Rose of destruction

[MorningStar]

The Infirmary

Isis needed a few moments with Rich alone, so Delilah made her way back into the waiting area. She checked her phone, and saw Bishop’s text that he had left. Was he really planning this dinner he had made her promise to attend while he was lying in a hospital bed?

Valkyrie was sitting in the waiting room…and Andrew. Perfect. She sighed, ready to turn right back around and wait in the hallway.

Then Zach – still without a shirt – was coming into the Infirmary from the outside. He should be ashamed…running around with an eight pack like that hanging out…

Delilah smiled to herself. Then she narrowed her eyes.

“Zach, I need to talk to you immediately!”

She marched up to him and pointed at his chest.

“Remember when I said if you hurt Haleigh I would blast your balls off? Well…”

Her eyes glowed white and she lifted her fist, which now glowed with light energy.

“Time to pay the piper…”

 

[Valkyrie]

The Infirmary

Ashley looked at her watch. Zach had better get back in here soon or she was going to give Andrew one hell of a morning.

She rolled her eyes as Delilah came into the waiting area.

“This day just keeps getting better and better.”

Before she could say anything incredibly clever to the bitch, Zach returned.

“Finally.”

But miss beauty pageant 1989 told him SHE needed to talk to him. Ashley waved her off.

“Get in line.”

But then she was starting to get in Zach’s face.

“Remember when I said if you hurt Haleigh I would blast your balls off? Well…”

Ashley stood up.

“What are you doing you crazy bitch?!”

Delilah’s power signature started to glow around her.

“Time to pay the piper…”

Ashley was across the room and grabbing Delilah by the arm in an instant.

“HEY! Those balls are MINE!”

 

[MorningStar]

The Infirmary

Zach looked like he was about to pee his pants. She was about to tell him she was joking when she felt someone grab her roughly by the arm. Of course.

“HEY! Those balls are MINE!”

Delilah scoffed.

“You sure do get around, don’t you?”

She looked at Zach, then Valkyrie, then back to Zach before she burst out laughing.

“I’m kidding!"

Her power signature faded and her eyes went back to blue.

"You should see your faces!”

Delilah turned away from Valkyrie, who had taken her hand off her arm in shock, to talk to Zach.

“Seriously Zach, it’s good to see that you’re okay. We were all worried last night.”

Valkyrie: “You BITCH!”

Ashley launched herself at Delilah, pushing her to the floor. Steel was quick though, and immediately was pulling Ashley off of her, but not before Delilah got in a good hair pull.

“Don’t you dare touch me, you skank! I’ll throw your ass out in the street where you belong!”

Valkyrie: “Don’t worry, I made sure to keep Bishop good company while you were off having a bitches meeting with your gal pal over there! No wonder he left before you came back!”

"Hold her for me, John, while I break every bone in that ugly skull of hers."

 

[Berserker]

The Mansion – Basement

This asshole was pitiful. Alek was actually surprised Persephone hadn’t KILLED him when she fucked him, he was such a mewling quim. He walked in a semi circle around him, watching him squirm. Alek lifted his leg and stomped down hard on Angelo’s foot, pulverizing it.

Angelo: “Why are you doing this?!”

Alek smirked.

“You tried to rise above your station. And with the WRONG girl.”

He stomped down on Angelo’s other leg. He started trying to drag himself backwards with one arm. The fool, he was only pulling himself deeper into the room.

Angelo: “I can pay you! Just let me go!”

He laughed again.

“I don’t care about your money, asshole.”

He slipped off his suit jacket and folded it nicely before setting it down in the corner.

“You know the problem with flatscans like you?”

He looked down at Angelo like he’d found dog shit on the bottom of his shoe.

“You’re too easy to kill. Not enough of a challenge. So you know what I do?”

His foot came down on Angelo’s good arm.

“I try to make it as painful as possible.”

He reached down and tore off Angelo’s shirt, then stripped off his pants, leaving him naked on the stone floor.

Angelo: “No…no…” he murmured through the pain.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to fuck you.”

He leaned in until his face was inches away from his.

“At least, not in any way that you would enjoy.”

Alek reached down and grabbed the guy by his cock and twisted until it came off. He held it up, flopping it around so Angelo could see it, before tossing it to the side. Angelo was screaming non-stop now, until he finally passed out from the pain.

“Damn.”

 

[Orion]

Charope, LLC -- Infirmary

The elevator released him back on the Infirmary sub level, and he started walking back towards the waiting lounge, contemplating everything Bishop had told him and trying not to think about the latest video release from Haleigh. She was really on a roll with airing dirty laundry though. Herself, Sharon, Delilah, how many more did she HAVE?

And how in the WORLD did Andrew get Delilah agree to making a sextape?!

Delilah: Zach, I need to talk to you immediately!

She KNOWS that I know!

"Delilah, listen, I'm not going to--"

She stomped her way to him and pointed emphatically. She SEEMED upset, but her emotions weren't quite like they should be if she really WERE upset.

Delilah: Remember when I said if you hurt Haleigh I would blast your balls off? Well…

His heart skipped a beat and his eyes got as wide as a spooked horse's.

"But I didn't--"

Ashley: What are you doing you crazy bitch?!

Oh FUCK.....

Delilah: Time to pay the piper…

One hand outstretched towards Delilah, and the other hand protecting the goods, he was about to try some verbal judo when Valkyrie came to his rescue.

Ashley: HEY! Those balls are MINE!

His surprise shifted from Delilah to Ashley.

"Are they now?"

He asked with a smile, more bemused than anything else.

Delilah: You sure do get around, don’t you?

"I think it's REALLY important to reiterate the FACT that I NEVER actually cheated on Haleigh."

There was a really tense moment between the three of them in which Zach prayed that Hermes would make him able to run faster than the speed of light. Then Delilah started laughing.

Delilah: I’m kidding! You should see your faces!

"Oh my GODS, Delilah. I thought you were serious."

His free hand went to his chest. He could feel his heart trying to pound its way out of his ribcage. His other hand was still protecting his pride and joy.

Delilah: Seriously Zach, it’s good to see that you’re okay. We were all worried last night.

"Thanks--"

Valkyrie: You BITCH!

The next thing Zach knew, the two women were on the floor. Zach's jaw dropped, and for a second he was stunned and a little excited for the chick fight. Steele broke it up by pulling Ashley back, and Zach came to his senses as the women traded insults. He reached down to help Delilah up.

Delilah: Hold her for me, John, while I break every bone in that ugly skull of hers.

"Not going to happen, Delilah. I really like her face the way it is."

He replied, not missing the fact that Ashley was goading Delilah about Bishop much in the same way she'd once taunted Haleigh about Zach. He wondered if he had anything to worry about.

Nah, I could take Bishop. He's not that much bigger than me.

The girls were still shooting daggers out of their eyes at each other. They obviously needed to separate these two. Steele eased his grip on Ashley as Zach wrapped his arm around her waist and started to pull her towards his room, dropping his voice to just above a whisper.

"Now, about breakfast.... I was thinking.... peaches and cream....mmhmm."

 

[Valkyrie]

Charope, LLC - Infirmary

This bitch done lost her mind. Ashley leapt onto Delilah, her hands on her shoulders pushing her down to the floor. She pulled her arm back to punch her in the face, but then Steel’s arms were around her pulling her back off of Delilah.

"Let me GO!"

“Don’t you dare touch me, you skank! I’ll throw your ass out in the street where you belong!”

“At least I can get a man to fuck me, you dried up old prune! Don’t worry, I made sure to keep Bishop good company while you were off having a bitches meeting with your gal pal over there! No wonder he left before you came back!”

"Hold her for me, John, while I break every bone in that ugly skull of hers."

"Not going to happen, Delilah. I really like her face the way it is."

Ashley looked at Zach and gave him a lascivious smile at that, before turning angry eyes back onto Delilah, just waiting for her chance to mangle that face of hers. We’ll see how much Bishop wants her when she looks like Yoda.

“Steel, you let go of me RIGHT NOW!”

Steel was letting her go but it was only to release her into Zach’s custody, his arm around her waist pulling her away.

"Now, about breakfast.... I was thinking.... peaches and cream....mmhmm."

“She’s such a bitch, Zach. That wasn’t funny at all…”

They were back in his room and he shut the door.

She waved her arms back at the waiting area, remembering.

“And I had…flowers…”

She sounded a bit dejected, but was calming. She smoothed her hair.

“You’d better lie down, after all that.”

Once Zach was safely lying in bed, she turned to face him, but stayed where she was and didn’t move closer. She undid the belt of her trench dress, then went for the buttons. She slipped the dress off her shoulders to reveal her naughty nurse costume. With a smirk, she walked to the foot of the bed and made a show out of examining his chart.

She clucked her tongue.

“It doesn’t look good at all, Mr. Armani. You are going to need extensive testing and physical therapy to fix this problem.”

Coming around the side of the bed, she hopped up onto it and knelt with one knee on either side of him, placing both hands on his chest and looking down at him. She smiled.

“Hey.”

She leaned down and kissed him tenderly, and when they broke, she sat up and feigned surprise, doing her best impression of Zizi.

“Oh my goodNESS! I seem to have forgotten my underwear.”

With a devilish smirk, she leaned down and pressed her lips against his, then rolled onto her back taking him with her. Biting her bottom lip, she whispered melodramatically to him:

“Zach, portami a letto o mi perda per sempre…”

Laughing she put her arms around his neck and kissed him again.

 

[Orion]

Charope, LLC -- Infirmary

Ashley: She’s such a bitch, Zach. That wasn’t funny at all…

"You know what else isn't funny? The idea of you keeping Bishop company."

He said in an even tone as he shut the door.

Ashley: And I had…flowers…

He looked through the interior window, into the lounge area where they all just were. On a low table laid a bouquet of flowers that he presumed were the ones she was talking about.

"A bit plain, aren't they?"

He asked, snapping the blinds shut and turning around with a smirk.

"Relatively, anyways. I mean, how could anything be beautiful, compared to you?"

He finished, fully expecting her to roll her eyes.

Ashley: You’d better lie down, after all that.

"Oh, yes, I'm feeling... a bit drained..... I might need another boost..."

He said, laying back and beckoning her to follow. She didn't join him just yet, instead, she started working on getting undressed, untying the belt first.

One. Two. Three. Four. YEEEESSSS!

He made a heavy breathing noise as his eyes took her in.

Ashley: It doesn’t look good at all, Mr. Armani. You are going to need extensive testing and physical therapy to fix this problem.

He founds words again, somehow, and remembered how to use them.

"You make me ache, you know that? Come over here, I'll show you where it hurts."

He said with a raunchy smile, and she finally came over and got into bed. His hands were on her immediately, traveling up her body, going for the front zipper.

Ashley: Hey.

He stopped, and looked up at her hungrily, taking a deep breath. She leaned down, he lifted himself into her kiss, propping up on his elbows and resting his hands on her legs, pulling at the tops of her stockings. She pulled back and sat up.

Ashley: Oh my goodNESS! I seem to have forgotten my underwear.

He gave a grunt of pleasure, then licked his lips as he looked down to see. He pulled on the straps that held up her fishnets, and then let them snap back against her skin playfully. She came back down for another kiss and they rolled over. He started to lift one of her legs up higher.

"Panties would just be in the way at this point...."

He said, pressing against her with need, kissing her lips, her neck, her chest. She said his name and whispered in his native language, and it drove him wild.

Ashley: Zach, portami a letto o mi perda per sempre…

He wanted to take her to bed forever.

"Mostrami la strada di casa, il miele..."

He replied, pushing his pants down off his hips. He wanted her too badly to bother with getting all the way undressed. He laid another kiss on her, then broke it, and made eye contact. His gaze said it was his turn to tease. He gave her a little bit, then pulled back with a wicked smile. He kissed her again and filled her with lust. Then he gave her a little more, and withdrew. Kiss and repeat, until he couldn't stand it himself, and he got as close to her as he could, and gave into the passion feverishly.

 

[Valkyrie]

Charope, LLC - Infirmary

"You know what else isn't funny? The idea of you keeping Bishop company."

Ashley gave him a coy smile.

“I’m here with you, aren’t I?”

She was disappointed she hadn’t gotten to give Zach his flowers, to which he remarked,

"A bit plain, aren't they?"

She got a crinkle between her eyebrows as she was ready to yell at him for that.

"Relatively, anyways. I mean, how could anything be beautiful, compared to you?"

She rolled her eyes.

“Again, with the fancy talk…”

But her face softened then, as she said, “But they aren’t as beautiful as the ones you sent to me.”

She got into the bed with him, and his hands were immediately busying themselves with removing her clothing.

“Hey I thought you WANTED me in this costume…”

She laughed, but her face became serious as he made eye contact with her, and she put her hands on the sides of his face, meeting his gaze. Her back arched against him as he teased her, her mouth and body reaching out with need, trying desperately to keep contact with him.

“Tell me again how you ache for me…”

She moaned as he pulled back again. Her legs fought for purchase, to keep him inside her.

“Gods damn you, Zach…please…please…”

 

[Berserker]

The Hellfire Mansion – Basement

Staring down at the broken and bloody mess that was Angelo Muniz, Alek heard a *POP* in the air above him.

Emiko: “Did my panda bear bring me a present?”

He looked up at her and she was virtually salivating with anticipation.

“No, Emi, this one’s not for you. You can watch, and I’ll bring you another one when I’m done here.”

A thought occurred to him.

“I’ll bring you two if you do me a favor…”

She clapped her hands and nodded at him.

He smiled. Perfect.

Angelo began to stir, and Alek decided to help him along. He planted a wing tip hard into his kidneys. There was a satisfying crunch and a sucking noise, and then there were the sounds Angelo was making. So he kept doing it.

“What [kick] did you think [kick]? That you [kick] deserved her [kick]? Well, she’s MINE .”

He finished off with two more.

Angelo: “I’m sorry…I’ll never touch her again…I promise…please…just don’t let me die…”

Alek sneered.

“Oh you’ll never touch her again, you can be assured of that.”

He started pacing again.

“You’re not going to die from having your dick torn off. Little known fact: there's only one principle artery in the penis. Something like this happens-“

Alek waived his hands around, indicating the state of Angelo, who was crying.

“-there's a 60% chance it retracts. Clamps itself off to prevent a hemodynamic event. Pretty fucking ingenious. Of course, then you’d have to live without a cock, so you’re probably better off bleeding to death.”

The guy was whimpering now, and Alek looked at him with disgust.

“Jesus! Take it like a man. If I hadn't ripped your dick off myself I'd swear you were a woman.”

Seph fucked this guy?

The thought only made him angrier.

“Funny thing about Miss Ava Cassadine…did you know, her blood is actually acid. Could burn a hole in this floor right here.”

He tapped his foot on the stone flooring for emphasis. Alek went to the corner of the room, and picked up a medium sized beaker and carried it with him back to where Angelo lay on the floor. He knelt, putting a knee in his stomach, and began to slowly pour acid from the container onto his bare chest. Angelo’s screaming was like music to his ears. When Alek finished, he set the beaker down, and patted him on the cheek.

“That’s a good boy.”

Angelo tried to bite his hand as he was pulling it away. He clucked his tongue.

“Can’t have that, now can we?”

Alek reached with both hands, holding Angelo’s mouth open, then with one hand ripped out the lower half of his jaw and tossed it aside, before getting up again.

“Well, Angelo, it’s been fun, but you’re starting to bore me.”

Alek’s eyes scanned around on the floor, until he located Angelo’s severed dick. He picked it up and went over to the wreck of a human being that was Persephone’s fuck buddy, and shoved the cock down his throat. He covered Angelo’s mouth and nose with his hands until his eyes bulged and then finally his breathing stopped.

Alek stood, looking down at his work thoughtfully.

“Huh. I guess you WERE going to die from having your dick tore off.”

He looked up at Emiko.

“You’re on.”

She smiled, that evil soulless way she had. She and the body disappeared with a *POP* and reappeared in Persephone’s room, the body of Angelo and all its pieces strewn across her bed. On his chest the acid burns were clearly visible, spelling out: Does this turn you on?

Alek was true to his word then, leading two young servants back to the same room for Emiko – fittingly, two who had recently begun dating – leaving them tied up for her. As he left the room slipping into his suit jacket again they asked him why he was doing this.

“Fraternization amongt staff is discouraged.”

 

[Steel]

The Infirmary

Steel was pretty sure if Ashley kept talking, he was going to have to keep Bishop from punching her too.

“Ashley, give it a rest, huh?”

Zach returned, breaking the tension between Andrew and Bishop, stopping to talk to his friend before offering to escort Bishop out so they could talk. That left one less problem, thankfully. Until he returned, and so did Delilah. And then all hell broke loose with Delilah powering up and threatening Zach.

“Delilah, what in the hell?”

He breathed a sigh of relief as she told them she was only joking. Maybe not the best thing to do to a guy who almost died…especially mentioning his ex who was going around town trying to kill people…

Ashley, who had sprung up to defend Zach, did not take things well. She jumped onto Delilah in something out a prime time drama.

“Whoa whoa whoa!”

He grabbed Ashley, pinning her arms to her side as he pulled her away from Delilah.

"Hold her for me, John, while I break every bone in that ugly skull of hers."

“Don’t bring ME into this.”

Zach objected as well, and Steel passed Ashley to him while he moved to calm Delilah down, drawing her over to the chairs.

“Deep breaths, Delilah.”

Andrew: “Delilah…”

Steel stood back up and pointed at Andrew.

“You! Corner! Sit! Now!”

Delilah: “That girl! What a bitch! It was just a joke – and I’ve known Zach a lot longer than she has.”

“Well, it was probably not the best timing, if I’m honest…”

But he smiled kindly over at her.

“But why did you let her get to you like that? That’s not like you.”

 

[MorningStar]

The Infirmary

Her blood was still up as Steel pulled her away from Zach and Ashley. She wanted to beat the girl senseless. Talk about overreaction. It seemed like she was into Zach, which made her pity him. Next she’d be collecting his toe nail clippings and going through his trash.

Andrew started talking to her, and Delilah pinched the bridge of her nose. Steel shooed him away.

“That girl! What a bitch! It was just a joke – and I’ve known Zach a lot longer than she has.”

“Well, it was probably not the best timing, if I’m honest…”

She gave him an insulted look, but HIS was so kind in return that she couldn’t stay angry about it.

“But why did you let her get to you like that? That’s not like you.”

“You mean aside from the physical assault?”

He gave her a look, and she held up her hands.

“I don’t know…she just got under my skin, I guess. How can you stand to be around her? She has no filter…she takes pride in pushing people’s buttons.”

Delilah sighed.

“And on top of everything, apparently, she’s been fucking Maxim.”

Steel [gently]: “Are you two…seeing each other again then?”

“No…I don’t know…we’ve been spending time together.”

[at his look] “No! Not like that! Just…talking. I mean, we have a daughter together, he’s always going to be in my life. But lately…it’s been different. Nice.”

She looked at him, chewing on a fingernail.

“I don’t know what to do.”

Steel: “Ask yourself what you want, Delilah. Ask yourself why it bothers you seeing him with someone else.”

“He said it’s not happened – with HER – since we started speaking again.”

Steel: “If that’s the case then…what does it matter?”

She shrugged.

“It doesn’t.”

She pursed her lips.

“But I still hate her.”

 

[Titan]

The Infirmary

Delilah started to go nuts when Zach came back from talking to Bishop. Thankfully that arsehole didn’t come back. He had half a mind to follow him and give him a piece of his mind. How dare he act like he was some stalker or something. Despite what had happened, he still cared about Delilah, and he knew she didn’t just stop caring about him either. It couldn’t be long before she saw what a huge knob the guy was, and then maybe she’d give him another chance.

But yeah, Delilah was threatening to attack Zach in a very private place. Andrew hoped this wasn’t some kind of sex thing, because Zach sleeping with Delilah? He didn’t think he could handle that. And then Ashley was throwing Delilah to the floor and he hoped this WAS some kind of sex thing, but Steel & Zach broke that up pretty quickly. Unfortunately. Delilah got in a good hair pull, though.

Zach took Ashley into his room, and it didn’t take a genius to know what they were going to do in there. Steel guided Delilah to a chair. He got up to try and help calm Delilah, but Steel ordered him back to his seat. For fuck’s sake! Everyone was treating him like a worthless kid. Steel and Delilah say there talking, him being a shoulder for her to lean on. That should be HIM sitting there.

Disgusted, he stood up, and walked out of the Infirmary. They hadn’t heard anything from Xavier that day, so he figured he might as well go check on him. The way things were going, X would probably pretend he wasn’t home when Andrew got to his place. But, he supposed it was worth a shot.

 

[Spellbinder]

Limbo

"NO ONE CAN HELP ME!"

Morgan: What about Delilah, a woman who'd go to the ends of the earth for you, just as you did for HER and Alexia, Did you DOUBT US? Did you think that WE couldn't PROTECT EACH OTHER, YOU INCLUDED!? And finally...did you really think that MALICE would have the final say on what happens to MY family!?

"It's NOT that SIMPLE, Morgan."

OH ISN'T IT!?

<< Morgan bellowed, as she turned on her high heel, and made her way to the center of her chamber of dreams.>>

Do you know where you are?

This eldritch dimension, outside of time and space, where I rule. I can do ANYTHING here, Haleigh.

From this gateway, ALL times, places, and people are possible, and it's MINE!

<< As Morgan lifts her hands, the way a conductor would when she is about to direct a symphony, the winds rise, thunder crashes/lightning flashes and eldritch chimes sound off>>

OPEN YOUR EYES and HEART, Haleigh. LOOK, and LISTEN!

<< If ever there was a time for Haleigh to open up and be TRUE to herself, NOW was it, in this place of surprising, but ultimate SAFETY from the prying eyes AND thoughts of others- including Malice.>>

<< Morgan thrusts her hands outward to either side, and Haleigh is teleported via disc, now standing directly before Haleigh, and HELD there by magick>>

Since when have you let knowledge and TRUTH throw you off course!?

My mother and Isis helped you uncover the truth of your origins, and it was a shocking thing indeed. But do you really think that CHANGES who you are, changes what you MEANT to the people you're now trying to hurt and alienate? Changes your DESTINY!?

CREATION is but the first step along the road of life! You have made the decisions for what comes next - you will bear responsibility for the paths you chose.


<< From behind Morgan, Haleigh can see VARIOUS verions of herself, standing in different poses. The woman she was. The woman she may yet BE, including a version that shows her as being a mindless BIO HAZARD. >>

You can't see the endless possibilities, you couldn't see the chance you had to LIVE , because You're STUCK in "the now."

Stuck in moment YOU created, with a choice you made, and in typical fashion, you believe the only way out is the most EXTREME and costly one.

Did you learn NOTHING from MY terrible mistake...THE INFERNO?!

<< All at once, Haleigh is BACK there, everything that lead up to the moment Morgan killed her, and this time she sees, FEELS all the events that unfolded during her absence from the majority of the Inferno. And as fast, as IMMERSED as she was into those memories, that time period, she was now back in the PRESENT with Spellbinder.>>

<< Morgan KNEW what Haleigh was racing toward, the Hellfire Missile/weapons cache, preparing herself for the seemingly inevitable moment of BREAKING and descent into madness...convincing herself that it was OKAY to let go, and HURT EVERYONE the way she'd been hurt!?>>

I KNOW what you're doing Haleigh. I did it first!

<< she GRABS Haleigh by her shoulders again. Strong as the Black Widow is, Spellbinder is stronger, she can't break the sorceress' hold on her, which is augmented by the mystic chains>>

There was no one there to stop me.

<< she shakes Haleigh once again>>

But I'M here to stop YOU!

Consider this an INTERVENTION, one where YOU don't get a say!

<< Haleigh struggles to break free>>

YOU'LL wear yourself out long before you come CLOSE to busting loose from my grip, sister.

<< Morgan wastes no time, ignoring Haleigh's protests and struggle, as she casts a spell.>>

It's time you recognized the OTHER side of your newfound family heritage.

<< She extends her hand, and activates dark magick. the mystic chains around Haleigh vanish, but she and Morgan are now inside a pentagram of violet hued mystic flames>>

As flame lights shadow
And truth ends fear,
Open locked thoughts
to my mind's willing ear.
May the bond from
this Victory line into
everywhere reach,
Bringing innermost voices
to my mind in speech.

This may hurt, but honestly...the pain is no less than you DESERVE after what you've done.

But There IS A POINT to it!

<< She grabs Haleigh her THROAT and holds her TIGHTLY, as her violet eyes glow, and the spell activates. SMASHING through structures of Haleigh's mind, and blasting through to her "core", ACTIVATING that telempathic bond, the same unique bond that Morgan/Blaze/Jasmine and Morgan/Blaze/Karen have.>>

<< Thunder crashes once more as Morgan releases her grip on Haleigh, and sends her falling to the floor. The spell has run it's course.>>

You're NOT alone, Haleigh. Not anymore. You HAVE a lifeline, and a way OUT.

You NOW have access to the same gift, the same BOND that ALL the Victory sisters share. You'll be aware of us, and WE will be aware of you.

It's something that not even MALICE can touch, but beware, while Malice CAN'T hear/read MINE or my mother's thoughts, that is not the case with Blaze or yourself.

Firebird received urgent psychic training from her timeline's Prophet in order to learn how to better mask her thoughts, and to use "code" to contact me via our rapport, BUT while MALICE had the ADVANTAGE of psionically mapping your mind and creating an exact copy of it...that was BEFORE your bond with myself and Blaze was activated.

There's something else...

YOU can divert Malice's scrutiny of you. You've been trying to outdo her at her game, and you're GOING to lose. Why waste time doing that to yourself?

You share a psi-path with HER, you MUST be aware of SOMETHING that stands out to her, something that is so near and dear to her that it can't even be contained in her psychic black box.

USE that to make life there EASIER for yourself, by yourself sometime to regroup and recover, and during that time, you'll communicate with ME.

Your time there at the Hellfire Mansion is coming to an END, Haleigh. I have decided that.

I'm going to be there for you the way I needed someone to be there for me in a time that would have made all the difference.

If you FIGHT ME, I'll deal with you accordingly...as you DESERVE.

If you TRUST me, then it will work out for you...EVENTUALLY.

You STILL will have MUCH to answer for, but just as you have a right to the choices you make, you also have a RESPONSIBILITY to face the consequences of them.

You've never run from a challenge before, and you've never felt that DEPRIVING the world of YOU was an acceptable option.

You've played the martyr routine long enough. It's time for you to GET IT TOGETHER.

Yes, it IS that simple.

 

[Black Widow]

Limbo

Morgan: OH ISN'T IT!? Do you know where you are?

"Yeah, I know where the FUCK I am. I'm at Hellfire, and this is a nightmare, and as soon as it's over, I'm going to wake up, and NOTHING will have changed!"

She hissed in reply, but Morgan kept pushing, declaring this to be her dimension, and for ANYTHING to be possible here.

Morgan: OPEN YOUR EYES and HEART, Haleigh. LOOK, and LISTEN!

"No, Morgan, YOU listen. Pay attention to what I'm telling you. Even if you're right, even if this is REAL. It's TOO LATE for me, okay?? All the good parts of me are DYING. By the time you get to me, all that will be left is SCION."

She pushed herself off the bed, pleading now, in case this wasn't a dream, and she had a chance to do something that would make a difference.

"But you can still save Ava! Malice psi-blasted her, mind-fucked her until Persephone took over, but YOU are Darkchilde's alternate! You can still reach Persephone! You can convince her to cooperate, and CAMERON can fix her!"

Morgan seized her with mystic chains, and spoke of the help Isis and Karen had given her, and of her destiny. Haleigh just shook her head, as Morgan showed her different versions of herself.

Morgan: You can't see the endless possibilities, you couldn't see the chance you had to LIVE , because You're STUCK in "the now." Stuck in moment YOU created, with a choice you made, and in typical fashion, you believe the only way out is the most EXTREME and costly one.

"The NOW is where I EXIST, Morgan. It's all I have to work with. MY decisions are based in the reality of the world as I understand it."

Morgan: Did you learn NOTHING from MY terrible mistake...THE INFERNO?!

"I learned that you can kill me."

She replied calmly, her determined gaze settling on Inferno-Morgan. Dream-Morgan seizes Haleigh by the shoulders again.

Morgan: I KNOW what you're doing Haleigh. I did it first!

Haleigh struggles against her binds, and a loud ripping noise can be heard as she slowly tears the magick that holds her, and gets her hands up onto Morgan's wrists. She grips tightly, trying to wriggle free but the mystic chains don't totally break.

Morgan: There was no one there to stop me. But I'M here to stop YOU! Consider this an INTERVENTION, one where YOU don't get a say!

"You're WASTING your efforts Morgan! I DON'T DESERVE TO BE SAVED!"

Morgan: YOU'LL wear yourself out long before you come CLOSE to busting loose from my grip, sister. It's time you recognized the OTHER side of your newfound family heritage.

"What are you doing to me? STOP!"

She demands, as Morgan casts a spell. The pain blasts her like a psi-shock, and she grits her teeth as Morgan grabs her by the throat. Haleigh works her hands up to Morgan's grip on her windpipe, but she doesn't peel Morgan's hand away. Instead, she clamps down on Morgan's hand, and squeezes, tightening the grip until she can't breathe. Morgan drops her quickly, and Haleigh coughs instinctively, swearing in a loud, raspy tone.

Morgan: You're NOT alone, Haleigh. Not anymore. You HAVE a lifeline, and a way OUT.

"You're so fucking STUBBORN."

She growled, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

Morgan: You NOW have access to the same gift, the same BOND that ALL the Victory sisters share. You'll be aware of us, and WE will be aware of you. It's something that not even MALICE can touch, but beware, while Malice CAN'T hear/read MINE or my mother's thoughts, that is not the case with Blaze or yourself.

Haleigh looked up at Morgan from the floor, and for the first time in a while, there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes. She tried to downplay it. False hope was worse than no hope at all.

Morgan: There's something else... YOU can divert Malice's scrutiny of you. You've been trying to outdo her at her game, and you're GOING to lose. Why waste time doing that to yourself? You share a psi-path with HER, you MUST be aware of SOMETHING that stands out to her, something that is so near and dear to her that it can't even be contained in her psychic black box. USE that to make life there EASIER for yourself, by yourself sometime to regroup and recover, and during that time, you'll communicate with ME.

Haleigh picked herself up off the floor, listening to her sister with a grim expression. Morgan seemed very optimistic, but this past week, Haleigh had been slowly crushed by Malice's psi-power over her.

"Morgan...."

She coughed again, but this time it was a sob. She didn't try to stop the tears, there was no use in that.

"WHY should I make life easier for myself? After the things I've done? Bishop? and that kid I shot? And I can't even stop them from hurting Ava, what they did to her before she became Seph was HORRIBLE! And then.... and then--"

She couldn't even say his name, she just shook her head, and buried her face in her hands. She'd let that happen too. She'd been fucking Alek while Persephone was pulling out Zach's insides.

Morgan: Your time there at the Hellfire Mansion is coming to an END, Haleigh. I have decided that. I'm going to be there for you the way I needed someone to be there for me in a time that would have made all the difference. If you FIGHT ME, I'll deal with you accordingly...as you DESERVE. If you TRUST me, then it will work out for you...EVENTUALLY. You STILL will have MUCH to answer for, but just as you have a right to the choices you make, you also have a RESPONSIBILITY to face the consequences of them. You've never run from a challenge before, and you've never felt that DEPRIVING the world of YOU was an acceptable option. You've played the martyr routine long enough. It's time for you to GET IT TOGETHER. Yes, it IS that simple.

"I..... I trust you. But even so, it isn't simple. I'll have to keep being Scion, or my mother will know something is not right. Make sure no one can be caught out alone. If Seph or I get an attack order.... we won't be able to refuse."

 

[Orion]

Charope, LLC -- Infirmary

Ashley: Gods damn you, Zach…please…please…

He smiled, and stopped. The way she felt right now was electrifying. He pulled that zipper all the way down, and peeled open her dress, laying his chest against hers for as much skin contact as possible, so he could give her the most empathic feedback.

He slid his arm under her hips and gave her what she was begging for. When she started to get loud, he covered her mouth with his. There was nothing in the world that felt better than this, he was sure of it.

By the time they were both spent and their rhythm slowed to a stop, his heart was thundering and his chest heaved with the effort of breathing. He showered her face with kisses, her lips, her cheekbones, her jawline, her brow, her nose, her lips again. She was so beautiful, he wanted to tell her over and over again, until she stopped rolling her eyes and started to accept it.

He rolled off so he could lay next to her, her head on his shoulder and his arm around her. If he couldn't help the BoP with Rose and they weren't going to release him from the Infirmary just yet, then maybe he could just stay in bed with her all day. That would be nice.

He found himself wanting to know more about her than just her carnal desires, or the riptide of her emotions. She had been around for centuries, she had seen civilizations rise and fall. She was practically a Goddess herself.

"Ashley, tell me something..... something about you that nobody else knows."

 

[Valkyrie]

Charope, LLC - Infirmary

He was a master. There couldn’t be anyone better than he was, not the way she felt right now. It was so good she could barely stand it. The feel of him against her was like…like being bathed in light, in warmth, in safety.

He knew how to make her scream and he did it, dampering her cries with his mouth. How had she survived this long without this? When he took his lips from hers she felt like she would die without it. Her body bucked as wave after wave of pleasure washed over them, and when it was over he was still there, touching her. She smiled and closed her eyes as he kissed her, over and over.

He moved to lay next to her, and she rested her head on his shoulder, her body fitting perfectly into the curve of his arm. She ran her fingers over his chest, unable to stop touching him. For this moment, here in this place, just the two of them, he was hers.

When he spoke, it wasn’t to say any of the usual things, or to make excuses to get her to leave.

"Ashley, tell me something...something about you that nobody else knows.”

She hooked her leg over his and pulled herself up onto one elbow so she could look into his face. She could barely keep the smile off her lips as the pure joy at seeing him leaked from her like light from the sun.

“Well…I’m an Aquarius…”

She laughed and leaned down and kissed him tenderly, then she rested her chin on his chest, thinking.

“I…uh…”

She wasn’t used to sharing things about herself. Most people didn’t care to know anything about her.

“I took up painting once.”

She spoke tentatively.

“I was in Paris in the 1800s. There was lots of unrest there, you see, there was a chance of things boiling over into something. But I was fascinated by these painters, who were so poor – but they’d rather buy paint and canvas than food, they loved it so much.”

She settled in against him, nestling her cheek into his chest.

“I loved how they painted the beautiful women. Not the richest or the aristocrats, but the dancers, the prostitutes. And the colors…”

She kissed his chest.

“They made me feel alive. Something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.”

Her mind wandered, her eyes seeing faces from long ago.

“They taught me, showed me how to look at things the way they did. They made me love it too.”

And then her face turned sad.

“And then one day they were all dead and I was alone and I never painted again.”

 

[Matrix]

Her breathing always changed first. I could tell it even if I was asleep, which I was not. Not NOW. Not after this shitshow. I ate my pizza and watched her as she slept because before I would let her get so far down again I was gonna fuck up the Eastern Seaboard.

As her eyes began to flutter open, as she started to wake, I came over and kissed her cheek, let her know I was there, that everything would be all right. At almost the same time, Set-boy walks in like he owns the place with her favorite flowers in a vase. Showoff motherfucker. But he came through last night so I give him a nod that he returns as he comes to the other side of Miss D and kisses her cheek...

 

[Rampage]

Auntie loves flowers, so Nicolas bought a vase of her favorites and teleported to the entrance to Charope, LLC. The security system recognized him and he walked in to where he sensed that Isis lay. As he entered, he finds Rich kissing her face , his hand caressing the other side as she opened her eyes. WHAT. THE. FUCK.

Nicolas enters and places the vase n the nightstand, noting that Rich squints a bit at it.

Eat your heart out, pool boy.

Nicolas nods in reply to Rich nodding at him and then comes to the other side of the bed, kissing Dominique on her cheek as she continues to awaken slowly, smoothly.

Rise and shine, Queen. How are you feeling this morning?

 

[Orion]

Charope, LLC -- Infirmary

He smiled back at her, soaking up her happiness, amplifying it back to her with his own contentedness. Her hair cascaded off her shoulders as she propped herself up to look at him. He wondered how long she'd let him run his fingers through it.

Ashley: Well…I’m an Aquarius…

"I have no idea what that means."

He chuckled, and she kissed him and laughed herself.

Ashley: I…uh… I took up painting once.

"Really? That's awesome. I love art, like music, it's so expressive. When did paint, what did you paint?"

Ashley: I was in Paris in the 1800s. There was lots of unrest there, you see, there was a chance of things boiling over into something. But I was fascinated by these painters, who were so poor – but they’d rather buy paint and canvas than food, they loved it so much.

"That must have been amazing. I'm so bad at history.... was that around the time of the French Revolution?"

He asked, starting to play with locks of her hair, putting his free arm behind his head so he could look down at her more easily.

Ashley: I loved how they painted the beautiful women. Not the richest or the aristocrats, but the dancers, the prostitutes. And the colors… They made me feel alive. Something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.

He didn't interrupt this time. He liked to listen to her talk, and to feel the echoes of her remembered emotion.

Ashley: They taught me, showed me how to look at things the way they did. They made me love it too. And then one day they were all dead and I was alone and I never painted again.

There was a sadness in her admission, in the reminder of grief. It must be so hard to outlive all your loved ones, again and again, with no end in sight. Maybe that was why she kept people at arms length.

"The dead are immortalized by the living. They aren't gone unless YOU let them go."

He kissed the top of her head, then took her hand in his, and kissed the back of it.

"You should start painting again. Valkyrie, the artist."

He said with quiet admiration as he imagined her brush strokes.

"I would love to see the artwork you could paint."

 

[Valkyrie]

Charope, LLC – Infirmary

Zach actually seemed curious about what she was saying. She searched his face, trying to figure out why he was asking her these questions.

"That must have been amazing. I'm so bad at history.... was that around the time of the French Revolution?"

“Later…the 1870s...the time of the post impressionists – Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Cezanne…”

"The dead are immortalized by the living. They aren't gone unless YOU let them go."

She didn’t respond at first, her eyes staring off into the distance.

“Sometimes it’s better to let them go.”

He kissed the top of her head, then her hand, and she gave him a smile still tinged with sadness while she brushed her free hand down his cheek.

"You should start painting again. Valkyrie, the artist."

She looked away.

“I don’t think so.”

"I would love to see the artwork you could paint."

She sat up, panic suddenly coming over her in a wave.

“What am I doing.”

She looked around her. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

“I know better than this. I- I had forgotten then, why I don’t let people near me. I forgot. And then I remembered. And now…”

She looked down at him with such heartache.

“I can’t. I can’t do this.”

She got up from the bed, looking around frantically for her dress. She saw what was happening. She started to cry.

“I’m so stupid. I’m always so stupid…”