Shattered!

If I could die and have her live, I WOULD. It would never have been my wish to exist at the cost of such pain. Especially the pain of one who loved me before she even KNEW me. I have NO RIGHT to ever expect that you will accept me or to decide the time OR the place. But our link, through my mother, at least allows me to hope.

Nicolas takes a couple of steps toward Isis but stops, seeing her hardened face. His eyes moisten, but he dies not, WILL not cry. He is cried out at this point.

I cannot blame you if you decide that for all of your power and training provided by Isis, that causing me pain is how you will utilize that gift. That is your decision. I DO know that no matter what you do, you will never take away the pain of what you have endured, you will never hurt me as much as you are hurt, as much as I hurt right now knowing that I was the death of my own mother. Knowing, and I say this to my utmost SHAME, that my very birth has managed to rob me of the very thing I have strived for all my life: a family.

Nicolas stood still. He was very upset at this point.
 
[ the whistling, howling winds of this elemental landscape provided little comfort as Dominique tried to SHUT OUT Nicolas' words. shutting her eyes tightly as she refused to look at him.]

[ her allignment with the Sisterhood had provided her with more benefits than she expected, the most surprising being their unwavering support during the crisis of Set. But THIS issue, the PERSONAL one with her nephew, was something she had to deal with alone.]

[ As Nicolas spoke from the heart, he showed more humility and perhaps an insight that Dominique would not have immediately given him credit for. she could sense the pain that he felt. trying to remain strong. in this moment, she felt something that seemed natural but also made her SICK. she felt...CONCERN for the young man. He WAS her blood. She was his only living relative and Isis herself had charged Dominique to WATCH OVER him, not destroy him. She couldnt defy her patron diety, could she?]

....

I see something that reminds me of my sister, your mother. your eyes.

which i would like to gouge out of their sockets

eyes that convey depth and compassion. yes...they are just like your mother's.

[ she slowly turned around, noticing that he had taken a few steps closer. ]

however, you have a family. the people in the Six. just as I have the Sisterhood now. I must not...WILL NOT allow myself to pretend that everything is somehow "okay" now that your father is banished. The damage that has been done will take much time to heal.

I don't know what you think i could possibly do for you now after all that has happened.

[ perhaps she was open to a suggestion? ]
 
Athena said:
Despite how poorly we think of you at this time, We will not deprive HER of her freedom of choice.
Click to expand...

Haleigh nodded once, indicating approval rather than agreement. She slinked slowly over to a nearby minibar, and began pouring herself a drink. She didn't care whether or not Athena liked her... she was interested only in her own team, that is, keeping her sister around and doing what was necessary to bring the rest of the Six back together as a whole again. At least Athena realized that it was truly up to Ava... that freedom of choice was important.

"And in doing so you will be allowing her a right that SET stole from more than ONE of us. [raising her glass] Here's to you and Hecate, for once more giving us something to be GRATEFUL for."

As Athena mentioned that HECATE would likely be giving Haleigh a piece of her mind about Morgan, Haleigh turned back to the bar and poured herself another, scowling meanwhile. She turned back to face them as she perched on a barstool, leaning back and resting her elbow on the bartop, glass in hand. With her free hand she pulled out a small metallic case, withdrew a cigarrette, and then manifested a custom 'zippo' style lighter that was black with a red hourglass in the center. She put the cigarrette between her lips, her countenence once again less than pleased.

"Oh, happy DAY." She replied with biting sarcasm, as she flicked open the lighter and then lit her cigarrette. "I just CAN'T wait."
 
Nicolas listened as Dominique commented on his eyes. he smiled a bit as he realized that they were in fact his mother's. Dominique softened her stance a bit and even seemed to wonder aloud what came next. Nicolas took another step, close enough now to fight the urge to reach out to touch her.

I beg two things of you. First, I cannot really ASK you to make any moves in terms of loyalty. You owe me none, and I am grateful to the restraint that you have shown thus far right NOW. But I am hoping that you will just keep the door open, keep hope alive, however faint. Maybe one day we can be family, share together the part of Mama that we can find left in each other. I know our paths will not always cross in...harmony due to our personal loyalties. But maybe we can look to a point when blood will be thicker than water.

Also, the Attorneys General from several of the countries have seized and held some of the shares of my company that you have acquired in circumstances involving murder. As of now, your stake is about 40% and may be impacted up to another 10% in loss depending the outcome of the investigations. My guess is that you will end up with about a third of the company. At any rate, there is a shareholder meeting next week that I will attend. At that meeting I will install you, as a major shareholder, onto the board of directors. It is only fair and just that you, as family, contribute your viewpoints to major business discussions. It is about time that being related to me had SOME benefit. I sincerely hope to see you there, and I hope you will accept my invitation to serve on the board.

Nicolas waited as his aunt pondered his requests...
 
the enchanted forest

[ Hecate sat beside Persephone on the stone bench now and turned the goddess to face her.]

Listen to me, and listen well.

All the "repair" that i have done will mean NOTHING if you go back into that situation with the same attitude.

I confronted Nicolas, but I put you to sleep FIRST to FREE you from the pain and the pressure you were feeling. I was prepared to DESTROY Nicolas and serve a bowl of pain to his "father" if that was what it took, NOT ONLY for beating up on you, but for what he did to Morgan, MY seed, and Alison... the pain he caused, it registered so strongly that Athena and I thought that CIRCE herself had somehow returned to the island.

Nicolas wasnt trying to save himself. He was telling me the TRUTH. I could tell beyond the shadow of any doubt.

I dont expect you to HUG HIM or anything like that. We ALL know what happens to men YOU get physical with :p

[ a moment of levity interjected into an otherwise serious discussion.]

But I DO expect that you will do what MUST be done if you wish to continue living among these HUMANS. You must ACCEPT the things you cannot change and deal with them accordingly, TRUTFULLY and you must NOT blindly repeat the mistakes that Athena and I made all those eons ago on Olympus when it was YOU who was tha pariah of the moment.

I love you very much, Persephone. our friendship is the BLUE PRINT for your relationships with Darkchilde, Spellbinder and to some extent, Harbinger. But you are not just an olympian anymore. You have experienced things things that even Athena and Myself have not directly partook of. You now live as a HUMAN in some ways. It was my original intention to SEPERATE you from the Ava Cassadine persona and to eject her consciousness into the void of no return...but I "saw" how ill a descision that would be. Not only because I would have done it without your choosing, but because I would have undone all the things you have become THROUGH this merger.

[ holding the goddess' hands]

I departed this plane of existence long ago. The "dark trinity" is one of my main links to this dimension, you are the other. whenever you suffer so much that you may not recover, I will ALWAYS be there. but if you return to them as you LEFT...then you give Nicolas and Michael too much power to drive you BACK to that moment from which i just recovered you.

Do i like either of them? not especially. Mike would have suffered a fate similar to Prometheus if he had existed in the days of original Olympus and Nicolas...is both intriguing and a dissapointment and i told him so.

But you should know better. You should know from watching ME that I let NO MAN have that kind of power over me. I need you to be there for Morgan, for Alison. They cannot stay gone like this. they have roles to play on this earth just as Darkchilde does in her time and Magik in her's.
 
on Aerie

:: Haleigh more than definately approved of Athena's descision about Persephone. Hecate had come to the same conclusion on her end as well. The goddess of Wisdom was not above considering the words of mortals if they were true and correct.::

We are aware that you were manipulated by the trickster god, and that through his machinations, damage and pain continued to blight your path long after his banishment. I'm sure Hecate will agree with me when i say, that Isis, the goddess...should have been a little more "DEFINATE" in her dealing with her wayward brother. But just as She did not interfere in our affairs all those moons ago, we did not interfere in her's. You are not the only ones who place hope and faith in her avatar, Dominique Deveraux, that she will continue to keep Set at bay now that she has banished him.

We are here NOW because we saw how much PAIN and anguish, Set's manipulations caused you. As i said earlier, it was so strong, so pronounced that we feared CIRCE had some how returned.

:: she looks at the hybrid.::

I understand that your actions were not, on the SURFACE, your choosing. But I am sure YOU can look inside yourself and know that there had to be SOMETHING THERE for Set to take hold of in order to manipulate it. the burden of fault may not be yours, but there IS fault just the same. The sooner you step forward , FROM BEHIND the "i was manipulated" excuse, the better able you will be to deal with the fires of punishment that you are due. They will not come from me, they will come from the person whom you hurt the most, which is MORGAN.

ANY WARRIOR must accept their punishment when they fail or transgress. That is the way, the ONLY way.

:: as Haleigh went to her bar, Athena turned away from her and looked toward Sharon, Delilah, Firebird and Karen.::

I believe that the worst...the most uncertain part of this experience, is over. For all of you. but the choices you make from here on, will determine how much easier or harder this road to recovery will be.

You can only revel in dysfunction for so long before the destiny that you ALL SHARE begins to suffer and you find yourselves and this world suffering even worse.
 
:: Persephone sat and listened to everything Hecate had to say. Even coughing out a small laugh at her quip about what happens when she gets to close to men. She was right, on so many levels. Ava was giving Nicolas and Mike far too much power over her. She expelled so much energy hating them and defaming them....but they were STILL there. They were still apart of the six whether she wanted them to be or not. It was a sickeningly true fact that the goddess needed to come to terms with. ::

:: Parting her mouth to speak, Ava hesitated a moment before sighing. With a small shake of her head, it seemed the brunette was finally just giving in. ::

"Fine....i'll make an effort with them [Nicolas and Mike]. "

:: It was hard for the goddess to say those words, so much so it actually made her eyes fill with tears. Her hatred for Nicolas and Mike showed no bounds, but she knew with the team divided it was only a gateway for even more problems in the future. ::

"But it really makes me sick saying that..."

:: Turning her head away as she wiped away a single tear that managed to escape her glassy eyes, Persephone huffed out a breath, tightening her grip on Hecate's hand before looking back at her friend. She never did like showing her more 'delicate' side to Hecate. ::

"Thank you for your help. I love you dearly for everything you've done for me, now, and in the past. I want you to know that."
 
the enchanted forest

[ Hecate looks upon Persephone with empathy. She'd been where the goddess was...especially in the whole drama involving Hades and her never ending standoff with Hera.]

[ she pulls her dear friend into a hug as she struggled with saying what she had to say about Nicolas & Mike.]

It's allright. You don't HAVE to like them that way. Do you think I EVER liked Zeus? I helped him because I wanted to be rid of Cronus as much as he did and without me, he wouldve failed.

[ she comforts Persephone.]

It's moments like this, where you proove just how WRONG the history books are about you, my friend. You have an understanding of your own that even Athena can't dismiss. your mother would be PROUD of you.

And don't worry...I'll be watching over you...and so will your sister in this timeline. Talk to her, tell her how you feel...she can only be as effective as much as she understands.

:: after encouraging her friend, she lets go of the embrace and looks at Persephone.::

If she fails you again...the NEXT TIME I see her, It won't be ANYTHING NICE.

Now come on, let's get you back to your proper time.

:: and with that, another melodic chime plays as winds spin around them and they disappear in a haze of mystic orbs, returning to the Isle of Aerie.::

:: Hecate sees Athena and the others...::

Persephone is all better now. But before we move on, I want a word with HER!

:: pointing at Haleigh, and TELEBLINKING HER from where she sits, over to face Hecate.::

I'm sure whatever it was you were doing can wait.

:: with that, Hecate takes Haleigh away to the same enchanted forest, BACK in time, the same mysical "secret garden" that would one day be the host of Minerva's Mansion centuries later.::

You know what's coming, right? and unlike Athena, I have NO qualms about ripping you to shreds. I was never one who thought "restraint" was a virtue. :fdevil:
 
Athena responded, making it clear that she DID, in fact, know the full extent of the circumstances. Athena challenged her to own up. Haleigh narrowed her eyes, slowly taking in her cigarrette, eyeing Athena as if deciding what to do with her. Her tone was a low growl...

"Does it seem like I'm hiding behind excuses to you? Because--"

Hecate was there.... and just like that, with no regard for anything that might be going on right now, Hecate whisked Haleigh away to have a private 'chat'.

Hecate said:
I'm sure whatever it was you were doing can wait.
Click to expand...

"Oh, yes, certainly. Why not."

She said, looking around her at the enchanted forrest. Hecate asked if Haleigh knew what was coming... and made a veiled threat. Haleigh looked at her, darkly cognizant of Hecate's point but hardly moved. Haleigh finished her cigarrette, glanced around for a way to put it out, then, with a resigned sigh, put it out in her own palm. She pocketed the cigarrette butt [not wanting to litter, of course]. She slowly looked up at Hecate. Did she know what was coming?

"I know what I DESERVE. Are YOU going to give it to me?"

An indication she wasn't much happier with the state of things than Hecate might be.... nor was she afraid of what Hecate might do to her.
 
[ Dominique looked upon the young man for the first time without total disgust and contempt. she allowed herself to survey what had become of that baby that she had tried to kill so long ago. had it been over 20 years so quickly? it seemed like only yesterday. But Dominique HERSELF was more than a little different now as well, even her name. Nicolas was handsome, and his heart seemed to be in the right place. THIS was a side of him she'd never known. For after her repeated attempts to stab him as a baby, she was dragged away by fellow villagers as she wailed with grief and rage.]


[ unlike Diana and Helena, Dominique didnt have the luxury of regarding Nicolas as MERELY an enemy..not anymore at least. There's would be a relationship that went beyond good and evil...and one that could even bring the Six and the Sisterhood together if the need ever arose again. ]

Your mama...would be filled with joy right now if she could see you.

[ she looked away.]

Ever the optimist, I suppose in this instance, she would have been prooven right. your capacity to love, your need for "family" bonding comes from her. It was one of the things that made me so fiercely protective of her...especially after our parents died.

as long as i live, the "family" bond will be there, but i am not ready to deal with you just that closely right now. but for the sake of your mama...and to honor the calling set forth by my goddess, Isis, I will....allow you to be able to contact me if you need help...if it seems that SET is trying to come back, then you MUST contact me.

My loyalty to the Sisterhood is not your concern at this time.

[ she said matter of factly with a cold tone.]

As repayment to Harbinger and the Six's help, Malice [ As well as Helena and myself] has agreed with Alison NOT to cross paths anytime soon. The Six will live their lives and we will live ours. Whenever fate or circumstance force us to cross paths ...we will deal with it then, b ut for NOW and the near future, we have agreed to ...."stay out of each other's hair" as you would call it.

[ as Nicolas brought up the matter of his company, of which she had agressively began aquiring stock and seeking controlling interest of, Dominique had almost forgotten that aspect of her vengeance campaign agianst Nicolas. Some Attourneys General had begun conducting investigations into the proceedings of the "buyouts" that Dominique had orchestrated which had tied up a significant portion of her now sizable holdings in the company. it was yet ANOTHER reason for the two to have future dealings, which made Dominique briefly consider releasing her holdings then and there. BUT to her surprise, Nicolas offered her a seat on the board! ]

[ the avatar remained where she was, looking upon the young man less hostile and more cooly.]

your offer is...an acceptable one. aquiring as much holding of this company has given me something of a "high profile" , which is how Diana and Helena found me in the first place.

One professional courtesy deserves another. Let Harbinger know that Malice COMPELLED the General Manager to reveal the fact that the Parthenon and all its assets is STILL in her legal posession.

[ and one last thing.]

Here.

[ for the first time, not including that horrid moment where Nicolas (with Set controlling his body) physically VIOLATED her body, Dominique allows physical contact as she places something in Nicolas' hand.]

I have held on to this...for 20 years. It is the necklace that your mother wore. it was gifted to her by Isis herself when she was a child...a simple charm on a chain, but it was made from your mama's birthstone...a pure pearl. Your mother wore it...until Set RIPPED it from her neck to further proove that he had suceeded in tricking her into breaking the covenant our family had with Isis. I retrieved it, and use my then minor gifts as a sorceress to bring it back together.

When they pulled me away from her...after she died giving birth...to you...I was able to grab it...and hold to it. I've kept it all this time, but...i suppose it would be inappropriate to withhold it from you NOW after all that's passed.

[ she closes his hand around it and then steps back.]

I've spent enough time here for now. I will see you in the boardroom...and from then, I cannot say.

[ transforming into an explosive swirling cloud of sand/silicon particles, the avatar spins away across the sand and wind swept desert...the din of her malestrom is all that Nicolas hears before she vanishes in a swirl of golden orbs.]
 
the enchanted forest

[ Hecate rolled her silver eyes Haleigh spoke and looked away.]

Oh come now, do you REALLY think this "i deserve to die" routine wins you any points? THAT, my dear child is a GIVEN. It's the LEAST you deserve after the trouble you have been to this ONE part of the Dark Trinity.

You think just bcause its out in the open ...you may have a chance to run off into the sunset with him...you HOPE that Morgan doesnt want him anymore.

[ the forest seems to grow dark as winds flow and whisper around Haleigh while Hecate herself looks more demonic.]

Isn't that right? HARLOT?

Arent you HOPING that you can some how FOOL Morgan into thinking you CARE? but all the while you want to go BACK to Aerie, into the ARMS of NICOLAS?

[ Pushing her into a tree with force.]


You DESREVE to be branded the WHORE that you are. Set only brought forth what was ALREADY in your treacherous heart. He didnt MAKE you do anything that you hadnt already dreamed about or secretly entertained in that hell cavern you call a mind or heart.

Nothing I could do to you would take away Morgan's pain...which leaves me LESS than able to addres the problem. THAT is your your duty, your responsibility and I'm going to SEE TO IT that you FACE HER. Whatever SHE does to you, you will NOT be able to escape because I wont LET you.

You wronged her, and now your fate is in HER hands.

[ in keeping with her history of legendary grudge holding and unforgiveness. it was noted that whenever someone wronged Hecate, she made SURE they faced her when the time came for her to exact revenge. Circe was the only example of that which Haleigh got to see but now Hecate was going to force her to face Morgan, who could possibly do any NUMBER of things to Haleigh.]

Do i care what happens to you?

[ Pretending to ponder the situation as she posed.]

Hmmm..not really. After the mess you made, and your seeming INABILITY to try to clean it up, this is exactly what you deserve. Those MORTALS you deal with...THEY may be amazed, or somehow convinced of your sorrow, but i see through your traitorous heart. You loved him THEN...you love him NOW. If it were ME that you did this to? I would destroy you AND him without a thought. But thankfully for YOU...what happens between humans, usually must ultimately be settled AMONG those humans.

I am only here because Morgan and Perspehone NEEDED me. Persephone is healed, restored...no thanks to YOU and once I have done what i CAN do for Morgan...after i see Alison, I am taking my leave of here...that is until you do something ELSE completely STUPID and cause ANOTHER tragic mess that someone ELSE has to clean up.
 
Nicolas smiled warmly as his aunt accepted the offered post on the board. She had spoken already of how his mother would be proud of him, and his heart was quickly healing from much of what it had suffered.

Then she totally shocked Nicolas. Dominique grabbed his hand, and placed an heirloom...from is mother no less...in it. Dominique closed his hand around it and Nicolas just looked as his aunt took her leave of him. He then opened his hand and looked at the necklace, felt it in his hand over and over as he rolled it around. As the avatar of Isis left him, he sent her a final message, for now...

Thank you very much...auntie.

Nicolas teleported back to Aerie...making his way back where he sensed other minds...still at the rotunda. He entered, looking cleaner and more refreshed, more like himself, than he had in quite some time. As he saw who was gathered, he gave a greeting.

Hello everyone...

he nodded in respect to Athena.

Athena.
 
Mike was nearly asleep, resting as the rest of the team was ushered elsewhere by Athena. As he slept, he dreamed of how a meeting with Alison might go. Each time, the ending was different, from very good to very...let's just say that Karen's effort was a waste in a few dreams.

He woke up after only a few minutes, his mind not yet ready to allow sleep. He still had things to do and if it cost him his life, he had no desire to sleep the rest of his time away. He stubbornly rose, changed clothing after cleaning himself up in Karen's suite, and called out one word.

Karen.
 
"You think I give a rat's ass about winning points with YOU, Hecate? Please. I have HURT all the people I care about. YOUR opinion of me means LESS than nothing."

Haleigh scoffed, almost laughed, as Hecate suggested she had in mind some fairytale ending for her and Nicolas. It was neither logical, nor appropriate, and Haleigh entertained no such thought.

"No, as a matter of fact, that ISN'T right. I'm not some delusional, lovesick school girl, Hecate, I'm a GROWN woman and I see things EXACTLY the way they are. I don't have to FOOL Morgan about ANYTHING. I DO care, I've ALWAYS cared.... that's why I never did anything before, but--"

Hecate shoved Haleigh backwards, and Haleigh quickly pushed the woman's hands away as she collided with the tree. There was a sudden fire in her eyes.... She may have been hinting at a death wish before, but now:

"DON'T push me, Hecate, I don't take kindly to BULLYING. If you're not going to put me out of my MISERY then you can just as well keep your hands to YOURSELF, thank you."

Hecate fired on, but Haleigh made sure to keep up.

"You can BRAND me however you LIKE, Hecate.... but this was never ABOUT what I AM or what I'm NOT. It wasn't even about what I WANTED, not at first. Set didn't BRING FORTH anything at all... he just SUBDUED my inhibitions. He knew EXACTLY what buttons to push, what strings to pull. He made me feel ALONE and betrayed by my team. My own instincts and my love for Nicolas did the rest.... [sadly] to my everlasting shame."

Hecate asserted that she'd make SURE Haleigh would face Morgan and not be able to escape. Haleigh shook her head.

"You think I would TRY to?? I have faced her once already! I told her the TRUTH, I told her EVERYTHING, and I BEGGED for forgiveness! She left..... not that I blame her."

Hecate asked herself if she cared what happened to Haleigh and Haleigh, of ever-present sarcasm, shrugged and asked a similarly rhetorical question:

"Does anybody at this point?"

Hecate went on to say that Haleigh loved Nicolas now, almost as if accusing the hyrid of something, and Haleigh didn't understand her point.

"Of COURSE I still love him. Did you think I'd STOP just because of what happened? That's not the POINT.... it wasn't the POINT before, either. The POINT was that my friendship with Morgan was more IMPORTANT to me than 'having my way' with Nicolas. I didn't want to DO THAT to her, and he was HAPPY with her. The way I felt DIDN'T matter. I CAN do that.... I CAN decide what is RIGHT and I can separate it from whatever I may WANT to do about it. And I can STICK to that decision. It'll SOUND like an excuse, but it's just plain FACT. Without Set's interference, I'd never have acted on my.... feelings. Not at Morgan's expense."
 
:: Closing her eyes as Hecate pulled her into a hug, Persephone didn't fight her friend's embrace. Wrapping her arms around Hecate, it was reassuring to know that even after everything that had happened between them, good and bad, she still had her back. And vice versa. ::

:: Hecate soon transported them back to the rotunda where everyone else still remained. Standing there she watched as Hecate then disappeared with Haleigh....she knew well enough the witch goddess wouldn't do anything to Haleigh, merely force her to deal with Morgan. And so Persephone stood, among Blaze, Delilah, and Karen....two of which she was pretty catty to. Deciding that Karen took priority considering she had killed her boyfriend, Ava moved over to the doctor. ::

[in a soft tone] "Karen may I speak with you in private?"

:: Glancing over her shoulder as Nicolas greeted everyone, Ava resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Turning her attention back to Karen, Ava knew that Athena and Hecate were planning on having everyone meet with Alison soon, so the goddess wanted to get a quick word in with Karen. ::
 
[ Hecate looked at Haleigh with amusement as the hybrid fronted her off.]

"Don't PUSH you?"

[ Hecate laughed haughtily and with blinding speed, she SNATCHES Haleigh up by her neck.]

Silly, STUPID little girl. What are you going to DO about it?

[ tightening her grip.]

I will do WHAT I WANT! This is MY domain and YOU are my CAPTIVE AUDIENCE.

[ throwing her to the ground several feet away and encasing her in a flaming pentagram to bar her escape.]

Now then.

[ wiping her hands.]

I will call Morgan, and let HER deal with you.

[placing her hand to her temple, she closes her eyes. a chiming melody plays in the wind]

Morgan, heed the call of your mother...the mother of ALL mother's. come now from where you hide. appear before me and let me help you through this pain and anguish!


[ and with that, she waits...]
 
Aerie

I believe that the worst...the most uncertain part of this experience, is over. For all of you. but the choices you make from here on, will determine how much easier or harder this road to recovery will be.

You can only revel in dysfunction for so long before the destiny that you ALL SHARE begins to suffer and you find yourselves and this world suffering even worse.
Click to expand...

"Finally...at least something remotely positive."

Blaze mumbled under her breath sarcastically. At least it was a start, it was more than any of them had the luxury of before. But Blaze still worried just how much the team share in misery. It seemed that whenever someone screwed up the whole team suffered. Which is exactly what Athena had been implying.

In a swirl of mystic orbs, Hecate appears with Persephone, who looks refreshed. More like herself and that cloud of vengeance was gone.

Persephone is all better now. But before we move on, I want a word with HER!
Click to expand...

"Oh shit..."

Trailing off, she smirked as Hecate snatched Haleigh away. The two women disappearing from the group.

Even Nicolas returned looking more like himself again. Nodding to him, Blaze was a little hesitant around him and Haleigh. She wouldn't blow them off but she also had a duty as a sister as well.

Mike had awoken calling out to Karen. His strong voice easily recognizable through a crowd.

Next came Persephone who walked over to Karen, Delilah, and Blaze. Blaze didn't have anything to say to the Goddess at the moment. Both had dished a few catty remarks to the other. But little did anyone know that Ava's remark hit like a knife to the heart. Even she was beginning to have doubts here.
 
back to the rotunda

<< Karen was thankfull that Athena seemed to know JUST what was plaguing her. If Mike had been the one to point out the need for her to take stock of her situation since becoming Shadow Weaver, ATHENA was the best one to validate what she knew was in her heart. It was OKAY for her to change, and not feel like she had to abandon her roots, her position. She was a woman of wisdom herself, a woman of elegance. She may have wanted to let go and revel in reckless abandon, but that was not the wise thing to do. >>

<< Karen's hands were healed..and she felt more at peace with herself. She was able to let go of much of the bittnerness, the anger and resentment she felt. She didnt have to trade her serenity for the false comfort and pleasure of revenge.>>

<< as they stood outside, Haleigh pressed her luck with Athena. Karen immediately tuned Haleigh out, not even looking at her as she instead looked out to the ocean. her thoughts drifted between Morgan, Mike and how things would be once the goddesses had left.>>

<< Nicolas returned and Karen's face hardened with disapproval, but she continued to hold herself calm.>>

<< Hecate and Persephone returned. It seemed that Karen's first test was at hand. to deal with Persephone and Nicolas at the same time? She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.>>

<< Haleigh was taken by Hecate and Persephone went to Karen asking for a private audience. a moment might as well have lasted an hour as Karen struggled to find the grace in herself to extend to Ava. >>

Fine.

<< she said as she lead the way back to the rotunda, unaware just yet that Mike was calling her. >>

What is it?

<< she said in a composed tone.>>
 
:: As expected Karen was still upset and found it hard to want to speak to Ava, let alone discuss what had happened. Inhaling a deep breath as they began to walk back toward the rotunda, the wind blew back the goddesses long brown hair revealing her remorseful face. Finally stopping, Karen asked directly what she wanted. Not bothering to beat around the bush, she simply said what needed to be said. ::

"I don't expect you to forgive what i've done. Or even forgive me for that matter. But I do apologize for the angst I have caused you. It was never my intention to hurt you, Karen....you're going through enough as it is at the moment, and i'm sorry for adding onto your stress."

:: And with that, Ava turned and began to make her way back down the path they had walked up, to where they others were. She couldn't say any more to Karen because it would ultimately fall on deaf ears. Explaining her actions and making excuses was not a wise route, so Ava simply apologized and allowed for Karen to have the space she needed to hopefully accept it in the future. ::
 
in the rotunda

<< She looked at the goddess with steely opal blue eyes. The woman completed her speech and Karen stood motionless.>>

<< as Persephone turned to leave, Karen hesitated for a moment then called out.>>

just a moment...

<< when persephone turned around, Karen slowly unfolded her arms. >>

What has happened over the last few hours...is the result of trauma, stress and a loss of control...a sense of hopelessness. I can no more blame you than someone would blame ME for the abuse i have dished out to nearly everyone.

When i saw my hands, how "crone like" they had become after resurrecting Mike, I realized that was but the beginning of a descent from which I might not return. If Hecate and Athena had to come, then we were in worse shape than anyone could have guessed.

I understand you were not well...and I forgive you. Just don't EVER let it happen again.

<< she nodded slowly to Persephone as she then heard Mike calling. with that, the two women part ways for now as Karen moves through the rotunda, to find Mike laying in the marble garden.>>

Yes...Mike? What is it?

<< she comes to sit by him, noticing that he looks refreshed, more serene now.>>
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top