Special Delivery

[Seer]

It has been three weeks since last we watched. The situation at Hellfire in many ways stabilized, but only just.

The Black Court has been steady and strong, as they are known to be. Amanda is so far a good Princess, watching over the Court business while her King and Queen are away, but she is not without internal strife. Ben, as well, has been keeping something in, a certain blood relation he has. How will he tell his sister what they are to each other? He hasn’t decided yet. Daniel, for his part, is still adjusting to American life. But now, it’s time for all three of them to get ready; Ava and John are coming back from their European vacation, and they’ll be bringing home a surprise that’s sure to send shockwaves across the Courts.

On the Red Court, Ashley and AJ returned weeks ago, and are running business as usual, while they settle in and enjoy their new normal. A Queen and her Knight, happily taking full advantage of the deal she struck with the Red King. But with the arrival of the future Red Princess right around the corner, how will this arrangement hold up? Alek has spent the time shoring up defenses, shutting down any weaknesses, and taking control of most aspects of security. Calder has done well for himself, performing dutifully whatever is asked of him as the new Red Rook. Jack has minded his own business in The Aqua Ring, as usual, but he still hasn’t given up his pursuit of the White Knight.

For those in White, the tentative armistice still holds. The White King has leaned far into being a father to Carolina, and rekindling the romance with Elena. Carolina has had the best summer a little girl could ask for, but the jury is still out on whether her mother is as smitten with Hellfire. After the olive branch offering of the unicorn, Haleigh has stayed mostly out of their situation. She has grown nearly to full term in her pregnancy, and spent her weeks renovating rooms for her twins, in both the Red and White wings of the mansion. Heidi has been the primary link between her King and Queen recently, so they have been able to work ‘together’ on Court business, but she is growing tired of being the messenger, and has her doubts on how long this arrangement can be maintained. Adriana slipped right into her sister’s position as Bishop, with much less resistance than she expected. She’s been busy making her mafia ties invaluable to the White Court, with extra effort to win favor with her Queen.

There are other people of interest too, in other parts of the world. What has become of those we last saw in Tokyo? It is yet another thing to watch for…

 

[Kitsune]

Tokyo - Shibuya District

< When she got to the end of her now bloodstained rainbow, all she found was more retribution to deliver. And part of her was tired. She had been ready to lay down the mask of the kitsune, and live out her days as the worldly widow that she was. But she couldn't. Not when she had discovered that the man who had orchestrated the assassination of her husband after all was Archer Fairchild, a man she and her late husband had trusted above all others. The Black King had always tried to get himself involved in business in Japan. It was a shame to her family that none of them realized he was willing to do so at their expense. She would not let Kenji's legacy be that of a fool. So she persisted. She would wear the mask and dole out vengeance until there was none left to give. But there was also freedom in the path she had carved through Tokyo as an executioner. Kenji wanted more than dominion over a small island. He wanted the Inagawa name to be known throughout the world. She had to think bigger than the narrow minded games of the yakuza. And she would. >

< Archer's death had been swift, and yet, very well thought out. Down to the minute his last breath escaped him, his assets were seized by Hellfire America, now falling under the umbrella of an entity called TRICELL. It was a new conglomerate. One never heard in the criminal underworld until it suddenly existed. Upon further investigation, it appeared to be a mixture of assets owned by Haleigh Davidoff King, Ava Cassadine and Chuoko Soto, daughter of one of the most influential non yakuza men in Tokyo, who had left her fortune to masquerade as The Black Knight of Hellfire America. Amanda Soto. Cho was a distant memory of the upper social echelon of Tokyo, but Vivica was far beyond social graces at this point. She would not sit back and let Archer Fairchild's empire grow off the back of her dead husband. If she had to dismantle Hellfire to get what she wanted, she would. >

< That was why she hadn't killed the prisoner she was keeping in a warehouse in Shibuya, just outside the many exciting shopping districts, restaurants, bars and hotels the neighborhood had to offer. He had found himself unable to pay a debt he had accrued in one of her casinos. This was not a rare occurrence. Many people promised the house the moon and the stars for just another roll of the dice. But this one was special. This one would give her audience to somebody who was making a name in the city - Alexis Quartermaine. She'd been in Tokyo for a year now, and she had a reputation for causing trouble. Alexis didn't play by the rules and the customs that had been firmly established. Many wanted her dead, as she was loosening the purse strings of those in Tokyo who wanted to find riches for themselves outside of the yakuza. Vivica simply wanted an audience. >

< She stepped out of her black stretch limo, and into the light snowfall that had entreached upon the urban landscape of Tokyo as she headed into the warehouse, through several doors, and down three flights of stairs, and into the basement space of the building she owned with an elegant and icy ease, members of the staff seeming to anticipate her movements as they opened doors, took her coat and prepared her champagne, all without her asking. There were certainly perks to being the widow of one of the most powerful men in Japan, and Vivica took full advantage. Taking a moment to admire herself in the camera lens of her cell phone, she threw her phone on the table in front of her and undid a series of locks that barred her from the cell in front of her. Stepping into the cell, she ran her finger along the door frame, unsettled at the amount of dust collected on her finger as she made her way forward to the hulking man in chains strung up in front of her. >

"Rise and shine, hulk. Did you sleep well?"

 

[Knockout]

Tokyo, Shibuya District, Apparently

"Ughhhh...."

He slowly woke from his drunken stupor with a throbbing head and blurred vision. This was a normal occurrence for him, so at first, it was business as usual. And then he tried to move and a clamoring of chains jolted his vision into focus as his muscles tensed against his apparent prison. The last thing he remembered, he was fuckin' killing it at poker. Like always. Gambling in Tokyo was always a laugh riot. Watching the salarymen up the stakes on every hand to the point of the absurd. One time he'd won an actual baseball team. And a boa constrictor. But the game must of turned against him.

Most people would be scared of waking up in a situation like this, but Jax was decidedly calm. Amused even. Surveying his "cell" he began to wonder who would go through this kind of trouble for little old Alan Jason Quartermaine? Well, a lot of people actually. Jax had kind of reputation for getting in trouble, but he couldn't help it. He had more money than god and an insatiable urge to do bad and stupid things, but it wasn't his fault. Auntie Helena had painted him and his sister as the black sheep of The Quartermaine Family for most of his life - he was simply living up to his reputation, while doing everything he could to destroy hers. Well, at least that's what he told himself while she was alive. Now that she was dead, he was working on destroying her legacy.

"Ah fuck."

A flash of the night came back to him. He'd been down bad, but there was this one guy he really wanted to stick it to at the table. He was a loud, disgusting man who was a bit too handsy with the cocktail waitresses and he was sucking all the air out of the room, which was Jax's self proclaimed birthright. So he maybe made a bet he had no intention of paying, just to see if the guy would raise. And the motherfucker actually did it. Worse. He had the better hand. Jax had to pay up. So he did what any normal person would do - he started a brawl. Because he may have been a loser at poker, but he had never lost a fight in his life. Well, at least not sober. And judging from the chains he was being hoisted up in right now, the Sapporo must have got the best of him. C'est la fuckin' vie.

He knew he could generate enough energy to break through the chains if he started making a ruckus, but he was curious to know what this was about. It would have been easier to kill him. Who had taken him? Did they think he actually had 1,498,550,000 yen lying around? I mean...he did, but they weren't going to get a red cent out of him. The suspense was lifted as he heard a series of locks and clicks moving around before an absolute SMOKE SHOW of a woman appeared in front of him.

Vivica: "Rise and shine, hulk. Did you sleep well?"

"I always do, babe. But I gotta say, i'm suddenly very happy to be awake."

Jax eyed her up and down. He'd seen her before, but he couldn't place her. Still, there were a hell of a lot worse people to be captured by. What a morning this was turning out to be!

"You the brains of this operation? No...wait. Are you here to torture me? I sure as hell hope so. Spoiler alert...I can take a lot of pain. You're more likely to get me off before getting me to talk. But don't let that stop you."

 

[Prophet]

The Hellfire Mansion - Galley Kitchen

For the most part, the last few weeks had been suspiciously peaceful. Both Haleigh and Cameron had kept up their armistice, and though he didn't like to admit it - he had needed the space. He still made sure he attended appointments with both Haleigh and Alek, and he found himself only briefly thinking of ways he could fuck with Alek's mind and get away with it. But he had more important things to focus on besides the man his wife would eventually get bored of once the babies were born. Spending every day with Carolina had been the happiest days he could remember in his life. Every conversation he had with her, every moment they shared together - it was changing him. But not completely. Despite anyone's effort, he was still concerned with his future at Hellfire. And thankfully for him, Haleigh was as well. They had been working on what the future was going to look like for them, and they were getting close. Tonight, after dinner with his daughter and her mother, Haleigh and Cameron's divorce would be final. It would be the first time they had been alone together since they were in the dystopian future.

The White King was sad, but he was also hopeful. Time away had shown him that a lot of the decisions they both made in their lives were at the suggestion of others. Both of them had played into what their parents had wanted, despite thinking they were rebels. Haleigh would always be one of the greatest loves of his life, and he hers, but there lives were not over. And they both loved Hellfire too much to let this get in the way of that.

But all of that was for future Cameron to deal with. Tonight? He was having dinner with Elena and Carolina, and they were making it together. He'd been so pampered his entire life, the very idea of cooking a meal was foreign to him. But when he'd gone to Colima and they made chilaquiles together, it was bonding in a way that left an impression. For the last few weeks, they had traded off. Cameron would find a recipe and 'teach' the class, or Elena would 'teach' him and their daughter. There'd been a lot of laughs, a couple of abject failures, and many memories created.

"Elena."

Cameron was trying his absolute best. He was trying to go slow. In reality, he wanted to fuck her in every single corner of The White Wing until she begged to be his. But he had hurt her in a way that he never really processed, or honestly cared about until his daughter came into the picture. Empathy, despite being a power of his, was not a strength. And for awhile, he just couldn't understand how she was unable to just get over things and live in the moment. But being with his daughter, he was learning that always living in the moment, and never taking a moment to observe history, or craft the future, just wasn't smart. And wasn't good parenting. He wanted to smother Carolina with gifts and praise and money and affection, but that's what his mom had done to him. And while he was proud of the man he was, he knew what it had done to him. What it cost him. And he just wanted Carolina to feel....genuinely supported, and not blindly adored.

His patience however, was wearing thin. The summer was over. Any day now, Carolina would have to go back to Colima, to her grandfather's estate. To go to school. To live the life she had before he had gotten involved. They both would be gone and Cameron couldn't stand it, but he didn't know how to fix it either. Elena had remained strong in her resolve. Only giving him breadcrumbs...little throw away comments that she might be able to see herself staying here. And she'd yet to let him break the seal, so to speak. She'd made it very clear that this trip was about him connecting with Carolina, and not getting into her pants. But they'd been having so much fun together. It was becoming easy to be together, second nature. Cameron knew he had to do something before she left, he just didn't know what.

Carolina: "Alright, papi! It's your night! What have you got for us?! PLEASE no more casseroles. I don't want to hurt your feelings but..."

Carolina appeared in the dooryway of the main kitchen of Hellfire in her chef's hat and jacket. The girl was always dressed for whatever occassion might occur. He hadn't even gotten it for her, she'd charmed the kitchen staff into giving the uniform to her. She's was going to make such a good queen. She bridged the gap between them, jumped into his arm and whispered in his ear.

Carolina: "They're kind of terrible..."

The White King laughed loudly as he kissed her forehead and set her back down on the ground.

"Message received, mija. I figured tonight? We'd make something really American. I think it's time we tried...cheeseburgers and fries."

Carolina: "We got some work to do then. We can't mess this up. Mami loves papas fritas."

He smirked. She was becoming so quick witted. It felt like every time he talked to her she aged a year ot two, and he thought of his son, who would be in this world very shortly. Knowing what little he did about Logan, he had sure to give Haleigh a ton of music for Logan to "listen" to. Knowing that he was a DJ, that he loved music, Cameron wanted to make sure he was exposed to the good kind at a young age. He wondered if Logan would be as quick as Carolina. As smart. And then he remembered who he was, and knew that Logan would be.

"I know...I know it's a gamble. But I mean, the three of us have pulled off some pretty damn good dinners, kid. I think we can handle it."

Carolina: "Uh..I'm going to pretened I didn't hear that bad word papi. But only because you let me say [whispers] ass the other day."

"Hey hey! It was just the one time. Don't get loco. Speaking of loco, where is your mother?"

Carolina moved through the kitchen, opening shelves and getting things together for her mis en place, something one of the chefs had shown her how to do last week. Something she'd become obsessed with. Maybe she'd be a chef? As she messily moved through the kitchen she responded.

Carolina: "She's getting ready. She's always getting ready now. I think she likes you, papi. But don't tell her I said that."

"I'll take it to the grave, kid."

The White King watched Carolina, and waited for Elena to arrive as he began to grab the ground beef from the fridge and begin to form patties as Carolina took care of the more operational tasks of their mission at hand.

 

[Persephone]

FLASH

Stavros' heartless body laid lifeless on the yacht deck, blood pooled around him, dripping off the edge of the stern. Sharks were already circling in the Aegean Sea, smelling the blood as it painted the crystal clear waters red. Ava stood above him, soaked in her own father's blood, holding his heart in her hand.

FLASH

Lily: "You're...you're my mama? But, but papa said you and daddy were dead..."

"We're not dead, sweetheart. Your papa made a horrible [lifting her cold eyes up to Stavros, murderous with intent] horrible mistake."

FLASH

Lily: “Are you going to live with us now?”

Ava: “No baby, but you’re going to come live with me in New York!”

Lily: “Really?! [frowning looking back at Stavros] But what about papa? Is he coming too?”

Ava knelt down to get on Lily’s level, trying to hide the anger radiating from her at the smug look on Stavros’ face.

Ava: “Your papa has a lot of business he has to take care of in Greece, sweetie. Plus, he knows how much we’ve missed each other! He wants us to spend as much time together as possible so we can get to know each other better. Does that sound okay with you?”

Lily: “Yeah!!”

Lily exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around Ava’s neck in a tight hug. Ava held her daughter against her, looking across the yacht deck at her father, knowing this would be the last time he would ever see either of them again.

FLASH

Ava: “Take Lily into the city. I’ll meet you at the jet in one hour.”

John: “Ava…We still don’t know where Kelly is.”

Ava: “That’s why you need to take her a go, John. You protect her. Whether I’m back in an hour or not, you take her home and protect her. Promise me.”

Ava could see the hesitation in Johns eyes, knowing that he didn’t want to leave Ava there with Kelly unaccounted for. But he conceded, despite his better judgement.

John: “With my life. [grabbing her hand] I’ll see you in an hour.”

Ava didn’t respond, her eyes hard. Placing her other hand on Lily’s back, she made the two of them disappear in a tornado of winds, sending them to Athens.

FLASH

Ava stood above her father, his heart still warm in her hand. Even in death he looked like a smug bastard. Placing her foot on his shoulder, Ava pushed his body off the yacht and into the shark infested waters. Instantly, they began to feast, tearing apart his body in a frenzy. The water was now dark crimson, water thrashing everywhere. Ava watched with an even expression, devoid of any emotion. She let his heart drop onto the yacht deck, amongst the pool of blood. A gift for Kelly King.

FLASH

“I want to see her…”

Laying on the medical bed, she watched as the doctors began to quickly clean off her little girl, wrapping her in a pink blanket and putting a little pink cap on her.

“I want to hold her.”

No one was listening to Ava. Every nurse hustling around trying to assist in post birth care, while the doctor stood with her child in his arms. Now Ava was getting pissed. Something was off. Something didn’t feel right.

“Give her to me. NOW.”

The door opened and the doctor turned toward it.

“Give me my daughter!”

That’s when she saw her father and Kelly enter the room.

“No…”

The doctor gently handed her baby to Stavros and Kelly, both of them smiling down at the infant. And for the first time in her life, Ava was terrified. The room began to rumble as she thrashed forward. Her powers unstable from the sedatives.

“NO!! GIVE ME MY BABY!”

The nurses quickly began to restrain Ava, the doctor administering more sedative per Kelly’s orders. The room began to warp, Ava crying for her child as everything around her went dark.

FLASH

Ava’s eyes opened with a start, her body tensing just enough to make Lily stir on her lap. Not many memories had resurfaced, but this particular one was reoccurring. It haunted her. Haunted her to know that her father was so heartless that he would breed her like a fucking dog and take her child away from her in the name of power.
Looking down at her daughter sleeping, it made her heart swell with a love she didn’t even know existed, but also break all at the same time. Lily was so naive to know what had happened to the man she considered a father figure for her entire young life. And at some point when she was older, Ava would have to tell her that her own mother had killed him…whether she would forgive her or hate her would be a worry for another day. But today was a different situation to deal with.

Alek.

Her private jet had just landed in New York, which meant reality was sinking in. She needed to speak to Alek and tell him that they had a daughter. But most importantly, she needed Elena’s help to unlock all their memories that had been blocked by Diana. Ava needed to know the truth. She needed to know who was involved, if Alek knew…if anyone within the current inner circle knew. She needed answers, and she needed them immediately.

Gently lifting Lily, she placed her on a John’s lap who was sitting next to her.

“I need to make a call.”

Standing from her seat, she didn’t elaborate any further and walked toward the back of the plane. John didn’t know the possibility of Alek being Lily’s father. No one did. She didn’t even know if it was true, because anything her father said at this point held no merit. She needed to see for herself, the proof being her memories. Pressing call on Alek’s contact, Ava sighed out heavily and shut her eyes, leaning on the wall of the plane waiting for him to answer.

 

[Pathfinder]

The Blond - NYC

"God that's good..."

< The White Princess snorted a few lines of cocaine from the counter of a private bathroom at The Blond, the city's current elite nightlife attraction. Dabbing her nose with her fingers for a moment, she stared at herself in the mirror for a few moments, both disassociating and admiring her reflection. Erika had been putting in a lot of work over the last few weeks. While Cameron and Haleigh had drawn lines and maintained peace, there were about to be two newborns in Hellfire. And Erika was going to deliver them. She'd done their charts, she'd dotted her I's and crossed her T's and she knew she only had a few days left before Hellfire changed permanently. So when her brother and her sister in law had given her the night off, she decided it was a good time to blow off some steam. Not just for her, but for the Inner Circle as well. >

< The decision was two fold. She fully intended on both getting her pussy eaten by a stranger and also getting a final pulse check on how the inner circle felt about things. She'd invited everyone who was not a king or queen, and surprisingly, they had all shown up, which only highlighted that they were all under a lot of stress. This would be one of the last times they had to just give into the night and have a bit of fun, and when people were willing to let loose, Erika was willing to listen. She was in a precarious position. She loved her brother, and she had grown close to both Alek and Haleigh in the last few weeks. They were starting to trust her. And while they hadn't listened to her advice about not fucking, they were more than just starting to trust - they were beginning to respect her. And that was a lot of fucking pressure. >

< So tonight she was going to gather intel and party her face off. When she was satisfied with what she saw in the mirror in front of her, she dabbed her forehead with a paper towel and headed back into the VIP booth, where many members of the Inner Circle, including Jack, Heidi, Ben, Calder, Adriana and Daniel were gathered, enjoying or not enjoying their nights. At this point she was so high she didn't particularly care. She sauntered into the booth and grabbed her greyhound, taking a long sip. She decided to break the ice. >

"I want to thank everyone for coming! I know it's a little odd...and bit a early. But fuck man, we're all about to become babysitters. Felt like we could use a night off. So that's the point of tonight! Drink! Eat! Be merry! Things are about to change in Hellfire. And we're gonna have to bare the brunt of it. Might as well go in it a bit more bonded than before..."

< She took another sip. >

"Also don't forget...I'm historically unstable and I hate when things don't go my way. So ya know...talk shit at your peril!"

< Erika locked eyes with Ben, who had been weirder than fucking ever since he came back from Japan. Last time she had checked in, it seemed like he had it down bad for Amanda, who had refused to join in the festivities because was waiting on Ava and John to return. Erika took note that apparently the princesses of Hellfire would not have their own little circle like the queens had. Whatever was going on with Ben, he was being very nice to her. Erika wasn't used to people being nice to her for no reason, so she was immediately on edge. But tonight he seemed to be enjoying himself, which was good. In fact, for the first time in awhile it felt like people were coming around on her, which only added to the pressure she put on herself. >

"Fuck I love this song!"

< The song pounded throughout the area as Erika rose from her seat. >

"Shall we dance?"

 

[Goliath]

NYC - The Blond

Ben was happy to be back in the states for about five minutes until he saw Erika. Things with Amanda had cooled all the way off, and part of him was relieved. He had enough shit to worry about in Hellfire these days, especially after a particular mission that John had asked them to carry out with little to no intel. Ava was making a move against her father. And while he was thankful that he and Amanda had always planned for this, having it happen was something different altogether. This was going to change Ava. As kids, she'd always been so obsessed with her dad. She loved him. Would do anything for him. To know, that he had finally done something that broke her, it made him nervous. He'd always loved Ava in a way that seemed impossible for her to reciprocate. He'd always anticipated she'd eventually turn on her dad, but he envisioned himself being by her side when that happened. Now, he was behind her, with no information. But it was a place he was used to being.

He wanted to tell Erika that he was her brother every minute of the day, but when he came back to Hellfire from Tokyo, and had caught wind of everything that transpired when The Black Court was gone, he realized he just couldn't. Erika was one of the only people uniquely qualified to help Haleigh deliver her babies safely. And she was a proud woman. Despite how much shit she talked about how her family had done her wrong, she took a lot of pride in being a King. If he revealed that she was in fact, not a "King", but a "Lewis"...he was worried that it would leave Haleigh in a vulnerable place. And he didn't want that. So he had kept his mouth shut. Still, it didn't stop him from trying to get on her good side, of him trying to get to know her better. To connect with her in a different way. It was as awkward as it sounded.

She had taken to being White Princess miraculously well. He'd known Erika her entire life, and he had never seen her more...galvanized. She wanted to do a good job, and he wanted that for her too. Over the years, Erika had done some really incendiary shit, this was the longest she had remained in their orbit without fucking it up, so when she invited him to some fancy NYC nightclub with a message of bonding between courts, he immediately responded yes and was willing to do whatever he could to support that. The Inner Circle socialized with each other at events frequently. They weren't rivals, but they didn't often have the chance to exist as they were outside of the influence of their courts. Erika was smart in wanting to give them some time to enjoy each other's company, and soon, she barrelled into the VIP booth and gave a speech.

Erika: "I want to thank everyone for coming! I know it's a little odd...and a bit early. But fuck man, we're all about to become babysitters. Felt like we could use a night off. So that's the point of tonight. Drink! Eat! Be merry! Things are about to change in Hellfire. And we're gonna have to bare the brunt of it. Might as well go into it a bit more bonded than before..."

She was right. Entertaining the brits had shown Ben that they were a lot more fractured than they wanted to admit. The Inner Circle was just as capable as their current rulers. And with this unprecedented event, it would do them all a bit of good to get to know each other a bit better. Still, it was awkward as fuck.

Erika: "Also don't forget...I'm historically unstable and I hate when things don't go away. So ya know...talk shit at your peril."

Ben grimaced. He hated how down on herself she got, but he couldn't note that feeling without being a total hypocrite. Ben did the same thing. Always played up the negative things that people might comment on about himself, because it was easier to get to that part before others did. It was a way of maintaining power. But when Ben saw was a woman who was trying to unite allies.

Erika: "Fuck I love this song. Shall we dance?!"

That was not Ben's cue. He was many things, but a dancer, he was not. Instead he raised his glass of whiskey to the group, and smiled.

"Anybody want to jump on this grenade themselves?"

 

[Sparrow]

The White Wing - Elena's Suite

Elena flipped through a magazine in her suite, not really seeing the pages. It was time to make dinner with Cameron and Carolina, and she would defy Gordon Ramsey to say it wasn't the best meal he'd ever eaten, the amount of love her daughter put into it. Right now she was giving them some "alone" time, without making it seem like she was shoving Carolina at Cameron. The summer was coming to an end, and soon they would be traveling back home to Colima. She had no idea if once his son was born, Cameron would forget that Carolina ever existed. So Elena wanted to make sure Carolina had the most fantastic memories she could with her father, while it lasted.

She didn't want to be too late, however, so finally she tossed the magazine aside and headed for the kitchens, checking her outfit in the mirror on the way out of her suite.

Cameron.

She could still feel his jealousy towards Alek, which meant he had not yet let go of Haleigh. Their divorce was all but finalized. But no one knew better than Elena did how things could change in the blink of an eye. She had distanced herself from Cameron since she had returned to Hellfire. She wasn't interested in being something of his "on the side". And she wouldn't allow this summer to become about their "romance" - some burn hot but quick to burn out affair that left her heartbroken once again but worse, made Cameron rethink whether he wanted a place in Carolina's life. No, this summer was about Carolina and her father, and she would not take that way from her child for selfish reasons.

Truthfully, she had done her part, and now the ball was in Cameron's court. What was he going to do with it, now that he had it?

Elena tiptoed as quietly as she could into the kitchen, smiling as she watched Cameron and Carolina banter. They were good together, their affection for each other clear and she hoped genuine. She prayed it was genuine.

"I thought I was cooking family dinner tonight but it looks like we have two professional chefs cooking for us instead!"

Carolina turned excitedly.

Carolina: "Mami!"

And then the precocious little firecracker put her hands on her hips and made a face.

Carolina: "You make that joke every time."

But then she started to giggle, and Elena smiled broadly.

"You laugh every time, mija."

Elena picked the chef's hat from her head and ruffled her hair, then replaced the hat.

Carolina: "You look really beautiful, mami. Doesn't she look beautiful papi?"

Carolina's brow wrinkled inquisitively at her father.

"Basta, Carolina."

She tickled her daughter's ribs to make her giggle again.

"So, tell me, what are we making tonight?"

Elena clapped her hands together. When they told her cheeseburgers and fries, she rolled her eyes, albeit good naturedly.

"Very healthy. Let's at least make a salad to go with it."

She started getting the vegetables out of the refrigerator.

"You are going to turn into an American girl with all this American food, mija."

 

[Prophet]

Hellfire Mansion - The Kitchen

Elena: "I thought I was cooking family dinner tonight but it looks like we have two professional chefs cooking for us instead."

He smiled, his eyes looking up from his work space as he met the gaze of Elena. She was looking as beautiful as ever. Cameron appreciated that she dressed for things, because he did too. Haleigh always looked great, but she tended to let others make fashion decisions for her. The others might make fun of him or turn their nose down at him, but he appreciated a woman that dressed for an occassion as small as cooking dinner with her daughter. And she looked damn good.

Carolina: "Mami! You make that joke every time."

Such a sassy little attitude. He felt like she was flourishing here, but he was sure that Elena might disagree so he did his best to hide that thought from her, though he knew it would be in vain. It was one thing to raise a daughter with someone you weren't exactly together with, it was quite another to raise a daughter with a woman who could read your inner most thoughts and desires.

Elena: "You laugh every time, mija."

Cameron smiled as Elena made her way over to their daughter and fluffed her hair a bit playfully.

Carolina: "you look really beautiful, mami. Doesn't she look beautiful papi?"

Elena: "Basta, Carolina."

He laughed.

"She does look beautiful. But it doesn't matter what I think, kid. Just how she feels about herself."

Cameron had seen how women were treated in Hellfire and how they felt about themselves, and he would be damned if he gave her daughter a complex about how she looked, or made her feel like she had to look any kind of way to please someone else here.

Elena: "So, tell me, what are we making tonight?"

They informed her that it was in fact cheeseburgers and fries.

Elena: "Very healthy. Let's at least make a salad to go with it."

"A salad! Far cry from the girl who used to pound McDonald's cheeseburgers with me after suffering through the inspired Hellfire cuisine back in the day. But you're right. Our girl needs her veggies. You head up the salad. I'm almost done making forming these patties. Lina, you can get the buns out of the package, okay? Put them on this tray and I'll get the oven ready for them to be all warmed up alright? And find the cheese, please!"

Elena: "You are going to turn into an American girl with all this American food, mija."

"Hey now, we both know mexican food is better. Burgers and fries are my ace in the hole, El. Let us have it."

He smirked at her as she began to chop vegetables for the salad.

"I don't presume to know your schedule...but I kind of need to meet with you after I am finished tying up things with Haleigh tonight. Are you available?"

Cameron was a bit worried. He was about to have a son any day now. One that his daughter would be big sister to. He wasn't sure what that should like..how Elena wanted that to look like. Haleigh's gift had given them a bit of peace, but neither Elena nor Cameron were stupid. Neither of them fully trusted her. More than that, Cameron wanted to make sure Elena knew how he felt before she left. And if he was being honest, he wanted Carolina to be there when her baby brother was born. There had to be a path forward. And while this trip had been for him to bond with Carolina, there were important things about the future that Elena didn't want to talk about. Carolina was going to have a brother. He wanted them to know each other. In the dystopian future he'd seen, it didn't feel like Logan and Carolina were close. He didn't like that. And in an effort to keep things calm and moving forward, Cameron hadn't really talked about what he'd experienced in the future to Elena. Mostly because they were both dead and she would likely be horrified that her daughter was essentially raised by Heidi, a woman he cared about deeply. His knight was who he trusted more than anyone else in Hellfire, so for Cameron, of course it made sense she would happily raise his daughter. To Elena, it might seem devious. And depending on how things settled at the end of the night, Cameron was going to have to make some line in the sand decisions. He wanted Elena to be a part of those, but if she didn't want to play ball, he was going to have to do what was needed to keep himself in power at Hellfire, and to be able to protect his family.

"So, Lina! You are about to be in the third grade! That's pretty big! Are you excited?! What are you looking forward to this year?"

 

[Black Widow]

Hellfire Mansion — The Red King’s Suite

”Ah, that was excellent, thank you.”

She said, and then she smirked at him, because it was her little post-coital habit to say that to him. It used to serve as a nice way to excuse herself from the embrace so she could extract herself before there was time enough to consider whether cuddling should occur. It used to. Now it was her habit to lay back and relax next to him, maybe even initiate the cuddling herself. Lately what they’d been doing was a lot less like fucking, and a lot more like lovemaking, which was nicer than she expected. Of course, there was still a part of her looking forward to doing some serious fucking, after the babies were born, when they didn’t have to be so painstakingly careful.

She closed her eyes, breathing out slowly, quietly. It seemed like it was every day now, with these post-sex contractions. She started a timer, and as usual, it was just 30 seconds. A short burst of muscular tension, it felt like, that radiated from her midsection out to her lower back, down to her pelvis and inner thighs. Nothing to do except steady her breathing. She didn’t realize until afterward that she had clenched a fistful of the sheets. She reset the timer, to see how long it took until the next one. She was just ‘three weeks’ along, but her belly had grown to that of a 30+ week twin pregnancy. Three weeks have been enough time to do some research, and align well-established expectations with her accelerated timeline.

“Oh! Haha, Rebekah’s trying to berserk her way out of there.”

Haleigh said, taking hold of Alek’s hand and guiding it to the spot where his daughter’s movements could best be felt. She used her free hand to adjust the pillow under her head, then she went to feel the other side of her stomach.

”Heh, Logan’s helping.”

She said with a smile. It was a nice moment, interrupted by the ringing of Alek’s phone. Haleigh’s smile faltered. It wasn’t that she was checking to see if it was that stupid cute girl from security control, what’s her name, Zizi. Little Zizi played the cute innocent act, but Haleigh suspected the girl knew exactly where all the camera sweep blind spots in the mansion were. Alek had been spending SO much time with her lately, going over ‘security issues’. Haleigh wondered, but refused to ask, if Alek thought about fucking the girl, or if he already had, in one of those blind spots where Haleigh couldn’t see.

No, Haleigh wasn’t specifically checking to see if that was the incoming call. It was more like a data burst on the network, and Haleigh couldn’t fail to notice these kinds of things. To her it was if a person were saying the information in her mind. It just occured to her, like a thought would. So she knew right away it wasn’t stupid cute Zizi from security control, it was Ava.

Ava who had been in Europe with John for weeks, basically on extended vacation. Ava who’s cell signal was now bouncing off a tower in New York. Coming home then, but it was still odd that she was calling Alek, of all people. Ava was least likely to be a lover of Alek’s, those two practically hated each other, apparently just mutually on principle. Alek’s phone slid out of his pants pocket from the floor and floated over to the bed where he could reach it, Haleigh’s doing. Also Haleigh’s doing were the split set of Bose headphones drifting over to press up against either side of her belly, and the Spotify playlist that Cameron had sent her starting to play, because if the babies were going to dance then they might as well have music.

”Tell Ava I said hi, and welcome back. She’s gonna freak when she sees the size of my belly.”

Haleigh said with a knowing smile.

 

[Fathom]

NYC — The Blonde

Heidi had finally gotten an empty martini glass delivered. She couldn’t fathom why such a simple request was so difficult for the staff to understand, but she waved the waitress away dismissively. She filled the glass with water, and then fished her vial necklace out of her neckline. A droplet of the venom and she had her usual elixir to enjoy. Her gaze travelled from one end of their party to the other.

Ben was sitting on the edge, as usual not saying much at all. Adriana was politely asking Daniel how he liked it in America after a few weeks of acclimation time. Calder looked like he wasn’t entirely sure what this whole situation was about, which was pretty typical for him. AJ was attacking the charcuterie board as if he hadn’t eaten today. Jack had his thinking face on, not to be confused with his serious face, though to the unfamiliar they may appear one and the same.

Erika came back from the bathroom and thanked them all for showing up, mentioning how they’d all be babysitting soon. She suggested they eat, drink, and be merry, and then a song came on that she declared she loved, and she wanted someone to dance with her. Suffice it to say there was no great debate on who should get to go first. Ben raised his glass and suggested somebody else go. AJ and Jack looked at each other.

AJ: ”Jack does not dance, and the for me, it has been a very long time. I do not think this song is suited for the foxtrot. Calder?”

Heidi couldn‘t imagine AJ ballroom dancing, even 100 years ago. Adriana stood up, handing her drink to Ben.

Adriana: “Ben, you seem nice, but if you roofie me you’ll be at the bottom of the Hudson River wearing concrete shoes long before you get to take advantage of me, so keep an eye on that drink, if you’re not gonna dance. Come on Erika, we don’t need the boys to have a little fun on the dance floor.”

 

[Kitsune]

Tokyo - Shibuya District

Jax: "I always do, babe. But I gotta say, I'm suddenly very happy to be awake."

She watched as his eyes looked her up and down, as most men's did when they looked at her. Vivica had spent much of her life as an object of desire for many, to the point of which, after her husband died, she felt almost no attraction to members of the opposite sex. Especially after walking the path of revenge. Around every corner, there was a man doing some kind of disgusting thing to make himself feel like more of a man. And they were all the same. To choose to be with a man at this point would be choosing to dilute herself, and it was something Vivica wouldn't allow herself to entertain anymore. He was conventionally attractive. He was rich and dangerous. His macho persona would have likely charmed many women, but Vivica was not one of those women. The only thing that turned her on these days was power, and getting as much of it for herself as she could. But like any good model, she could always play the part.

"I wish I could say the same, Mr. Quartermaine..."

She grabbed his chin as she held his gaze in hers for a moment, her eyes smoldering with a longing she had fabricated for moments like these, before she took her free hand and slapped him across the face.

"But I find men who can't pay their debts to be a bit of a buzzkill..."

Jax: "You the brains of this operation? No..wait. Are you here to torture me? I sure as hell hope so. Spoiler alert...I can take a lot of pain. You're more likely to get me off before getting me to talk. But don't let that stop you."

"I have no intention in getting you off, Jason. In fact, if it weren't for your sister, I'd have served you up like sashimi the minute my men took you down."

She smirked.

"You're a bargaining chip. Nothing more. You'd do well to remember that..."

Vivica stepped forward, her index finger trailing from the top of his bicep down to his stomach. Months ago, she'd met a woman who specialized in very unique, very expensive manicures. Of the adamantium variety. And so far, the cost of such a service had more than paid for itself. With a simple POKE she pressed into Jax's abdomen with ease, her nail puncturing his skin as if it her butter as she pressed forward. She was careful not exert much energy, otherwise her captor might escape. She watched as Jax winced in pain. Leaning into Jax's ear, the warmth of her breath hit his lobe as she spoke.

[softly] "Because I've taken down far richer, more handsome men than you with far less effort."

Aito was setting up the meeting place with Alexis, she'd simply just wanted to talk to the man for a minute, to decide whether or not he could be of use to them moving forward. Pulling her nail from his abdomen, she pulled a tissue from her purse, and wiped her hand clean.

"Your sister has been making a lot of noise in Tokyo lately. The yakuza are worried...which is no small feat. I just wanted to see if her brother shared more with her than just a last name. And to see if things go south with your little sis...how easy it might be to eliminate you...."

 

[Pathfinder]

NYC - The Blond

< So far, like she expected, The Inner Circle was being a bit of a buzzkill. Well that, and this was a situation she knew well in her life. Everybody not knowing what to say to her, because they weren't sure if she'd laugh or gut them. She wasn't even sure herself, but she did genuinely just want them to get together and have a bit of fun, so she was thankful when the newest member of the team spoke up. >

Adriana: "Ben, you seem nice, but if you roofie me you'll be at the bottom of the Hudson River wearing concrete shoes long before you get to to take advantage of me, so keep an eye on that drink, if you're not gonna dance. Come on Erika, we don't need the boys to have a little fun on the dance floor."

< The White Princess gave the freshly minted White Bishop a mischievous smirk. She enjoyed Adriana, though there was quite a bit of mystery surrounding her. Erika respected anyone who had endured a psych ward sentence because Erika had plenty of frequent flyer miles in those type of haunts. Erika herself had survived a stint on Blackwell's Asylum, and it wasn't for the faint at heart. More than that, it was clear that Adriana was shaping herself up to be Haleigh's pet. While she wasn't sure if Adriana's tenure at Blackwell's was because of necessity or some nefarious (nefaria?!) plan to keep Adriana from the power and title that were rightly hers, Erika was happy to get to know the woman a bit better if she was going to stick around. >

"Oh don't worry about Benji. He may be rock hard but he's as soft as a lamb. There's been some supreme assholes in Hellfire, but he can be trusted. But you, my dear, just said the magick words...dance!"

< Erika gestured her hands around her as if she were conjuring some mystical energies as she scooted forward towards Adriana, and pulled her from her seat, leading her out towards the dance floor. The neon lights cascaded against the beautiful women as they began to dance around each other. >

"Sorry about Gia..."

< The White Princess moved a little closer, placing her hands on Adriana's hips playfully, the way that girlfriends do when they are protecting each other on the dance floor. >

"But I gotta say, I'm glad we got the better Nefaria. You aren't too heartbroken are you?"

 

[Cobra]

Hellfire Mansion - Black Wing

Amanda Soto wasn't sure what the hell was about to happen once John and Ava returned from their latest conquest, but she knew that whatever was about to happen, was going to change the dynamics of The Inner Circle. She'd been given little to no details, only that her King and Queen were bringing a child with them. One that they didn't want the others to know about. She was the sole person on The Black Court outside of her rulers that knew anything about this, and they had tasked her with setting up living quarters for this child - a girl, without anyone else knowing.

Thankfully, the fact that there were to be two newborn babies in Hellfire, along with the arrival of Carolina earlier this summer, and it was suprisingly easy to skim off the top of things, taking a few stuffed animals here and there, some cast aside furniture. Before long, The Black Princess was actually quite impressed with what she was able to set up for whoever this little girl was, and she was grateful for the distraction. At the end of the brits visit to Hellfire, Amanda felt like she was going through some kind of identity crisis. She had helped to steal all of Archer's assets from him, saddled them to herself and others on opposing courts. But she had also humiliated herself. Shown how she felt about things with a vulnerability that would have gotten her killed had Talisman still ran her court.

She was lucky to have John and Ava as her leaders, despite the growing pains she was still experiencing. John had been her peer, and when things were dire in the court, had often been an advisor of war. But never her King. That had taken some getting used to. Ava had always been her superior. It was easy to know where she stood with her, and while she would have loved to rule the court with Ava, there wasn't anyone else she could see running the court (if not herself) than John.

"They're incoming any minute. I want frequent updates. I am not sure when this child will be here, but we've been instructed that this little girl gets a metric ton of our protection. I want The Black Guard there upon their arrival, and our rogues at every corridor of the mansion..."

Amanda spoke to the group of pawns, as she went about her punch list with tenacity. Despite being a former knight, and the face of The Black Court's right hand, she'd always been involved in the details. She clung to operations and SOP's and she was finding herself quite suited to the duties of a Princess despite loathing the title. Knight was evocative, as was Princess. But many people took the knight far more seriously than they ever took the princess, Erika King was case in point. She thought about joining The Inner Circle tonight, and if her King and Queen weren't arriving home tonight, she would have. But she was trying to stay the course. To make up for past mistakes, and she also really didn't want to see Ben. She had ended things with him because it was the right thing to do, not something she wanted to do. But she was beginning to worry that she might find herself in the very same position that Ava and John used to be in, with John always hungering to be by Ava's side and yet not acknowledged for so long. She didn't want that kind of mess in her life anymore. She would only have sex for fun, or to finish one of her novels. Right now, her duty was to John, Ava, and this..."child" about to arrive.

"We are ALSO under STRICT gag orders. And believe me. I know every single word that this court speaks, both within these walls, above them, below them, and outside them. Do not insult my intelligence by thinking you can leak ANY kind of information on our movements without me knowing. Is that clear?"

The Black Guard: "AYE!"

"Good. Now get in your places. They're incoming SOON."

 

[Discord]

NYC - The Blond

The Black Bishop was keeping his mouth closed and his eyes opened, because shit was about to hit the proverbial fan in his court. They had essentially just touched down in Tokyo before they were called home, and Daniel was good at his job. He was also an omega level empath, so when he felt a new emotional tie suddenly become clear between his Queen and a little girl he had never heard of in his life, he began to try and figure out everything he could about her. But in true Hellfire fashion, something was clogging things up and it was likely tied to magick. The emotional tie was deep, it was pure, but he could sense nothing else. All he knew was that Amanda started acting funny, John and Ava's intel became vague and Ben was as sulking as ever. But he was too new to his court and position to begin to insert himself in things like this. But he knew, once his queen and king arrived at The Helfire Mansion, shit would be turned on it's head. So when he received an invitation from Erika to enjoy a night off together, he gladly accepted.

Whatever was to come in the future, The Black Court would need allies and relationships to get through it, and that was where Daniel excelled. Erika was born of the same pedigree as he was, and while she was herself, positively insane, he had sensed a deep change within her emotional state in the last few weeks. She was caring where she was usually angry. Smart where she was usually impulsive. She was genuinely trying to make bonds within Hellfire, and it had turned The Black Bishop's eye on her. Plus, he had nothing else better to do. He had once again found himself in an Inner Circle where sexuality was as rigid as it had been across the pond. The most handsome of men here were just as painfully straight, and Daniel was worried he would never find his own devilishly handsome evil lover. Though the bulge in Jack's pants was promising, he seemed infatuated with Heidi and, a peak with his powers only confirmed it. In fact, the only man he could ever see himself effectively hooking up with in Hellfire was Cameron. And The White King had enough unrequited love and attraction. So he had popped a molly and was sitting in the VIP section of the most exclusive hotspot that New York City had to offer, watching a coked out Erika try and call each other to arms.

Erika: "I want to thank everyone for coming! I know it's a little odd...and a bit early. But fuck man, we're all about to become babysitters. Felt like we could use a night off. So that's the point of tonight! Drink! Eat! Be merry! Things are about to change in Hellfire. And we're gonna have to bare the brunt of it. Might as well go in a bit more bonded than before...Also don't forget...I'm historically unstable and I hate when things don't go my way. So ya know...talk shit at your peril!"

Daniel laughed as he took a sip of his vodka soda, with an unimaginable amount of line. He didn't mind being a gay stereotype tonight. He watched as AJ devoured the charcuterie, and Jack remained pensive as ever. Calder seemed a bit promising, if not a bit confused, and Heidi remained as cool and calm as ever. She was the one bright spot in him coming here. In London, they had been very close. Out of his own court, she was the person he trusted the most. And he knew she was having a hard time. She'd been the middleman between her king and queen for weeks. It was wearing on her. Daniel raised his glass to hers as Adriana and Erika moved towards the dancefloor.

"Well..you're court is about to get a bit bigger, Heidi...that's a lot of pressure. I hope you're taking care of yourself. Or letting someone else help take care of you..."

He glanced at Jack and smirked.

"Honestly, I'll be a bit relieved once Haleigh gives birth. Hellfire has been walking on eggshells lately. I'm ready for the shells to crack."

 

[Sparrow]

Hellfire Mansion - The Kitchen

Carolina was being her usual impish self, asking her father if Elena looked beautiful. Elena was worried that Carolina's dreams of her parents getting back together would be dashed, and she would be left feeling it was her fault. That was one reason she had been taking it so slow with Cameron since they had come to New York. Carolina could not be hurt by this, if she could possibly help it.

Cameron: "She does look beautiful. But it doesn't matter what I think, kid. Just how she feels about herself."

Elena, rolled her eyes over her daughter's head at Cameron. He was laying it on a bit thick.

"Since when did you become a feminist, amado?"
Cameron and Carolina were making cheeseburgers, so Elena insisted on a salad so there might be a few vitamins in the meal.

Cameron: "A salad! Far cry from the girl who used to pound McDonald's cheeseburgers with me after suffering through the inspired Hellfire cuisine back in the day."

"I'm smarter now."

She gently pinched Carolina's nose.

"That's why I'm the mami."

Cameron then proceeded to give orders like a chef in his kitchen, which was no surprise. And Carolina responded like a first rate sous-chef, hopping to his every command. Elena washed the salad veggies out before her, and started to chop them into bit sized pieces.

Cameron: "I don't presume to know your schedule...but I kind of need to meet with you after I am finished tying up things with Haleigh tonight. Are you available?"
She could guess what he was wanted to talk about without even having to read his mind.

"Why don't we meet in your study, after I put Carolina to bed? We can have a drink."

Cameron: "So, Lina! You are about to be in the third grade! That's pretty big! Are you excited?! What are you looking forward to this year?"

Carolina looked at Cameron with that same sassy expression she'd given Elena earlier. Served him right.

Carolina: "I'm seven, papi. I'm going to second grade!"

Her faced morphed into her thinking expression. She tapped her finger to her lip.

Carolina: "We get to read James y el Melocotón Gigante this year, um-"

Her faced scrunched up and she looked at Elena and whispered.

Carolina: "What is it mami?"

"James and the Giant Peach."

Carolina: "Yes! And there's the play for Las Posadas. I hope I get to be María this year."

"You are probably still too little for María, mija, perhaps a cute little sheep?"

She turned to Cameron and explained.

"It's the Nativity play at school."

Carolina looked a little crestfallen, but nodded. Then she perked up.

Carolina: "Or maybe a unicorn!"

Elena just smiled, picking her battles.

Carolina: "And then there's Children's Day, when mami and I go give out presents to children who don't have any. Can you imagine, papi, having no presents for Día del Niño?"

She looked up at him, incredulous, as if it was the most inconceivable thing in the world.

"That's a lot about holidays, senorita. How about how we are going to do all our homework before we go out and ride Sheldon this year? Hmm?"

The little girl sighed out dramatically.

Carolina: "By then it will be dark...and I have my new unicorn to ride too...they need their exercise..."

Elena leaned down so her face was level with her daughter's.

"So dramatic."

She gave Carolina a kiss on the end of her nose, and smiled. The little girl smiled back, and Elena returned to chopping vegetables.

"Your friends are going to be so happy to see you after all this time. And abuelo. We should call him after dinner."

 

[Berserker]

Hellfire Mansion — The Red King’s and White Queen's Suite

Haleigh: ”Ah, that was excellent, thank you.”

He chuckled.

"Next time I'll have to shoot for better than excellent, then."

He nuzzled her neck, and his body felt in a perfect state of relaxation, lying beside her. Thank god they had decided Erika's advice to refrain was hogwash. He didn't know how he was going to refrain for the next five minutes, let alone the weeks the White Princess had prescribed. He felt her body tense beside him, and looked up.

"Everything okay?"

Haleigh: “Oh! Haha, Rebekah’s trying to berserk her way out of there.”

Haleigh took his hand and placed it on her belly, and Alek felt what was surely a foot press outward. It was the most amazing thing he had ever experienced, and was each and every time.

"Of course she is. That's my little girl."

He leaned over and kissed the spot on Haleigh's stomach.

"She clearly takes after me."

Haleigh: ”Heh, Logan’s helping.”

Haleigh was smiling, and he smiled up at her. It was a perfect moment.

And then his phone rang.

"Probably Calder - I've had him trying to break into the mansion with various abilities, looking for weak spots."

But then he remembered, the non-regent court members were doing some sort of team bonding activity Erika had cooked up. Alek rolled his eyes. Didn't she know there were preparations to be made? Work to be done? The babies' safety should have been everyone's top priority. It certainly was Alek's. He had been working with Zizi, the wheelchair girl from Security, to completely upgrade their systems. This place was going to be impenetrable when the children were born, if it killed him.

His phone was now floating towards him. It was damn unnerving. He expected that kind of thing from witchy woo magick users and telepaths. But it was amazing to him how far beyond the one sentence description of her power set that Haleigh had gone. She truly was a wonder.

He reached out and grabbed the phone as it came into his orbit, noticing the headphone also coming to rest on either side of Haleigh's tummy.

"Remember, no Abba."

The bane of every swede's existence.

Haleigh: ”Tell Ava I said hi, and welcome back. She’s gonna freak when she sees the size of my belly.”

He grinned at her lasciviously.

"And be incredibly jealous at the size of your boobs."

He confessed to be a little upset with the prince who was speeding up this entire pregnancy. He would have liked more time with all these changes as they happened. Though, perhaps Haleigh would not feel the same way.

And he would much prefer spending time getting re-acquainted with Haleigh's new cup size than talking on the phone with Ava of all people. He'd be inclined to just silence it if the Black Court wasn't busy preparing for Def Con 1. If there was a problem, Alek should have been told. But it was so like the spoiled little rich girl, only thinking about herself.

So he pressed the answer button with thinly veiled disgust.

"Ava."

 

[Valkyrie]

The Red Queen's Suite - Sitting Room

Ashley sat in front of the fire, a cup of mulled wine next to her. Though it was still summer, she felt a chill, like winter was surely just around the corner. She thought it was probably in her head, as she didn't usually feel the cold. But still the fire was comforting. So was the wine.

She glanced at the door, sure she had heard a sound. But no, it was nothing. She had secretly hoped AJ would decide not to go out with the others tonight. Though she never would have told him so. It was important, for him to do things without her, for him to socialize with the others and be more than the Queen's Consort. But still she missed his company. Haleigh was consumed by her pregnancy and Alek these days, and Ava was still in Paris. So she was feeling quite alone at the moment, which for some reason was compounded by her current activity.

She held the soft lambswool in her lap, the needle in her right hand making the loops and knots she had learned as a child. It had been a long time since she had done this, but her hands remembered. She paused to admire her handiwork. The soft white background, the red rose in the center of the emerging blanket. A gift, for a child that wasn't hers, but who was so important nonetheless. The Red Court's rose.

Ashley heard a chirp like a bird, then felt a weight fall onto the end of the yarn she was using. The mountain lion cub crawled under the hem of the blanket into her lap. Then a fuzzy head peaked out and looked up at her with blue eyes, starting to purr. Ashley picked up her project and set it to the side.

"No cat hair on the baby blanket!"

She took the cub into her arms and kissed the top of its head. The cat rubbed against her hands as she petted it.

"Did you know I wanted some company?"

Ashley looked down into its little faced and it made the chirping noise again as if in answer.

"Shall we go find some dinner? Hmm?"

Standing, Ashley carried the cub in her arms, in search of something good to eat.

 

[Siphon]

The Blond

Calder did not know what to do.

It's not that he'd never been to a club before, because he had. He was also a passable dancer. But this? It felt more like being in the center of a shark tank. Most of the faces were relatively new to him, but then there were actual new faces to boot. He didn't know how to talk to Adriana, after having to wash pieces of her sister out of his hair. (They do not make enough shampoo for that.) Heidi scared him a little. Erika scared him a lot. So mainly he just stood by Jack and AJ and sipped his drink silently. Neither of them were much of a talker either.

Erika wanted to dance, and AJ spoke up.

AJ: ”Jack does not dance, and the for me, it has been a very long time. I do not think this song is suited for the foxtrot. Calder?”

"Uhhhhh..."

Thankfully, Adriana jumped in and he was saved from responding, then things returned to silence. Or as much silence as a club blasting dance music could manage.

But Daniel seemed willing to break the ice. He was on the Black Court, the one Calder had had the least interaction with before his promotion. And after his promotion, come to think of it. After his stint as a telepath, Calder had decided that it must be equally difficult to be an empath like Daniel, feeling what everyone else was feeling. Just as bad as hearing what everyone else was thinking.

Daniel: "Honestly, I'll be a bit relieved once Haleigh gives birth. Hellfire has been walking on eggshells lately. I'm ready for the shells to crack."

That brought Calder out of his silence, as communal griping so often did.

"Amen to that. If I have to put one more of those little plastic things into an electrical outlet I'm going to slit my wrists."

He mimed pushing the child protector into the socket, then getting an electrical shock.

Erika had mentioned them becoming babysitters.

"Do you think we'll really have to babysit?"

Calder gulped. He didn't think he was up to that job.

 

[Persephone]

Ava stood by one of the windows absentmindedly watching as the crew hustled around outside the plane, gathering their bags and loading them into the back of the parked black SUV. The seconds waiting for Alek to pick up felt like an eternity. The ringing never ending. Then finally, it stopped.

Alek: "Ava."

The tone of his voice, the infliction of how he said her name, it made Ava's stomach knot. This man hated her, and that was an understatement. How did this happen? Of all people, why him? For a split second, Ava entertained the idea of just not telling Alek. No one would question it, aside from maybe looking into their daughters eyes and seeing the Hallbjorn in her. But Ava could lie that away - many men had striking blue eyes, it wasn't uncommon. Even now, she didn't want to believe Stavros' words that Alek was the father. Ava tried to convince herself that he was a liar and it was just another one of his mind games, but deep down she knew the truth. And the truth scared her. Not so much her, but how it would effect Lily. What if Alek hated Ava so much that he in turn hated Lily? What if he treated her like Helena treated Alexis? Lily was so excited to meet him, the thought of him saying her name the way he just said Ava's made her wretch silently, the bile rising to the back of her throat. But Ava kept her emotions in check, staying silent on the phone until she knew her voice wouldn't waiver suspiciously.

"We have a security issue."

She finally spoke, knowing that a security problem would be the only reason Alek would even entertain leaving Haleigh's side to meet with her. Despite not being at the club for the last three weeks, Amanda was keeping her informed on everything that was going on, and Alek was either stationed in the security office with Elizabeth York or in his chambers with Haleigh.

"Can you meet me at Smoke in a half hour? It's too extensive to discuss over the phone."

Smoke, the top luxury cocktail lounge in New York City run by the Black Court. It was still early and didn't open for a couple of hours, so there would be no one there yet, not even the staff. Ava didn't want to do this at Hellfire.

"Preferably alone. I'd rather get your security expertise before alerting the Inner Circle."

Ava played at his ego, hoping he wouldn't suggest bringing in Calder or anyone else due to it being a 'security issue'.