is important. I’m a fortunate man, if you’ve decided I’m worthy of such feelings.”

He said quietly, pulling her even closer, half into his lap. She smelled so good, clean from the shower, all she had ‘on’ was this towel. It occurred to him that he could show her the strength of his stamina right then and there, that being shot an hour or so ago hadn’t weakened him in the slightest. He kissed her like he had something to prove, and maybe he did. His hand was just finding its way between her knees when the mountain lion cub they’d rescued pounced on his back with this fierce little growl. He reached back with one hand and seized the cub by the scruff of its neck, then lifted it easily over his head. Its little claws raked some of his hair forward with it. Savage set the cat down on the floor in front of them and tossed his hair back out of his face, carefully balancing Ashley in his lap all the while.

“Now listen, you little wildcat. Orphan or not, if you try to keep me from my woman I will put you out of this house.”

He told the cub sternly, but then he had to laugh, because the thing pounced on his knees next, and started biting at his hands. Little needles, those claws and teeth, drawing pinpricks of blood through his skin. So much spirit in the baby cat, and Savage could hear the reason why; it’s stomach was rumbling.

”Oh, still hungry are you? Perhaps you should’ve fought a little harder for your dinner. The wild cares not for the weaker beast, you know.”

He said, as if the thing could understand him perfectly. He pinched the cub’s upper lip gently. It was enough to confuse it and stop it’s ‘attack’. He held onto that little flap of cheek as the cat shifted to try to pull away, pushing against his hand with its small little front paws. He had a firm grip, though not hurtful. He gave a little bit at a time, until the cat had freed itself and just stared at him, licking its lips. His own stomach growled, and then Ashley’s too. He laughed again.

”Alright, alright, the beasts must all be fed first. You get another chance to eat, little lion, but beware. I’m not going to defend your dinner for you, best turn your ferocity on Eclipse, teach that hound she can’t eat off your plate.”

He said, and then he rolled onto his side, laying his Queen back on the bed. He kissed her again, nuzzled her neck a bit.

”You stay here, my Ashley, I’ll bring you some stew. Don’t bother getting dressed. After we eat, I would like to have you.”

 

[Black Widow]

The Red Wing - Medical Suite

Haleigh reasoned her way through wanting to give Carolina a unicorn. It sounded good, and was partially true. Primarily it served as a good cover for anything Haleigh may or may not have been feeling about the matter, for example, that she might secretly want to be a nice stepmother. She couldn’t exactly explain the why of that little detail, but seeing the girl in the future, and seeing Cameron’s reaction to her, had definitely had an impact of some kind on Haleigh.

Alek commented that if she was going to be role-playing, he might have some requests. She gave him a mischievous smile at that. She’d like to hear about some of those requests, but at the moment she had a pony to transform. She kept her mind out of the bedroom, and focused on making a unicorn. She added that it was a child’s fairytale, but she wasn’t going to be the one to shatter it with the truth, not unless there was some advantage to doing so. She hoped she never discovered any such ‘advantage’. Deep down she found she just wanted to preserve the magic of childhood, even for a kid that wasn’t hers. Maybe it was because she’d never really gotten much of a childhood herself, because that had ended when her father was killed. She must have been around Carolina’s age at the time, or not much older.

When she was done with the pony, she sent a text out to Cameron. He replied that he wanted to help his daughter find the unicorn himself, which she understood. He was new to this fatherhood thing, and it would be a special thing between him and his daughter. The father/daughter bond being much more precious than the stepchild relationship, Haleigh agreed to it. She ushered Alek and Erika up to the conservatory overlook, because she still wanted to see Carolina’s reaction. It occurred to her that she’d just surrendered the advantage she claimed the unicorn play was, by not fighting to claim the credit for her, and that Alek was clever enough to notice that pretty much instantly. She smiled in spite of herself.

”Alright fine, maybe I just have a soft spot for children, okay? I’ll go murder someone to balance it all out, show the pawns I still mean business.”

She admitted, and Alek pulled her close, telling her she’d be a fantastic mother. She laughed that off, even though it hit her in a place she liked to pretend didn’t exist.

”Another fairytale to count you in for? Or maybe you meant that as your first role-playing request?”

She asked, an eyebrow raised salaciously. She didn’t want to admit she had no idea how to be a good mother, let alone a fantastic one. Her own exposure to any kind of ‘maternal’ care had been Diana Carver, Kelly King, and Helena Quartermaine. Not the greatest role models in that lineup. At least she knew what NOT to do to her children. And she could scour the internet for child rearing wisdom, though any intel from that netherworld would have to be carefully scrutinized.

Her concerns on that subject were interrupted by the arrival of Carolina and Cameron down in the courtyard. Haleigh looked on stoically, though deep down she was more than a little moved. It reminded her of the time her own father had helped her build a robot dog, because she’d wanted a pet. She wondered how different her life might’ve been, if he’d survived a few more years. She wasn’t so naïve as to think he was an innocent man. He was Christopher Victory, after all. But he was her father, he had engineered her because he wanted her, it was Malice that hated her so completely, and sought every opportunity to punish her for merely existing.

Maybe that was why Haleigh felt compelled to be nice to Carolina. Maybe she didn’t have it in her to punish a girl for existing. Of all the ways she was very much like Malice, at least Haleigh could diverge from her mother’s likeness in this small way. Maybe that could be the place she started this strategy to be a better mother. Just do the exact opposite of what her own mother would do. She‘d probably end up decent, though maybe not fantastic. Cameron looked up and mouthed thank you. Haleigh nodded, clearing her throat raggedly as Erika went down to join her brother and niece. Haleigh squeezed Alek’s hand gently.

“You’ll be a great father yourself, you know.”

She said to him after Erika left. She had no doubt about his ability, he’d already proven himself with how he was now, concerned and protective of babies that weren’t any bigger than gummy bears, one of which wasn’t even his to begin with. She could hardly wait to see how he was when they were born, and growing up, fast on the way to becoming those rambunctious teenagers she’d already knew they’d be. She smiled to think of what Alek might say to that Carter Bowie punk to scare him off their daughter. They’d be lying in wait for that little scoundrel.

Cameron said something about maybe the unicorn flying, and looked up to Haleigh for confirmation. She shook her head no, as in hell no. The last thing Haleigh needed was for Carolina to fall off that pony from a fatal height, with Haleigh having given the damn thing wings. The wicked bitch of the southwest would think Haleigh set that up on purpose. She sent a text to Erika to get the girl a helmet. Scraped knees and broken extremities were just part of childhood, but brain damage was a bit of a concern.

Not because it couldn’t be healed, but because Elena could scramble the babies’ brains merely by thinking of it, and she’d already threatened them once. Best not give the spiteful woman any ideas or reasons to seek vengeance. Haleigh had no idea why Cameron was so in love with the bitch, but that was HIS problem, one that actually worked in Haleigh’s favor. She was perfectly happy to take advantage of the freedom to pursue her interest in Alek, while Cameron was too busy with Elena to get overly jealous and possessive of his soon-to-be-ex wife.

“Why don’t you and I retire to our suite? Lay down for a while, discuss some of these role-playing requests you have…”

She suggested, turning her whole body towards Alek so she could press her chest up against his.

 

[Valkyrie]

Adirondack Mountains — The Cabin

Savage talked about all the things that had made her a queen, all the reasons he loved her. She asked him if he would stop loving her if she wasn't a queen.

AJ: “I will never stop loving you, my Ashley. You will always be MY Queen, even if you aren’t anyone else’s.”

That did make her smile, despite her tears.

"You're the only one that matters."

She knew that he was strong and could take much more damage than a human, she knew all this, and yet she had this fear at the core of her that she could not shake. He took her in his arms then, and she nestled her cheek against his neck.

AJ: “It is natural to fear losing that which is important. I’m a fortunate man, if you’ve decided I’m worthy of such feelings.”

"You know I have. You mean more to me than anything in this world. Or the next."

He kissed her then, and for that moment in time, she forgot everything else.

But then he moved away, lifting the mountain lion cub over his head from where she had been clinging on his back, and setting her down on the floor.

AJ: “Now listen, you little wildcat. Orphan or not, if you try to keep me from my woman I will put you out of this house.”

Then it jumped in his lap and started nipping at him. Ashley covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. But AJ did.

AJ: ”Oh, still hungry are you? Perhaps you should’ve fought a little harder for your dinner. The wild cares not for the weaker beast, you know.”

"Oh she's just a baby..."

Ashley reached out and stroked the cub's head and scratched her behind her ears. After a little more "play time", three stomachs rumbled in unison.

AJ: "Alright, alright, the beasts must all be fed first. You get another chance to eat, little lion, but beware. I’m not going to defend your dinner for you, best turn your ferocity on Eclipse, teach that hound she can’t eat off your plate.”

Ashley's brow crinkled a bit in worry, but she decided that he wouldn't really allow the cub to be harmed by that overgrown flea bag Eclipse. And Ashley could always slip the cub some meat from her own bowl. She moved as if to get up, but AJ laid her down on the bed instead, and kissed her.

AJ: ”You stay here, my Ashley, I’ll bring you some stew. Don’t bother getting dressed. After we eat, I would like to have you.”

She propped her head up on one elbow and raised her eyebrows at him.

"Oh, would you now?"

Her face spread into a mischievous grin.

"Then you'd better make sure my cat doesn't get hurt."

When he had gone for the food, she flung the towel to the floor and stretched out on the bed, tucking her hands under her head. Perhaps nowhere was safe. But here was safer than most, she decided. And she was in no hurry to return to the city. She would have to go back, it was true, but not today.

 

[Berserker]

The Conservatory - Overlook

Haleigh had allowed Cameron to find the unicorn for Carolina, which cause Alek to raise an eyebrow.

"You do know you don't get credit for a gift if you let someone else give it, right?"

Haleigh: ”Alright fine, maybe I just have a soft spot for children, okay? I’ll go murder someone to balance it all out, show the pawns I still mean business.”

"I'd expect no less."

He grinned at her, and it turned a tinge salacious as he started of imagining her murdering someone, her body slick with blood...

There was a commotion down below which snapped him from his reverie. He had to admit, the unicorn was damn impressive. As was Haleigh. She had done all that for a child that wasn't hers. What would she do for her own? He pulled her close and told her she was going to be a fantastic mother, which she clearly was going to be.

Haleigh: ”Another fairytale to count you in for? Or maybe you meant that as your first role-playing request?”

He kissed her lips softly and spoke to her intimately.

"It will always be my number one request."

They watched Carolina's excitement at finding the unicorn, and then he felt Haleigh squeeze his hand.

Haleigh: “You’ll be a great father yourself, you know.”

"It's the hair."

He tossed his head, and laughed. Then, becoming serious, he rested his hand gently on her belly.

"I will do everything in my power to keep our children safe and happy. You have my word."

And he meant it. He would die to keep them all safe.

Haleigh: “Why don’t you and I retire to our suite? Lay down for a while, discuss some of these role-playing requests you have…”

She pressed up against him, and he knew he was never going to make it three weeks without sex. Especially when she said "our suite".

He slipped his arms around her waist.

"That sounds like the perfect evening. We may need to call out for costumes though...my requests can be quite elaborate."

His hand trailed down her arm to find her hand, and he took it, then lead her away in the direction of the Red Wing.

 

[Sparrow]

The White Corridor

Elena felt the spike of excitement from Carolina. The White Knight - Mermaid Barbie - was taking Carolina to see the fish again. She looked in the bimbo's mind, to make sure she had nothing nefarious planned. Her thoughts actually seemed genuine: she didn't want Carolina to see Elena covered in blood. Damnit, she was probably going to have to thank her now.

Elena thanked Calder for escorting her, and kissed him on both cheeks, sending him on his way as she slipped into her suite. Peeling off the bloodstained dress, she dropped it into the trash can. She was certainly never wearing THAT again. She entered the bathroom and turned on the faucet on the large tub, and once it filled, she stepped into the hot water. It felt like heaven after such a long day. Only one day, but it had felt like a year. Once the Gia was washed out of her hair, she leaned back in the tub and closed her eyes.

Cameron wanted her, that was clear. But she had been serious when she'd told him she wasn't his mistress. He wasn't going to use her until he was bored and then drop her: that wasn't how this was going to work. But she had the advantage at the moment, and she certainly was going to play it.

She sighed with relaxation. This really was a nicer suite than hers in the Red Wing...

And then her eyes shot open. She dressed quickly and hurried to the Conservatory.

Carolina: "Your house is the best, papi! The best! I never want to leave!"

She quickly found Carolina. And Cameron. And Erika. And a unicorn.

Elena crossed herself.

"Oh madre de dios."

She didn't know how he had accomplished this.

Cameron: "Thank You, mija. I love you, you know that?"

Carolina: "Te quiero much tambien, papi! Mucho! Mucho! Mucho!"

Elena watched the two of them. She knew she should be happy that Cameron and Carolina were getting so close. It was what she had wanted, after all. Why they had come here. But it still gave her a nagging feeling that it was all going to come crashing down. It was all sunshine and unicorns...until it wasn't.

Carolina noticed that she was standing there and grinned widely at her.

Carolina: "Mami! Mami! Do you see it? Do you see my unicorn?! Papi got her for me! Isn't she beautiful?!"

Elena smiled broadly at her daughter.

"I see her, mija, she's amazing."

"Cameron King, do I even want to know how this was accomplished?!"

"You are a very lucky little girl to have such a kind papi."

"I mean, is that thing even safe?! Is it magickal?! You know how magick can go horribly wrong and"

"Did you tell papi thank you for such a wonderful present, Carolina?"

Carolina: "Thank you papi! Thank you so much for my unicorn!"

"I absolutely do not want her to ride that thing without a helmet!"

 

[Prophet]

Hellfire Mansion - The Conservatory

Carolina: "Mami! Mami! Do you see my unicorn?! Papi got her for me! Isn't she beautiful?!"

Elena: "I see her, mija, she's amazing."

"I didn't do anything but help you look, my sweet! You found this unicorn! Fair and square."

Elena: "Cameron King, do I even want to know how this was accomplished?!"

"You'll have to ask my future ex-wife, El. This was her doing."

He wanted to believe that this was a genuine peace offering from Haleigh, but he also knew his wife. Even if this was from the goodness of her heart, the fact that it would likely piss Elena off definitely sweetened the deal. Drop a unicorn into a child's lap and watch them squirm when it's horn falls off and it's crystal hoofs come unglued. Still, this had worked in his favor in more than one way. This raised the stakes for Elena to stay. Carolina was making friends and connections here, so quickly. She had clearly inherited his charm. The longer she stayed her, the harder it would be for her to leave. And he didn't want them to. But he was trying to learn from past mistakes, something not easy for a man who had been given every single thing he had ever wanted in his life whenever he had wanted it. As much as he loved Haleigh, somewhere along the way, he began to feel like he owned her. And when he saw her with Alek, felt how much she cared about him...despite her pleading that it was purely sexual between them, he felt threatened. He felt like he needed to reign her in, and it had been the straw that broke the camel's back.

Elena: "You are a very lucky little girl to have such a kind papi."

"And handsome. Kind and handsome."

"I'm the lucky one! Look at what our daughter did?! She's a genius! A trailblazer! An adventurer! I mean, all I'm saying is I never met anyone, little girl or otherwise, find a unicorn!"

Elena: "I mean, is that thing even safe?! Is it magickal?! You know how magick can go horrily wrong and--"

Elena: "Did you tell papi thank you for such a wonderful present, Carolina?"

Carolina: "Thank you papi! Thank you so much for my unicorn!"

"It's not magick. Definitely engineered. And safe is subjective. But right now, our little girl is happier than she's ever been, and considering how poorly this all COULD have gone today...and from what I saw could one day become...I say that whenever we have the opportunity to make magick for our daughter, we do it. Because she deserves it."

"My sweet girl. You are so polite, but really...it's not needed. This was all you, kid."

Elena: "I absolutely do not want her to ride that thing without a helmet."

"She is the daughter of The White King of Hellfire. There is an entire staff on standby willing to step in front of a bullet for her at a moment's notice. She will have a helmet and the silent presence of a MILITIA around her looking out. The only wounds we will EVER have to worry about with her are emotional ones..."

[pausing]

"And no matter how hard we try...those will be unavoidable. But I will try, El. I promise."

He scooped Carolina up in his arms and gave her a big kiss on the cheek, before both of them turned to stare at Elena, the same hauntingly familiar cheeky smirk on their faces.

"We were thinking of heading to the Hamptons. Get our new family member here all set up and comfortable. Erika wants to show her some of the riding trails. I know it's been a long day..a long day i'm largely responsible for...but what do you say you let me make it up to you?"

"Please? And come on, she's going to look so fucking cute on top of that pony. You can't miss it."

 

[Pathfinder]

Hellfire Mansion - The Conservatory

< She had to hand it to Haleigh. The bitch was smart. This was a well timed gift, if a bit excessive. At this point in Hellfire, Haleigh was untouchable. Carrying the heirs of two kings in her stomach? She could walk around this place manifesting and detonating hand grenades throughout the mansion and she'd still be safe. This only sealed the deal that if things continued to sour between Cameron and Haleigh, nobody was going to be blaming the pregnant woman who had gifted her husband's illegitimate daughter an actual unicorn. Despite her developing closeness to both Haleigh and Alek, she wasn't a fool. She wasn't going to let anything happen to her brother, and despite her own part in this gift, it reinforced to her how good at the game Haleigh was, and how she would do well to remember that. >

< And plus, if anyone was going to kill or maim Cameron, it was going to be her. >

Erika: "Why don't you feed her for a bit, get her all nice and ready, and we can take her to the stables! We have lots of other ponies for her to play with. And my horses are big, they can protect her. How does that sound?"

Carolina: "Ahh...I kind of want her to sleep with me! In my bed!"

< She was cute. Like out of a fucking sitcom. Erika didn't usually like kids, because she enjoyed being the baby of the family, but this one was like a Mexican Mary Kate or Ashley Olsen. It dawned on her out of the blue, that this little girl was her niece. That Elena motherfuckin' Estrada had produced the first heir of The King Family. Worse, she'd beaten Kelly to the punch. Which meant it was only a matter of time before Mommy Dearest resurfaced. One thing Erika did know was that she would move hell and earth to prevent her mother from ever having anything to do with any of these kids present or future. >

Cameron: "Or you know...just riding her would be really cool too."

< Erika had zoned out for a minute there, half impressed and half bitter with how good Cameron was with Carolina. He was giving his daughter a softness that he almost never had given her. But she guessed that was the point. To be to these kids what they never had. And in that moment, Erika realized she had been preparing her entire life to be a fun, dangerously unstable aunt. As Carolina and Cameron exchanged compliments and kisses, Erika envisioned giving Carolina her first sip of champagne, or even her first joint. Of taking her to a nightclub, or picking her up from a friend's house if she got too drunk. >

Carolina: "Mami! Mami! Do you see it? Do you see my unicorn? Papi got her for me! Isn't she beautiful?!"

Elena: "I see her, mija, she's amazing."

< The White Princess met Elena's gaze as she cocked an amused eyebrow. All white? That was blasphemous in more than one way. Elena was certainly playing with fire, but she always kind of did and Erika had always hated it. She never respected the natural order of things. She was one of Diana's pets which made her think that she was somehow one of them. She wasn't. But if Erika wanted a relationship with Elena, she was going to have to play nice - but not too nice. She didn't want Elena to think she'd had a lobotomy. >

Cameron: "My sweet girl. You are so polite, but really..it's not needed. This was all you, kid."

"Blah blah fucking blah."

< This whole scene was like something out of a Hallmark movie. It was sweet, but jesus it was being laid on thick. It was actually making her crave a bit of violence, which made her miss Zach for a moment. He'd left her as soon as he had a chance with Corpse Bride Barbie, and she never got to pay him back for that. But there was always the Hellfire Christmas Party to look forward to. >

Cameron: "We were thinking of heading to the Hamptons. Get our new family member here all set up and comfortable. Erika wants to show her some of the riding trails. I know it's been a long day...a long day i'm largely responsible for...but what do you say you let me make it up to you?"

< Erika smirked. >

"It's great weather for a ride, and don't worry, The White Queen has taken care of all the details. She's provided all sorts of safety equipment and proper housing. And I'm the best rider in Hellfire, despite what Ava might have to say about that. I can spend some time with my niece, and you two can spend some time doing...whatever it is that you two do."

< Cameron was her brother and her king, but Haleigh was her Queen. This had been her gift, her move, and the second that Elena walked in here in all white, Erika knew that Elena needed reminding of what her place was here. Cameron could be more impulsive than even Erika was. If he had his way, tomorrow his divorce would be final and he'd have a ring for Elena. And she was playing with him as well. Until Erika knew her true intentions, she was going to make sure she protected her court. >

 

[Sparrow]

Hellfire Mansion - The Conservatory

The fact that he had produced a unicorn roughly an hour after coming out of suspended animation was pure Cameron King. How was an extremely good question.

Cameron: "You'll have to ask my future ex-wife, El. This was her doing."

Elena added animal cruelty to Haleigh's charming list of qualities. It was interesting to hear him refer to her as his future ex-wife, though. Promising.

But she wasn't going to burst her child's bubble. She was reasonably sure that Cameron would eventually do that all on his own. So, to Carolina, she was as excited as the little girl was that a unicorn had been captured here, at her papi's home. She had no desire to point out her father's faults to the child who was finally getting an opportunity to know him. So she commented on what a lucky girl with such a kind papi Carolina was, to receive such a gift.

Cameron: "And handsome. Kind and handsome."

"Pfft - there are many handsome men here, amado. You will need to be more."

Cameron: "I'm the lucky one! Look at what our daughter did?! She's a genius! A trailblazer! An adventurer! I mean, all I'm saying is I never met anyone, little girl or otherwise, find a unicorn!"

He was laying it on a bit thick, but, she supposed, he was new to this.

"It will certainly be a day to remember."

Mentally, she asked Cameron if the thing was magick. Because magick was a disaster waiting to happen.

Cameron: "It's not magick. Definitely engineered. And safe is subjective. But right now, our little girl is happier than she's ever been, and considering how poorly this all COULD have gone today...and from what I saw could one day become...I say that whenever we have the opportunity to make magick for our daughter, we do it. Because she deserves it."

Elena's eyes narrowed at him ever so slightly. It was so like him to think that giving a unicorn was a wonderful thing and isn't our daughter so happy - until something happened and a little girl was in tears. But she was equally annoyed because he was right, her daughter deserved a magickal summer, and a unicorn, if she could get it.

So she shot back that Carolina was absolutely not to ride the thing without a helmet.

Cameron: "She is the daughter of The White King of Hellfire. There is an entire staff on standby willing to step in front of a bullet for her at a moment's notice. She will have a helmet and the silent presence of a MILITIA around her looking out. The only wounds we will EVER have to worry about with her are emotional ones...and no matter how hard we try...those will be unavoidable. But I will try, El. I promise."

"You had better. Because you haven't seen vengeance like what will come your way if you hurt her."

She wasn't talking about the unicorn anymore.

And she hated that when Cameron picked Carolina up in his arms, and they both looked at her with faces that were so alike, her heart skipped a beat.

Cameron: "We were thinking of heading to the Hamptons. Get our new family member here all set up and comfortable. Erika wants to show her some of the riding trails. I know it's been a long day...a long day I'm largely responsible for...but what do you say you let me make it up to you?"

Cameron: "Please? And come on, she's going to look so fucking cute on top of that pony. You can't miss it."

"That is NOT a pony. That is a foal. It's going to grow into a full sized horse, with a fucking metal horn fused to its skull. A pony is a small horse that stays small. How typical of that woman..."

Elena reached out and brushed the hair our of Carolina's eyes, then ran the back of her hand down the girl's soft cheek.

"Why not? I love the Hamptons. I'll pack our bags."

She grinned into Carolina's excited face.

Erika: "It's great weather for a ride, and don't worry, The White Queen has taken care of all the details. She's provided all sorts of safety equipment and proper housing. And I'm the best rider in Hellfire, despite what Ava might have to say about that. I can spend some time with my niece, and you two can spend some time doing...whatever it is that you two do."

Oh, she was sure Haleigh had taken care of ALL the details. As if she would trust a single thing that woman gave her daughter. But this was why they were here, so that Carolina could get to know her family. And crazy or not, Erika was part of that family.

"She didn't bring her riding boots, so we'll need to pick some up on the way."